The Song of Liberation - Songs to Remember X

There are times when it's important to discard the world for all that, that it is - to throw oneself out from the rigid dogmas that make a society and to follow what the heart says - there are times when the sigh of the individual goes way beyond the noise and din that engulfs the society; there are times when the need for the self, the desire for the self overrides all conventions that make a society.

Conservatives may balk at it, Tyrants may tear you apart for it; Self-styled leaders of Men and upholders of Society may make living an unenviable option for you but still despite the pain and the frustration, there are times when men boldly stand fearlessly and declare what they feel is right. It is this desire of the self, this thirst of knowledge from the hidden underbelly of selfish society that leads man to more important pursuits and to greater truths. Had it not been for this eternal thirst, we would still be back there in the forest, fearful of the dark and the unknown, quaking at the bolts of lightning and suspicious of the ways of the river.

What would have been the fate of Men and Societies had Abraham and then Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed not extolled their quest for a God and His Truth. What would be this world if Buddha would have let bonds of kinship bind him to his family. What would have been Mankind had Zoroaster not taken to acclaiming without fear or favour the eternal battle between the Good and the Evil. What would have been the fate of the world had Krishna not spoken of the power of action over devotion. What would be the world had Guru Gobind Singh not dared to create the Khalsa

What would be Astronomy had Galileo not stood up to the Pope? What would be the fate of travel had Wilbur and Orville Wright not dared to simply fly? What would be medicine had Edward Jenner not injected the small pox germs in his own stream?

These were all choices - choices that led to men and societies being as we are...... but it's not easy - to talk of choices is easy; to follow one's heart, in face of opposition and total chances of complete defeat difficult... Many move on this path and then fall - many about whom we say," Their Gods had feet of Clay."

Thousands of times we die, before we make those choices, thousands of times we kill ourselves at the altar of these choices and from these altars, we return either alive but defeated, crushed to a death much more severe than death or free and proud that we follow our own heart and not that of anyone else......

The exhilaration, the great feeling of liberty that one feels on crossing that one step of decision and indecision can only be felt; to express it in words is as difficult as trying to express the feeling of freedom to one who has been free but never understood freedom.

Still S D Burman in close league with the great Shailendra and the inimitable Lata Mangeshkar in that great classic Guide tried and tried well to give words to that ultimate ode to liberation; a song that's the call of fierce individualism; the words that signify independence and right to make one's own land and one's own dream!

Kaanton Se Khinch Ke Ye Aanchal
Tod Ke Bandhan Baandhe Paayal
Koi Na Roko Dil Ki Udaan Ko
Dil Woh Chalaa ..........

The feeling of exhilaration that one feels when she breaks off the old bonds of servitude and the feeling of strength in self, that one feels when she snatches off her freedom from the prisons of thorns that pervade her is unbelievable.. it's like the feeling of exhilaration that a balloon feels when it is free of the bondage of the holder and moves towards the blue sky, gay as a bird, free as wind.....

The heart has now moved on, on it's own destination.... unmindful of all that it feels or worries of; it's path is what it has chosen; it's destination what it has decreed.... it may fail or it may succeed; the ultimate pride lies in the fact that even if defeat is the final destination; it's not for the lack of trying

And so sure at least of it's feelings, if not success and comfortable with it's emotions,if not it's future, the heart pronounces, with the head held high and self-respect flowing from it's every sinew and muscle that today it has dared to dream - today it has dared to declare fearlessly that it has a vision; that today its free to live and today its free to die for what it believes in without worrying about what the future holds for it..... Today Life and Death hold no special place for him; there are just two states that it has overcome on its quest for Truth ... That Today it is what it is......

Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai
Aaj Phir Marne Ka Iraada Hai 

The memory of the battle against indecision is still there - the fear, the worry, the concern but the soul and the spirit has risen past it and is now on it's new path..... Yet like a truely liberated one, it does not fail to acknowledge the darkness that was, the pain that seared and the choices that had to be made.

It's never easy, beyond all decisions of liberation lie personal battles that have to be won, personal demons that have to be defeated and personal beliefs and dogmas that have to be overcome; someone has said that it's always the darkes hour before dawn and when finally the first rays of dawn reach man and he sees them with outstretched hands, all that conflict, all that frustration seems nothing but a nightmare, an illusion, a MAYA that has been lost, just like the cold harsh winter hides within it the seeds of a spring that's imminent and irrevocable..... what is required is only the immense faith and confidence in self to claim one's destiny from the jaws of dogma

Kal Ke Andheron Se Nikal Ke
Dekhaa Hai Aankhen Malke Malke
Phool Hi Phool Zindagi Bahaar Hai
Tay Kar Liyaa ...........

And then the intoxication of the new path takes over; yet another dangerous point has come near but the newly liberated spirit cannot understand where the danger lies; many forget that taking a decision to walk beyond dogma is not enough, there is also a need for a commitment that won't fail, a trust that won't fall, a meaning that won't change.... Many a important decisions are not destroyed by indecision but by the feeling of defeat and this is what the soul has to avoid.... and this is what she speaks of when she says that she hopes she does not lose herself when she is close to her final victory ..... The heart is not in control of her own self ... she has still not gained anything but still life is smiling and so is Destiny.....

Apne Hi Bas Mein Nahin Main
Dil Hai Kahin To Hoon Kahin Main
Jaane Kya Pa Ke Meri Zindagi Ne
Hans Kar Kaha ......

The feeling of headiness that arises out of taking a great decision can often be destroyed by the fact that it often makes you forget who you are, where you are and what you have gone through while taking that step.... It's important then to maintain both your calm and your composure or else

History is littered with the corpses of many who thought they could but could not; as much as it is littered with those who thought they could but would not!

Main Hoon GubaarYaa Toofaan Hoon
Koi Bataye Main Kahaan Hoon
Darr Hai Safar Mein Kahin Kho Na Jaoon
Rasta Nayaa .............

Many a great battles were lost not in the heat of the moment; but at the moment of expectation of sure success .... many a great boats capsized not in the tumultous waves of a dangerous cyclone but in the serene calm of the beach....

Making a Decision is not the only difficult challenge; Keeping your commitment to the Decision is the most difficult part and this is where many a Titans have fallen. Surely is it said, the path of good intentions is often littered with the corpses of those that dared but did not have the courage to follow on to it!

Life is a game of choice.... Make Them ..... And Then..... Take Them!