The sun is shining brightly. The weather is pleasant. Everyone seems happy.
Suddenly, a figure emerges on the horizon - first the head, then the body followed by a pair of legs moving fast - a young boy is running, as fast as he can, towards the crowd. No he is not a thief. He is sweating profusely and has rags for clothes on his body. The people around have now started to panic at the sight, and shout, of the boy running towards them. Everyone is looking for a place to hide. There is absolute commotion.
No, it is not the boy. He is just one of them. It's just the message he is conveying as he is running towards his folks.
"Daaku aa gaye. Bhaago!"
"Daaku aa gaye. Bhaago!"
(The dacoits are here. Run!)
Soon there are a few dacoits, riding their horses, dressed in their typical 'Sholay' outfits.
Well that's a scene straight out of a (in fact many) Bollywood movie. Old ones.
That is also a vision that was deeply engraved in my thought process as a kid - movies I tell you!
Yes. Every time I heard people talking about their 'gaon', the vision would play itself on a large screen visible (and audible) only to me.
Now, whatever they would say would seem unreal and the poor boy, running for life, would seem so real.
Like any other kid would picture himself as the hero fighting with those dacoits, I was no exception. Well, I think even now I am no exception. :)
Okay. That was me as a child. Now I know, movie makers don't make villages, they just shoot there. Phew.
Another prominent vision I had as a child was that of Rajasthan.
Take a few seconds to imagine what all one can visualize about Rajasthan as a child.
No, seriously. THINK.
DONE?
OKAY. Until I went to Rajasthan a few years back, a mention of the place would run images of miles of barren lands, deserts, camels and sand! This could be the effect of movies, but I think my Geography book back in school is equally to be blamed! (Thar Desert. Camels. Remember?)
Picture abhi baaki hai...
Suddenly, a figure emerges on the horizon - first the head, then the body followed by a pair of legs moving fast - a young boy is running, as fast as he can, towards the crowd. No he is not a thief. He is sweating profusely and has rags for clothes on his body. The people around have now started to panic at the sight, and shout, of the boy running towards them. Everyone is looking for a place to hide. There is absolute commotion.
No, it is not the boy. He is just one of them. It's just the message he is conveying as he is running towards his folks.
"Daaku aa gaye. Bhaago!"
"Daaku aa gaye. Bhaago!"
(The dacoits are here. Run!)
Soon there are a few dacoits, riding their horses, dressed in their typical 'Sholay' outfits.
Well that's a scene straight out of a (in fact many) Bollywood movie. Old ones.
That is also a vision that was deeply engraved in my thought process as a kid - movies I tell you!
Yes. Every time I heard people talking about their 'gaon', the vision would play itself on a large screen visible (and audible) only to me.
Now, whatever they would say would seem unreal and the poor boy, running for life, would seem so real.
Like any other kid would picture himself as the hero fighting with those dacoits, I was no exception. Well, I think even now I am no exception. :)
Okay. That was me as a child. Now I know, movie makers don't make villages, they just shoot there. Phew.
Another prominent vision I had as a child was that of Rajasthan.
Take a few seconds to imagine what all one can visualize about Rajasthan as a child.
No, seriously. THINK.
DONE?
OKAY. Until I went to Rajasthan a few years back, a mention of the place would run images of miles of barren lands, deserts, camels and sand! This could be the effect of movies, but I think my Geography book back in school is equally to be blamed! (Thar Desert. Camels. Remember?)
Picture abhi baaki hai...
