Lata Shines at the Shrine

Lata Shines at the Shrine

by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan

(Published ~ 10-10-95 in Pakistan Link, Los Angeles)

Last Saturday, the Legendary Lata Mangeshkar performed at the beautiful Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Lata embarked on a U.S. tour after an absence of over a decade. The anxiously awaiting fans bought out all the tickets a month before the show. The performers included a variety of musicians and singers and the audience sat back and relaxed in their seats to enjoy the show.

Being a Desi event, it was a pleasant surprise that the show began on time. Mr. S.P. Balasubrahmanyam began the show with a few popular songs from Hindi films including "Yeh Bandhan Anjana". During his introduction of Lata, he asked the audience not to whistle and to give her the respect of a mother. This set the tone for a very quiet and mellow audience.

As Lata walked onto the stage barefoot, the crowd gave her a warm welcome with their applause. Balasubrahmanyam and Lata sang a few duets, beginning with "Sundariya". The next song was very upbeat and three background female singers came on stage to join the duet "Dulhay Kee Saliyo". These vocalists came on stage for various other songs throughout the show, to add more depth and color to the orchestral sound. Jyotsna Hardikar, Sumati Antrolekar and Kirti Pai were dressed in ornate orange sarees, and sang enticing harmonies to the chorus lines.

Lata took a break and Adinath Mangeshkar sang a few popular tunes. He humbly introduced himself as a young performer. The crowd gave him a lot of encouragement and respect as Lata is his aunt. He sang the hit "Ik Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga" from the movie "1942". It is a simple yet beautiful and catchy tune. Jyotna joined Adinath for a duet "Tumhi Main" from the movie "Criminal". The song was partly copied from a hit by the band "Enigma". But Jyotna sang the haunting melody which sweetly melted in the listeners' ears.

Many of the performers were closely related to Lata and I was surprised at the incredible artistic talent that exists in this family. Usha Mangeshkar who is Lata's sister sang a couple of oldies from the movies "420" and "Nikah", including "Aichak Dana". She is also a painter and award winning movie producer.

The most vibrant performer of the night was Sudhesh Bhosle. He joked with the audience and captured their attention by talking about the "Upar Walay" - the people sitting in the dark, at the very top. His success began with the song "Jumma Chumma" from the film "Hum". He has the ability to accurately copy great singers like Kishore Kumar, Rafi and S.D. Burman. Sudhesh began with Kishore's hit "Hum Na Karain Gay Pyar" and it felt like Kishore himself was in the room. He also sang one of my favorite tunes "Chaand Mayra Dil". The guitarist who was sitting during the whole show, stood up to play this hip song. Sudhesh got the audience involved and asked for their participation. They got energized and responded with their applause to "Tum Kya Jano Muhabbat Kya Hay", "Amma Dekh Munda Bigra Jaye" and "Gata Rahay Mera Dil".

Lata came back on stage and talked about the great composer S.D. Burman. The first song he composed was for Lata. Her last song with R.D. Burman was the hit "Kuch Na Kaho". When she sang this song, an older couple in love got up and started dancing with a strong embrace. Security was called to have them sit down again. In this set Lata sang a few historical songs like "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya", "Aa Janay Jaan" and a 50 year old song "Lara Lappa".

After the intermission, Lata sang a beautiful classical duet with her brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar. It started with only the tabla and drone and later the whole orchestra joined in. It was a 13 member orchestra with all the men dressed in the same white shirts and embroidered black vests. These were the unsung heroes who provided the vocalists with the necessary rhythm, strings and melodies. They were lead by the musical arranger and conductor Anil Mohile. There were six musicians on percussion including Raphael Satamkar on and electronic drumset called Octopad, Narayan Naidu on Dholak, Maqbool Khan on Bongos, Kishore Bham on Mallets, Vishal Mhatre on Congos and Ramakant Mhapsekar on Tabla. Amar Mohile played synthesizers and Ajay Madan played Guitar. Kishore Desai was on Mandolin, Prakash Patel on Violin and Vivek Paranjpe on Keyboards. An important part of the sound mix was Suraj Sathe who played Accordian. This variety of instruments gave the orchestra a very broad and rich sound.

Lata ended the program by singing about 20 one-liners from her hits. These included "Aye Ga Aanay Wala", "Raja Key Aye Gee Baraat" and "Aap Key Nazron Nay Samjha Pyar Kay Qabil Mujhay". Some people responded with applause and praise for their favorite songs. Lata asked them to "Remain peaceful and not to create too much comotion". The last song was "Yeh Zindagi Usee Key Hay Jo Kisi Ka Ho Gaya" which creschendos on a high note "Alvida". Lata apologized for her sore throat and thanked all of the musicians and promotors. It was indeed a very professional, rich and memorable show.

Pakistanis love great Indian singers like Lata. Such musicians and artists can bridge the gap between "us" and "them" and help create peace. Good artists are not confined by territorial or political boundary lines. It is unfortunate that there is division among the people who lived together and got along for hundreds of years. Our differences are few and our similarities are numerous. We have a common legacy and ancestry. Let's focus on the things we have in common and create peace with our neighbors

Independence Day

                         Independence Day

by Fazeel Chauhan

8-14-93

What does independence mean to me?
It is many things: Freedom, autonomy, maturity, connectedness and open mindedness.
Our goal should be to be the best that we can be - intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Trouble is, we as human beings are very tempted by our comfort zones. We arrive at a comfortable point in life and then stop to enjoy it. This resting point represents a stagnation in our growth process. The giant sequoias, evolve from a small seedling. Their growth doesn't stop and because of their adaptability, they are able to flourish for thousands of years. Those of us who do not continue to grow, change adapt, stop evolving and perish. the chains that bind us are all the things, beliefs and excuses that stop our growth. Our goal should be to break these chains and strive to be free in the truest sense.

One essential value is open-mindedness. We need to be accepting of other people's views and feelings. Why is it that I don't see any signs on the buses here, that forbid political arguments? People don't have violent fights over politics, honor and religion here, because they are somewhat open-minded. Egocentrism, tunnel vision and narrow mindedness are signs of ignorance and fear. When children start growind, they ask why about everything. Questioning should be allowed so that people can form their own opinions. "Other" opinions that "they" have should be tolerated by "us". As immigrants, we may be viewed as different and separate. But the fact is that we are all connected. We are the same- all "one".
Discrimination is a blindfold and it is psychological genocide. There is no doubt that it exists in the world, but as individuals, we should avoid it. Somebody's last name, economical status or social status, their gender or religion should not be viewed as inferior to our own. At CSULA, on the statue of Confucious it states: "Among truly educated people, there is no discrimination". We should educate ourselves in and out of school. But there are those who are educated but still ignorant. We should allow the education and learning experiences to change us and expand our views.

This is what independence means to me. One day soon, enough of us will join hands and embrace each other, to celebrate the independence of our souls

Affirmative Action and Proposition 209

 Affirmative Action and Proposition 209

by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link  ~  10-28-96)

Is there a conspiracy against non-white immigrants? In California the same people who brought us proposition 187 a couple of years ago, are now bringing us proposition 209. It assumes that racism does not exist anymore and that Affirmative Action programs should be terminated. If the two dots are connected, I wonder what the projected ultimate goal is. If we as part of the "minority" don't vote against 209, then we are on our way to legalized racism.

Proposition 187 targeted "Illegal" aliens, denying their children education and medical care. As Dr. Hathout mentioned, "Even if a person doesn't have proper papers, I will still treat him like a human being and give him the medical care he needs." Proposition 187 attempted to legalize immoral treatment of undocumented aliens and it passed. Proposition 209 is the next step, which takes certain rights away from "legal" aliens. What's next? Separate passports based on which country a person immigrated from? Legalized racism based on your color? Currently, people with "European" features are not likely to be asked to prove whether they are legal or whether they are "American." Nobody even talks about the thousands of illegal Italians in New York. In fact, immigration from European countries is encouraged. Governor Wilson and his supporters are targeting the non-white people.

Some students have been on hunger strikes and demonstrating at the Federal Building on Wilshire Blvd. in Westwood. This is a tradition that Mahatma Gandhi popularized. But Jackie who is an activist says that appealing to an oppressor's morality only works when he has morality. So what can we do? Believe it or not, your vote is extremely powerful. Elected officials do care about your vote. Even if you are not a citizen and not eligible to vote, you have every right to call or write to them and state how you feel. Even President Clinton responds to letters within a month. Many government officials are on the Internet and can be contacted easily if you have a computer. You can contact your local library to obtain names, addresses and phone numbers of all your representatives.

Many people, especially "Americans" say that they don't want to get involved in politics. Even though politics is a dirty business, still, we cannot escape the effect it has on our personal lives. For example, proposition 209, will affect all of us because we are a subset of non-white immigrants. Although a lot of energy is required these days to earn a good living, we should not be blind to the big picture. In politics, there is a lot of misinformation. For example, proposition 209, which takes away rights from minorities and women, is labeled as the "Civil Rights" initiative. This kind of "double-speak" can confuse even a sensible person.

Affirmative Action programs which were designed to combat racism are now being called reverse discrimination. The truth is, Affirmative Action is a sensible remedy for addressing current discrimination against people of color and women. It is a means of giving equal opportunities to people of color and women for hiring, promotion, public contracting and public school enrollment. Currently, 86% of jobs are not advertised, and are filled through word of mouth. Affirmative Action is a door opener for people who would otherwise be shut out of good schools, government contracts, and public jobs. It is not a system for hiring unqualified people. No program requires anyone to accept substandard or unqualified applicants. It is not a quota system and it is not a remedy for past discrimination. Unfortunately, discrimination continues to be widespread today. Just ask a conscious non-white person. According to Californians for Justice, Caucasian men make up 96% of CEO's, 85% of tenured professors, 89% of US Senators and 100% of all U.S. Presidents. On the other hand, people of color and women get the lowest paying and least desirable jobs. They also have much higher poverty and unemployment rates. Radio station KPFK 90.7 FM is also a good source of un-biased news and information.

Don't be fooled by Proposition 209, which they are wrongly calling the "Civil Rights" initiative. It eliminates all public equal opportunity affirmative action programs. This "Civil Wrongs" initiative offers only racial division, gender exclusion and open discrimination. The dangerously vague language also legalizes discrimination against women and girls. Does it sound like Apartheid as in South Africa? The initiative falsely assumes that the effects of past and present discrimination don't exist. It takes us back at least thirty years. Fortunately, there are groups like "Angry White Men Against Prop 209" a beautiful bunch of guys from Oakland. Please, vote against Prop. 209 on November 5th and write your elected officials to discourage them from putting such a bill on the ballot in the future

The Honorable People

by Fazeel Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link  ~  10-5-95)

Forty Eight years ago, millions of Muslims of the Indian Sub-continent gained their freedom. They did not want to live under the oppression of the British or the Hindus. They wanted independence and the freedom to practice their religion and culture without restrictions. Half a century later, we're still slaves. We are not independent and free. Our actions and current circumstances show that we are not living those values that the founders envisioned practicing. Corruption, injustice, oppression and civil war are the diseases destroying our country Pakistan.
The Westerners came hundreds of years ago and enslaved our ancestors. Their motive was greed of power and money. They ruled our people and stole the material goods and ancient treasures of our land. They made us conform to their thinking, laws and values and attempted to divert us away from our magnificent heritage. They used the tactics of divide and conquer to oppress and control us. The brave people who stood up to fight them were killed or bought. They were our enemies and they taught us to hate ourselves. They looked upon us as the "dirty natives." They made us learn their English language and steered us away from our own richer languages. So they brainwashed us into believing that our old traditions and native values were wrong and that it was good to be modern and westernized. We began to lose our integrity, got confused, and started becoming like them.
The British were able to come in and invade the land, hearts, souls and minds of our people because we had become weak. Specifically, we lost the values which had made us powerful, honorable people and the integrity which had kept us on the right path. When we became weak on the inside, both the devil and the British were able to conquer us.
Our forefathers dreamed that things would be different after independence. Our ancestors gave their lives to attain freedom for their future generations. They hoped that we would live happily ever after in our sacred and "Pak" land. The dream has turned into a nightmare today, especially for the people in Karachi. With so much unrest and lawlessness, nobody knows who could get killed next. So many people have guns that it has become like the wild west. Corruption is rampant in our motherland. A poor man who does not have money or connections, is powerless and vulnerable. Freedom of speech means that a person may be killed if he says what he really feels. The basic human rights that we enjoy in America have to be bought and sold in Pakistan. We are still weak because we still allow ourselves to be divided and conquered.
Part of the problems in Pakistan is the covert operations of outside forces like the CIA. We should learn planning skills from the British, Americans and Jews. Their planning is for the next five hundred years. The imperialist British said "We will not only conquer their lands and minds, we will rule their hearts and souls for generations to come." Today, many generations later, our hearts and souls are slaves to the west. A Caucasian man told me proudly "Don't fool yourself. Just because the British flag was replaced by the Pakistani flag in 1947 does not mean that you are free. Any imperialist government still rules the colonies even after granting them "independence.""
The language we are communicating in today is English. It's difficult to communicate feelings and emotions in this language. For example, there are so many different words for love in Urdu. But English is a necessity in today's world. That's fine, but what's really repulsive is when in Pakistan people proudly and abundantly use English words in their Urdu conversations. The more "westernized" a person looks, the more respect and admiration he gets. Today, a popular song is "Goree". Why is white considered more beautiful? Is it because we believe the Caucasians who told us that we are the "dirty natives" and the whites are godly?
Religion and spirituality are very personal things which are between a man and his God. Yet so many people are oppressed in the name of religion. In Pakistan, many people are not educated enough to properly interpret and analyze the teachings of a religion. The people are threatened not to question "religion". The biggest enemy in our culture is self-righteousness. There are so many egocentric people who think that only they are right and everybody else is wrong. They have no tolerance and are threatened by a difference of opinion.
Twenty years ago a boy was born in Karachi. At a very young age he started having dreams in which the great heros of the world appeared to him. Men like Tipu Sultan, Hazrat Imam Hussain, Nelson Mandela, Bob Marley and Allama Iqbal would talk to him in his dreams. They urged him to be a righteous man and lead his people out of their miserable state. For several years, he strengthened his spirit. Then he started teaching people the ancient ways to make them honorable again. He asked these people of integrity to join him and formed a movement called the "Honorable People".

About a million of these warrior souls are now working for human rights in Pakistan. Their values are rooted in their own rich and ancient eastern heritage. These men and women do not compromise their principles and choose death over slavery. These humanitarians are united and are willing to give up their lives to wrong the rights in Pakistan. They will jump off a cliff before taking a bribe. They are not hypocrites or jealous of others. They protect and empower women and children. They ensure that the poor and needy also get the same basic human rights as everybody else. They make peace among warring factions. They talk to the men who want their own little kingdoms and persuade them to join the Honorable People. As leaders of our society, they make long range plans and visualize where our society should be in five hundred years. They care about other people and are not selfish. They believe that their purpose in life is to serve other people. Will you become an honorable person to help your children? What stops you from joining the Honorable People?

Gambling

by Fazeel Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link  ~  3-15-95)

Kamran has lived in this country for the past six years. He came here on a student visa to pursue higher education and has just completed a master's degree in Computer Science. Now he's faced with a dilemma. Should he go back to Pakistan or stay here. I have frequently met people who have had to make this important decision. Like the major choices in life, it's a big gamble. Weighing the pros and cons of either option can be very difficult. Here's what his situation is:
"Up until a few months ago, I wanted to stay here. I had planned to send resumes to various companies to look for a job. Someone out there would hire me, I thought, and sponsor me, so that I could live in this country legally. But now I'm not sure whether it's wise for me to stay here. To extend my visa and to buy myself some more time while I'm in the process of making a decision, I have enrolled into a MBA program at my university.
"I have talked to a few of my colleagues who are in the same boat as me. One of them is from Algeria and he was the top student of my university. He was doing an internship with one of the defense contractors. As a project leader, he designed some technically difficult systems, using the latest tools and proved himself a valuable asset to his company. He worked extra hard and obtained awards and recognition from the employer. Yet, even after all of that, the company did not sponsor him. He ended up going back to Algeria and opened up a school there to teach computers and became very successful.
"It seems like I will not be able to stay here. The economy is in bad shape and many computer professionals have been laid off from their jobs. How can I compete with someone who has working experience and citizenship as well? I'm scared and unsure of my future and I don't want to make the wrong decision. I have been in school all my life. Now it's time to get a job and I don't know if I will be successful. That's the main reason I haven't really tried to get a job and have been procrastinating.
"One option I have is to work on my own by assembling and selling computers. But I will be illegal and always concerned about it. Another choice is to marry my girlfriend. She's American and we've been dating for about two years. She says she's in love with me and wants to marry me. But I just don't know. My family would not approve and seems like inter-racial marriages are much more susceptible to failure. When I consider getting married to her, the line between genuine care and taking advantage becomes cloudy. It will break her heart when I go back to Pakistan.
"I know these guys who are in the Desi mafia in New York. They can get me a fake passport or green card. But I've rarely done anything that illegal and risky in my life. The FBI is after them and I'd probably end up getting caught and deported. I don't want to get into that kind of trouble. I think I'll just head back home to Pakistan.
"I love this country and there are so many opportunities and choices available here which are not in Pakistan. I have grown tremendously in the years I've lived here. Twenty years of living in Pakistan could not have taught me the things I have experienced in the last six years in America. But the dirt beneath my feet is not mine and these people in the streets are not mine. This language and culture is not mine and I feel isolated. Friends are hard to find here and people are spiritually starved. Then there is racism and lack of acceptance of "colored" people.
"I think I'll be able to readjust in Pakistan. I have a family that loves me and friends that genuinely care about me. If you have money over there, you can live like you were in America. There's a lot of things I don't like about my country. And I'll have to get involved in trying to correct them. I should work to help my own people. I'll open up a computer school there and improve the life-scope of my own folk. I'll get married to one of my own kind and hopefully not live unhappily ever after. Life is a series of choices, a bunch of gambles. Each choice you make opens up a new world to you and simultaneously shuts out another universe of options. I hope I'll make the right decision. Only time will tell"