Pungs, Unity & American Pie

M—Memory

(Throwback to moments that matter)

Remembering the day when I danced on stage, for the first and the last time. Super nervous, I had walked on stage, decked in traditional Manipur attire for the Khamba Thoibi dance. The only goal I had was to “not forget the steps.” My mates had the same target from what I gathered.

But it started well. As soon as the pungs began to beat, all of us took our positions, correctly. Our movements were surprisingly fluid. The beat was proper, the steps were on time, and the first set of turns were perfect. Now, this is what we thought.

In the third turn of the first set, we were supposed to take a right. Everyone turned to the left. The dance oja noticed this, and beat his pung twice, signaling us to turn again. That was a mistake. Instead of turning to the right again, a few of us turned to the left. To rectify, this he beat the pung again. The third time, we got it right. Everything went well after that. No one forgot their steps, and everyone lauded the performance. 

Looking back, I think of how calm our oja was during the fib. Not a single scorn or even a squint. He was cool as a cucumber and steered us in the right direction. I guess that’s the difference between an instructor and a teacher.

I—Inspiration

(Three quotes that fueled my week)                                      

“You can achieve anything in life. It just depends on how desperate you are to achieve it.” - Milkha Singh, The Flying Sikh

“I mean, I have moments of huge frustration because of my inability to express myself linguistically as clearly as I would like to." - David Gilmour, Pink Floyd

“The more I think about things, the more I see no rhyme or reason in life. No one knows why some things work out and some things don't. Why some of us are lucky and some of us aren’t.” - Gina McKee as Bella, Notting Hill

R—Reflection

(Opinion on subjects of significance)

The first I heard of the great Milkha Singh, was through the General Knowledge textbooks in primary school. My homeroom teacher described him as — the fastest Indian athlete. But he remained only a 2 mark answer to me, one whose spelling I often wrote wrong as ‘Milka’ Singh.

This was until the movie “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” came out. And as I watched it on a Sunday evening feature on Doordarshan, I realized the history and the value the name Milkha Singh carried for India. 

To me, he became the symbol of a united India, undeterred even by the stains of partition. He was one of Bharat’s greatest athletes and a true gentleman. Let us make sure his legacy lives on forever.

R—Reading

(Novels that do not require a bookmark)

The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People

Two sittings. That is what took me to complete the book. And if my biological clock allowed me, I would have finished it in one go. The Importance of Being Earnest is Oscar Wilde at his best.

Set in Victorian London, it explores humankind’s basic need for independence and love. It is full of sly remarks, sarcastic praises, and has a plot that flows like butter through a knife. 

The story revolves around a Mr. Jack Worthing who “bunburys” as Earnest, in London. He wants to marry the fair Gwendolen, who is certain that her husband shan’t be anyone other than Ernest. Algernon Moncrieff, Gwendolen’s cousin who is frivolity and wittiness personified does not approve of this. But when Jack mentions his ward, Cecily Cardew, Algernon makes a decision. It’s down the rabbit hole from there. 

O—Outlook

(Videos that change perspectives)

Poetic storytelling at its best—there is no better way to describe Don McLean's American Pie. Written at a crossroads in his life, it explores the change in American culture from “The Day the Music Died.”

Every line in the song is filled with nostalgic symbols that transport you back in time. From Elvis’s death to Woodstock, the Manson murders to Bob Dylan’s accident, American Pie is a Pensieve through them all.

And even though McLean himself has never revealed the true meaning of the song, this video is the best explanation of American Pie I have ever come across. If you like songs that give you butterflies in the stomach, this is a much watch. (For those interested, here is the Spotify link to American Pie)

R—Reset

(How I want to approach next week)

This week, I tried it. I limited the number of hours I used earphones or headphones. The result surprised me. I was calmer and more focused.  

Sadly, I could not continue my experiment for long. (Why? That deserves a whole piece to itself). However, I plan to see this resolution through.

So next week, I will only use earphones for office calls and 1 hour in the night for listening to my daily mix. Let’s see if my hypothesis of increased productivity with fewer distractions holds true.

See you next week!