It’s a weird, weird place up there!

I went to Khasa last weekend. Khasa is a small trade-oriented town based on the area of Tibet that borders Nepal. It is a strange, weird place that can make you feel like you are trapped in some episode of the Twilight Zone. Where else can you find a place where water, beer and tea cost the same? You have the Tibetans, the Chinese and the Nepalese all living together in this place high up in the mountains. What the mixture gives rise to is not quite culture shock, but you honestly don’t know what to make of it.

Khasa is mainly popular to the Nepalese for two reasons: it is where you can get dirt-cheap (and I mean DIRT cheap!!) knock-offs of virtually everything that the global industry has managed to produce (I bought a Nokia N95 knockoff for less than a 100 dollars, and it came with touch-screen, Bluetooth, dual SIM, G3 capabilities — the works!). The second reason is that the streets are lined up with “over-the-counter” type shops where they really turn the red light on — if you know what I mean (sort of like a dirt-cheap knock-off of Amsterdam).

Anyway, I will let the pictures speak now. I’m not much of photographer; most of these were taken by my good friend Abishesh Joshi, along with some my other friends. Take my word on this though; it’s a weird, weird place up there!!

Without you

Once I ruled the depths of the seven seas
My soldiers marched all across the land
My words were sacred, they were written in stone
The staff of tyranny forever in my hand

Powers conspired to bring me to my knees
On some fateful day I ran into you
The love that you gave cured me of my ills
Beheld the world did I with eyes anew

I abandoned my throne, for I did not care anymore
My thoughts were only of a life with you
Foolishly I did not foresee what fate had in store
That you would forsake and I would lose

Now alone I wander the deserts of Nazareth
My kingdoms lie deep beneath the sand
All my glory devoured by time, I long for death
Without you, confounded, insane, I roam the land

Somewhere back in India again

Well, Iron Maiden are coming back to India again. What good does that do me? Not a lot. I happen to be stuck in God-foresaken Nepal. What that means is the only decent concert I’ve ever been to is when I got to see Satriani, Pitrelli and Gilbert perform when I was in Boston. India, which is right around the corner, has meanwhile played host to bands that I truly worship.

Deep Purple came to India. That wasn’t enough. They came again. That still wasn’t enough. They decided to pop in for a third time. Uriah Heep came to India. They all love India. Now, Iron Maiden is coming for the second time that I know of. They’re stopping in Mumbai as a part of their Somewhere Back In Time tour. Nobody ever wants to come to Nepal – and nobody should, either. Besides the fact that a lot of them might not be aware of the existence or at least the location of this country, and it is also logistically impossible as there is not one decent venue in Nepal that could accommodate these bands, they simply should not come to Nepal because the concert-going audience in Nepal sucks: I wouldn’t want to play for them either.

I’ve got a few friends in India, none of whom are Maiden fans, unfortunately. So, all you stranger Indian Maidenites – enjoy while I cut to Seventh Son of A Seventh Son on my iPod.

Jewish and jazzy

Amy Winehouse shows promise. To be honest, so far, all I’ve heard are the three singles off her Back to Black album that have been made into videos: “Rehab”, “Back To Black” and “You Know I’m No Good”. I like what I hear so far, though. She appears to be musically literate and has managed to find that elusive signature jazzy sound – and let’s be honest, since she isn’t that hot, it’s easier to concentrate on the music.

My primary taste in music has always been the classic rock and metal genres of the 60s through the 90s, with a little bit of the blues thrown in. For a long time, I remained confined to this genre – keeping a closed mind about everything else popular music threw at me. With the plague of boy bands and “whore-pop-queens” in the late 90s, I wouldn’t say you could blame me.

Now, however, a lot of new, diverse and good music is coming out – both on the rock and pop scenes. Ever since bands like Franz Ferdinand appeared on the scene, there seems to have been a flood of mellow, civilized rock that’s been going on. You’ve got Maroon 5, Wolfmother and The White Stripes – to name a few. The pop and hip-hop scene isn’t that bad, either. Things seem to be looking up. It has come to a point that I can relax and watch VH1 for quite a while without being appalled by what I hear.

Anyway, back to Winehouse – it’s been quite a while since I’ve actually bought a CD. The music that I listen to is limited to the plethora of MP3s I have on my iPod – which is pretty much limited to my primary classic rock and metal genres, and whatever I get to watch on VH1. Amy Winehouse is different, though. I might just end up buying her album. Let’s not get anyone’s hopes up, though.

Last Rose for Bhangeri

To a distant life soon you will go
Deep into oblivion as far as I know
I write these lines for closure I need
For I am inept at saying godspeed

As you sail through life with the one you love
Know that you are all that I will be thinking of
Even though our paths will never cross again
My barren life will forever thirst for your rain

On your journey, if you find yourself astray
Do not dread, bhangeri, simply look my way
I shall stay in your want till the day I die
Farewell, bhangeri, have this last rose of mine