Monday, March 18, 2024

Mirza Ghalib on Fasting

"دھوپ بہت تیز ہے۔ روزہ رکھتا ہوں مگر روزے کو بہلاتا رہتا ہوں۔ کبھی پانی پی لیا، کبھی حقہ پی لیا، کبھی کوئی روٹی کا ٹکڑا کھا لیا۔ یہاں کے لوگ عجب فہم رکھتے ہیں۔ میں تو روزہ بہلاتا ہوں اور یہ صاحب فرماتے ہیں کہ تُو روزہ نہیں رکھتا۔ یہ نہیں سمجھتے کہ روزہ نہ رکھنا اور چیز ہے اور روزہ بہلانا اور بات ہے

مرزا غالب کے ایک خط سے اقتباس 

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Returning car

 I was always told that if you borrow a car from someone, the right etiquette is to always return it with a full tank.

Yesterday, somebody went a step further, and added: "If you borrow a car for more than two days, always return it with a full tank and a carwash."

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Community

 A female colleague made an interesting comment about the desi community (at least here in the USA). It was about another female colleague who is desperate to get her daughter married on the pretext that "umar nikalti ja rahi hai, log kiya kahain gey."

I don't agree completely, but it makes sense on many levels, at least for women in the community.

Yeah community!… gelee lakrioun ki tarahn hootay hein. Qarib aou to koi garmi nahi, aur dour sey sulagta hua dhuwan!  Sent from my iPhone

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Kask

 Zindagi ke kai sawal aese hote hain, kai kasak aesi hoti hain -

barson lag jaate hain 

       - unka jawab milne main

       - woh kasak, woh khalish mitne main

~ Shayed yahi bohat hai ke maut se pehle saare hisab saaf ho jaain

Saturday, March 09, 2024

Lakshmi and Owl

 As we were casually talking about the extravaganza, display of wealth, and waste of money in Ambani's recent wedding event, one of my Indian friends (whose father still runs a small kiryana shop in Gujrat) commented:

"In Hindu mythology, the goddess of wealth - Lakshmi, usually arrives on the owl. Although owl means wisdom - in India, an owl is generally referred to as an idiot. So go figure."

Friday, March 08, 2024

Love to House

 Jab Amma abba pehli baar Canada aaye - tabhi, bahen aur behnoii ne Toronto main naya makan khareeda.

Abba ne tab un se kaha tha:

"Makan ko bhi wahi piyar dena jo aulad ko dete ho. Makan ka khayal rakho ge to yahi makan saalon bulke buRhape tak apni chaaun dega."

Shayed unhon ne abba ki is baat pe lafz b lafz amal kiya.

Is baat ko 30 baras beet gaye. bachhe baRe ho gaye. BetioN ki shadiyan ho gai. Kal raat jab un ke sath beth ker sakoon se chai pi to abba ki ye baat bohat yaad aayi...

... na jaane kese log apna makan kiraye pe de dete hain. Kabhi koi aulad ke saath bhi aese kerta hai!!

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

DINK

 I was disturbed by a new phenomenon my students have told me: a widespread trend in new generations, irrespective of their cultural origin in developed countries, is to be married but stay DINK (Dual Income, No Kids).

Very disturbing.

Saturday, March 02, 2024

Petty Cash

 While in medical school, I was part of a friend group active in the student union, particularly in arranging social events, including debates, musahiyra, get-togethers, etc. Student unions allocate a particular amount of funds for such events. Said that it was a public (government) medical college and allocated funds were minimal. We primarily relied on money from advertisements, commercial banners, and pharmaceutical companies. One of the tricks I learned from seniors during those days was called “petty cash.”


What ‘petty cash’ meant was that we had a secret account for money saved from previous events to use if we ran short for subsequent events. We used to keep a balance of around 3000 rupees in that free-flowing, non-audited account. Interestingly, we kept that money in a box hidden somewhere in the student union office, and we call it petty, as in Urdu. (Trust me, in those days, 3000 rupees was a good amount for poor students.)


“Petty cash” always stayed with me. When I came to this country and slowly started settling down, it brought more and more responsibilities on my shoulders. It also meant taking care of more bills–and often unexpected expenses. My ‘petty cash’ amount was $25 monthly when I finished residency. I also learned that “petty cash” is a classic example of ‘life balance.’ Sometimes, you may lose money somewhere, but on the same token, you also get money from unexpected sources.


Going forward, this amount gradually increased. As my two children are in college, I have two cars for personal use and travel extensively; my current “petty cash” value is $1000.


If I lose up to $1000, I don’t sweat; money will be recovered somewhere down the lane. To give you an example, I recently had to cancel an international flight, and I lost about $1100 (it hurts – I know), but next week, I learned one of the locum companies I worked previously paid my license and DEA fees (almost equivalent to $1500) for one of the states as a good gesture. Simultaneously, American Airlines deposited 11K miles in my account for a mistake on their side a year ago. Every other week, I encounter such examples.


That’s how life is with its pleasures and sorrows. Life is full of ‘petty cash’. Usually, it’s not worth being unhappy about small losses, as money is bound to come from unexpected sources. As Rohinton Mistry says about life, it is a fine balance.


Please continue to tip servers and drivers appropriately, and don’t be unhappy if you lose petty cash here and there. Decide on a petty cash value at which you will shrug your shoulder and move on—maybe $5 extra on your cable bill or $50 more on your car insurance.


Life goes on!


*

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Vadh

 While on the way from a long transcontinental flight, I watched the Indian art movie "Vadh."

Vadh (Sanskrit) is translated as 'to kill.' - mind it, not murder. 

We often make impulsive decisions when we are under undue pressure in life. Conventional wisdom says that impulsive decisions are usually wrong, but the movie argues against this!

The story revolves around a poor schoolteacher who lives alone with his wife after getting a huge loan to send his son abroad. Now, the son is not interested in his parents, and the teacher is continuously threatened by the land mafia. In between, a local low-level goon is also making his life miserable. While the plot moves slowly, this low-level criminal offers him money to sleep with one of his teenage students (who was like a daughter to this couple). In rage, he kills him. Was he wrong?

The movie has no BS, and it is very nicely made. In the end, leave an audience with the same question to answer. Was his decision to kill when the whole system is corrupt was right?

*

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/O5EkZtIXb1Q?si=7Z4lLfTaDyTozxWy



Monday, February 26, 2024

bright thing in the sky today

 I met an elderly man in the elevator. Suddenly, he said what is that bright thing in the sky today. I started thinking, seriously, did I miss something while driving? Something serious? Then he said something we had not seen for a long time. I started laughing as I got it he was referring to the Sun. I said I missed the sun too. 

Amazing guy with a sense of humor.

Thursday, February 22, 2024

On Fear

 ❞ایک دن خوف نے دروازے پر دستک دی، جرات اٹھی، دروازہ کھولا تو دیکھا کہ باہر کو ئی نہیں تھا


‏~مارٹن لوتھر کنگ

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Maula Jatt - 2

An Interesting comment was made on my previous post. Maula Jatt has always stayed close to my heart. In my medical school days, to take refuge from hot summer days in Karachi, my cousin and I frequently went to cinemas. We laughed at dialogues, camera stunts, love scenes, and other nonsense in movies. We also contemplated ordinary men's love for Maula Jatt in the background of Zia's Martial Law and typical rural aristocratic agricultural society, particularly in southern Panjab. We talked about people's inner psychologies, fantasies, and wishes to overcome the system's unfairness. I was so intrigued with this Robinhood-type saga that a couple of years ago, while in inner Lahore, I went to see the original den where the man who inspired the character of Noori Nath lived (reportedly killed in a police encounter with his son Zafri in 2014).


The comment and my response below on the previous post:

"The original statement you mentioned definitely has some depth, but your English translation left some confusion, so I think it’s more like Maula (the guy Maula Jatt) will only die if Maula (Allah) kills him … like Allah allows him to live or die kinda way :) However, it reflects a layered interpretation:

1. **Divine Will Interpretation**:
- In this view, **Maula Jatt** (the character) will only meet his end if **Maula** (Allah) decrees it. It implies that the ultimate authority lies with Allah, and Maula Jatt's fate is entirely in His hands.
- It's akin to saying that Allah has the power to allow or disallow Maula Jatt's death. The character's life and death are subject to divine intervention.

2. **Self-Inflicted Interpretation**:
- Alternatively, the statement could be understood as Maula Jatt taking matters into his own hands. He might intentionally cause his own demise (suicide).
- This interpretation emphasizes human agency and personal choice. It suggests that Maula Jatt's actions directly lead to his death.

The depth lies in the tension between these two perspectives. Is it a matter of divine will or individual agency? The statement leaves room for ambiguity, allowing us to contemplate the interplay between fate, free will, and the human condition. What’s your take on it?


My response:

"wow... you put a lot of thought into it. I am pleasantly surprised, intrigued, and amused! And I need to agree with you. My take on your question is: "I don't know. I am in quest and alive in search of the same question."

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Maula Jatt

One dialogue of Maula Jat is bigger than his own whole saga. Too deep!

“Maulay nu Maula na maray, tay Maula naee marda,” 

~Maula won't die unless Maula himself kills Maula