Gran Torino

It was pluto who first said that: ""The purpose of Philosophy is to teach us how to die". Making extension of it, I believe, the purpose of life itself is to teach us how to die.

The best explanation of above statement can be view in Clint Eastwood's movie Gran Torino. I saw this movie some 5/6 years ago but message of movie was so powerful that it is still stuck to my mind. It is a story of a "man" who is trying to teach a growing teen how a "man" should live and eventually die! - when life presents to you nothing but odds.

Trailer here (youtube) or here  (IMDb)

Consumed!

In the last few years, Turkey has become a major vacation destination in the USA due to its affordability, direct flights, extremely tourist-friendly atmosphere, safety, rich history, and beauty. One of my friends just came back from Turkey. I asked him what did he like most about Turkey. He replied:

"I came back with the enlightenment of Rumi's words. 'The summary of my life is these three statements: I was immature; I became experienced; I was consumed.'  - baqi sab to bus khel tamasha tha".

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On Domestic violence / A woman's perspective

(One email)

I came across your blog recently and realized you make fun of women and their influences on their men. Husbands and wives and their stories are all very amusing. You think love is there when the diamonds are bought and the trips are arranged and the money is being generous. But there is a flip side to it. When a man pushes and grabs a woman in his anger. 

When the woman tries to leave as she does not want to increase the tension, he stands in his way and grabs her throat. But when the woman says please do not touch me, he twists her fingers and grab her wrists and tell her that he can touch her when ever he wants to. When he drags her to 'talk' to her. Because he is angry. Because he is the man. Because he can take away to car keys and tell the woman to walk if she wants to go out because it is his car and he can have it and she will not have it. And the woman is thankful that he did not pull her hair out as it would be supremely painful and did not hit the blemish free face as it will leave a bruise and she will not be able to tell the world what happened.

This is where the other side of picture is obvious. A woman with kids and family, a woman who is so independent and well educated, a woman who is the most cherished one by many, that woman is just a commodity behind the close doors. Because that woman went to the gym in the morning and the man did not want to give breakfast to the kids. Where as normally, it would not be a problem, but what if the man is stressed because of work? And as a man, he can make his woman the victim of his wrath and treat her as a animal because he is a man and she is a woman.

One nostalgia

Meri zindagi main kai aesi 'funny' aur 'humorous' larkian aai hain, jin ki batain soch kar aksar bethe bethe ya drive karte huwe mere laboN pe hansi aa jaati hai.

(Sochta hun - bas insaan ke lafzon ki yaad dilon main reh jaati hai - Baqi sab maya hai)

Donor

When I married her, everybody thought I was an idiot. She did not bear a good reputation in our strong-knit Jewish community. My mom thought she was a gold digger. Please make no mistake; our marriage was not very smooth either. Sometimes, we thought of divorcing each other but stuck together for the sake of kids. And then, I was diagnosed with kidney failure. As my creatinine kept rising, I lost control over my life, my career, and myself. My nephrologist suggested I look for a donor - instead of waiting on the national registry. It may prevent the agony of dialysis and its complication. All of my siblings looked away, but she had no second thought about giving her one kidney to me. What she did, requires an immense depth in one's soul to be comfortable with donating a live organ. I was wrong all my life trying to judge my wife through people's eyes. Yes, I am an idiot!

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The Judge

The Judge is one of the finest movies I have seen in recent months. Absolute Oscar performance by Robert Downey Jr. Movie revolves around the relationship between a conscientious father and a street-smart son, who are at odds with each other. And one turn of the event brought them face to face, igniting their hate and love relationship.

But at the core is the metamorphosis of a materialist and corrupt attorney to an honest human being by observing the strong commitment of his father to values in the weakest moments of life.

Trailer here 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBvK6ni97W8

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Qaziye-shehar ka matha chumo

After a long time, I heard this poetry of Mustafa Zaidi when someone posted after gruesome killing of Pakistani Christian couple - Pakistan ke naam

meri palkon ko mat dekho 
inka uthna inka chapkna 
jism ka na-mehsoos amal hai 

meri ankhon ko mat dekho 
inki auT main shaam e gareebaN
inki aaR mai dashte azal hai 
meray chehray ko mat dekho 
iss mai koi wada e farda 
iss mai koi aaj na kal hai 

ab us darya tak mat aao 
jis ki lehrain toot chuki hain 
uss seenay sey lo na lagao
 jis ki nabzain choot chuki hain 

 ab meray qatil ko chaho
 mera qatil, marham marham darya darya sahil sahil 
Qaziye-shehar ka matha chumo 
jis ke qalam mai zehray hilahil, jis ke sukhan mai lehle salasil 

ab uss raqs ki dhun per nacho 
jis ki gat per lut gaya qazi 
ji ki ley per bik gaya qatil 
bik gaya qatil, bik gaya qatil

On Books and Women

"I treat my books the way I treat a woman I love. I read them so immaculately it is hard to tell they have been read."  ~ Mustansir Hussain Tarar aka chachaji

Der Ker Deta Hun Main

Karim 'Missile' - bus yahi naam uski Pehchan ban gaya tha. 
Shayed is liye ke Taxi bohat tez chalata tha.

Bachpan se hamari mohalle ki yaari thi. 

Kuch saath saath hi America aaye the. 

Kabhi yahan mil jaate, kabhi wahan mil jaate. 

Ajeeb yaaron ka yaar aadmi thi - Mehfilon ki jaan tha.

April main, main Chicago gaya to 'Devon' pe mil gaya. 

Kehne laga: "Chal yaar Nihari kha ker jaana".. 

Main ne kaha: "Nahi yaar! abhi to dusre dostoN ke saath hun, phir kabhi.. Main tumhe phone karun ga".. 

Usne kaha: "Zaroor kerna. Zamana ho gaya gup lagaye. Kaun jaane! kal ho na ho"

Main ne phone hi nahi kiya. Jab milta, apni biwi ka dhukRa rota rehta. Wapas aa ker apne kaam kaaj main lag gaya. Aik hafte pehle pata laga Karim Missile ne biwi ke jhagroN se taang aa ker khud-kushi ker li.......

aaj 8 din guzar jaane pe bhi us ke alfaz mere kaan main gunjte hain: "kal ho na ho"

Choti si baat thi - aik phone call ki - 

jis ka malal mujeh saari umar rahe ga. 

Shayed woh dil ke baat keh paata. 

Shayed us ke dukhoN ke 'venting' ho jaati. 

Shayed main use bacha paata