On "Aging"

On "True Eid"

(Asal Eid to wahi hoti hai jab mehboob se achanak wisal ho jaaye) 

Hazrat Khwaja Baba Farid of Mithankot (punjab) is a well known Saraiki sufi poet of late 19th century. This is based on his conversation with a majzoob outside the Eidgah ground. A majzoob was asking every passerby: "When is (my) Eid?", and people keep walking away laughing as it was apparent that Eid is today.

When he asked Baba Farid; "When is (my) Eid?". Baba Farid answered: "Eid is when you meet your Mehboob".

He questioned back: "when I will meet my Mehboob"?. Baba Farid replied: "When (all) distances die  - or (when you will stop feeling him as stranger inside you - or when he will call you from inside you) ".

He asked: "And when (all) the distances will die?" . Baba Farid said: "Only when he (mehboob) wish".

As Gulzar sahab said:

Yaaro aase paase wasda hai yaar mera 
Dikhda ni ohdi khusbuaan sungdaan 
Na visaal hoya kadi - Na judai hoyi 
ishq de qaidi ti na rihai hoyi

Dear Zindagi

Shahrukh Khan took long time to transform from a star to an actor. This is one finest performance by him.

I watched this movie not once but twice - first when it came out last year and again after 4 months, as it lingered on my head. This is one movie which encompasses most of the corners of an ideal movie. Though movie revolves around a very simple storyline of a relationship between a lost young woman and a psychologist, it is punched with some serious conversations and dialogues. At the core it addresses the long term issues from childhood trauma. Being a physician, I was also pleasantly surprised by an ethical line shown between a patient and a doctor (though I was expecting a typical bollywood romantic turn). It was a treat to see such an  ideal and a mature film.

Movie is written  and directed by Gauri Shinde, who earlier made similar good movie English Vinglish.

Trailer here

On "sex buds and taste buds"

As I was talking to one of my Lahori friend about famous Iqbal Hussain's Cuckoo’s Den at Heera Mandi Lahore, he asked me an interesting question.

"Kiya tum ne kabhi socha hai ke har shahr ke sab se ziya mazedaar khaane - aur sab se ziyada mazedaar hotel - bazare husn ke ilaqe (red light area) - main kiun hote hain".

(In case you are interested, read this article PAINTING PROSTITUTES )

On "ignoring optionals"

Life stays interesting due to interesting people.

Few days back, I asked one of my long acquainted colleague who is always chilled as ice but very slick in his work and his conversations, about his such cool attitude in life.

He replied: "I learned that from filling out simple forms in life to buying a car, laptop, smartphone, cable or house, ignore 'optionals'. I concentrate only on 'required'/'must needed' things. In college I never read optional articles/books/reads suggested by teachers but tried to concentrate and  excel only on required topics. This keeps all clutters and headaches away - and a life simple".

(though I tried to argue with him about losing all joys in life without 'optionals', but was unable to convince him). 

On "The Upside of Addiction"

Few months ago, one of my (lost!) friend made an interesting comment that: "For manic depressive people, sometime mania is mentally so pleasurable that they are willing to take bouts of depression, instead of taking medicines which keep them always numb"!

In same regards, few weeks back I had an interesting argument with a colleague on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character Sherlock Holmes who was addicted to intravenous cocaine, and probably performed well due to it.

Though definition of addiction is relative, but it can be anything - golf, online games, alcohol, gambling, pornography, diet coke, shopping etc. etc. etc. - and right or wrong - some people thrive on it and their brilliance only shine due to it - as it energizes their mental activity. They feel dead without it.

Now I am way less judgemental for people who have any such weird habit.

As Shakeel Badayuni said

nashe main hun lakin mujeh ye khabar hai, 
ke is zindagi main sabhi pii rahe hain
Kisi ko mile hain chalakte piyale, 
kisi ko nazar se pilayi gai hai

Kisi ko nasha hai jahan main khushi ka, 
kisi ko nasha hai gam e zindagi ka
 koi pi raha hai lahu aadmi ka
har aik dil main masti rachaii gai hai

On "The Garden Party"

Aap Katherine Mansfield ko english literature ka 'Haseena Moeen' keh sakte hain. She died at a very young age of 34 (pata nahi achhe log jaldi kiun mar jaate hain).

Katherine Mansfield ne wese to kai 'short stories' likhin magar jis kahani ne use dawam bakhsha woh thi "The Garden Party" (you can read here)

Ye ek baRi halki phulki si kahani hai. Ye kahani aik aesi larki ki hai, jo zindagi main pehli baar us ki talkhiyoN se aashna hoti hai - aur kahani ka ikhtitam aik  zara se 'shock' pe hota hai. 

Waise to is kahani pe bohat kuch likha gaya hai aur internet pe aap ko is ke kai 'analysis' milaiN ge - magar main ye kahani paRh ke sochta raha:

 "Hum apne bachhoN ko zindagi ki dhoop se bacha kar phooloN ki tarah paalte hain. Kya hum un ke saath dhoka nahi to kam az kam na-insaafi to nahi kerte?"

Yahi is kahani ka bunyadi sawal hai - Jis ka jawab hum sab dhoondh rahe hain.

(Aur shayad yahi sawal is kahani ko lazawal banata hai).

On 'Education'

I had to go to my son's school counselor for his summer classes' guidance. He quoted an interesting statement (which is wrongly attributed to Einstein);

"Education is that which remains if one has forgotten everything he learned in school."

 ~ Jis taalim se kirdaar ki tashkeel na ho, woh sirf gadhe ka bojh hai ~

America and Icarus

My previous post America and faust was a result of close discussion between friends at a iftar party. Another friend pitched in following story/opinion after first friend put Faust version).

"Hamari misaal greek mythology ke kirdar 'Icarus' jesi hai. Jese icarus ke baap 'Daedalus' ko us zamane ke badshah 'Minos' ne qaid kar diya. Magar apni hikmat se us ne uRne ke liye mom (wax) ke par (wings) bana liye. Us ne apne bete 'Icarus' ke liye bhi uRne ke par banaye aur woh uR ke qaid se faraar ho gaye. 'Daedalus' ne 'Icarus' ko nasihat ki ke dekho: 'uRan ki dhun main suraj ke bohat qareeb na chale jaana, warna mom ke par pighal jaayain ge'. Magar 'Icarus' apni uRan main aesa khoya ke apne baap ki nasihat bhula betha aur darya-burd ho gaya. Baqol Allama Iqbal:

Ganwaa Di Hum Ne Jo Aslaaf Se Meeras Payii Thii
Surreya Se Zameen Par Asman Ne Hum Ko De Mara

America and Faust

(America har kisi ko raas nahi aata. Is silsilay main pehle kuch post likh chuka hun jese  Akhtar bhai ka America (here) ya Asghar bhai ki lambi Judai (here). Aisi hi aik kahani aaj kisi ne kahi)

"Tum ne bachpan main - Faust - ki kahani to suni hogi. Bus mere liye America bhi kuch aese hi raha ---- Faust ki kahani kuch yun thi ke woh dunyawi khushiyoN ke badle shaitan se apni ruh ka sauda kerta hai. Jese jese uski khuwaishaat  baRhti jaati hai, us ki ruh madum hoti chali jaati hai. Aur aik din jab woh maut ke dahane pe khaRa hota hai to use ehsaas hota hai ke - usne baRe ghaate ka sauda kiya tha

Pehle F1 visa pe odd jobs ke saath college degree, phir professional job ki talash aur loan ki payment,  Green card ke liye bhag doR, phir shadi aur bachhe - aur phir community main compete kerne ke liye baRa aur phir us se baRa makan, Toyota camry ke baad Audi A6 ki gaari, public school ki bajaye bachhoN ke liye private school (ke log kiya kahain ge), dawatain - aur phir bachhon ki college ki fees.... Aik na khatam hone wala daaiyra -

- aahista aahista sab kuch milta gaya  - magar dheere dheere andar ki bujhti lo pe dhiyan aaj us waqt gaya jub mere doctor ne kaha: 'I think your heart is too weak now' - aur usi waqt mere smartphone pe biwi ka text aaya ke: "Can you come home on uber. I am too busy to pick you".

 - Aik dam se abba yaad aa gaye jo aksar ye kahani sunane ke baad hum se kehte the: "Dekho! Zindagi main kahin Faust na ban jaana"!

Mard aur Aurat

"Mard ki misaal aik dewaar ki maanind hai, aur aurat aik bel ki tarah hoti hai. Deewar is bel ko sahara farhaam kerti hai, jubke bel deewar ko khubsurat banati hai, apne phulon se, patton se sajati hai, aur ye bel utna hi ooper jaati hai, jitna deewar hoti hai".

(Banu Apa)

Story of Alfred Nobel

(I cross-checked to verify)

Can you imagine reading your own obituary in the newspaper? What would people say about you?

Alfred Nobel got the chance to read his own death notice, and he didn’t like what he saw. Alfred Nobel was a very wealthy and successful man. He had become an expert in chemistry and invented three of the most commonly used explosives in the world - dynamite, gelignite (used in mining) and ballistite, which is still used as a rocket propellant today.

With the huge fortune he made from these inventions, Nobel bought an engineering company called Bofors and turned it into an arms manufacturer. He made another enormous fortune designing cannons and guns and selling them around the world.

Then, in 1888, Alfred’s brother died while visiting France. A French newspaper thought it was Alfred who had died and they published an obituary that began like this:

THE MERCHANT OF DEATH IS DEAD
Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday.

Alfred Nobel was shocked. Was this what people thought of him? Was this the legacy he would leave to the world?

That’s when he decided to use his vast wealth to make a positive difference. Nobel set up a foundation with $250 million dollars in funding. Every year the foundation would consult the leading experts in the world and hand out prizes to people who had made great contributions to humanity. There would be prizes for sciences, for literature, and for promoting peace.

Today the Nobel Prizes are probably the best known and most prestigious awards in the world. They have been awarded to great scientists, authors and activists and helped draw attention to many outstanding works and worthy causes. Nobel set up his foundation in 1895: just in time to influence his own obituary. He died only a year later due to stroke.

The Nobel Prizes accomplished his wish; they created a very different legacy for him than a reputation as “The Merchant of Death.” He is not remembered as an explosives inventor or arms dealer, but as one of the greatest philanthropists of all time.

He is also a great example of how it is never too late to change your life and help make the world a better place.

On "truth"

(As I said previously, I have tons of differences with Ashfaq Ahmad but many of his thoughts are very near and dear to my heart)