Urdu

Chicago ko kher-abaad kahe sadiyan beet gai (feels like it was in my previous life). Allah jaane Riaz usman sahab (previous post on him here)  ko mera number kahan se mil gaya. Un ki beti, jis ka post main zikar tha ab medical school khatam ker ke residency ki tayyariAn ker rahi hai. Isi silsile ka phone tha.

Pata nahi, mere dil main kiya  aaya, main ne un se poocha: "aap Pakistan ko miss nahi kerte?"

UnhoN ne jawab diya: "Pakistan ko to miss nahi kerta, haan magar Urdu bolne ko bohat miss kerta hun".

Literary touch in science

A few days back I had an interesting conversation with my teenage son on a need of literature read for science students.

When I was a medical student in Pakistan, I was fortunate enough to listen to few lectures (and attend few clinical rounds) of probably the wisest clinician ever born in Pakistan - Dr. Syed Mohibur Rab, popularly known as Professor S.M. Rab or to his students as Rab Sahab. He was one remarkable mind and a widely read person (RIP). His lectures were just pleasures to listen as he frequently quoted poetry to explain scientific concepts.

Once he was talking about the need of fundoscopy in infective endocarditis and brilliantly quotes:

Agar kisi ke dil ko dekhna hai to
uski aankhon main utar ke deko

I strongly believe physicians who read on regular basis make more compassionate physicians.

It reminded me of Nobel prize winner Dr. Abdus Salaam, who hailed from Jhang, a relatively small city of Panjab, Pakistan. When told that Jhang would forever be known for having produced a Nobel Laureate, the always humble Abdus Salaam said: "There will be many Nobel Laureates but only one Heer".

How To Do Arranged Marriage Wrong (Especially Girls)

This is a cross-post.

 Mezba is originally from Bangladesh but now a hardcore Canadian. When I started doing blog in 2005, we informally had a group of desi bloggers and Mezba was one of my must-reads. Over the time, we all moved out in different directions with our blogs and lives, but still, I on and off go back and read his blog. Frequently, I don't agree with him but without any doubt, I enjoy his writings and perspectives. Following is one of his post, which you may find controversial but well written.

Read the whole post at the link. Here is just a gist.

"More and more it seems arranged marriages in the South Asian diaspora are becoming a type of "last resort". The boy has played the field and now wants some "domesticated girl" so turns to his mother for help. The girl has been with a boyfriend for so long but suddenly the mother of the said boyfriend decided her "golden boy" would be better off with someone she chose, and the boyfriend is too spineless to say otherwise, so now the girl is left looking for a poor sucker who has no idea where she has been before.

Now these people are in the same 'market' as the boy and girl who has kept away from any physical relationships, kept themselves pure and looking to get married, but finding it extremely difficult to do so."

Link: http://mezba.blogspot.com/2018/01/how-to-do-arranged-marriage-wrong.html

My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes

(A short documentary premiered on January 19 at  Sundance 2018 - and reported at NY-Times)

This short documentary (13 minutes) took my breath away!

"Jab mere baba ki wafat hui (here) to mere hisse main un ka aik oversize coat aaya -
Even after 15 years it is very precious to me despite it does not fit me."

Someday we grow up as adults and when we see our parents as human beings - their small mementos like clothes, wallet, umbrella, jacket, and other leftovers - not only just give remembrance - but make us understand their lives, struggles they went through to make sure - things look normal, stay normal and become normal for everyone - And, what defines a person is not what he left but what he let go!

MY Times link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/19/opinion/my-dead-dads-porno-tapes.html

DODA

Recommended by Books and Stiletto on our previous post on 'street smartness'. Too good!!

Watched twice. This is where you say "LOL".

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/0qOBK1uD-1A

 

On "Street Smartness"

When we were growing up in Pak-land, we frequently heard that; it's not important to be 'book smart', it is important to be 'street smart'. I wondered about that for many years!

Now my take is that: There is no such thing as 'book smart' or 'street smart', but it is important to be 'ethics smart'. It does not matter what you read or what you do in life - it is important, you don't hurt any other human being or do things by unethical means.

I am very afraid that when people try to say, 'be street smart', it means 'JugaaR', '2 number kaam', 'patli gali'  etc etc. I lived, breath and moved in Pakistan, first 25 years of my life - and was known to all these very intimately (see Salahuddin). Unfortunately, 'street smart' is mostly a surrogate to 'unethical means'.

Abovesaid, It's good to be emotionally and intellectually wise to make proper inferences and decisions - and be smart to change/carve once path to have a happy life - but I get very wary when people use the term - 'street smart'. You can call it my psychological knot!

Achha waqt

Weekend pe aik dawat main jana huwa - aur kisi ne ye comment diya - I think it is worth sharing:

"Bhai! main to apne achhe waqt se bhi darta hun! Kaun jaane aazmaish hai, inaam hai - ya sirf rassi dheeli ki ja rahi hai"!!

Jameel Sahab ka bachha aur kutta

Jameel sahab se meri mulaqat Chicago ki Devon street ke mashoor dhabe 'Gareeb Nawaz' pe hui thi. Lijye un ki bipta un ki zabani suniye


"Mere 3 bachhe the magar mazeed aulad ki khawish is qadar shadeed thi ke hum mian biwi ki umar 45 ke lag bhag hone ke bawajood -  aur doctors ke manaa kerne ke bawajood - aur pregnancy ke shuru main amniocentesis pe ye sabit ho jaane ke bawajood ke - bachha 'down syndrome' hai -  hum ne us ko is duniya main aane diya.

Us ki paidaish ke saath hi hum ne -us bachhe ke liye - ghar main aik kutta bhi paal liya

Phir aik ajeeb waqiya hona shuru ho gaya - ke -  mera bachha jis poori raat rota rehta aur ghar ka kutta poori raat bhonkta rehta - us ke dusre din mohalle main koi maut waqiyaa ho jaati. Har teesre, choThe mahine ye aik ajeeb saanihaa ho jaata.

Pakistan main meri custom ki naukri thi - Rishwat ki kamaii khub aati thi - roope paise ki rawani thi

Phir jis din main ne sab se baRi rishwat li - aur mehngi motor car ghar le ker aaya- us raat bhi kutte ke bhonke aur mere bachhe ke rone ka waqiya poori raat huwa.

Jis din mere bete ko main ne jaali visa pe europe bheja - us raat bhi yahi huwa
Phir jis raat (rishwat ke paison se) meri beti ki shadi main ne dhoom dhaam se ki - - aesa hi huwa

Phir  aik raat sirf mera kutta bhonkta raha - aur us raat mera wahi sab se chota bachha -  faut ho gaya

- Aur phir jis din main saari daulat le ker Pakistan se rawana huwa - poori raat kutta bhonk bhonk ke be-haal ho gaya

(aage ki kahani ye ke - america aa ker saari daulat barbaad ho gai - beta europe ki jail main hai - aur beti ki talaq ho gai - Aur aik beta yahan drugs main paR gaya)

------------- Aaj itne bars guzrne ka baad ye baat samjh aayi

'log kehte hain masoom bachoN aur kutton ko maut ke farishte nazar aate hain. Aesa zaroor hota ho ga - magar jab insaan apne har bure amal se aahista aahista andar mar raha hota hai - tab bhi masoom bachhe aur us ke paaltu janwar (pets) use aehsaas dilate rehte hain'

Kiya tum ne kabhi kutta paala hai?" 



Footnote: Watched Indian movie "Mom" - Nawazuddin Siddiqui again proved himself as one of the most versatile actor in Bollywood. Adnan Siddqui looks graceful  - and yes Siri Devi is still pretty and gorgeous :)

Monotheism vs Monorealism

Is blog pe apne aik teacher Sir Aleem ka aksar zikar kiya hai. 
(Ab is duniya main nahi rahe - Allah jannat naseeb kare).

Aik din woh hume Surah Ahad parah rahe the - us waqt rawani main unhoN ne '2 lines' kahi thiN magar mujeh yaad reh gaiN - aur zindagi bhar bohat kaam aayi

Pehli baat to unhoN ne ye kahi - ke  Khuda aik nahi hai - kiunke aik to adad (number) hai - limited hai - Khuda 'yagana' (unique) hai - khuda 'yakta'  (matchless) hai - us ke jesa koi nahi - woh benazeer hai. Woh aksar Ghalib ka ye shyr phaRte

use kaun dekh saktā ke yagāna hai woh yaktā 
 jo duī kī bū bhī hotī,  to kahīñ do chaar hotā

Dusri baat unhoN ne kahi ke - log kehte hain ke Dine-Ibrahimi wale sab monotheist hain. Woh kehte the: Ye galat statement hai. 

Hum 'Monorealist' hain. 

Mujeh nahi pata: 'Monorealism' ka asli urdu lafz kiya hoga magar woh aese hai ke - wahi aik haqiqat hai 

- Sab kuch usi aik zaat ka la-mehdood pehlawa hai

"Dukhi log"

Main ne duniya main do tarah ke dukhi log dekhe hain

Maana ke dukh bari zaalim cheez hai
 - Aulad ka dukh, ishq ka dukh, rozgaar ka dukh, hijrat ka dukh, apnoN se beechaR jaane ka duk, bimari ka dukh - aur aese laataadad dukh

Ye bhi maana - jese 'First Urdu Original Hippie Poet" (chacha Ghalib) ne kaha:

dil hī to hai na sañg-o-ḳhisht - dard se bhar na aaye kyuuñ 
roeñge ham hazaār baar - koī hameñ satāye  kyuuñ

Magar kuch log woh hote hain jo dukh pe ya to ro lete hain - ya use jazb ker lete hain - ya kahin andar baandh rakhte hain - magar chal paRte hain (move on ho jaate hain). In ka ziyada tar wateerah ye hota hai - dusron ko dukhi nahi dekh paate - kisi charity main lag jaate hain - kisi ke kaam aate rehte hain - ke - 

- andar ke dukh ka marham 
- bahir kisi ka chaara-saaz hona hai

Ibne maryam huwa kare koi

Magar dukh  jhelne waloN ki dusri type bari pareshan kerne wali hai - Ye woh hote hain - jinhe apne dukh se milne wali 'sympathies' ko jama kerne ki adat paR jaati hai - Inhe apne ishtahari "Victim Card" ka maza lene ka chaska paR jaata hai - Aur ye baRa addictive hota hai

Bus insaan ki koshish rahe - woh kabhi dusri type na bane

Science, Ego and Contribution - 2

(On our previous post - Science, Ego and Contribution (here) - Anony left an interesting comment)

Five years back me and my batch-mates in India were planning to apply for the PhD program abroad. One of our Professors (seeing that almost all of us had rather ambitious goals) advised us to not go into Doctorate program to fulfill the dream of being famous, rich, etc. He said, go for PhD only if you love the subject! 

... and while here I can see that Profs here simply love their research. On Friday and Saturday nights, while most of the undergrads go for drinking in bars (... and desi grad students go for movies, etc.) I have seen many Profs. (including our own head of department) and couple of grad students working quietly in their office rooms. It is not that they are sacrificing their weekends for better future, many do actually enjoy their work!! 

One of my friend (who worked really hard and actually loved her subject) had her favorite quote pasted on office door: 

~~~ Some are Born to sweet delight, 
Some are Born to Endless Night ~~~

Mard

Mard baRa kamina hota hai. 
Us ka andar baRa jaabir hota hai. 

Us ke DNA main aik jabbar chupa betha hota hai.

Jab aurat us ko apni barabari ka aehsaas dilati hai - to woh zaban se to kuch nahi kehta - magar aurat ki muhabbat ko dil se utaar ker taaq pe rakh deta hai - woh us se baat to ker leta hai - muashraati majburioN ki wajah se saath bhi reh leta hai - zaban se 'agree' bhi ker leta hai

- magar dil hi dil main phir kisi aesi aurat ki talash main nikal khaRa hota hai - jo usey baar baar  us ki khudaii ka yaqeen dilaye - aur us se barabari ki khawishmand na ho.

Us ke andar ka asal mard tab hi jaagta hai - jab tak usi ki anaa ki taskeen hoti rahe!

ye mard sala baRa kamina hota hai. 

Science, Ego and Contribution

My first article on PubMed was published when I was in second-year residency. (disclaimer: I was not the first author. I was just the part of a team). It was a remarkable feat for a foreign medical graduate as it was published in a very credible high impact journal. I start moving among my fellow residents like a king. One day one of my very senior professor level attending stopped me in the corridor and said:

"Listen young man! there are about at least 100 credible science journals in the USA, and each publishes at least 10 new original articles. So each year about 10,000 original scientific articles get published in the USA alone. Even your neighbor may not know about your article. And, eventually, all articles get buried under the dust in the library - well before you change your underwear. There are two kinds of scientists - one who live all their lives to feed their ego and on a quest to prove themselves. They retire and die miserably. Be the second type! Think how it will bring a goodness to humanity and how much it will contribute to the understanding of science. Everything else is a mirage and a trap. Don't fall for it."

Wo din aur aaj ka din - 'academic medicine' ki taraf meri rawish hi badal gai - bulke ab to aksar hasi bhi aati hai, jab PhD level ke logoN ko aapas main laRte jhagRte dekhta hun!

Selfie (An urdu short story)

(I know Dr. Shabih Manzar from my days in medical school and later had some good Urdu sittings with him, while I was in Chicago. I have not been in touch with him for a long time but someone forwarded his 'short write up' to me. I am just putting a part of it.

سیلفی

آج شاد بابا کے ساتھ کیفے پیالہ میں ایک سیلفی کھینچوا کر فیس بک پہ لگائی تو دوست حیران رہ گئے۔ جوانی میں یہاں بہت وقت گزرتا تھا۔ شاد بابا کیش پہ بیٹھتے۔ عین کیش کاؤنٹر کے پیچھے کعبہ کی تصویر تھی۔ لوگ کہتے بھی کہ اس کی جگہ بدل لو پیٹھ پڑتی ہے۔ مگر شاد بابا کسی کی نہ سنتے۔ 

ان دنوں انڈین فلموں میں یورپ میں گانے فلمائے جاتے اور ہم دوست یار ٹی وی پر یورپ دیکھ کر خوش ہو جاتے۔ یہ خوابوں کا زمانہ تھا۔ پھر ایک ایک کر کے دوست باہر نکل گئے۔ بس فیس بک پر ان سے رابطہ رہتا۔ اب یہ دیکھ کر خوشی ہوتی کہ ہم میں سے اکثر  یورپ ، امریکہ، کینیڈا اور آسٹریلیا پہنچ گئے تھے۔ دوست گاہے بہ گاہے فیس بک پر اپنی اپنی ٹرپ کی سیلفیاں اور دیگر تصاویر لگاتے رہتے۔ کوئی نہ کوئی مانومنٹ پیچھے ہوتا۔ 

میں جب پاکستان آیا تو کیفِ پیالہ میں شاد بابا کو دیکھ کر حیران رہ گیا۔ تھوڑے بوڑھے ہوگئے تھے مگر سادگی وہی تھی۔  میں نے جب تصویر کا کہا تو مان گئے۔ پھر اپنی ایک تصویر دکھائی جو فیس بک پر تھی۔ کعبہ کے ساتھ۔ - بولے عمرہ گیا تھا وہاں کھینچی۔ کعبہ پیچھے ہے پیٹھ پڑ رہی ہے ، تھوڑی بے حرمتی تو ہے ، مگر جب سے یہ ریستوران کھولا تھا بس ایک ہی خواہش تھی۔ اللہ کے گھر کے ساتھ ایک تصویر۔ 

آج میں نے جانا کہ جب ہم تصویر لے رہے ہوتے ہیں تو آگے کیمرہ اور پیچھے ہمارے خواب ہوتے ہیں۔ 

ش۔م