Dusra Kutta

(I wish, I knew the author)
(Beautiful audio- total time 8 minutes)

House and Woman (Wajoode-Zan)

(Following email is from a dear friend and I think its worth sharing)

"....Every house needs a woman. A woman can survive without a man if she has kids but a man cannot survive without a woman even if he has kids. I checked out a house when I was house hunting and there was this guy with three kids. And the house was perfectly fine but it was obvious that no woman lives there. It was almost grey and I am not even kidding. And I told the owner that as well. With all the headache woman brings to one's life, she also brings all colors to life. As Iqbal said: Wajoode-Zan se hai tasveere kaainat main rang..."

On "Dickens' Opening Statement"

I first read 'A Tale of 2 cities' by Charles Dickens almost 25 years ago and have read some parts in between. But nothing ever sank and fluttered my heart simultaneously - and has been universally accepted as the best opening line of any novel ever written in English literature. It remained so true for any individual at any given moment of Life. Indeed! life is nothing but 'A Fine Balance".

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Shumaila

Shumaila aik aesi larki thi - jo meri zindagi main sirf aik raat ke liye aayi thi magar saari zindagi ke liye ghere naqoosh chor gai. Shumaila Chicago main aik 'Pakistani escort' thi. 

Meri teesweeN salgirah (30th Birthday) pe mere doston ne mujeh surprise dene ke liye shumaila ko book kiya tha. 

Masood (here) ki dosti khatam hone ka dukh bohat taaza tha. Main ne apne birthday pe poora din hospital main kaam kiya aur sham ghar aa ke so gaya. Abhi Amma ko Karachi phone ker ke receiver cradle pe rakha hi tha ke mere apartment ke darwaze pe dastakht hui. Main ne darwaza khola to Shumaila thi. Main samjha koi galati hui hai, magar us ne mera naam le ker andar aane ko kaha. Woh andar aa gai aur aram se sofe pe beth gai. Kehne lagi: 'Main aap ki salgirah ka tohfa hun'.  Jab sari haqiqat aashkar hui - to main ne shumaila se kaha; "mujeh afsos hai ke aik Pakistani larki America main ye kaam ker rahi hai". 

Shumaila ki majboorioN ki aik lambi list thi. Chicago aa ker mian ne ghar se nikal diya tha. Peeche Pakistan main 4 bahenaiN thi. Boorhe Ma Baap the. Sach poocho to mujeh Shumaila ki story main koi interest nahi tha. Un dino har Pakistani apne saath aik kahani liye ghum raha tha. Main ne Shumaila se kaha: "Dekho larki! main nahi chahta ke, koi larki apni majboorioN ke baais mere saath hum-bistar ho. Tum jab tak chaho yahan ruko - aur jab chaho ja sakti ho".

Meri mez pe Faiz sahab ki nuskha-haaye-wafa pari thi. Kehni lagi: 'Aap Faiz ko perhte hain?' Ye woh waqt tha jab mujeh Faiz sahab ka aadha kalam az-bar tha. Main ne Chai banate huwe use Faiz Sahab ki 3/4 nazmain sunai to woh khil si gai. Kamre ka mahol thora 'halka' ho gaya. Hum batain kerne lage

Shumaila Panjab University se Urdu literature main masters thi! Urdu shayeri pe us ki khub dastars thi. Kehne lagi: 'Bohat dinoN baad shayeri ka maza aaya hai. Aur sunain na?" Main ne kuch aur nazmain sunai. Magar jab main ne use Nasir Kazmi ki nazam: "Woh sahiloN pe gaane wale kiya huwe" sunai - to Shumaila bilak bilak ke rone lagi. Kehne lagi: "Pakistan bohat yaad aa raha hai".....

Woh poore chaand ki raat thi. Kehne lagi: "aap please light off ker dain". Chicago ke chand jesi chandni shayed duniya main kahiN nahi hoti. Poora kamra chand ki chandni se bhar gaya. Hum dono  chai peete rahe aur subah 5 baje tak batain kerte rahe. 

Phir usne kaha: 'Ab main jaun gi, werna meri fajar ki namaz nikal jaaye gi". Main ne hairat se uski taraf dekha to woh kuch nahi boli bulke apni bari si bag se jaa'namaz nikali aur kehne lagi: "Layi to apne liye thi magar aap meri taraf se rakh lain". (Allah jaane, main kahan se use namazi laga)

Shumaila khud to chali gai mgar main aaj bhi us ki jaa'namaz saath liye liye phirta hun. Kehte hain pehla sajda sab se ziyada qimti hota hai. Agar zindagi main kabhi namaz parhi aur apne rab ke huzur hazir huwa to mera pehla sajda shumaila ke naam hoga!

On "Nirvana"

“Yes, there is Nirvana; it is in leading your sheep to a green pasture, and in putting your child to sleep, and in writing the last line of your poem”.  ~ Khalil Jibran

(That's also explain, why I write blog)

A quote on old age

"Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable". ~ Annonymous

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RIP Robin Williams

One fine artist and man, Robin Williams died. One lesson which I learned and tried to teach many youngsters around me is the following scene from 'Dead Poets Society".

(See the youtube clip below and try yourself standing on table and look around the room)

I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way. You see, the world looks very different from up here. You don't believe me? Come see for yourself. Come on. Come on! Just when you think you know something, you have to look at it in another way. Even though it may seem silly or wrong, you must try! Now, when you read, don't just consider what the author thinks. Consider what you think. Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." Don't be resigned to that. Break out! Don't just walk off the edge like lemmings. Look around you. There! There you go. Yes! Dare to strike out and find new ground.

Maryam Apa

Meri umar shayed 10 baras ki thi, jab Maryam apa biha' ker hamarey mohalle main aain. Jab pehli baar main ne Maryam apa ko dekha to dekhta hi reh gaya. Is qadar khubsurat chehra! Main ne Maryam Apa se kaha: "Aap bilkul us Shehzadi jesi hain, jinhe Kohkahaf ka jin utha ke le gaya tha". Meri baat sun ker woh hans di aur mera gaal thap-thapa diya, magar aankhoN main aansuoN ki aik halki si lakeer teyr gai, aur main sochta raha: meri baat per Apa rone kiun lagi.

 ....Aur phir kuch arse baad Maryam apa hamara mohalla chor gain. Magar unka khubsurat chehra hamesah mere saath raha. Jahan Shehzadi ki koi kahani parhi, Maryam apa yaad aa gain.

Phir main America aa gaya. Aahista Ahista un ki yaad mehv ho gai. Barson beet gaye. Zindagi main phir aik mor aaya, jab main ne apne bachhon ko shehzadi aur Jin ki kahani sunana shuru ki. Maryam Apa ka khubsurat chehra phir aankoN main cha gaya.

Peechle December, aik shadi main Maryam apa ki bhanji mil gain. Main ne Maryam Apa ka haal poocha, to usne bataya: Maryam Apa ke saath bohat buri hui. Yake baad degre 6 bachhe paida kiye. Barson se shohar unhe maarta peetta hai, dande se kutai kerta hai - aur aksar ghar se nikal deta hai. Korangi ke kisi be-haal chote se mohalle main guzara ker rahi hain. Us ne apne phone pe tasveer dikhai to yaqeen nahi aaya, ye wahi Maryam apa hain. 35 baras main unho ne 100 baras ke safar tey kiya tha. Chehre pe jhuriaN ubhar aayi thiN. Un ki tasveeer dekh ker mujeh laga shayed hawa main 'oxygen' ki kami ho gai hai. Mera dum ghutne laga tha. Main taza hawa ke liye hotel se bahir aa gaya.

35 baras lag gaye mujeh ye baat samjhne main ke, jub main ne un se kaha ke: "Aap bilkul us Shehzadi jesi hain, jinhe Kohkahaf ka jin utha ke le gaya tha" - to kiun unki aankhoN main aansu ubhar aaye the!

Ye hamari kesi zindagiyaN hain, jahan koi shehzada nahi aata - aur kai Maryam ApaiN maut tak, be-haal mohalloN ke barzakh main jhulasti rehti hain!

An extended meaning of "Halal"

I have an interesting maulvi friend. He has one foot long beard. But comfortably, he can sit in a bar with all gora friends sipping orange juice, discussing cirrhosis. (Not to mention, once he tried to convince a stripper to consider hijab while taking a lap dance!)

Few days ago, we went to a restaurant. I ordered my favourite 'medium done rib eye steak". My maulvi friend informed me that in restaurants steaks taste very yummy because in farms they castrate bulls (cutting testicles), which make bulls chubby and end result is yummy steaks due to high fat. And then he made an interesting statement: "Halal does not only mean to eat an animal who is koshered with God's name but also include animals who are properly and rightfully reared and grazed before Qurbani".

Aur main sochta raha - is defination se kitne log Halal khate honge?

A little story of forever moment - 2

A week ago, I posted a little story of a friend (here). Since that day, I had in my head (rather iPad), one of the finest song written almost 40 years ago by Tasleem Fazli (I think) - and was made immortal by Mehdi Hasan Sahab.

I have my own share of  nostalgic forever moments like any other human - and - often wondered in the middle of the night.

Itna puchuN kahin, mil jaye jo woh parda-nasheeN

Main bhi aata hun tujhe yaad, kabhie ya ke nahin

3 wishes of Alexander the Great

Following story of Alexander may not have any authentic historical documentation but anecdotally attributed to him all over. This was my father's one of the most favourite story.

Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his face, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit Him to reach his distant homeland. So, the mighty conqueror called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon; I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail." 

With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes. "My first desire is that," said Alexander, "My physicians alone must carry my coffin." After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury. " The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin." 

The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes. Alexander's favourite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. "O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled, but tell us why do you make such strange wishes?" 

At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: "I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt. I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure anybody. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted. The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell people that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth. And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world." 

 Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last. . . .

5 options

Talking to a friend about different options for dealing with an unhappy relationship, we concluded that there are five options for an unhappy relationship.

1. Stay unhappy and in constant torment. (Should not be an option, as nobody deserves continuous unhappiness)

2. Accept it - as our parents' generation did with arranged marriages. 

3. Create a parallel life - with something else as the source of happiness like a hobby or a charity and ignore other person's nuisance.

4. Leave the relationship - often it's hard due to other factors involved like kids, religion, society, etc.

5. Commit suicide (I will never advise this to anyone)

On "Mir Taqi Mir"

Even Mirza Ghalib acknowledged Mir Taqi Mir as a bigger poet than him. Reason? He conveyed deepest emotions in simple language and in small baher. Following shyer of Mir Taqi Mir mesmerized me for days. What a beautiful way of conveying the haal of a lover. Not widely known but Mir Taqi Mir was a son of a sufi saint and his poetry was a disguise of Malamati Sufism - and was commonly sung by faqeers on Dilli's lanes.

Note - This shyr is controversial. This couplet has also been referred to a relatively unknown poet: MUNSHI ANWAR HUSAIN TASLEEM

A little Story (of a forever moment)

Har insaan ki zindagi main kuch lamhe aese hote hain, jo saari zindagi pe bhari hote hain - Kuch lamhe jo saari zindagi insaan ke saath saath chalte hain, jinhe shayed kabhi maut nahi aati..... Kabhi subah brush kerte, bus main charhte, purhajoom dawat main ya yunhi akele chai peete - aik dum se yun saamne aa khare hote hain, jese bus kal ki baat ho. Us lamhe ki wahi taazgi, wahi khusbu, wahi vibration ......Aese hi aik lamhe ki kahani

There was a time when there was a guy who I truly, deeply, madly loved. We were in a forest, no really, we were in a actual forest, somewhere deep. It was early night time. And I was sitting beside him and we were talking. I cannot tell you how lovely I felt at the time. I was in 2nd year in medical school. He was a year senior. And then it got really late and we lost the way back and he picked me up in his arms (difficult to believe but I was around 50 KG at that point in my life) and it was the most romantic thing ever. I literally felt I was like a feather. To this day, if someone passes by wearing the similar kind of perfume that guy used to wear, I stop in my tracks.  
Oh doctor, aatish tab jawaan tha.

Diamond(s)

Kehte hain Heera (Diamond) agar aurat ki ungli main ho to, jitna qeemti ho, utni hi aurat ki zindagi barh jaati hai - Aur - agar mard ki ungli main ho to, utni hi uski umar ghat jaati hai.

Shayed aesa is liye hai ke - aurat "heere" ke saroor main goom reh ker har gum bhool jaati hai - aur - mard is gum main ghul jaata hai, ke itne qeemti heere ki heefazat kis kis tarah karun!

Relax

Four Teachers

I always tell my kids, there are 4 teachers in life. Indeed, I was lucky to have all 4 in my life

1. Books
2. Travel
3. People (log)
4. Poverty

Read book everyday, even if its your wedding day. Travel if time and money permits, even a short day trip excursion to nearby places. Aur, insaan is kaainat ki sab se bari kitab hai. And I wish my kids get their share of days in life without a penny in pocket, scratching head to find a way out.

Running Water (Woman)

(I wish I knew the source)

Story of a Cherry tree

Once there was a large cherry tree next to a house. 

A little boy who lived in that house loved to come and play around it every day. He used to climb the tree , ate the Cherries, played around and took a nap under the shadow…He loved the tree and the tree loved to see him play. Time went by…The little boy grew, and he no longer played around the tree. 

One day, the boy came back to the tree with a sad look on his face. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. “I am no longer a kid, I don’t play around trees anymore.” The boy replied, “I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, I don’t have money…but you can pick all my Cherries and sell them so you will have money.”     

The boy was so excited. He picked all the Cherries on the tree and left happily. The boy didn’t come back. The tree was sad. 

One day, the boy grown into a man returned. The tree was so excited. “Come and play with me,” the tree said. “I don’t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?” “Sorry, I don’t have a house, but you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy didn’t come back afterward. The tree was again lonely and sad. 

 One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me!” The tree said. “I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” “Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and didn’t come back for a long time. 

 Finally, the man returned after he had been gone for so many years. “Sorry, my boy, but I don’t have anything for you anymore. No more Cherries to give you.” The tree said. “I don’t have teeth to bite,” the man replied. “No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that now,” the man said. “I really can’t give you anything… the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with sadness. “I don’t need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the man replied. “Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Come sit down with me and rest.” The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled. 

 The tree in the story represents our parents. When we are young, we love to play with them. When we grow up, we leave them and only come back when we need help. Parents sacrifice their lives for us.

On 'Mortality' & 'Simple Joys of Life'

Few days ago, someone asked me about mortality. Since that day, I wanted to share one finest thing, I ever read on mortality. Its from a well known American novel "Water for Elephants" authored by a Canadian, Sara Gruen. 

"I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other. 

When you're five, you know your age down to the month. 

Even in your twenties you know how old you are. I'm twenty three, you say, or maybe twenty-seven. But then in your thirties something strange starts to happen. It's a mere hiccup at first, an instant of hesitation. How old are you? Oh, I'm-you start confidently, but then you stop. You were going to say thirty-three, but you're not. You're thirty-five. And then you're bothered, because you wonder if this is the beginning of the end. It is, of course, but it's decades before you admit it".

and

"Sometimes I think that if I had to choose between an ear of corn or making love to a woman, I'd choose the corn. Not that I wouldn't love to have a final roll in the hay-I am a man yet, and some things never die-but the thought of those sweet kernels bursting between my teeth sure sets my mouth to watering. It's fantasy, I know that. Neither will happen. I just like to weigh the options, as though I were standing in front of Solomon: a final roll in the hay or an ear of corn. What a wonderful dilemma. ...."