dhairya

dheere dheere re mana
dheere sab kuch hoye
maali seenche sau ghada
ritu aaye phal poye

- Kabir

:)

faiz kal mandir gaye the
ki pir mil jaye
faiz aaj baazaar gaye the
ki bheed mil jaye

chuppi

aap poocho main chup kyun
kya kahen kahne ko nahin
na jindagi samajh main aaye
na khudhi ko jaan paaye

nasamjhi

kitna hum chahen
woh mod phir aayen
aur hum raste badal aayen

some cheese

bandigi kuch yun kabool ho jaye
tere dard phool ho jaye

Irish Blessing

Found this today, here you go.

A soothing music video here with ireland pics
...
I wish you not a path devoid of clouds, nor a life on a bed of roses,
Not that you might never need regret,
nor that you should never feel pain
No, that is not my wish for you

My wish for you is:
That you might be brave in times of trial,
when others lay crosses upon your shoulders
when mountains must be climbed and chasms are to be crossed,
when hope can scarce shine through

That every gift God gave you might grow with you
and let you give your gift of joy to all who care for you

That you may always have a friend who is worth that name,
whom you can trust and who helps you in times of sadness,
Who will defy the storms of daily life at your side

One more wish I have for you:
That in every hour of joy and pain you may feel God close to you.
This is my wish for you and for all who care for you.
This is my hope for you now and forever

ek onkar

We were driving once, this song played and you turned up the volume. So here we go again my friend:

ek onkar satnam kartapurakh
nirmoh nirvair akaal murat
ajuni sabham
guru parsad jap aad sach jugaad sach
hai bhi sach nanak hose bhi sach
soche soch na ho wai
jo sochi lakh waar
chhupe chhup na howai
je laai har lakhtaar
ukhiya pukh na utari

je banna puriya paar
sahasyanpa lakh woh hai
ta ek na chale naal
ke ve sach yaara hoi ae
ke ve kude tutte paal
hukum rajai chalna nanak likheya naal

Movie Name: Rang De Basanti (2006)
Singer: Harshdeep Kaur
Music Director: Rahman AR
Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi

I feel so helpless tonight.

antheen

duniya sawal pe sawal poochti hai
kahti hai jawab pharmayen
kya kahen ki
jhoot hum kah nahi sakte
sach hum bata nahi paayen

thokaren

jab thokar par thokar mili
kadam yun ladkhadaye
ki chalna mushqil ho gaya
dil kuch aise baitha
ki sambhalna mushqil ho gaya

Split

aaj ki raat hum bate do worlds main
ek main hum hain aur ek main man hai

- that can be a movie line. maybe? no?

zor ka jhatka :D

woh itni aasani se kah gaye
hum bas dekhte rah gaye
ham samandar main bah gaye
woh ret pe rah gaye

- dont ask me what that means. I dont kno.

khona?

hum ajnabi the
ajnabi rah gaye
haath se samay ke moti
yunhi chale gaye

The City Sleeps

It's a beautiful night tonight. The moon shines brightly and the clouds are spread beside. I can see the same stars I could see from boulder, only a little fainter. They stay with you dont they :). A gentle breeze flows. And the city sleeps. With it's millions of teeming lights, few in each house, the city sleeps. It will awaken tomorrow, and hustle and bustle will begin anew, afresh.

but tonight
under the faint moonlight
the gaze of the stars
and caress of the breeze
the city sleeps

sawal

hum toh behaal hi acche the
ki tumne haal pooch liya
jiska jawab hume khud maloom nahi
woh sawal pooch liya

Shayari

Heard some amazing shayari on Urdu channel. Sample this:

bichade, do dil, aadhi raat
le aaye barsaat
badal, barse, ek pal
aankhen barse saari raat

- dont know the name

hai mobahhabt pe yakin woh aane wale hain
kismat dekhiye ki woh urdu jabaan wale hai
kar deta main mohabbat aam magar
mere khilaaf khandan wale hain
ladne ka shauq toh dushmano ko bhi nahi magar
hume ladwate .. darymiyaan wale hain

- dont know the name

jindagi main aaye ho
pyaar main dhalna bhi seekh lo
baad main basana chandralok ko
pahle dharti par chalna bhi seekh lo

All this was from this show called mehfil e mushaira

ahmiyat

waise toh jindagi main
har roz nayi subah
har roz nayi shaam hai
par chooi unchaaiyaan jo
woh tere hi naam hai

waise toh jindagi main
har roz aagaaz hai
har roz anjaam hai
par dekhi gahraiyaan jo
woh tere hi naam hai

We likes this song today

kaise mujhe. Some times, like and life don't match. But what to do, one cant reason one likes, and one cant get away from ones life. It wouldn't be liking then :), and it wouldn't be life then. Makes nonsense?

This morning

Do not say, "It is morning," and dismiss it with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a newborn child that has no name.

- Tagore

It is easier said than done. But such is the wonder of a newborn, it makes grown ups smile the smile they used to, when they were kids. Of innocence.

hosla

ek baar phir kamar kas le yaar
tu daud ke jindagi se mil
phir kya hai jeet
aur kya hai haar

bekhabar

itne khanjar chale hain aiye bekhabar
faiz jaan gaye marna kya hoga
yahi soch ke jeete hain magar
ke shayad in haalaat par
aanson tera bhi tapka hoga

- being theatrical

nostalgic

ek tu hi nahi hai jindagi main
aashiyan hamare aur bhi hain

- the irony is in the title :)

depart

The time has come to cross the sea. I leave the land behind but I take the city in me. I leave the people behind but I take their love in me.

for we may not often meet
or we may never meet
is it not enough that we had it sweet
and so indeed, I depart,
with a content in my heart

Tagore said

Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance

:)

it's a new day
the sun rises
and mountains say
cheer up
we are right here
not far away :)

- and that is our silly rhyme for the day

Once more

the flatirons are glowing white against a clear blue sky, after fresh snow the day before yesterday.

life

we meet, we come close
and we part
having seen what we have seen
having been what we have been
I think to myself
but what else is life
that oneness
that time we shared
that meeting of the heart

rememberance

I close my eyes and find that night
when I sat beneath the twinkling stars
the fire kept the cold at bay
and the logs burned steadfast
silent the woods mingled with the wind
and the noisy river gushed past
I close my eyes and find that fire
yellow and bright
which had lit up that night
when time passed slowly
even though the flames rose fast
when I sat there watching
and the logs burned to the last

fall off

when you are unsettled
and the mind's ravaged by thoughts
who said what
who won
and who lost
you dont know how to dispel the darkness
and things are frost
what do you do?
maybe, you spare the other a thought
but compassion my friend
cannot be, where there is me
it's easier said than had
and so, we fall off

alone

you are all alone
all by yourself
with no one to lean on to
no one to go to
nothing to hold on to
when you have the burden of past
and hopelessness of future
in that moment
you become resigned
or go insane
you sleep
or you cry
or stare vaguely at the sky
in that moment
what else can you do?
maybe look at fate in the eye
my friend,
it is easier said than done

the fight

a part of me is the society that I come from, and a part of me is the freedom
a part of me is the fate, and a part of me is the desire
in the end, a man fights himself
fights his own, said I
fights alone, said my friend

we moves soon

to hindustan. we wraps up all our stuff. we empties the closets, we finds old things. first paycheck, forgotten mails, neglected coins. we sorts the valuables mechanically from the invaluables. It fills our heart, the settled dust. What is it they say? Yeh death. This ending of something. This is the ending of our life here. Inevitably, the people will become distant, no matter what they say now, what we say now. And as time passes by, we'll have pictures left to tell the tales. Not flickr, mental and dental (Here now we call upon witness to God for all the dental work we've undergone). Why does this happen. Why do we become attached, and why do we have to leave then. Why is this our nature. Why. and why do the teeth decay. Stupid teeth.

we remembers

chappa chappa tonight.

roshan

shahar tha
pata nahi sooraj ki kiran par ho sawar
teri yaad is shahar aayi thi
ya ke teri yaad par sawar ho kar
sooraj ki kiran is shahar aayi thi

aiye khudai

kis kone jaaon
tu hi bata
koi kona aisa hai
jahan main nahi?

kis ke paas le jaoon
tu hi bata
koi dil aisa hai
jise dard nahi?

kis mitti ka banaya hai
tu hi bata
koi mitti aisi hai
jismain gard nahi?

(gard = sand) last 4 lines are meaningless juxtaposition. maybe.

beeti

main abhi kuch kah bhi nahi paya tha
ki subah ki shaam ho gayi
woh aankhen jo subah kurbaan huin thi
shaam anjaan ho gayin

main abhi kuch soch bhi nahi paya tha
ki taare nikal aaye
main wahin tanha rah gaya
baki saare aage nikal aaye

ummeed

yahi ke phir khet main phasal lehlahaye
kisaan agar thori himmat kar jaye

udhaar

ki jindagi hai
jab tak hai
jam ke jee
kabhi kabhi lagta hai
bas ek yahi baat thi
jo maine hamesha nahi ki

dhoop

aaj subah ki dhoop phir mili
ke musafir tu akela nahi
woh dhoop tere saath hai

you r fired

kismet ne milna likha hoga
toh milenge
nahi toh kismet ko fire kar denge

you r fired

- zok tha vi

sukoon

tera milna nahi
tera hona hi sahi
khushiyaan apni nahi
tumhari hi sahi
sukoon yahi
sukoon yahi

jindagi

tere sang itni badi ho gayi
ki jab bikhri
toh sametna mushqil ho gaya

bande

zis picture ka hero tu hai
us picture ka zero main hai
director ne tujhe woh role de diya
jiski thesis maine kari thi

- in jest

jeet

jab tak diya
imaan se diya
jitna kiya
ji jaan se kiya

haar

hum us mod par mile
jahan bichadna tay tha
ke jo kadam duniya naap aaye
woh raaste na milaa paaye

Motto

I have a dream of my own
A life of my own
jo maine chuni hai
acchi buri
haar jeet jo bhi hai
meri apni hai

- a friend on life

maskhari

dekhiye jindagi ki
ki hamari jaan jab jahan atki
wahin takdir ne tamasha khada kar diya

jung

barambaar jindagi ne jab patthar par de mara
hum phir uthe, aur jindagi ko lalkara
ke jo haar kar baith jayen
un logon main se hum nahi

wajood

main ko jis may se bhariye
wahi nasha chadh jayega
usi ke hone se
tera hona ban jayega

mohabbat

log kahte hain ki sab kuch hai
hum poochte hain baki kya hai?
maykhane main may nahi
toh saki kya hai

bande

tu aansuon ko rok nahi
bahne de
ke dil thora aur paak ho jayega

mohabbat

kitna bhi chahoon
ki main kuch aur paaon
lekin mohabbat wahin
jahan ghans ki chaukhat pe
subah ki auns jamin
apne aap hai
apne aap nahi

-random, meaningless loftiness

dohraav

itni baar wahi khyaal dohraye
ki dar hai khyalon main kahin mohabbat na kho jaye
duniyadaari ke chakkar main kahin zaalim na ho jaye

- trying to fight politics at work, being theatrical

jigar

jahan jeetne ki gunzaish nahi
marna tay hai
jo aisi baazi khele
use jigar khehte hain

(being fimly :) )

obviously, haar ke jitne wale ko..

e juari dil

jo sab kuch danv par lagaya
jab haare toh dukh lajib hai
haariye magar besahara na baniye
ke mohabbat sirf paane ka naam nahi

achanak

achanak samna hua
hum khade rah gaye
woh muskara ke chal diye
hum dekhte rah gaye

- a friend on suddenly meeting rahul bose in a mall

hum chup hain ki

kya baat karein tere ashq ki
hamari ankh se ho kar gira hai
kya baat karein tere dard ki
hamare dil se ho kar guzara hai

aakhir

kaise faiz yahan aa khade
na samay saath hai na muqaddar
aur dil kaafir

(kaafir=unbeliever)

sparsh

ke faiz hum ghadiyan na rok paye
haath choota saath choota
hum pardes chale aaye
lekin woh sparsh phir bhi na jaaye

Bazicha e atfal

is a ghazal by Ghalib. Don't understand it completely, but like it anyways. Link here and translation in comments.

Oh this song

is good. That's the Kailash Kher version, and here's the Atif Aslam version, if you like him.

kya kahen ki

kabhi socha na tha ki faiz aise marenge
ki log baatein karenge

(being theatrical)

Snow

It has snowed in boulder today. Our appointment was at 5. I had come home from lunch after work, so I could prepare all the documents early. I wore my best shirt. It was still snowing at 4:30 when I got out. I took a last couple of snaps from the digital camera, and headed for the bank, where I was to handover the title. It was snowing heavily. The song 'bhoola tujhe' played, I turned the volume to max, rolled down the windows to feel the snow. Then just out of emotion or love don't know which, I cleaned her dashboard, I patted my car and teared up uncontrollably. Before I let her go, I was with her with all my heart, just that once, for a few moments. And it snowed today. We exchanged some docments, the new owner and I, signed a few things, I got a check and dropped her off to the new owner's residence. I had accidentally given my house keys along with my car keys. That was embarrassing. Anyways, told the new owner a couple of things, like to use 87 fuel, and not run it on low gas, and that was it. My friend who was with me at the bank, drove me back. And it snowed today. We went out to get some soup, my friend and I, and I counted the number of people who had driven her. I was happy that almost all of my close friends and family had driven her..oh I forgot including my little niece, she's held the steering too! And it has snowed today. I love the snow. Before I let her go, I wanted to be with her with all my heart, this once in snow. And I got to do it. Today, it was good luck. My friend fed me and drove me up the flagstaff road and we stood there watching the boulder valley covered in clouds. And that was it.

Unsettled

To learn the ways of the practical people. Learnt that they choose the better offer in all matters. That comes first, everything else later.

Sprint to Catch

I like running. And more so sprinting, randomly, to catch a train, bus, or a meeting in the office. And so I like this first scene in this video a lot, the background score simply amazing and fitting the scene

Laddu

Laddu. They called him laddu at home; he was no toddler now, he hated it and had let it known many times. But everyone still called him laddu, he was still their little laddu afterall. "Stupid laddu, he thought. If he could be prime-minister for one day, he would put everyone and their cousins in jail, everyone who made laddu, ate laddu, spoke laddu, wrote laddu. But one only became prime minster in fairy tales. And like one thing Buddha knew to be true about this world, "there is suffering", Laddu knew there was laddu.

"Are Ladddduuuuuuuuu", mother shouted from the kitchen. That neighbor window shattering roar meant only one thing. Laddu's tiffin was ready, and he was going to be late for school again. If only he would not spend so much time in the loo, thinking. Laddu hurried to the bathroom, mother had already put hot water in the balti.

The dark sky had turned a blue shade by the time Laddu was out. He hurried through the clothes, stuffed everything in the school bag, wore his socks, tied the laces, grabbed the schoolbag, ran downstairs, and banged the gate with the hero cycle. There was nothing heroic about hero cycle and he hated it, but now was not the time.

"Mihir". "Present Sir", laddu ran into the geography class. "Stand at the door for another 15 minutes, facing the class". The entire class stared at him and he looked down in embarrassment. The lesson continued. Some of the girls were giggling, and Mihir realized mother's pickle had seeped out from the bag to decorate his shirt. It hurt him that Aditi was one of them. He wished he could just go hide into his empty chair next to Rohit.

"Tongggg", the class was over, Rohit was in talks with some others and Aditi, and Mihir sunk in his chair, unnoticed.

The class was going through seat rotations, and it was his first day with Rohit.

(To be continued)

bikhri bikhri

we likes the song

josh

faiz dil kahe
ki bandagi kuch yun kar jaye
kagaz par lau likh jaye

mustaqbil

faiz mud ke dekha
toh jindagi piche rah gayi thi
faiz aage nikal gaye the

(mustaqbil here: future)

chain

se kaho kabhi mere ghar bhi aaye
ki main chaukhat baitha
sir jhukaye, aas lagaye

guru

tum jaan ki kya baat karte ho
yahan toh bejaan se bichadte bhi dard hota hai

have put my car on sale today.

It's discomforting

That things have changed so much. While demoing his musical talent playing a guitar, the bollywood hero now moves the other hand too. Earlier they made us think you could just strum and produce music. Dekho

khudai

pahle tere chehre main uska chehra dhoondte the
ab har chehre main tera chehra dhoondte hain

vichitra

vishaal bhramaand
se hridya vishaal?
dimag ke ek chitra se
dooje ki tulna

So

It occurs to me that these are my last few nights here, and so even though it's late, I let my wheel turn to the road up to the flagstaff. There's a car behind me and I want to take my time; I go to the curb and let it pass. The wind is cool and pleasant. It has snowed up in the mountains this weekend, I heard from a colleague in office, and so the cool winds. As I drive up, the same thoughts run through again. All that I've done in my years here, the things, the places I've been to, the people I have met. And what I am about to loose. The song playing in the stereo says:

"kaha bhi na maine
nahi jeena maine
tu jo na mila"

And what's the significance? Thinking about it one way, my life is a tiny occurrence on the scale of time, in the size of this earth, this universe. It doesn't matter if it goes one way or the other, if I fulfill my dreams or spend my life in misery. Inconsequential in the larger scheme of things, insignificant in the long run.

Thinking about it another way, it is significant what happens to me, whether I rise or fall. It is, for there are people connected to me, there will be people connected to me. And so to strive for a better life, happiness, is written. Whether I fulfill it or not, is consequential, but inconsequential.

Insignificant, significant. It is this duality that I see in lot of things and I find it hard to digest, to explain. So I let it be.

Driving, I've come up far enough, should return. The song has ended and I turn off the music. One moment the mind wants it back on, however I feel in a few moments I won't need it anymore. So I let it be.

The rest of the drive the music stays off and the thoughts, sometimes they sprint, sometimes they crawl, and occasionally they disappear into the beautiful night.

kupalinka

liked this song, don't understand the lyrics but stirring music, sung heartfully.

rish-te

itne saare log hain duniya main
lekin jindagi wahi chand logon se hai
jin ke saath waqt bant-ta hai

kya kahen ki

itne khayal ek ek kar guzre
ke ab khayalon ka saath chor dene ko ji karta hai

itne sawal ek ek kar guzre
ki ab jawabon ka bhi saath chor dene ko ji karta hai

avaanchit

chaah bhi ajeeb dekhiye
jahan se bhar bhar mile
woh raas na aave
jahan avanchit rahe
wahin baar baar jaave

kashmakash

miloon ke na miloon
laga dard aise kam hoga
nahi mila, kya kahoon
isse toh milke hi kam hota

anubhooti

bacche main kya kahun
jis aag main tu jale
uski thori aanch toh
mujhe bhi lagi hai

right back

faiz laut phir wahi dar aaye
ki jitni jaan bachi hai
usmain kuch dua kar jaye

barkat tere dar ki ho
maula tera ghar banaye
hum is dar se chal diye
kahin hamari hi nazar na lag jaye

kya kahen ki

duniya ki choriye
apne bhi hans diye
hum baglen jhaankte
baatein badal diye

random

baccha shant nahi hota
hum kaise samjhayen?
terhanvi ke baad toh
apna bhi nahi rota

tathya

tathya yahi
ki duniya main kashtaheen koi nahi
par tathya se peeda kam hoti
toh log dawa daru kyun karate?

vyavharik

hum gairat wahin dikhate hain
jahan humse kamzor nazar aate hain
toofani hawa ke aage toh
har ped jhuk jaate hain

mukhauta

(ek sarkari babu ke naam)

yun toh din bhar dojhak main jiyenge
par janab-e-aali, jaise hi aap milenge
hum apni battisi dikha denge

bhikshu

faiz jara is baat ki bariki samjhayen
jis dar se thokar khaye
bhikshu wahin baar baar kyun jaye?

muqqadar

sochte hain toh lagta hai
is baat ke kya maayne
dekthe hain toh samjhta hai
jo uske aage haare hain
wahi jante hain
muqqadar kya bala hai

sawal

faiz is baat main
kal beshaq koi dum nahi
lekin aaj kya karen?
aaj toh koi marham bhi nahi

kissa faiz ki

yeh bhi sach hai ki

jo faiz akele chale
toh duniya bedard kahe

jo faiz paane chale
toh dil khudgarz kahe

jo faiz dene chale
toh apne sardard kahe

faiz bechare kya kare
bas chalte chale, dua kahe

(playing)

duniyadaari

len den ki duniya hai faiz
log naap-taul ke chalte hain
sab hamare jaise bewakoof nahi
jo har sauda dil se karte hain

kya kahen ki

bekar hi faiz fanaa ho gaye
wahan toh lau bhi dikhai na di

nikala

rishte ek pal main yun badal gaye
kabhi jin jindagiyon ka aham hissa the
aaj unke khyalon se bhi nikal gaye

(playing with words)

Phark

aankhen band karen toh
tash ke patte bikharte de dikhai
kholen toh log wahi
wahi duniya chalti de dikhai

Stuck

The other day I was talking to a friend's parents who are visiting him. My friend's dad, whom I call Uncle, suddenly happened to say that one should have the aptitude for things which one does, and excel at it, without it, it's just a mediocre attempt, a wasted effort. The trick, we discussed, was to find out if we had this aptitude for a certain thing somehow, and somehow find it out early enough to be able to pursue it. That brings me to a state of things that I've observed lately, in my circle of friends. Many of us, have reached where we are today, after years of mugga, slogging, an excess focus on studies by our environment and ourselves. Peer pressure and peer following brought us outside our home, to pursue a degree further, a job further. It wasn't an easy road, but we somehow managed through that, found success, and became professionals or academicians, working in an 8 to 5 job, or publishing papers trying to get that thesis done.

And now that we've arrived here, the world is wider and larger than before, life is longer, and there are no goals. In professional life atleast, you don't really know much about what the next thing your peers in your company, and others at the same level as you, are doing, preparing for. It's not that close knit, not that open. So there's no peer pressure driving you, guiding you, except for the things that you find out about your old friends, like how much they earn. There's no environmental pressure either, your parents no longer worry about whether you'll get promoted or not, like they did on whether you'll top the class or not. And so, we are stuck. We don't know what to do anymore. We don't know what our potential is, because until know, we've lived our life being told what to do, and what we could do.

Maybe I am over reading things. But it is my feeling that this is a problem if we are always looking for preset goals which we can strive to achieve. I feel it's stuckness. Not knowing what to do, when nobody is telling you what to do.

Random

Saw this movie Chak De again. I thought I had given up patriotism long ago. Yet there is something that stirs the heart, such that even in a movie it wants the Indian team to succeed. Perhaps it's not the country, but it's that they are the underdogs fighting against an unjust world, trying to make a space for themselves, trying to raise their heads high in glory. Like this song a lot, tija tera rang tha main toh

Have been following USOPEN diligently. Researched a lot on Somdev Devvarman, was really excited about him and greatly disappointed when he lost. He couldn't deliver on the opportuntiy he had. Ousted in second round. He's 24. He'll probably get a couple more chances and that's it. I was talking with someone over why India doesn't produce winners in any sports. I think the bottom line is that India is still fighting for it's bread and butter. We are a long long way away from having the luxury of time and money to produce quantity and quality in sports.

Tennis is such a great ball game. I think I took a liking for it in my 4rth/5th grade. I've only started playing it last three years though. Am taking lessons now and I keep encouraging my friends to play it. My long shot thought is, if the parents can play enough, someday, they'll initiate their kids early. Maybe we'll produce a good tennis player. Even if not, it's just a good game to go loose yourself into, step aside from the mind, just hit the ball, run around.

khoj

chauk par kitne chehre
itne chehron ke beech ek chehra mera bhi
apna mukkadar talashta

chauk par kitne sapne
itne sapnon ke beech main diwana
apna sapna talashta

koshish

tere maathe par dekh shikan
dil kahe kuch karen
ki tu jara toh muskaraye
toh thori rahat tujhe
thore hume mile

dhoomil

aisi chooti dor haath se
na jaane kahan kho gayi
hamari patang dhoomil ho gayi

Like

the fish finds the current, so should we. I don't know what that means. I just like the idea.

Self-doubt

aata theek jaata theek
mushkil tab
jab hai rah jaata

Hazy

The sun's brightness was hazed out by the mist; the trees appeared faint and more so the mountains. I drove up the familiar hill to work. This is the one place I always feel my car will never go downhill, just take off into the clouds. I had gathered speed, and chilly winds rushed in. It reminded me of the Indori mornings. In my final year at college, I used to wakeup early, 5:30/6:00 to go for a run. Myself, roommate and another friend of mine. We used to run for half and hour, then we would work out in the Nehru park nearby, and go eat sev-poha. The mornings then used to be like this then, chilly, hazy.

din-din-ki-baat

kabhi doston se baatein tamam hoti hain
kabhi jindagi akele hairan hoti hai
kabhi haseen subah hoti hai
kabhi gamgeen shaam hoti hai

This uplifted my spirits

What a wonderful world

what a lovely song

here

auns

aaj subah
mitti ki zaamen ke ek chote tukde par
subah ki narm dhoop thi khilkhilayi

wahin ek kone ki hariyali ke mukdhe par
auns ki ek boond
sahmi si thi jhilmilayi

Dammit

The tooth hurts a lot. Why weren't humans born with teeth which wouldn't decay. Why O why. And on top of that they made chocolates and sweets. And pastries and cakes and deserts. And ice cream. Tchaah.

jung

unhe har baar takdeer ne jab zameen par de mara
woh har baar uthe, har baar takdeer ko taraasha

armaan

yun kahe ki adhure
armaan aansoon hi sahi
aaj anmol hain
kal mitti bhi nahi

yun kahe ki jindagi
armaan na bandhiye
jo pure na ho saken

yun kahe ki armaan
bedahak bandhiye
jo pure na ho saken
na sahi
aaj yeh gum toh nahi
ki ji bhar chaha nahi

chuppi

lab par jo hai
andar nahi

kya kahen ki

hum logon ke saath ho kar bhi
unke saath nahi
hum kai baat kahte hain
lekin har baat nahi

jid

har baar ishq ne dil toda
phir bhi humne uska daaman na choda

ek ghazal

woh mere samne hi gaya
woh mere samne hi gaya
aur main raste ki tarah
dekhta rah gaya

jagjit singh ghazal, listen here

Tennis

I went for the first tennis lesson today. For that one hour, I forgot everything and was just hitting the ball. Of course it doesn't matter whether it landed in my court or the other. It is good to cultivate one activity where your mind is not chatterji, only the body moves. Gives you that much needed freshness, and relief from the other things in life.

kya kahen

ki hum wahi jahaz chadhe
jiska doobna tay tha

choo-mantar

jo toot rahe rishte
dil pathar na kijiye
nayi hawa aa sake
itni gunjaish rahne dijiye

nakamyaab

kal yeh baat maayne nahi rakhegi
woh samajh hai
aaj jo dard main hai
woh dil hai

Recycled

anjaan

log kahte hain
ki samay hamesha ek sa nahi rahta
lekin is pal se hum kaise aage jayenge
iska andaja na hume hai, na tumhe

mahsoos

ek dil ne kaha khuda salamat rakhe
ek dil chup raha
ki waqt dekhiye
phir wahi dard mahsoos ho raha

bebasi

man ne chaha ke ya waqt tham jaye
ya sans thum jaye
par na jaane unki humse kya thi dushmani
na waqt thama
na hi saans thami

phir sawal

kinare khade se na poochiye
tairna kya hota hai
tairte se na poochiye
doobna kya hota hai
jo doob kar aaya hai
wahi bata sakta hai
ki sanson main pani kaise ghulta hai

heh

pata nahi yeh samay tha ya main tha
main kisi paimaane par khara nahi utra

nasamajh

mujhe apni samajh samajh nahi aa rahi
auron ki kya samjhoon

lambai

log kahte hain jindagi char dinon ki
hume lage char yugon ki

rihai

kisi ke kahne se na hoye
apne aap hoye

vichlit

hum khade us chor par
jahan aage dharti nahi
piche rasta nahi
na badh saken
na laut saken

Dialogue

O ji, aundi marji hongi
toh sad singh happy singh ho jayega
nahi hogi toh sad singh su-said singh ho jayega
asi ke riyan, tussi dont chinta fikar not

mohi ki nirmohi?

uski jholi jo bhi aam
woh baanten subah shaam

A beautiful night

Half an hour ago I had driven up and made a random stop to look at the mountains. Even the stones looked softer in the moon light. It was as if a calm has descended the earth. The mountains were a wall of darkness and looked like a monster sleeping on it's back. Really. The valley was filled with the crickets creaching and the stars twinkled in annoyance. No there isn't such a word, I just invented one. So opened my hatchback and sat there staring at the sky, the mountains, the road and the moon. Wondering about all the things that have come to pass, in the realm of my knowledge. The breeze was cool after a hot day and flowed on the skin. Suddenly a tiny burning thing passed across the sky, leaving a smoky trail. It seemed really close. Shooting star. Lo, I've seen another one tonight. I don't make wishes when I see shooting stars; it does make your heart glad though, to see something like that. I thought of other times I had seen it, alone and with people I had seen it. The heart was filled to the brim. It is silly to be that emotional but then it is more silly to not be silly. Silly. I sat there for a few more minutes and then headed back.

The Thames

I like that name. Some day I want to sit at it's bank and watch it flow by.

algaav

sai dekh insaan ka dil
kis bebasi se dard janta hai
jise khuda par bharosa nahi
woh bhi dua mangta hai

samay

na mere haath main
na mere saath main

peed

jo hume de gai dikhai
woh kaise auraun ke samajh na aayi

One evening

The cotton twirls aimlessly
wandering where carry the winds
in the rays of the evening sun

I could hear thundering clouds, I figured it was a rainstorm. I had already been working late, so I decided to get out. I gathered my keys and walked outside to find a giant rainbow on the eastern sky. It was actually a double rainbow, one with deep colors and another faint one above. The sun had still some time to set, and there were quite a few clouds spread across the sky. To get a better view of the rainbow I drove up to the lake nearby. Now the colors could be seen end to end in a huge arc. It had rained moments ago and air had a fresh scent; now the sun was headed to the mountains in the west. Right above the head, there were smudged puddles of whites, as if a band of bunnies had rolled over their bikes. Bad analogy, agreed. The water in the lake had ripples. A gang of four stood at the bank fishing. I called my friends to let them know the colors were changing now, red was engulfing the eastern sky, and the puddles had turned pale orange. The trees waved a little and accompanied the ripples in the lake. The clouds, the rainbow, the sky, the mountains, the trees, the lake, all had come together playing a colorful orchestra, the music of the evening.

The rays of evening sun
sung a song unsung
The lake and trees
waved gently to the sky
The clouds had stolen the rainbow colors
and taken a run
The mountains stood still
awaiting the sun
One evening for a few moments
I held my breath, when this happened

radha

ek do ghadi
beeti prem se badi
ab jo bichdan aan padi
radha tadpe khadi khadi

aansun

jo bahe jal nischal
woh hazaron khayalon se behtar

dharm

kiska dharm kya hai
yeh main na janoon
lekin jo dharm duniya ne tay kiya
woh main na manoon

bewakoofi

kuch sawalon ka jawab nahi
bas sar jhukaye khade hain
kuch jhakmon ka ilaaz nahi
bas dard sambhale khade hain

jo dikhai de gayi
har us lau main jale hain
duniya kahe buzdili hai
hum ganvar
buzdili seene se laga chale hain

naseehat

ek baar jo karke pachhtaaye
woh dobara na karenge

des-vides

parinda ud nikala tha
apna des paraya kar

naye des main dera lagaya
apna banaya

jaane anjane
kuch chehre pehchane
seekhen seekhin
jodi yaadein kuch khatti-meethin

ab samay ho chala
apne des se toot parinda
paraye des judne chala

talaash

dhoondh main khoya panchi
talashe khula aasmaan
ke ek baar phir
woh ud sake befikr

Morning annoyance

I dont like it when people take my ideas and use them to impress authority, on others and me. Do not like that at all.

samay

duniya ke ik kone main
koi ghadiyaan gin raha tha shayad
ki pal jaldi nikal jayen
duniye ke ik aur kone main
koi is koshish main laga tha
ki pal tham jayen

aansoon

aankh main is baat par aaya
ki sab kuch samne bikhar gaya
aur koi kuch nahi kar paya

seva

hum yeh soch us rah chale
ki hamare haath bhi kuch bhala ho jaye
ek phool khil jaye
ek jingadi ban jaye

vidambana

ek aakh main aansoon tha
ek aankh main aas
dil bechara aas se bandha tha
aansoon ka saath na de saka tha

tathya

jitni badi nadi
utni door kinare

(tathya == fact)

sawal

aap ko ya aapne aap ko
apno ko ya zamane ko
takdeer ko ya tadbeer ko
hum kaise dosh den
aur kaise nirdosh kahen

(playing with words)

Majak

log kahte hain aap samajh jaiye
is baat par apni jindagi na gavan-ee-ye
hum kahte hain jis cheez ko aap nahi samajhte
woh hume na samjhaiye

(gavan-ee-ye == waste)

The Binding

Where the creek flows below 30th, there's a bench that overlooks the scott carpenter's park. Further down, the water level has receded and so one can sit on the stones at the bank. Today I had taken off early from work. I dropped my colleague and after not finding the friend at the house, I made my way to the creek. Sunlight bounced on the waters. The ripples looked like cloaks of darkness running away to somewhere. There was a line of stones where the water fell and made it's way around, becoming froth and bubbles. Once in a while a droplet would rise and fall on the skin, leaving a cool sensation. A girl came and sat behind me at a distance, reading some book. A man came by and put his fishing rod in the current, a few times, impatiently. A couple of dogs came to the other side of the bank and lapped up some water. Up on the scott carpenter's park hill, a family lay down, a little girl ran playfully. The leaves waved a little, the tree trunks stood still, and the water flowed generously, the mild roar drowning all other activity in the mind, every once in a while.

Watching the waters make their way, it occurred to me that memories are what bind me to what I am bound to.

bacche

khula akash tera
tere liye hota roz savera
aiye ameer
tere hone se hi yeh duniya hai
tu zara aankhen khol kar toh dekh
teri zindagi se roshan aur zindagiyaan hain

chakki

har subah wahi maidan khade hum
har subah wahi jung lad rahe hum

The Point

My friend and I, we were looking over a creek flow by. The water was clear so you could see the bed, the stones. Night had brought a certain silence; the flowing water felt more loud. We talked about how life is a one way street, like that creek. Flowing fast and not stopping for anyone, anything. How some of us are the stones, stuck somewhere and the water is rushing over us, beyond us. How some others are leaves, floating madly in the waves. How a lot of times the stones or the leaves have no control, and are at the mercy of the water. The water kept flowing, ripples and all, endlessly, a new cycle every moment.

When we are parted by death or life, it seems impossible to carry on if the attachment is deep. It feels the void cannot be filled, the loss is unbearable, the stuckness is insurmountable. Yet some time later we find we have become attached to other things, people. That what hurt so much then, doesn't anymore. One might ask what's the point then? Many mouths, many answers but none satisfies. Each answer is tailored to ones own learning, experiences, habits.

Meanwhile, I am the stone who tried to change the course of the water, and is trying to become the leaf. And the water's kicking my butt.

chutki

mohabbat main takalluf na ki jiye
thora dil khol kar to dijiye

(chutki == cheesy? maybe)

Aas

har purani chot ka
ab bas nishan hi baki hai
toh is aas main hum chale
ki kal baki dard nahi
bas nishan rahega

cheekh

ek boond ki cheekh us dariya main gum
jahan har boond ki khushi
woh dariya tay karta hai

mazhab

maayus na ho dildaar
tu mohabbat-e-mazhab rakh barkarar
tu paa na sake toh gam na kar
tu dekar hi ho ja khushgavar

Pyaasa

wahan se ek boond mile
toh sagar lagta hai
jahaan se sagar mile
toh bhi man pyaasa bhatakta hai

inteha

kadam thakte tab bhi hum chalte
lekin aaj hum thak gaye hain

wah

kuch hosh nahi rahta,
kuch dhyaan nahi rahta
insaan mohabbat main,
insaan nahi rahta

- hindi movie sarfarosh

bacche

jinhe sapnon ki izazat nahi
woh yaadon ki panah main sote hain

Holy Dip

us ganga main amir garib
raja rank
sab koi dubki lagaye
kuch doobe kuch tar jaye

auchitya

is bhramaand ka auchitya yahi
ek pal ko bune
jismain mohabbat pale

(ok. that is lofty).

jaddojahad

har dard ko baantan nahi ja sakta
har chahat ko paya nahi ja sakta
par kahte hain ki thori si koshish se
har waqt ko hai kata ja sakta

chakra

raat jo le kar aayi thi
dhoop subah se woh auns le chali
ek aur raat aayegi
kal patte par phir auns jhilmilayegi

dua

khuda tujhe salamat rakhe
ke tu kai aankhon ka noor hai
teri hansi se roshan
kai gharon ki chardiwariyan
kai dilon ke chaukhane
khuda tujhe salamat rakhe
ke tu mohabbat-e-kohinoor hai

maykhana

har shaam peena yahan
agar jaam nahi
toh jeena kahan

(playing with words)

one evening

we sat by the creek
me and my heart
the flowing water reflected the evening light
and we followed the flow
me and my heart

some kids came and played
in a gentle wind the trees swayed
new shoots on old barks
their leaves were tender green

water overflowed the banks
and fell making a fall
we watched it make the ripples
me and my heart

baatein

jo tere labzon main nahi
woh tere chehre ne kahi

andekha

us hansi ke piche
sagar se gahra dard chupa hai

apnapan

apno ki kuch baaton ko
humne nazarandaz kiya
jo baat ko pakdenge
toh apne apne kahan rahenge

akaran

hi aankh bhar aayi
humne toh kuch socha bhi na tha

bahalana

har tamanna apne anjam mile yeh jaroori toh nahi
tamanna zindagi se hai zindagi tamanna se nahi

tasveer

dhalti shaam ne aaj phir
aasman rang diya hai
tere chehre par

A Simple life

What is a simple life? Is it where you go about your daily work with an ease of manner. Where you spend time with your friends and family, daily. Where you are not burning yourself to climb the ladder, where you have the time to enjoy the shade of a tree in the summer afternoon. Where you have the time to sit with a stranger, or take a stroll at the sunset. Where you can spare a dime for the needy, a kind word for the unfortunate, maybe a helping hand for the stumbling. Is it all that and more? It sounds like a retired man's life, really.

Jaded

You've tried everything in your capability. Done everything you could possibly. And then you dont get it; it doesn't hit you that moment. It hits you later one day, and you feel lost. Totally. And on top of that, you get advice. Do this, try that, this is what you should have done, this is what you need to work upon, this is how you get there, blah. The absurd thing is that the person advising you is trying to help you, but it worsens the situation. Then there is self-doubt, loss of self-esteem, loss of motivation. And you dont know what to do. As time passes by you heal up, gather yourself and struggle again. Only to find yourself going through the same scene, same act, same result. It's just that the other actors have changed. Then you give up the fight. That's when you are jaded.

Phark

haath ki lakeeron aur samandar ki lahron main yahi phark hai
ek badalti nahi, dusri thaharti nahi

dost

is daman main woh dua nahi
jo tere sar lag sake

jindagi

tu ohjal na ho jaye kahin
is dar se palken nahi jhapkeen

Passing

It is a pretty night tonight. The drive back to boulder, I saw white clouds spread across in the distance, spread as if a painter had taken a brush and smudged the sky white and grey and black. There, on one mountain was a really white cloud, the dark underneath and white made a good scene to the eye. It has rained in the evening and there were puddles of water on the apartment complex road. The trees washed in rain seem to shine more brightly in the streetlight; the streetlight continues to burn as the night passes. Soon it will be dawn, the birds will awake, and life will move.

He was probably sixty or more. We used to call him Baba, the name we had picked up the first time we had tea at his stall in second year. His stall was favorite morning and evening haunt for the students. We used to get a cut for two rupees and full for four. Evening, generally my roomie or some friend and I would go hang out there, read newspaper, or discuss. Baba was tall, long faced. He had a flowy white beard, mustache and still had hair on his head. He would normally wear grey full sleeves with shoulder straps, like the armymen. He would always hand out glasses and I thought he wouldn't know who had taken how many. It a was trust based system, I think. He wouldn't talk much, but he was very lively, animated. Sometimes we would get to watch him make tea from scratch, if we had reached early. He would have rolled his sleeves, would throw stuff in his big vessel; soon his arms and forehead would be filled with sweat and he would be making noises. "BRRroooommm". In joy or to entertain his audience, I dont know. Maybe both.

For three years, I must have gone to this place every evening, sat under that huge tree next to this stall while traffic passed by or stood in some other corner, talked with people, argued, listened, laughed. I have forgotten all of that, and it is not a memory which has remained significant. I don't recollect any incidences which happened there barring one, to my surprise. What I can visualize is the evening color, the tall full grown tree and it's roots seen outside the earth, Baba in his grey, making and serving tea, fumes rising from the tea and faces of my friends, people I knew in that time. I can almost see the scene, I just cant go there. It is past.

A Blue Evening

There not far below is a house amongst the pine trees. A portion of it is is lit and it looks a familiar color, though I can't recollect what. Today I sit at this viewpoint a few minutes up ahead of flagstaff. There's a small walk to this place from where my car is parked; when you come to the end, you are on a cliff that falls into a deep valley and you can see the ranges of mountains all the way, to the distance. Today, that horizon is filled with icy blue clouds. I can see boulder city lights to my right, and a few lights here and there in the ranges, the valley. Some birds have filled the valley with their twitters. As the day fades into the night, the blue of the clouds spreads, engulfing the valley. Down there, I can see the vehicles moving up the canyon; people returning to their homes in the mountains? Maybe. The white stone beneath has puddles of water, we did have snow last week. The lights have become brighter now, the whole city is lit, so have the lights in the valley.

Everything is dark blue now, I can see silhouettes of the ranges at the horizon, smudged by the clouds and the night. I remember now. That house reminded me of halloween lights, for some reason. I stare at the scattered lights in the silent blue for one more time, and walk back to my car. A few birds are still twittering. The moon even though still a crescent makes my shadow. A shadow in the crescent moon. And lo, the car looks shiny. And blue. Dark blue.

ik jindagi

jo mili bichadni hai
uska gam kya jo humne nahi likha
kya mile yeh hamare haath nahi

phir jo mila sar liya
jo nahi kuch aansun main chor diya
log kya samjhenge pata nahi
jo bhi diya man bhar diya

aise hi sahi
shayad tum bhi ji rahe
mohabaat main ik jindagi

Sukoon

It is a pleasant night. I want to continue listening to the songs in my car and so I go up the mountains now, windows rolled down to let the atmosphere in. Not my joke. The music, is more crisp in the silence of the night. I drive up baseline lost in a song, suddenly I can see the silhouette of flagstaff against a crescent moon. On my left there are the flatirons, visible clearly in the faint moon light. Or is it the city light? A few minutes up the curvy road is the viewpoint. I turn off the engine at the viewpoint and step out to feel the wind. The night sky is full of scattered stars and the moon, as always, is gentle enough not to hide them. The wind flows gently over the face, it's a cool breeze, the whole scenery is just beautiful. I am a bit lost in admiration and there's a feeling of sukoon, peace.

innocence

woh maati kumhaar ki
jyon dhalo dhal jaye

bayan

kaha kuch khaas nahi
baat idhar-udhar ki hi ki
lekin har nikalte labz par
tadakti aawaz sunai di

banjare

main chaloon, tu chale
jab tak hai dum
kadam chale
har basti
har nagar

Pyaas

boond-boond tarasta halak
har kimat chukane ko taiyaar

boulder

zo ek baar aaye, yahin ke ho gaye
jaya na jaye zauq, boulder ki wadiyaan chor ke

inspired by delhi-6 "kaun jaye zauq, dilli ki galiyan chor ke"

Shayar

humne toh bas do baat kahi thi
zamane ne shayar bana diya

what's up

a little bit-a work
a little bit-a supper
a little bit-a song
a little bit-a snow

Vichlit

choti batein kahi bhi na jaye
sahi bhi na jaye

I hope that I ...

A good song I just discovered.

a boulder pond

Mahatva

paise se na toliye ji
paise se na
jara fakir ki aankh main jhankiye
mol anmol dikhayi dega

A pic from longwood gardens, philadelphia

Snowfall

It has snowed all day today and there is nobody on the street, all things have settled to a natural quiet.
The trees and the houses are layered with snow
The roads are slushy, and the cars are slow
The lamps still burn in the white night, and the creek still flows
Falling flakes are seen in the lamp light
and the silence of the night grows

Today

the train splashed snow
and two pairs of eyes
saw it come and go

came from nowhere
to nowhere did it go
today
the train splashed snow

From The Ancient Mariner

I have come upon this poem once again, the last time I read it fully was probably never. I haven't read it fully today either. Here we go with an excerpt:

And to teach, by his own example, love and reverence to all things that God made and loveth.

Farewell, farewell ! but this I tell
To thee, thou Wedding-Guest !
He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.

He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small ;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.

The Mariner, whose eye is bright,
Whose beard with age is hoar,
Is gone : and now the Wedding-Guest
Turned from the bridegroom's door.

He went like one that hath been stunned,
And is of sense forlorn :
A sadder and a wiser man,
He rose the morrow morn.

गहराई

कभी कभी आँखों से दिखाई नहीं देती
बस महसूस हो जाती है

That Night

I sat on this cliff in front of a thundering ocean, waves lapping up the vast shore. It was a foggy night and you couldn't see far, but you could hear the waves coming. There would be a huge rumble, and you would see the sea of white flowing out from the fog, floating towards the shore. It was beautiful and frightening at the same time. You couldn't see anything, but you knew there was this vast body of water in front of you, the water was cold and endless. Many a seafarers had taken a ride in such waters, some had perished, some had lived. Though you were sitting in the security of the shore, yet, you felt there was a mystic might in front of you, and it raised your heartbeat.

I would switch back and forth, between admiring the waves, to listening to their rumble, to thinking of ones that occupy my mind. I called a couple of people I could that night, so they could listen to the waters. At one point in time, I took my shoes and socks of to feel the earth, closed my eyes and listened. The earth felt soothing, chilly. Then watched the waters again.

I sat there for another while and walked backed to find my landmark of the two palm trees, where I had parked my car. A few foot steps and you couldn't hear anything anymore, the sea was away, the moment was gone, the heartbeat was normal.

Sunset at the Ocean

Today, I took a sunset drive and walk on the beach. The waves came one by one, rushing, roaring, and it was a wonderful thing to walk on the sand. The waters spread end to end, vast, endless. There were a lot of gulls on the beach, probably feeding on stuff brought by the waves. A surfer boarded in the waves.

Khulapan

कभी नंगे पैर घांस पर चलिए
हमेशा जूते पहने रहेंगे
तो जमीन से कैसे जुडेंगे

ज्ञान

चार आखर हम जान कर
कहते औरन को अज्ञानी

बेजुबान

क्या कहूँ की जबान थम गई है
दर्द-ऐ-दिल की हालत बयां करने की हिम्मत नही है
जिन पैरों से हम आज शिखर पहुंचे
उनके साथ चल रहे कोई कदम नही हैं

(playing with words)

Shaam

महफिल-इ-जिंदगी मैं हर शाम नयी है
इतना जानिए
गयी शाम वापस नहीं है

Fashion

I've just finished watching this movie and I feel sad right now. Great performances by Priyanka and Kanangana.

साइन करुना

इतनी कीजिये
की आप हमे क्षमा करो
और हम अपने आप को

haar

मान ली है हमने
मुक्कदर के आगे

It is not that I follow everything

but I like writings like these.
------
The supreme good is like water,
which nourishes all things without trying to
It is content with the low places that people disdain
Thus it is like the Tao
In dwelling, live close to the ground
In thinking, keep to the simple
In conflict, be fair and generous
In governing, don't try to control
In work, do what you enjoy
In family life, be completely present
When you are content to be simply yourself
and don't compare or compete,everybody will respect you
------
From a translation of Lao Tzu writings
The last line actually goes completely against the world that I live in. Without competition there's no success, no escape from poverty, no prosperity.

Performance with tantrum

Watch this little one.

Jai Ho

Dance Performance!

Good song

I just discovered. Help me make it through tonight.

Vividh bharti ki aur se

pesh hai yeh gana. Although I must say, I dont like the picturization. It's a good song on a sad scene. I don't like the lyrics either. The melody is good, IMHO.

aisa kyun hai ki

हम कहीं और जाने की कोशिश मैं
जिंदगी कहीं और ले जा रही

प्रेरणा

फूल को नही चाहिए
खिलने के लिए

(related verse from bible: http://siphar.blogspot.com/2005/05/order_24.html)

moh

कुछ ने मुझसे कीजो
कुछ से मैंने कीजो
एक मानुस मोह मैं मरते देखियो
एक मानुस मोह मैं पलते देखियो

Chinta

My Nani's house used to have Shirdi Sai Baba's poster and 10 sayings in their middle room. Of these I remembered this one today

"चिंता चिता के समान है"

Insurance

is the price you pay for doing well in life. I don't say it's good or bad. It just is.

(Evening stu-pi-dity)

Slumdog Millionaire

When you are in a creative field, particularly something like film or music,” says Rahman, “you can be tossed between highs and lows, good reviews and bad reviews. To maintain equilibrium, you have to detach yourself and abandon yourself merely to the service of music — look at it all from a different perspective. For this, the destruction of the ego is very important. At the same time, there are ironic counterpoints. If you don’t have an ego you can switch on and off, you cannot make music, you cannot do something extraordinary. You have to be committed to the idea of excelling the standards you have set yourself, fulfilling expectations. So, there is a good ego and a bad ego. Something like music also draws you away into another energy field — money, fame, women. For a long time, these impulses used to pull me in separate ways — the desire to renounce and the desire to achieve. You can never perfect these things, but finally now, I feel I am walking in sync, with both impulses hand-in-hand.

Find the full profile over here. A R Rahman.

Kanchana says her brother wanted to be an ordinary boy — sleep late, play carom — and used to resist being woken at seven by his mother to practice the piano. But the mother, fervently knocking at temples, churches, and mosques, was determined to refuel the prophecy. Suddenly, around the time he was 11, destiny came knocking again. The family met Karimullah Shah Kadiri, a Sufi pir (at a railway station, goes the apocryphal story). Karimullah foresaw the boy’s entire future and said Dileep would come to him in 10 years. “That was the turning point,” Rahman admitted in a rare moment of candour to a CNN interviewer. “Everything happened as he said it would.”

The heart stirred.

प्रकृति

आज सुबह बे-पत्ते पेड़ पर एक चिडिया दी दिखाई
शांत सुबह मैं मिठास सी घुल आई

aaj

अपनी चारदीवारी मैं चक्की पीसते हुए

मैंने खनखनाती धुप देखि

सनसनाती बर्फीली हवाएं झेलीं

इधर टकराया उधर गिरा

कभी फिसला कभी फिरा

ऐसे दिन गया रात आई

पूछो मत कितनी थकन आई

और अब दे न बहार कुछ भी दिखाई

पर अब भी गब्बर सिंह

चक्की पीसिंग

चक्कं पीसिंग

(maay de snovboarding tude, a phev laains)

(I wrote it, translated to hindi in blogger and retranslated to english. This is what it became from "my day snowboarding today, a few lines").

mahatvakanksha

मैं कुतुब मीनार पर जा हुआ खड़ा

लेकिन कद फिर भी नही बदला

लोग कहते वोह देखो कुतुब मीनार चढ़ गया अगला

मैं हँसता कुतुब मीनार चढ़ गया पगला

लेकिन कद फिर भी नही बदला

main

मुझ मैं खोट है

लेकिन मैं खोटा नहीं

मैंने jhoot बोले हैं

लेकिन मैं झूठा नहीं

मैंने सच बोले हैं

लेकिन मैं सच्चा नहीं

मैं कौन हूँ?

मैं तस्वीरों की इस भीड़ मैं

अपनी तस्वीर तलाशता इंसान हूँ

Bebasi

हम तो मयखाना कल रात ही छोड़ आए थे
आज कदम फिर बहक गये

Kaash

के करवटें बदल के
सपने बदल जाते
हम लगे इस कोशिश मैं
की थोरे हम बदले
और थोरा दिल

A few lines from LOTR

I sit beside the fire and think

Of all that I have seen,

Of meadow-flowers and butterflies

In summers that have been;

Of yellow leaves and gossamer

In autumns that there were,

With morning mist and silver sun

And wind upon my hair.

I sit beside the fire and think

Of how the world will be

When winter comes without a spring

That I shall ever see.

For still there are so many things

That I have never seen:

In every wood in every spring

There is a different green.

I sit beside the fire and think

Of people long ago,

And people who will see a world

That I shall never know.

But all the while I sit and think

Of times there were before,

I listen for returning feet

And voices at the door.

[Bilbo Baggins in LOTR]

Duvidha

सवाल यह नहीं की लोग क्या कहेंगे
सवाल यह की हम अपने आप से क्या कहेंगे

कोशिश

तोह कीजिये
पर ख़ुद बा ख़ुद खुल जायेंगे
आप खुले आसमान मैं उड़ना सिख जायेंगे

cheesy

mujhe pata nahi jindagi phir kabhi mauka de na de

aaj din accha hai, ishi bahane I want to say

happy valentine's day

दो पहिये

जिंदगी की गाड़ी के दो पहिये
पैसा और प्यार
कोई एक न हो तोह मुश्किल
क्यूंकि प्यार से पेट नही भरता
और पैसों से दिल

Ishq

ke shahar main

anginat galiyaan

har gali main ek kahani

kahin nayi kahin purani

kahin puri kahin adhuri

Naya Gana Man Bhaya

From 3 Idiots

kahi-ankahi

हर बात कहने की नही होती
कुछ बातों की अहमियत 

उनके अनकहे रहने मैं होती

(phir se playing with words)

Bhookh

लोगों ने ज्ञान के मोती कई बिखेरे
पर मोतियों से कहाँ किसी का पेट भरा है

बंधन

कुछ मिले बने बनाये
कुछ हमने बनाये
हर बंधन के संग
thore दुःख और thore सुख अपनी झोली आए

Samay

आज हम एक और पुरानी गली जा कर आए
जहाँ रोज़ आना जाना हुआ करता था
वहां ज़िन्दगी बहोत आगे निकल गई है
उस गली को अब हमारी जरूरत नही है

(तुम मुझे बूँद दो, मैं तुम्हे टब भर दूँगा। you give me a droplet, I'll fill the tub. smiley)

Raah

दोस्त तू मन की राह चलना
फिरआगे कुछ मिले न मिले
कुछ बने न बने
इस बात का गम न करना

(Easier said than done)

घर

वही जहाँ अपनापन मिले
बाकि बस चार दिवारी है
दो बोल हंस के आप बोलिए
दो कोई और बोले
तोह दुनिया सुनहरी तुम्हारी है

(वास प्लेयिंग विद वोर्ड्स। इंग्लिश इन हिन्दी इस फुनी)

New York

from a pair of eyes. Love the post.

The Beautiful Blue

I woke up to a deep blue sky over dark blue mountains. To say the least, it was mystic.

कुछ पंक्तियाँ

कभी सफ़ेद कभी नीले कभी हरे
कभी सुबह की लाली
इन पहाडों की छटा निराली

मैं निहारूं आँखें फैलाये
कभी पुलकित
कभी मुस्काए

इतनी सुन्दरता इन पहाडों मैं
की मेरी आँखें छोटी पड़ जायें
मेरी आँखें छोटी पड़ जायें

one more

Socho Kya Paaya humne Insaan Hoke

Main koi Jhoot Boleyan

Song from Jagte Raho. Love the motu Sardarji

Tumhara Dil

Nice Song from Gulami. कोई शक.

Another one, mere pi ko pavan

मय

के कितने भी प्याले खाली करो
वोह प्याला रहे भरा का भरा

bavra

मन करे बादल बन जाऊं
जहाँ हवा ले जाये
उड़ता चला जाऊं

Khamosssh!

I
Kill
You

- Achmed, the Dead Terrorist

rahat

kuch yun mili

subah ki hawa ne

maathe par haath phera

muskurahat

इस बात पर आई
की दर्द भी वही
और दवा भी

क्या कहें

की कभी कभी हमसे परेशां हो
आइना भी नजरे घुमा लेता है

ek khel bacphan ka

बचपन मैं माँ नीचे बैठ कर रोटियाँ बेल्तीं थी

और मैं उनके कंधे पकड़ कर खड़ा हो जाता था

बेलन आगे जाता

मैं आगे

बेलन पीछे आता

मैं भी

एक छोटा लोया मुझे भी दे दिया करती थीं कभी कभी

खेलने के लिए

सादा सा खेल था

मैं था

माँ थी

और रोटियाँ

If you are bored

Watch Daydream

आज दोपहर

बर्फीली सफ़ेद पहाडियां देखते
मैं घांस पर लेटा
नीले आकाश मैं तैरते कुछ बदल थे
बादल देखते देखते
आँख बंद हुई
और तमतमाती धुप चेहरे से टकराई
पल भर के लिए आज दोपहर
चैन की नींद आई

Federer

Post australian open final I haven't read any articles, didn't have the time or the inclination. I did want to write about it however. Whatever sports I've watched and followed thus far in my life, this was one of the greatest games I've ever seen. Of whatever tennis I've seen, it is my feeling, that the quality on display was unmatched in recent history, save the wimbeldon final last year. I had fun watching every bit of it, except the last set. In any case, here's to the hope that federer will find his faith in himself again, and enjoy his tennis again. When he'll play free of the burden of greatness, he'll win. Congratulations Nadal.

naadani

समंदर के किनारे
बच्चा रेत का घर बनाये
मैं सोचूँ हासिल क्या
नादान वो भी
और मैं भी

एक लगन

ऐसी जो छुपाये न छुपे
दिखाए न दिखे
लगाये न लगे
मिटाए न मिटे

अपडेट: copyright rin supreme

safar

एक छांव तले हम दोस्त बने
कुछ देर साथ बैठे
बातें ki
खाना बांटा
खेल खेले
ऐसे दिन बीता रात गई
नई सुबह हुयी
नए रस्ते मिले
इस उम्मीद संग अलग चले
के कहीं किसी छांव तले
हमारे रास्ते फिर मिलेंगे

Ibadat

हमारी आंखों ने की

आज रात को हम उन्हें तारे दिखा लाए

पास की पहाडी पर

रेत का बिछोना है

खुली आंखों ने

ख्यालों मैं लेटे

कुछ तारे इधर देखे

कुछ उधर देखे

इतने मैं हवा sarsarai

तारों से भरा आसमान दिखाई दिया

कुछ कहते हैं पीर-पैगम्बर का घर यहीं

थोड़े नमन किए

थोडी साँस ली
इबादत

हमारी आंखों ने की

Dosti

यारों के संग
इतनी मोहब्बत एक पल मैं भरी
के जिंदगी जी पुरी
क्या खोया और क्या पाया
क्या दिया और क्या लिया
इसका हिसाब ज़माने पे छोड़ते हैं

gratitude

चंद पलों के लिए
हम मिले तो सही
कुछ दूर ही के लिए
हम चले तो सही
हाथ मिले न मिले
दिल मिले तो सही

दस्तूर

तुम्हे बदलेगा
या तुम उसे
चैन न इधर मिलेगा
न उधर

चाहत

बहोत बरस हुए अपनी छत पे गए
पहली बारिश मैं भीगे
जि करता है इस बार फिर वही सड़क लूँ
जिसके मोड़ पर घर आता है

Nasha

पहले पाँव उठते नही थे
अब रुकते नही हैं

Mohabbat

आज सुबह ki धुप थी
बिन मांगे मिली

Life

लोग उम्र गिनते हैं सालों मैं
हम लम्हों मैं जी रहे ज़िन्दगी

Simpu Singh

His videos bring a smile back home.

Zay Kya Hai Veen

Kumar

Marks

Pure Veg

And this

Thakur ..

Aiyyye ! Zay Kya hai Veen. Haath upar karke Khade ho jao. Haath upar karke :)

Oh Beautiful

Radha pyari by MeeraBai, sung by Lataji.

Midnight monkiness

Life is a long hike, travel light. 

A Song

Itna na mujhse tu pyaar badha. A friend of mine used to like this very much. Sung with great tenderness and care by Lata Mangeshkar and Talat Mahmood.

Webchutney

It's an ad agency based in Bombay I believe. It's ads are superb! 

Sample1

Sample2

Chulbuli

Chulbuli. I remember seeing this ad in India an year ago or so. Loved it Totally.

Identity

Yesterday morning, I went to the Tibetan Kitchen with my friend. There I met a Tibetan, whose family had emigrated to India. I thought he was a Buddhist monk because he was dressed like one.  There is a beautiful wide shot photo of a city at the foothills of a mountain range, on one of the walls in the Tibetan Kitchen.  I asked the owner, he said it was Lhasa. This man who stood beneath that photo, he asked us, "Where are you from"? I said I am from India. "I am from Himachal Pradesh, Kullu Manali, Aap kahan se hain", he said.  He knew Hindi, we started talking and invited him over to have lunch with us. The sunlight felt bright and warm. The owners seemed happy to have us and interested. He had studied in South India and now has started a school here in boulder. He talked mostly, we listened. His manner was calm and gentle. His face changed when he talked about his family, the suffering his people have undergone, the loss of their homeland, their identity. We asked him about the Dalai Lama, what Tibetans want now. The owners, mother and son I believe, occassionally came, and listened, or talked to us. He said that the future is unknown to him, and that he didn't know what will happen after Dalai Lama. But he thought that the fire was strong, much strong in the newer generation and that they will continue the fight.

Matt Once Again

Where the hell is Matt

Two ways

There is the way of the mind by which we conduct our lives in relation to others. As we grow up, depending on our environment, what the world throws at us, and our inclinations, we collect a set of ideals that inspire us, motivate us, drive us, to achieve, to attain. Naturally, some ideals are thrown away, some new are acquired as we grow. 

In this there is a great role of family, friends, society. A good and stable family, friend circle, society, provides us with the freedom and ability to set our ideals and supports us in attaining them.

Yet as life happens, we all have this desire to lose oneself to one or more things. That is the way of the heart. This is something that is not taught to us, but here and there, growing up, we perceive it to be true.  

Most of us, oscillate between the two. The ones whose mind is strong we climb the mountains, we sacrifice ourselves. The ones whose heart is strong, we sacrifice ourselves, we climb the mountains.

My Nonsense.