Urdu

Urdu... one of the most musical languages that my ears encountered, ever since I started understanding words. To an extent, the beauty of a language is irrespective of us comprehending what's in it. The real beauty though, lies in each word of the language, transcending mere mortal comprehension.
Urdu is such a language, that leaves footprints on my soul, every time it walks into my ears.

Urdu, historically spelled Ordu, is an Indo-Aryan language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. They form a subgroup of the Indo-Iranian languages, which consists of three other language groups: the Iranian, Nuristani, and Dardic. It developed under Persian and to a lesser degree Arabic and Turkic influence on apabhramshas (is a term used by Sanskrit grammarians since Patanjali to refer to dialects of North India that deviate from the norm of Sanskrit grammar) during the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire (1526–1858 AD) in South Asia. Urdu is a standardised register of the standard dialect Khari boli. Khariboli has four varieties, Standard Hindi, Urdu, Dakhini and Rekhta. Each of these is a standard in its own right. Standard Hindi (also High Hindi, Nagari Hindi) is used as the lingua franca of Northern India (the Hindi belt), Urdu is the lingua franca of Pakistan, Dakhini is the historical literary dialect of the Deccan region and Rekhta is a highly Persianized register of Urdu used in poetry.

Urdu is often contrasted with Hindi, another standardised form of Hindustani. The main differences between the two are that Standard Urdu is conventionally written in Nastaliq calligraphy style (one of the main genres of Islamic calligraphy) of the Perso-Arabic script (writing system that is based on Arabic alphabet) and draws vocabulary more heavily from Persian and Arabic than Hindi, while Standard Hindi is conventionally written in Devanāgarī and draws vocabulary from Sanskrit comparatively more heavily. Linguists nonetheless consider Urdu and Hindi to be two standardized forms of the same language.

Urdu has been playing a major role in Bollywood since time immemorial. The latest in the rat race is Jodha Akbar, a page from the book of the life of Mughal Emperor Akbar. The film contains immense dialogs in Urdu. So all Urdu lovers, don't waste another minute :)

Come unto me.....

None of us know whether God exists or not. But belief does. And that's what makes us strong. This song is for all the broken hearts, do not give up, hope is around the corner, keep searching, and you will find a purpose; And for the strong hearts, for hope is always yours. Are you looking for someone to be gentle With your broken heart Your shattered dreams Are you searching for someone who’ll be faithful To you no matter what life brings Well I know the Maker of the storm, the sunrise He is both the Lion and the Lamb He is strong enough to shake all earth and heaven Yet meek enough to take me as I am He says Come unto me all who are weary And I will give you rest Bring what hurts, bring your scars, Bring the load that you carry And I will give you rest Are the clouds above your head oh so heavy Bursting with showers of despair Do you struggle under more than you can carry? Has life given more than you can bear? Would you like to trade your failures in for victories? Like piles of ashes in for piles of gold Can you fall down like a child who is helpless So He can pick you up and make you whole Sung by- Nicole C Mullen Listen to the song- http://youtube.com/watch?v=gVwVXlMEHaI

Kehne ko saath apne ek duniya chalthi hain, Par chupke is dil mein tanhai palthi hain

As I go through the everyday process of living life...

I also go through moments of thought

Wandering thoughts....about life,

the course of life, and death...

all of which are inevitable

This vicious circle of life....

where does it lead u to

from here, where next?

questions unanswered

journey incomplete

where do I go from here?

What is it that I would want to accomplish?

What is it that my heart craves for?

What is it that my Self longs?

forWill it ever dawn on me?

I do not pursue it,for I know...that enlightment doesn't come out of pursuit
If life is a journey, is death it's destination?

What is the purpose of this journey,and what does death imply?

The world that ought to be....

Have you ever thought about-
a world filled with happy souls, all floating around, like free birds in the bosom of mother earth, where everyone smiles at the other, no hard feelings, no jealousy, no competition for power, no greed for money; a world where each of us had what we required for a simple and sweet life, all in equal amounts for every purified soul.
a world where animals hopped around in joy, no fear of being slaughtered or separated from the mother; where cows were milked as a means of luv, not to make money; where hens laid eggs in their own natural way; where there's no artificial insemination, or hormones.

where the air remained pure, and calm
where luv sustained in it's natural form.

Well- if there was a perfect world, we wouldn't know what pain is
But, did we really have to know what pain is?
In a world where each one is happy, is there a need for pain?

If you haven't thought about it so far, do take a few moments to sit back and introspect, what's your role as a thoughtful human being, towards other humans, towards animals.
Maybe you will discover things about yourself that were long hidden deep inside you.
Try to touch the deep core of you that has probably been lying dormant for ages. You will be amazed to know what you would find!

-archana

Yeh honsla kaise juke.....

Yeh Hosla Kaise Juke
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke
Manzil Mushkil To Kya
Dhundla Saahil To Kya
Tanha Ye Dil To Kya

Raah Pe Kante Bikhre Agar
Uspe To Phir Bhi Chalna Hi Hai
Shaam Chhupale Suraj Magar
Raat Ko Ek Din Dhalana Hi Hai
Rut Ye Tal Jayegi
Himmat Rang Layegi
Subha Phir Aayegi

Hogi Hame To Rehmat Ada
Dhup Kategi Saaye Tale
Apni Khuda Se Hai Ye Dua
Manzil Lagale Humko Gale

Zurrat So Baar Rahe
Uncha Ikraar Rahe
Zinda Har Pyar Rahe

Why should we do sadhana* regularly?

In your brain, you have your brain cells…and certain cells are functioning now, certain other cells will function the next day. So the cells which are functioning today, don't get a chance to "come back" for may be another ten-twelve months. There are billions of cells in your mind, but only a few are active at a time, and they take turns-they "work" in rotation. Now when you are doing your practice, what are you doing?
You do the practice today-these cells are cultured, you do the practice tomorrow-those cells are cultured, and you do the practice, the next day-and again, those other cells are cultured….So, what happens, when you do the practice over a period of time?
All the cells-all the brain cells-are educated. Each and every cell is educated, is cultured. Then you find, "Oh everyone is educated" Now if you don't do your practice for say four days or five days, they remain uneducated, they remain illiterate…and its these "cell" who create problems! A little later, they will come, they will wag their tails, they will cry, they will make you go up and down, they will make you depressed-then all these things come up.
That's why do regular practice, for at least that period of time, till all the cells have been totally cultured and educated-well educated! Then, anywhere you move, you are in a calm, serene space! Do you see that?

* sadhana- meditation

mohabbat tho ek javeda zindagi hain

the soul doesn't wither, the body does
love doesn't die, the heart does

What is the feeling that is, which the mortals call love. Each of us has a different meaning for love, but we do know that love is further away from even the abstract. There is no meaning for what it is. It goes beyond what the small mind can comprehend, and what the sweet heart can feel. It's the language of the soul, which longs for the feeling unknown, and is fulfilled without knowing. Love is the feeling that is unknown, undefined to the human mind. The deepest part of us, and only it, can see what love is, for in the depths of us, lies the power to know the unknown. The Self is unknown, constantly trying to be explored, and only the unknown can reach for the unknown, touch it, and feel it....

ek mukammal kashmakash hain zindagi.....

Could I have done more...
said less...
been kinder...
forgiven more...
helped...
dug a little deeper...
reached out, touched, held,
spoken more gently,
at any given time, in my life, to someone?

jaankh le aankhon mein meri, deewangee abaad hain....

mein ek fard hoon ya ek ehsaas hoon, mein ek jism hoon ya rooh ki pyaas hoon
kabhi mein aml hoon kabhi beaml hoon, jo tujh mein hoon nahin tho phir bemehl hoon
ki sach ki talaash hain door aakash hain, manzil paas nahin kya tu mere paas hain?

ab kabhi bichde tho khwaboh mein mile, jaise sookhe hue patte kitabon mein mile

ashq bhi muskuraaye, tum jo mile mil gayi hain zindagi
sard the pedon ke saaye, bejaan thi bin tere yeh zindagi
aisa kabhi bhi ho payega tu rubaru lehrayega?

Thoughts

"......that which is born of infinity can take you to infinity."

Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind the stronger the trees.

I wish to see people for who they really are, not for who they're trying to be or trying to impress. I feel a person's true self is revealed when he is at his weakest.

The mark of your Ignorance
is the depth of your belief
in Injustice and Tragedy.
What the caterpillar calls
the end of the world;
The master calls a butterfly.

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.

"One does nothing who tries to console a despondent person with word. A friend is one who aids with deeds at a critical time when deeds are called for."

“It's not always about how you feel, but also about how you can make the other person feel.”

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.

"You may forget the one with whom you have laughed, but never the one with whom you have wept."

In the end, we should not feel like the conqueror who wins the battle at the cost of things for which the battle is fought for...

Life is weaker than death, and death is weaker than love.

"A good friend will come bail you out of jail....But a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying "... WE screwed up! BUT WASN'T IT FUN!!!"

Don't sacrifice your life to work and ideals. The most important things in life are human relations. I found that out too late.
--Katharinde Susannah Prichard

When I can look Life in the eyes,
Grown calm and very coldly wise,
Life will have given me the Truth,
And taken in exchange - my youth.

Enjoy your religions, honor them, learn from them, just as you should enjoy, honor, and learn from your parents. But do you walk around telling everyone that your parents are better than theirs?
Never trust a written word more than your own living heart.

Enlightment is:
Innocence with intellect
Unconditional smile
Being natural anywhere

A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Everyone you meet is your mirror.

"He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty."

Brave is a man who overcomes his desire than his enemy; victory over the Self is the hardest victory

The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to use the stairs... one step at a time.

Not in the plaudits of the throng or the clambor of the street but it is in ourselfs that lies victory and defeat.

The history of free men is never written by chance, but by choice - their choice."

There is no way to peace, peace is the way.

"The fruit of Silence is Prayer. The fruit of Prayer is Faith. The fruit of Faith is Love. The fruit of Love is Service. The fruit of Service is Peace"

To move freely you must be deeply rooted.

Age wrinkles the body, quitting wrinkles the soul.

One good thing about music, when it hits- you feel no pain

Every man loves two women, the one is the creation of his imagination and the other is not yet born.

“But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”

Heaven or hell- Who decides?

With people fighting for diamonds and money, property and all...... sometimes these are acheived at the cost of someone's happiness, love, or sometimes the life itself.
With all this going on, and people suffering for no cause- who actually decides whether we go to heaven or hell?
Do we even know if there is a heaven or hell?

What is the justification for tsunami hitting one part of the world, or for that matter airplanes colliding into the 2 twin towers? Who replaces the loss of the lost ones?
People die, the pain doesn't..........

One who is born, has to suffer
Greed, desire, and anger are the seeds of suffering

What the heck? The world is not going to change......... why should I?
Be the change you want to see in the world- there has to be a beginning, to prevent a sorrowful end................

Watch Blood Diamond- a story that will touch your heart

From reality to a dream

I came back from Egypt last evening, but the memory of it still lingers in my thoughts, like fresh mountain dew on 'don't want to let go leaves'
It feels as parts of me have been left behind, some in the pyramids, some in the haunting tombs, few in the local streets of the cities......

Memories, irrespective of time and events, remain untouched and unstained.

With me here, my soul still hangs on to history-
the history of ancient Egypt...

Random picks.......

Bina tere na ek pal ho, na bin tere kabhi kal ho
Yeh dil ban jaaye pathar ka, na isme koi hulchul ho

Saagar ki, gehraai se gehra hain apna pyaar
Sehraaon ki, in hawaaon mein kaise aayegi bahaar

Searching for the lost..............

28th May- Lurary Caverns VA
2 men playing music outside the caves, gave music for the soul- enchanting and mesmerizing.
Words don't speak, music does........................

Music by- Rene Iribarren

The most beautiful apples.........!

There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples. He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest.He sniffed the apples and smelt nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth. They were made of wood, but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter.He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle. They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him. He became so attached to them, that he didn't even notice his hunger at first.A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt the apples in his hands. He couldn't bear to set them down to reach for the fruit. In fact, he couldn't relax, either, if he was to defend his apples. A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails.The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind. He was tired, hungry, and he couldn't climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full. What if he just let go?Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do? He was so tired. Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it's fruit was enough. He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal. He was happy again.Letting Go Of Wooden ApplesLike that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go. A man carries an image of himself as "productive" - carries it like a shiny wooden apple. But in reality, his busyness leaves him tired, and hungry for a better life. Still, letting go seems crazy. Even his worries are sacred apples - they prove he's "doing everything he can." He holds onto them compulsively.This is a hard thing to see. We identify so strongly with our things even, feeling pain when our cars are dented. How much more powerfully do we identify with our beliefs and self-ideas? Yet they don't always feed our souls, do they? And we become tired of defending them.How else could the story end?The monkey might be found dead of hunger, under a beautiful tree, with fruit within reach, but still grasping his wooden apples.
I chose to end it with him letting go, because only with open hands can we receive.

Does any of you know?

Does any of you know why we are here? I keep wondering about this every day and night, esp off late, and I don't seem to be getting anywhere.
I keep wondering as to what I will be doing 5 years down the lane-
have kids?
I don't know.
Do I want to?
I don't know

Is it that our ancestors have already set a lifestyle for us- get a degree, find a job, tie the knot, reproduce..... and then wait for them to follow THE PATH?

What are your thoughts on this?

15 Park Avenue- sunshine doesn't always get through all windows

When I watch movies at home, I usually watch them in instalments, a little now, and a little later and later and later. Sometimes my films stretch to days, sometimes to weeks. Very few films captivate my attention. Like 15 Park Avenue did. I was so engrossed, sitting on my couch with pain in my heart, and tears in my eyes, I didn't realize that the movie had ended, of course the movie's climax was abrupt to add to my curiosity. My heart surely went out for Konkana kind patients (schizophrenic), who are entitled to a life sentence of pain and grief, for no fault of theirs.
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For those of you who are not aware of what 15 Park Avenue is, here it is in a nutshell (review from apunkachoice.com)-
It is the address that exists only in the mind of a young schizophrenic girl. It is on this address her imaginary husband and children live.
Aparna Sen’s movie ‘15 Park Avenue’ is a touching film with a sensitive subject. It is a film that will appeal to selected audience, not the masses. The movie is slow paced and the culmination to the story is open-ended.
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The film awakens in you, a transcendent part, that probably has been lying dormant for time immemorial. In this world where millions of beings suffer from millions of diseases, inborn or acquired, we live a life full of luxuries, yet there's no dearth to the complaints that we have for various reasons. I am no saint, nor do I deny that I have my own share of cribbings. Am just trying to pen my thoughts here, those which crossed my small mind last night. On this planet, where misery and agony reign, we are lost in our own world, worried about getting a job, tying the knot, reproducing etc. Has the thought ever striked us to adopt a baby, give a life to the less fortunate. We are worried about the life that hasn't entered this world, when we have the opportunity to give life to an under- privileged one.
I am not sure if I am one of those who would practice what they preach. I am trying to be one.

So if you are one of them who loves to see real- life films that touch your heart, do not miss this one- a treat to the heart.
The climax of the movie is still a little bizarre to me, so those of you who could make it out- kindly highlight.

To the parents of a child......

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit,not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
-- Kahlil Gibran

Lessons on Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral: Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

Keep smiling :-)

Are you husk or the grain?

If you don’t have faith, you’re nothing. During the time of reaping the harvest, the farmerholds a broad sieve and puts all the grains into itand stands on an elevated platform and shakes thesieve. What happens when that is done? If it is mere husk, it just flies away in the air andis lost. If grain is present, then it falls to the ground andstays. So too in our life, we must have faith. Faith issomething which we have inside us.

When many situations surfacein life, are you able to face all of them with peace,with a stable mind and faith? If you do not have faith, if you go into fear, then you will fly awayinto the air, like the husk. You will be nowhere. You will not have anything to hold onto. But if you have faith, you will be able to find aground. When you have faith that every thing be alright, whenyou are in peace, then everything will settle down. God expects only one thing from you, “your unshakeablefaith”. If your faith shakes very quickly, if it keeps shakingtoo often, or if you realise that you do not have anyfaith at all when difficulty strikes, then it is akinto being like the husk. Look into your life; are youmere husk or the grain? How many events take place in life! Many situationsarise. Are you able to maintain your equanimity inthose conditions? Your work is to maintain yourequanimity in this world. Not everything in the worldis sweet. Some things are sweet and some are bitter.If you are grounded with faith like the husk withgrain, then you will progress. The grounded grains aregathered in a sack and replanted elsewhere or used insome manner. Isn’t it?

Take this decision: “Whatever happens I will be there.I will be grounded. God’s protection is there on me. Whateverhappens, I will never go down. I always have God’s hand withme”. This much is enough to pull you up. Keep your mind inpeace in all situations. It is enough if that much is doneby you and the rest will be taken care of. You have to takeat least one step forward, which is to be in peace andequanimity. “Oh! Nothing happened. Nothing of my work happened” –If you are able to laugh in such a situation, then understand that you have protection with you.

The world is filled with love. Everybody has love inside them. You have to see that in your mind. Have you ever seen with this view? Whenever you are ina crowd, have you ever watched the crowd and thoughtin your mind that “all is love”? The whole world is a celebration. Fairs happen hereconstantly. Everyday celebration happens here. Parrot,cuckoo and other birds sing. The procession is movingconstantly. We are the idols who are moving in theprocession. You should be happy in life. All other businessesinvolve ups and downs which is very natural. If there is a body,then it will get cold, cough, fever or something else and itwill go away. But take care to see that happiness isalways established in you. That is known aspurashaartha. Our love, faith and belief should bedeep-rooted, and then everything else moves on itsown.