Don’t panic

Don’t panic! All will become clear in time

–Bjarne Stroustrup (The C++ Programming Language, Chapter 2)

The fox

A fox looked at his shadow at sunrise and said, “I wil have a camel for lunch today.” And all morning he went about looking for camels. But at noon he saw his shadow again — and he said, “A mouse will do.”

–Kahlil Gibran

Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai….

Ho, khaanto se kheench ke yeh aanchal
Tod ke bandhan baandhi payal
O koi na roko dil ki udaan ko
Dil woh chala ha a aa aa aa aa.

Apne hi bas mein nahin main
Dil hain kahin to hoon kahin main, ho

Jaane kya paa ke meri zindagi ne
Has kar kahaan ha ha haa aa aa aa

Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai
Aaj phir marne ka iraada hai

Main hoon ghubaar yaa toofaan hoon
Koi bataaye main kahaan hoon, ho

Dar hain safar mein kahin kho na jaaoon main
Rasta nayan ha a aa aa aa aa

Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai
Aaj phir marne ka iraada hai

Kal ke andheron se nikal ke
Dekha hain aankhen malte malte, ho
Phool hi phool zindagi bahaar hai
Tay kar liya ha a aa aa aa aa

Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai
Aaj phir marne ka iraada hai

The truth about paradise

hamko ma’aloom hai jannat ki haqeeqat lekin
dil ke Khush rakhne ko, ‘Ghalib’ yeh Khayaal achchha hai

-Ghalib

We know the truth about paradise,
Ghalib,
but it is still a good thought to keep the heart happy

cheers

jayjay

An ordinary person’s guide to the empire

Now reading “An ordinary person’s guide to the empire” by Arundhati Roy.

It is a collection of essays and speeches, also available here

• Ahimsa
• Come september
• The loneliness of noam chomsky
• Confronting empire
• An ordinary person’s guide to the empire
• Instant-mix imperial democracy
• When the saints go marching out
• Do Turkeys Enjoy Thanksgiving?
• How deep shall we dig?
• The Road To Harsud
• Public Power in the Age of Empire
• Peace and The New Corporate Liberation Theology

cheers

jayjay

Aapki nazaron ne samjha…

This song in “Anpadh” was composed by Madan Mohan in two minutes. His son recalls

The song Aapki nazron ne samjha (Anpadh) was composed by my father in two minutes during the lift journey from the ground floor to the fifth floor of our building. I remember the moment when my father almost in a trance, shut his eyes and started singing to himself. When the lift reached our apartment, he rushed to the harmonium to complete the tune.

Naushad Sa’ab was quoted as saying that he would trade all his ghazals for this one song.

Here’s the lyrics of the song,

Aapki Nazaron Ne Samjha, Pyaar Ke Kabil Mujhe
Dil Ki Ai Dhadkan Thaher Ja, Mil Gayee Manzil Mujhe
Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha

Ji Hamen Manzoor Hai, Aapka Ye Faisla
Kah Rahi Hai Har Nazar, Banda Paravar Shukriya
Do Jahaan Ki Aaj Khushiyan Ho Gayee Haasil Mujhe
Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha …

Aapki Manzil Hoon Main Meri Manzil Aap Hain
Kyon Main Toofaan Se Darun Mere Saahil Aap Hain
Koi Tufanon Se Kah De, Mil Gaya Sahil Mujhe
Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha …

Pad Gai Dil Par Meri, Aapki Parchhaiyan
Har Taraf Bajane Lagin Saikadon Shahnaaiyaan
Hanske Apni Zindagi Mein, Kar Liya Shaamil Mujhe
Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha …

cheers

jayjay

Sit, drink your coffee

Okay, this is what I wanted to tell you, the twenty minutes of vacuities will make my day…

Sit, drink your coffee here; your work can wait awhile.
You’re twenty-six, and still have some of life ahead.
No need for wit; just talk vacuities, and I’ll
Reciprocate in kind, or laugh at you instead.

The world is too opaque, distressing and profound.
This twenty minutes’ rendezvous will make my day:
To sit here in the sun, with grackles all around,
Staring with beady eyes, and you two feet away.

– Vikram Seth

Simplify

Read this inspiring story about the Timbaktu collective.

cheers

jayjay