The Whispers Of My Heart

"On weekends, I like to do lots of shopping in big, swanky malls" quipped one of my acquaintances. Another friend of mine is rather gregarious. He likes to meet his friends, relatives during his free time. You see, the idea of happiness is highly subjective, it varies from person to person. By disposition, I'm essentially an introvert. Though I meet people, I'm somewhat a private person. बदला ना अपने आप को, जो थे वही रहे मिलते रहे सभी से मगर, अजनबी रहे ( I have not been able to change myself. Though I meet all, to all I'm still a stranger.) Well, I really crave for some solitary moments with myself. During these quite moments, I relish to have conversation (गुफ़्तगु) with myself over a cup of tea. I firmly believe that going against one's grain is the root cause of all the discomfort, unhappiness. Few months back, an acquaintance coerced me into accompanying her to the show of a "famous" punjabi singer. At the show, I saw people bec...

I want to share my new गज़ल (poem) with my friends. Hope you like my new composition. (a) तूफ़ान-ए-हवादिस में अक्सर फंस ही जाता हूं मैं एक शीशा हूँ, हर पत्थर से टकराता हूँ मैं (b) मुझे रूला कर वोह हंस ना पाता है जब रोते हुए भी बहुत मुस्कुराता हूँ मैं (c) कई पुराने गमों को दफन करने की ख़ातिर शाम होते ही मयखानें पहुंच जाता हूँ मैं (d) यार की बाहों में आखिरी हिचकी आए कुछ इस तरह से अपनी मौत चाहता हूँ मैं Meaning of Urdu words : तूफ़ान-ए-हवादिस : storm of misfortunes , दफन : bury , यार : beloved/ the almighty. Translation : (a) Like a piece of glass attacked on all sides by stones of different sizes, I often find myself in the midst of a storm of misfortunes. (b) Any person who makes me cry would not be able to laugh at my miseries. This is because I smile a lot even during my miserable, tough times. (c) In order to bury my old sorrows, I have to go to the pub in the evening. (d) I wish to take the last breath in the arms of my beloved/ the almighty. That's how ...

I am presenting my new "ghazal" to my friends. For my friends and cousins who live abroad and who do not understand Urdu, I have translated it. Hope you like it. (a) हवाओं के दम से है उड़ना, बिखर जाना मेरा मुश्त-ए-ख़ाक से बढ़कर नहीं है अफ़्साना मेरा (b) कर लिया है यार की गली में सज्दा मैने छूट गया है अब इबादत-गाह जाना मेरा (c) क्यूँ झुकुं बेवजह, बदअखलाक जहाँ के आगे मै मेरे हाथों की लकीरों मे है महफ़ूज, आब-ओ-दाना मेरा (d) दुशवार है यूं जीना, पुर-दर्द दुनिया में ऐ दोस्त होश-ओ-हवास मिटा दो मेरे, भर दो पैमाना मेरा Meaning of Urdu words : मुश्त-ए-ख़ाक (A fistful of dust), सज्दा (bowing down of head during the worship), इबादत-गाह (place of worship), बदअखलाक ( immoral), आब-ओ-दाना (food and water) महफ़ूज (in safe custody), दुशवार (arduous), पुर-दर्द (painful). Translation : (a) The winds of destiny can either make me soar up in the sky or scatter me ruthlessly here and there. For I am nothing more than a fistful of dust. (b) I now bow my head in my beloved's...

Agonies are inseparable part of a "living" human being. One should never dread them. Infact sorrows bear testimony to the fact that one is alive. Only a corpse doesn't become depressed! Well, I'm presenting my new composition to my endearing friends : (a) कोई तो गम दो, मेरा दिल दुखाओ यारो मैं ज़िंदा हूं, यह अहसास दिलाओ यारो (b) क्यों इतनी दूरी है, चुप्पी चोर की मजबूरी है कुछ मेरी सुनो, कभी अपनी सुनाओ यारो (c) रंज-ओ-मुसीबत की गिरफ्त से निकलने के लिए अपने हाथों से अपनी ख़ुदी मिटाओ यारो (d) दस्तूर नये ज़माने का निभाओ यारो दिल मिलें ना मिलें, हाथ मिलाओ यारो (e) कड़े सफर में बस यूहीं आँख लगी है यारो मैं ज़िंदा हूं, शानों पे ना उठाओ यारो Meaning of Urdu words : रंज-ओ-मुसीबत : agonies and difficulties, गिरफ्त : grip,  ख़ुदी : ego, दस्तूर : custom, कड़ा सफर : torturous journey, शानों : shoulders. Translation : (a) I want agonies my friends. Only the heartbreaks make me realize that I'm living, not dead. (b) Don't be so aloof, quite my friend...

Politics is surely not my cup of tea. In fact I hate potbellied politicians from the core of my heart. Yes, I do support statesmen across all political parties. India is blessed with a strong, committed leadership, capable of taking necessary actions in the interest of the nation, after a long time. I wholeheartedly welcome the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A by the government that gave "special" status to the State of Jammu and Kashmir. With it's integration with the rest of India, Kashmir has been put on the path of prosperity. Abdullahas, Muftis and all those who play in the hands of Pakistan are clearly unhappy with the historic decision. I want to lay bare the facts regarding Kashmir before the आवाम of हिंद ( common people of India). Kashmir is a Sanskrit word (ka means water, shimeera means deccicate). According to Rajatarangini - the history of Kashmir, written by Kalhana in the mid 12th century, Kashmir was formerly a lake. Hindu scriptures explici...

While rummaging through my old books today, I found another composition of mine written about a year ago. As I would be celebrating my fiftieth birthday in the next month of August, I have today written the last stanza of the composition and made it मुकम्मल (complete). Hope you like it. (1) जब से उनसे मुहब्बत हो गई है यह फिज़ा नई नई सी हो गई है (2) गोरे रुख़सार पे सियह ज़ुल्फें कड़कती धूप में रात हो गई है (3) उम्मीदों, जुस्तुजूों से जुदा होकर आसान राह-ए-मंजिल हो गई है (4) किससे गिला रखें, क्यों रखें जब किस्मत ही बाग़ी हो गई है (5) दिल में ख़लिश है ना दिन की तपिश यकीनन जिंदगी की शाम हो गई है Meaning of Urdu words : फिज़ा : the whole environment, milieu, रुख़सार : cheeks, सियह : dark black, जुस्तुजू : desires, गिला : blame, बाग़ी :rebel, ख़लिश : pain in the heart due to unrequited love, तपिश : heat, यकीनन :certainly Translation : (1) As I have fallen in love with her, my whole perspective has changed. The whole milieu now looks fresh, new to me. (2) Jet black h...

For some time, my Urdu loving friends have been requesting to share another "ghazal" of mine. Well, the following composition was written some time back. But it is still one of my favorite compositions. For my English speaking friends and relatives, I have translated the "ghazal". Hope you like it. (1) फूल ही फूल खिल गए दिल के तहख़ाने में आपके आने से बहार आ गई मेरे वीराने में (2) रंज-ओ-ग़म, अदावत से भरे इस जहां में तुम्हें खुलूस, सुकून तो मिलेगा सिर्फ मयख़ानें में (3) बात बने ना बने, बात दिल की कह ही डालो वक्त नहीं लगता है हवाओं को बदल जाने में (4) कहीं दौलत के दीवानें, कहीं शमा के परवानें सब के सब हैं मुफ़लिस इस मोहताज-खा़नें में (5) ना कोई यहाँ रकीब है, ना कोई दिल के करीब है ना जाने क्यों जी नहीं लगता है नए ज़माने में Meaning of Urdu words: रंज-ओ-गम़ : griefs and sorrows, अदावत : enmity, खुलूस : warmth, सुकून : peace, मयख़ानें : pub, मुफलिस : poor, मोहताज-ख़ाना : house of beggars, रकीब : enemy. (1) With your coming, flowers bloom in the cor...