Frivolous...

Of late , a lot of my attention had been brought to something as quaint as milk. Me hating "curd" (milk's manifestation) all these years an now relishingly "rediscovering" it. A chinese friend who relishes Lassi and dares to go alone to a shanty "dhaba" to savour it. My ma, pestering me to have the white liquid more often on phone from across thousands of kilometers.
It also brings to my mind how I mentioned it in the finals of personality contest metaphorically, the audience couldn't get the drift and i blew it up all. Makes me hum a very jazzy jingle from one of my favourite ads "peeyo glassful doodh ..."(KK sung that!) for the operation flood. It brings back memories of my days spent interning for an NGO in a quaint Orissa tribal village where a friend and the Project co-ordinator told me anecdotes of now the orissa government tried to replicate operation flood there and it failed miserably, because the tribals consider it a prerogative of the calf. So much for the common sense, eh!
And when I am criticizing the Indian Cricket team's performance , somewhere Veeru (arrey apna Sehwag) retorts "Doodh shoodh peena padta hai...".Heated discussions refuting "manekas"(gandhi) claims that milk is non vegetarian and can put the very existance of mankind at peril. Ho hum ....

"The Cow is of the bovine ilk,
At one end, moo, at the other milk"

~Ogden Nash

PS: only the quote is by Nash, duffer!

Siyaahi

yeh aasmaan mein siyaahii bikher di kisne,
hamein thaa shauq bahut is mein rang bharane kaa....

~Faiz

Hasrat

Saalon se hai ik hasrat si,
jaaney kya hai ye ghaflat si,

ki tanhaayee mein bheeg jaayein palkein,
sondhe aansuon se ye samaa mehkey,

aur aaye "koi" is veeraane mein paas,
lagaa de in palkon par koi marham khaas,

de apni baahon ka bistar,
chun le is dil ke nashtar,

par, khud se hi shaayad ye guft-a-goo si hai,
chhoti sii yeh ik aarzoo si hai,

jaane kyon poori nahin hoti,
jo saalon se hai ye ik hasrat si,
jaaney kya hai ye ghaflat si ...

~maanu

Ek kudi

Ek kudi jeda naam mohabbat, saaaand murati soni fabat
(A Girl, whose name is love, simple, dainty a lovely sight)

Gum gum hai, gum hai, gumm hai, Gum hai, gumm hai
(she is Lost.. Lost.. Lost.. She is lost)

Soorat usdi paarian wargi, Seerat di oh Marium lagdi
(Her face a fairy's likeness, temper a picture of Mother Mary)

has di hai taa fullne chad te, tordi hai ta gazal hai lagdi
(When she laughs the petals fall, When she walks a melody plays)

lam se lam saru kad di, umar ache hai par ke agdi, par naina di gal samajhdi
(Her Years are still of nascence, but the language of eyes, she comprehends)


Ek kudi jeda naam mohabat, saaaand murati soni fabat
(A Girl, whose name is love simple, dainty a lovely sight)

Gum gum hai, gum hai, gumm hai, Gum hai, gumm hai
(she is Lost.. Lost.. Lost.. She is lost)


Gumian janam janam ne hove, yun lagde jiven kal di gal hai,
(She is lost from many births ago, though it seems an affair of yesterday)

Iyun lagde jiven aaj di gal hai, iyun lagde jiven hun di gal hai…
(Why,It seems an affair of today... Why,It seems this moment affair)

Hun te mere kaun khadi si, Hun te mere bol rahi hai
(Just now she stood by my side,talking to me...and now she has vanished)

eh ki chaal hai, eh ki bhatkan, soch meri hairan badi hai
(What trick, what chase in this, my senses they are mystified)

aande jaande har raste te, meri nazar ohnoo tol rahi hai…..
(My eyes search for that girl on every passing street)


Ek kudi jeda naam mohabat, saaaand murati soni fabat
(A Girl, whose name is love simple, dainty a lovely sight)


Us kudi noon meri sohn hai, Us kudi noon apni sohn hai
(I call out to that girl in my name, I call out to that girl on her name)

Us kudi noon sab di sohn hai, us kudi noon rab di sohn hai…
(I call out that girl in the name of all, I call out to her in name of god)

us kudi noon jag di sohn hai
(I call out that girl in the name of the entire creation)….

Check da paki surti hovay, Junede javo par rai hovey
(If she reads or hear this, If she be alive or dying)

Ek vaari aa ke mil jave, Vafa meri nu dak lave
(Come and meet me once, Do not sully my devotion)

Naita mein nu jiya na janda, Geet koi likhya na janda
(Lest i can't live, Nor write a song anymore)

Naita mein nu jiya na janda
(Lest i can't live)


Ek kudi jeda naam mohabat, saaaand murati soni fabat
(A Girl,Whose name is love simple,dainty a lovely sight)

Gum hai, gum hai, gumm hai, Gum hai, gumm hai....
(she is Lost.. Lost.. Lost.. She is lost)


~Shiv Kumar Batalvi
(Sung by who else but Rabbi!)

Peeli Dhoop

Peeli dhoop mein chhui-mui si nahayee hui, tum
aur kaun sa rang dhoondoo main tumhare liye,

peeli mehndi liye hathelion mein ithlayee hui si, tum
aur kaun sa rang dhoondoo main tumhare liye,

peeli khushq zameeen par girti gungunee boondon si, tum
aur kaun sa rang dhoondoo main tumhare liye,

aansuon se dhuli peeli maazi ki yaadon mein, tum
aur kaun sa rang dhoondoo main tumhare liye,

dil mein putee hui rogan si, tum
jaaney kyon seel gayeen in deewaaron mein, tum
kyon zamaney ke sang badrang ho gayeen, tum

sochta hoon fir bhi aaj main,
aur kaun sa rang dhoondoo main tumhare liye...


~
Maanu

Tere khushboo mein basey khat

Tere khushboo mein basey khat main jalaataa kaise
pyaar mein doobey huye khat main jalaata kaise
tere haathon ke likhe khat main jalaata kaise

jin ko duniyaa ki nigaahon se chhupaaye rakhaa
jin ko ik umr kaleje se lagaaye rakhaa
deen jin ko, jinhein imaan banaaye rakhaa

jin kaa har lafz mujhe yaad thaa paani ki tarah
yaad thhe mujh ko jo paigaam-e-zubaani ki tarah
mujh ko pyaare thhe jo anmol nishaani ki tarah

toone duniyaa ki nigaahon se jo bachakar likhe
saalahaa-saal mere naam baraabar likhe
kabhii din mein to kabhii raat mein uthakar likhe

tere khushboo mein basey khat main jalaataa kaise
pyaar mein doobey huye khat main jalaata kaise
tere haathon ke likhe khat main jalaata kaise

tere khat aaj main gangaa mein bahaa aayaa hoon
aag bahate huye paani mein lagaa aayaa hoon...


~Rajendranath Rahbar

Tere Bin

Tere bin / besides you
sanu sohnia / my love
koi hor nahio labhna / i shan't find another
jo deve / who'll give
rooh nu sakoon / peace to my soul
chukke jo nakhra mera / and indulge me

ve main sare khumm ke vekhya / i have gone and seen it all
amrika , roos, malaysia / america, russia, malaysia
na kittey vi koi fark si / there wasn't any difference
har kise di koi shart si / they all had some condition
koi mangda mera si sama / some asked for my time
koi honda surat te fida / some were fascinated with my face
koi mangda meri si vafa / some demanded my fidelity
na koi mangda merian bala / none wanted my demons

tere bin / besides you
hor na kise / my love
mangni merian bala / i shan't find another
tere bin / besides you
hor na kise / no one else
karni dhup vich chhan / shall shade me in the sun

jiven rukia / (the) way you paused
si tuu zara / slightly
nahion bhulna / i shan't forget
main sari umar / all my life
jiven akhia si akhan chura / you said, looking away
"rovenga sanu yad kar" / "you shall weep in my memory"
hasia si main hasa ajeeb / i laughed a strange laugh
par tu nahi si hasia / but you didn't
dil vich tere jo raaz si / you had a secret in your heart
mainu tu kyon ni dassya / why didn't you tell me
tere bin / besides you
sanu eh raz / none shall tell this
kise hor nahion dasna / secret to me
tere bin / besides you
peerh da ilaaj / what druid
kis vaid kolon labhna / has the cure to my ills

milia si ajj mainu / i found today
tera ik patra / a letter of yours
likhia si jis 'te / on which you had scribbeled
tun shayr varey shah da / a varis shah couplet
parh ke si osnu / upon reading which
hanjoo ik duliya / a teardrop fell
akhan 'ch band si / what was locked in the eyes
eh raaz ajj khulia / was revealed today
ki tere bin / that other than you
eh mere hanjoo / these tears of mine
kise hor / won't be kissed by
nahio chaungna / none else
ki tere bin / that other than you
eh mere hanjoo / these tears of mine
mitti vich rulnha / will wither in the dust


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Probably the best song of Rabbi, the way he seamlessly backs the beautiful lyrics with his powerful vocals is amazing. A very beautiful song, sung beautifully by the evangelist of punjabi rock. This song will make your eyes misty.... listen to it if you haven't.

Musings

"We all have a streak of madness and we shouldn't try losing it, because it's that which drives us" .... this is my pet line that I tell people when I am at my philosophical best. It's this madness which makes our lives worth living or else it would be boring. The monotony will get the better of us.
The other day, amidst the strummings of my guitar (yesirrrrrrrrrr I am taking guitar lessons from Jacob) the three of us, me , Jacob and Asoka sat there on the stairs of the amphitheatre discussing about the absoluteness or the relativeness of life. Jacob ofcourse came out with his biblical references, the inveterate Christian that he is. I sat there long after both of them left, playing the chords which Jacob had taught me and brooding over what this streak has made me do and what it will. And all this, in perfect realisation of the fact that it was the madness which makes me practice those chords at the dead of the night (or was it morning?).
Its the madness which made me and Asoka discuss ourselves and ofcourse our pet topic "Relativity" upto 6 in the morning when we knew we had a RDBMS module test from 9am that very morning. He says he'll break relativity and I say he can't because "Relativity" is inherent in nature... it is basic, it is fundamental and he is nothing but a victim of this inescapable fact. From Physics to philosophy its all around us, and has always been there, all it needs is someone who will recognize it. Nothing in the world is "good" or "bad" , there are just shades of grey. "Good" and "Bad" are two unachievable extremes of the same entity, between which everything rests. The moment we try to classify something as "good" or "bad", the very moment we "relativitize" it trying to benchmark it against something. This is a bloody godforsaken paradox.
Even Asoka realizes this fact, though he might not admit because like all of us he has also been gifted with that streak and it will drive him all that he can, to disprove "relativity".
It is this madness which makes us Love and Believe. Believe in ourselves and Love itself. It makes us cross the miles to savour the smile in someone's eyes. It is this madness which makes you believe that life would lose its meaning without that significant "one". It is this which makes your eyes misty, reminiscing of that familiar scent of the "one", that touch, that voice ....

And this very madness is making you read this 'incoherent BS', don't lose it, relish it, nurture it, let it bloom ...it's precious.
Amen!

Khaali haath shaam aayi hai

Khaali haath shaam aayi hai,
Khaali haath jaayegi,
Aaj bhi na aaya koi,
Khaali laut jaayegi...

Aaj bhi na aaye aansoo,
Aaj bhi na bheege naina,
Aaj bhi ye kori raina,
Kori laut jaayegi ...

Raat ki siyaahi koi,
Aaye to mitaaye na,
Aaaj na mitaayee to ye,
Kal bhi laut aayegi ...

~Gulzar

Is Waqt

Is waqt toh yoon lagta hai, ab kuch bhi nahin hai,
mehtaab na sooraj, na andhera, na saveraa,

aankhon ke dareechon pe kisi husn ki chilman
aur dil ki panaahon mein kisi dard ka daira,

mumkin hay koi wehem tha , mumkin hay sunaa ho
galion mein kisi chaap ka ik aakhri phaira

shaakhon mein khayalon ke ghaney paed ki shayad,
ab aa kay karegaa na koi khwaab baseraa,

ik baer, na ik meher, na ik rabt, na rishta
tera koi apna, na paraya koi mera,

maanaa kay yeh sunsan ghadee sakht kadee hai,
lekin mere dil yeh to faqat ek ghadee hai

himmat karo jeenay ko toh ik umr padee hai...

~Faiz

Yaad

Aaye kuchch abr, kuchch sharaab aaye,
us ke baad aaye jo aazaab aaye,

kar rahe thhey gham-e-jahana ka hisaab,
aaj tum yaad be-hisaab aaye...

~Faiz