Yaadein

Repetitions I love

2011-11-01T22:16:00.000-07:00

Old people repeat things, sometimes the incidents that have been narrated a while ago, are narrated again. Some people find it very irritating,"why are you repeating the same thing grandpa" or " You have told this before baba", these are the comments that our generation often has for the beautiful stories shared by our grandparents. What if they are repeated...even if repetition happens, it's narrated with so much of love and with the spark of happiness of old days that it sounds new if heard carefully.
We are moving so fast in life that we don't have time for repetitions, we don't even have time for the day we are spending, it's like sitting in a train with things just passing by....I'm sure, and I regret the fact that let alone repetition we won't even have stories for our grandchildren, as we have forgotten to enjoy life, to relish great mornings...we're just spending life to fulfill our needs.
Have we ever enjoyed the sparkling drops of the morning sun...our grandparents have, they can tell us all the stories about early mornings, the fresh aroma of breakfast...our breakfast is in such a hurry that it forgets to leave its aroma.

Have we ever stopped and enjoyed moonlit nights, maybe sometimes when we have drowsy days or a bad morning, then too our mind is bursting with thoughts that sure know how to bring us down.

Try sitting with your grandparents and listening to their stories, or just giving them company with an addition of a few sparks of laughter , One would learn how to enjoy life and take it as it comes and our company in turn would give their life a whole new meaning.

Life is all about living and Loving , don't just spend it .... relish each moment that you come across and fight those that let you down. Treasure the people who love you and pray for your happiness, they are your greatest treasure, as love and happiness doesn't come cheap in this world of costly traumas.

The fragrance that lingers.........

2011-09-29T23:43:00.000-07:00

lakdi ki kathi, kathi pe ghoda.....daur daura dum uthake daura....
Certain melodies take you to the days which were indeed the best part of our life.....lakdi ki kathi,I guess was the first song I started singing as a little girl. My grandmother who loved to hear me sing, used to say..."child, sing once more, you have a very nice voice".....today I know that it wasn't my voice that was nice, it was her heart that loved all that her little grandchild did.
Memories have such permanent colours, that every place that they took place in and every fragrance that came from them lingers in our heart forever.
I still remember the "ponds talcum powder" that Nani used to use, at that time it came in a tall tin container, I can say for sure that it has never smelt the same again.........but sometimes when I sit in the quiet of the daylight, I can smell the fragrance coming from my memories, which puts my heart and soul at complete peace and contentment.
It's the peace and love of the old memories that applies a soft balm to the never ending struggles of life.
The quiet winter mornings, the soft smell of the coconut oil that grandma placed in the courtyard, for it to melt in the winter sun, the soft sprinkle of the clothes that were hung , and the cool sensation of the dupattas when they were dried in the courtyard, and I loved to stand below them so that I could enjoy the light sprinkle of water coming on me as the dupatta was stretched and dried, by my amma and nani, holding it from either sides.
The little paper boats still stir the memories attached to the rainy days.....and the little surprises kept in the dining room by my grandma just made my day.
Years have passed but my memories have enriched their colours many folds........
It is true that the time spent in loving people and taking in the joyous essence of life, is the time that stays with us forever.

What is maturity all about!

2011-06-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

Where does maturity come from? Does being mature means that one is growing in years ?? Can maturity be counted by numbers.
Yes, maturity does come from experiences, but sometimes it is just a fruit of a stable mind. A mind that knows it's pace, watches its steps and views life from a calm and composed angle.
A mature person can be young or old and immaturity can strike at old and young age alike.At a young age maturity is good when it gives a stable view to life , not such an unstable one that nothing can stand before it.
Sometimes maturity comes with a strong view on independence and separation..we are old enough..we can understand life and we can manage it alone. I would say, that's not an outcome of a mature mind, but of the one that is trying to break free in the facade of maturity.Observe an old person who is quite, composed and contented with life...this is because they are at peace with themselves. Some would say , that's because they have lived life and find no reason to challenge it...that's not true! Life becomes a challenge for them with new developing aches and pains each day!
It's true that at a young age we do have new challenges and an opportunity to charter new horizons, but that can be done with a little hold on ourselves , a little maturity that would comfortably reap the fruits of success, without the extra load of stress that keeps increasing each day!
Strive for the best but stop for a while and relish life as well, reap the qualities of a mature mind and honour those that have grown in years and in life's experiences, they have a lot to learn from....
Nourish a mind that is able to make peace with itself!

A New Chord

2011-02-20T21:34:00.000-08:00

All that old people need is our love and attention. I've learnt this from the many angels whose company I have enjoyed since the day I learnt what love is all about.
When we're young , love doesn't mean boyfriends or girlfriends, at that time , love means our parents, our grandparents, our brothers and sisters and our friends.
Today I don't have any of my grandparents with me, but with time I also learnt that genuine feelings get transferred from one to another, without letting go of any. As I entered the marital chord, I did not know that it would bring with it many other relationships....the most amazing one being that of a grandmother.
I've always had this instant affection for old people, since they remind me of my beloved grandparents ...the other day amma, my grandmother-in -law, was telling me about her varied trips to the different parts of the world, as her husband served in the Indian foreign services, she told me about an incident when an Indian relative came to meet her abroad, I don't remember the country she mentioned, but I do remember the incident ..He came to visit her with a bag full of Indian grapes. When he passed one of the streets, he saw several carts full of grapes. As he was watching the explicit sight, to his surprise , one of the cart owners, picked up a bunch of grapes and gave them to the donkey tied to the cart.....When he reached home to told amma,"I feel like a fool to get grapes for you, all the way from India, In this country even the donkeys feed on grapes!!"(yahan to gadhe bhi angur khate hain) .
Amma, my grandmother-in -law, narrates several such stories when I sit with her......As a youth she enjoyed life to the fullest, married at a Young age , her husband was her constant companion and a real gentleman for sure. He was friends with nana, but at that time none of them knew that their families would be tied with a beautiful bond through their grandchildren....As I mentioned earlier....life goes in circles, it's who we are and the imprints we leave is what makes us a wonderful human.Those people who have grandparents, I would say treat them like the most precious gift that you have, they're indeed a blessing, now and forever....my grandparents gave way to a bond that I would cherish forever!

Building new memories with the crisp new year!

2010-12-30T21:33:00.000-08:00

A friend once said, "we women have the power to get uprooted and bloom a new." She was right, We get uprooted from the flower bed of our parental garden and are planted on an alien land, a land with a new terrain, with winds that feel different, with love that's different in nature.
Each day the search for familiarity begins and ends on happiness though, but that too is mixed with the longing for the warmth that had sown the seed of our life.
Perhaps that's what life is all about, before we realise it turns the pages to a new chapter, and all those chapters come together to form a book on the year that has passed.
Today another book of our life would come to an end, and a new day would give us a fresh new start ....though the memories of the year that passed would be well preserved in our mind, the days ahead would enrich our present even more.
I remember what Nana (grandpa) had once said, the freshness in each day of our life is reflected by the freshness in our thoughts and outlook towards life....May our thoughts and outlook towards life be as fresh as the crisp new year ahead!
A Very Happy New Year to All!! :))

A Tune Resounds

2010-10-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

"All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures big and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all!!!!"

The lines given above are from the song that I used to sing at school, with auntie Eclairs on the piano and the whole class gathered around her. Junior and Tiny Tots was the name of my school, a tiny institution made inside the home of Auntie Babs, who was our principle, the war widow of Wing Commander S. B. Noronha, India's first recipient of the Maha Vir Chakra gallantry award. Everything was extremely grounded about the school, it was a second home for all the students...I guess I developed the love for music through the soft keys of the grand piano, played with beauty and ease by my music teacher....be it Christmas carols, or songs on sharing, everything had a flavour that rung through the school and now in my memories.
Nana as I had mentioned earlier was into theatre, he wrote plays and acted in them..the last few days of his life had a reflection of the music that rung in his heart...the nurses took great delight in hearing him sing and make a few moves with his hands, while lying on the hospital bed...I guess the music of his memories kept him away from the pain that he went through in his last few days, before he let out a sigh of relief by taking his last breath.
Music rings in our heart, the music of memories, desires, pain, anger, friendship, love and care, it transports us to another world, bringing back the time when it was a part of our reality, witnessing our life and putting it at ease every now and then...The music of my childhood still rings in my heart.
I also remember the time when nani (grandma) asked me to sing for her. I as a little girl used to jump to the tune of "lakdi ki kathi"....she loved it when I sang for her, though I was quite out of tune :)
My father took loads of interest in music ...taking a plate and using it to create music...it was fun singing with him, which we still do as now my brothers have joined the gang....
There are certain things in life that bring us together, creating a magical effect, which never fails to bring a smile on our face...
Life gives us a lot of things to cherish and be happy about...its entirely our decision to retain them or let go of them with time...I believe all that's good should be carried along , coz surprisingly the weight of such memories would always give us a fresh breeze that would lighten us at any point of time in our lives.

"A little song that rings in my heart, reminded me of the days,
When the sun shone bright, the flowers smelled better, and there was a soft misty haze.
The crisp mornings let out a song, a song my heart still sings,
Oh! how I cherish the lovely time,that still goes on within."

An Answer!

2010-09-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

Once I asked nana, what is more important, being happy or being rich, is it important to worry about material gains or is it better to give time to each moment that gives us the sweet flavour of happiness, is it good to let people be or being there, close to them, even if our mind tells us that we're not needed for the moment....
His reply was very simple and yet answered all the questions doing their rounds in my mind...he told me that there are two things that rule our judgement and our decision making power...one is our mind and the other is our heart. Our mind is a more practical being, it has learnt to differentiate between the right and the wrong, it gives two clear aspects to everything, either a thing should be done or it shouldn't, our mind is also very formal in its nature, reserved to its thinking and setup, therefore the more practical, reserved lot in our society ask us to use our mind, while completely ignoring the interference of the heart.
Our heart is a creature who has its own say, it tells us what seems impossible and yet the thing that would make us happy....coz our heart is all encompassing, it knows what exactly we want, how we feel and how others would feel about us, sometimes it just goes beyond every boundary and signals about things that are going to happen and to our surprise most of the time it stands correct! Our heart has a negative aspect to it as well, sometimes it pulls us in several directions and yet roots us to one where we would finally land...that's our heart...the one that rules over our soul, coz it has the power to purify our soul with its love.
Do listen to your mind while searching for an answer but always consent your heart for its authenticity!
Being rich is good but can all the wealth in the world buy true love that gives us happiness....a labourer doesn't have wealth but he does have a smile of contentment, coz he knows that when he'd reach home he'd be welcomed by his family and would eat together with them...a rich man might be greeted by an empty home, coz his children have a lot more to do then to wait for their father...its good to have wealth but the amount that keeps us grounded and helps those in need. When you find your loved ones sad, its not necessary that you make your presence felt by making a big hue and cry or a loud announcement of affection, you can just be in the same room, or sit close by...it would definitely make them realise that they are not alone to handle their worries, there is someone who cares.....leaving people alone and going away is never a cure.
We can get answers to all that goes in our mind, it's just a matter of striking the right balance between the head and the heart, coz those who love are rich and those who just run after material gains lose on the best moments in their life...

I ran to fulfill all my needs,
from day to night to the next eve,
and whenever I ran I got a call...
Dad come home soon, don't you miss us at all...
I turned them down and ran and ran..
until one day I could run no more,
and then when I called out to the time I missed,
there was nothing I had, to call my own.

Love takes hold on Almost Everything :)

2010-09-02T22:10:00.000-07:00

Nani was never fond of dressing up, but she looked gracefully beautiful in whatever she wore. Be it her traditional Sarees, ghararas or a simple shalwar kameez..... she was a wonder to my eyes whenever I saw her. Nana with his crisp Sherwani and Nehru cap, always looked like a real gentleman....I wish all the generations that follow share the same grace :)

What is it about the people we love that appeals to us the most? Well of coarse the important bit is, that they are a special part of our life and make us feel special too....is it just the warmth in their being, or a tide of love that comes our way whenever we are close to them....it could also be that God has created some special chord that connects our heart and gets all the love flowing like a perennial river :)

Yesterday, my mother was looking at nani's clothes and narrated the stories behind them, each connected to a special occasion or some just saved for the best...one of the silk sarees seemed to be a historical evidence of the amazing craftsmanship of India...

Relationships run deep and get entangled in everything close to the people we love......love sure is deep...very deep....

Life goes in circles!

2010-07-27T20:35:00.000-07:00

When I used to accompany nana and his cycle through the bi lanes of the wonderland of my childhood, it seemed to be a magical walk. Houses, shops , streets, everything was larger than life...or may be I was too tiny as compared to everything else. A white frock with little red flowers on it and my favourite red shoes, the determination to walk and a secret desire for a treat on the way...that's how my journey was accomplished.
The walks were a routine for him, and I always looked forward to be a part...but rarely got a chance coz well I was a slow walker and nana like Gandhiji just marched with quick steps, teaching me how to cross the road and choosing the right side to walk.
There were many things that happened on our way....the usual brigade of nana's friends who lead out a loud roar from the other side of the street, The hawkers who spread the sweet aroma of the goodies they carried, the Old bicycle repair shop, the general store(which spread the fragrance of five star chocolate everywhere), Dr. Gupta's clinic, a park called Tikona, because it was triangular in shape and my bus stop from where I used to wait for my school bus everyday.
Than one fine day we shifted to another area, which was really gloomy as compared to our house near my grandparents' place.....I didn't like it at all, since it took me away from my friends and my locality! I adjusted with time but it could never give me the same great feeling as my old house did!
People say what goes around comes around...and that's what's happening with me!I'd be back to the same locality which now has turned into quite a posh area...but this time it won't be with my parents.....
Yes, I'd be getting engaged soon...well the proposal wasn't accepted because of the area lolz! But surprisingly it just happened!
Nana's rides would be a part of my memory and now I'd be stepping into another phase of my life...a ride new to me and something that every girl dreams of.....
and when it comes with the best things attached....it just makes it even better ;)

The most magical part of life!

2010-07-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

If you sit alone for sometime, lost in the world that resides within, the days that have passed come back in a flash...it's like a reel playing in our mind...a reel of innumerable memories baked in joy, blessed with love, some a bit tanned with emotions and others just as crisp and forever young....these are our memories and with these we remember an amazing life that has passed and prepare for the best that's yet to come....

The tricycle that became a permanent companion, the pillow that didn't leave our side,
the mud that catered to the worms within and the anger that was kept aside....
The chocolate that we wished would grow forever, the doll that closed it's eyes,
The hands that helped us cross the road and moments that can't be described!
The eyes that filled with tears of happiness, the lips that sang a song,
the birds that chirruped on tress of innocence and the subtle evenings abound.
The cake that made us proud with joy, the friends that made us smile,
The broken chairs of games we played , the wounds that could be hidden for a while.
The boundaries that could never exist as we broke them with our caress,
Childhood is just magical....the most magical part of life!

Secret delight!

2010-07-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

As I walked through the gate into the courtyard, through the yellow gold laced blinds, I heard a loud welcome, much expected to my delight..."So, here you are...come...hurry up and go to the dining table, I've kept something for you"......."what nani!what is it ? I exclaimed unable to hold on to my excitement!", "go and see for yourself", said nani with a twinkle in her eyes..she was good at giving surprises...I ran to the dining room and there covered with a tiny saucer was the yellow coloured, delicious bread roll all puffed up to welcome my now flooded mouth...Wow!thank you nani, you kept it for me!!!!! " just for you my dear",she exclaimed and looked as excited as she could be! I ran to her and hugged her with all the strength that I then had as a puny little child, blown out of proportion with my grandma's generous showers of love.
I wonder is it the things that people do for us or just the fact that they love us selflessly that makes all the difference to our lives.
I remember my teacher in class fifth, we used to call her aunty Jyostna, as it was a trend in junior school to call our teachers aunty...and they didn't seem to mind at all:) so once we went to a play ground nearby, it was a cold month and one of the students had come to school with a half sleeves sweater, he was feeling very cold...I still remember what happened when aunty Jyostna saw him...she took off her shawl and wrapped it around the boy.....it was the most beautiful gesture I've ever seen....that I think was one of my initial lessons on selfless love which I would never forget for the rest of my life.
I guess genuine feelings just know the way to a persons heart, however concerned people with fake intentions try to be, some may also try to please us with all their might but what's genuine comes across and what's not just falls and spills at the door of our heart, never being able to reach inside.
Every human being craves for love...it's a natural feeling that comes from within and if that love is genuine I think that's the greatest wealth one can ever have.
We often get angry at our loved ones, accuse them of not understanding us and our feelings , but we forget that the love they shower upon us is what keeps us going..what if they disagree with us sometimes, it's not that they don't understand us at all, it's just that they want the best to happen, we may or may not understand their feelings.
Love is a precious gift, a secret delight, that hides in our heart and sends beautiful vibes to make our life amazingly wonderful...secret because no one else can know it's intensity and delight because it's simply delightful :)

Emotions Undercover!

2010-06-28T22:02:00.000-07:00

Greeting people with a smile seems to be a difficult task nowadays, with the rising tempers, stressful life, no time to breathe, we meet people just because we have to with that sunken look of ours...sans smile, sans warmth. Yes, we have become cold, though the burning heat of life keeps us ignited but deep within we have become really cold. Why is it that sometimes we just feel the need to be left alone, why is it that at times we cry for no specific reason, why is it that life seems to drag when the going gets tough, why is it so unbearable to be happy and spread the cheer......do we have an answer to the reason behind the dilapidated state we constantly find ourselves in.
The answer lies in our decisions, the choices that we make in life.....we choose to run after the tomorrow we just don't have an idea about and in the process we never find time to stop and embrace the present.
I still remember the last time grandma asked me to stay back, I told her that I would not be able to...I can't remember the reason why I didn't stay back that day, most probably because I had to attend a lecture at college the very next day or was it that I just didn't feel like staying back coz I wasn't in the right frame of mind...too preoccupied with the petty things of everyday life...but the very next day I got the news that she was no more..........
Maybe if I wouldn't have be too preoccupied with myself, I would have spent some more time with her or maybe that's how God wanted it to be.
Each moment in our life is precious, we have to decide how we would like to spend our lives, would we spend it sulking for a tomorrow or a past that left us long back, or would we live each moment as it comes with a smile on our face.... a smile has the power to confuse sadness in turn banning it from entering our mind.
Smile and spread it among others, live for the moment ...you never know when you can just save a life with a little smile!

This is the day when he went away!

2010-06-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

As a kid whenever I got news about someones death and asked the elders as to where the person has gone, the reply would always be that people return to God's home, from where all of us were sent...I would always be inquisitive about the fact that if God had to call us back, why did he sent us here in the first place...and the reason that I received was always quite prompt..."coz he wants to test us and our capability of being able to judge between good and evil, God wants to see if we really deserve to be with him in his beautiful abode called heaven!"
It's a very practical answer that we understand even better as mature adults, but whenever a life takes exit from the world, we do cry for them....we are simply human aren't we?
Today is the 12th of June...the day when Nana went away..far away from this world to the heavens above...its not been much time but it seems that ages have passed, but sometimes it also feels that he sits right next to me, talking to me through the beautiful memories that he left behind.
Our grandparents are a blessing and so are our parents, they are a wealth that makes us richer with each passing day, they are a prayer that keeps us blessed, they are the goodness that resides within us, its through them that we learn how to stand in this world and to differentiate between right and wrong...In fact they are God sent teachers who show us the right path in life.
Respect for ones elders would not only make us a good human being but also the one who'd gain heaven on earth.

Sharing : An Exercise for a big heart :)

2010-06-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

Selfishness is something that takes the human in us and throws it far away, so much so that our feelings, our emotions, the tenderness in our heart, everything gets thrown away!Such is the impact of being selfish that only the self remains while the soul stands in a dark corner, covered with an old rag that used to be the conscience.
This incident happened a long time back, but its effect was such that it comes to my mind quite often....I had gone to a marriage of people who are quite high up in society, which means they for sure don't have a shortage of anything in their life.While I was busy talking to my mom, there a big hue and cry coming from outside...the reason behind the furor were two poor kids who had come into the marriage and had taken some food to eat.....
I am not supportive of robbery nor am I saying that it's good for gate crashers to come in any function and become a part of it uninvited..but these were two poor kids for heavens sake, they could have just given them some food and should have asked them to leave..all the shouting and screaming and snatching of food ..what for????
In another incident a driver who had accompanied his boss, was questioned at the gate...he was so heart broken that he left without entering the venue and the gentleman with him excused himself and left with him as well...a good slap on the host for sure!
My grandfather made arrangements for people's marriages ..he was not into catering :) but due to so many acquaintances and having a good taste in things, he was approached for help...people used to complain to him..you know Sir, you arrange for too much of food...what if it gets wasted???
His reply would always be, "so that you don't have to worry about the uninvited ones"..the remaining food was distributed among the poor.
God has taken the responsibility of looking after each one of us, we won't become poor by sharing what we have....but our heart would become ten times bigger and better for sure :)
Compassion, kindness, love, care..these are not just words..these are the essence of a beautiful life.

Memories well preserved :)

2010-05-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

Its surprising how the various elements of nature trigger our emotions and take us towards the long lost memories of the times that have passed.
Whenever the morning sun peeps through my window and the birds can be heared singing their chirpy song, it takes me back to the time when as a little kid I was picked up from my bed and couriered to my grandmoms' place, while my mom made her way to her work place.The smell of the crisp morning took away the sleep that lingered on and lighted up my eyes as staying at grandmas place has always been an appealing invitation for me.
The morning sun light also takes me back to the time when grandma sat on the white cane chair in the huge courtyard, and kept the old tin of coconut oil to melt in the sunny winter morning....I could just spend hours sitting next to her playing with my toys while, my grandfather (nana), sat right across in the same courtyard reading the morning paper or reciting the holy Scriptures.....the two blessed souls sure had a way of giving a beautiful feel to the whole environment.One could also see my uncle going in and out of the kitchen preparing his favourite drink, a fresh cup of tea. My grandma used to tell him..."too much of tea is not good for you,"my uncle with his usual innocent smile had the same old reply every time, "this is my last cup aapa(that's what he called his mom), the last one for sure...but everyone knew that this indeed wasn't the case.
The morning sun rested on the terrace and stretched across the courtyard....it gave us warmth till late in the afternoon, as everyone in the house turned into their rooms for an afternoon nap after having the sumptuous lunch that one ate to the hearts content.The afternoon sun blazed away and sharpened its rays as if to warn all the kids in the house to stay indoors, grandma too kept an eye on us since she was scared that we might fall sick in the afternoon heat, but as soon as her eye lids were heavy with sleep, I sneaked out carefully without waking her up.
So yes the sun, the wind, the colour of gulmohar,the shade of the zizyphus, the night sky full of stars, the moon, the early mornings, everything takes me back to the most cherished memories of my life...
When I grew up things changed and people left, but whenever the sun peeps through my window or a dove sings its lively song, I go back to the times when as a little girl, my grandparents were my world.

A Soft Embrace For Life

2010-04-22T21:41:00.001-07:00

Today as I reached the yoga centre, my car came to a halt as I saw an ambulance parked inside the gate . I froze for sometime..it's not that I haven't seen an ambulance before, it's just that the very sight of it, with its rear door ajar, wasn't a pleasant sight at all. For sometime I just sat inside the car, without making an attempt to go inside..when I saw a lady from my class entering the gates and looking equally surprised, I gathered the strength and followed her in. A stretcher was lying in the portico and the door to the house on ground floor was open...When I reached my class, on the first floor, I got to know that it was an ailing old lady who was being taken to the hospital.
I don't know why but ambulance, hospitals, stretchers...all these things just leave me a little numb..Maybe it's after nana passed away in the hospital, that I started reacting this way...can't say..Nana used to say, all of us have to die one day, there's nothing to fear, it's just that our deeds should be such that we won't have second thoughts in entering God's abode...the judgement day would be easy for us.
Our deeds make our stay and our end both quite easy and joyful....as good deeds give us a happy life and an end, after which one is remembered and blessed by people. If we're rude to people, no one would like to talk about us and we'd become history very soon, facing the deterioration brought by a stale life and unknown death sans love..sans happiness!
We've come to this world, not just to live , but to set good examples for others to follow...If we lead a good life, even death would take us comfortably in it's arms, placing us on the heavens above.
Live a life that would be remembered after you, love humanity, pray to God, be kind to those in need...Good deeds don't demand much ... they just require a soft embrace to lighten up your life forever!
.................................................
Dear Friends,
I'd be a little busy for sometime so wont be able to post anything new! Would be back soon with precious memories and loads of stories!
Till then, take care, build beautiful yaadein and preserve them forever :)

A push towards a better tomorrow!

2010-04-19T23:27:00.000-07:00

All of us love swings, as kids when we conquered one, each push aimed towards greater heights!
Every time our heart longed to touch the sky and we tried hard to do so....

Sitting on a swing, a good push makes our feet point towards the sky, it feels as if we have achieved what we longed for...even if it's just the idea that keeps us kicked, we do feel good for sure. Be it a little village boy, or an urban kid, once the swing goes higher both of them share a similar feeling of joy!!

Our efforts are an important factor in our life, they help us reach greater heights.
Nana ones told me, we never know what life has in store for us, it's the best preserved secret that is beyond our imagination, but we can create a positive influence on our future which would help us gain confidence and would strengthen our hope...our efforts do the needful in this regard...our efforts are the only key that make the inevitable future a lot more stable, coz whatever happens, whichever course life may take...sincere efforts never go wasted..
Just like a swing...when we try to swing towards the sky, we try to go higher each time...we might not reach the sky but our efforts do give us a lot of pleasure in the process.

Wherever you are..whatever work you do...put in your sincere effort...your work would speak for itself!

Dignity of Labour

2010-04-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

The guest was about to arrive..one of grandpa's close friends....every thing was in order, right from the delicious food that was making every ones mouth water with it's unique aroma...yeh..unique is the word...though grandma was an excellent cook, it was always something special for the guests!!
Irshad's hotel, another trade mark in my list of memories, was an important part of the occasion as well, since a huge container of wheat dough was sent to him to be converted into piping hot naans (bread)....right out of the tandoor (a clay oven)....it was a treat to watch the naan, going into the tandoor and coming out well cushioned and full of tender aroma that reached every corner of the muhallah (neighbourhood).
All the kids in the house were super excited. Nana as usual was in his calm and composed state, going about his daily routine as was well expected from him....
Everything was in order.... when all of a sudden the phone rang....it was the guest on the other side of the line....my uncle took on the job to explain the route to him.."ya, you take a right and then a left..no no not there, yes exactly...do one thing, just call me up when you reach the main road, I'll send a servant to help you reach here..."
That was it!!!Nana peeped out of his room...."whose servant are you talking about?"
Uncle got a little unnerved, but he poured out an answer carefully..."our servants bhaijaan" (all his children use to call him bhaijaan, which actually means an elder brother, but since they had taken to addressing him that way...the word remained the same..feelings counted as they usually do)
No one is a servant in this house!!!!!Nana shouted out.....they are not your slaves!!! They are here to help us with the work we find difficult to do...address them by their name! Just because they are doing a job which you do not consider up to your standards, doesn't give you the right to degrade the person doing it! Don't you believe in dignity of labour!
Uncle was a bit embarrassed but got the message instantly.....so did I.

People call their helpers, Ayah, Bua..servant e.t.c...they too have a name and should be addressed with it...it makes them feel happy and gives them a sense of identity.
No one likes to wash someone else's dirty clothes or utensils, but life has a different story for each one of us...it's just that we should be respectful towards the less privileged, they deserve it...after all as nana put it...."they do what we find difficult to do."

Nana ki Patang...

2010-03-30T22:54:00.000-07:00

Kites have a lot to do with the way our mind works, be it our dreams or imagination. Our imagination tries to soar high, just like kites, but when reality hits hard, they come flying down. Like a Kite goes through multiple owners, in the same way many people share the same dreams , for some they become reality , cutting and reaching above the rest and for others just a short play. Therefore flying kites can contribute towards the over all development of a child. I was unaware of the said fact, till one day, I overheard my nana talking to nani..
We loved to fly kites, my cousin controlling the kite while I was given the duty to hold the manjha..the roles were interchanged for sure!!
Nana(Grandpa): Don't worry about the kids, let them be, what's the harm in flying kites??
Nani(grandma): Don't you see...both the kids go to the terrace and are totally lost in the play, what if they slip and fall...they are so engrossed....
Nana: All of us are engrossed in achieving our goals, those who aren't have never made an attempt to achieve anything..they are happy with being stagnant and I don't want my grandchildren to be like them.
Look at them, they want their kite to fly high, higher than they expect it to go, higher than their dreams and one day when they'd take the kites of their life in their hands, they'll never get tired of trying and achieving the best...I can see two happy souls in the making.
The conversation ended, no one could argue with nana, he was indeed a born winner.
As the wind got high on its spirits, our kite began to give up.....Oh no! what now, It'll get cut and someone else will take it, my cousin cried out.
Nana: It surely will if you give up my boy!
Cousin: But what can I do, I can't control the wind dada!
Nana: The least that you can do is to keep trying....try harder!
"Try Harder", two words and a life long package of strength...
Whenever I am on a verge of giving up, nana's words resound within and I get a grip on the kite of my life....If nothing else the least I do is to try....try harder!

The Princess and Her Moon!

2010-03-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

Once there was a little princess, who was a happy soul, as her father catered to every need that her heart could ever hold. Happy she was as she possessed, the choicest of all the things...beautiful gardens, lovely rivers and creatures that could sing.
While looking outside her window one night, she saw a brand new moon, as thin as it could possibly be and as white as the pearl in her room.
The next morning she called for her father and asked him to fulfill her wish, "get me the moon, oh father dear as this is my only wish!"
The king got worried as he very well knew that it's impossible to get what she wanted, he called all the men from the royal court and asked them to think of something!
Then one wise man got up and went straight to the princesses room, he asked her as to how exactly would she describe her moon.
Oh!My moon is a small little thing as big as the nail in my thumb and it has a curve, a nice little curve, like the one you see in my thumb.
The wise man went to a silversmith and asked him to make a new moon, one as big as the princesses nail with a curve that would make it look cool!The silver smith made him a little moon and hung it in a chain. The princesses happiness knew no bounds as she got her moon that day.
The next night, the king got worried as he saw the moon in the sky, the princess came to him and said, "Look dear father, that's a new one up there!"
The king heaved a sign of relief as he was happy that the problem was solved, the princess got her moon as its replica was safe in the sky! ;)

I read this story as a little kid and since then it has become a special part of my memories. Fairy tales have always been a part of every girls dreams. I remember,what nani told me once, fairy tales are not just a part of our imagination, they are a dream that we can make possible through our endeavours. When we read about a good human getting the best in the end, it holds true for our life as well, if we strive to become a good human being, happiness comes to our door, uninformed, as a surprise that colours our life forever.
Fairy tales are not just a story, they are sugarcoated reality, in fairy tales one can witness instant results while reality is a little slow but who says it doesn't have a happy ending!
The king fulfilled an impossible wish since he was determined to make his daughter happy..if we are determined to make our life a success, our wish would definitely be fulfilled, since then we would work hard to succeed!
Don't ever stop dreaming, life may not be a fairy tale but it can definitely have a happy ending leading to a new beginning :)

Nani Ki Beri : The zizyphus tree in nani's courtyard

2010-03-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

There was a huge zizyphus tree in my grandma's' courtyard, we used to call it "beri ka ped"!
It had the tastiest ber (zizyphus) hanging from its branches.
The afternoons were mostly deserted as my grandparents took a short afternoon nap....anything that had to happen...be it playing in the sun, or turning on the water hose and playing with water...all the mischievous plans came into action, as the soft rays of the late afternoon sun, sat on the eyelids of our elders, making them sleep like a log ;)
And it was one such afternoon, when me and my cousin who is a year younger, decided to climb on the beri (the zizyphus tree) and relish the fruits to our hearts content.
A great plan as it seemed, needed a lot of preparation for it to be a success....making it come out well, sans thrashing from the elders.
An iron ladder, which often worked as a train when laid down was the first tool that we used to work out the plan....
Cousin: You climb up first and drop as many fruits as you can then I'd take my turn!
Me: Alright, but hold on to the ladder or I'll slip.
Cousin:Ok (quite unsure about his strength)
I climbed on the ladder with an unbeatable zest and............slipped back with even greater force!!
Both of us were in a shock as the broken ankle and the noise of the dropped ladder were enough to wake everyone up!!!
Nana came running out of his room....
Nana: What happened !!! what was that chaos about!!!
Nani: I heard it coming from the Beri (tree) !
Us: Beri !!!!!!!!!!!
We ran as fast as our legs could carry us and hid next to the pile of coal lying in the backyard!
Well, I think what we learnt that day was the fact that it's very difficult to fool your elders....
Caught red handed, with our clothes smeared in coal, we were taken to the courtyard, where the adult team cornered us from every side possible and we what then looked like the emblem of innocence , tried to wear a long face...as long as it could possibly be!
Nana: Do you like that fruit!!
Me:No nana!
Nana: Then what were you doing up there.....dancing on the tree???
Cousin:Aaaaaa, we were trying to collect some fruits for you....it's your birthday!
Nana: There's an year to go!
Me: But this fruit is seasonal isn't it????
Laughter broke out from the vessels full of anger and we like sprinklers of joy, danced ( I with a slight limp) around relieved but not without punishment....
We had to press grandpa's legs until he fell asleep :(
With Iodex smeared on my ankle and a slight limp, I was a centre of some extra care...much to my cousins dismay, who had to hear the advise against climbing trees..repeatedly..for as long as the topic was hot! But not for long, as we were good at giving a new reason everytime ;)
Memories, the piece of our past that lingers on and flashes on the road towards a new tomorrow...giving us light when we need to find our way through darkness!

Travel through ages.....

2010-03-05T20:33:00.000-08:00

Certain feelings never leave our mind, once you encounter them in life, they keep sprouting up on different occasions. It can be the feeling of excitement, the feeling of something new, our state of trance so on and so forth. These feeling are in some way connected to our childhood memories....though not always but most of the time..
I still remember the day when I entered the new school..a much bigger version of the one I was used to and had spent quite a few years ..now with a huge building staring straight at me, it was quite a different feeling, the kind I can feel till date when I encounter a change in my life.

I remember the time when I got full marks in second or third standard..it was euphoric..a girl came to me and tallied my paper with her paper, she got back to the teacher and asked her to raise her marks as she had similar answers ...my teacher called me and deducted my marks since I had allowed another person to take my paper and tally it with hers....it was quite a set back.... that was a difficult session for me and it was the first time that I had scored so well...I still remember the girl and can't forgive her till date....today when I meet people who try to cheat on someone to make their way, my patience goes beyond it's limits , giving them a piece of my mind.

Success too has a flavour of its own that clings on us and stays there forever.
I remember the day when I was in K.g. and my painting was chosen to be shown to the principal...it was a great feeling..till date when I succeed in my endeavours the same feeling dances upon my minds eye spreading my lips in a big smile.

Feelings ...they do travel through ages and keep reminding us of certain phases of our life...what's important is to get over the sad ones and take on the best to pump up on our energies for a great journey ahead!

The whole deal about mangoes ;)

2010-02-16T20:45:00.000-08:00

I remember watching "Mirza Ghalib", with nana, starring Nasirruddin Shah, it was quite a sought after movie in those days, or it appeared to be as nana was super excited about watching it. Though I couldn't understand the heads or tails of it as I was very young, what kept me glued to my place were the delicacies being served to us by my aunt while the movie was on. As the movie proceeded, there was a scene in which the protagonist had a bucket full of mangoes dipped in water, and everyone around was busy taking in the sweet flavour and enjoying every bit of it, even the peels weren't spared and were flattened to perfection..all of a sudden nana gave out a loud exclamation.."See! This is how we are supposed to eat mangoes, after dipping them overnight in a bucket full of water!" "Look child", he looked at me, "ask your mother to dip mangoes in a bucket of water, so that you don' t have to suffer the boils your refrigerated mangoes invite."
I could see nana's mouth watering at the sight of mangoes, while I enjoyed my favourite mango squash, indifferent to the boil terror the adult world endorsed.
Be it sugar canes or mangoes, every fruit was celebrated like a festival. Grandma made arrangements for the slim plastic knit beds called "folding",to be laid in her huge courtyard as the whole family collected with a bucket placed next to each bed, and everyone enjoyed the sweet delights of nature while me and my cousins being stupid kids, ignorant about the joys of the famous fruit, ran around the courtyard, contributing to the festive feel of the day.
On my recent visit I saw, that the same courtyard has now shrunk to an unrecognisable size, coz the whole place has embraced the ever changing times, but when I sat down and closed my eyes, the air smelt of the same old fruit, as memories flashed back like a pack of cards piling up within, happily, I laid them out through my mind and savoured the taste of the most cherished days of my life :)

Toying A Special Bond

2010-02-09T19:50:00.000-08:00

As a kid I've had a special bonding with toys, especially dolls or one can say mostly with dolls. On every birthday my wish list would start with a doll and would end on one! "What do you want for your birthday?"- A doll was the quick reply!!
I have no count of the amount of dolls my Nani (grandma) had gifted me on my birthdays, yes, later on with the ascending flavour of age , the request moulded itself into pretty dresses and other stuff, but it sure for a quick halt, as one fine day my love for dolls came to a abrupt end :(, when a friend told me that dolls wake up and walk around the house....Grrrrr!! I was so angry with her for breaking my loving bond with the plastic mortal..but that was that....
Before the ghastly secret was revealed to me, dolls were my friends, soul mate, a great confession box for all the naughty childhood deeds that I was a part of.
I still remember the fragrance of a new doll, it was a very happy feeling, like a new book with fresh brown cover and new labels- though they couldn't beat the dolls, as with time books smelt more like enemies than friends ;)
Nani's presents used to be wrapped in a neat newspaper, she would announce her entry into the house and would give me a big hug and would hand over the neatly newspapered doll, I on my part always acted surprised about the present though I very well knew that there was a doll inside :)
Certain feelings can only be enjoyed as a child coz I think that's when we are more conscious and vocal about our feelings, with maturity a row of dos and dont's stuff themselves in our natural behaviour...But sometimes we do like to just let go, turning into a four year old, happy to be able to enjoy life!
Emotions colour our life in such a way, that each colour mingles together and creates a magical hue to spread a big smile on our face :)

Unforgettable Innocent Craze

2010-01-26T19:26:00.000-08:00

It crawled into the courtyard and sneaked into the sun soaked afternoon,
It was the childhood I can never forget..
It smelled the aroma and kissed the magical hands that blessed the kitchen ,
It was the childhood I can never forget...
It swung happily on the swing hanging from the mango tree and often used to steal a few delicacies...
It was the childhood I can never forget...
It was sweeter than the sugarcane dipped in tubs and as joyful as the song sung by a group of ducks,
It was the childhood I can never forget..
It was as pure as grandmas prayers and as white as her shiny hair,
It was the childhood I can never forget...
It danced like the smoke from grandpas chilum (part of a hokkah-traditional smoking instrument) and twirled like his unchanging decorum,
It was the childhood I can never forget...
And today when I see a smile on a little one, I can hear life singing to the same rhythm, and then my heart dances to the tune of the days, when life used to rejoice with an innocent craze.

A Smile is Contagious--Strive to Spread it :)

2010-01-18T19:46:00.000-08:00

The bond between a child and an adult is ironical, not just because of age gap, but because it's from a child that an adult learns the selfless meaning of a smile..I still remember the days when grandpa was not too well and preferred staying in his room, my little cousin used to bang into his room and would announce his presence "dada I , your friend is here"..which would be accompanied by an enthusiastic Salaam. All the other adults would stop him from making too much of noise, since they thought that he would be disturbing grandpa, but one could see the beam of light that used to spread on grandpas face, it came with the fact that this little kid was full of hope....hope that gave grandpa the strength to get up and give him a tight hug with a big smile, something that had become quite rare because of his ailment.
I remember what someone told me...prefer the company of people who make you feel happy..it's not that you should not be there for the ones who are in pain, but people who have loads of complaints every now and then are the ones that curb your enthusiasm, so much so that you stop enjoying life.
Now I know why grandpa was loved by one and all...his enthusiasm, positivity and so called childish pranks, made everyone enjoy themselves and left a beautiful smile on their face.
So friends stay happy, spread happiness, spend time with little angels and let life dance on the tune you play.....coz the time that goes away never comes back!

The lasting fragrance

2010-01-07T19:22:00.000-08:00

Childhood is the most beautiful phase of our life. We blossom in a secure environment and bloom in our courtyard..it's just amazing. Everything tastes better and more valuable, be it a pack of chips or the food at our neighbours place, which we savour without letting our mother know about it, and then to be scolded and coming to the conclusion that mothers are magicians, one can never hide anything from them.
There was something about aunty that always made me go to her house, her daughter was my best friend and aunty a fairy godmother in disguise. We used to play in her courtyard, I and her daughter who was a year younger than me. Whenever sweets came in their house, a share was kept aside for me. Uncle was a bit..umm..well a little scary...it sometimes gave me the feeling that aunty was like Rapunzel, caged in his three room castle. Nonetheless I was a regular visitor at auntys place. I still remember the day before my birthday, when she asked me what I wanted as a present, I quickly replied..a doll!! Instantly my dad who was standing next to me , pinched me on my hand .. what a perfect pinch it was..aunty could never get to know why I changed my mind instantly and refused a gift completely and my dad could never get to know that I still haven't forgiven him for hampering my prospects of getting a doll :( but I got a nice one on my birthday nonetheless!
There are some people who carve out a special place in our heart and mind, and they never leave it..aunty is one such person..though the visits have stopped.. the memories still linger on in my minds eye.
I can never forget the hands that fed me amazing rice and veggies with a dash of ghee that came from her village, I've never tasted such amazing food ever after that..
Was it the taste of food, her love for me or the innocence of childhood that had cast the magic spell..Now when I look at life as an adult, maybe the picturesque charm of the bygone days has given way to an alert mind, wary of people around me, but certain things never change, a stranger with a lovely smile still makes my day...love can never leave this world coz we thrive on it :)

The washed Footprints

2009-12-29T18:31:00.000-08:00

As we move on, we leave behind loads of things , our past, our deeds, the days spent in the year that has gone by and the people who have ceased to continue the journey with us, people who had become an integral part of our being, it's like having a jovial company and all of a sudden we are left alone coz that person had to get down on his or her station..can we stop them, no we can't , everyone has a destined station where our journey would end, though we do not know when our station would come, but we do have the power to make our journey a fruitful one.
We can either waste time being unhappy, we can worry about our future that's yet to come, or we can look out of the window and breathe in some fresh air and thank God for whatever he has blessed us with....for making us sit on the right side of life, for giving us great company so that we can spend happy time, for making us a human and not an ant who has to crawl on the ground and for everything that has made us complete.
Before stepping into 2010 take out time and think about all that you've been blessed with, I'm sure you won't have words to express your gratitude.
A simple new day, with so called monotonous routine, is one of the greatest miracles of God, it's for us to understand and realise its importance.
May the new year fill our life with peace, happiness and contentment. May the joy of fulfillment smear our senses with thankfulness for the Almighty.
As I step into a new year I feel a bit empty coz I don't have my nana by my side, but today I do know that wherever he may be, his blessings would always be with me, along with a treasure of memories which I would definately keep sharing with all of you, since today I feel that the memories shared are the ones that are refilled with a new life :)
Loads of love and Best Wishes,
Sana

I can still feel the warmth!!

2009-12-21T21:01:00.000-08:00

Weather has a lot to do with our memories... winters, along with the chill brings with it the warm shower of the days gone by...days of pet names, cute faces, warm hands and a soft whisper that makes its rounds till date. The days of never ending stories, stubbornness, a soft laugh , a happy smile, a little tear or the warmth of a pleasantly surprising sunny winter sky....The days of running around without a sweater, the days of anger that was meant for the better..the days of peeping out through a cosy quilt, the days of a little red coat and aunty's kindergarden, the days of a cold sea-saw and a warm never ending laughter..the days of an ice cream that ceased to melt faster..the days of a courtyard that cradelled with love and still does..... when I go running after the memories of a bright sunny day.... of a winter in a harbour of love that now rests in my mind and would be there forever.

Cute little Angels :)

2009-12-11T19:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I watched "Paa", a beautiful movie indeed. There was a scene when Auro (the protagonist, a little boy of 13) is in the hospital and is alone in his room, he is shown playing with the plugs on his fingers, that are there to monitor his health. It made me realise how old people too become kids and behave like them, afterall they are the angels who guided us throughout our lives.
I remember when nana was admitted, it was the first time he had to stay in a hospital, he had been a perfectly healthy man all his life, but may be it was time. Anyways so I would describe the way my little grandpa behaved. For a few days he dealt with things in the best way possible, but with time, I guess things became a bit difficult for him, he had to go through a lot of pain, I could hear the pain in his voice, I still remember the last time when I was leaving he asked me as to when I'd be back, I said I'd be back soon, but then his state deteriorated and I guess he became unaware of my presence, though I doubt.
But nana taught me to live life, in the last few days, though he couldn't talk much, he used to sing songs, dance (moved his hands) sitting on his bed and was enjoying himself in his own world(the nurses around him, enjoyed aswell), he had been into theatre afterall :) sometimes I could understand what he said, but most of the time it was a treat to see him happy by himself.
Yes, old people do become kids and need the kind of love and care that little kids need. If you guys have old people around, shower loads of love on them and keep them with care and respect, they are indeed the epitome of love, love that never fades away and grows with time...We got to learn the true meaning of selfless love from them, it's time to keep them cosy in the soft blanket of their teachings.

Keep that smile within your reach!

2009-12-04T21:04:00.000-08:00

"Kaga sab tan khaiyo chun chun khaiyo maas,
Do naina mat khaiyo mohe piya milan ki aas..."

A smile stretches out on my face, when I recall how tastefully nana used to say the aforementioned lines. I used to tease him whenever he got into his poetic trance, but his love for poetry was something that he cherished. It was as if he could feel the words sinking in and giving out a positive vibe that got him an ear to ear smile:)
Life becomes beautiful when we cherish things that we like, we should never forget the things that make us happy and should keep them close to us, so that whenever a tear rolls down our eyes it spreads into a smile.
Hope, contentment and peace linger on when they find a place to balance themselves, and what better place can they find than a heart that knows how to smile:)

The Sacred Abode

2009-11-10T21:22:00.000-08:00

Though I don't know what it was when partition happened or what the people felt at that point of time, but I am sure it would have been a painful struggle for them.Our home is not only a place where we reside, its a place where we are rooted, right up to our core. It forms an essential part of our identity, our memories, our existence. When a bride leaves her home in order to blossom in a new abode, its a painful decision for her, since she is taken away like a baby plant is taken out from its roots to be replanted in someones elses garden. It has to leave the mother plant, leaving behind the fragrance of its memories, just like a girl does. But there is always a possibility of a visit, of coming back and meeting the people with whom you've spent the initial leg of your life. But What would happen if you are dislocated and planted in an alien land, bounded by a border made of blood and gore, unable to reach out to the land to which you belong? Thats what partition was all about, a permanent journey towards an alien land, with nothing to look back for.
During partition many homes were left empty, which were then reinhabited by people. I have friends whose grandparents still talk about Lahore in Pakistan, and the home that they had left, their language, way of living everything has a fragrance of the long lost past. I still remember what nana had told me once. Okhla which is located in south Delhi and is called Okhla village, though its not a village, it used to have beautiful green fields all around, but now is quite a modernised part of south Delhi, with Jamia University, to enhace its beauty. So the incident goes like this, once okhla was being attacked by some people. Pandit Nehru, President Zakir Hussain and many others including nana,were there to take care of the area. Women and children were asked to gather in a big house so that they are safe there. Something happened that made a prominent personality laugh, on which Dr. Zakir Hussain responded with the following words,"its not a matter of laughter, its a matter of tears". Such was the love and respect for ones land, such was the dedication of the great leaders like Pandit Nehru and Dr. Zakir Hussain, who stood there to take the bullets on themselves, in order to save the people of their nation, such was the love for their country, their homeland. Nana never allowed his children or his grandchildren to settle in distint lands,"live in your country and let your progress be the progress of your land",These were the dutiful words of my beloved nana, full of love and respect for his motherland. Till date I remember what he said and wonder how love travels through generations.

I wandered in distant lands,
right from shore to shore.
Nothing gave me such immense peace,
as my beloved sacred abode.
And now as I lie in its arms today,
smeared with its love and care,
It makes me happy to realise,
that for my country , I was always there.

This post is with due respect to the people living in distant lands, its just what my grandfather felt and strongly believed in that I have narrated in my post. I do not intend to hurt anyones feelings.

Why??

2009-11-03T20:28:00.000-08:00

Why is it that we get so fond of our roots, that it becomes impossible for us to leave our land?
Why is it that our neighbourhood, the familiar roads, the houses, the shops, the people, every thing is so precious to us that we never learn to live without them.. Why is it that a foriegn land, is always a foriegn land, however much we might try to make a home out of it? Why is it that even the familiar smell of plain food, makes us nostalgic? Why is it, that we feel so good when we meet a person from our land? Why is it that even a friend, seems as if he shares the same blood?
Why is it then that we fight with each other for reasons trivial? Why is that a single house is divided on disputes and quarrels? Why is it that age old relationships break apart, why is love suffocated in a corner of there heart? Why is it that the third takes advantage and wins?
Why can't we oppose such social evil?

Though we love our land, care for it and can't stay apart.
Though distances matter, tears flow out and friends are an important part.
Though seeds are sown for everyone irrespective of who they are.
Though each festival is a joyous one and plays an important part.
On such a land, with such feelings and such warm hearts, why is it that we stop thinking when evil drives us apart?
Oh! My Country, My land, My home just think for once atleast, what went wrong when such strong chords failed to cross boundaries.

Wish

2009-10-27T22:18:00.000-07:00

Do we always get what we wish for , or is it better that God gives us what he thinks is the best for us? When we wish for something, at that very point of time, it becomes the most important thing for us, we do everything to achieve it, but what happens by the end of the day is beyond our thoughts and dreams.

A wish settled on my eyelash,
and forced it to shut down for a long blissful sleep,
a gush of wind took my wish away,
and I, now with my eyes wide open, saw the storm coming my way.
Oh what would have happened if my wish was to be fulfilled,
my dreams would have been washed away with the storm unpredictable.
Life has a wish concealed in every beat,
The ones that are fulfilled,
are the ones that were meant to be.

The lessons of life

2009-10-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

When we toddle our way to maturity, its not just a period we cover, its a big chunk turned in the book of life..and when we flip the pages back for old times sake, we find numerous blots, scribbles, fine lines and things in bold..these are the moments that either went wrong or just went the way we wanted them too..these are the pages of our life that are stored in our mind and can be flipped through, whenever we lie back, a little away from the hum drum of the present.
Sometimes these pages seem like an old reel of the times that have passed and sometimes like a reflection of the life that waits ahead, how we grew up and the upcoming generations might grow up, or just as a teacher, yes, the times that have passed can serve as a teacher, someone who teaches us to learn from our mistakes and edit all the blots so that we can have a neat beginning, a clear path that waits ahead, and we do not repeat certain things that did not help us at all but pushed us away from our path.
Grandpa was correct when he said..life is a school, where we learn a new lesson everyday...its a learning process..we should learn from our mistakes and should keep mopping the path ahead, every new mistake would be a lesson to be learnt and every success would be a feather in our cap.....an indicator of how well we have learnt the varied lessons taught by life.

The virtual and the real

2009-10-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

Its true that certain things cannot be described in words, its like a beautiful scenery, when we are there, what our eyes are treated to cannot be captured by the camera, all it can do is just catch hold of the replica that can be kept to remind us of all the lovely days that colour our lives, but the ultimate feeling just lingers on in our nerves and settles down deep in our heart. Its true that certain things may be preserved at face value, but the focus of a camera or the ink that flows from the pen, just find it too hard to accomodate the real feel...though both win to some extend but the real moment just stays smeared in the mysterious lanes of our mind.
I have been asked to write about my grandfather so that it can come in print....though words come out as my feeling push them to spill on paper, but the moments capture my mind in such a way that I find myself lost in the bylanes cherishing each moment with renewed enthusiasm, when the present taps at my door I find myself at a loss of words.
Yes, feelings can be poured down on paper, but what is it that stays behind?
Maybe its the touch of the real or a sense of belonging to the moments that refuse to be passed on.
Life is a yearning...a yearning for the varied hues....if the yearning would collapse..we would find ourselves without a clue...... be it a yearning of a lost past...or that of the mysteries that wait ahead.....its life and its numerous experiences that are unique to each one out there...each one of us yearn for the best that could be ... its our precious moments that make our lives....truely unique.

The chords shouldn't rust away with time

2009-10-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

In our life we chase our dreams, attain our goals and do whatever pleases our heart, but what is it that makes every experience a special one. Many people say that they are independent, make their own living, are happy to be by themselves, but even they share something in common, with those who like to be dependent on the ones they love......what makes a house a home or an experience a joy.... Its none other than someone who completes our life..be it our parents, friends, spouse or a loved one... each experience in our life is made complete in their company.
Nana used to say this often...don't leave anyone... don't stop visiting the place of a relative whom you don't like...don't ever form such a divide that you can never bridge..coz life is not about living alone...its about living together....its about understanding...its about compassion....its about the presence that makes your life complete..if you would keep fighting with everyone, there would come a day when you'd find yourself all alone..unable to bear the cruel isolation of life.
However independent we may be, we would always need company to light up our day and make our life complete.. even if its a couple of friends who light up a smile and make our life glow.
Distances are important ..comfortable distances that allow the other one sufficient space to breathe...don't force your presence on anyone...but be their to share their joy or sorrow, thats what makes life a beautiful experience, so much so that when we need someone, we would not have to ask for it....even when we are no more, people would remember us for who we were.
Grandma used to force mom to visit people as soon as she came to meet her..mom used to get very annoyed as she wanted to spend time with her mother...today she knows how important it is to be there for people and to keep refreshing the chord that binds each one of us, she has continued abiding to what she was taught.
All of us need our space, but we can always find ways for keeping the link between us and others refreshed, so that tomorrow, the chords that bind us, don't rust away with time.
However independent we may be, but life is complete only when we become a special part of someones memory and have someone to celebrate the various phases of our being.

Our Memories

2009-10-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

Memories smear our mind in such a way, that wherever we may be and however preoccupied our mind might seem, something or the other clicks in our mind and takes us towards the bygone days, making us remember those whose memories can never fade away.

It was a long drive to the hill top,
Where soothing breeze enveloped my heart,
certain memories faded away, though certain regained their charm.
I travelled leaving behind, the loss that can never be recovered,
least did I realise, that memories have an amazing power,
The power to hold on.....
where ever we may be,
For memories are a part of us .. a part of our being,
Its a memory that makes us smile, a memory that makes us weep,
and hand in hand with a row of memories, our life seems complete.
Covered in a blanket of memories I explored an alien land..
where I found my self again, a self well transformed.
Such is the power of memories my friends, that where ever you may be,
they would stand right next to you and would watch over in glee.

You lit my way in the dim paths of life

2009-09-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

" Ek hi saf mein khade ho gaye mahmud-o-Ayaz,
Na koi banda raha aur na koi banda nawaz." - Allama Iqbal

Nana was very fond of urdu poetry, and the one given above was one of his favourites. Whenever he recalled it, he used to ask me, "do you know what it means?"and I well aware of its meaning used to ask him to repeat it again...and then came out the words which were another important lesson in life, he replied," it means, that every one is equal in the eyes of God, when we stand for prayers, every one stands together, be it a mason or a rich landlord and we pray, we pray to the Lord who made all of us and for whom no one has a higher or a lower rank, everyones equal."
Yes everyone is equal in the eyes of God, but we humans have carved out such boundaries that have solidified in the harsh heat of time.
Nana was very fond of all those who worked for him, be it the person who prepared his hookah ( an eastern smoking pipe designed with a long tube passing through an urn of water) or the neighbourhood barber, each one had a special place in his heart and each got his problems solved through their favourite babuji ( thats what they called nana).
"This is what would go with you, nothing else..nothing else, its the way you treat people and the things you do for them that would fill the account of your deeds..an account that opens as soon as a person gains maturity." He used to hate the term servant, "whose servant?" He would question, " we have sent on this earth to serve each other, to help the other in their times of need..no one's below us..no one's our servant...we should be greatful for their services, its because of their hardwork that we lead a comfortable life."
The words ones told turn into the greatest lesson for life, even when I am angry the voice whithin asks me to calm down so that I don't have to regret my deeds. I sometimes wonder, can someones absence be so strong that it can guard our presence and take it towards the right path? Today I believe that it does, coz the voice within is our greatest guiding light...its a blessing of a pure soul and the love that ignites.
This Eid wont be the same as he's no longer there, but his words and values would celebrate their existence in my heart for ever and would be passed on so that they find a home in every heart :) A very happy Eid to all, May our life forever celebrate the goodness within.

Travelling through time,
it struck me once,
each passing day is a short sojourn,
they come and go like a flash of light,
leaving a mark, gracing my mind,
and all these marks turn into the lessons,
that lit my way in the dim paths of life.

Distant Affection

2009-09-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

I don't know what I see in the moon, but it has quite a gripping effect on me. Big, round and beautiful...sans words. It also seem to give me a silent feel since I fall short of words when I sit to describe it. I don't know what attracts me the most, its beauty, its pristine simplicity or the innumerable stories for which it has been a favourite abode.
A prince on a horse coming straight from the moon and taking the princess away :) I grew up listening to such stories, which my grandma used to describe in a beautiful way as we lay below the mysterious night sky, covered with a black veil studded with stars, where imagination played its games. Her stories were a bridge between my world and my dreams, tenderly putting me off to sleep.
Truth, purity, love and affection, these are the qualities that I relate to my beloved moon. The halo around it teaches us as to how we can outshine our troubles, however hard they might try to hold on to us. Our optimism would dampen their spirits.
This indeed is my distant affection, and I like a nomad wonder who do I like better, is it the pole star that shows me the way or the moon that lights up my path.

Immortal

2009-08-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

What is it to be immortal. Well, I don't really know, maybe a reminder of your existance at every breath even after you've gone away, away to a world from where you can never come back, leaving behind a bundle of deeds, deeds that resound in someones heart, that carve out a niche in someones soul, that flow in someones tears, that beat in someones heart....deeds that carve out a space, filling it with gratefulness and making one follow the traces left behind, which inspire us to be like the one if not at par.
Our deeds make us immortal, deeds that we silently shower for the betterment of the other, which then seep down reaching their soul and stay there forever. Such is the power of our deeds, that they make us immortal.
Being elder than someone is not a big deal, but when you are at a higher pedestal, you should always remember, that there are people standing below, who have their gaze on you, its your duty to set the right example, and it would be your deeds that would make you live forever.
A department to cater to the people suffering from tuberculosis had opened in Jamia, grandpa was a part of the department. Being a part of something only helps, when one actively participates in it and takes it towards the goal it has intended to achieve. Whoever suffered from TB got a quick ride on grandpas heavy bike, who then took them to the center to be cured. Many shared the seat, and many lives were cured, no one got to know, coz it just seeped in the heart of those who then made him live forever.
He is still alive, alive in the words of the people I meet, Alive in the twinkle of someones eyes as he/she takes his name, Alive as Mr. Abdul Sattar, A name people would never forget, a name that is smeared on every wall of the village called Okhla, in the memories of a University called Jamia, in the hearts of the people who loved him, and in the innumerable deeds concealed in every heart...be it known or unknown.......

The Oath that left an imprint....

2009-08-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today, when I was posting a poem at musings (the other blog that I have), my eyes filled with tears. Once nana had told me, that ones country is ones home, its our duty to look after it. Let people say what they want to, let them criticise it and leave their duties for others to fulfill, simply by playing the blame game, but you as an Indian don't ever forget, that your country is your duty, always be there for it, go ahead and be the change that you want to see, don't ever let those down who have given you the freedom to express yourself, to live with dignity in your own land, don't let those down who gave you the freedom to decide...who blessed you with the words...for, by and of the people...its in your hands...your land...its your responsibility...take it towards the path of progress, you owe it to your motherland...you owe it to India..your home... your world!
I remember your words nana, I remember how unwell you were on the day of the election and still you went to the booth to cast your vote...I know how important it was for you...
You were a good son, you did realise your duties towards your motherland.
As Independence Day is fast approaching, I can smell the fragrance of my land in the air,
I am delighted at the innocent eyes and the little hands holding on to the flags at the red light,
I can feel the enthusiasm in the march past at the India Gate, all set and energised to celebrate the special day!I can feel the Amar Jawan Jyoti's rising flames, the young blood that did not think for a second before giving their life for their motherland!I am proud to belong to such a country, where the Saffron, White and Green coexist in wonderous harmony
..this is my country...my world..my land!May the fragrance of joy forever mesmerise my motherland :)

A Festive Delight!

2009-08-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

Raksha Bandhan, a beautiful Indian festival, when Sisters tie rakhi on their brothers hand . Rakhi is a sacred thread of protection embellished with the love and affection of a sister for her brother. Its beautiful how relationships blossom with time, leaving a fragrance of love and affection for us to trace whereever we may be. Once my teacher told me, that in her days, sisters used to get up early in the morning, had a bath and sat down to make a beautiful rakhi out of colourful threads, at that time people did not prefer buying one from the market, it used to be a sacred affair. I believe its still sacred, whatever might have changed with time, the feelings, the promises, the belief and love is just the same, ever growing with the joy of human bonds:)
I feel the best thing about being an Indian, is the fact that whatever community, religion or region you may belong to, each and every festival celebrated by the people of our nation is relished by one and all. Its like different members of a family, with different habits, customs and beliefs, coming together to celebrate the festive spirit that colours life, with its ever refreshing glory!That's my country and I am in love with it :)
I remember how my siblings and I, used to gather at nanis place to tie rakhis to each other, it was a treat to get a chocolate in return to every rakhi that was tied. Time passed, we grew up and got busy, but today, when I messaged my cousins , to wish them a very happy rakhi, the fragrance of the bygone days smeared my mind....time passes but certain feelings remain intact forever.
Thank you Rush for encouraging me to write a new post today as you always do , you took me to the days that linger on like fresh dew, which works like a healing balm :)
A very happy Rakshi to all my friends out there!May God bless each relationship in your life with an enriching beauty that gets better with time :)

Early Morning:)

2009-07-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

Early mornings :) When we are little kids, its a torture to get up early in the morning!The alarm would ring, consciously unheard, waiting for the louder alarm to ring again and hoping that the latter fails to do so!The louder alarm...well mom who else..She'd come early in the morning totally aware of the ungreatful cheapness that we have to show towards the alarm clock;) and then follows the line of the day!"Oh!Already, I just slept a while back:("..and quickly a reply is shot back.."your while back has already completed ten hours!! Better be up"..how cruel is that! Whatever said and done, those were blissful days, when all the worries were definately not our baggage, but were taken care of by others..lol..blissfully carefree.
But as time passed mornings took a new role in my life, ones that brought out the positive from within..
Today as I sat in the lawn, the morning had yet another blissful flavour to it, smeared with fresh dew drops, under the clear blue sky, accompanied by the soft rays of the sun, which brought down the temperature in a jiffy. The cool breeze made sure, that our mind opens up to embrace all thats good in the world.The birds went about doing their work, building nests on the ever welcoming arms of the friendly trees, the butterflies danced around, enjoying the fragrance of the flowers which were happily dancing with the wind. The moving clouds seemed like a light blanket covering the sky step by step, while the rain waited for its chance to shower the earth with its gentle downpour and I amongst all this, could just say a few words, "Thank you God for a beautiful morning!"
Time indeed reveals the real taste of life :)

The Not So Idiot Box!

2009-07-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

Memories have a huge storage capacity, they can preserve loads of incidences that in turn become an important lesson in life.In this fast changing world of cable and dish t.v., people are forgetting the presence of doordarshan, well that was one channel and a few others that used to enhance the t.v. set which then wasn't much of an idiot box, since there were many shows that left a great impact on our mind. I was in fourth standard when my uncle got a cable connection at my grandma's place. Since then it became a ritual for the whole clan, to go over to nani's place and watch "Antakshiri" , hosted by Annu Kapoor, followed by a huge family dinner :)
Before that, movies were not a regular feature and tapes could be hired to watch a movie. So whenever the senior members of the family planned to watch a movie, it used to be a festive delight for me and my cousins, since we got our share of fruity and chips! More than the movie, it was the treat that we looked forward to.
It so happened that once I was watching t.v. at home, though it was black and white, but I filled it with the colours of my imagination.I still remember that they had special programmes for kids during the summer vacations, " aaaa eeee ho gayi chutti" played the title track. Once they had this story about a kind little girl, who shared everything with others, even if it was a small little sweet,she used to share it with her parents, by dividing into half. So one day an angel visited the girl's place disguised as a poor woman. The little girl was having her food, the only two rotis which she had, as her parents were away for some work. When the angle asked her for food, the girl gave her whatever she had. Happy with the girl's generosity, the angel blessed her and told her, that she would never fall short of anything in life, happiness would be her jewel for the rest of her life!
After the story ended, I headed straight to the kitchen and hugged my mom, though she got a bit confused, she hugged me back and planted a kiss on my forehead. Then I went back to my room and took out all my toys and gave a nice new one to my maid's daughter, who was more or less the same age! I was happy that day and still am:)
Grandpa used to say, when you give a present to someone, give them what appeals to you the most, don't give them something you do not like, that indeed would be a real gift. He used to keep the best things for others while using the old ones, this habit irritated everyone in the family but I know how happy he felt :)
Everything in the world teaches us a lesson..........even the so called idiot box can be pretty useful! Isn't it ;)

The Natural Balm

2009-07-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

There is a cord that is struck when you find yourself at certain places. Those places make you realise, how deep and mesmerising the reality actually is. I remember the early mornings at my grandparents place, where you didn't need an alarm clock to wake you up, nature did the needful.
As I was asleep a beautiful sound entered my ears and resounded in my mind, it was a tiny dove playing distant music with its tone, going on repeating the words "Ya Dosto"as thats what I believed they were. In our faith, "Ya Dosto" is another name for God. As my grandmother used to tell me lovingly,"all the birds remember the Lord and keep taking his name, thats how they beautify the world, with their peaceful chant!"
Indeed. Today when I think of it, I know for sure that nature has its own healing powers, be it the soothing winds or the gracious chant of the birds, everything adds to the beauty of life.When people stuff their ears with head phones and jog in the parks, they don't realise what they are missing the most. Music does take one to another world, soothing each tussle that comes our way, but the music of nature is greater than what any living being can ever make. It works like a balm on the strained nerves and calms each breath that we take.
God has given us a beautiful world which protects us from everything that goes wrong in our life, nature indeed is our natural defence mechanism, its for us to hear its call and sing along with the blissful music that has the power to heal everything that it touches upon.

A little birdie perched high up in a tree,
Singing along with the winds to nature's melody,
A balm was the song to soothed every strain,
joy it brought to the rough terrains.
As I sat on the window sill,
the melody entered with a joyous jilt,
and then came in a new breathe of life,
it touched my day with a new found delight,
and as I got ready to face the world,
beloved nature resounded in my ears.

Everyones life got some plan........

2009-07-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

I was just thinking, why does life give one a feeling of having everything but being empty.
Is it a loss of patience or loss of desires, or just an empty mind which is on fire?
But when we tend to combine all that goes on , in the stream of life which just flows by,
its then, that one gets to know, that its just but our nature...to think about life and the uncanny future ..........

It makes me think, and yet not understand,
that everyones life got some plan,
carving a niche or finding a cure,
life does take us through something for sure,
and when this something results in success,
thats when we cry out,"Oh!Everything happens, for the best!"

Fragrance

2009-06-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

Fragrance has this great power to trigger off memories. Each fragrance has an identity of its own, a soul that brings it alive in our minds eye.
I still remember the fragrance of new books for the new session, that had the power to attract the enthusiasm that made me look forward to cover them with crisp brown paper, irrespective of my mothers apprehension of spoiling them.
The fragrance of a new doll on my birthday, covered with a glittering wrapping paper and given to me with a big smile, though I might have forgotten the fragrance of the new doll, but the fragrance of the people that filled my life with love can never be forgotten.
The fragrance of ponds dream flower talc which then came in a steel bottle, was one of my favourite, I could relish it in my nani's dupatta, covering which I have spent many peaceful nights.
The fragrance of the earth when it comes in contact with the first few drops of rain, hugging them lovingly and dancing with joy,sharpening each and every feature of the earth, making the green go greener and caressing the paper boats that float with delight.
The fragrance of a new morning like the one of a new born, new in every sense of the word, fresh like a pleasant breeze that gives a new beginning..a new meaning to life.
There are so many things that have the familiar fragrance, one that refreshes our life and gives it its lost colour, though each fragrance has a unique identity, it merges within and generates a new energy .

As I smelled the air,It felt new today,
what is it that made it new?
a new victory or a new despair,
But whenever I pass the long lost lanes,
I know for sure that its a game,
a game of life, to renew the old,
a few cherished memories, a throbbing soul,
it is in life that I take delight,
the secrets piled in a secretive light,
the fragrance of new, the young, the old,
Gives my life the value of gold.

Loving Ways :)

2009-06-23T21:13:00.000-07:00

Thud! went the bottle of coconut oil and a chair was pulled out in the sun. A pile of hair came down on her shoulders as she got ready to massage her hair in the everwelcomed winter sunlight. "Look if he's up ! " said grandma, "who?", I asked..."Your nana(grandpa)"."But why can't you take his name?", leaving her trapped in my question, I got busy playing with my blocks, trying hard to make a house with several unsuccessful efforts. "No, I can't!" came a stern reply. "But why?"I asked, giving her a questioning look, "because women are not supposed to take their husbands name."replied grandma, with a bit of irritation in her voice. "But mamma talks to pa directly?". Now tired of dealing with the storm of questions, my grandma lowered her face, narrowed her eyes and gave out a few but solid words.."are you going or not?"Though it was very rare with nani to get angry at anyone, but when she did, it was better to be on the safer side, therefore to cling on to the safe mode I jumped up and ran across the veranda to see if nana had risen from his long slumber.He was quite good when it came to sleeping, one can say he was a champion at that. On the day of his funeral when so many people had stories as to how he had helped them in life, I just thought whether he was doing it during his sleep?:)Thoughthere was a tight schedule that he followed and when he was busy, no one could be near his den(thats what we called it,though his grandchildren were born with a forever access card, it was the elders who had to suffer;)
As I came back with an affirmative reply, My grandma's open hair went straight back into a bun as she quickly headed towards the kitchen to prepare his breakfast..two slices of bread with a half fried egg..the only thing he ate with piping hot cup of tea.
There was something about my grandma's cooking that I can never forget..a different aroma, a simple but amazing taste and yes stuffed with loads of love. Whenever I came to her in the morning, I knew that she is going to say those magical words, "go, there's something for you on the dining table."Even a simple bread pakora stuffed with nothing at all, tasted heavenly! I still remember how she introduced me with my first piece of cheese. My grandparents house was a great place for me and my cousins to play hide and seek..it was huge...it still is..though Ive grown big in every sense of the word, but I think certain addictions never leave you, and I am happy they don't..so one day I was just playing alone as there was no one else to play with and decided that I would spend my time watching kites from the terrace..now the terrace was a forbidden area..kids not allowed kind of a place, so grandma never allowed me to go upstairs, except on certain fortunate occasions, when she had some work. So I got all prepared to request her for allowing me to go upstairs, being my grandma, she smelled the mischief and called me to the dining area, I went there with hurried steps, maybe this was my lucky day, may be she would grant me permission! There she was, with something wrapped in a silver foil.."come here, I'll give you some cheese to eat", "kya cheese?"I asked her..."Cheese, cheese!here you go!"
Thats how I got to eat my first piece of cheese and love it till date.
After nana was through with his breakfast, he too joined us in the lawn...while grandma got busy with her hair massage, as the coconut oil had melted by now and I got busy with the colourful blocks....the colour which makes my memories beautiful till date, nana got busy reading the newspaper along with his hookkah (a beautiful Indian version of a smoking pipe).
Yesterday as I was driving home after work, I heard a joke on the radio, which made me think as to how things have changed...the joke was on men, who become donkeys after marriage and thats precisely why women call them "AG"..the full form of which according to them should be "abe gadhe"(you donkey). Though I've never heard women calling there husbands "AG"(atleast not in the current scenario),but the joke did take me to the time when my grandma refused to take my grandpas name, out of her respect and love for him, or just "aap", if needed to be addressed directly and same was the case with grandpa. But the only difference was that he did take grandmas name most lovingly but that too was followed with an "aap". At that time I just could'nt figure out as to why this was the case, but today I 've understood the real reason, its a fact that would always be true...Respect and love are the two most essential ingredients for a beautiful realtionship..be it any, and this was one way through which my grandparents expressed their love and respect for eachother :)

The steps that never returned

2009-06-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

Its surprising that one event follows another in such a way that we are left totally numb. Recently I had described the friendship between my grandfather and his friend and today,I'd say that my grandpa has made his way to the heavenly abode,to be even closer to God and start a life which we can just think of ...the hereafter.
We attach ourselves to people, thinking that they are a permanent source of strength for us, its human nature to do that, but we forget something..a vital fact that we should accept and believe in..nothings premanent in this world,except for God, I am scared that the way we are making things work in the beautiful world that he has blessed us with, in no time even he would also say..I have had enough! Hope he doesn't , coz if that happens, we would actually be left with nothing at all.Lets make this world a beautiful place and pray that the God showers his blessings on us forever and ever.
Initially I had created this blog to compile all that my grandpa had to say about history and his various experiences, time passed and he became a bit repetitive, thus I was unable to do what I had initially planned and now its just impossible. But I am sure about one thing, he would always be alive through the values that he has left behind, for us as grandchildren and for his children to imbibe and lead a better life, may be now through this blog I would narrate the beautiful words that have become a part of my being..May God Bless His Soul. Amen
(He was taken to the hospital on the 29th of May 09 and passed away on the 12th of June 09)

When you were taking those steps out of the house,
Somehow I knew, you would not return;

When you looked at me and no words came out,
Somehow I knew you would not return;

When they took you in their care, claiming that everything would be alright,
Somehow I knew you would not return;

When you were in a tussle to survive;
Somehow I knew you would not return;

I knew it from the start and yet I believed,
may be life has more for you to see,
and now when you have closed your eyes,
my thoughts have stopped in disbelief,
the only promise that I want from you,
is to guide me wherever I might be,
coz you might have left for the other world,
but my heart is where you'd always be.

The Eternal and Everlasting

2009-06-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

Its amazing how relationships work, it feels like there is an automatically generated attachment that develops between people.
Unable to judge whats going on in the world, my grandpa told me something that left me quite zapped.
Yesterday I got the news of one of his friends demise, he was residing in a totally different city and both he and grandfather hadn't met each other for a long time now, but friendship is such a bond that has the power to transgress any amount of distance that exists between people. His friend I am sure was always a part of grandpa's prayers.
I remember all the stories that grandpa used to share with me and still does, he told me how he and his friends wrote innumerable plays and acted in them, the locality and the area nana lives in was a part and parcel of Jamia University and thus their life beamed with all sorts of cultural activities, there were plays, festive celebrations, be it Eid, Holy, Christmas. Nana (grandpa) got all excited when he narrated the various incidences, it looked as if a little child is narrating his days activities..he said, "and then we got the real buffaloe on stage, can you believe it!a real buffaloe, I made the village people sit on stage and gave my hukkah to one of them to smoke, like real villagers do..and the play became an instant hit." He sat in one corner, with his transistor, which was a great source of entertainment in those days and wrote innumerable plays, which unfortunately got lost with time.
While nana had a different life he shared this common interest with his friend Habib Tanvir (1 September 1923 – 8 June 2009) a popular Hindi playwright, theatre director, poet and an actor. Nana still remembers his role as a hawker in one of Tanvir Sahabs plays Agra Bazar..he had become a "kakri wala".With a sudden deterioration in his health, I never realised that nana would ever be aware of whats going on in the world, though he keeps surprising me time and again, but this time he shocked me beyond words.
When I got the news of his friends demise, everyone in the family decided that the sad news should not reach his ears at any cost since it would disturb him even more. With loads of thoughts flocking my mind I went and sat next to him, after a general talk about the daily happenings, he poured out the words..which most term as hallucination..."You know beta,Tanvir Sahab came to me last night, he was a great friend and I hope he gets a good place in the hereafter"...I was left zapped..every effort of hiding the news from him had gone in vain..it was a few day ago that I had seen him reciting the dialogues of the play.
Certain things in life are beyond explanation and there is no term to describe them, the more we try to know about them, the more confused we become, therefore leaving things to what they are is the best we can do.
The bond of friendship travels across borders, it has the power to bridge any gap that ever exists, it links one heart to another, creating such strong bonds that become eternal and everlasting.

An Awakening

2009-06-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

Venerate life in all its forms,
distinct and pristine as it was born,
through endeavours that wreaked havoc on its fragile skin,
making it deplete in the storms self formed.
Pristine it was and would have been,
if the tides of humanity had been soothing.
Though the impure tags along,
a few pores of truth, have a short sojourn.
I, a dilapidated soul, when asked for repentance,
it stretched its arms to take me in,
and then I realised what a fool I was,
never saw the path,
towards a New Beginning.

Hope will get us through

2009-05-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

The myriad cords of our life are such, that each is interdependent on the other,though it might not seem to be the case. These cords give us a reason to live and enjoy life and once broken leave an irreparable void. Such are the cords of our life that if they were non existant, life would not have had a meaning.
Our cords..our loved ones, those for whom we live and in turn provide a leeway to their emotions. Such cords are called relationships.
God has his way of running the cycle of life, when a cord gets strained and breaks away, a new one takes its place, but does that mean it is the end of our connection with the former, it definately does not seem to be the case. When a cord breaks away, it leaves a void behind, though the damage is irrepariable, memories provide a balm of relief, though complete repair of emotions is not possible. Like blood flows through our veins, love flows through these cords, making our life work smoothly, though we know that the flow is going to stop one day, we keep rubbishing the thought and nurture them with love.
Memories act as a mirage, giving us relief when we need it the most, but when we come backto reality we have to encounter and bear the truth.What is it that can can give us relief in such times...its nothing but hope. Its hope that can make us believe in life and can keep us going.

The times may be rough,
the journey might be tough,
Hope will get us through.

Life may perspire,
Thoughts may be on fire,
Hope will get us through.

Eyes might be numb,
Thoughts in conundrum,
Hope will get us through.

The cords of life surround us,
and lead us to a path,
where love opens all doors,
and a magic spell is cast.

These myriad hues of life,
these cords of love that exist,
are liven up by hope,
on hope thus life exists.

Worthwhile:)

2009-05-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life just leaves us so amazed that we are left wondering why it keeps playing such games with us. When we are sad, it turns a new page to let happiness in and when we are happy it perches on our roof and attacks us with its sharp beak, snatching happiness away from our hands. But this is what life is all about; there is happiness with a tear of joy:) When the tear drops sadness prevails and when a curve appears ion our lips, it tends to push the sadness away.
Happiness is like a shower of rain on a hot sunny day, the heat gets vaporized in a jiff, it rises and vanishes away giving way to the soothing drops of water.
It’s a vicious circle, but what’s more important is to have an urge, a passion, a thirst for the best while the worst resides. If we stop looking forward to a new beginning.. the world would come to an end…not just any end…but a dead end. Therefore its best to get the tough going!

A ray of hope,
A new desire,

A thirst for joy,
An ambition on fire,

A light that burns,
A word that penetrates,

A hope that lingers on would never leave me in dismay,

The more I think,The more I find,
the game of life is quite devine,
it makes me laugh,
it makes me cry,
but it’s a bond that would never destroy,
it would keep me going when times are rough,
the problems in life are a temporary bug,

So delete em forever and smile with joy,
its one life dear friends,
make it worth every while:)

Second Childhood:)

2009-05-24T04:33:00.000-07:00

Most people say that old age is second childhood. It doesn’t mean that old people are kids, but the fact is that in their age, they need the care and attention, that kids do. They sacrifice their life to bring up their children, though they do not demand it ,but their children should be there for them , making their twilight years , sparkle with peace and joy….which they truly deserve.
As I see my grandfather growing old, I often hear him repeating a line time and again,” I am old now”.It might seem to be just a realization of ones age , which is true, but theres something else to it aswell…….it also indicates towards the fact that, he feels sad that he cannot do anything for anyone anymore….which isn’t true.Its quite a discouraging factor for someone in his age, this is where my role starts.
Its very essential to make ones grandparents feel that they are important, and give them the attention that they need. They are indeed very important for us, its their blessings that bring a lot of stability in our life.To do this I’ve come up with a game that I play with him quite often, and those of you who have grandparents or are grandparents can try this aswell .
Whenever they say they’re old ask them about their age…
Me: How old are you grandpa?
Gp: Well, 80 my child.
Me: OK Now, change the numbers and place the latter before the former, then what would your age be?
Gp:08
Me:Yup! Now that you’re an 8 year old, try talking like an 8 yr old, while I'ii answer you, like an 80 year old!Let the fun begin!!!:)Initially he refuses but then the game starts!
Though this game wont actually make him 8, its just that it’ll fill that very moment with joy and you’ll see your grandparents, laughing and enjoying themselves as 8 yr olds do.
Theres an important rule to this game, if the second number of their age is greater than the first one , it would not be counted, in that case only the first one would be taken into consideration.;)So this way a 76 yr old will go back to being 67 or can remove the 7 and can just be 6…they have the liberty to choose in whatever way they would like to play along, as long as it does the trick.
Actually whats most important is to spend quality time. It might just be a simple conversation for us , but for them it’s the most important thing in their life. Thats why we see grandparents giving so much of importance and attention to what their kids have to tell them, even if its about the little adventure that their grandson had indulged in, the amount of importance given to it is commendable.
Their untiring, loving and doting behaviour for their children is something none of us can ever manage.I still remember , how as a little kid , I used to ask innumerable questions and none of them were ignored or left unanswered. Now when he asks me numerous questions, about my work, my studies and my friends, I try hard but fail to answer all….We can never love them the amount they’ve loved us, however much we might try to..

In your twilight years , I often wonder,
What is it that would make you happy ,
though I think of loads of things,
Some seem material , some just too crappy,
Then with a confused mind,when I stand by your side,
A smile sprouts up on your lips and your eyes twinkle with joy,
and then I realize how simple it is ….you just need my time and that’s about it………..

Make it Loud and Clear

2009-05-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

I have felt this quite often,that when we love someone, be it in any relationship,we nurture the feeling in such a way that it feels as if we have bartered a part of our heart in the process . When unfortunate incidences happen,and the ones we love just drift away from our lives, a void gets formed which can never be filled, it remains there forever, however strong the winds of change might be.The void that gives us a sense of emptiness.
I read a story once, in which there was a competition for the most beautiful heart, a young enthusiastically pumping young heart thought that it would be the ultimate winner, but the prize was given to someone else, the winner was a heart with innumerable cuts on it, it looked as if someone had played jigsaw puzzle and had placed every patch incorrectly,on being asked the heart said," I am proud of the way I am, these cute that you see on me are pieces of hearts that I had exchanged from the people I came across, I gave them a piece of my heart and took a piece of their heart in exchange,thats why, though I have cuts, I am full of love and the best among the rest."
Love is to be distributed, it cannot be kept within, since that'll make it stagnate with time. We can't help but love people, its such a strong feeling that even when loved ones go away, a piece of their heart still resides within, making us love them forever, though we might not consciously do that, but it happens.
There are situations when we become really helpless, unable to do anything and while destiny plays the game,we are left blaming ourselves. Its not a new story and happens with each one of us, its just that however much we might try, certain things are never in our hands.No one knows what the next day would bring with it, but today, everything is in our hands,its for us to make the most of it.
We can be there for the people we love and can tell them what they mean to us. As certain facts are obvious but they still need to be repeated so that the people are always aware of their existance.Let your dear ones know that you love them, be it your grandparents, your parents, your wife , your kids or anyone else whom you love unconditionally, coz love is made of both words and feelings, while feelings connect it to your heart, words make the other realise how intensely it beats.

The way it goes

2009-05-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

The day breaks and light peeps out of the horizon, it streaches its arms and spreads on the bed of the earth.With its long bewitching reach seeping into our life, it glows every corner and spreads delight.Watching the ritual being performed, the birds spread out their wings and leave their nests happily chirping with the winds.The dew drops fly back with a magnetic click, only to return the next day, when the light is still in the process, to fill the sky upto the brim.
Now the sun is out and raises an alarm," get up world! A new day has come."
The world wakes up with a jerk, "What!Already?Why are you always on time Mr.Sun, take an off sometimes and rest peacefully at home."The sun grins and plans to teach the silly thing a lesson,"Alright then Mister, we'll have it your way tomorrow morning.I'll take an off and wont come out on time, if procrastination is the trend, that is what I'll imbibe."
Tomorrow came but looked incomplete, the night was waiting in total disbelief."This is not what happens every day,where is the sun!When will the day break???"
The birds helplessly fly in the dark,"where is light!Has calamity struck?"
Alas it was time for the world to wake up, it had overslept and looked swollen and clogged up.All the duties that it had to perform were delayed,"Oh!Where is the sun," it cried out,"Please come out I pray!"
Hearing its frantic cry, the sun peeped out and gave an apt reply,"If all of us try to run away from our duties, life would come to a halt and would lose its beauty. If you want to be happy, keep this in mind..welcome each new day with a beautiful smile. As it is a fact that everyone should know,The way you treat a day, the way it goes!"

Touch Upon My Soul

2009-05-16T23:36:00.000-07:00

Touch upon my soul, O dear God,
Heal it with your magic wand,
Lighten up the deep dark corners,
Dress it like a golden urn.
Since my soul is much deprived,
of your precious sacred light,
Ignite the goodness that hides within,
Be My Friend,My Companion, My Guide

Just be positive!

2009-05-13T23:04:00.000-07:00

My grandmom had a line which she used as often as she could,"just be patient, everything will be fine".When my mom came to her with loads and loads of things that she needed to share, after listening to her patiently, nani(grandma), had just one thing to say, "don't worry, just be patient, everything will be fine", I often saw my mom getting angry at her for repeating the samething time and again..she would complain in an irritated tone,"how can things be fine on their own!Why do you keep saying this!", Grandma just smiled, since that was her confident reply. She had a firm belief that God tests our patience oft and on,he makes us believe in our abilities, he wants us to nurture the positive within us inturn controlling the negative thoughts and restricting them in a deep dark corner, never allowing them to surface again.
So friends,"Dont worry!Just be patient, everything would be fine"..very soon:)

True Beauty

2009-05-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

I often wonder what beauty is all about. Many people say that my grandmother was a very beautiful woman. When she came after marrying nana(grandpa), women from the neighbourhood used to make regular visits , as they had heard a lot about her.This was when she was young, but when she grew old there was something that still attracted the people towards her.As a granddaughter if I say that she had the most innocently soothing face that I have ever come across, people would say that I am being biased.But there was definately something about her, that even a stranger whom she had never met before,could relate to easily.At that time I was just a little kid , aware of my grandmothers implicit charms, but unaware of the reason behind them. What made her who she was?Today I know the reason....
Be it an ailing neighbour or an arrogant relative, an old friend or a new acquaintance, grandma was there for everyone.It was not only at the time of distress that she was with them, but she made it a point to celebrate their happiness as well. This was her life, she never carried malice for anyone in her heart.It was just that she genuinely cared, and thats what made her appear really beautiful.
I know about another beautiful woman whom I have always admired.. Mother Teresa..an epitome of love, a true beauty.Her beauty ran in her heart and was showered wherever she went.Its true that beauty isn't skin deep...it has much more to it that makes it complete..It includes a beautiful heart and a kind soul and yes it also includes a few words that have the power to heal any wound that it comes across.
True beauty penetrates through the heart and seeps down into the soul.Most of us crib about about our appearance...beauty that is skin deep. Just give yourself time and get to know if the beauty that you desire has penetrated into your soul...if it has , you are indeed beautiful and would stay that way forever, coz such beauty just gets better with time.
Beauty that perishes with time isn't true beauty, but is infact a mask that we wear since its not attached to our soul.
Remember its not the look but the essence that makes you look beautiful:)

It definately would...

2009-05-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

Certain memories last longer than we think they would, turning into lessons for a life time.I believe children are like a blank paper, each moment in their life and each new lesson they learn gets typed in their minds eye and stays there forever. What happens when they see their elders performing certain duties, well!They just unconsciously follow them and make them a part of their life. On the contrary when they see their parents lying about something , they learn to lie, since it is a fact that our minds don't come with an editing machine,thoughts do linger on, whether positive or negative, its only when we mature and know the difference between right and wrong, we attach certain boundaries that we never attempt to cross,coz we know for sure that the winds are fatal on the other side!
We learn and imbibe a lot of things that we grow up observing and today one such incident that comes to my mind is the family trip to the polling booth.
It was ofcourse a holiday for us, so me and my cousins use to join the rest of the family and went to the polling boost,inspite of the fact that we very well knew that we would have to wait inside the car!Well that was not a problem,the thing that excited us the most was the car ride and yes then observing the people standing in the line to cast their votes. While we indulged in non serious stuff like running around the vehicle, as that was the boundary that we were ordered to stay within, the maturer part of our home, i.e. our elders took a step towards a new tomorrow , a ray of hope for their nation ,by giving it a leader who would hopefully be a soothing wind of change!
At that time I did not realise how important that one trip to the polling booth was, it was but a trip for me to enjoy and yes a break from school. I did not realise that this very duty that my elders performed will get registered in my mind forever.
Today when I hear people say,"What difference would it make if I don't vote",my mind goes back to the unforgettable memories, the sharp sunlight, the never ending line and the smile of satisfaction on my parents face after they have performed their duty..I just have one thing to say.."It would make a difference, it definately would:)"

The first bar of love

2009-05-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

Yaadein, a beautiful word to describe the many pleasant memories of ones life. Stored, restored and then cherished forever, until you have a treasure chest full of loads and loads of moments, both happy and may be not so happy...but I am a bit choosy when it comes to preserving memories, I've lined up the happy ones and try to keep them at a "recall" away, so that as soon as my mind clicks, I can watch the pleasant reel of the bygone days:)
One such memory that keeps tickling my happy harmones is the one related to a bar of choclate! Yup!My very own five star, which when I was a kid used to come in a bigger version but at a cheaper rate. There was a new general store that had come up on the main road. It was quite close to my house. Though it was a regular store had nothing amazing about it, but for me it was a dream come true and I'll tell you why! Right there on the shelf, visible from any corner of the road, there sat the love of my life,my very first crush...a huge jar filled with loads and loads of bars of five star!Ummmmazn!
Whenever I was on my way to the bus stop or while crossing the road..which now happened more often...I could feel the stare of my love interest..and the smell of choclate, it went right into my nose, pulling me towards it, which was indeed surprising coz it was a tightly closed jar, to save it from people like me I guess;)
So it just happened that I got to walk with my grandpa in the evenings when he ventured out to cater to his social circle, as we walked together, right from the corner of the road I could feel the magical spell pulling me towards it,I looked longingly at nana and taking his hand into mine, I carefully poured out all the sweetness that had ever resided in my mouth..."Nana, can we ahem..like...you know what! I made an amazing painting in class, ma'am was really happy!...", Nana just smiled, "God is he bad with hints," I thought, but continued the struggle, "can you like get me a five star today", there was silence, but the smile on his face just lingered on...the hint was finally taken! and then came the best moment of my life! Staring at me, was the most pleasing, adorable and the irresistably huge jar of five star!
I was blessed with one of them and savoured it for hours on end:) Mmmmmm!thatz life!Memories can be recalled, cherished, enjoyed and yes relished as well!Though my loved one is not the same and has reduced in size, keeping up with the trend of smaller sizes I guess, but I am happy that the memories haven't changed.After all theres nothing like first love and no one can replace it ever!:)

When life comes to a halt...there's a restart!

2009-04-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to stop people from ageing? Its quite a helpless situation when you see the people you love , in not the best of conditions and the worst part is, you cannot do anything about it. Nana( my grandfather) has been the most lively human being Ive ever encountered in my life. When I was a little kid, I would just be amazed at the different kind of activities he would indulge in .....social service, play writing , organising big functions where he would collect the people from the whole area and have a get together. Each and every festival was celebrated with equal delight, on Christmas we used to gather at Aunt Dorothys place, on Holi , nana's friends would barge into the house and carry him away to play holi, on Eid the whole house used to smell of delicacies with loads and loads of people pouring in:) It was just beautiful.
Today when I see him, lying on the bed, not in the best of moods, irritated with his eye sight, as he loves to read, all the bygone days come back in a flash and highlight the stark contrast. But the best part is, he never gave up and never will. There are days when he is in his best moods and at that point of time, I can see a young man, rejuvinated with the great spirit that he had always possessed and singing the good old tunes of life......simply at his poetic best;)

A small lesson

2009-04-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

Nana often talks about the small but beautiful things in life. Having the honour of being taught and having the company of some of the great personalities of our nation, he has learnt an important lesson and swears by it day and night."Small things make a lot of difference . Your language, the way you talk and the company you seek determines a lot of things ".
There were people he met , who have left a sentence or two as a parcel of their fond memories, but those words are remembered and cherished till date. You never get to know but sometimes you end up saying some such thing, be it good or bad , that gets attached to you and is spoken about , whenever you are remembered. Therefore always try to leave such words that have a lasting impact, helping the other to build up precious momentoes , that bring a smile on their face. He remembers a line said by a great writer Kuwar Mahinder Singh, "each one of us tries to become a torch holder of ones religion, morals and values, but the genuine among them are those who do good things in life without preaching them oft and on, since their practise has the power to influence countless hearts.
Therefore I learnt a new lesson today ..walk on the right path, without trying to be a preacher who preaches, but is unable to take out time to practise his own lessons. Try to set the right example first....the rest would definately follow!

I'll be there by your side

2009-04-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

Nana is becoming older by each passing day.Yesterday when I forced him to come and have dinner with us, I knew it was very difficult for him, but he agreed. Sometimes I just wonder why at a young age we are unable to inherit such compassion and selflessness, is it just the lack of experience or that we just don't want to give a thought to certain things. Whatever it is I believe that such wealth can only be found in the hearts of the elders who have given all those wonderful years of their life to make us who we are today and still haven't stopped the process of giving.
Don't they expect anything from us? Of coarse they do. But our clocks run on such untouched, practical schedules that we don't get time to listen to our hearts, otherwise we would have been able to hear it call out to those who need us the most......and we need them too.
Yes we need them, coz we may realise it or not but the amount of stability the aged presence brings in our lives cannot be compared to anything. They might not say anything, they might be busy with the daily clock that they have happily set for themselves , but the fact that they are there makes all the difference. Its their prayers , love and innumerable blessings that surround us and guide us on the stony path of life, making it a bed of roses with a few words that last a lifetime.
"I know you are old, I know we need to talk, I know you need to complain, I know you always bless me whether I am there or not, but just be sure about one thing in your life, whenever you need me, I'll be there by your side".

A box full of blessings:)

2009-03-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

We grow up looking up to some people in life, then a time comes when these people start growing old. It feels as if something is slipping out of our hands, something really precious , something that we would want to cherish for the rest of our lives. The eyes that used to recognise you from a distance take time to explore our identity, once recognised they come back to you, full of joy."Aree ye to tum ho!", a few words that make you feel special.
Recently on my visit to the old age home, I realised that there is someone back home who needs the same amount of attention or even more, since certain duties start from home. One can never imagine the happiness one is able to fill in the eyes that keep waiting....for you to come and tell them that they are special and mean a lot.
There is a fragile thread that binds us with our elders, that needs to be nurtured with just a bit of time. We never realise this but the kind of stability that they bring to our life can never be brought by anyone else.
They are indeed a box full of blessings:)

A legacy that needs to be restored

2008-12-29T06:50:00.000-08:00

"A legacy restored", is a blog based on the memories of my grandfather, Mr. Abdul Sattar.As he sits with his hukkah, blowing it sip by sip, with the smoke forming images of what he calls the glorious past of "Jamia".I with wide open eyes gaze at the smoke, forming images of people, places and incidences...yes those were the days, and with a new found hope in my heart I'll try to give his thoughts a new outlet through this blog. There are repetations, iritation, time constrains ..all part of his age, but still theres hope to nurture the thoughts that have till now remained intact in his minds eye.Don't know if I would ever be able to do justice to his thoughts through my writings , but I wish to grow while I strive to reach my destination.
For now all that I can say is Bismillah...