The chords shouldn't rust away with time

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

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

" 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

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

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....

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!

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 :)