Sher o shayri ;)

Taken From the article by Khushwant Singh's article in Hindustan times on December 30, 2012

By sheer chance, I happened to stumble across Balmukand Arsh Malsiyani's (1908-1979) poem Haqiqat (Reality), which I had translated for my Collection "Celebrating the Best of Urdu Poetry" (Penguin), jointly with Kamna Prasad. I reproduce it as it sums up my present state of mind & body:

फिरदौस के चश्मों की रवानगी पे न जा
ऐ शेख तू जन्नत की कहानी पे न जा
इस वहम को छोड़, अपने बुढ़ापे ही को देख
हूर - ए - बहिश्ते की जवानी पे न जा |

English translation:
Do not get taken in by takes of streams that flow in paradise;
Old Sheikh, do not be fooled by stories of heavenly delights;
Forget this make-believe, be your age, see your grey hair forsooth
Don't dream of houris in the bloom of their youth.

Meanings:
Forsooth = : in truth : INDEED — often used to imply contempt or doubt
Houris = one of the beautiful maidens that in Muslim belief live with the blessed in paradise

Credits: As mentioned.

Garfield, the trouble maker ;)

Smoking: Reel v/s Real

U/A certification not mandatory for films with smoking scenes

A question on my mind :

A hero puffs away, while a marquee rolls saying "Cigarette smoking is injurious to health"
What is a kid supposed to believe? His favorite hero puffing away stylishly OR a rolling text. May be the kid also gets to listen to 30 sec ad at the beginning, middle (Who stays after Interval to listen to an 'ad') and ponder "If smoking is bad and my favourite actor is good (Now-a-days Heroes are also playing shades of grey But mostly 'good grey' we can safely assume ) then why is he smoking?".

I guess pondering on such grand matters of being would help our precocious young buds to grow taller, sharper, stronger (by smoking?? oops!).

An interesting story comes to mind:
Sir Alex was a famous Hollywood star. He was approached by a liquor company to promote their brand. Coincidentally, he also drank the same brand But he politely declined. Thinking the money wasn't enough the manufacturer approached him doubling his offer. Sir Alex replied "It is not that I do not drink this brand, Or your offer is not good. It is just that Liquor consumption is not healthy and addictive So I prefer to drink in the privacy of my house, I can't share this addiction with my fans."


Detractors would argue : Smoking onscreen is a matter of personal preference. But then if it is so, why do we rate movies as U, U/A, A in first place? To my mind the only reason for rating is kids cannot make informed choices in case of Cinema and You gotta admit Cinematic charm is strong on kids, hence employed in ads to influence opinions.

P.S. Comments invited :)

Facebook!

There is an old saying
Neki kar dariya mein daal

The latest version of it is:
Kuch bhi kar Facebook pe daal

Who has got it all? Me!
People are declaring their recent purchases. Sometimes it feels ostentatious.It is like they are having a competition with their friends on who buys the most expensive gadget. It makes one smile in amusement, if friends are the competition - Is there anyone to rely on? Is it the daily dose of 'likes' we are after OR are we hopelessly alone in this small connected world?

Pyaar bhi Facebook par aur Gam-e-Izhar bhi Facebook par
We are sharing everything mundane or otherwise - right from eating out at Mac D to our deepest emotions, declaring love, even heartbreaks.


If every feeling is public then Where does that leave space for private emotions? Makes me wonder!

P.S. The article is intended not to criticize But pondering choices, we make.

Seasons of life

Like it cannot be sunny forever,
It won't be rainy forever.

Cliffhanger

One day while walking through the wilderness a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran but soon came to the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice. As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine. Suddenly, he noticed on the vine a plump wild strawberry. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!

People's reactions to this story:

"After having only 5 hours of sleep I understand now. 'Live life to the fullest!'"

"'Eat, drink, and be merry; for tomorrow we die!' Not sure who to credit the quote, but it seems to apply."

"Live each moment to the full. The plight the man was in was no reason not to enjoy the wild strawberry."

"The man knew that he was about to die, and that there was nothing he could do about it. The strawberry was his last chance to enjoy life so instead of wasting his last moments in fear and frustration he took what little pleasure he could and made the best of it."

"Enlightenment can be found in distraction from distraction. The Universe is now! And strawberries are delicious."

Credit:  http://users.rider.edu/~suler/zenstory/cliffhanger.html

lol

Mayank : Mera room koi mandir ka dwar nahin tha.....


KI MERI BLUE COLOR KI CHAPPAL GAYAB HO GAYI :(


Sagar :

Ye to aapke bhakton ka pragaadh prem hai.. Jiske kaaran vah aapki aakaash rangi charan padukaaon ko shirodhaaran karke is viraat mele roopi sansaar mein virte phir rahe hai.. :D

Calvin's take on happiness and a big screen tv

Please Read the cartoon first.

Appreciate the simplicity of presentation! and How happiness has transformed from being an internal state to buying new things.

 I believe that happiness is not just a result of buying new things, going new places, luxurious stay etc.It can come from something as simple as spending a day at home with your family.Of course, you would have to help out at home ;)

Committee for the accused, by the accused, from the accused

In his majesty's service :
Recently one of the government ministers said along the lines of "People are losing faith in the law because law does not apply to the influential "

I guess he can get Why this happens?, when

The committee enquiring land deals between Robert Vadra and DLF Limited includes K.K. Jalan, who was the Director General and Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning department, which renewed the licence to Mr. Vadra in January 2011.


It is equivalent to "A student asked to check his own examination copy." A sure case of Conflict of interest. Wouldn't you agree?


Would be interesting, if media takes this up Unless ... :)


Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/haryana-govt-misleading-court-to-protect-vadra-says-khemka/article4305065.ece?homepage=true

I said it ;)

It is easier to be quietly awesome than charmingly average. :)

Wants :
If being happy was just wanting 'What everyone wanted?' There would be far less unhappy people.

Good ol' days

Reminds me of the school days - How hard we prayed for rains to close down school!

Emotional investment V/s Contrary observations

www.knowledgeoftoday.org/2012/09/9-11-Explosive-Evidence-Experts-Speak-Out.html — A daring new documentary that uses scientific analysis to challenge the offi...
See More

You like this.

Jennifer McMahan:  That's all a bunch of crap. LOL.
Wednesday at 8:29am via mobile · Like


Sourabh Inani:  Sorry Jennifer McMahan. I haven't come across anything that refutes the facts, Perhaps the administration does not want to be transparent about 9/11. Of particular interest is a movie "Zeitgeist" which details all the facts with evidences and interviews.
Wednesday at 8:34am · Like


Jennifer McMahan:  The "facts"in this graphic which are entirely made up? I was in Washington DC that day. This crap is disgusting and insulting to the victims.
Wednesday at 8:36am via mobile · Like


Jeff Tompkins:  Can't believe you would post such crap and totally agree with Jen.
Wednesday at 8:51am · Like


Sourabh Inani: Jennifer McMahan The pain of victims will always be real. The truth may insult intelligence of administration for it's inability and then fighting both good and bad wars in their name but it would NEVER insult the victims.
Wednesday at 8:57am · Like

Comment: There is so much emotional investment in the wars fought in the name of 9/11 that anything presented contrary to beliefs is not even examined and flatly rejected as 'insult to the victims'.

A slap

Harishankar parsai wrote
क्या ज़माना है ! 10 पैसे लेकर वजन तोलने वाली मशीन भी झूठ बोलने लगी है जैसे की 'आप नेक इरादों और ऊचे आदर्शो वाले इंसान है ।' written on back of ticket

Fun@classroom

Research has shown that - an average student can focus on a topic for not more than 18 minutes.

So using this as a plausible explanation for our essential need to start a conversation with friends sitting with us, I hereby narrate an incident.

It was an accounts class and our esteemed professor were busy explaining some concepts, When a student busy in some stimulating conversation with his neighbor caught our professor's attention. Normally it would result in reprimand by prof. OR a thinly disguised Sarcasm requesting the student to share his 'important' discussion with class But not with our prof.

Instead he caught the student addressing him sweetly :

उनसे कहते , उनसे सुनते ।

कुछ हम से कहते , कुछ हम से भी सुनते

The student was moved to blushes.

On Women and Culture

Listen to this , I am sure it is worth your time. :)

Salient Points :
Do we know a woman just by her beauty?
Beware of the culture of "I don't care What I sell, if it pays."

Thank You Manoj sir for Sharing

10 rights of a woman

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Punjab/Chandigarh/10-legal-rights-every-woman-must-know/SP-Article1-981794.aspx

Life approach - Do ends justify means

"Ends justify means" can be briefly described as an approach which says - It is the end result which matters and means used to get the results are irrelevant.

Here is our timeless boy Calvin (He is always 10 yrs old.) expounding on Why all it matters to him is the final outcome regardless of whether he is good or bad.

Hobbes takes the same line of thought shoving Calvin in mud. Finally, Calvin realizes that "For this approach to offer him an advantage It requires Others not to follow his approach."

Putting it In other words : "I do not believe that honesty, loyalty, faithfulness do any good But I would be better off If my wife, servant and customers believed in it."

Bill Watterson (creator of Calvin and Hobbes) brilliantly brings out How the world would be? if everybody believes "Ends justify means".