Basant, a festival beyond beliefs

On 27th January, 2012 India celebrates Basant panchami. In Pakistan, it is celebrated towards the end of February.   Towards the end of January till early March, the golden harvest of wheat stand tall ready to be harvested sometime in early April.  And wheat is our staple crop. At the same time in Januray February [...]

Kabir, just be kind and tolerant !

Kabir leaves no examples to teach and stress to  human beings, in his own simple ways, the lessons of humility, tolerance and open mindedness. In other verses, as in previous post, he gives examples from the living world, like animals,  or even from  trees, rivers and oceans. In the verses mentioned below, he  picks  the most modest of [...]

Son comes before the mother~Kabir

Pahilaa poot pishairee maaee. Gur laago chele kee paaee. Ek achanbhou sunahu tumh bhaaee. Dekhat singh charaavat gaaee Jal kee mashulee taravar biaaee. Dekhath kutaraa lai gee bilaaee Talai re baisaa oopar soolaa. Tis kai ped lage fal foolaa Ghorai chari bhais charaavan jaaee. Baahar bail gon ghar aaee Kahaat Kabeer ju is pad boojhai. [...]

Zehaal-e-Miskeen -~Amir Khusrau

Khusrau was a master of  Persian ( which used to be the language of the court) as well as  Brij Bhasha ( the language of the common man) . Zehaal -e Miskeen is a master piece written in both the languages in Persian (bold) and Brij Bhasha (italics). In the first verse, the first line is in [...]

Voices of Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb

Ganga-Jamni tehzeeb ( गंगा जमुनी तहज़ीब, گنگا جمنی تهزیب,    Ganges-Yamuna Culture) is a  euphemism for the mutually participatory co-existence of  Hindu and Muslim  culture of through the fusion of Hindi and Urdu. (Wikepedia) .     First example  is a Bhajan sung by Farid Ayaz  & group  (I wonder if it’s MeeraBai’s) sung in a Qawwali form is an excellent [...]

Kabir a day keeps radicalism at bay

First published in english daily, The Islamabad Dateline on 26th June, 2011 Almost 700 years ago, when religious polarisation in the Indian subcontinent was at its helm, a preacher was born. He was named Kabir and he spent the rest of life trying to bind Hindus and Muslims together. Today, as religious hatred is bred [...]

Vaishnav Jana ~ Bhajan

Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye (Hindi) Vaishnav Jan to tene kahiye Jay peerh paraaye janneyray Par dukkhey upkar karey teeyey, man abhiman na anney ray Sakal lokma Sahuney bandhey, Ninda Na karye kainee ray Baach kaachh, Man nischal Raakhey, dhan-dhan jananee tainee ray Samdrishi nay trishna tyagee, par-stree jaynay mat ray Vivihva thaki asatya na [...]

Amir Khusrau, the playful

Amīr Khusrou Dehlawī, a Sufi mystic and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya of Delhi, was not only a notable poet but also a prolific scholar and a seminal musician. He wrote poetry primarily in Persian for the court and Hindvi for the common man. Amir Khusrau  had a special connection with the common folk [...]

Main Tenu Pher Milangi~ by Amrita Pritam, recited by Gulzar

Main Tenu Fir Milaan Gi Kithey? Kis Tarah? Pata Nai Shayad Terey Takhayul Di Chinag Ban Ke Terey Canvas Tey Utraan Gi Ya Khowrey Terey Canvas Dey Utey Ikk Rahasmayi Lakeer Ban Ke Khamosh Tenu Tak Di Rawaan Gi Yaa Khowrey Sooraj Di Loo Ban Ke Terey Rangaan Wich Ghulaan Gi Yaa Rangaan Diyan Bahwaan [...]

Ghareebon ki Jawani ~Devprasad Shukla ‘Rahi’.

This Hindi poem touched me all over- my soul, heart and mind. Roop se keh do dekhe doosra ghar Main ghareebon ki zindagani hoon, mujhey fursat nahin hai. Bachpan mein mushkilon ki gode me palti rahi main Dhuaein ki chadar lapete, har ghadi jalti rahi main Jyoti ki dulhan bithaye zindagi ki palki mein Saans [...]