Today, yes it all started today.....

A thousand emotions passed the heart when I saw the date today,

I really don’t want to remember what happened on this day,

But forget, forgetting this day; it runs into my mind like a slow replay,

Don’t know why, why did I succumbed to the heart and had to obey,

It all had to start today, ‘the worst yet the best day of my life’ you could say.

Why don’t I have a ‘shift-delete’ for this mind?

Why, in this huge chaos…. that face I can still find?

Why, why.... that day she didn’t just ignore my words and became blind?

And why, why... did I had to put my heart into the grind?

Yes, it all started that day when probably after ages my face had shined.

Little I knew that the shine and excitement was not to last,

And as the old people often say 'happy days pass very fast',

I always knew this that for a romantic story, I was not the right cast,

There, in no time I was fighting with my future, present as well as past,

Don't know if it was us OR if it was life - everything seemed to be a strange contrast.

Still on this day, I must say, about that day I have no regret,

It just happens to be one of those days that one can’t forget,

This day will play into my mind, even after a while when life’s all set,

But I still don’t how to take this day - whether to rejoice or get upset,

It all started today; I don’t really know why but this day makes my eyes a little wet.

आज इस कदर पिला दे ऐ साकी.....

हमारे दर्द की शायद नही बनी कोई दवा, ना मिलेगा कोई इलाज,
ना घबराईए, ऐसी बीमारी का नही है कोई बहुत बड़ा राज़,
बस ये समझ लीजिए, हमने जिसे दिया अपनी ज़िंदगी का तख्तो ताज़,
उसी को ना जाने कैंसे कर बैठे हम नाराज़|

अब तो जीवन मे ना रही कोई उम्मीद, ना है कोई अरमान,
ये दुनिया लगती है जैंसे, हम हो इसमे कोई बिन बुलाए मेहमान,
आज इस कदर पिला दे ऐ साकी.... के दुनिया मे या तो शराब ना रहे या हमारा कोई नामो-निशान,
बहुत हुए हम ये रोज़-रोज़ की मौत से परेशान|

आज इस कदर पिला दे साकी.... के कल की रहे ना कोई उम्मीद ना कोई अरमान,
बहुत हुए हम ये रोज़-रोज़ की मौत से परेशान|

ek naseehat!

बे-इंतेहाँ इंतज़ार इत्तफ़ाक़ नही होता......
ये इश्क की राह है मेरे दोस्त, इसमे मज़ाक नही होता|

खूब कर लो जान-पहचान या दोस्ती, गर ऐसे कभी प्यार नही होता,
इस राह मे दर्द ही दर्द है मेरे दोस्त करार नही होता|

बे-इंतेहाँ इंतज़ार इत्तफ़ाक़ नही होता......
ये इश्क की राह है, इसमे मज़ाक नही होता|

Buka

will hold you so tight.....

Whenever you will fall, will hold you so tight that you will forget the fall and feel a swing.
Whenever you will leave, will do the same and you will forget to leave and see life's new wing.

a thought on dreams and sacrifice

खूब ख्वाबों की खिलाफत करते हैं कुछ लोग,
इनको ज़िंदा रखने के लिए पल पल मरते हैं कुछ लोग|
अब इन ख्वाबिओं की सनक के बारे मे क्या कहें,
यहाँ तो किसी और के ख्वाबों के लिए भी जीवन बसर करते हैं कुछ लोग|

That's all is my case...

During an evening when she was upset, she asks me why do you bother, why don't you just go away..... what's for you here...... what's your case? I answered...............

It feels so relieved to have a glimpse of your face,
I get to unwind from this life's race.
Ohhhh dear that's all is my case.... that's all is my case

But a few times it happens, that 'your charm' - i can't trace,
In such times I'd do anything to get back you to the amiable space.
Ohhhh dear that's all is my case.... that's all is my case

All your concerns are in place......so that you have a smile back on the face,
Ohhhh dear... in this life that's all is my case, that's all is my case, that's all is my case.

Happy Holi, Hapy Hockey...........

Happy holi to everyone.......... it's one festival that I really love, not that I don't like others. But this I guess is my type of festival. A day in Indian society when there are no inhibitions; a day out of the boring 356 days when we see grown-ups in the family dancing like freaks and hiding like kids after doing a mischivious act. People forget all boundaries, I see uncles teasing aunties, young ones enjoying with the elderlies, even strangers showing warm feelings for each other. Shouldn't this happen more often?

Anyways coming to the Holi this year, the first Holi in many ways - and the most important for me - that it was the first time for my Chhota Guglu (my nephew). I love him and he loved this festival.....................

And on the eve of Holi we witnesed a great day in the history of Indian sports, we saw Indian hockey team thrashing Pakistan by 4-1. An amazing treat, I feel blessed to have seen the match at Maj Dhyan Chand Stadium. What a game, what an approach, what a finish. The only thing that I missed was a good fight from our skillful neighbours. It was hard to beleive that the team that has the best penalty corner specialist (Sohail), a great forward (Rehan) and vetran Shakeel; did not show anything to the Indian crowd who appreciated them for being numb :)

An image after Sandeep Singh's goal (sorry for the poor clarity, cameras were not allowed due to security )

I went to the stadium well in advance to ensure that I dont miss any action. Reached when Aus-Eng match was going on and I was pleased to see the sensible English side taking good care of the agressive bunch from Australia. In the first half I also had an opportunity to see an Indian sporting legend (if you don't think he is one, then he is one in the making), Lt Col Rathore. What charm this man has, how simply he behaves - I loved his enthusiasm for the game and his special request to people to watch the game and not him.

During second half of the game both Eng & Aus teams were astinished by a huge roar from the crowd. All 24 people on the field including 2 refferees were not able to get what's happening in the stands. It took them a while to know that 25-30 the supporters from other side of the border had arived. They were carrying Pakistani flags and messages for their team. The moment one of them shouted 'Pakistan Jeetega'; hundreds of us sorrounding them roared "Jeetega Bhai Jeetega, Hindustan Jeetega". There was a huge sound of 'Bharat Mata ki................Jai'. Now my answer to all those who say no one watches hockey these days, if you were there on 28th Feb, you wouldn't have this complaint again. People from all ages, sexes, colours and class poured in, all type of voices hard, soft, rough, heavey, light were at the hilt of their volume levels to cheer for India.

In the midst of all this, I was cought by a thought - that actually there is no difference, between those 25-30 people & us. They speak our language, we look like them, we have similar skin colour, height.......... Really it's just some intangible things that seperate us. I was also impressed by one of the messages of a Pakistani supporter which said 'Happy Holi to India, from Pakistan'.

Coming back to the game..............what a response, what an acknoledgement, what a reply our hockey team gave. Be it the skills of Halappa or be it the scoop of Vikram, be it the movement of captain Rajpal, the goal of Shivender, or be it the defense of Sreejesh. The result was amazingly amazing, especially when I was not expecting anything out of this game. Who would say that this team was written off before the tournament started.

They have given us a good reason to support Hockey again; I will now sign off with.......

HAPPY HOLI...........HAPPY HOCKEY.

My version of 'Give me some sunshine......

Now that I have mentioned that I'm getting inpired.... so my twisted version of the current famous song:
एक पल तो अब हमें पीने दो पीने दो

सारी उम्र हम Office में मर गये.............
एक पल तो अब हमें जीने दो जीने दो...
सारी उम्र हम Office में सड़ गये..............
थोड़ी सी तो हमें पीने दो पीने दो............
ना ना ना......ना ना ना.......ना ना ना.....ना ना ना ना ना ना ना.....

Give me some vodka, give me some rum; get me to a bar, I wanna forget all the गम
ना ना ना......ना ना ना.....ना ना ना....ना ना ना ना ना ना ना........

कंधों को Laptop के बोझ ने झुकाया............client से झूट बोलना तो खुद Boss ने सिखाया
1-2 का rating तो छुट्टी, वरना तुम्हारी किस्मत फूटी
काम कर कर के पड़ा आँखों पे चश्मा, कमर मे pain, इन प्रॉजेक्ट्स के चक्कर ने तो साला बना दिया insane

Career तो गया, GF भी गयी......... एक पल तो अब हमें पीने दो पीने दो.........................
ना ना ना ना ना ना ना ना ना...

Nazar me rahte ho.......

It's the Republic day & I am in full patriotic spirit..... good day to turn things around, start a new life, do things (stand attention during a Jana Gana Mana; go to a school and shout 'Bharat Mata Ki..... Jai'; watch the R-day parade and....) that we don't usually do........ now I don't say we dont have other day's to start a new life - 1st January has recently passed and mera pichhla post gavaah hai iska ;)
I had a great day so far - woke up so early and had a 'hardworking day':

• jogging & work out
• attended Unnati function, an AID school
• kind of helped to organise another R-Day function
• washed some clothes
• washed my car
• went for some shopping - thought would take benefit of the 60% sales (the retail guys celebrated the 60th anniv of the Constitution by clearing their old stocks)

and yet I'm not so tired so thought I'll write something..... and take this opportunity to mention about Gulzaar's latest masterpiece that he wrote for AMAN KI AASHA... it's amazing, here goes Gulzaar sahab:

Dikhaayi dete hain door tak apne hi saaye koi; magar bulaane se waqt laute na aaye koi

Chalo na fir se bichhayein dariyan, bajayein dholak; laga ke mehandi, sureele tappe sunaye koi

Patang udaayein chhaton pe chad ke mohalle wale; falak to saanjha hai usme penche ladaaye koi

Utho kabbaddi-kabbadi khelenge sarhadon pe; jo aaye abke to phir na laut ke jaaye koi

Nazar me rahte ho jab tum nazar nahi aate; ye sur bulaate hain jab tum idhar nahi aate

[दिखायी देते हैं दूर तक अपने ही साए कोई; मगर बुलाने से वक़्त लौटे ना आए कोई
चलो ना फिर से बिछायें दरियाँ, बजायें ढोलक; लगा के मेहंदी, सुरीले टप्पे सुनाए कोई
पतंग उड़ायें छतोन पे चॅड के मोहल्ले वाले; फलक तो सांझा है उसमे पेंचे लड़ाए कोई
उठो कब्बड्डी-कब्बड़ी खेलेंगे सरहदों पे; जो आए अबके तो फिर ना लौट के जाए कोई
नज़र मे रहते हो जब तुम नज़र नही आते; ये सुर बुलाते हैं जब तुम इधर नही आते.]

Isn't this an amazing poetry/shayari..... I'm still mesmerised by 'falak to saanjha hai, usme penche ladaaye koi'...... About 'Aman Ki Aasha' - I love the concept and the way both Times & Jung have planned it and are executing....... kudos to them. I attended the 'Aman Ki Aasha' Delhi concert where Kailash & Rahat performed, again an amazing experience.

I think initiatives like 'Aman Ki Aasha' & 'Fir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara' are a real proof that we are atleast one ladder up in prosperity as well as a thinking unit from what we were a decade ago; especially now these initiatives are coming up from the corporate houses/media. 'Fir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara' - might be the topic for my next post, just saw it's first cut, seems promising but I couldn't resist comparing it with the previous version and felt that it lacks the purpose..... anyways these are the first thoughts will keep you posted.

So with this I end my 27th Republic Day as I'll doze off just after entering next few letters.

Have a great time!

2010 - Let's start again

I guess, it's inspiration time... 3 Idiots inspired from Chetan Bhagat's 5PS; 2 idiots in the movie inspired from the third one and everyone whome I have met oflate inspired from the movie..... seems to be an inspiration cycle.
So I got inspired from Birju's recent message to mavericks 'Let's start again' and I am starting blogging again.
I will be starting with some posts that might inspire some, help some..... with light humor, some useful health tips, and will also share some of my compositions (ghazals, poetry).
See you soon..... at same blog, anytime, anywhere.

Happy 2010 (bada-bada achha lagta hai - inspired from Bhanot ;)

Warm regards,
Mahaveer