Borders are Made of These

Happy New Year my dear Chowkis -- and happy new year, Chowk Staff.

Let`s make the -- 2002 -- a LANDMARK YEAR -- for PEACE -- and friendship between India & Pakistan -- NO TERRORISM -- NO WAR -- PEACE -- PEACE -- PEACE.

Blessed are the PEACE MAKERS.

Asma Jahangir Zindabad -- Arunadhati rOY Zindabad.

Happy New Year folks.

Nasah:

``...MY father ``left`` his house on Guruduwara Road, Karol Bagh, in September 1947...``

No Kidding! I am from Karol Bagh, and know Gurudwara Road quite well. I have a fascinating story to tell you. Actually two:

a) Zakir Hussain, who later became President of India, used to live on Gurudwara Road. One of my family friends who moved from Pakistan to India in `47 as a refugee ended up as a tenant in Zakir Hussain`s house. A few years ago, he returned to see the house he lived many years in, only to find that it was in the process of being demolished. Only one wall still stood erect.

b) A few years ago, at a mall in suburban USA, I saw an old Indian lady sitting by herself. Curious, I struck a conversation with her. Her name was Fatimah -- she was from Karachi, Pakistan, but had lived on Gurudwara Road till `47. I took her number down. A few months later, when my father came visiting, I mentioned Fatimah from Gurudwara Rd. to him. To my amazement, he recognized the name, and ACTUALLY KNEW FATIMAH! Happily, I put them in touch with each other!! My father was able to hook up with her brother (in Houston) as well. It was 1998 --- they hadn`t spoken for 51 years!

Reply # 21 nasah

[Now I will tell you something -- MY father ``left`` his house on Guruduwara Road, Karol Bagh, in September 1947 with his children and -- ``the clothes on HIS back`` -- to become a Jama Masjid refugee -- in his OWN country!

And he WAS a Freedom Fighter -- the REAL BIG ONE -- the radical kind -- literally FOUGHT for it -- definitely not an ARMCHAIR Congress kind.]

Nasah, your story is touching. You were lucky to escape the belly of the beast and take refuge in the US of A. My family was lucky too when they were able to find refuge in Pakistan, but millions of other hapless/defenceless Dalits, Muslims and Christians are still stuck in the evil Brahmin empire.

I recently read an article in The Hindu which said that the Dalits` in PM Bagpipe`s home town are still forced to clean human excreta with their bare hands and carry it on their bare heads. I think Indian minorities should join hands with each other and with Pakistan to hasten the demise of this inhuman Brahmin-Banya Raj in India.

RSaxena:

pardon my curiosity and prying but are you by any chance madly in love? youre being way too nice to people ure usually terribly nasty to (not that its a bad thing) have a great new year and smile lots :)

Tahmed sahab:

u just made my day. i hope u have a mind blowing new year celebration and a lovely year to follow :0)

``From here I shall make my own borders – that hazy line where the sky meets the sea.``

One of your most eloquent and beautiful lines ever Farzana dear! You have posed some very valid questions. Questions that have always been on the thinking persons` mind, and questions that nowadays are in the air. I hope these dirty egotistical politicials (on both sides of the border) don`t end up slaughtering innocents for their own bloody purposes. I`d love to throw them all in the Arabian Sea, and bring eternal peace to the region. Dare to dream, haanh?

Happy New Year.

Regards,

Kiran

For the singing pleasure at New Year`s eve of Chowkies, I present to you the song Auld Lang Syne (Scottish for ``Good Old Times``) by Robert Burns (1788). So for all those I insulted, ridiculed, proved morons (all quite rightly of course) and to all those who make chowk a great place (like anNy and Prem, to name two of my many favorite posters), here is that song to change years with:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne!

And surely ye`ll be your pint stowp!

And surely I`ll be mine!

And we`ll tak a cup o`kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my jo,

For auld lang syne.

We`ll tak a cup o` kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes,

And pou`d the gowans fine;

But we`ve wander`d mony a weary fit,

Sin` auld lang syne.

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my jo,

For auld lang syne.

We`ll tak a cup o` kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl`d in the burn,

Frae morning sun till dine;

But seas between us braid hae roar`d

Sin` auld lang syne.

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my jo,

For auld lang syne.

We`ll tak a cup o` kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

And there`s a hand, my trusty fere!

And gie`s a hand o` thine!

And we`ll tak a right gude-willie waught,

For auld lang syne.

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my jo,

For auld lang syne.

We`ll tak a cup o` kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

Farzana #22 ``I hope your love for me only grows with time ;)``

If one seeks to be loved, one must give love. If one gets loved in return, fine. If not, that too is fine. Since giving love is as much pleasure as receiving love. So: give love to pakis, to indians, to muslims, to hindus and sikhs too.

Dear Chowkies (pakis and indians and Sigalph az Bangal too): Best wishes for the new year to you and your families. Let us hope that 2002 proves to be an year of peace all around the world.

``From here I shall make my own borders – that hazy line where the sky meets the sea.``

One of your most eloquent and beautiful lines ever Farzana dear! You have posed some very valid questions. Questions that have always been on the thinking persons` mind, and questions that nowadays are in the air. I hope these dirty egotistical politicials (on both sides of the border) don`t end up slaughtering innocents for their own bloody purposes. I`d love to throw them all in the Arabian Sea, and bring eternal peace to the region. Dare to dream, haanh?

Happy New Year.

Regards,

Kiran

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Farzana:

Assassinations are not a good policy. Why should an Indian politician negotiate with someone who is trying to kill him ? After 1976 USA has banned assassinations of heads of states. With satellite and laser guided bombs Uncle Sam can get rid of foreign leaders easily. They don`t do it because people won`t deal with you in the way they want.

The basic problem with you is that you want to draw moral equivalency between two entities where none exists. Tell me the mindset of an elite that creates and supports the Taleban. Of course they dumped it when Uncle Sam delivered the ultimatum.

Re: Farzana

``Where was this Parliament all these years when the challenge was greater? And does it strike the PM that among these 100 crore people, some are indeed terrorists themselves? ``

Farzana -- the Parliament is no ordinary building. I am surprised that you missed the significance.

Hasan #19,

I think you said it better than I could.

What Farzana is doing is clubbing any action by the BJP led govt with their ideology on Babri Masjid. It`s completely wrong.

BJP is no angel, but that doesn`t mean every act of theirs is against Indian Muslims.

Re: Farzana

{Now let’s talk business. And a hippy New Year to chowkwaalas and chokewaalas alike…I hope your love for me only grows with time ;)}

...now i`m sure you didn`t include me in that message, but heck, happy new year to you too, farzana aunty...

Farzana, when you say you want to sit on the fence and not take sides what exactly do you mean?

Do you mean in the context of hating somebody just because he/she happens to be a Pakistani/Indian or Hindu/Muslim?

Or do you mean in the context of hating somebody just because he has no respect for no respect for pluralism, the ideals of a democracy, peaceful co-existence and is determined to engage in terrorist acts to undermine your way of life?

I would really like to know when Vajpayee has asked you to hate Pakistanis just because they happen to be Pakistanis?

Please clarify.

Ref nasah #: 21

[You are telling Farzana:

``My friend`s mother left Karachi in Aug 1947 with her children and the clothes on her back.``

Sooooo -- what ELSE is new, my friend?

Now -- will you puleeeeze -- quit whining about your ``friend`s mother``?]

You DIDN`T get the point, did you?

Despite what she had to endure, that lady never said a word to anyone, including her own children and grandchildren. She didn`t teach them to hate. That is why when a grandson decided to marry for love, he didn`t suddenly stop and say, `This isn`t right` when the girl he was attracted to was a Muslim.

Life is full of injustices, great and small. Just like what happened to your father. But neither he nor you are putting on the act that Farzana puts on usually.

There can never be justice for those who are wronged. Way too many people have been wronged and the perpetrators are difficult to identify. But perhaps we can read history, introspect a little and promise to ourselves that we will never do something that terrible. And remember, evry injustice, however small, is terrible.

Do you remember the bumper sticker; ``Commit random acts of senseless kindness``? That is perhaps more likely to change human behavior than all the religions of the world.

Happy new year.