’Moderate’ vs ’Severe’ Muslims
It isn`t what real Islam is that bothers a non-muslim but what is perceived generally practiced Islam that scares him. Moderate and Hardcore Islam classification is made just for the sake of convenience. Why would anyone want to learn what real Islam is? Most will simply ignore it, if it doesn’t touch them like Budhism or any other exotic religions etc.

Is “Strings” a Dud Theory? Re: # 2

I am disappointed too. This lengthy article doesn’t even summarize essential elements of the String theory in lay language. Tough reading and then feel cheated

For once I would agree with you, grudgingly though.

Muharram 10: ’Ashura: Commemorating Imam Hussain- The Prince of Martyrs
Re-enacting the events of Karbala or flogging oneself to commemorate some hideous past is completely irrational. It is quite masochistic to even observe Moharram.

Why Assam to be Asom? Re: # 51

possibly, not sure. It was long time back. There used to be only one state now there are seven.

Why Assam to be Asom? Re: # 49

India too had NEFA( North East Frontier Area) which is now Arunachal Pradesh, though China refuses to acknowledge it as part of India.

Why Assam to be Asom? Re: # 18

I believe Bombay was called Mambhay by the locals after the city deity Mumbadevi and not Mumbai.

Why Assam to be Asom?
City names are not just names but brands too and have inherent association of the character of that city. The name Bombay was a brand as was Calcutta, Madras and Bangalore. Mumbai doesn`t quite reflect character of a vibrant cosmopolitan city. It isn’t the name these politicians change, they slowly kill the spirit of the city.

Are Artists Really Mad?

What is madness? Is not thinking coherently madness?

I guess artists are intense, so much so that some times they cross the threshold.

Sehra Re: # 10

Echoboom,

You are absolutely right about Mir, unfortunately I am not very well versed with Urdu poetry (just a novice) therefore not aware of Mir Anees (will look up, if it is too Farsi then I will be lost). One thing that I noticed in Ghalib`s work is acid tongue, arrogance. The tenderness Mir evokes is unparallel:

Sirhane Mir ke aahistaa bolo,
Abhi tuk rote rote so gaya hai……..

and thanks for those wonderful ash`aar.

Naqshbandi,

Just a clarification..

Aake sajaadah nashiin kaise huwa mere baad?
Na rahii dasht mein ``koii jaa``, khaalii mere baad!

is there a typing error in ``koii jaa`` shouldn`t it be ``koii jaaN``

If not what does `jaa` stand for?


Anil Kala

Sehra
Another power word that evokes similar sense of awe is Jaras( bell) and Saut-e-Jaras (Sound of bell)

The soft tolling of bells of a distant passing caravan symbolizes call for renunciation. The quality of sound is simple and pure. Its lingering insistence and easy dissolvability in surrounding fizaa has a compelling urge to leave everything and merge in the pristine nature. All those artistically inclined, occasionally feel that irresistible urge to give up material things and merge with the nature and this distant fading sound evokes that compelling urge. If not anything, at least you are temporarily lost in yourself.

These days I am concentrating on Mir therefore some sh`er and qat`aat of Mir evoking magic of saut-e-jaras:

baraNg-e-jaras tujhse door huN tanha
Khabar nahi hai tujhe aah kaarvaaN meri!
rah ki sunta na tha yaaN raah maiN maaniNd-e-jaras
shor sa karte jaate the ham, baat ki kisko t`aakat thi

Mai pa shikast ja na saka qaafile tak
aati agarche der sadaa-e-jaras rahi
juN subh is chaman meN na khul k haNs sake
fursat rahi jo Mir bhi so ik nafas rahi

Ho gayi shahar shahar ruswaiiai
meri maut tu bhali aayi
ik bayaabaN baraNg-e-saut-jaras
mujh pe hai bekasi-o-tanhaaii

Sehra Re: # 7

How come you are delhiwala? You have lived all over India!
True this is about sixties and I was very young.
I don`t believe Hydrabadi Muslims have multiple wives and if they did in past, many Hindus too had multiple wives, one with them in cantt. and one back in their village. Anyway I was too young to know social setup of those times.

Yes, I saw Salarjung Museum, Charminar, the Golkunda Fort, the Nizam Sagar, Hussain Sagar, Maradpalli etc. but do not remember much accept that in Salarjung Museum there was a mechanical clock where a little guy would come out on the hour and bang in hours.

You only remeber what touches you deeply.................

Sehra Re: # 2

``btw an interesting article but a bit rambling. `` agreed

A few ash`aar cited here though do not do justice to such a powerful word as sehra, its tanhaaee, its soKhta tassavur, its tough unforgiving nature and so on........ nevertheless


Khvaab dekhaa thaa ki saharaa me.n baseraa hogaa
kyaa Khabar thii ki yahii Khvaab to sachchaa hogaa (Sahir Hoshiarpuri)

ae Khudaa ret ke sehra ko samandar kar de
ya chhalakti huee aanKhoN ko bhi patthar kar de (Shahid Meer)

jis tarah daryaa bujha sakte nahiiN sehraa ki pyaas,
apne andar ek aesii tashnigii ban jaayye. [Salim Ahmad]

juz qaEs aOr kO`i na AyA ba_rU-e kAr!
sehrA magar ba_ta.Ngi-e Chasm-E husUd tHA
[Ghalib]

majnU.n ne Shehr ChHOR(A) hae, sehrA bHi ChHOR dE;
nazzAre kI havas ho, to laElA bHi ChHOR dE!
[Iqbal]

hOtA hae nihA.n gard me.n sehrA mere hOtE
gHistA hae jabI.n KhAk peH daryA mere AgE
[Ghalib

Why Shankar Failed? Re: # 13 Inquirer:

“You responded to the least significant of my questions. But thanks. I would appreciate if you fully respond to at least six other issues identified in my #11. Particularly it is essential to identify how much of your write-up is by Chowk Editors.”

I don’t think Chowk editors added anything to the text apart from correcting galling grammatical errors. As I said this piece was written a few years back, one of my earliest writings. Guess I am improving.

“Thanks, for the clarification. Your write-up does call the leader ``Adi Shankar.`` Did the Chowk Editors introduce ``Adi?`` The bear also calls the leader ``acharya.`` I believe there is a loose construction problem. May be you yourself were not clear about the purpose and the content of the write-up. Your choice of the name of the expedition leader was unfortunate, please see my #10.”

It is no blasphemy to borrow characters from history and create fiction. Perhaps ‘Adi’ prefix was unnecessary. But I was told he was the one who built Kedarnath Shrine, therefore he failed from my point of view.

“4. ``Your complete indifference and unconcern for unusual will result in failure of your mission in the future.`` ****This is a non-sequitur.****”

May be for you. It makes sense to me.

Rest of your comments are judgmental, I have nothing to say.

Why Shankar Failed? Re: # 11
``If you have been to Kedarnath you need to respond to comment 9. ``

I am not a religious person, my sister is. A few years back my sister’s daughter was operated for ovarian cyst, distraught she forced me to take her to Kedarnath shrine. Funnily everybody thinks the more you suffer on a pilgrimage the more likely it will be for God to notice your prayer, how this logic works, beats me. Makes the God kind of a tyrannical Zamindaar.
Anyway we walked from Gaurikund (4000 ft) to Kedarnath (11750 ft) some 14 Km trek. I found the temple architecture pretty ordinary but like all old structures, wear and tear of age and darkened stones due to fungus lent it a kind of mystic aura. I had no wish to go inside the crowded temple but succumbed to emotional blackmail. In the sanctum sanctorum was a square meter of cleanly bordered rock, where a bunch of priests were conning people into believing those tiny peaks on the rock were various Gods viz. Parvati, Ganesh, Shiva etc.

Once the ordeal was over I sat on large boulder away from the temple and closed my eyes. It felt very good, peaceful and calming.

Why Shankar Failed? Re: # 4

This Shankar has nothing to do with real Adi Shankar. The story is, as you put so succinctly, a concoction to bring out a point. The essence of my story was that there is an exhilarating natural resort akin to heaven, which guys reach after great effort and in their completely misplaced focus on religion lose out on experiencing that transcendental tranquility.

There is need to go deep into semantics of what great bear said.

Why Shankar Failed? Re: # 2

You are lucky, you haven`t seen the MS. The editors have done a great job. This is my first creative writing.