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Archive for 2011

Fire of Love


Long time ago
Man discovered fire
The fire of vanity
With heat of conceit
Invented the wheel of avarice
Cultivated seeds of tyranny
Raising crops of injustice
Built house of apathy
Erected on pillars of prejudice
Mosques of bigotry
Raised by bricks of hatred.

The DAY man shall
Turn the wheel of generosity
Cultivate seedlings of compassion
Reap the crops of honesty
Make a home of empathy
Raised on pillars of justice
Temples of tolerance
On foundation of peace
That day,
He shall discover fire again,
The FIRE OF LOVE.

Category:

MY POETRY, My world, Peace, Poetry, Politics, Social Issues

Ghalib’s Mangoes


It is Summers and mango time. Mango is synonimous with Mirza Ghalib. And I am here after ages in the mango season in Delhi, the city of Ghalib. And then Amir Khusrau’s praise for mangoes is not secret either. His soul resides in Delhi too.

How could one enjoy Ratols, Chausa, Dussehris in Delhi, consumed in their aromas and flavours, and not pay tribute to Ghalib’s love for mangoes. Perhaps ‘his first love’ was neither poetry nor liqour. But mangoes. Why do I say that ?

Here is a fascinating piece on Ghalib and his love for mangoes, to prove my claim, by Firoze Bakht Ahmed:

Ghalib was a great mango connoisseur

Altalf Hussain Hali, an ardent admirer of Mirza Ghalib and himself a poet of no mean achievement once had a very hot debate with the latter’s friend Nawab Mustafa Khan Shefta on the topic that Ghalib was the sole Indian poet who had tasted the maximum varieties of mangoes.

Shefta maintained that it wasn’t so but with his stunning memory and deep study of Ghalib’s life, Hali was the winner in proving that Ghalib had in fact tasted most of the 4,000 varieties of mangoes
grown in India. This might be a funny incident but the truth is that Ghalib was the one who loved eating mangoes in sweltering summers more than composing his couplets.

The varieties of mangoes that Ghalib mentioned in 63 letters written to his friends are – Malda, Fasli,Chausa, Zard Aaloo, Jahangir, Dasehri, Rehmat-e-Khas, Sarauli, Malghoba, Aziz Pasand,
Mahmood Samar, Sultan-us-Samar, Ram Kela, Bombay Green, Ratol, Safeda Mallihabadi, Dil Pasand, Husan Aara, Nazuk Pasand, Kishan Bhog, Neelam, Khudadad, Hamlet, Tota Pari, Nishati, Zafrani, Sinduri, Khatta Meetha, Barah Masi, Langra, Alfonso, Fajri Samar Bahisht, Gulabakhsh, Bishop, Xavier, Rumani and Badami. Ghalib had tasted all these.

His love for mangoes was in fact more than that of wine or even poetry when the season of the heavenly, juicy fruit came in the months of June and July.

Quoting Ghalib regarding mangoes, Hali mentions in his Yadgar-e-Ghalib that the poet was also very well versed with the history of mangoes.

Ghalib wrote to a friend, Maulvi Sadruddin Azurda about the history of mangoes: ‘The mango has been cultivated in India for over 4,000 years and is so much a part of the Indian heritage and culture that it is almost an object of veneration in Hindu households. Down through the centuries, emperors have pledged their devotion to the mango!

‘The records of Hieun Tsang, the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited India during Harshavardhan’s reign in the 6th century B.C., contains references to the attentive cultivation of the mango in the country. The Mughal emperors also evinced keen interest in the mango’s systematic cultivation and emperor Akbar is credited with having planted genetically superior mangoes in an orchard known as
Lakh Bakhsh, north of Agra.

‘Small wonder that our best varieties of mangoes bear names such as Jahangir and Himayun-ud-Din. Even Bahadur Shah Zafar, had a mango garden known as Hayat Bakhsh in the gardens of the Red Fort in which some of the most delicious and juicy varieties were grown.’

Mango is such a fruit that the accounts of it qualities are there since Vedic times. In fact there is a very interesting incident quoted in Persian by Ghalib’s friend Yusuf Mirza that traces the history of mango to the Vedic times.

It says that god once witnessed a contest between the two celestial brothers – Ganesh and Subramaniya popularly known as Kartikeya. Their parents Shiva and Parvati announced that the
one to race round the world and emerge the first would receive a wonderful gift.

While Subramaniya set off on this arduous race, Ganesh, the shrewd and calculating one, did some clever thinking. He circled around his parents, suggesting that they were world to him, and won the fabulous prize – a luscious mango!

Even Sufi poet Amir Khusro had praised the mango in his Persian poetry and called it Fakhr-e-Gulshan.

According to Ghalib it is a remarkable fruit in the sense that it can be cut with a knife, sucked like ice cream or crushed for its juice. It gives more joy in comparison with other fruits if it is cut and eaten.
He called such a mango as Qalmi Aam.

Even great poets like Nazir Akbarabadi and Iqbal too have written gloriously about mangoes.

Ghalib wrote to his friends as far as Calcutta, Bombay and Madras for sending him the mangoes and he was really fortunate enough that they obliged him by sending the tokris (baskets) of the fruit.

To a friend living in Calcutta, Mir Sarfaraz Hussain, he wrote as many as 15 letters requesting him to send him Bengal’s famous Gulbakhsh mangoes. Finally Sarfaraz Hussain sent him two baskets.
During May, 1857, when the Sepoy Mutiny was at its peak, Ghalib went to a friend of his in Meerut, who was a Subedar by family tradition and owned many mango orchards in Meerut and Saharnpur.

Once during the afternoon, Ghalib felt the urge to eat mangoes. That was not the time for the fruit to get ripened as most of the varieties in northern India ripe in the sweltering heat of June. While
Ghalib was just gazing at the kachcha aam (unripe mangoes), a British soldier saw Ghalib and without ado arrested him.

In fact that area was densely populated by Muslims who revolted against the British. The poet was taken to the Meerut Kotwali after arrest. In those days Hindus and Muslims used to wear almost
similar clothes.

When he reached the police station, the military governor Colonel Burn asked Ghalib: ‘Are you a Muslim?’

Ghalib was witty and his friend confirmed his presence of mind was par excellence. He replied: ‘ I am only a half-Muslim.’

‘What exactly do you mean by that? Be clear,’ said Col. Burn.

‘By that I mean Sir, that I take liquor but I do not touch pork!’

Hearing this, Col. Burn burst out laughing and let him off advising him not to mix up with the rioters.

Shefta narrated that in one gathering there were Maulana Fazl-e-Haq, Ghalib and other friends and they discussed about mangoes.
When everyone had had one’s say, Haq asked for Ghalib’s comments.

And he said:
‘In my opinion, there are only two necessary requirements concerning mangoes. Firstly, they should be sweet and secondly, they should be plentiful!’

(Firoz Bakht Ahmed, chairman of Friends For Education which works among Urdu schools to improve their standards, filed a public interest suit for restoration of Ghalib’s house in old Delhi. He
can be reached at firozbakht@rediffmail.com)
( © IANS / India eNews)Copyright 2011 IndiaeNews.com. All Rights Reserved.

Category:

Amir Kusro, GHALIB, Humour

Treetops vs Grass roots


While reading through the wonderful, insightful Pullitzer Prize winner book Half The Sky, which highlights countless issues related to women all over the globe, one is enlightened of the dynamics of factors which can bring a real change in the lives of women in the world.

Whether it is reduction in maternal mortality, girl trafficking, change in social customs like female genital mutilation or women abuse the change can come only from within. And the secret to that change is ‘girl child education’.

Girl education is the key to women empowerment. Women empowerment in turn is the key to eradicate poverty.

“ Educating girls is the most effective way to fight poverty. Until women are numerate and literate it is difficult to bring meaningful change and contribute in the country’s economy”, say the authors.

Despite multiple factors playing their roles, studies have shown that, the solution to reduction in population growth, trafficking of women, gender based violence or female genital mutilation is SINGLE and it is girl education.

The local customs, culture, and family dynamics and the various factors which hinder the change need to be well understood . Bringing about a difference entails persistence and perseverance to bring slow and steady change and creating receptive audience at the grassroots level. Innovative ways may be needed to cause that change in thinking before one expects a change in practice.

The roadblocks may not necessarily be just the ‘big’ factors –but even trivial issues which we do not even give a second thought.

And motivation of girls is never an issue. They are always willing. It is the circumstances and the people around them who need to be convinced.

The authors recount, based on research, four cost effective ways to increase school attendance in either genders—
• ‘deworming’ the children( as worm infestation affects physical and intellectual growth),
• managing menstruation related issues( providing san napkins and toilets—as many girls don’t attend school during mens due to inconvenience),
• providing Iodised salt( as many communities suffer from Iodine deficiency which leads to brain damage) and
• ‘bribing’ ( providing financial incentives to the girl students for attending school.

The donors often assume that providing the infrastructure, like building schools, or giving books is the ‘way to increase’ educaton. But one may have to go extra mile(s) to ensure that the real purpose behind the building of schools is realised.

The World Bank ,too, points that excessive spending on education bureaucracy and school infrastructure, rather than on teaching staff and supplies, undermines the quality and quantity of schooling.

How to boost up the woman empowerment through education ?

For many of us first thing that occurs is ‘funding’–specifically foreign funding.

It remains a myth that in places with poor resources and conditions the foreign assistance or Aid through big agencies like UN, USAID, US govt.etc.(Treetop solution) is the key to any kind of development.

Rightly did the authors point out that Foreign Aid follows ‘Murphy’s Law’ ( the law states that anything that can go wrong shall go wrong).

The foreign aid may be well intentioned but it does not always work the way it is intended. Some prove to do the exact opposite of what is intended.

Many skeptics like, Peter Bauer and Milton Friedman argued point blank in the 1960s that aid is ineffective.
William Easterly with experience in WB says, aid is often wasted and sometimes does more harm than good.
Rajan and Raghuram published a study in The Review of Eco and Stats that : there is no positive or negative correlation between aid inflows and economic development of a country.

The literature on foreign aid and development strongly suggests that the usefulness of development assistance varies with the quality of a country’s governance and the economic policies it pursues. In countries whose policy environment is highly unfavorable to growth, aid is less likely to be productive and contribute to long-term development.

According to one group of scholars, “in terms of growth prospects and performance, no amount of foreign assistance can substitute for a developing country’s internal policies and incentives for increasing output and improving the efficiency of resource allocation.”

A wonderful example that the book gives of a failed purpose of the Aid is as follows:

A UN Project in Nigeria meant to empower women.
Fact: the women in Nigeria cultivate cassava ( a root like potato) and use it for the household. If in excess they sell it off and save the money and spend it on home and their children.
The Project: It introduced a variety of Cassava which would give three tons per hectare yield instead of the usual 800 kilos per hectare. They had a terrific harvest. But they had problems;
They could not harvest that bulk of the yeild and could not even have the capacity to process them.
The agency introduced processing equipment. But the fruit was bitter and did not taste as well. But with processing of the fruit the problem was dealt.
As a result the project looked a ‘great success’. The women started to earn good money.
But then the men came in and kicked women out of Cassava farming. Why?
Because as per the tradition the women raised staple crops and the men grew cash crops. And when men had extra earnings, they used it for beer. As a result, women had even less income that when they started.

Moral of the story:
The above case proves the futility of a well intentioned Aid, if it is not linked to the local cultural practices. And another point it highlights is that any sort of empowerment of woman can boomrang unless it is accompanied by women education.

Sometimes good intentioned ‘treetop’ efforts can be counterproductive if the ‘grass root’ realities and resources are not taken into consideration.

Category:

CULTURE, International, Politics, Social Issues, Women

Time Stops for None


Yesterday, today, tommorrow
Days, hours, minutes pass
Slipping through life’s clock
To unite with eternity, alas!

Hear the footsteps of past
Fading away slowly
Tomorrow comes there
Marching up steadily

Can we stop today?
And not let it pass.
Oh! it wouldnt listen
It never will, nor ever has.

Fighting back with the fate
Or resigning to being a prey
We’ve got to make the most
Of what life offers today.

Making the journey
Running the race
Fulfilling the goal
With dignity n grace

Jumping the hurdles
With a welcome smile
Fiddling with mischief
Once in a while

Lightening the burden
Of hardships n strife
Making bitter, taste sweet
In this obnoxious life.

Moments from yesterday
Are today’s cherished memories
Tomorrows harsh realities
Are todays endless worries

While embracing the time
Rush! Nail the tasks undone.
As time’s a flying bird
That stops for none.

Category:

MY POETRY, My world

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Ishwar Allah Tere Jahan Mein…


Ishwar Allah tere jahan mein
nafrat kyon hain jung hai kyon
tera dil to itna bada hai
insaan ka dil tang hai kyon

kadam kadam par sarhad kyon hai
saari zameen jo teri hai
sooraj ke pehre dharti hai
phir kyon itni andheri hai
is duniya ke daaman par
insaan ke lahoon ka rang hai kyon

Goonj rahin hai itni cheekhein
pyar ki batein kaun sune
toot rahe hain itne sapne
in ke tukde kaun chune
dil ke darwaazon par taalein
un taalon par hai zoonk hai kyon
~Javed Akhter
Music: A R Rehman

Category:

Uncategorized

Oh God! I Know you I Met with you Once Upon a Dream


One day in my dream, I went into a garden whose beauty and magnificence my eyes hath never ever seen or imagined. To give a poor description—there were streams of sparkling crystal water, lined with camps of pearls over the soil of musk. The grass blades were laced with emeralds and inflorescence of rubies hanging from the trees. I wondered where was I ?

A voice came from behind—“Don’t be wonderstruck, you are in Heaven”.

I turned back and a flash of image beyond description smiled back: “Hi I am God. Welcome to the future abode of mankind.”

Though in absolute awe, I gathered courage to ask: “God can you spare some time to talk ?”
( wondering if I could ask Him some questions which puzzle my mind.)
“My time is eternity and enough to do anything. Do not worry and ask all those questions that boggle your mind.” Pat came the reply.

I knew as He could read my mind—for sure he was God.

With courage I began: “I know when Gabriel first saw the Heavens, he had wondered ‘the road to the heaven is littered with hardships, and By your Dignity, I am afraid if anyone would be able to enter it.?”(Tirmizi).

God replied: “There is only one path to Heaven. On Earth, you call it Love.
‘Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.’ “(Dalai Lama)

“By your Dignity, God there is hardly any compassion in this world now. All we see is misery and hatred. Will there be anyway mankind can enter this magnificient Heaven?” I asked.

God: “ Yeah I wonder that too. ‘My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, WAR, banished from the earth.” (George Washington )
“Not just heavens, Mankind is not likely to salvage civilization (on Earth) unless he can evolve a system of good and evil which is independent of heaven and hell.’ “(George Orwell ). He explained.

“Sir, did you make mankind with the way he is behaving, in mind?”

God answered in a disappointed voice: “No, not at all. I really wonder at mankind on how:
*He lives as if he will never die and dies as if he has never lived.
*He spends his health to gain money and then all his money to regain the lost health.
*He whines for the past, worries for the future and as a result spoils his present.
*And worst of all in this race to live, the mankind has lost compassion for each other.”

“What is compassion, God?”, I asked.

“Compassion is the capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else’s skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too. If you cannot be compassionate through actions, be compassionate through words.”

“Words?”, I wondered.

He replied: “A careless word may kindle strife.
A cruel word may wreck a life.
A timely word may level stress.
But a loving word may heal and bless.”

He gave a long gloomy pause after saying that, and as I placed my hands over His to comfort Him, He held them tight, speaking nothing.

To cheer Him up and to break the melancholic silence I asked: Okay but what is the thing in your creation that hasn’t really disappointed you?

Without a pause he replied: “The Mother, yes she hasn’t disappointed me. I could not be everywhere, so I created mother.” ( Jewsih Proverb)

“Why does she make you so proud?”

 “‘Mother is another word for selflessness and sacrifice. ‘Mother is the name for God on the lips and hearts of little children.’ (William Makepeace Thackeray)
‘A mother gives a child, first, roots to grow strong and attaches herself to the existence of her child, and then lets him learn to grow wings to fly away with success.’ “

‘And what else would you advice Mothers to teach their kids?’,I asked.

He answered;
“The kids should be taught not to value what you have in your life, but who you have.
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. (Dalai Lama)
Compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind. “(Albert Schweitzer )

“Out of all the blessings that you have bestowed upon Mankind, what do you think should he value the most?”

“Friends.” he said.
“If out of all mankind one finds a single friend, he has found something more precious than any treasure, since there is nothing in the world so valuable that it can be compared to a real friend.”(Andreas Capellanus)
He elaborated further: “The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you’ve ever had.”

“And what virtue should we value the least?”

“Wealth, ”  came without a pause.
“Can wealth give happiness? Look around and see, what gay distress! what splendid misery! Whatever fortunes lavishly can pour, the mind annihilates and calls for more. “(Andrew Young).
“Money is the worst currency that ever grew among mankind. This sacks cities, this drives men from their homes, this teaches and corrupts the worthiest minds to turn base deeds.” (Sophocles)

“Do you have any regrets for having created the Mankind?” I dared to ask, fearfully and  slowly.

He did not feel offended, instead replied with a sad tone : “Well I regret having given mankind the mind to think, because he has abused his mind more than putting it to use. He has abused the intelligence to make weapons, warfare to destroy mankind, and has used his knowledge to misuse the resources of the mother Earth—leaving it a miserable place for the future generations.” 

“So you must be hating Mankind now for how he has betrayed himself and the earth—both being your creations?”

“No dear, how can I hate something I created with my own free wil l? Yes I do despise a word called God.” 

“Lord, but isn’t that your own name you despise so much?” I could not hide my shock.

“Unfortunately yes. And all for the hatred that the mankind spreads in My Name, the suicide bombings, the killings, the discrimination that people are subjected to because they use my different names. I never asked anyone to use My Name to seek war for their personal agendas. I feel hurt and broken by all this bloodshed. I feel betrayed in My Name.”

My head hung in shame for how much have we hurt our own creator and continue to do so. And then think that we are doing a great service for HIM. I did not have the courage to ask him anything more. I did not even have the face to look towards him to Thank HIM and say a Bye.

Alas! I had no strength to ask him anymore.

Being God, He knew what else I wanted to ask and had reserved  for the last. As I turned away, he answered my unasked question:

My advice to mankind would be:
“To dream anything that you want to dream. That’s the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do. That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits. That is the courage to succeed.”(Bernard Edmonds)

And Finally to convey to the fellow beings on Earth from my behalf :
“Mankind must remember that peace is not God’s gift to his creatures, peace is your gift to each other.” (Elie Wiesel )

While walking away, I thought, ” I have saddened Him so much.  Will I ever be able to face Him again ?”

I heard again, a voice coming from the back:

“Anytime, I’m always near you . All you have to do is ask for me. And I shall answer.”

And I woke up, wishing that the whole Humanity woke up too.

Category:

Earth, General, My world, Peace, Personal, RELIGION, Social Issues

OSAMA OBAMA HUMOUR IN MEDIA


“Humour is the weapon of unarmed people: it helps people who are oppressed to smile at the situation that pains them.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Collection of cartoons from the International Print Media

Comments from the Standup Comedies on Electronic media

“There’s already been some trouble for Osama bin Laden in the afterlife. There was a mix up and he was greeted by 72 vegans.” —David Letterman

“Osama bin Laden’s death has been in the news all day. Leftish stations are going, ‘President Obama saves the world.’ Stations on the right are going, ‘Obama kills fellow Muslim.'” –Craig Ferguson

“Apparently, members of al-Qaida are online slamming the U.S. I don’t understand why they’re so upset. Everyone in al-Qaida just got a promotion.” –Craig Ferguson

“What?! Not only did we kill Bin Laden, we killed him in Abottabad! Abottabad sounds like name most New Yorkers would have invented for the fictional place they would have loved to kill Bin Laden.” –Jon Stewart

“President Obama must be very happy because he finally took down his arch enemy: Donald Trump. The bin Laden announcement interrupted ‘Celebrity Apprentice.'” –Craig Ferguson

“President Obama must be very happy because he finally took down his arch enemy: Donald Trump. The bin Laden announcement interrupted ‘Celebrity Apprentice.'” –Craig Ferguson

“I would like us to kill bin Laden every Sunday night. It makes for a much brighter start to the week.” –Jimmy Kimmel

David Letterman’s “Top Ten Final Words Of Osama bin Laden”

10. ‘My horoscope says ‘Big surprises are in store”
9. ‘See, this is why I normally don’t answer the door’
8. ‘The one time I give my bodyguards a day off to go to the zoo . . . ‘
7. ‘What on earth could be interrupting ‘Celebrity Apprentice?”
6. ‘I hear Brian Williams is on Dave to discuss my imminent demise’
5. ‘At least I’ll be reunited with my dear departed friend Jack LaLanne’
4. ‘I’m not sure I want to live in a world where ‘Fast Five’ is the No. 1 movie’
3. ‘Any man with multiple wives welcomes death. Am I right, fellas?’
2. ‘I need a house full of Navy SEALs like I need a hole in the head’
1. ‘Oh, crap!’

Twitter Comments:( sender’s names withhled)

They buried #OBL out to sea right after Japan released radioactive water into the ocean. This has the makings of an awesome monster movie

#Republicans brought #US #Watergate #Gitmo #Rendition #Waterboarding #Democrats do sex in #OvalOffice. They don’t fake deaths esp #OBL

I was sent a complete random msg: ‘can you boss me around and terrorise me.’ WTF?! Someones obviously missing #OBL

That awkward moment in hell when #OBL has to explain to the despo suicide bombers where all those virgins are!

Every pakistani & Digvijay singh is asking “why was #OSAMA JI killed” he was a ISI human rights activist like “KASAB JI” !!

It is not good for Pakistan that Osama was found in their territory.They must now answer to Arnab Goswami on The Newshour

According to India TV Osama and Obama are the same person because no one saw Osama after 9/11 and no one saw Obama till 9/11

A week back they were asking for Obama’s Birth certficate.A week later he has shown them Osama’s death Certificate #Osama

Osama should’ve hid in India.Worst thing that would’ve happened if he was caught he’d be arrested.Apply for bail & hire Ram Jethmalani

Its good that Osama is dead.He’s lucky.No one wants to live in a world where Akshay Kumar still acts in films like ‘Tees Maar Khan’

This is confusing.The guy who died is Osama.The guy who killed him is Obama.Name problems.I’ll just call Obama as Mohan from now on

India TV has confirmed that Osama’s Punar Janam has taken place already.He is back as a pimple on Rakhi Sawant’s face

US policy = Osama Chahiye? Pakistan mein ghoos kar maro.India Policy = Cricket match jab tak nahin hota hum Pak se baat nahin karenge

Actually Osama jumped into sea when he heard Udhay Chopra was to play Osama in sequel of Tere Bin Laden

Facebook Statuses or Comments:

when he rolls over, there will be a tsunami. God forbid that.

A Jihad Fish, a new species.

“Osama is dead? Yup! Where’s the body? We threw it in the ocean. — Timmy, have u done your homework? Yep! Where is it? My dog ate it!”

The real news is not that Osama is killed – he was as good as dead for a long time – the real news is Pak Army and ISI have been caught pants down. Now will they receive spanking. I think in private they will. Civil leadership is innocent – they did not have clue.

CEO post vacant in M.N Organization. Very attractive salary, security, travel and medical covered. Package includes 72 virgins and paradise gauranteed. Requirement: proven track record in terrorist activities and radical ideology. Contact H.R@alqaeda.com

Osama: Batti Kaddo ayi gi. aes tu changa tay mera tora bora ala ghaar c
Young wife Number 7: Lagda eh kuwaiti nai generator chalata eh phakkay di awaz aari eh bar
*First Dhamaka
Osama: Lo ge transformer udd gya jay. Hun sawairay e ayay gi batti. Mospel la kay so jao
*Kuwaiti from outside
Kuwaiti: Nass o Osama, Amreeki aa gay nay. aglay kehnday nai parhna nyi tenu, geetay tay fire marna eh.
Osama: Fittay moun Rajay pervaiz Ahsraf, Amreeki aagay Batti ni ayi.

Breaking News: Osama is being bashed in the Hell by the Ex-Suicide bombers. “WTH are the 72 virgins?
Comment 1: They are passing him on instead of the 72 virgins.
Comment 2: Yeah no wonder he had a busy day up there.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Category:

Humour, International, Politics

Obama Osama Heart to Heart


Obama: I loved the way ISI let you stay nearby.

Osama: Yeah, to catch me, they didn’t even try.

Obama: No wonder why, now they feel so shy.

Osama: Say they didn’t know it. Oh what a lie !

Obama: They thought you were, in Afghan mountains high.

Osama: Sure I would if AZ wasn’t a bigger idiot than Karzai.

Obama: Ofcourse who doesn’t know him? That 10% guy.

Osama: He aint so bad. Pasha brought his salams whenever passing by.

Obama: After we nabbed you, did you bid your host goodbye?

Osama: Knowing I’ll be with 72 virgins, “I wanna come too” he began to cry.

Obama: Gosh! You’ll have Seventy two, after all those killings? You lucky guy.

Osama: Huhh and you fools thought t’was for Jehad, those suicide bombers die !

Obama: We killed many in Iraq too. For a place in Heaven, can I also try?

Category:

General, Humour, International, Islam, MY POETRY, Pakistan, Poetry, Politics

Obama, You’re born Lucky !


With the operation accomplished to nab Osama Bin Laden, it isn’t unusual at all that no soon the news was out, conspiracy theories started cropping up. Every Tom Dick and Harry becomes Sherlock Holmes with describing flaws into the details of the operation, about the photograph not being his (the hair being darker than his,), his face not resembling, that he was brought here and declared dead to enter Pakistan( as if they haven’t already), or that Pakistani intelligence did it all and then Americans took the credit. As many mouths, as many stories…
Being an anti conspiracy theorist and a true fan of a lucky man called Obama, I believed every word of what Obama said in his address. I know Obama must be as desperate as anyone in this position to increase his popularity ratings for the next term. But just to say that he will stage a false drama and tell such a huge lie to achieve those, I doubt.
Yes, luck has failed him in his fiscal policies or in getting his health plan implemented but he just hit a huge luck home run as Commander-in-Chief.
I may be unrealistic in taking his words for truth, because I continue to be as fascinated by this brilliant man as I was when I first noticed him during the Presidential campaign.
With Bush’s doubtful mental abilities, who wasn’t even sure of who was the current Prime Minister of India during his election, Obama’s brilliance and thorough knowledge about the world was such a striking contrast. He definitely was a presidential material. And then to be a lucky first man of color to become an American president—it was not just me but the whole world found him mesmerizing. Lucky was he to be a blue eyed of the entire globe.
Knowing the details of his parentage—being multiracial—Dad from Kenya, Mom a white American, step Dad an Indonesian, Grandmom a practicing Muslim, he sure was born lucky—to have lived in various cultures.. A man exposed to so many cultures, religions and travelled widely in childhood ( including Pakistan)—had to be a man with wide horizons and huge luck.
And after all, to have gone to Harvard for the graduate studies, being president of the Harvard Law Review and tenure as a constitutional law professor were no small luck to be so brilliant.
On hearing his live Presidential address – extempore, flawless, no stuttering, no forgetting, no written paper and the substance that he spoke for almost 45 minutes, I was all head over heals for his oratory.
Obama got a Nobel Peace Prize with no substantial achievements. In his thank you speech, in a very matter of fact way, he mentioned his surprise on being chosen for it and remarked that there were others who deserved to get this prize more than him. Yes he was less deserving but got it for he was luckier.
His occasional acknowledgement of having ‘Muslim relatives’ is too an act no less brave considering how he was maligned for having a Muslim name or Muslim roots during the campaign. Not just lucky, he’s brave too.
Just a couple of days ago he cornered Donald Trump with humour. The president poked fun at his birther theory and his background on the celebrity apprentice at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner. The humour rolled the audience into fits of laughter.

In a fundraiser dinner in New York looked more like a stand up comedian than a President of USA
“My name is Barack Obama.I was born in Hawaii,” he continued, which elicited cheers and applause from the audience of supporters, “the 50th state of the United States of America.”
“No one checked my ID on the way in,” he said. “But just in case …” Obama added and reached into his breast pocket before pulling his empty hand out and chuckling.
The lady luck gave him an excellent sense of humour too..
And now the credit of nabbing the world’s most wanted criminal. Bush tried his best, lied about weapons of mass destruction in a desperate attempt to prove his credibility, got shoed, but still failed to catch Osama.
And this brilliant and lucky man—got him quietly in a small operation with minimal collateral damage, and personally supervised it through camera. And no matter what anyone may claim, he got it done with such neatness deep inside Pakistan, leaving the Pakistani officials speechless, faceless and spineless.
Lucky you are Obama. History will go down with you getting the Osama Credit. And probably you will win the second term too.
What else is mother luck bringing for him in future? A fan in me awaits.
I know I may be unduly fascinated by this lucky man, whom many find an unsuccessful president.
And of course, lastly, you are lucky to have me as your ardent fan, you lucky Obama !

Category:

Humour, Indo-Pak, International, Pakistan, Peace, Politics

Carrying God~ by Hafiz



Carrying God

No one can keep us from carrying God
Wherever we go.
No one can rob His Name
From our heart as we try to relinquish our fears
And at last stand — Victorious.
We do not have to leave him in the mosque
Or church alone at night;
We do not have to be jealous of tales of saints
Or glorious masts, those intoxicated souls
Who can make outrageous love with the Friend.
We do not have to be envious of our spirits’ ability
Which can sometimes touch God in a dream.
Our yearning eyes, our warm-needing bodies,
Can all be drenched in contentment
And Light.
No one anywhere can keep us
From carrying the Beloved wherever we go.
No one can rob His precious Name
From the rhythm of my heart —
Steps and breath
` Hafiz

Thanks to Aun Maken for sprouting the idea to include this in the blog.

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Uncategorized