Daniyal Mueenuddin's "In Other Rooms, Other Wonders"

Finished reading Daniyal Mueenuddin's "In Other Rooms, Other Wonders". It's a great read and beautifully written. It's a collection of short stories, all surrounding a central character of K. K. Harouni, a landlord and a businessman. Almost all the short stories offer different shades of life, mostly in the skin of a woman. And these shades, when put together, certainly offer a complete palette of emotions and characteristics a human being can possibly exhibit, again focusing mostly on women in a contemporary Pakistan. His stories also reveal many purposes and reasons for love. Love for conformity, love for survival, love for passion, love for lack of other excitement, love for an abundance of unwanted solitude, love for desire to rise above one's status. All perfectly valid reasons for love, though hardly admitted in favour of romanticism.

If anyone else has read this book, I would like to hear what they thought. Also, I couldn't figure out how the story Lily was associated to K. K. Harouni. It seems a bit odd that only this one story won't have any mention of what otherwise seems like a joining character. Anyone?

And what the hell is that on the cover? It's a human figure obviously, but what exactly is it? The picture within resembles a mughal character, but the outline seems like ... someone mid-air with a basketball!?

Little Appreciation

Despite my efforts, I keep getting side swiped and am unable to get back into music. It is unbelievable how much music was a part of me, and how much it is not anymore. Since moving to Ottawa, I've slowly brought all my music equipment here and I was planning on putting it altogether today. I woke up to find this email titled "Little Appreciation" from Jawad Raza sitting in my Inbox. I don't know Jawad but his email definitely did give me a little push to actually get up and setup my "studio".

Dear

This e mail is little token of appreciation specially Two songs are very
well composed and impression is good. ( atleast i like these two most )

1: Is Lamhe ( this song from A to z is your effort ) i like it most
2:Ridaa

this e mail is very late i know but atleast i have album NOW, actually i
stop listening to most local bands bcoz they are more commercial unlike
before.

thanks again for these beautiful songs.

Regards
Jawad RazaLahore ( Pakistan )

Why Pakistan Lost Ankhur

I found a great article on Rediff regarding Operation Grand Slam prior to the 1965 war. You can read more about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Grand_Slam

and read the original article by Brigadier Shaukat Qadir here:

http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/sep/09war1.htm

23rd March

Facebook Readers: Go to asadkhanonline.blogspot.com to see the full entry.

Birthday = Canon 40D, Books, Malaysian Food & Good Math

It was my birthday two days ago. I have always been a bit of a math and number freak. I like to add numbers on car plates and make interesting patterns with alphabets, etc. I also like to count my foot steps, or try to even them out if the pavement is done up in blocks. The other day I figured that you can always add the first two and the last two digits of the current year and you will have my age! 2009 means 20 + 09 = 29!

Some would call this obsessive compulsive disorder. I just think its good math.

BTW, Meem got me a Canon 40D (oh my God where have you been all my life my love! 40D not Meem).

And my friend Amna took us out to this Malaysian restaurant called Chayaya Malaysia. It was the first time I had Malaysian food, and it was awesome!

Faiz - Nisaar Me Teri Galiyon Ke Ae Watan

The despairing history of our 60 some years of confusion has less for us to boast about. But this despair has led to some of this land's brightest stars to shine everso brightly. Faiz saahib's piece Nisar Me Teri Galiyon rings true today ever more than it did when it was originally written, and tomorrow, maybe even moreso.

Here is a youtube of Zia Mohyeddin reciting this piece by Faiz (though I'm not too fond of the display pictures used). I have added below the original piece with translation for those interested.



Nisaar main teri galiyon peh ai watan, keh jahan
Chali hai rasm keh koi na sar utha keh chale
Jo koi chahane wala tawaaf ko nikale
Nazar chura keh chale, jism-o-jan bacha keh chale

Hai ahel-e-dil ke liye ab yeh nazm-e-bast-o-kushaad
Keh sang-o-khisht muqayyad hain aur sag aazad

Bahut hain zulm keh dast-e-bahana-ju keh liye
Jo chund ahel-e-junoon tere naam leva hain
Baney hain ahel-e-hawas muddai bhi, munsif bhi
Kise wakil karen, kis-se munsifi chahen

Magar Guzaarane walon ke din guzarate hain
Tere firaq mein yun subah-o-shaam karate hain

Bujha jo raozan-e-zindan to dil yeh samajha hai
Keh teri maang sitaron se bhar gai hogi
Chamak uthe hain salasil to humne jaana hai
Keh ab sahar tere rukh par bikhar gai hogi

Gharaz tasavur-e-shaam-o-sahar mein jeete hai
Giraft-e-saaya-e-diwaar-o-dar mein jeete hain

Yuhin hamesha ulajhati rahi hai zulm se khalq
Na unki rasm nai hai, na apni reet nai
Yuhin hamesha khilaye hain humne aag mein phool
Na unki haar nai hai na apni jeet nai

Isi sabab se falak ka gilaa nahin karate
Tere firaq mein hum dil bura nahin karate

Gar aaj tujhse juda hain to kal baham hongey
Yeh raat bhar ki judai to koi baat nahin
Gar aaj auj peh hai taal-e-raqib to kya
Yeh chaar din ki khudai to koi baat nahin

Jo tujhse ahad-o-wafa ustuvaar rakhate hain
Ilaaj-e-gardishe lailo-nihaar rakhate hain.

--

I give my life to your alleys, o nation, where
custom now dictates that one walk with head bowed,
when a lover leaves on a pilgrimage to love,
he must guard his eye, his body, his life.

Here, then, is the new order of freedom, O heart
Stones and bricks are in captivity and dogs run free.

Many are the pretenses for the oppressor’s hand
for the few who, in madness, take your name
the ones crazed by lust are both the accusers and the judges
who can we get to make our case? from whom can we seek justice?

Yet the days go by for those who can,
in your separation, turn dusk to dawn.

Now that the prison’s window has turned off
we know that stars must have decorated your hair.
Now that these chains are sparkling
we know that the day must have illuminated your face.

And so we live, imagining dawns and dusks
And so we live, gripped by the shadow of these prison walls

Such has always been, this struggle between oppressor and oppressed
Neither are their customs new, nor our paths new
Such has always been, that we grew flowers amid fire
Neither is their defeat new, nor is our triumph new.

Which is why, we don’t offer complains to the sky
Which is why, we don’t mourn being away from you

If today we are apart, tomorrow we will be together
this separation for a night is nothing,
If today the rival’s sun is high, so what?
this god for four days is nothing.

Those who maintain their oath of fidelity to you
they possess the cure for the circulation of night and day.

Presence of democratic person at presidency proved (Oxymoron)

The dashing Zardari only restored the handsome, drop dead gorgeous ex CJ because he was cornered and had no option left but to save his face.

Let's not fool ourselves ...

http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=71744

I need a Canon 5D Mark II

It's not a want. It's not a like to have. It's not a desire. It's a need my people!

I need a Canon 5D Mark II.

Reason for this need (there are plenty, but at the moment): the fucking HD videos this beast can capture.

This is what will turn me into the superhero that will save the world! Now where's my cape!



Anth cheez hai yaar! Anth!

Sherry Rehman: "Jaao Me Nahi Khelti!"

The gallant, the valient, the martyr in the name of democracy and justice, Sherry Rehman has resigned from her post as Information Minister to protest media restrictions. She handed her resignation to Gillani. Interestingly, she will not have to answer for government's crackdown on Geo anymore.

Now, I am taking bets on how long before Gillani overturns her resignation and begs her to continue her devotional and selfless services for the welfare and betterment of Pakistan.

Bets anyone?

In a related news item, it seems Zardari is losing his friends quickly. Sherry and Gillani already seem upset with him, and he seems to be playing hard ball with not only Kayani but also US and British diplomats. This, in Pakistan at least, is usually a fine combination for someone getting ready to go down hill (which makes me partially happy). Though, appearance of Kayani in political corridoors once again is a little unsettling.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=20902

The soap opera continues.

[Update - March 16, 2009]
PM wants Sherry back in cabinet
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=20946

SaudiWoman's Blog

I left Saudi Arabia in 1997 and I haven't been back since. Before coming to Canada, I lived in KSA for about 16 years! I am going next month with my parents and wife for Umrah. Though I haven't missed KSA much since I left, this is going to be an interesting and possibly nostalgic trip. I was planning on taking my shorts (that are, I must add, below knee length), but my parents and wife quickly reminded me that I won't be able to, not in KSA at least. Despite having lived there for so long, I had forgotten such important but minor details, and I tried remembering if I had ever worn shorts during those 16 years. I realized that I probably had when I was little, but not after I was even 8 or 9.

Anyways, here is an interesting blog I found: http://saudiwoman.wordpress.com/. In her own words, she is:

My name is Eman Al Nafjan and I’m a mother of three or at least I try to
be. I also have a full time job as an English lecturer at a health sciences
university in Riyadh. So many non Arabs and non Saudis out there giving “expert”
opinions on life and culture here, hence my blog. Get it straight from the
source: Saudi, genetically wahabi and a woman.

Aligarh Tarana

My father is an Aligarian. He did his schooling, and B. Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Aligarh Muslim University. I found this very interesting piece of history on the anthem of Aligarh from aligarhnama.blogspot.com:

Aligarh Tarana is to Aligarh Muslim University(AMU) what any college song is to a college. When Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Aligarh Muslim University, he enquired the students and authorities about their college song or something like it. Having got no concrete answer, he expressed his surprise by saying, "It is very strange that a prestigious university as AMU doesn't have its own college song. " These remarks put a student to unrest and he spent a restless night on this idea. The very next morning, he was ready with a masterpiece which went on to be reckoned as AMU Tarana after being sung at the Strachey Hall for the first time. What a tribute from a disciple to his Alma Mater !!! What a face saving act !!! That great student was Majaz Lakhnawi - the poet.

Majaz Lakhnawi is a very famous Urdu poet of India. His sister Safia Akhtar, was a teacher and writer herself. She married Jan Nisar Akhtar, another Urdu poet from India, and gave birth to Javed Akhtar, the Indian lyricist and script writer.

There are some good audio versions of the anthem, but the only ones I could find on youtube were these mortified Indian movie choirs that totally kill the original version I remember hearing from my childhood. Abbu had this tape of AMU with the original version.

Here is the roman script of the Aligarh Tarana:

ye meraa chaman hai meraa chaman, maiN apne chaman kaa bulbul huuN
sarshaar-e-nigaah-e-nargis huuN, paa-bastaa-e-gesuu-sumbul huuN

(chaman : garden; bulbul : nightingale; sarshaar : overflowing, soaked; nigaah : sight; nargis :flower, Narcissus; paa-bastaa : embedded; gesuu : tresses; sumbul : a plant of sweet odor)

har aan yahaaN sehbaa-e-kuhan ek saaGhar-e-nau meN dhaltii hai
kalioN se husn tapaktaa hai, phuuloN se javaanii ubaltii hai

(sehbaa-e-kuhan : old wine; saaGhar-e-nau : new goblet)

jo taaq-e-haram meN roshan hai, vo shamaa yahaaN bhii jaltii hai
is dasht ke goshe-goshe se, ek juu-e-hayaat ubaltii hai

(taaq-e-haram : vault in the sacred territory of Mecca; roshan : glowing; shamaa : flame; dasht : wilderness, desert; goshaa : corner; juu-e-hayaat : stream of life)

Islam ke is but-Khaane meN asnaam bhii haiN aur Aazaar bhii
tahziib ke is mai-Khaane meN shamshiir bhii hai aur saaGhar bhii

(but-Khaanaa : temple; asnaam : idols; Aazaar : Abraham’s father, an idol-worshipper; tahziib : culture; shamshiir : sword; saaGhar : wine goblet)

yaaN husn kii barq chamaktii hai, yaaN nuur kii baarish hotii hai
har aah yahaaN ek naGhmaa hai, har ashk yahaaN ek motii hai

(barq : lightening; nuur : light)

har shaam hai shaam-e-Misr yahaaN, har shab hai shab-e-Sheeraz yahaaN
hai saare jahaaN kaa soz yahaaN aur saare jahaaN kaa saaz yahaaN

(shaam-e-Misr : evenings of Egpyt; shab-e-Sheeraz : nights of Sheeraz, a famous city of Iran; soz : pain)

ye dasht-e-junuuN diivaanoN kaa, ye bazm-e-vafaa parvaanoN kii
ye shahr-e-tarab ruumaanoN kaa, ye Khuld-e-bariiN armaanoN kii

(dasht : desert, wilderness; junuuN : frenzy; bazm : gathering; vafaa : faithfulness; shahr-e-tarab : city of mirth; Khuld-e-bariiN : sublime paradise; armaan : hope)

fitrat ne sikhaii hai ham ko, uftaad yahaaN parvaaz yahaaN
gaaye haiN vafaa ke giit yahaaN, chheRaa hai junuuN kaa saaz yahaaN

(fitrat : nature; uftaad : beginning of life; parvaaz : flight; saaz : song on an instrument)

is farsh se hamne uR uR kar aflaak ke taare toRe haiN
nahiid se kii hai sargoshi, parviin se rishte joRe hain

(farsh : base; aflaak : heavens; nahiid : Venus; parviin : Pleiades)

is bazm meN teGheN khenchiiN haiN, is bazm meN saGhar toRe haiN
is bazm meN aanKh bichaa’ii hai, is bazm meN dil tak joRe haiN

(teGh : swords; saGhar : goblet)

is bazm meN neze khenche haiN, is bazm meN Khanjar chuume haiN
is bazm meN gir-gir taRpe haiN, is bazm meN pii kar jhuume haiN

(neze : spears; Khanjar : dagger; bazm : gathering)

aa aa kar hazaaroN baar yahaaN Khud aag bhii hamne lagaayii hai
phir saare jahaaN ne dekhaa hai ye aag hamiin ne bujha’ii hai

yahaaN ham ne kamandeN daalii haiN, yahaaN hamne shab-Khuun maare haiN
yahaaN ham ne qabaayeN nochii haiN, yahaaN hamne taaj utaare haiN

(kamand : a noose; shab-KhuuN : night raids; qabaayeN : flight)
har aah hai Khud taasiir yahaaN, har Khvaab hai Khud taabiir yahaaN
tadbiir ke paa-e-sangiiN per jhuk jaati hai taqdiir yahaaN

(aah : sigh; taasiir : effect; taabiir : interpretation; tadbiir : forethought; paa-e-sangiiN : firm footing; taqdiir : destiny)

zarraat kaa bosaa lene ko, sau baar jhukaa aakaash yahaaN
Khud aankh se ham ne dekhii hai, baatil kii shikast-e-faash yahaaN

(zarraat : dust; bosaa : kiss; baatil : evil; shikast-e-faash: clear defeat)

is gul-kadah paariinaa meN phir aag bhaRakne vaali hai
phir abr garajne vaale haiN, phir barq kaRakne vaali hai

(gul-kadah : garden; pariinaa : ancient; abr : cloud; barq : lightening)
jo abr yahaaN se uThThega, vo saare jahaaN par barsegaa
har juu-e-ravaan par barsegaa, har koh-e-garaaN par barsegaa

(abr : cloud; juu-e-ravaan : flowing streams; koh-e-garaaN : big mountains)

har sard-o-saman par barsegaa, har dasht-o-daman par barsegaa
Khud apne chaman par barsegaa, GhairoN ke chaman par barsegaa

(sard-o-saman : open and shelter; dasht-o-daman : wild and subdued; qasr-e-tarab : citadel of joy)

har shahr-e-tarab par garjegaa, har qasr-e-tarab par kaRkegaa
ye abr hameshaa barsaa hai, ye abr hameshaa barsegaa

(shahr-e-tarab : city of joy; qasr-e-tarab : citadel of joy)

Kia yeh me hoon?

Kia yeh me hoon?
Kia yeh tum ho?
Kia yeh waqt hai?
Kia yeh dil hai?
Mizaaj hai?
Kyoun har seedha rasta,
halkaa hai mere hee gird?
Kia yeh qismat hai?
Kia yeh khush hai?
Kia yeh bad hai?
Kia yeh lekha hai?
Kia nahi ho sakta abaad
Sivaaye tumhaari barbaadi ke?

Is it me?
Is it you?
Is it time?
Is it heart?
Is it mood?
Why each straight path
bends into a circle around me?
Is it kismet?
Is it well?
Is it unwell?
Is it luck?
Is it not possible that I may flourish
unless you decay?