A Pakistani's Anthem of Hope!

A hope of a new dawn, a dawn much awaited after a long dark night. A night that has been full of of tyranny, terrorism, bloodshed and hopelessness;


Umeed-e-Sahar

Jigar dareeda hoon, chaak-e-jigar ki baat suno
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno

Alam raseeda hoon, daman-e-tar ki baat suno
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno

Zubaan bureeda hoon, zakhm-e-guloo sey harf karo
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno

Shikasta pa hoon, malaal-e-safar ki baat suno
Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno

Musafir-e-rah-e-sehra-e-zulmat-e-shab se
Ab iltafat-e-nigar-e-sahar ki baat suno

Umeed-e-sahar ki baat suno


-Faiz Ahmad Faiz


Hope of the dawn


I'm torn inside; hark what my tormented entrails tell
Hark to the hope of the dawn

I'm swept by sorrows; hark to what my tears have to tell
Hark to the hope of the dawn

My tongue is tortured; hark to my wounded throat
Hark to the hope of the dawn

My feet are lacerated ; hark to the travails of my travels
Hark to the hopes of the dawn

From a traveler through the desert of the dark dark night
come! and listen to the tidings of bright & beautiful morn

Hark to the hope of the dawn



(The poem has been sung by a Pakistan pop band, LAAL, and video can be seen on this link; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjaNQFChkCY )

You might be a Taliban if...

 

 

1. You refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to beer.

2. You own a $3,000 machine gun and $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can't afford shoes.

3. You have more wives than teeth.

4. You wipe your butt with your bare left hand, but consider bacon "unclean."

5. You think vests come in two styles: bullet-proof and suicide.

6. You can't think of anyone you haven't declared Jihad against.

7. You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry explosives in your clothing.

8. You were amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other than setting off roadside bombs.

9. You've ever uttered the phrase, "I love what you've done with your cave."

10. You have nothing against women and think every man should own at least one.

11. You bathe at least monthly whether necessary or not.

12. You've always had a crush on your neighbour's goat.

Changing The Indian Roadscape The Nano Way

Much has been discussed over Nano's launch this week. Most of it has been appreciative of the way the Tata group has achieved its goal of gifting India and the world a cheap, very cheap and cost effective car. It really gives goosebumps thinking of how many people will benefit from this. Will pictures such as this soon become history on Indian roads?



Yes, that possibility is very much there. And there is also this negative feel about how Nano will result in the Indian pollution getting superlative from the very bad situation that it is in presently. And I am not ruling that possibility out too; well aware of the fact that Nano is less polluting than most motorcycles on roads today. That's because of the society giving in to the Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Today, Ramu, a mechanic has a cycle while his master,Sunil comes in a Moped. Now, with Nano in, if Sunil decides to graduate to a Nano, then Ramu is definitely going to feel it necessary to graduate to a motorcycle. That is how the society is going to graduate forward with the motorcyclists of today moving towards a car and cyclists moving to a motorcycle. So, pollution is definitely an issue at hand.

But what is more enchanting and where I hope I am right is the way Nano is going to change the Indian roadscape. Why do Indians feel so nice about the roads abroad and not about those here? Why aren't the road rules not followed here as much as they are in the West? The answer lies in the lack of vehicular homogeneity.

Lanes are made for four wheelers and heavy vehicles. You cannot expect lane rules to be followed in a country where there are people with bullock carts as well as Mercs. Yes, it is possible to manage them if India is going to go the Chinese way and simply bar its citizens from traveling in certain modes of transport, but that is not going to solve the case, and has not been solved here in India.

With Nano, I truly hope we acheieve the vehicular homogeniety. If we indeed achieve a considerable number of cars, and the number of two wheelers reduce as compared to today, it is indeed an easier job to manage the traffic. Yes, you no longer can zig zag your way through a jam in order to be the first to jump the line when the light goes green. But it certainly improves the way the road rules have been followed.

Road rules have always been on paper. With Nano, we get a rare chance to put that into action. Nano is truly going to be a trendsetter and here is a moment to say that I am indeed proud to be a Tata Product!

Prince of Wounds..!

 

Accept certain inalienable truths:

Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You too, will get old.

And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young,
prices were reasonable, politicians were noble,
and children respected their elders.

-Baz Luhrman
(The Sunscreen Song)

 

I cannot agree more with him. But sometimes politicians surprise you by disgusting you more than you thought they could. I can call myself as someone who finds politics interesting and follows it closely. With election fever at it’s peak, I was expecting some fireworks. But what I saw completely disgusted me.

           I have never been a great admirer of the Nehru- Gandhi parivaar but Varun Gandhi’s antics nauseated me, to say the least. His speech about Hindus being killed was distasteful and very unworthy for a person carrying this name. More because he was contesting from a ‘safe’ constituency  which he would have won anyway giver the fact that his mother, Maneka Gandhi had the seat since last 20 years.

                I do understand that politics is dirty and is abhorred by most Indians and by playing communal politics, they don’t exactly endear themselves to us. Still, Varun Gandhi, only 29, graduated from the London School of Economics and a poet and a gifted mimic held more promise than what he turned out to be. He shares him mother’s passion for animal rights and has 22 strays or abandoned dogs living with them.

    It is very sad to see someone like him who had great potential and great promise being tainted with the same brush as the abhorred species. He was caught on tape making speeches about protecting Hindus from imaginary threats and that too, in Pilibhit which is yet to see communal disharmony of any sorts. I do understand that as a  budding politician he wanted to make a good start, but apparently has landed on the wrong foot.

And very recently I made an observation about our democracy, in India, people come into ‘power’ and to ‘rule’ us and never to ‘serve’ us..!

Article From The Dawn

 

Daddy?
Yes, son.
Are we going to have a war with India?
Perhaps.
Oh, goody. We will thrash them, right? Like we did in 1857!
It wasn't in 1857, son.
Oh, okay. But whom did we thrash in 1857?
The British, son…
And the Hindus too, right?
Well, not quite - we were on the same side then.

Did Qaid-I-Azam fight in that war along with Muhammad bin Qasim and Imran Khan?
No, son. The Qaid and Imran were born much later and Muhammad Bin Qasim died many years before.
Then who ruled Pakistan in those days?
There was no Pakistan in those days, son.
But there was always a Pakistan! It has been there for 5,000 years!
Who have you been talking to, son?
No one. I've just been watching TV.
It figures.
Daddy, why are all these people against us Arabs?
Arabs? But we aren't Arabs, son.
Of course we are because our ancestors were Arabs!
No, son. Our ancestors were of the Sub continental stock.
Sub-what?
Never mind. You seem to like wars, son.
Yes. I like to watch them on TV.
But real wars are fought outside the TV, son.
Really? What sort of a war is that? Never mind. Daddy, you look worried.
Of course I am, you little warmongering punk!
Daddy! Why are you scolding me?
Because TV is talking rot and so are you!
Daddy, are you supporting Hindus?
No!
Daddy, have you become a kafir?
Keep quiet! No more TV for you! Go watch a movie on DVD or listen to a CD.
Can't do that.
But we have so many DVDs and CDs, son.
Not any more.
What do you mean?
I burned them all.
What?!
I burned them all.
I heard that! But why?
They are all Bollywood trash and spread obscenity.
Oh, God. Son, go do your homework. What happened to that science project you were working on?
It's almost complete.
Good boy. What are you making?
A bomb.
What?!
A bomb.
I heard that! But why?
Because I am a true Muslim who hates America.
But only last week you wanted to go to Disney Land.
That's different.
How come?
Mickey Mouse is Muslim.
No, he isn't.
Is so. He converted when he heard azaan on the moon.
On the moon?
Yes.......Daddy, do you want to see my science project, or not?
Gosh, that bomb? But your science teacher won't like it.
No, she wont.
Really?
Yes. I plan to blow her up as well.
God, what is wrong with you? Go call your mother!
She can't come.
Why not?
I've locked her in the kitchen.
But why?
I will not let her out until she covers herself up properly!
But she's your mother!
She's also a woman!
So?
So she should be hidden.
Hidden from whom?
The whole world and Tony.
Tony?
Yes, Tony.
But Tony's a dog.
Yes. But he's male.
Son, have you gone mad?
No. By the way, I've made sure Kitto starts covering up as well.
Kitto?
Yes, Kittto.
But Kitto's a cat!
Yes. But a female cat.
But she'll suffocate.
Oh, she's already dead.
What?
I said she's already dead.
I heard that! But how?
I buried her alive.
You what?
Yes. To avenge Tony's honour. But now I will behead Tony.
But why?
To save mom's honour!
Oh, God!
Don't say God. Always say Allah.
What's the difference?
Daddy, do you want to be beheaded too?
No!
Do you want to be stoned to death?
No!
Do you want to be flogged?
No!
Do you want to get your arms chopped off?
No!
Then stop asking silly questions. By the way, I won't call you daddy anymore.
What will you call me then?
Whatever that is Arabic for daddy.
I don't know any Arabic, son.
That's because you are a kafir.
Who the heck are you to tell me who I am, you little fascist twit!
What's a fascist?
An irrational, violent, self-righteous mad man!
W... aaaaaaa...
Why are you crying?
You scolded me you kafir.
Okay, I'm sorry. You have to be tolerant and rational, son. Now be a good boy and go read a book instead of watching TV.
I have no books.
Of course, you do. I bought you so many books.
I burned them.
But why?
They were all in English.
So?
It's a non-Muslim language!
But we are speaking English, aren't we?
W... aaaaaaa…
What now?
Zionists made me forget my Arabic.
But you never knew any Arabic, son.
Yes, I did until you and mommy gave me the polio drops
Okay, tell me, can you do me a favour?
Sure, dad.
Can you blow up something for me?
Oh, goody! Of course, dad. What should I blow? A hospital, a hotel, a barber shop...?
No, no, something a lot more sinister.
Mom? Tony?

No, no…
What then?
The TV set!
Blow the TV set? But why - I don't want to do it, mom won't like it too.
Just do it!
Uh... Dad?
Yes.
How come you're so undemocratic, we outvoted you 2 to 1!!

The Image Obsession, That India Is

India is talking only two things these days - The Mumbai terror aftermath (like whether Zardari speaks for Govt. of Pakistan or for Talibanistan or both) and the Satyam fiasco. But the Hyderabadis are focusing on just one thing these days - Satyam and just Satyam.

The pride of Hyderabad (forget India's for a moment) has truly been hurt. This was one of the locally grown wonder that had Americans run scared for their jobs and for more than a decade, this company and all those who followed had been India's pride and the envy of the West.

Fine, I am not going to analyze the fraud once more. It has been analyzed, counter-analyzed a thousand times and there is nothing much a 'not so smart' guy can add to the already written rot. But what has been written but not analyzed much is the constant rant about 'India Inc's image' being badly hurt by this. There is no counter to this. Everyone seems to be agreeing to it.

Well, I am not. I mean, yes, this is indeed India's biggest corporate scam ever. One of the top 5 ITES has actually scammed their investors! That's indeed bad news and is definitely not going to go well with future investors. But why should the India Inc. image be affected? To be precise, my question is especially because the Satyam debacle is proclaimed to be India's Enron.

Did you(I mean the corporates in your country, yaar) stop trading with US after Enron? Yes, Enron did affect the American economy to a great extent and investors were duped (just like the Satyam investors were this time around). But nobody talked about the American Inc image being affected.

Why is that? Because we are seen 'third world'? After more than a decade of dominating the world IT services sector, should India still care about its image being affected by one incident (no matter how grave like this?)Satyam was a scam - Does this automatically mean TCS, Infosys were all scammers? Technically, any investor, no matter which nation he is from would respond negatively to this. So that is case by case. So why are we crying about India Inc's image being affected!

I would have finished my post here if not for a reiteration of 'the India image' earlier in the day. Part of my job is to make partnerships with product manufacturers in the US for marketing on my company website. There is an automated procedure to do it. My application to a few manufacturers was automatically declined though my website would be a huge strategic fit for them. The reason I heard later was 'Many manufacturers do not accept applications from India and a few other countries which they perceive as Scammer-laden'.

Hmmm. This stereotyping and all...

Photo Courtesy

A must watch for everyone!!!

              I spent the entire Sunday afternoon lazily watching re-runs.I managed to squeeze in Memento as well. You can call it the Ghajini effect. The English version was a million times better. Somehow, we lack the subtlety to make/ re-make a movie like Memento.I saw Mumbai Meri Jaan for the fifth time that day. This movie is a very intelligent take on the 2006 Mumbai train blasts. The movie is based on the aftermath of the ghastly attacks. It traces it’s path through five common men.

I loved the characters in the movie. Tukaram Patil (Paresh Rawal) is a policeman who is due for retirement in a week and has done little in the 35 years of his career. He colleague, Sunil Kadam (Vijay Maurya), is disgruntled with the system and is frustrated at his helplessness and ineffectiveness in bringing about a change.

Kadam’s leave is cancelled because of the blasts. Maurya is paired with Tukaram Patil for the routine patrol following the blasts. They come across a bar that is operating beyond the scheduled time. Kadam marches into the bar and orders the patrons to leave.

“Aaj Shehar main bomb phootey hain aur tumlog ko beer peeneka hain? Chal nikal!” Bombs have exploded throughout the city and you guys want to drink beer?

Tukaram Patil calmly walks into the bar and demands a  bribe from the bar owner. He asks the owner to give the money to Kadam. Kadam storms out of the bar.

“Patil Saheb mujhe ek baat batao, yeh shehar main Bomb blast hota hai..mera chutti cancel hota hai.. lekin sahab ko raatko beer bar chalu rehta hai, voh chalta hai?”  Sir, they (his superiors) cancelled my honeymoon plans because of the bomb blasts yet allow the beer bars to operate beyond the time limit, is this fair?

Paresh Rawal answers, “Abhi Bomb Blasts ke baad tum yeh beer bar bhi band karega, toh Mumbai main ‘Spirit’ kidhar se aayega?” After the bomb blasts,if you close down the bars as well, where will Mumbai get it’s ‘Spirit’ from? (Pun intended)

                 It was one of the most memorable scenes in the movie. Apart from Soha Ali Khan, the movie has some really terrific performances by Kay Kay Menon, R. Madhavan , Paresh Rawal and the best perhaps, Irfan Khan.

Irfan Khan plays a tea vendor in the movie. Personally, he is unaffected by the blasts but the feeling of being left out by the city’s elite, he find a way of retribution by making hoax calls to the Police. His Tamil-accented Hindi is a revelation and though he does not have many dialogues, he is the most expressive in the movie.

                 I frequent malls a lot. We shop, dine at malls. Until this movie, I never gave thought to how left out an ill-educated, tea vendor would feel in a mall. Irfan Khan did that with a few incoherent mumbles.

In the end, Paresh Rawal says, “Mumbai ke mills gaye, hartal bhi khatam ho gaye. Aur ab toh, Mill ki zameen par ek bahut badha, alishaan mall khada hai. Par kabhi kisi garib, bechare aadmi ko uss mall main dekhta hoon na, toh lagta hai ki uske mann main toh yeh hartal abhi tak chaalu hai.” With the mills, the workers’ agitation also died. And today, there is a luxurious mall in it’s place. But whenever I see a poor man in a mall, I realise that he still agitates, silently.

 The movie depicts the human side of the cops and it ends up endearing a much maligned lot. As the proverbial stone thrown upon an anthill, the film depicts the aftermath of the incident, traversing individual journeys of five worker ants, amongst the millions that belong to the colony, towards normalcy.