Last week I had commented on a nazm (poem) by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, extolling the beauty of eyes. A friend wrote to inquire if the nazm was in fact, not a love poem but a protest lyric since its latter verses continue along the lines that: … Aur bhi dukh hai zamaane mein muhabbat ke …
Hum Dekhenge … We Shall See
Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911 – 1984) was a Pakistani poet par-excellence. A staunch Marxist, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature and awarded the Lenin Peace Prize. His strong opposition to illiberal political and religious ideologies resulted in frequent jail sentences and forced or self-imposed exile in England and Lebanon. In 1990, Pakistan …
If music be the food of love, play on …
We often chant the “Primordial Sound” – AUM (OM) when meditating. The most ancient scripture of India (possibly, the world), Rigveda states “First the Absolute (Brahma), then follows Waak (Sound) – the vibrating energy – which becomes the universe”. Sound (nada) is believed to be at the heart of the process of creation. In Hinduism, …
Being a Grinch
I am prone to putting my foot in my mouth, not infrequently. This blog likely is no exception. This is the time of year when most people start to (are conditioned to?) “think of those who are less fortunate”, family and friends, including those that might have remained out of mind for a long time …
