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 …
Communal kitchen serving humanity
The Sikh community worldwide recently celebrated the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji, their first Guru. Gurpurab (literally, the Day of the Guru) marks the birthday celebration for each of the Ten Sikh Gurus, with Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab being celebrated with particular fervor and special prayers. Guru Nanak is considered the Founder of …
