“For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, 'It might have been'.”

At times being busy is good as you don’t get to hear or read any news but then how far can you escape from truth.
Yesterday was busy but today when I checked news, I read Ahmad Faraz died on August 25th, 2008. It is shocking news though I know his health was not so good. But it was one of the best ways to see that we still have great Urdu writing poets, who are compared with Mohammad Iqbal and Faiz like great poets.

“Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary”. ~Kahlil Gibran

I am like a hungry person running around to read about him and his news, probably to make sure that the news is not just a rumor as I remember this was a rumor one time.

I feel the emptiness though I have never met the poet personally but Ahmad Faraz being one of my favorite poets, I always kept him near my heart just like Javed sahib and Gulzar.

He was born in Nowshera, Pakistan and brother of Syed Masood Kausar. In an interview with Rediff he recalls how his father, a teacher, once bought clothes for him on Eid. He didn't like the clothes meant for him, but preferred the ones meant for his elder brother. This lead him to write his first couplet:

Layen hain sab ke liye kapre sale se (He brought clothes for everybody from the sale)
Layen hain hamare liye kambal jail se (For me he brought a blanket from jail)

He was told by his parents once to learn mathematics from a female class fellow during the summer vacation. "I was weak in mathematics and geography. I still don't remember maps and roads".
Instead of learning mathematics he played bait-bazi with her, a game in which one person recites a couplet and the other one recites another couplet starting from the last letter of the previous one. He always lost, even though he memorized hundreds of couplets for her, but when he started manufacturing his own couplets she couldn't catch him anymore. Coming from a respectable family of Syeds, descendents of ''Haji Bahadar" a famous saint of Kohat, he moved to Peshawar with entire family. Studied in famous Edwards College, Peshawar and then did his Masters in Urdu and Persian. Initially Syed Ahmad Shah Faraz thus became Ahmed Faraz.
During his college time, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Ali Sardar Jafri were the best progressive poets, who impressed him and became his role models. Ahmed Faraz initially worked as a script writer at Radio Pakistan Peshawar and then moved on to teach Urdu at Peshawar University. In 1976, he became the founding Director General (Later Chairman) of Pakistan Academy of Letters.

“Inna Lillahay Wa Inna IlyehaY Ra'jeoon “ (May his soul rest in peace)

On this day I would like to share one of his poetry translated in English and I pay my condolences to his family and his fans.

Khvaab Marte Nahin (Dreams Do Not Die)

Dreams do not die.

Dreams are not hearts, nor eyes or breath

Which shattered, will scatter (or)

Die with the death of the body.
Dreams do not die.

Dreams are light, life, wind,

Which can not be stopped by mountains black,

Which do not burn in the hells of cruelty,

Like light and life and wind, they

Do not bow down even in graveyards.
Dreams are letters,

Dreams are illumination,

Dreams are Socrates,
Dreams are Mansur!'

Like dreams the poetry never dies….this is what I believe. His thoughts will linger in our hearts forever

“Poetry heals the wounds inflicted by reason”. ~Novalis

Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value

Lately, with the posts like independence and friendship how can I forget Music as music is the life …the food…to survive :)

I happened to watch one of the episode of the India program called ‘Koffee with Karan’ in which they had Himesh Reshamiya as guest.

“All television is educational television. The question is: what is it teaching?” ~Nicholas Johnson

It was interesting, as I myself like some of his songs but he is been labeled as a nasal singer. More over he initially came up as a composer, music director and then he took to singing and now acting too.

I remember Sonu Nigam – another great singer who acted in movie but the movie got flop. So he is a successful singer though not an actor.

“The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success”. ~ Bruce Feirstein

When Himesh’s movie promo was going on I thought is he gone crazy!
Believe me I like his some of the songs and let me tell you its awesome and liked by most of them due to the peppiness and it’s different ;)

I remember once, I brought the DVD of his movie and I don’t know I didn’t even reach the half and got to some other work and then forgot to watch and returned the dvd to the store :D

I had the feeling that he is arrogant, full of pride and doesn’t respect anyone. When I saw the ‘Koffeee with Karan’ program he was totally a different person!
He is like I agree what ever people say about me that I am a nasal singer and initially I was trying to defend myself lol!

“Modesty is not only an ornament, but also a guard to virtue” ~ Joseph Addison

I was totally zapped at his statement, but don’t know something has happened that he is trying to show he is down to earth person! But in that show also with my analytical skills ;) I felt that he was accepting the critic that he is a nasal singer but then he said I am accepting this because I am successful today – which clearly meant that he is kind of telling people that yes, I am a nasal singer so what you people like it anyway …lol!

Well, couple of things I liked about him during the interview session where he said- he has no talent and its mere luck and prayers that has made him so successful and secondly that what goes up has to come down (gravity I guess ;) ) so he knows there will be a down fall time too and so seems he has prepared himself for that.

“The depth of your mythology is the extent of your effectiveness”. ~ John C. Maxwell

Of all these, I was amazed to see his co-competitors or should I say other composers and music directors who were asked to comment on Himesh’s success and talent.

I am discussing about Himesh but then I will not loose the opportunity to discuss about others too here :) as you don’t always get one ;)

There were singers and music directors who commented and I have to say I was very happy and glad to hear from these two people who were readily accepting that Himesh has done what they never thought of, such as

Anu Mallik – I think he is a senior and established music director/singer and yet he accepted that Himesh is great in his creativity and he has done something which they have not thought of doing and so the result is that he just came and is climbing the stairs of success.

“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something”. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

Similarly, Shaan – the playback singer who said people say its by fluke Himesh’s songs got hit but then how many fluke’s does it happen?
He also accepted that, his kids also always sing the songs that Himesh sing and I think that’s a very honest statement to share with audience and yet honest compliment that Himesh can get one.

I have high respect for these two people even though they are best in their field they are down to earth and ready to accept the truth and I think any artist who is a true artist will be like one of them.

“A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her”. ~ David Brinkley

Now comes the critic part of the other comments that were made.

Kailash Kher : He is a good singer and I like his sufi songs which you can find in my radio-blog too. But the way he was criticizing Himesh saying his songs get hit because he is hammering the lyrics many times :D….so it gets in to people’s mind haha I was laughing at that one….are people so stupid?
Another comment he made was like a certain group or community enjoys Himesh’s songs not the upper class…wow! What a statement to make? In fact in the survey that ‘Koffeee with Karan’ did had all class and all mediums who were mentioning how much they love his songs whether its in the car, pubs or even marriages…in fact Madhuri Dixit said Himesh’s song is family song of there’s :D isn’t that a big compliment and says about the class? :D

Aadesh Srivastav: He is a music director and he was saying yes Himesh is successful in what ever he is doing but its all commercial and I would judge him based on his classical music…! C’mon you can’t accept that you are not there where he reached in a short matter of time?

Udit Narayan : He is a playback singer and was very much smiling when saying that he is happy with Himesh’s success. He didn’t say any negative thing but the way he was saying –more or less it seemed like a sarcastic comment.

Over all I want to say is that an artist can be liked by few, more or everyone but then no matter what If the artist is successful then one shouldn’t deny about their success and accept the fact that there is a difference in creativity thinking.

“The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves”. ~William Penn

The moment you start giving reasons why another person is successful or let him do this or that and then see if he achieves success then I think that’s more or less a jealous that is talking and jealousy never takes you anywhere.

Music is something I always felt is soothing and the people attached to it are too but when I see all this I feel everything is ultimately business and money :)

“What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” ~ Oscar Wilde

“I'd rather have a moment of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.”

It was one of the winters when I was flying from Toronto to New Jersey to meet my friend Shika.
It was a long weekend and I had nothing much to do so his timely invitation worked out for me.

I landed on Friday evening and that's when Shika told me that we have to attend a wedding party.
I was totally zapped...a wedding party? who's party? Do I know them? etc..etc..!

Let me tell you about Shika, this guy was and is never serious in life. I guess he was never serious when he proposed me and hence today we are friends’ still but not a couple ...lol! As usual his reaction was so what they all know you.

First I was a bit hesitant as me and Shika we are kind of dare devil in this matter but what about those whom I don't know yet? But then I also thought who cares...am Shika's guest and he is taking me so I was chilling out. I made sure Shika is carrying the gift.
We reached home had coffee and lots of goodies from India as Shika just made a trip to India and so he brought all sorts of unique sweets and snacks from Pune.

Dinner was not a issue as we got dressed up to go for the wedding party. They were Couple met via internet and now they got married - girl is from Kerala and the guy is from Chennai.
The moment I was introduced there after other formalities - the groom asked me where I completed my education and based on the University this guy just got freaked out and said now no one messes up with Dawn as she is from my University and then it was a history that I didn’t know these people.

“Nothing is more exciting and bonding in relationships than creating together” ~ Stephen R. Covey

In that event I met lot of new people - all jokers just like me - meaning carefree and having fun jokes and what not! I met this well built guy Puneet - a handsome charmer - girl’s go crazy for him this is what I heard from him. I don’t know when I was introduced to him and rest is history.
We became so good friends that night when we were leaving he was like - I am throwing a party for Dawn before she leaves to Toronto and he took me and Shika to Ethiopian restaurant - I still remember I loved the food.

That day I got a compliment from Puneet saying - I like your company because with you
there is no formality, one can talk openly and be friend without the thought one is guy and other is a gal.

“It is superstitious to put one's hopes in formalities, but arrogant to refuse to submit to them.” ~ Blaise Pascal

After that, I didn’t get a chance to meet Puneet but we are in touch via emails or a surprise phone call.

Lately, I got busy at work and with my moving etc...I have to admit some of my do's I have been not doing it :) and this friend of mine called me just to remind that :)

“Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.”

It was hilarious talking to him and we joked a lot and as usual I pulled his leg and finally he ends up the call by saying - 'I like your company because with you there is no formality :)

He is very sweet - when he didn’t get any greetings for Independence day from me he got worried about me :D
I still feel laughing about this event....but yes, friends do love no matter where you are, whether you are in touch with them on regular basis or not - but they do care which is most important of all

Three cheers to my friend Puneet

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked” ~ Bernard Meltzer

“True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what's right.”

It’s Independence Day in India and Pakistan and I am sure people are celebrating the moment.
My friend from India was asking me what’s the plan and I was telling him that nothing much as it’s a working day for us.

I just put the question to him and since he is in defense he said he will be having parade, then flag hosting, lunch with other officers and lots of fun!

“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” ~ Buddha

I was thinking and I am letting you too ~ are we really Independent?
What does Independence to a country mean for the people of that country?

Think it’s a thought to ponder and do let me know….

Happy Weekend to all

“When we are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are not always happy.” ~ Oscar Wilde

“Don't buy the house, buy the neighborhood.”

Yesterday was potluck in the neighborhood and it was a nice way for us to get introduced to everyone in the neighborhood.
What was strange was this was not on any weekend but was on a week day! How stress less people live here and party and have a gala time on any day. Reminded me like a holiday!

Anyway, we reached the venue which was right in front of our house and everyone had to put a batch with their name and it was a way to get introduced to everyone. We had taken some chicken marinated for BBQ.
Everyone welcomed us to the neighborhood and congratulated for the new home.

It was quite interesting to see how you have one person who is all enthusiastic in organizing things and making sure as one family everyone is taken care. I loved the concept, something we miss in the down area.
Drinks and food were placed and one could help themselves and eat and talk. That’s the time I met people who have been living there for 40 and 30 years and they all love it even now!

“Come out of the circle of time

And into the circle of love.” ~ Rumi

What I found is people closer to earth were actually down to earth :)
I came to know lot of history about the people out there. There were people from the City officials who came there to meet everyone and introduce how a community can help the city and the cops from doing wrong things.
The jokes that was going on was something I could relate how people in the villages does when they see any government officials come and certain jokes they crack with them.

A total new experience yet a loving one, where I could see people helpful, caring and taking responsibility for their neighbors. It’s a small community which turned to be a joint family.

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” ~ Ryunosuke Satoro

I had a good evening with lots of food and drinks ;)
Welcome to the neighborhood!