The PM Rocks

A link to the speech of India's PM Manmohan Singh in response to the No-Confidence Motion in the Parliament. Wonderfully crafted, witty and pointed, touching and visionary - too bad he did not read out his statement, he submitted this copy to Speaker as the opposition was creating too much noise and disrupted all activities.

The link.

My Latest Favorite Genre...

Dont ask me why....



tuhmare bina koi bhi ab khaaas naa raha
tumhare siva kisi aur ke liye koi ehsaas naa raha

pyaar to bahut mila par kisi ki aaass naa rahi
bhar gaya ho dil jaise aur kisi ki pyaas naa rahi

Humne Dekhe duniya ke fasane kucch aise
dil to dhadkahta raha par saans naa rahi

(Source: Mandy and Pulkit. I can't write this good, but can sure appreciate it)




This is more my style (source: Chahat):

Haqeeqat samjho ya fasana,
Apna samjho ya begana,
Suno dil ka afsana,
Ki garmi bahut hai,
Din mein teen baar nahana....hehehe

How 'bot this one:

Tum aa gaye ho,
Noor aa gaya hai
Chalo teeno movie chalen....

One more:

zamane ne jeene na diya
apno ne rone na diya
thak kar jab neend aayi toh
macharo ne soone na diya....

One final:

Dhoka mila jab pyar main
Zindagi main udasi cha gai,
Socha tha chod denge is zindagi ko par
Aaj mohalle main dusri aa gai…

Sweet!

What a party!

Everybody had fun!

Navdeep's Housewarming/Sonal's Bye Bye Cleveland

Carry on Camping

Here's the pictures from our camping trip. My favorite's the one with Kavita's feet. Pranav needs to tell us why he took that picture - it makes for an interesting story. Click the picture below to get to the album. Enjoy!

Camping at Leonard State Harrison Park, PA - July 4, 2008

Did they really say that?

There are times when we get it wrong. This applies to everyone, and with respect to everyone. Although sometimes, we mean it. I'm sure Churchill did. Here's some examples.

"It is alarming and also nauseating to see Mr. Gandhi, a seditious middle temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir of a type well known in the east, striding half-naked up the steps of the viceregal palace, while he is still organizing and conducting a defiant campaign of civil disobedience, to parley on equal terms with the representative of the king-emperor."

- Winston Churchill, 1930

"I do not consider Hitler to be as bad as he is depicted. He is showing an ability that is amazing and seems to be gaining his victories without much bloodshed."

- Mohandas Gandhi in May 1940,

“Brahmins who mouth and patter principles of Western Liberalism."

- Churchill on Indian Congress leaders

"God forbid that India should ever take to industrialism after the manner of the west... keeping the world in chains. If our nation took to similar economic exploitation, it would strip the world bare like locusts."

- Gandhi on Economy

"If we had the atom bomb, we would have used it against the British."

- Speech (16 June 1947) as the official date for Indian independence approached (15 August 1947) , as quoted in Mahatma Gandhi : The Last Phase (1958) by Pyarelal, p. 326

"India is a geographical term. It is no more a united nation than the equator."

- Churchill, Speech at Royal Albert Hall, London (18 March 1931)

"Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues and freebooters. All Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw."

- Churchill, on the eve of Indian Independence in 1947

Supriya rocks!

Here's the pictures for Supriya! It was good fun that night - we should do it again sometime. Click the pic below and it'll take you to the picasa album. Enjoy!

People in Cleveland

Mera Piya Ghar Aaya...

Another gem from Bulleh Shah is the kafi "Mera piya ghar aaya". And its been sung beautifully by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The qawwali is very enjoyable from musical and poetic point of views. What many people don't know is that Nusrat has sung this song as a mixture of two Bulleh Shah's poems - Aao Saiyo Ral Deyo Ni Vadhai, and Mera Piya Ghar Aaya.

Aao Saiyo Ral Deyo Ni Vadhai

Aao saiyo ral deyo ni vadhaai
Men var paaya raanjha maahi.

Ajj taan roz mubaarak chaddeya
Raanjha saade vedde vaddeya.
Hath khundi, modde kambal dhareya,
Chaakaan vaali shakal banayi.
Aao saiyo ral deyo ni vadhai

Mukat gauwaan de vich rulda
Jangal juuhaan de vich rulda
Hai koi allah de val bhulda,
Asal haqiqat khabar na kai.
Aao saiyo ral deyo ni vadhai

Bulle shah ik sauda keeta
Peeta, zehar piyaala peeta,
Na kujh laha tota leeta.
Dard dukhaan di gathari chaahi
Aao saiyo ral deyo ni vadhai

Ghaddiyaali Deyo Nikaal Ni

Ghaddiyaali deyo nikaal ni, ajj piya ghar aaya laal ni.

Ghaddi ghaddi ghaddiyaal bajaave, raen vasal di piya ghataave.
Mere man di baat je paave, hathon ja suttey ghaddiyaal ni.

Anhad vaaja vaje suhaana, mutarib sughadda taan taraana.
Namaaz roza bhull gaya dogaana, madh piyaala dain kalaal ni.

Mukh vekhan da ajab nazaara, dukh diley da uth gaya saara.
Raen vadhe kuj karo pasaara, din agge dharo divaal ni.

Mennu apni khabar na kai, kya jaana men kit viahi
Eh gal kyon kar chapey chapaai, hun hoya fazal kamaal ni.

Tooney kaaman kare batherey, sihare aaye vadh vadherey,
Hun ghar aaya jaani mere, rahaan lakh varey edhey naal ni.

Bulla shah di sej piyaari, ni men taaran haarey taari,
Kiven kiven hun aayi vaari, hun vichadan hoya nuhaal ni.


What Nusrat sings in his qawwali is as below with English translation:

Aoo Ni Sayyo Ral Deyo Ni Wadhai Men War Paaya Sona Maahi Gharyaal Deyo Nikalni, Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Piya Ghar Aaya, Sanu Allah Milaya Hun Hoya Fazl Kamaalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Aaaa... (Sufi Chanting) Hun Hoya Fazl Kamaalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Ajj Taan Roz Mubaarak Chaddeya Mahi Mere Vedde Vaddeya Aaaa... (Sufi Chanting) Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Shakar Wanda Piya Nu Manawa Mera Piya Verhe Varheya Ni Aaa... (Sufi Chanting) Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Ghari Ghari Ghariyal Bajaave, Raen Wasl Di Piya Ghataawe Mere Munn Di Baat Na Paave, Hathon Ja Sutto Ghariyal Ni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Laalni, Mera Piya Ghar Laalni Hoo Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Laalni, Mera Piya Ghar Laalni Hoo Anhad Vaaja Vaje Suhaana, Mutarib Sughara Taan Taraana Bhull Gaya Ay Namaaz Dogaana, Madh Piyaala Dain Kalaal Ni Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Bulla Shah Di Sej Piyaari, Ni Men Taaran Haarey Taari Allah Milaya Hun Aayi Vaari, Hun Vicharan Hoya Nuhaal Ni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya, Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya Oo Laalni Mera Piya Ghar Aaya	Come, dear friends and, felicitate me on my good fortune! I have found my consort in my beloved! Turn away the watchman! My beloved has come home! God has made this union possible. O what a beautiful miracle! It's a magical moment, Complete grace is upon me, My beloved has come home! This day has arrived, this auspicious day, When my beloved is at my doorstep. Turn away the watchman! My beloved has come home! I shall distribute sweets, Make my beloved happy, My beloved is a my doorstep, My beloved has come home! Again and again the timekeeper strikes the gong, And cuts he short the night of union. If he were to find my heart's desire, He would throw away the gong, O friends! Turn away the watchman, O friends! The un-struck melody resounds sweetly. The Musician is accomplished, the tune enchanting, Prayers and fasting are all forgotten, When the Distiller offers the cup, O friends! Turn away the watchman, O friends! Bulleh Shah’s nuptial bed of the Spouse is dear. O friends, the Savior has redeemed me! With what an anguish my turn has come! Now it is hard ever to leave Him. Turn away the watchman, O friends! Today my precious, my Beloved has come home.