Dec 21, 2017

रे कबीरा-अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य

कैसी तेरी खुदगर्ज़ी
ना धुप चुने ना छांव
कैसी तेरी खुदगर्ज़ी
किसी ठोर टीके ना पाऊँ
बन लिया अपना पैगम्बर
तार लिया तू सात समंदर
फिर भी सुखा मन के अंदर
क्यूँ रह गया
रे कबीरा मान जा
रे फ़कीर मान जा
आजा तुझको पुकारे तेरी परछाइयाँ
रे कबीरा मान जा
रे फ़कीर मान जा
कैसा तू है निर्मोही कैसा हरजैया
टूटी चारपाई वोही ठंडी पुरवाई
रास्ता देखे
ढूंढो की मलाई वोही मिट्टी की सुराही रास्ता देखे
कैसी तेरी खुदगर्ज़ी लाब नमक राम ना मिसरी
कैसी तेरी खुदगर्ज़ी तुझे प्रीत पुराणी बिसरी
मस्त मौला, मस्त कलंदर
तू हवा का एक बवंडर
बुझ के यूँ अन्दर ही अन्दर क्यूँ रह गया…
रे कबीरा मान जा रे फ़कीर मान जा
आजा तुझको पुकारे तेरी परछाइयाँ
रे कबीरा मान जा रे फ़कीर मान जा
कैसा तू है निर्मोही कैसा हरजैया

Dec 19, 2017

Life is what you make of it

Just finished reading "Life is what you make of it" by Preeti Shenoy. I must admit that it was worth a read. This book will actually give you feeling to value emotions of yours as well as of others. Some touchy lines of this books are:

  1. Sometimes decisions that are taken in the nick of a moment are the ones that have the power to affect a whole train of events that follow. But at the moment of taking those decisions, not much thought goes into them. They are taken in the normal manner and in retrospect, cause a great deal of contrition or remorse.
  2. They say destiny changes in moments sometimes.
  3. You don't need an occasion to make others feel good. 
  4. Life is a celebration.
  5. The world is indeed a better place when there is love, friendship, acceptance, and hope.Powered by these, you can indeed overcome anything, including destiny.

Dec 4, 2017

Accidental Apprentice

  1. Every time I meet a new person I feel like there is a new book that has to be read, a new story that has to listen.
  2. The true worth of a job is revealed by the amount of time it takes you to quit it.
  3. I have learned more from life than books, and it has taught me that you need just three things to be truly happy in this world: a person that you love, a job that you like, and a dream that you live for.
  4. There are skeletons in everyone’s cupboard.
  5. Hardship must be borne.
  6. Sometimes it takes a trial by fire to overcome our greatest fears, to find out what we are truly made of.

Nov 20, 2017

Dongri to dubai

1) There is a saying about bad pennies, women, and lost socks. They always turn up again.
2) The quiet kills some people because they can't make peace with their thoughts. 

Tuesdays with Morrie

Just finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. I get to know about this book via quora and instantly started reading. Its simply awesome and life changing book. It is in the league of Alchemist. A true must it is. Some important lines from this book are:

  1. Death is a great equalizer, the one thing that can finally make strangers shed tears for each others.
  2. Isn't it strange that when you are suffering, you feel closer to people who suffer then you ever did before.
  3. “People are only mean when they’re threatened,” “and that’s what our culture does. That’s what our economy does. Even people who have jobs in our economy are threatened, because they worry about losing them. And when you get threatened, you start looking out only for yourself. You start making money a god. It is all part of this culture.”
  4. "Be compassionate,”“And take responsibility for each other. If we only learned those lessons, this world would be so much better a place.”
  5. You need to make peace with yourself and everyone around you.
  6. Death ends a life, not a relationship.
  7. It hurts when you can’t be with someone you love. But you need to be at peace with his desires. Maybe he doesn’t want you interrupting your life. Maybe he can’t deal with that burden. I tell everyone I know to carry on with the life they know—don’t ruin it because I am dying.
  8. Sometimes, when you’re losing someone, you hang on to whatever tradition you can.
  9. We should be more open, to ignore the lure of advertised values, to pay attention when your loved ones are speaking, as if it were the last time you might hear them.
  10. Do the kinds of things that come from the heart. When you do, you won’t be dissatisfied, you won’t be envious, and you won’t be longing for somebody else’s things. On the contrary, you’ll be overwhelmed with what comes back.”
  11. There’s a big confusion in this country over what we want versus what we need.
  12. There are a few rules I know to be true about love and marriage: If you don’t respect the other person, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don’t know how to compromise, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you can’t talk openly about what goes on between you, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. And if you don’t have a common set of values in life, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. Your values must be alike. And the biggest one of those values,“Your belief in the importance of your marriage.”
  13. Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.
  14. Money is not a substitute for tenderness, and power is not a substitute for tenderness. I can tell you, as I’m sitting here dying, when you most need it, neither money nor power will give you the feeling you’re looking for, no matter how much of them you have.”
  15. These were people so hungry for love that they were accepting substitutes. They were embracing material things and expecting a sort of hug back. But it never works. You can’t substitute material things for love or for gentleness or for tenderness or for a sense of comradeship.
  16. All younger people should know something. If you’re always battling against getting older, you’re always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.
  17. Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.
  18. Everyone knows they’re going to die,but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently.”
  19. Everyone knows someone who has died.
  20. There is no experience like having children.’ That’s all. There is no substitute for it. You cannot do it with a friend. You cannot do it with a lover. If you want the experience of having complete responsibility for another human being, and to learn how to love and bond in the deepest way, then you should have children.”
  21. Don’t cling to things, because everything is impermanent.”detachment doesn’t mean you don’t let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. That’s how you are able to leave it.” I’m lost.
  22. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you’d always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It’s growth. It’s more than the negative that you’re going to die, it’s also the positive that you understand you’re going to die, and that you live a better life because of it.” 

Nov 6, 2017

गुफ्तगू (११)

सुना है जब से उजाले मेरी तलाश में हैँ
चिराग फूँकने वाले मेरी तलाश में हैँ
नसीब ये कि अंधेरों में ज़िन्दगी गुजरी
कमाल ये कि उजाले मेरी तलाश में हैँ
तुम्हारी जुल्फ की खुशबू है मेरे शानों पर
तमाम गेसुओं वाले मेरी तलाश में हैँ
मेरी वफा ने मुझे क्या से क्या बना डाला
तुझे तलाशने वाले मेरी तलाश में हैँ
इलाही खैर मेरी तिशनगी कहां पहुँची
हसीन होंटों के प्याले मेरी तालाश में हैँ
सुना है जब से वजारत में आने वाला हूँ
ज़मीर बेचने वाले मेरी तलाश में हैँ
अमीरे शहर की दावत से कोई आर नहीं
कि मुफलिसी के निवाले मेरी तालश में हैँ
मैं रौशनी में नहा कर जो गार से निकला
सियाह रात के पाले मेरी तलाश में हैँ
मुझे ना रोको मैं सेहरा में जाऊँगा "कौसर"
किसी के पांव के छाले मेरी तलाश में हैँ |

हुसना - पियूष मिश्रा

लाहौर के उस
पहले जिले के दो परगना में पहुंचे
रेशम गली के
दूजे कूचे के
चौथे मकां में पहुंचे
और कहते हैं जिसको
दूजा मुल्क उस
पाकिस्तां में पहुंचे
लिखता हूँ ख़त में
हिन्दोस्तां से
पहलू-ए हुसना पहुंचे
ओ हुसना
मैं तो हूँ बैठा
ओ हुसना मेरी
यादों पुरानी में खोया
पल-पल को गिनता
पल-पल को चुनता
बीती कहानी में खोया
पत्ते जब झड़ते
हिन्दोस्तां में
यादें तुम्हारी ये बोलें
होता उजाला हिन्दोस्तां में
बातें तुम्हारी ये बोलें
ओ हुसना मेरी
ये तो बता दो
होता है, ऐसा क्या
उस गुलिस्तां में
रहती हो नन्हीं कबूतर सी
गुमसुम जहाँ
ओ हुसना
पत्ते क्या झड़ते हैं
पाकिस्तां में वैसे ही
जैसे झड़ते यहाँ
ओ हुसना
होता उजाला क्या
वैसा ही है
जैसा होता हिन्दोस्तां यहाँ
ओ हुसना
वो हीरों के रांझे के नगमें
मुझको अब तक, आ आके सताएं
वो बुल्ले शाह की तकरीरों के
झीने झीने साये
वो ईद की ईदी
लम्बी नमाजें
सेंवैय्यों की झालर
वो दिवाली के दीये संग में
बैसाखी के बादल
होली की वो लकड़ी जिनमें
संग-संग आंच लगाई
लोहड़ी का वो धुआं जिसमें
धड़कन है सुलगाई
ओ हुसना मेरी
ये तो बता दो
लोहड़ी का धुंआ क्या
अब भी निकलता है
जैसा निकलता था
उस दौर में हाँ वहाँ
ओ हुसना
क्यों एक गुलसितां ये
बर्बाद हो रहा है
एक रंग स्याह काला
इजाद हो रहा है
ये हीरों के, रांझों के नगमे
क्या अब भी, सुने जाते है हाँ वहाँ
ओ हुसना
और
रोता है रातों में
पाकिस्तां क्या वैसे ही
जैसे हिन्दोस्तां
ओ हुसना

Oct 31, 2017

चलते चलते (४१ )

बस इतनी सी है अपनी कहानी , तू कागज की कश्ती मैं बारिश का पानी। 

चलते चलते (४०)

फ़ीकी है हर चुनरी , फ़ीका हर बंधेज।
जिसने रंगा रूह को , वो सच्चा रंगरेज। 

Oct 14, 2017

My Vision: Corruption free India

India stands at 79th position out of total 176 countries in the list of most corrupt countries produced by Transparency International. India’s poor rank has many reasons but is attributed mostly to no accountability of Govt. and its officials and no security of anti-corruption actions.
The bookish definition of corruption says that “Corruption is the misuse of entrusted power for private gain”. A much more scientific definition given by Dr. Petrus Van Duyne says that “Corruption is an improbity or decay in the decision-making process in which a decision-maker consents to deviate or demands deviation from the criterion which should rule his or her decision-making, in exchange for a reward or for the promise or expectation of a reward, while these motives influencing his or her decision-making cannot be part of the justification of the decision”.
If we read these line carefully then we will realize that corruption is everywhere around us. We are so neck deepens with corruption that it has become part of our daily life.
Let’s take few of real life examples of corruptions in our daily life; we are travelling in train and we don’t have ticket, we bribe ticket collector and get away. We pay bribe to get a confirmed ticket in train. Police man allowing vendors in train or smoking in train in return of money.
In a more dangerous form of corruption, municipality allows illegal constructions and shops. Companies pays bribe to get tenders and orders. Now, when somebody is paying a bribe to get some order, they add this money in to their cost and to compensate it they will use poor quality material in construction which in turn results in collapse of it and loss of human life. In government office, the corruption is so huge that one can’t make or take any caste certificate or birth/death/marriage certificate without giving bribe to any official. The corruption is so widespread that no area of society is untouched from it. A cop takes bribe to produce a driving license without giving a test. A man who didn’t want to fight the competition will give money to get a job and once he gets the job he will try to earn that money back. This is how corruption expands itself.
Now, let’s discuss how we can remove corruption.
One important step can be to have free education or government sponsored education to all till graduation. It will provide every individual with same set of skill set and knowledge levels irrespective of their economic background. In the current education sector there is wide difference in a government school kid and a private school kid. When people get same opportunities, they tend to be less corrupt and will be more responsible. For higher education government can allow private institutes to come so that those who are interested can go there.
Second step should be to control money expenditure on elections. Election commission has taken many steps to curb corruption in elections, which is a big root cause of corruption in India. A representative spent so much money in elections that after election he started taking bribe for everything he do be it transfers, jobs or any other work. Election Commission has put a limit to election expenditure and also made it mandatory for candidates to make their income and source of income public to qualify for an election yet here and there we hear the news of violations of these norms.
Another step to curb corruption in bureaucracy is to promote e-services. In E-services, people can apply for various govt. services online. E-services are makes use of internet and computer in place of files and papers, it will improve quality of database and it will make system more transparent and will also speed up the whole process. For many services, government has started e-governance and it is giving very good result but it is yet to expand itself in other sectors.
Government can also define a time frame for completion of a job and penalize those who don’t adhere to it. This will put pressure on government officials to finish a job in given time, which will reduce corruption. This service has been used in few states successfully but it needs to cover many services under it. Government has already started e-tendering process which has cut the corruption from many tenders but government need to bring more services under this.
Installation of CCTV (Close Circuit Television Camera) in Govt. offices will generate fear of law and will force them to use corruption free practices.
Govt. can also strengthen RTI (Right to information Act) which will make Govt. more accountable and transparent. Under RTI, people can directly ask questions to Govt. and Govt. has to reply them. Govt. can also strengthen “Whistle Blower Bill” which will ensure safety of those who will bring the corruption cases to media or court.
One more step to curb the corruption will be to cut the discretionary powers of legislatures. A discretionary power is a power that a person can use if that person thinks that it is suitable given the situation and circumstances. These powers mostly used in giving favors. Most important step to remove corruption is to make people aware about corruption. Many times people don’t know the proper procedure; this cannot be called corruption. It is more of un-awareness of law. We also need to make strict laws to deal with corruption cases whether it is small or big.
Corruption is not a single man’s problem. Its problem of every one and no one can solve this problem alone. We can’t just leave it to government. It is responsibility of each and every individual. Let’s take a pledge to that we will not give or take bribe. Let’s pledge that we will not promote corrupt practices. Let’s pledge that we will not give or dowry. Let’s pledge to make India corruption free.


चलते चलते (३९ )

सुन चुके जब हाल मेरा ले के अंगड़ाई कहा,

किस गजब का दर्द जालिम तेरे अफ़साने में था।


Oct 3, 2017

चलते चलते (३८)

ये किस जगह पे क़दम रुक गए हैं क्या कहिए कि मंज़िलों के निशाँ तक मिटा के बैठे हैं-
बाकर मेहदी

Tomato Soup for Heart (7)


" You got a dream, you got to protect it. People can't do something themselves, they want to tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period."

Tomato Soup for Heart (6)


"Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been."

Tomato Soup for Heart (5)


Sep 13, 2017

चलते चलते (३७)

वो दिन गए की मोहब्बत थी जान की बाजी ,
अब किसी से कोई बिछड़े तो मर नहीं जाता -वसीम बरेलवी

चलते चलते (३६ )

टूटे हुए ख़्वाबों ने हम को ये सिखाया है दिल ने जिसे पाया था आँखों ने गँवाया है-शैलेन्द्र

चलते चलते (३५)

मुझसे मिलने को आप आये हैं,
बैठिये मैं बुला के लाता हूँ।

Aug 28, 2017

India After Gandhi

Just finished reading "India After Gandhi" by Ramchandra Guha. Its very awesome book. One can take it as a travelogue as well. A travelogue of a nation's journey from a chaos to a leading democracy. The book has been written with very sincerity and covers all important from early 40s to almost 90. The book has covered most of the important events and persons associated with them. It also present fact and data with reliable source which the made the book more trustworthy.
I came to know a lot of things via this book. I also got more knowledge on Nehru and JP from this book only. Book has presented many nationals and international events with a neutral point of view. Though the book didn't have any weak point yet one can argue that it criticize BJP and RSS very much. Little harsh on both organisation to identified them as communal agents. It also didn't put much emphasis on life of Netaji and his death.
One can termed the book as pro-nehru but i don't think that will be justified. In fact, one gets a new perception to know Nehru. It also present Nehru's personality in very new light.
Its a 770 page book,  3rd most thickest after Shantaram and Atlus Shrugged and i always enjoy finishing such books.
All i can say is that it is a must read, if you want to know India or Indian or Journey of 520 provinces to 01 country.

Aug 23, 2017

चलते चलते (३४)

फ़ासले ऐसे भी होंगे, ये कभी सोचा न था
सामने बैठा था मेरे और वो मेरा न था


चलते चलते (३३)

किसी दरख़्त से सीखो सलीक़ा जीने का जो धूप छाँव से रिश्ता बनाए रहता है

Jul 31, 2017

Our Moon Has Blood Clots

Just finished reading "Our Moon Has Blood Clots" by "Rahul Pandita". The book is based on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits. Its not a book, rather a journey; a very painful one. You will need guts to read it and more power to write it. Rahul Pandita discovers every bit of clapping for writing this great saga. This is perhaps the most accurate and illustrative work on conditions of KP. Some excerpts from the book: "Memory has a mind of its own. It takes off on autopilot, and flashes small incidents in front of you-incidents one has not remembered for years." "For me, though, exile is permanent. Homelessness is permanent. I am uprooted in my mind. There is nothing I can do about it. My idea of home is too perfect. My idea of love is too perfect. And home and love are too intertwined." A must read.

Jul 17, 2017

गुफ्तगू (१०)

राज कितने छुपे हैं मुझमें , बतलाऊँ क्या?
एक मुद्दत से बंद हूं , खुल जाऊँ क्या??
आजिज़ी , मिन्नत, खुशामद , इल्तिजा 
और क्या करूँ मर जाऊँ क्या??
एक पत्थर है वो मेरी राह का ,
ठुकराऊँ नहीं तो ठोकर खाऊं क़्या ??
तेरे जलसे में तेरा परचम लिए ,
सैकड़ों लाशें हैं गिनवाऊँ क्या??
कल मैं यहाँ था, जहाँ तुम आज हो ,
मैं भी तुम्हारी तरह इतराऊं क्या??

चलते चलते (३२)

घर को खोजें रात दिन घर से निकले पाँव,
वो रस्ता ही खो गया जिस रस्ते था गाँव ~निदा फ़ाज़ली

चलते चलते (३१)

सुना है, दिन को उसे तितलियाँ सताती हैं सुना है,
रात को जुगनू ठहर के देखते हैं ~अहमद फ़राज़

चलते चलते (३०)

किसी लिबास की ख़ुशबू जब उड़ के आती है तेरे बदन की जुदाई बहुत सताती है जौन एलिया

Jul 7, 2017

प्रीति कथा -नरेंद्र कोहली

Just finished reading "Preeti Katha by Narendra Kohli". Narendra Kohli is my favorite writer from his Mahasamar time. When it comes to writing contemporary view of history and mythology, you just can't stop him but expecting a love story from him is little too difficult to believe. I read this book with some serious curiosity and immensely liked it. It belongs to the genre of  "गुनाहों का देवता -धर्मवीर भारती ", Though it is less intense but more descriptive. One can get a decent glimpse of "True Love" merely by reading it. Though i liked the novel very much yet best paragraph was:

"व्यावहारिक गृहस्थी चलने के लिए प्रेम की आवश्यकता ही कहाँ है? अगर लैला मजनूं का विवाह हो गया होता तो मुझे यकीं है उनमे भी झगडे होते , जूते चलते और उनका भी तलाक हो गया होता।"

if you have doubt related to love or anything similar, believe me its must read for you.

गुफ़्तगू (९ )

खामोश लब हैं झुकी हैं पलकें, दिलों में उल्फ़त नयी नयी है।
अभी तकल्लुफ है गुफ़्तगु में, अभी मोहब्बत नयी नयी है।
अभी न आएगी नींद तुमको, अभी न हमको सुकून मिलेगा।
अभी तो धड़के का दिल जियादा , अभी ये चाहत नयी नयी है।
बहार का आज पहला दिन है, चलो चमन में टहल के आएं।
फ़ज़ा में खुशबू नयी नयी है, गुलों पे रंगत नयी नयी है।
जो खानदानी रईस हैं वो मिजाज रख ते हैं नरम अपना ,
तुम्हारा लहजा बता रहा है, तुम्हारी दौलत नयी  नयी है।
जरा सा कुदरत ने क्या नवाजा, आ के बैठे हो पहली सफ्फ़ में ,
अभी से  उड़ने लगे हवा में, अभी तो शोहरत नयी नयी है।
बमों की बरसात हो रही पुराने जांबाज़ सो रहे हैं ,
गुलाम दुनिया को कर रहा है, वो जिसकी ताक़त नयी नयी है।

Jun 29, 2017

चलते चलते (२९ )

मोहब्बत में बुरी नियत से कुछ सोचा नहीं जाता,
कहा जाता है उसको बेवफा समझा नहीं जाता।

चलते चलते (२८ )

हमीं को क़ातिल कहेगी दुनिया, हमारा ही क़त्ले आम होगा
हमीं कुँए खोदते फिरेंगें, हमीं पे पानी हराम होगा

चलते चलते (२७ )

लाये थे आतिश ढूँढ कर रौशनी के लिए,
क्या खबर थी वो आशियाँ ही जला देगी।

Apr 29, 2017

Trip to Nalanda

Originally Nalanda trip was never on card. It was my wife's birthday on April 13 and a long weekend so i was planning a trip to Shillong, but perhaps it never meant. Due to some irrelevant issues, the trip got cancel and in just 1-2 days we made a plan to travel Patna and around. Fact that a close friend Prashant & Pallavi lived in Patna, help in zeroing this place.
We checked tickets and it were waiting, yet we took it. Day before the trip, tickets cleared.
First Hurdle: Our train "Kumbha Express" suppose to come to Asansol at 03:30 pm but it rescheduled to 09:00 PM. Since it was my wife's birthday so it didn't matter much rather it gave us an opportunity to celebrate her birthday. After cake cutting, we went to station. We packed our dinner from a Rail Plaza situated at Asansol Railway Station.












On the way to Patna: After getting the train , we had our dinner. Our seats were middle and upper, so we did little gossip. Since the rescheduled time for Patna was 02:30 am so we couldn't sleep properly. Prashant & Pallavi were also waiting for us very desperately that they too didn't sleep. When we reached Patna, Pallavi & Prashant arranged a cake for my wife and we have her birthday celebration at 03:30 am.



Day 1: Patna to Rajgir: Next day though we left Patna after breakfast yet clock touched 12 pm. Patna to Rajgir is a drive of around 120 km so we decided to have a break at around 50 km. There was a Dhaba named Manoranjan Dhaba, we get fesh there and had our tea and snacks. We left for Rajgir around 01:40 pm. when we were hardly 4-5 k m shy of Nalanda a signboard attract my mind. It was showing of Kundalpur; a famous Jain pilgrimage. Though Kundalpur was not part of our original plan yet we decided to go here first.

Kundalpur: Kundalpur was very well maintained. It was very peaceful and very serine. It was very thin on crowd. We spend 1-2 hr there and left for Nalanda at around 04:00 pm.
















Nalanda: At 04:15 pm we reached to Ruin s of Nalanda university. It was very beautifully preserved. We get to know a lot. Since i already read about it so i liked it. Watching those ruins were actually very awesome experience for me. I was feeling as if i am living history. Maintenance was also very good. It was a must visit in a life time place.







By the time, we done with Nalanda and reached Rajgir it was already 06 pm so we decided not to travel anything in Rajgir that day. We went to JNV Rajgir to visit a family. They have arranged for our stay at Guest House there. At 11 pm, we reached guest house to stay for night. We didnt find guest house as per standard and there was frequent some power cut as well. During one of the power cut both kids started crying and situation became so bad that we have to leave that guest house at 11:30 and find a near by Hotel Ratnagiri to spend our night. It was budget hotel with just one facility of AC.




Day 2: Local Rajgir Sightseeing: Next day we wake up early and left hotel. We took our breakfast at Hotel Nalanda Regency. Breakfast was good. Hotel has decent services and ambiance was very well. Dining at this hoitel was one of the high point of our hotel. After the breakfast we went to visit local sightseeing of Rajgir. we went to Pandu Pokhar. It has lots of things to do but perhaps due to summer it was deserted. Since we were travelling by car and it was getting difficult to know directions to different place hence we hired a Tonga and told him to take us to different places. he took us to Venu van, Bimbisar Jail, Hot Springs and many other places. It was decent ride. Best part of this day as well as trip was to go to Vishwa Shanti Stupa. One has to go by Rope way to reach Stupa, which makes this journey awesome. It was thrilling experience and a must do activity.



Pawapuri: After complting Rajgir we move to Pawapuri which was en route to Patna. It is a famous jain temple. 24th Jain Tirthankar lord Mahavir died here hence it is a big Jain pilgrim. It was quite beautiful and majestic. Situated in the middle of a pond, it was very serine. You can sit on the marble floor and easily spend 1-2 hours.

After completing Pawapuri, we moved to Patna. Reached Patna by night.
Day 3: Kumhrar and Shopping: This was last day of our trip. Since we were very much tired hence day started rather slowly. Me and Prashant decided to go Kumharar, which is famous Mauryan site. Though google map made it little difficult to reach here but it was very good site. Though much of the material has been shifted to National Museum,Delhi but whatever remains was very good.
After Kumharar, ladies went for shopping. Next day in morning we catch our train to Asasnsol thus this journey finished. 

Apr 19, 2017

चलते चलते (२६)

उस बस्ती के लोगों से जब बातें कीं तो ये जाना दुनिया भर को जोड़ने वाले अंदर अंदर बिखरे हैं
ज़िंदा रहना खेल नहीं है इस आबाद ख़राबे में वो भी अक्सर टूट गया है हम भी अक्सर बिखरे हैं

Apr 8, 2017

Tomato Soup for heart (4)

 May be life isn't about avoiding bruises. May be it's about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it.

Mar 18, 2017

चलते चलते (२५)

कितनी आसानी से दुनिया की गिरह खोलता है मुझ में इक बच्चा बुज़ुर्गों की तरह बोलता है

चलते चलते (२४)

इन्हें जो भी बनाते हैं वो हम तुम ही बनाते हैं किसी मज़हब की साज़िश में कभी बच्चे नहीं होते।।

चलते चलते (२३)

जुस्तुजू जिस की थी उस को तो न पाया हम ने इस बहाने से मगर देख ली दुनिया हम ने

चलते चलते (२२)

अजनबी शहर के अजनबी रास्ते,मेरी तन्हाई पर मुस्कुराते रहे मैं बहुत देर तक यूँ ही चलता रहा,तुम बहुत देर तक याद आते रहे।

Mar 1, 2017

चलते चलते (२१)

कभी साया है कभी धूप मुक़द्दर मेरा,
होता रहता है यूँ ही क़र्ज़ बराबर मेरा !!

Feb 25, 2017

Tomato Soup for heart (3)

I forgive people. It doesn't mean I accept their behavior or trust them again. I forgive them for me, so I can let go and move on with my life.

गुफ्तगू (8)

अपना जीवन निहाल कर लेते, औरों का भी ख़याल कर लेते!

जब भी पूछो हो हमसे पूछो हो, आज ख़ुद से सवाल कर लेते!

दिल पे जादू है बस मुहब्बत का, आप भी यह कमाल कर लेते!

गर उन पर नजर तेरी होती, लोग क्या अपना हाल कर लेते!

मौत के जाल से निकलते तो, ज़िंदगी को बहाल कर लेते!

'कुँअर' ख़ुद पे भी नज़र रखते, अपनी भी देखभाल कर लेते!!

गुफ्तगू (7)

जिस्म क्या है रूह तक सब कुछ ख़ुलासा देखिये,

आप भी इस भीड़ में घुस कर तमाशा देखिये!!

जो बदल सकती है इस पुलिया के मौसम का मिजाज़,

उस युवा पीढ़ी के चेहरे की हताशा देखिये!!

जल रहा है देश यह बहला रही है क़ौम को,

किस तरह अश्लील है कविता की भाषा देखिये!!

मतस्यगंधा फिर कोई होगी किसी ऋषि का शिकार,

दूर तक फैला हुआ गहरा कुहासा देखिये!!

Feb 17, 2017

Mahasamar

Finished reading Mahasamar by Narendra Kohli. From the moment i started reading books on mythology, it was in my heart to read Mahasamar somkeday. I heard so many good reviews about this series that i was quite fascinated about it and it didnt disappoint me either.
Born in the 80s, my memory of mahabharata was that of B.L.Chopra's Serail but in india serials are so largen then life that you dont actually get the descent idea of original story. Mahasamar searies is a series of 9 books. It started from Bheesma's birth and end up after the great fight of Mahabharata. Unlike any other meadiu, where mahabharata only stands for the epic fight between cousains, Mahasamar actually eleborates the story of how things have reached to that point of fight.Mahasamar ios best book when it comes to character detailing and to give a contemporary view. Mahamsamar also separates myths from from fiction.
Its very detailed and analytical piece of writing and lot of research has already been done while writing this one. After reading Mahasamar, you will actually understand mahabharat and its essance.
The stand out characters in MAhasamar are Satyavati, Devvrat, Kunti, Vyas,Gandhari, Vidur, Dronacharya, Drupad, Yuddhisthir, Bheema and Draupadi.Description of every charater forced you to go in detail of them. Every character described so well that you cant justifu what is wrong and what is right or between two contrary dharma, whos dharma is right.
I deliberately left Krishna, Arjun, Ashwatthama and Karna from mentioning in above paragraph. Krishna and Arjuna are heroes of Mahasamar. The moment the came in mahasamar, they took the central stage. Writer did well to portray Krishna not as  God but as a Human being who knows it all.
There are two ways to undertsand MAhabharat; either considered it as a fiction and accept everything as it has been presented to you or take it as an established historicakl event and read the contemporary view. I prefer to know the contempoprary view and here NArendra Kohli didnt disappoint me.
however every writer has some limits, so is case of NArendra Kohli. After reading Mahsamnar, you will realize that book minutly disappoined you on 02 fronts; first the details of few characters like Ashwatthama and Karna is not satisfactory, second the fight is actually very vaguely written but eklse you will not find anything else to point out.
After reading Mahasamar i realized that i am actually now fascinated about mahabharata and its characters . It has covered all the imporatant bases for reading. Finally after 8 years a book series has replaced Shantaram as my favourite book.