Monday, January 28, 2008

Republic Day celebrations



Every year nearly all buildings or areas or societies hoist the Indian flags or organise some events on Independence and Repulic Day. And it was no different this year too. I bought two tricolored chakras which move like crazy at the slightest swish of breeze instead of the usual flags. We already have a few flags at home. This year the roadside sellers also had tricolored balloons!

Apart from the usual stuff, Mira Road also has the Children's Marathon in which all the schools of Mira Road participate. I came to know how many schools are there in the place due to this Marathon (as we are only a few years old here). It was nice to see the enthusiastic children run a little, then walk a little when tired.... but their national spirit was at its highest!

So what if I missed the Mumbai Marathon due to Moharram and full booking even 3 months in advance !!!???

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Speculations of the Mars Image!


Many scientists as well as others are wondering whether the Mars womanlike image is just like some mirage or appearance which is deceptive to our eyes! Whatever the case maybe, I do believe that life exists somewhere apart from earth.... whether in the Milky Way or some other Galaxy!

People have been seeing only the womanlike image on the rock, but I can see more. I can see a man falling off the cliff (if the woman is standing on a rock or mountain). Did she push him off ? ( hmm.....) Or is he flying away....??? Maybe people fly on Mars, if they exist there, that is!!! Also I can see few greenish transparent people-like images walking towards the so-called woman!
Keep thinking!!!

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Woman's Image found on Mars!


Woman's Image found on Mars photograph sent by Spirit, NASA's Mars explorer vehicle! Maybe Women rule Mars just like Men dominate the Earth! If thats true, and life does exist there, we might be having space shuttles from Earth to Mars in the future!

And then I wouldn't mind settling there!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Revolutionalising Publishing -On the Pavement!


Hey, many of the small time writers face the problem of having their books published. The established publishing houses do not want to take chances with new, unknown writers! They will ask you whether you know any celebrity, who can be called for the lauch of your book. Some will just give lame excuses or even discourage you to drive you away!

This is exactly what Dr Shailendra Vaishampayan went through when the writing-bug bit him! He is a practicing Doctor (homeopathic) and has a clinic in Mira Road and Andheri. Apart from the usual hassles of publishing, he also realised that getting a book published involves a large sum of money! To combat all evils of publishing, Dr Vaishampayan, revolutionised the concept of Publishing under the banner -Pavement Publishers. This movement started by the doctor found many supporters in small as well a established writers. The idea of 'Pavement Publishers' (now run from the doc's house) is to launch a book on the pavement itself (without any celebrity) and sell it through the pavement booksellers! The writer has to only bear the cost of printing the book.

Dr Vaishampayan's first book as a writer, SATURN AND I, was launched in December 2007 on a pavement in Andheri (West).

Best of luck to him and his publishing concept!


Note - Await the review of the book on this page

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Ashura (The 10th Day of Muharram)


Today is Ashura in India. Many non- Muslims wonder what this day stands for. In India, the holiday for Ashura is called Muharram (though Muharram is the first 'month' of the Islamic calender). People think it is like Eid and there was a time when friends and colleagues used to call and wish 'Happy Muharram' thinking it was a feast like the Eid !

But slowly over time, many people are becoming aware that Muharram not a time to feast but it is a time to mourn. Its the remembrance of the day Hazrat Imam Hussain (May Allah be pleased with him), the grandson of Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him) was matyred at Karbala. The most unique call I received for Muharram was yesterday (now that many know) when a colleague from Baroda branch called and said -'I am sorry for tomorrow'!

Sunni Muslims observe the first ten days of Muharram (while the battle of Karbala was on) with reverence. Some of the Muslims (the Shias) mourn intensely for the entire month, even adorning black clothes. In India, shabbeels are made where water is kept for drinking. This is because Imam Hussain and his family and companions were not given food nor water for 3 days! On the day of Ashura, muslims make and distribute 'sherbet'. This is also symbolic of water and has nothing to do with sweets.

Hazrat Imam Hussain's matyrdom is of great significance to the history of Islam. This can be best explained in Washington Irving's words :
'' It was possible for Hussain to save his life by submitting himself to the will of Yazid. But his responsibility as a reformer did not allow him to accept Yazid's Caliphate. He therefore prepared to embrace all sorts of discomfort and inconveniance in order to deliver Islam from the hands of the Omayyads. Under the blazing sun, on the parched land and against the stifling heat of Arabia, stood the immortal Hussain''.

Let me add this Mersia ( 'Mersias' are song of remembrance and mourning sung in memory of the matyrdom at Karbala), which I've been hearing from my Dad since childhood :
"Kahe Abideen ko Shah ne Madine mein ja kaho,
Sab doston ko meri taraf se dua kaho,
Puchey agar Hussain kahaan -
Is wajah kaho ;
Bismil kaho, shaheed kaho, sar juda kaho."

This is just the opening verse and means -
Shah (that's Hussain) tells his son Abideen(before going to the battlefield)-
'Go to Madina and give my regards to my people.
If anyone asks - Where is Hussain, then say
he's attained matyrdom'.

Ashura has a lot of historic significance apart from the Karbala matrydom. It has affected nearly all the Prophets of Islam in some way or the other.


Let's list the occasions which have taken place on the 10th Day of Muharram:
  • Allah accepted the repentence and had mercy on Adam ('Alaihis-Salaam)
  • The deliverance of Noah (Nuh 'Alaihis-Salaam) from the flood
  • Abraham (Ibrahim 'Alaihis-Salaam) was saved from Nimrod's fire
  • Joseph (Yusuf 'Alaihis-Salaam) was reunited with his father Jacob (Ya’qub 'Alaihis-Salaam)
  • Allah spoke to Moses (Musa 'Alaihis-Salaam) and gave him the 10 Commandments
  • Job (Ayyub 'Alaihis-Salaam) was healed from leprosy.
  • Yunus ('Alaihis-Salaam) was taken out from the belly of the fish
  • The Israelites were saved from Pharaoh's army as the sea was divided and the nation of Israel was delivered from captivity
  • David (Dawud 'Alaihis-Salaam) was forgiven by Allah on this day.
  • The kingdom of Solomon (Sulaiman 'Alaihis-Salaam) was restored
  • Jesus was brought up to heaven after attempts by the Romans to capture and crucify him failed (according to Islamic belief).
The picture shows the neighbourhood guys preparing sherbet all through the night! Excuse the unclear image!

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Nano- Watta name!


Hey, the World's cheapest car is here! It's been in the pipeline since long and people were waiting for its arrival. There's so much written about it everywhere. Everyone's talking about it. People are forwarding mails, speculating.... So I don't want to be another person talking or discussing about the price, the appeal, the safety or even the environmental hazards related to it!

What just appealed to me is it's name and the creativity behind it. The name says it all- NANO! The car's small in look and compact. In Gujarati (Tata's a Parsi and their mother tongue is Gujarati), 'Nano' means 'small' (pronounced as 'Naahno') and in English, 'Nano' is derived from the Italian word which means 'dwarf'. So scientifically, Nanotechnology deals with 'minutest' compotent of a substance or thing. Nanometer is equal to one billionth of a metre . So the name has a universal appeal and denotes what the car stands for!
The the name's 'superfine' as any Gujju would have said it !


Afterthought :


Me thinks, when a car worth a lakh rupees only gives you so much, why would anyone buy a Maruti 800? It's not great in appearance nor is on the high-safety list. I'd been wondering for a while now why a Maruti 800 costs as high as Rs2.5 lacs? But maybe that was the most basic and cheapest car for a beginner and person with low budget, so the company's been cashing in on it all thru the years! But finally now the even the commonest man's smiling!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Cute Song!

tera yakin kyon maine kiya nahi, tujhse raah kyon juda
mujh pe yeh zindagi karti rahi sitam, tune hi di hai panah
tera mera rishta puraana - 3


hai kya tadap hai, hai yeh kaisi saza
tu kyun mujhe aaj yaad aa gaya
bechain din mere, bechain raat hai
kya main karu kuchh bata
yeh mere paanv hi khud meri bediyaan
uss se tu mujhe chhooda
tera mera rishta purana - 4


kya mujh mein hai shaks woh keh raha
aa aab main du karz tera chuka
aankhen
hai nam meri, saasein chubhan meri
zakham huwa pir haara, dil ke viraane mein
mere phasane mein, tu hi toh har dum raha
tera mera rishta purana - 4


oh tera mera rishta purana - 2

----------------------------------------------
Hindi Song Title: Tera Mera Rishta Puraana
Hindi Movie/Album Name:
AWARAPAN
Singer(s): MUSTAFA ZAHID
---------------------------------------------


This song to be a hot favourite with many and has a universal appeal with wonderful lyrics and soulful music. Check the Net and you'll see how people have created their own video versions of the song! Cool !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3YKekDlHuc (original)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjnOPc0cplo (remix)


Sunday, January 06, 2008

Happy New Year


Hmm... New Year's eve wasn't that bad, though. Managed to leave for dinner and catch up with sister and her colleague at 'Kalash' at Raghuleela (closer to home and safe) and had special Gujarati 'unlimited' thali (though our girlie appetites were quite 'limited'). That's the best place we could decide at the nth hour coz we didn't know when we'd complete our work. But we had our deadlines, so left in a short while. Reaching there took more time than the time we were actually there. While we left, the crowd was pouring in. Mostly families who'd nowhere to go had generally gone to Malls like these, which are multiplying by the day!

We brought in the new year with my youngest brother's birthday (1st Jan). We cut the cake. And like every year it was wishing time at home- New Year and B'day time! We had a family huddle and that gave each of us strength to face the world. Alhamdulillah for such a beautiful family and beautiful moment.

I am sure this New Year's going to be happy.

I have so many plans. Preparation for writing a book. But before that a website of my own, Inshallah!