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                                                                                         The fire of angst burnt my city, Jammu Pico Iyer lost everything he had—and nearly his life in one of the worst man-made fires in California. While recounting the tragedy to lose something that you call home, he says “I always had that sense that home was not where I lived but what lived inside me,"  "When our house burned down in the forest fire that became literal." I also lost my home in an angst of fire that slowly killed my desire to call Jammu my home. I am in mid-thirties, an age where realities of life are too stark to be ignored and the haze of idealism turns too thin to cover the nakedness. No matter whether you love it or hate it, home is where you return to. Somebody would guide you back or as they say, ‘will show you your place’. Recently, I was reminded again of the place where I was born and raised. In the outskirts of a town near Jammu, an eight year

Aaj ke naam aur aaj ke Gam ke naam

Intesaab-------- Dedicated to these times, and the sorrow of these times. The pain of today, that is set against the plentiful garden of life. The forest of dead leaves, that is my land. The collection of pain that is my land. Dedicated to the gloomy lives of clerks Moth eaten hearts and words. Dedicated to the postmen Dedicated to the coachmen Dedicated to the railway workers Dedicated to the innocent beings in the factories. O Emperor of the World, Master and God’s representative on this Earth, this is dedicated to the farmer whose herds were run off by the wicked men and whose daughter was carried off by the dacoits. One finger of whose handful of land was cut by the bureaucrats and another finger by the government, in the name of taxation. Whose pride is destroyed under the feet of the men with power . Dedicated to the sad mothers whose children sob at night. Sleepless, who are not steadied by an embrace. Don’t share what ails them, and are not console

The national pride is more important than the nation itself.

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The national capital recently witnessed a spectacle designed and performed for the western audience.I know, I am not telling you the complete story, at least the advertisements shown in the intervals were aimed at the western tourists. So, my dear country men the incredible India image is not for you, it’s for the foreign guests. The exhibition went well,I preferred to overlook all the hiccups in the preparations and aftermaths including scrutiny of few officials on the home turf for making money and using it for their own benefits.These obvious byproducts did hurt the national pride of a country desperate for declaring its emergence.However,even the bad publicity couldn’t take the sheen out of ever growing self pride.The TV commentator in the gala ceremony couldn’t hide his pride for the nation either,while proclaiming that it was a proud movement for the largest democracy of the world.India did declare its prominence in the emerging world(that’s what burgeoning middle class still li
Mori Araj Suno by Tina Sani & Arieb Azhar In Coke Studio Season 3 Lyrics: Mori araj suno, dastagir pir O my Lord, pay heed to my appeal (repeat) Mairee kahun kaa say mein apnay jiya ki pir I am a faithful follower of my Creator Mori araj suno, dastagir pir O my Lord, pay heed to my appeal Rabba sachiya, toon tay akhia see My true Lord, you had said Ja oye bandiya jug da shah ain tu “Go man, you are master of the world Saadian nemataan terian daulataan nenh My bounties on earth are your treasure Saada naib the alijah ain tu You are the viceroy of your Creator” Ais laaray teh torr kudh puchia eh After baiting me with these promises Kee ais nimanay teh beetiyaan nenh Countless years have passed by Kaddi saar we layee o rab saiyaan My Lord, did you ever enquire what transpired with your man Terey shah naal jugh kee kitiyan nenh What your man has suffered in this world? Kithay dhons police sarkar dee eh Somewhere, those in power and with the means intimidate, harass and terrorize Kithay

I Meander again.

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I Meander again. I am sipping my coffee at ‘Coffea Arabica ‘ Tracy Chapman is singing ‘Fast car’ I have a feeling I belong, And then I meander again. The best place here is reserved for smokers, I can see snow on mountains. The vale has sun after ages of ‘rood’**, The mountains return my stare, untouched by blood, * I am acting Kashmiri, reading Agha Shahid. A beauteous girl from west climbs up the stairs, Wearing a tawdry traditional Muslim suit. I tell myself Mad heart, be brave. * She lights a cigarette, Bono start singing ‘I still haven’t found what I am looking for’ And then I meander again………………… **Rood:Kashmiri word for rain *:Lines from Agha Shahid Ali’s “ the veiled suite “

Omar: The butt of the gun is on my shoulder,unfortunately

Omar Abdullah was sulking like a teenager (whose team just been thrashed out of the world cup) while talking to Barkha Dutt. Omar told Barkha, he will reach out to families who lost their kids to the recent mayhem as an act of atonement. All I have is pity for Omar and his brigade. I still remember watching him live on 22nd July, 2008 and speaking as a Kashmiri who was proud to be an Indian and a Muslim. That day I was proud of this politician from my state, who was so clear in his thoughts and looked bright. Most of the Indian youth (Including Kashmiris) applauded Omar’s great speech made in the Indian Parliament. Few months after the speech, in January 2009, J& K election results were out. This was the time when the whole world was going through Obama fever and there was hope in the air across the globe. Omar Abdullah somehow got the coveted chair of CM of a state which was still yearning for a leader who could be a savior mor

Keep the kids Out of this:

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I was on my way to Srinagar and when I crossed the Jawahar tunnel, I felt so good. I always felt blessed to be born in this part of the world and cherished my summers spent in Kashmir . I was busy acknowledging the beauty of Kashmir when my phone buzzed. One of my friends called me up to inform that there might be a curfew in Srinagar , One more boy got killed. He told me to be careful. It brought me back to reality. I looked out of the window and could clearly saw what lied underneath this beauty. The vale full of blood, Wails, laments, dead bodies. The next hour of travel was more tiring and I kept asking myself when wills this end. The driver of my cab might have over heard my silence when he answered without any expression on his face “never brother, not in your or my life time”. I reached Lal Chowk at 10 P.M.It was more alive than I have ever seen in the last fe