My Reflections

Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru - Maker of Modern India Since 1947, enough water has flown down the Ganges. The generation has changed and so has changed the popular view of idea of India. Today, fifty years after Death of Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, maker of modern India, is being belittled. After a long spell of foreign rule, India tasted freedom breaking shackles of slavery and threw away colonial yoke. The newly independent country developed consensus on relatively younger politician, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru to lead the country. There were many contenders for the premiership. Gandhiji was visionary enough to put his stamp on Pt. Nehru. The country needed stewardship of a person who could take every section of society along, who could lay a strong foundation of friendship with other countries. A country facing acute hunger, illiteracy and disease needed touch of a socialist hand. Pt. Nehru’s socialist policies worked well for the country with some failure as any policy would. The five...

Maulana Abulkalam Azad, was born in Mecca on 11 November 1888. He lived a life worth following. At a time when divisive forces were bent upon shredding the social fabric, he firmly stood the ground and preached the gospel of communal harmony. He was mocked at, dubbed as show boy of Indian National Congress by rival camp. In fact he faced hatred of communal elements from both sides of divide. He reached height of scholarship at an early age and started editing journals of hig h repute at a tender age. He established his own weekly newspaper Al-Hilal in 1912 and started openly attacking British highlighting plight of common people. He authored several books of very high literary standard. Today, when we revel in our sub identity and weaken the idea of a strong India, Mauala Azad’s life beacons to be studied and lived like. Working for communal harmony and eradication of illiteracy will be apt tribute to the great soul

Master Samiuddin was a frail old man who read old urdu newspapers - sangam to beat the cruelty of old age boredom. These old newspapers were moth eaten and yellowish in color. The newspaper was as faded as Master’s skin due to old age. He passed forlorn and lonely day with occasional visit of some guests. Master Samiuddin would read the newspaper articles and recite his poems to the visiting guests. While speaking on his favorite topic, urdu language and its beauty, his eyes would shine as the burning wick of kerosene lamp shines in dark nights. It is said that guests frequented less to avoid this torture. Master Samiuddin was a retired primary school teacher who stressed upon diction of language more than language itself. Master would lament that young generation is no more learning Urdu language. The degeneration and apathy towards his beloved language saddened him gravely. His own son Farooq, spent two full years reading elementary Urdu book to gain perfection of pronunciat...

Urooj-e aadam-e khaki se anjum sahme jaate hain Ke yeh toota hua taara mah-e kaamil na ban jaaye A man was born at a time when darkness engulfed the Indian society in general and muslims in particular. He acquired knowledge and wisdom and achieved un-scaled height of scholarship in varied arena.  Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a silver lining on otherwise dark cloud shadowing the Indian subcontinent throughout the 19 th century. He awakened from slumber the somnolent community, which was oblivious of fast changing politico-social scene of 19 th century.  His indelible footprint still guides the activists who endeavor for positive changes in society. Many treatises have been written about Aligarh movement. The Aligarh Urdu tehreek needs special focus today as this movement was to regain the rich Socio-Cultural heritage lost by muslim community. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was litterateur par excellence and steered the Aligarh movement for reform in Urdu literature. He tried t...

Kal tujhse door chala jaunga Kisi naye shahr mein Naye khwabon ka sahara lekar Zindagi jiye jaunga Tujhse kal juda hokar Tere yaadon ke saughaat liye Naye safar pe nikal jaunga Aur kabhi tasuvvaraat ki dunya mein Maazi ke dareeche khol kar Agar jhankunga Tumhen paunga Tumse mahve guftagu hokar Zere lab tabassum saja kar Tumhari adaaon pe muskuraaunga Tere shahr ko alvida keh kar Tum se bichhadkar Tanhaai ka ehsaas jab kabhi satayeg a Bewajah sunsaan sadak par nikal jaunga Phir tasuvvar mein ek bazm saja kar Tumhen mehmaan banaunga Tumahara saath jab hoga Haathon me tera haath gar hoga Raah-e dushwaar phir asaan tar hoga Kal tere shahr ko alvida keh kar Jab gham-e rozgar ka muamla hoga Ajnabi shahr mein log paraye honge Aur sitam yeh ke hijr ka mausam hoga Tumhare yaad ki khalish  Khilwat mein shiddat se sataayegi Yun toh hujoom hoga har taraf Par mai akela Dunya se begaana Aur deewaana Tumhen sadaayen dun...

Nigah-e-yaar mein ab apni qadr kuchh kam hai Auron pe karam ham pe nazar kuchh kam hai Ham bhi furqat me ashkbaar raha karte hain Aghyaar jaante hain unko khabar kuchh kam hai Marne walon ke liye aansu bahata kaun hai Jaane kya daur hai, kyunasar kuch kam hai Abke dafn kiya ek saath sara qabila ham ne Hae kya kije basti men qabr kuchh kam hai Nahin rukta hai ab koi bhi ek pal ke liye Is basti mein laal-o guhar kuchh kam hai Apne haathon se pilaya hai sabko aaj saaqi ne salamat hain sabhi kya  zahar kuchh kam hai? Hai aasman khamosh, kyun zameen chup hai? Imteyaz kuch kahiye, kya bashar kuch kam hai?

Reciting my composition at National Academy of Indian Railway, Vadodara