Mustafa Zaidi – A poet remembered
Why would a poet of Mustafa Zaidi’s stature decide to end his life? Thirty five years ago, Mustafa Zaidi, a poet of notable standing…
End of the Enlightenment
This is a 2005 piece published by NewScientist.com and authored by Debora Mackenzie is an interesting read. I have often wondered where the world…
FALL OF ADAM – THE EASE OF SPIRITS IN EXPLAINING THE NAMES OF THE ALL-CONQUERING KING
THIS IS FROM A RECORDING MADE AT A PUBLIC LECTURE GIVEN BY WILLIAM CHITTICK AT CARLETON UNIVERSITY.[1] Several years ago William Chittick gave a lecture at our local…
Qurratulain Hyder – Writer’s muse
Conversations with renowned author Qurratulain Hyder In my otherwise uneventful life, something significant has happened. It may seem unimportant to some people but it’s…
Girija Devi’s rendition of a timeless thumri
A friend sent me this beautiful piece rendered by Girija Devi of the Benaras school of music. She has been described as the last…
Ode to Mirza Ghalib’s Haveli
This excellent post brought found here back so many memories – of my two memorable visits to the famed but neglected Haveli From My…
More on the Urdu poet Mustafa Zaidi
I wrote a piece on Urdu poet Mustafa Zaidi six years ago. Since then I have received immense feedback. Zaidi’s relatives, friends and admirers…
More on Ainee
It was the first beerbahuti of the season that Gautam had seen. The prettiest of rain-insects, clothed in god’s own red velvet, the beerbahuti…
The other side of Emperor Babar
Babar, the founder of Mughal dynasty in India was an unusual character of his times. A poet, writer and a free soul, he was…
A voice that shall remain
A body shall disappear into dust but a voice shall remain. Here is an audio recording of Qurratulain Hyder reading “Daalan vala” in her…
MEDITATIONS AND MERCHANDISE
A Poem by M.I. Kuruwilla Carry a message to your own people, my friend, Which will be well understood by your people, Not ours-…
The sea was calm behind your house
A POEM By Basil Fernando ( dedicated to M. I. Kuruvilla) In a day in July 1983 When our nation had gone mad I…
A poem by Harris Khalique
She and I She and I would talk of wonder and dread, of desires and disasters, boys and girls pacing up and down the…
Fariduddin Attar’s Conference of the Birds
The legendary Sufi poet, Farid al-Din ‘Attar was born in Nishapur, in northeastern Iran, in 1142. He was beheaded by the invading Mongol army…
A poem by Eunice de Souza
Through a Twitter discussion with Rohit Chopra (an Indian academic based in the US), Eunice deSouza re-emerged in my cluttered mind. DeSouza taught a…
Understanding Islam and its history
Toby Lester’s incisive article What Is the Koran? argues that researchers with a variety of academic and theological interests ‘are proposing controversial theories about…
All friendships you transcend…
I need a lover and a friend All friendships you transcend And impotent I remain You are Noah and the Ark You are the…
I want to be enveloped
“I want to be surrounded by you. I want to be enclosed. I want to be enveloped. I don’t have the words for it.…