Sleepless...In Night Journey...

(9th Nov, 2008)

On my way back to Hyderabad from Pune during Last weekend by train, there were series of incidents which made this journey memorable in many ways. I was quite happy after spending around 10 hrs with my old friend @ Pune, during which we had lunch @ our favorite place, cracked some jokes on ongoing issues & politicians (you guys must be able to guess whom we could have targeted), visited couple of favorite places & recalled our cherished memories, which has been followed by kayos @ Pune railway station due to electricity failure. Irrespective of 7 hours of power cut in 2 slats, it was great time that we spent together & we felt like we were flying high in the sky, but half an hr of waiting @ Pune railway station in kayos was sufficient enough to bring our feet’s down on this earth. Finally train arrived & crowd got confused & busy in arguing / fighting with each other to find their proper birth, as wrong charts were stuck on each coach. Finally train started & all set for journey.

A young Maharashtrain couple with twins were struggling to manage everything in small allotted place, welcomed me with smile as neighbor in journey. A young lady (might be a soft engineer) was busy in listening to music peacefully in front me & next to her, found 2 gentleman, looks like trapped in this journey & making creep on India & Indian systems. Their discussion was interesting but I preferred to be a audience. Just in half an hour i realized how difficult to manage 2 kids (especially twins). After a while, i left my seat & climbed to my birth, just to give comfort to young couple to manage their twins. As journey was progressing, things became smoother, discussion on India & Indian systems between 2 people has turned into debate between several people with series of arguments, & surprisingly twins were listening it quietly, which gave me a sudden thought that how curious today's children’s are about their country & future !! Probably, nobody realize how 2 hrs had passed & train stopped @ Daund station. Everyone started rushing here & there to make arrangement for meal.

Post meal session was peaceful, except kids in coach who were making noise. I observed many people busy on cell, especially youngsters were busy with their GF/BF's (it's my guess only), me too was struggling to get connected to some of my GF, but unfortunately couldn't, May be my Vodafone connection was checking my patience. Finally, I gave up & started listening to music on my iPod & in a while, TC disturbed me with his routine duty with smile. After couple of minutes, observed young lady on my front birth, holding her cell tightly, speaking loudly & seems bit disappointed, was trying to convenience someone on other side & connection dropped. I can easily realize with what kind of thoughts & feelings she is passing thro'. Again i laid myself on berth & started enjoying music playing in my iPod & suddenly one pantry boy by mistake bang with set of sandwich dishes on my legs & he regret for the same. It played a role of catalyst & again those 2 gentlemen started creeping on Indian systems. I was quite annoyed with their discussion but couldn't help myself either. Discussion continued till midnight & finally they slept, might be they were habitual to stay awake till midnight. I was enjoying peacefully my favorite songs & also started feeling sleepy, & suddenly my GF called me, I wonder how come Vodafone is so loyal to her though she hates it much, there could be some marketing strategy behind it to convenience / attract customers. With pleasant surprise, I received her call & spoke to her for almost an hour or more. It was very pleasant conversation among us & finally disconnected call after wishing each other good night. Again I started listening to music but probably that converses ion has played a role of Tea @ midnight & I spent almost 1 more hour sleepless, music was playing but lots of thoughts were going on through my mind.... Suddenly an express train passed by, whistling loudly & I found myself out of tornado of thoughts, was bit hanged & trying to become relaxed & looked at my watch wrist watch &.........

@ 3:00 AM, I found myself awake & sleepless in the Night Journey....

What is shayari...

Shayari is a very unique and ecstatic poetic language used to express feelings and desires in very less and heart touching words. It is basically expression of ones feelings and desire.

Someone has defined shayari in its own way as :

Ek baat… jo kehte kehte chuppa li jaye..
Ek yaad… jo seene se laga li jaye…
Jante ho shayri kuch u hi hoti hai dostoon..
Ke ik dil ki aawaz chand se lafjo main chuppa li jaye.

In Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Shaayaree, or poetry, essentially comprises of couplet, or Sher. The plural for Sher is Ashaar. The form ghazal is a collection of mulitiple ashaar - each of which should convey a complete thought without any reference to other shayari of the same ghazal. In fact, though belonging to the same ghazal, the different ashaar therein can have completely different meaning and tone relative to one another.

Essential Shaayree vocabulary: Ashar (Couplet). It consists of two lines (MISRA); first line is called ‘MISRA-E-OOLA’ and the second is called ‘MISRA-E-SANI’. Each verse embodies a single thought or subject (sing) SHER, Shero, Shayari, Shyari, Shayri.

Bait Another term for SHER, Shero, Shayari, Shyari, Shayri.

Bait-Ul-Ghazal The best SHER, Shero, Shayari, Shyari, Shayri in a GHAZAL

Ghazal (Ode). The literary meaning of the word ‘GHAZAL’ is to converse with beloved. Etymologically, it come from the Arabic word Ghizaal, meaning gazelle. It is a poem containing a minimum of 5 verses and maximum 25. The opening Verse of the GHAZAL is called MATLA and both hemistiches rhyme with one another. The last verse of the GHAZAL is called MAQTA which usually contains the penname of the poet. Most of Persian and Urdu writers have earned fame as GHAZAL writers. GHAZAL is the soul of Urdu literature and most popular form of Urdu poetry.

Fard Composition of only a single SHER, Shero, Shayari, Shyari, Shayri is called FARD.

Hamd Poem written in praise of God.

Hazal Poem with humorous subject.

Hijv (Satire). A poem written to condemn or to abuse a person. This form of poetry is considered of low type and which is usually avoided by reputed poets. The exact opposite of HIJV is MADAH which is a poem written in praise of Kings and Patrons.

Husn-E-Matla Rhyming of the first two lines of a GHAZAL is called HUSN-E-MATLA.

Madah Poem written in praise of Kings and Patrons.

Manqabat Poem written in praise of Ahle-E-Bait (the members of the family of Holy Prophet).

Maqata The last line of a GHAZAL or a poem which generally contains the poet’s pen-name.

Marsiya A poem written to commemorate the exploits of great men of Islam; usually to describe the battle fought on the plains of Karbala in Iraq by Hazarat Imam Husain and his supporters against the army of Yazid. It is usually a poem of mourning. The famous MARSIYA writers in Urdu are Mir Baberali Anis and Salamatali Dabir. Even a short poem written to mourn the death of a friend can be called MARSIYA. Lord Alfred Tennyson’s poem ‘In Memoriam’ can rightly be called MARSIYA. The sub-parts of MARSIYA are called NOHA and SOZ which means lamentation and burning of (heart) respectively.

Masnawi A long epic poem describing the battles fought long ago and past events. It may also contain philosophical or ethical themes. The most famous MASNAWIS are Shah-Namah of Firdosi, Masnavi-E-Roomi in Persian language and Zehar-E-Ishq in Urdu.

Matla The opening SHER, Shero, Shayari, Shyari, Shayri of a GHAZAL or a poem.

Misra’ One line of a couplet, or verse.

Munajat A lyrical poem as prayer to God.

Musaddas Each unit consists of 6 lines (Misra). Most famous writer of this type of poem is Maulana Altaf Husain Hali.

Naat Verses written in praise of the Holy Prophet.

Nazm The literary meaning of Nazm is Poetry (cf. Nasr, or Prose) A poem fully dealing with a single subject or thought.

Qafia Rhyming of the last words of a poem.

Qasida (Ballad). It is a long poem in Urdu, Persian or Arabic which usually describes battles or written in praise of kings; princes or the poet’s patron. There is no limit of verses; it may even go beyond hundred lines.

Qata/Qita (Fragments). It has two Ashaar and has a one complete subject. Plural Qita’at.

Radeef (End rhyme). Each SHER, Shero, Shayari, Shyari, Shayri of GHAZAL in addition to QAFIA may also have RADEEF which is rhyming of more than the last two or three words.

Rubai’ee Contains only 4 lines, the third one being different from the other three as it should not have QAFIA and RADEEF. RUBAI’EE deals with social, philosophical and romantic subjects. In Persian language Umar Khayyam is supposed to be a great poet of RUBAIYY A T whereas in Urdu Yagana, Firaq and Josh are leading poets of this time and Anis, an old time poet.

Salam (Literal meaning Salutation) It is a kind of poem in which the incidents of Karbala i.e. hardships of Hazarat Imam Husain and his followers are described It is also written in Praise of Holy Prophet, and is recited by standing up.

Sehra A song sung at the time of tying Sehra during wedding ceremony, praising the bride or the bridegroom and their relatives.

Sher Ashob Poem describing a ruined city.

Tah-Tul-Lafz The manner of reciting a poem; like rhythmic prose i.e. without singing; word for word.

Takhallus A name adopted by a poet, by which he is known in the literary world.

Tarannum The manner of reciting a poem in the form of a song.

Wasokht Literal meaning ‘displeasure’ or ‘disgust’. A kind of poem in which the displeasure and carelessness of a lover is narrated; while relinquishing the beloved.

Geet Song or hymn.

Mushaira A symposium of poets; a poet’s gathering.

Qawwali Devotional song expressing the love and oneness with God sung by a group of people to the accompaniment of musical instruments. Now-a-days, it has taken popular form covering subjects of romance, liquor, etc.

Thanks,

A Celtic celebration @ downtown, Vancouver, CA.

St. Patrick's day - A celtic celebration @ downtown, Vancouver :

Vancouver's fifth annual St. Patrick's day parade, hosted by CelticFest vancouver, went down as smoothly as Guinness beer. More than 200,000 poeple grom all of over the lower Mainland crowded the side walks of the downtow core to cathc a glimpse of the 100 entries yeterday as canadian Air Force CP 140 Aurora, Canada's only strategic maritime surveillance aircraft, conducted a low altitude flyby over the crowd, ENtries in thie yeare's parade included Irish dancers, stilt walkers, pipe bands, a Korean marching band, a gigantic leprechaun riding in a green convertible and B.C. Lion Jason Jimenez. It's a great family entertainment & many kids were waiting for it since last year. The spectacle was the final event for CelticFest Vancouver 2008 which launched its festival last Wednesday.