7310 and Counting....

Four years back, on 24th Jan 2009, I said no to plastic carry bag, When I reached home with milk packets in my hand, my wife asked if the milk vendor was out of carry bags.

I said that I said no to carry bags to avoid pollution. She smiled and asked if one bag can really make a difference...

So I started counting, how many times I said no, a month later, I relaized it is a bit difficult to keep counting, but realized that the average count was five a day.

Today after 4 years, precisely, 1462 days later, I am sure I have said no to at least 7310 plastic carry bags !!!

I guess that made a difference :-)

Summer of '09

It was a usual hot evening of May'09. We felt it hotter as it was a first summer after spending two winters of negative temperatures in Switzerland.


I was having a sip of hot coffee in my balcony when I heard a scream for help. that was my wife asking for something. Upon reaching to the kitchen, I observed a mass of red ants spread in the kitchen. Wow..... That used to be a usual siting in Malegaon, but was first in many years after leaving my HOMETOWN. I asked her to ignore it as it was a sort of natural stuff.


However, after a few days, we realized that it was not that simple, the Ants starting roaming in entire house searching for food. Here, I started feeling a bit uncomfortable and then decided to use poison to kill them all. I bought the poision but could not use it on to those innocent tiny creatures. I felt pitty on them....


Once while reading Urdu Digest Huma, I saw a little Ant trying to drag a big piece of bread but unable to. I tgought that a  little help be appreciated so I lifted the food partilcle and placed it near the gate of their town Centre. At the time I realized that they are just trying to gather food for themselves and have no intentions to disturb us. So I made a habbit of putting some pieces of bread for them after dinner. And yes, the stopped roaming in my house.


To my horror, a week later, they started conquering the neighbourhood again.... Being sad of a failed experiment, I spend a few moments, to realize that its not just food, they need water also... ;-) So I started putting few drops of water near the entrance of their town Centre and they all surely used to enjoy it.

One night, being a Friday, while gulping Hot Pizza with the help of Coca Cola, I realized why only me party, why not to include my little friends!!! I then dropped a small quantity of Coca Coal near the entrance of Town centre. And to my horror, nobody even came close to it. They kept searching for the drops of water. I was disappointed. The next night, I convinced myself that the Ants are not that enthusiastic as that of humans. So let it be... Anyways, the are just little ANTS.......


Next week, the party was with Red Bul and not the Coke.... Well, OMG !!! I thought of serving little Ants with Red Bull, but I was a bit scared aif they reject my proposal....!!! Then I thought that that success comes with ladder of failures, I decided to give it a try.


The first drop went on, within seconds, the smell spread everywhere around the Town Centre... Then I saw a big ant, kind of a wise man, coming slowly near it..... doing something....; I still wish I would have bought a microscope to observe and record their expressions; then running back to town Centre. I thought the wise man has carried some news to the army, errr what news, I was not sure. Then there was a group of some 10 to 15 ants along with the wise man to enquire about the sea of something new they found.

The wise man first dared to have a sip; I was observing closely; it ran towards town center like never before. I laughed as I thought that it has got extra energy, and would be a good idea to feed them everyday to make their task easy... But Alas, after a few inches, it stopped like when somebody pulls chain of speeding train; stopped, stopped... and moved not.

I was scared that the wise man is no more and I am the one to poison him. I looked closely, he was certainly dead. I wated to touch him then thought my finger weight would be far enough to crush his body so decided to touch him with a ball pen nib.


And then there came a height of happiness...! He was alive, but kind of a kinda drunk man. !!!!!


Initially I was not sure if he was sort of drunk or got sick of Red Bul, and was searching on internet the cure for Ants if they drink Red Bull!!!!

But later on, I realized that the Wise Man enjoyed it and the other ants followed the same.....

then I used to have a bottle of Red Bull kept in my kitchen for partying with the Ants....


Alas, I left the house three months back and have no idea how are my friends now.....

Jigar Mraadabaadi

Agar na zoharaa jabeenoon ke daramiyaan guzare
to phir ye kaise kate zindagii kahaan guzare

jo tere aariz-o-gesuu ke daramiyaan guzare
kabhii kabhii to vo lamhe.n balaa-e-jaan guzare

mujhe ye vaham rahaa muddato.n ke jurrat-e-shauq
kahii.n naa Khaatir-e-maasuum par giraan guzare

har ik muqaam-e-mohabbat bahut hii dil-kash thaa
magar ham ahal-e-mohabbat kashaan-kashaan guzare

junuu.N ke saKht maraahil bhii terii yaad ke saath
hasii.n hasii.n nazar aaye javaan javaan guzare

merii nazar se terii justajuu ke sadaqe me.n
ye ik jahaan hii nahii.n saika.Do.n jahaan guzare

hajuum-e-jalvaa me.n paravaaz-e-shauq kyaa kahanaa
ke jaise ruuh sitaaro.n ke daramiyaan guzare 

Khataa mu'aaf zamaane se badagumaan hokar
terii vafaa pe bhii kyaa kyaa hame.n gumaan guzare 

Khuluus jis me.n ho shaamil vo daur-e-ishq-o-havas
naaraigaan kabhii guzaraa na raigaan guzare 

isii ko kahate hai.n jannat isii ko dozaKh bhii
vo zindagii jo hasiino.n ke daramiyaan guzare 

bahut hasii.n sahii suhabate.n gulo.n kii magar
vo zindagii hai jo kaanTo.n ke daramiyaan guzare 

mujhe thaa shikvaa-e-hijraan ki ye huaa mahasuus
mere qariib se hokar vo naagahaan guzare

bahut hasii.n manaazir bhii husn-e-fitarat ke
na jaane aaj tabiiyat pe kyo.n giraan guzare

meraa to farz chaman-ba.ndii-e-jahaan hai faqat
merii balaa se bahaar aaye yaa Khizaan guzare

kahaan kaa husn ki Khud ishq ko Khabar na hu_ii
rah-e-talab me.n kuchh aise bhii imtahaan guzare

bharii bahaar me.n taaraajii-e-chaman mat puuchh
Khudaa kare na phir aankho.n se vo samaan guzare

ko_ii na dekh sakaa jin ko do dilo.n ke sivaa
mu'aamalaat kuchh aise bhii daramiyaan guzare

kabhii kabhii to isii ek musht-e-Khaak ke gird
tavaaf karate huye haft aasmaan guzare

bahut aziiz hai mujh ko u.nhii.n kii yaad "Jigar"
vo haadasaat-e-mohabbat jo naagahaan guzare

Trapped in lift?

Sharing a forwarded email.....


We never know when and where accidents will happen to us or to people around us. Read on and hope this piece of information may help any of us when things do happen to yourself, our friends and our loved ones.

One day, while in a lift, it suddenly broke down and it was falling from level 13 at a fast speed. Fortunately, I remembered watching a TV program that taught you must quickly press all the buttons for all the levels.

Finally, the lift stopped at the 5th level.

When you are facing life and death situations, whatever decisions or actions you make decides your survival.

If you are caught in a lift breakdown, first thought in mind may be 'waiting to die'...

But after reading below, things will definitely be different the next time you are caught in a lift.

First - Quickly press all the different levels of buttons in the lift.
As soon as emergency electricity supply gets activated, it will stop the lift from falling further.

Second - Hold on tight to the handle (if there is any).. It is to support your position and prevent you from falling or getting hurt when you lost your balance.

Third - Lean your back and head against the wall forming a straight line.
Leaning against the wall is to use it as a support for your back/spine as protection.

Fourth - Bend your knees
Ligament is a flexible, connective tissue. Thus, the impact of bones will be minimised during fall.

For everyone, kindly do share this piece of information with your near and dear ones.

Aatish e Ishq........

Dard phir Jaaga, Purana zakhm phir taaza hua
Fasl e Gul kitnay qareeb aayi hai andaza hua

Subha yuun nikli sanwar ke jis tarha koyi Dulhan
Shabnam aawaiza huyi Rang e Shafaq Ghaza hua

Haath mere bhool baithe Dastakein dene ka fan
Band mujh par jab se us ke ghar ka darwaaza hua

Rel ki Seeti mein kaisi Hijr ki tam-heed thi
Us ko Rukhsat kar ke ghar laute to Andaaza hua....

Mehdi Hasan Khan

Mehdi Hasan Khan is no more. He died of multiple organ failure today at Aga Khan Hospital, Karachi. May his soul rest in peace. Remember a Ghazal sung by him:

patta patta boota boota haal hamaara jaane hai
jaane na jaane gul hi na jaane, baag toh saara jaane hai
patta patta jaane hai, boota boota jaane hai

aashi kissa so toh sada koyi aur na hoga duniya mein
jike jain ko ishq mein usake apna waara jaane hai
patta patta jaane hai, boota boota hmm hmm
chaurahari bimaari yeh dil ki, rase shehar yeh husn nahi
warna dilbar nadan bhi iss dard ka chaura bhi jaane hai
patta patta jaane hai, boota boota jaane hai

kya kya fitne sar par usake laata hai maashuq apna
jispe dil pe taabo taapo ishq ka maara jaane hai
patta patta jaane hai, boota boota jaane hai
patta patta boota boota haal hamaara jaane hai

Mausam ki Pehli Baarish

Main kyun us ko phone karun!
uss ke bhi to ilm mein hoga
kal shab
Mausam ki pehli barish thi!



Ab bhi Barsaat ki Ratoon mein Badan Toot-ta hai
Jaag uthti hain Ajab Khwahishein Angdaiiyoon ki



Hum to samjhe the ke barsaat mein barsegi Sharaab
Aayii barsaat to barsaat ne dil tod diyaa  ;-)


Saawan ki ghata aaj bhi purkaif hai lekin
guzree huyi barsaat ki Hasrat nahi jaati



Lams-e-janaaN ,fishaar-e-jaaN baarish
zakhm-e-taaza ki raazdaaN baarish

toot kar barsay teri yaad ke phool
phir huyi raat naa gehaaN baarish

ik naye qurb ka pyasaa hai wujood
ik naye khwaab ka jahaaN baarish

hijr ki dhoop dilaati hai yaad
piyaas bhadkaati mehrbaaN baarish

habs-e-jaaN kis tarah sahaarein gay
pal do pal de hamain amaaN baarish

khwaahish-e-wasl iste'aara hai
bhool saktay hain hum kahaaN baarish

qurb-e-yaaraaN ki taiz khushboo
kishti-e-khwaab baadbaaN baarish