Net piracy

Upset to see a recently discovered cute - uplifting - imaginative blog having to go off air in terms of total change in format, because others have blatantly copied the images without acknowledgement and permission. Shame on them! And what a pity that Mila's Daydreams are now off limits to all because of those copyright infringements :(

Good luck to Mila and her mommy for creative outings through their forthcoming book.

To get an idea of what you missed, see: Mila's Daydreams

Khusro

This Sunday has been spent soaking-in the stunning beauty of Khusro's kalaams. Some which I particularly like are the renditions by Abida Parveen of Man Kunto Maula, Chaap Tilak and Mosey Boolo Na. Lucky enough to hear her in person about six years ago at the Jahan-E-Khusro festival in the amazing setting of the Humayun's Tomb, I remember the powerful voice reverberating like thunder and swirling in a big vortex of fire. Whew.

Below are some stanzas from Man Kunto Maula:

Aaflak se laayi jaati hai
Seenon mein chupaaye jaati hai
Tauheed ki mein saagar se nahin
Aankhon se pilaayee jaati hai

Ishi talaasho tajasus mein
Kho gaya hoon main
Jo main nahin hoon to kyon hoon
Jo hoon to kya hoon main

Ishq kya shay hai
Kisi taamil se pucha chaahiye
Kis tarha jaata hai diL
Be dil se poocha chaahiye

Saaki tujhe kasam hai
jaanabe amir ki
behti phire sharab mein
kasti fakir ki

Yaar ab phir ek baar
fakiron pe marham rakh de
muddat hui hai
jyaarate insan kiye hue

Ab tumko bhool jaane ki koshish kareinge hum
Tumse bhi ho sake to na aana khayal mein

An afternoon in the tropics

a glide
a chirp
the french manicured plume
of the white breasted
little bird
in the Burmese Days
of a sleepy mid afternoon
amid tea shops in Myaungmya
fluttering on its way to
finding Grorge Orwell in Burma