Two Journeys

I think it was Buddha that said that every human being must complete two journeys to have led a fulfilling life. The two journeys that he spoke about are the outer journey and the inner journey. The outer journey is the journey of discovering the universe around us. It encompasses the learning of the ways … Read more

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara – Poetry Translation

Its the magical words of Javed Akhtar that bring to life the essence of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Here are the four poems that Imraan narrates in the film (along with my translations)

Pighlay neelam sa behta hua yeh sama,
Neeli neeli si khamoshiyan;
Na kahin hai zameen,
Na kahin aasmaan;
Sarsaraati hui tehniyaan, pattiyaan;
Keh rahi hain ki bas ek tum ho yahaan,
Sirf main hoon, meri saansein hain, aur meri dhadkanein;
Aisi gehraiyaan,
Aisi tanhaiyaan,
Aur main sirf main
Apne honay pe mujhko yaqeen aa gaya…

This moment flows by like liquid sapphire
Silence like the blueness of the sea
No Earth below,
No Sky above.
The rustling of the branches and leaves
Whispering that only you are here
Only me, My breath, and my heartbeat
Depth like this (moment),
Loneliness like this (moment)
And me only me
And now I believe… I exist

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Ability…

When I was very young, my parents once visited a temple that had an artificial pool created next to it. Its a common thing for people to use the pool to wash ones feet and offer flowers at the pool before visiting the temple. Some people even take a dip in the pool before entering … Read more