It is that time of the year again.....

It is that time of the year again when nights are longer than days! When the sleepy eyes refuse to open and the body refuses to leave the warm  bed early in the chilly mornings. When the air is crisp and cool, and the sunlight is soft and welcome! When sweaters and mufflers become a part of everyday dressing, and when applying moisturizing cream before bed becomes a mandatory routine.  When a steaming mug of coffee and a favorite author give unmatched pleasure.

Winter has always been my favorite season. It is a season of intimacy, warmth, reflection and bonding.It gives us the opportunity to stay inside and reflect, to bond with the family, to enjoy the small pleasures that home has to offer. How well some one has described it ; " Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey and enjoy each idle hour". Winter is the family time in true sense!!

Many of the beautiful memories of my life are connected with this season. I can still recall the sound of cold winter wind against the window of my childhood home. I can hear the voice of my mother as she cajoled us to leave the warm bed and get ready for school. I still remember the color and design of my favourite  sweater. I remember gathering around the old  room heater after dinner and munching on dry fruits. How beautiful those days were! How simple and yet how engaging those small pleasures were!
Winters remind me of my honeymoon. We honeymooned in the quaint hill station of Mussourie in the chilly  winters of December.On one pleasant day we went to a high altitude spot named Dhantoli, situated some kilometers away from Mussourie, to witness snowfall. And just as we returned to our hill top resort in Mussourie, it started snowing there! What a wasted trip to Dhantoli! :) How soft and cool those specks of snow felt. And what a total transformation it was the next morning!  The green landscape had turned white overnight. What a sight! Something that can only be felt and not explained.

How time flies! 2012 has come to an end, and it only seems yesterday when we had welcomed this year. Can't  believe its almost over. At this time of the year last year, I was battling some conflicting emotions, and here I am, still battling those conflicts and hoping for some impossible miracles to happen.Seasons are passing by, but the hope remains, and the life goes on...........

Desert_ the kingdom of sand!

Desert! A vast expanse of sand! A timeless space of beauty, silence and longing! A land full of mysteries. Who knows what secrets lie beneath those infinite grains of sand, what untold stories are buried under those dunes!

 A desert fascinates me greatly. It appears mysterious to me , like an enigmatic woman beckoning its admirers. The amazing stories of explorers of Sahara,Gobi and Rub al khali keep me occupied for hours. My mind travels with them into the depths of the desert and observes the native desert people, the bedouins, the caravans on camels and the desert culture. May be having Rajasthani genes in my body has to play some role in my love for desert. Though I have never actually been inside the depths of a desert, but i have experienced desert from its fringes. I have got a taste of desert in Sind, UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and my ancestral land of Rajasthan! I keep wondering that what lies beneath those huge sand dunes, how does life survive in desert! 

Desert teaches us many things. Take for instance the phenomenon of mirage. To run after something that doesn't even exist! And how many mirages we chase during the course of our lives? Running after illusions! Finding meaning where none exists, looking for comfort in materialistic things. And then we finally realize that we have been running after mirages all this time! How devastating that realization must be to a man who is dying of thirst, and who has pinned his hopes on the mirage!!

An interesting phenomenon occurs when it rains in desert.The dormant seeds come to life and overnight the flowers blossom, transforming the barren land into a pretty sight! Isn't that miraculous? Sometimes a barren soul blooms into a beautiful entity by the power of divine love and water of knowledge! And that is what a true miracle is! Total transformation! 

Thinking about desert and thirst invokes images of Karbala. Of the thirst and hardships endured by Imam Husain(a.s) and his family, in the scorching heat of desert. But they endured it all without faltering because the soils of their souls were fertile and nourished with divine love and pure water of knowledge!  The desert turned into garden of Eden for them.

This world is but a desert full of hardships and mirages! Those who successfully cross it without getting engulfed by its vastness and its mirages, reach the evergreen gardens of eden!

بارش کا موسم

                                              روک سکو تو روک لو بارش کی پہلی بوندوں  کو

                                               !کچچی  مٹی  تو مھکے گی ہے مٹی کی مجبوری

بارش کا یہ خوبصورت موسم ! سورج کا بادلوں کے ساتھ آنکھ مچولی کھیلنا ! کبھی قوس و  قزح کے رنگوں کا افق پہ بکھرنا  ! کبھی نرم نرم بوندوں کا مٹی کو مہکانا تو کبھی موسلادھار بارش کا رات بھر برسنا . بجلی کا چمکنا اور بادلوں کا گرجنا

بارش کا موسم بھی کتنا حسین اور خوشنما ہے . جب ہر چیز نکھری نکھری دھلی دھلی محسوس ہوتی ہے . ہر پتہ ہر بوٹا ہر گل خوشی اور سرمستی سے لہراتا ہے مٹی کی سوندھی خوشبو حواسوں پہ چھا جاتی ہے . یہ وہ موسم ہے جب دل بلاوجہ خوشی سے جھومنے لگتا ہے . جب ٹپ ٹپ  گرتی بوندوں کی آواز ہر موسیقی سے بھلی لگتی ہے. جب دل چاھتا ہے کے تمام   فکروں سے آزاد ہو کر کھلے آسمان کے نیچے کھڑے ہو کر ہر بوند کو اپنے اندر سما لیں . یہ وہ موسم ہے جب انکہے  ،انجان  
جذبے پروان چڑھتے ہے، جب دل میں نئی امنگیں انگڑائیا ں  لیتی ہے. جب دل سے تمام شکوے اور کدورتیں دھل جاتی ہے اور دل چاہتا ہے کے سدا یہ خوبصورتی قائم رہے، یہ رم جھم کی نرم آواز سدا  دل کو لبھاتی رہے .

In Maula's praise

Last week, we_the MSB family_  got the azeem sharaf of ziafat of His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin(tus). I wrote this humble poem to be presented to him in ziafat.

O’ Noorani Maula , O’ angel of light,

You make my life pure, radiant and bright.

Beholding your Noorani face is my Ibaadat,

Through it I gain everlasting saa’dat.

None can compare thee in thy eminence,

You outshine the stars in their radiance.

Your exalted being, your dignified presence,

Fills my heart with awe and reverence.

Sweeter than the sweetest honey, is thy voice,

It melts the hearts and makes them rejoice.

O’ pillar of righteousness o’ saviour of millions,

 With your piety and conduct you inspire millions.

In your glory and magnificence you are like sun,

Your light is reflected in Mufaddal(tus)_your son.

May you both live a life of health,

Of glory, peace, bliss and wealth.

Playing with colours....continues...

Recently in Mumbai, i got the sharaf of presenting a glass painting  of Hutaib mubarak painted by me, in the Hazrat of Aali qadar Mufaddal Maula (tus). Aaliqadar Maula(tus) accepted it , and blessed me with a benevolent smile.  While i was rushing to saifee mahal to present the painting, i realized that i had not clicked any photo of the painting. But it was too late by then. So i just managed to click a couple of  hazy photos using my outdated mobile :)

And here are some of my glass paintings.

And these two paintings i gifted to two of my friends when they shifted to their new homes in mumbai.

I experimented with oil pastels on canvas and this is what i got...

Not too happy with the result, i  re-painted it with oil paints ;


And this is one of my oil paintings ;

I bought a plain white t-shirt, and to make it more interesting added some colors to it;



This is how i had fun with colors during my vacations ;)  and i got myself loads of colors and art material and now i am looking forward to experiment with new mediums.
p.s. If you want to see more of my work then  have a look at my posts "playing with colors" and "expressing with colors" on this blog!



The Kite Runner

I recently finished reading 'The Kite Runner' by Khaled Hosseini. It is one of those books that leave a deep impression on mind, that make us pause during the hustle bustle of our daily lives, and think! Though the story is set in Afghanistan , but it rises above time and space , because it deals with issues that are universal. It is a story about friendship, loyalty, betrayal, longing for acceptance, courage, regrets, redemption and survival.

The story revolves around two boys _ Amir_ a privileged blue blooded Pashtun, and his Hazara servant boy _ Hassan. The two boys grew up together, Amir _ timid by nature, and Hassan_  courageous and  fiercely loyal and devoted to Amir. Amir is desperate to gain the approval of his father who it seems is more fond of Hassan than his own son. He resolves to win the local kite-fighting tournament to prove that he has the makings of a man. His loyal friend hassan_the fastest kite runner_ promises to help him. But neither of the boys could foresee what would happen to Hassan on the afternoon of the tournament, and what price he would have to pay to help Amir, which was to shatter their lives. And thus Amir's life becomes a long journey of regrets and remorse and finally redemption!

What i liked most about the book is its vivid description of Afghanistan. As soon as we think about Afghanistan , our mind conjures up an image of a country torn by war, landmines, Russians, drugs, mujahedeen and Taliban. But the author describes the old Afghanistan of 1960s and 1970s and he does a wonderful job! He paints a captivating picture of Afghanistan, with descriptions of the beautiful city of Kabul, snow covered mountains, and afghan tradition and culture. And then he paints another picture_that of Afghanistan after Russian invasion, and after years of war and Taliban, and the transformation is shattering. The contrast is devastating and it brings a lump of tears to the throat.

One more thing that i enjoyed while reading the book is the use of Farsi terms. There are words like Tashakor (thank you), Nang and Namoos (Honour and pride), Khastegar (suitor), Khoshteep (handsome), zendagi migzara (life goes on), and the wedding song _ Ahesta boro, Mah-e-man-Ahesta boro (Go slowly,my lovely moon, go slowly) . The use of Farsi terms deepens the Afghan touch of the book.

The phrase that has stayed with me from the book is ; "For you a thousand times over!" When Amir cuts the last kite in the kite flying tournament, and Hassan runs to bring that kite for Amir, Amir tells him ; 'Hassan! come back with it!" And the ever loyal Hassan replies; "For you a thousand times over!" This one sentence sums up the silent, undying and sacrificial love of Hassan for Amir. And this same phrase is repeated by Amir after almost twenty six years to Hassan's son, as a way of redemption and seeking forgiveness. Finally his conscience forgives him. Life has come full  circle for him! 

Thirties rock!!

I am in my early thirties. I no longer believe that I am invincible, or that the world revolves around me! And I have reached the realization that temper tantrums will get me nowhere! Kids have started calling me 'Aunty'! The indians' tendency  to address anyone, even a complete stranger as 'uncle' or 'aunty' is pretty annoying. Sometimes you find people double your age with greying hairs, addressing you as aunty, and you wonder are they blind or what?? But then you realize that it is their vain attempt to defy age that makes them address everyone as aunty or uncle. But that will need another post, and before i go completely off-track, let me come back to the point i was trying to make. That i am no longer a young- twentyish -something -lady! My elder one has recently turned 10. And that makes me feel older! It was not until a few years ago that the college going teenagers would mistaken me as one of them (oh how good it felt!) Though my physical appearance has not changed much in these few years, but perhaps the calm and maturity that age offers, and the presence of a ten year old besides me, makes me look my age.

Thirties can be a very pleasant age. It is a period in a woman's life when she is more settled in life. When her children no longer need her constant attention.When she can devote more time to herself. When she finds an inner calm and serenity.   It is an age when follies of youth are almost over.  When one has learnt from mistakes. When one knows what one wants from life, or what one doesn't!

It is an age when a person is neither too old to try new things and explore new worlds, nor too young to foolishly believe that he or she  can be everything at once! (there was a point in my life when i wanted to be a lawyer, a teacher, a journalist, an artist, a writer, and a detective!)

It is an age when passion no longer clouds one's better judgement. When one has stopped making friends with every tom , dick and harry. It is an age which offers wisdom, maturity and sensitivity. An age when one appreciates his parents, his friends, his family more. When things are not taken for granted!

Today in my thirties, while reflecting back, i realize the mistakes that i have made, the times when i have been ungrateful and reckless. But i don't intend to dwell on it forever. Instead i feel that with age i have definitely become more sensitive, more appreciative of my blessings, and more accommodating to others. I don't feel old a bit! I have a job that i love, a wonderful family life,and more time to pursue my hobbies compared to my twenties. There are a lot of things that i still want to accomplish, and i feel that life has truly begun for me! Who said thirties is middle age? i think thirties rock!! :)  Did anyone just call me 'aunty'? I don't mind! ;)

To my love....

It must have been love at first sight! I can't exactly recall when was the first time that we were introduced to each other, because I was very young at that time. But ever since I can remember, you have been an inseparable part of my life. I have always cherished your sweet company. Be it a party, a boring lecture, a stressful day, a quiet moment, a joyous celebration or just an ordinary day_ you have always been there.

People accuse me of being addicted to you. They point out that your excessive company is not doing me any good. They advise me to avoid you as much as possible. But how can I do that? My heart melts at your sight and all I want is to posses you. May be that's why it is said that love is blind! (and deaf and dumb as well)! I don't care whether you are a good influence or a bad one, because the  euphoria that you provide me with is beyond words. As soon as I see you, all I want to do is drown myself in your sweetness. You are tentalizing as well as soothing, at the same time.

I admire you with all your different moods and avatars , whether its dark, bitter, sweet, smooth, hard, hot, cold or molten. You are so tempting, and I totlly agree with Oscar Wilde when he says that ; "I can resist anything except temptation"! I admit without fear or shame that I simply can't resist you. You are absolutely irresistible! So let's not give a hoot to what anyone says, and lets become one! Ah! let me immerse myself in the pleasure that you have to offer, my dearest chocolate bar! I just can't survive without you. ;)

Surat_ in all its glory!

The wait has been very long this time, almost two years! Our train enters the surat station at 15 minutes past midnight on 8th of march. We hire an auto rickshaw and start towards my husband's ancestral home in Bilal gali. As the rickshaw enters the area of Jhapa Bazaar, familiar sights, sounds and odours greet us! Even at this unearthly hour, this particular area in Surat is wide awake. The vendors selling heavenly smelling food, the areas around Jamea and Qasr mubarak illuminated with series of lights, and talabats roaming around in streets. Oh, its all so familiar! Been there , done that! "Oh, how much I have missed you! What took it so long this time?" My heart silently complains to Surat. "Welcome home! Don't worry, I will more than make up for the lost time", it whispers back.

Surat has always been very close to my heart with hundreds of pleasant memories of my Jamea days associated with it. This year when 101st Milad Mubarak of Aqa Moula (tus) was declared in Surat, my heart jumped with joy(and so did I!) :) I was going to Surat after two long years!

Stepping in Surat is like stepping back in time. It is a wonderful blend of old heritage and new amenities.Though old,dilapidated buildings are getting replaced by trendy new ones, but the essence of old Surat remains the same. It is a place like none other! Its an honour to walk in the streets that have been walked on by many Duat Kiram(ra) . To touch one's forehead to the threshold of Devri Mubarak. To pray in the majestic Masjid e Moazzam. To perform ziarat of seven Duat resting in those pristine Qubbas. And to feel the aura surrounding Al Jamea Tus Saifiyah!

This year the celebrations are double and the happiness twice as much! That of 101st Milad and of wedding in Qasre aali! Surat has been decorated like a bride. It looks bright, beautiful and inviting. The joy is palpable. The air is charged with excitement, joy and festivities. What a time to be alive!

On 16th of Rabi ul Akhar, the red cloth_mandvo_ symbolizing the beginning of marriage celebrations, was tied infront of Qasr Mubarak. Aqa Moula (tus) himself graced the occasion with his esteemed presence. The place was resonant with cries of 'Mubarak Moula'!

Every night after maghrib Moula would perform ziarat. Due to newly constructed bridge and glass elevator, it is possible to do deedar even from the end of Bilal Gali. The sight of his noorani face in the illuminated glass lift made the hearts leap with joy and love! And tears of gratitude automatically rolled down.

On 18th of Rabi ul akhar , mumineen across the world witnessed the grand procession of Milad Mubarak.
It was a treat to watch this procession, and a treat to watch and hear the band of Jamea playing different tunes, especially the tune of 'nahno ban ul jamea'. And after the procession was over, the traditional yemeni steps were performed in the street of devri, and it went on for almost an hour. The chants of 'marhaba ya noora aini' could be heard everywhere.

On the eve of Milad Mubarak, there was 'wadhawani majlis' exclusively for ladies. The decoration around Moula's bethk was in the shape of a beautiful purple khaima (tent). It is an occasion that I always look forward to with much anticipation and enthusiasm. To gaze at the dazzling stars of the royal family shining brightly in beautiful elegant clothes and ethnic jewellery! To observe them performing the 'wadhawani' rituals. The protocol they follow and the easy grace and charm with which they carry themselves! No words can do justice to the beauty of this captivating event.

The morning of 20th Rabi ul Akhar dawned with euphoria in every mumin's heart. What luck to be able to gaze at the sun and the moon on one platform! The moon sitting at sun's feet, taking light from it. May the glory and radiance of these celestial bodies continue to guide the generations and generations to come.

On 21st of rabi ul Akhar, the magnificent wedding procession was held. The young bridegrooms of the royal family adorned with flowers,  rode elegantly on horses. The young bhaisahebs (boys), dressed up in golden dresses and turbans sat royally on horses. And the pretty little bensahebas (girls), resembling fairies, were seated in beautifully decorated camel carts. Everything was so mesmerising. Now this is what we call a 'fairy tale wedding'! The ultimate royals!

I was in Surat for six days and I thoroughly enjoyed myself each second. Drenched myself in the barakaat being showered endlessly. It was like a dream come true. And along with that, I enjoyed all that Surat has to offer. Relished the famous Falooda of Taj. Savoured the mouth watering tikkas of 'chote mian' and egg sandwiches of 'ghulam nabi' . And enjoyed the paan of 'saleem'. Surat is the only place where you would find people from every walk of life eating at all the famous roadside stalls and joints without any inhibitions. So don't be surprised if while eating your 'chatpati' you realize that some well known figure of community is standing next to you. :)

I am back to my home in Rajasthan, but am missing Surat each second. The decorated streets of surat flash upon my inward eye. 'Music when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory'. From the folds of my memory I hear the echo of this tune:
                                     Ek so ekwi Milad ki ye baha
                                     Ho mubarak, mubarak , mubarak shaha......

A rhyme and a reason!

This is an article that I had written years back for a children's magazine as  part of my IBO english language assignment. The objective was to create awareness in children about global issues in a fun way.

Hi friends! Let's have some fun today. All of us are familiar with nursery rhymes. How much we enjoyed reciting the catchy rhymes on top of our voices when we were in kindergarten. And even today, we remember and enjoy some, if not all, of those rhymes. So today, let's open up the windows of our minds, let's broaden the horizons of our imaginations, and try to explore the hidden meaning in these rhymes. Let's find out what these rhymes are actually trying to tell us.

             

One of the all time favorite rhyme is:

                                              Twinkle twinkle little star

                                              How I wonder what you are

                                              Up above the world so high

                                              Like a diamond in the sky!

    

How I wonder what you are!

         

 

                                     



How I wonder where you are??

  All of us have experienced at some point in our lives, the awe and wonder at the sight of a sky full of twinkling stars. How delightful it is to lie  in an open space under the sky, and to gaze at the bright stars and marvel at the vastness of universe! But a sky full of stars is becoming a rare sight in cities these days and is getting confined only to villages and remote areas.Why is it so? Because the smoke from vehicles, industries and various other sources is polluting the air, and thus we are not able to see the stars. If the situation remains the same, in the future we may not find any child looking at the sky with awe and addressing the star that, 'How I wonder what you are'!

Another popular rhyme is :
                                     Jack and Jill went up the hill
                                     to fetch a pail of water
                                     Jack fell down and broke his crown
                                     and Jill came tumbling after.




And miles to go before I sip...

To fetch a pail of water!

Water and life are synonymously interchangeable. When we talk of water, life in all forms emerges as a vivid picture.You think of water and feel cool. You think of water and feel quenched. You think of water and feel life – transparent and flowing.It is a gift of nature and a renewable resource, but our demands on this resource have increased overwhelmingly high, causing limitations on its quality and quantity. In many Indian villages women have to walk miles carrying heavy pots on their heads to fetch water. So next time before wasting water, give a thought about those for whom each drop is precious. 

Now let's have a look at this:
                   
                                There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,
                           She had so many children she didn't know what to do!
                           So she gave them some broth without any bread,
                           And she whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed! 


They lived in a shoe....

These children do not even have a shoe house.....

This rhyme draws our attention to the problem of population explosion. The world's population is increasing with each passing day and there are not enough resources to support the bursting billions.There is a huge economical gap between rich and poor. Millions of children  in the world have limited or no access to the most basic requirements like nutritious food, clean water, proper housing and clothing, and a good education. Let's join hands and do our bit for these children.

Now let's find out what message this popular rhyme is giving us:

                               Ladybird ladybird,

                               Fly away home

                               Your house is on fire  

                               And your children all gone.

Ladybird is a small insect that lives on plants. Trees are home for many species of animals. When a tree is cut, along with it countless other lives that survive on it, suffer. Deforestation is disturbing the delicate ecosystem.  The cutting of trees must stop to save the earth. Let's plant as many trees as we can! Because a green environment is a clean environment!

Now let's pay attention to this one:

         Bits of paper

         lying on the floor

         makes the place untidy

          pick them up!

                   

Proper disposal of garbage is very essential for a clean environment.The stench and ugly sight of garbage dumped on the roadside is not at all uncommon in India. Just as we keep our room and house clean, we should keep our surroundings clean by disposing of garbage in a proper way. Segregation of dry and wet garbage helps in recycling.As individuals, we need to realize that we do generate quite a lot of waste. We dump the containers that can be reused, and we throw away paper that can be recycled. It is important to reduce our wastage of resources, and to dispose our waste in a responsible manner. 

So my dear young friends, let us save our earth, which is round and full of good things, let's save our Humpty Dumpty! Let us be grateful for the gifts of mother earth and celebrate 'earth day' everyday! Link your young hands and feet together, and join the race to make the world a better place.Remember that each tiny step counts as the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step! use.

Valentines day!

I did not receive any gifts or roses from hubby dear on Valentines,not even a card!And it has been years since he has not gifted me anything on this particular day. Does it mean he doesn't love me? Certainly not! Does it mean he is not very expressive or romantic? Hmm...yes. He laughs when I give so much importance to Valentines day and calls it 'extortion day' . It used to bother me a lot initially. But over the years I have matured and started to appreciate  the subtle yet ever present expressions of love and caring from hubby. The initial euphoria of days bygone when sky seemed bluer and roses redder has evolved into something far deeper. I have accepted the fact that he is a man of few words (and even fewer surprises!) :)

When I was amidst green girl's fantasies , love to me meant roses and scented candles. If it was not expressed romantically  and poetically it was not love! And oh how I sulked and moped when I did not get my way. But today after 13 years of being married and staying under the same roof I have trained my eyes and mind to look at expressions of love in small everyday gestures. Today I know  that  it is an expression of love when he offers to do the laundry when I am too tired. When he makes me a cup of  hot tea when I am not feeling well. When he helps in household chores on the days I am too busy completing  my kids' project books. I know it is  his way of saying "I love you" when he ignores my widening waistline and accepts me the way I am!

I know it is love when he good naturedly praises my cooking even on the days when it has not turned out very well. When he ignores the mess in the room. When he refrains from retorting if I am in a bad mood.
When he respects my personal space. When he gives me the freedom to take my own decisions. When he asks for my opinion  in matters that really matter to him.

And I know that it is definitely love when he rushes back home every day after work , to me and kids! When in a room full of people his eyes search for me. When he feels uncomfortable in female company and looks at me for help. :) When he looks at me with silent admiration in his eyes. I know it is never going to be roses and candles for me but I am content with what I have! (which is actually a lot) . I dedicate this line by Robert Browning to my hubby;
                                    Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be!

Tears on the sudden demise of Shahzada Huzaifa Bhaisaheb Mohyuddin

Shahzada saheb smiling affectionately at my sons

Death is inevitable. Almost everyday we hear about someone's death. But then there are some deaths that are very hard to swallow. That shake us, shock us_ to say the least_ and leave us in a state of shocked denial. The sudden demise of His Eminence Shahzada Huzaifa Bhaisaheb Mohyuddin (the fourth son of His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin tus)  is one such death. It has left mumineen  across the world in a state of deep mourning and shock. The ears refuse to let the words sink in, the heart refuses to believe the news! How can it be? He appeared so zealous, so alive, so fit and active. Always there in the khidmat of Moula and welfare of mumineen! We had seen him just two days ago in Ahmedabad on Chelum. My mother- in- law  spoke to him just the night before his demise and he appeared as fit and fresh as ever. No one even imagined in their wildest dreams that what the next morning would bring.

           

His smiling face appears before my eyes. Just twenty one days before his demise he had visited MSB Banswara during Moulana's Taherabad journey. He  visited each and every room of the institue, and took keen interest in all the updates. He affectionately spoke to the students and staff. He indulgently watched the students' performances. He graciously spent so much time in the premises inspite of his very hectic schedule and various appointments. I remember preparing snacks and black tea for him and serving him. He particularly liked the black tea. It was our good fortune to get the sharaf of serving him during his last visit here. He stayed in Banswara town till 3'o clock in night, visiting masjid, mazaar, mumineen's homes and listening to what they had to say. Such was his affection for mumineen and his zeal for khidmat!

He was a pillar of strength and righteousness. A very organized and punctual individual. A very good orator. His organizational skills were exceptional and thus departments of Al vazarat and MSB fluorished under his expert leadership. He started the Taa'bbudaat movement. And there are countless other khidmaat and achievements to his credit.

He lived a life of khidmat and died a death of saa'dat. We mourn him for ourselves, for our loss, not for him_because we know that he has reached the heavens and eternal bliss! We mourn him because he was such a strong arm for our beloved Moula (tus) . The sight of this 100 year old father at the burial of his son wrenched even the hardest of hearts and brought tears to even the driest of eyes.How he must have coped up with this huge loss! But His Sabr e jameel gave strength and solace to everyone.

Shahzada saheb's sudden departure, Aqa moula's shafaa't for him and Mufaddal moula's words for him reinforced the belief in every mumin's heart that this life is but a passage to the eternal life. The heart can cease to beat at any moment but the soul nourished with the love of Moula, Ilm (knowledge) , Amal (good deeds) , and khidmat (service) will continue to live forever and ever. And Moula will do shafaa't of every mumin. What awaits us after this life is much more rewarding! Death is but the beginning!!
I quote Edwin Leibfred here:
                  For death is but a pasing phase of Life
                  A change of dress, a disrobing;
                  A birth into the unborn again;
                  A commencing where we ended;
                  A starting where we stopped to rest
                  A crossroad of Eternity;
                  A giving up of something; to possess all things
                  The end of the unreal, the beginning of the real.

اب اداس پھرتے ہو سردیوں کی شاموں میں

      یہ جاڑوں  کا موسم ! دسمبر کی سرد ہوائیں ، جنوری کی اداس شامیں جن میں انجانا درد خواہ مخواہ ہی دل کو بے چین کرتا ہیں 
             
قدرت کا بنایا ہوا ہر موسم اپنے اندر بے پناہ خوبصورتی سموے ہوئے ہیں لیکن سردیو کی بات ہی کچھ الگ ہیں . ہمیشہ سے یہ میرا پسندیدہ موسم رہا ہیں اور کئی     خوبصورت یادیں اس سے وابستہ ہیں  .

  دھند میں لپٹی ہوئیں یہ  ٹھنڈی صبحیں ، یہ دانتوں کا بجنا ، ہاتھوں کا کپکپانا ، بجتی ہوئی  الارم بند کرکے سوچنا کہ کاش رات کبھی ختم نہ ہو! وہ بھانپ اڑاتا ہوا  کافی کا مگ ، وہ گرما گرم الوان ، وہ رنگ برنگی شالیں اور  مفلر ، وہ پوری    دوپہر لحاف  میں گھس کر موٹی موٹی کتابیں پڑھنا ، وہ گھنٹو بستر میں پڑے رہنا. وہ نرم دھوپ چہرے پہ محسوس کرنا

              جاڑوں کی سرسراتی  ہوائیں گویا سرگوشیاں کرتی ہوئی محسوس ہوتی  ہیں . اپنے اندر کئی ان کہی داستانیں سمیٹیں ہوۓ! خوبصورت شامیں جن میں ایک بےنام سی اداسی ، ایک خلش دل کو ستاتی ہے . جاڑوں کی لمبی راتیں ، برفیلی ہواؤں کا کھڑکی پہ دستک دینا ، وہ سنسان سڑکیں ، خاموش وادیاں

ہاے یہ افسانوی رومانوی موسم! یہ خوابوں خیالوں کا موسم ! یہ دل کو حسین اداسیاں بخشتا ہوا موسم ! آنکھوں کو انجان سپنے دکھاتا ہوا موسم ! یہ مایوسیوں اور امیدو کے حسین امتزاج کا موسم . یہ گزرے ہوۓ سال کو رخصت کرنے  اور نئے    سال کو خوش آمدید کہنے کا موسم ! کاش یہ خوبصورت موسم یوں ہی برقرار رہے .....