Silent Whispers - Revisited

At times one could so much relate to a verse or few lines or an sketch or an sculpture. As I went still when I happened to read this.. "He was larger than life, the close up zooming in on his face causing his sleepy brown eyes to look directly into hers as he smiled into the camera. His hair was still black and shiny, exactly as she remembered it from back then. How many years ago was it? Every so often, she counted.... ten.....eleven....always surprised that the yearning hadn't gone away....." Secrets and Sins. Jaishree Misra.

A warm night it was, as restless as her heart. She was standing on the terrace, there was a quietness prevailing all around her, everybody in their bedrooms fast asleep, except Mawra. Suddenly she had an urge to have caffeine. Her veins needed a rush of blood instead of this smooth flow or may be she needed a divergence. The books and music were no more helping her tonight. Back in her room, seeing her reflection in the mirror, she decided to tie her hair in a loose knot, her light blue pajamas were decent enough, she simply draped a stole around her shoulders and went downstairs to the kitchen. While mixing the coffee she put two mugs on the marble counter. Remembering the weekend night when she was watching a movie and on Daniel's return from Lahore, she was preparing coffee for them both.  But even then they could not have coffee together. When brought her coffee mug with her in the lawn, there was a sacred silence  which she needed at that moment. At times we need...

She began dancing on a serious note. Wearing a long , flowing ankle length red dress with black churidaar pajama, her long hair gathered in a french braid, moving in flow with the rhythm of her body. It was an Indian semi classic ghazal with sitar and tabla in the background, being played for her to perform. Her feet were lighter than air, her body was flexible beyond words, her arms swayed with waves of music, her neck being more provocative, her eyes moved as a professional, her expressions heartfelt. There was no sound but music, there was not even a whisper among the crowd, they were intently watching her every move, succumbing to the ambiance created by her beautiful proceedings., they were undoubtedly mesmerized. She looked unexpectedly stunning, even to those who used to meet her every day. As if this natural flow of dance was in born to her, as if she was expressing herself through this medium. They woke up when the song ended. And then there was a sudden burst of as...

"Assalamo Alaykum Ya Akhi" After fajr prayers, he was sitting in the mosque courtyard at his usual place under the towering umbrella, when he heard someone greet him. He was one of the khadims of the Haram. The team of servants who is reponsible for taking care of the cleanliness of premises of the Holy mosque are known as khadims. They are categorized into various groups and shifts according to their assigned duties. He was one of them. And since in his white arabic gown , slightly grown beard and his european physique , many people who met Daniel in Madinah, considered him  an Arab. Daniel returned his greetings. The khadim sat beside him on the marbled floor. Daniel turned to him and saw his bright eyes, he was smiling very gently at him. He was an average heighted, south asian man, wearing the green colored uniform of the Haram Shareef's khuddams, he had a knitted white net cap covering his head. "I watch you every day sitting here in the courtyard, even...

"Buenos días amiga", on receiving the call one morning, she heard him saying. It was a sunny morning and she was on way to university when she saw an international number blinking on her screen. Se recognized the code but did not recognize the number. But then she didn't know many people in Spain, so it had to be him. But this early in morning? it must be seven AM in Madrid, she thought. "What are you upto? I hope I did not disturb you at this early hour." He said gently. "I am on my way to university. I have an exam in afternoon" "Oh, best of luck. I am sure you are well prepared for your exam amiga, I called you because I need a small favour, I need to contact Suhail, his cell is off and he is not in office, is there any other way to get to him, this is some urgent work." he sounds slightly anxious. "Dad is in Islamabad, I wonder why his cell is off, he must be in a meeting, but I know which hotel he is having his meeting in...

He was in the Flower street. Geranium flowers were hanging through the pots that stuck through the wall of this narrow street. And then at the end, where the street took a blind turn, it widened into a more wider patio. It was early morning, very early indeed, the sun was still hiding somewhere behind the darkness of night. He was walking aimlessly, when he saw someone sitting on the top of a flight of stairs. The stairs were enclosed at the extreme top by a black grill. What that person was doing in this very secluded corner at this hour of night-morning junction, was definitely not his concern. He could have easily ignored and passed through but there was something unusual which made him stopped. It was a sob. And then there were continuous sobs. He stopped at the bottom of that walled off staircase. and looked up. It was a lady with her long hair all around her, they almost hid her face. Her head resting on her bent knees. She was wearing a white dress which was concealing...

Life would have been simpler if I was not. what I am today. It may be a blessing being different, it could be a curse too. Looking beyond the obvious, feeling beyond the norm, doing beyond the ordinary, can lead to misleading. You may miss the path, You ma begin to wander. You may become diverted, You may lose faith.

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khusnuma hawaloN maiN khoob roo khayaloN maiN mustaqil kitaboN maiN un kahay sawaloN maiN ghan gharaj mizajoN maiN gum sum nigahoN maiN teirgi ki chaloN maiN roshni kay jaaloN maiN lab sili du'oN maiN raat ki namazoN main ek gumaN kay baad jesay ek yaqeeN dar aya hay rah e tamanna main tum ko jub say paya hay.

And it does not happen everyday. It happens in many years, and at times it happens once in a lifetime. When we come across Someone, we could not happen to have known in our life otherwise, not by any means. And then one by one, slowly and unintentionally the paths begin to cross. We may ignore once, may be twice but then when it happens frequently, we have to sit back and think , it was meant to be this way. We eventually have to give in, stop resistance, surrender. That's the only way it has to be. And then at one point in time, we may realize, we have found what we were looking for. The search finished, the destiny accomplished. We are done with. That is how it feels, but it doe not happen ever day. may be in years, may be just once in a lifetime!

The trio gathered for a session of combined group study. Their semester finals were getting closer and so they decided to gather at Mawra's place. Among the three , Sila was an old friend to Mawra however Saba had met them in university, though she was a new friend but they were going smooth being friends. In Mawra's bedroom there were books and note books, piles of papers and three laptops, and they all were busy, less in studies, more in gossiping. "You look so different without a headscarf Mawra", said Saba, she was seeing her hair for the very first time. "Different? Do I look good or bad, different is a controversial word Madam" She replied smilingly "Good" Saba answered with a single word. "Oh and I thought I look good with a head scarf" making a sad face, said Mawra. "You look good with a headscarf, You are beautiful without it, I just love, love , love your hair!" "Oh you are trying to make me blush...

When whispers become voice and voice sounds like whispers Then feelings begin to dwell Then quietness begins to speak

Though I did not see yet The moon must have been in sky tonight As I could not see you But You must have been around.

This evening when this Holy month begins It does not only bring blessings It also brings back some lost moments and sweet memories.

As dervish as you may become, you can not survive without ignoring your worldly needs, he learnt this while going through his spiritual journey in the city of Prophet. It was almost a week he was in Madinah spending his whole day sitting in the courtyard of the mosque. Still he was unable to cross the unseen borders, still he was hesitating taking steps towards the door of the mosque. Yet he had been through some transitions. He was joining in the congregational prayers five times a day, he was making du'a after each salah, he could feel the tenderness in his heart, which he never realized existed before. He would spend his whole day roaming around the mosque and then sitting under the shadow of the giant umbrellas near Babe jibril, he would sleep on the marble floor of the courtyard, while people kept on making noise and the cleaning personals off and on crossing his path with their equipments to keep the courtyard cleaner. Still he used to nap with a deep, smooth and peac...

Something happened in Ibiza that has stirred me. The moment we landed in Ibiza town, to the moment we were back , I found myself entrapped,  by the charms of the lady named Helen Martinez. May be she was right, a recent visit to Pakistan brought a change to my thought process and now I was looking up to settling down. Still the islands made a difference, everything from the harbour to the beaches, from the road side cafes and shops to the pottery display, from the historic Fort to the discos that we went to, from the beers to the tapas we ate, from the Byzantine to Muslim cultural heritage of the town, was making an impact and bringing my life to a change. And when you are 39 years of age and on the verge of proposing a lady for marriage, romance is not the only option that you are considering. Nonetheless, Helen did not give me much chance to think over. She was one of the most exquisitely styled women I have been with. We were on a boat ride from the San Antonio isl...

A sharpened edge of a broken glass piece accidentally piercing your skin, will make you bleed and  make you flinch with pain, a sharp, slicing, piercing pain, and if some of those unseen cutting pieces would remain inside your laceration they may give you an unbearable burning sensation, which you could endure but could not explain your eye can shed a tear or two, if that pain is overwhelming , people around you can see your tears, but can not feel the pain you are going through. When a heart breaks, the story does not differ much there could be a a sharp piece of broken glass like behaviour that can make your heart bleed you may flinch with pain, you may burn to your roots, your tears may make your heart sink and that piercing laceration may become unbearable. but nobody could  fathom how you are suffering, because they can only see your smiling face, they can not feel the pain you are going through.

Can we go back in time? When I can catch butterflies, When I can drench in falling rain When I can love the sound of flute When I can wear motia in my hair When I can smile for no reason When I can weep in cover of my pillow When I can dream what I want to dream When I can fly without wings.