Dastan-E-Shayari

Is noorani chehre ke noor me doob ke ;
Is shaam ki shama me gum ho ke ;
Is dil ki dillagi me rum ke ;
Ae humsafar ! Tu door na ho jana !
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Is dil me kashish he tumhe chahne ki ;
Dil se kehta hu - "Koi zarurat nahi uski yaad ane ki !" ;
Par dil bhi apni zid par ada hua he ;
Tumhe pane ki hasrat me taan ke sina khada hua he !

A Pigeon In The City Of Joy

Whether it was truly a legacy or just a mere piece of exaggeration , i didnt know much about this marvellous masterpiece of the British East India Company. Kolkata ,as it is called today , is truly a vibrant , lively and expressive cultural hub , depicting the real essence of Bengal. The streets were well organized , each bearing footpaths on either sides for the comfort of its citizens , and so wide ,as to give enough space for those street vendors. An aptly sprawling pathway for ever running professionals , the much slower but conspicious Tramways for the workers , and busy but not crowdy parks provided it an exceptional look.
When i was about to reach the airport , i just wondered ,how much green the city was. For nowadays , greenery , and that too in a metro , is just like a dream come true. Then there was not too much chaotic environment , which i used to experience back in Mumbai. Though it was busy , still the lifestyle seemed to be so much perfect. Friendly rich people greeting even the 'Puchka Walas' as if they were family.People who stuck to their mother tongue , Bengali , answering in Hindi only when asked for. First I felt awful , how could they speak in Hindi , but then i came to understand that Kolkata was not just a Bengal city , but a blend of numerous cultures. Nowhere i had seen such a mix of cultures. Be it Hindus or Muslims , Bangladeshi or Assamese , Dravidians or Mongoloids , all could be seen at a single place , at any time. Even the innumerable restaurants too had their own cultural speciality , separating them from the common lot.I too got a chance to visit a restaurant , famous for Awadhi (those rich jewellery-clad Nawabs of Lucknow were called Awadhs) cuisines. Moving into the posh interior areas of the metro , i was glad to see those magnificent Gothic cum British style edifices that were now either the base of most of the government offices or had been converted into heritage hotels. Making our way through a tide of such huge structures , we reached a place where greenery was not a pearl in the sea. Especially the area they now call the Maidan , which had one Horse Race Course , plenty of open fields which could be used to play both cricket and football , Eden Gardens , as we know all , and the fanciest of all , the Victoria Memorial complex.

This 1921 jewel of English architecture was laid out in pure marble and its magnificent facades gave a feel of The Taj Mahal , as seen from the British eyes. As we entered the premises , the well maintained gardens , with Queen Victoria's bust in the middle , portrayed the European style of sculpturing. The mood in which the queen was seated , gave a feel of royal grandeur. Then i could observe that while the Art Museum inside was the abode of the intellectual lot , outside beauty proved to be the most elegant place for couples. I could just imagine myself sitting near a tree with my girlfriend :). A robust statue of Lord Curzon presented a polishing effect to the palace , alongwith a Royal Cannon in its adjacency.

To dive into a more panoramic perspective of Kolkata , nothing could be better than to see the largest museum in India , a place they righly call the Indian Museum. Built in 1814 , it was as if i had entered into a different world. I took the journey alone , which proved a wonderful experience overall. As i entered , i saw a large trunk of a Mammoth , which many of us might have seen in the Ice Age trilogy. A large collection of some of those animals ,which we couldn't have imagined beyond the scope of our scholarly books, could be imagined to be standing right ahead of us. To anyone's astonishment , i saw a breed of dinosaur which thrived near the mighty Narmada , Rajasaurus Narmadensis. The name itself presented an Indian influence. An equally fascinating experience was of the Archaeology section ,dealing with almost all of the ancient Indian art of sculpture. Buddha in Three Poses , Sleeping , Preaching and Protecting , numerous Avalokiteshwaras , Tara , the sensuous Indian Goddess , and amorous figures of Khajuraho , was an inspiration for people who loved the Ancient Indian culture. Numismatics , dealing with coins of Ancient , Medieval and Modern eras , provided an enchanting look. From the smallest of those of the Nagas , to the largest of those of the British , while an equally enthralling piece of art were the Zodiac Coins of Emperor Jahangir. And then we could also see a transition from Bronze to Silver to the mighty Gold. Moreover , we could see the mixing of cultures and civilizations from its languages and inscriptions , a thing to be seen nowhere else in the world.
The gallery of metal sculpture showed a glimpse of the arts of goldsmiths and blacksmiths. The very sculptuer of Nataraj that we used to see in our history books , was exhibited with utmost significance in a section separated from others , while broze and copper sculptures from South , Assam ,and Kathiawar , complimented it in its own unusual ways. A big tree trunk, which happened to be of Pleistocene Era , was displayed in the courtyard. Then , there was a Geology Section , displaying various ores and minerals , unique were the ones which were from Antarctica. And various stones were displayed , which were used as building blocks of famous temples like Sun Temple and palaces like the elegant Taj Mahal. The first Indian made pure Aluminium was also on display. Sometimes , i wonder how much hard these historians might have worked to gather those astonishing pieces of Indian might.
For people , who got bored from such stuffs , there was an interesting Egyptian Gallery , where mummies were on display in an AC chamber. While the walls were decorated with Heiroglyphics , Map of Egyptian civilization , Names of their Kings , and most importantly , the Names of their Gods and Goddesses. I had perspired a lot , so it was a refreshing experience for me , not just to gather tremendous amount of knowledge about Egypt but also to wipe out my sweat.:P When i looked upon the name Harward Carter , the instant thought that came to my mind was that we had a chapter based on King Tutankhamun in my school days , quite tantallizing at that time as well.
Though Icould not enjoy all of the Museum , due to a tinge of tiredness , that was predicable for a person visiting the largest of its kind place , yet I could gather somehow why it was an abode to historians and 'Art' loving people. Coming to reality was no less entertaining .I had one of the best Bhel Puris in my entire life , quite different from the ones we get in Mumbai. It was the thought of comparison between the crests and troughs of two mighty cities that made my stay even more desirable.
We all are religious people and to express our faith in The Almighty , we tend to visit our religious places , as I did. It was in a posh street , Brabourn Road , i remembered it from the biscuit brand 'Bourbon' ,(Had eaten it a lot during TechFest) and also imagined Hrithik Roshan dancing there , a wierd but useful way to remember things. We joined in the religious preachings of one of our religious leaders , who lived back in the time of Aurangzeb and whom the Mughal Emperor had killed for religious reasons. It was tragic to hear that , but at the same time . an inspiration for us as how people can die to protect one's faith. The mosque was mighty as well , but I could easily observe the little evidences of modernisation in its structure. Nowadays , it is very unusual to have those intricately designed panels and windows. While on the other hand , the British might was roaring with the splendour of its preserved architecture.
I am not so much a religious being , so I will not talk much about it. But what interests me is going to temples , churches and gurudwaras as well. I got the same opportunity back in Kolkata. Birla Mandir as it called is one of the marble clad temples built by the prosperous Birla family. While we were not allowed with our shoes inside , there was a separate chamber used as shoe racks. Oh! What a pleasant sight it was! Inside were the beautifully carved statues of Lord Ram and Sita , while on one side was Lord Shiva and on the other side Goddess Kali. The Kalratri Pooja of Kolkata is reknowned all over the world. Infinite numbers of statues of Goddess Kali are praised for the Nine days of Navratri , before finally emersing them in the Hooghly , the end point of the holy Ganges. Within the premises of the mandir were smaller but equally influential temples of Lord Ganesh and Lord Hanumaan. While on one side all the ten Avatars of Lord Vishnu enhanced the inducement of the Bengali lot. The best time to visit it was during the night at the time of cool breezes , and so i went. Giving little pieces for donation to the temple trust was no bad at all. I felt an inner satisfaction ,at least I did a good deed , though maybe once after a long time.
The name Birla rings in the cochlea of almost every denizen. It also displays the tantallizing popularity of this great organisation. They had built here , what appeared to me as one of the best ever experiences - The Birla Industrial and Technical Museum .It was close to my aunt's house , so i preferred to take a walk (besides walking on footpaths was a feel good experience for me). As the word 'technical' suggests , it was a Bowl of Curiosity for lads who liked Science. I entered what was called as Dynamic Physics. What we used to study in our books and wondered when it will be a reality , this place was a high time where it actually did. A tap gusshing out water and fillin a vase below...still not connected to a pipe...Musical Chamber.....Colour Spectrum......Swinging Pendulums......Deceiving Mirrors....and what not. Every apparatus was a marvel in itself. Coming from a science background helped me understand a few of those 'magical' wonders , but still most of it went over my head.
I had bought a ticket to a 3 D show titled - "The life of a Turtle". It was the first time I put up a 3D goggle and watched a 3 D show. It was scrupulous awesomeness for a first timer. Everything looked real , the additive being the touch of the turtle to the screen , as if it were happening beyond that mere piece of screen glass. And the hands of that huge Octopus as if approaching to grab me. It was a nice half an hour journey into a different world. Back to the museum , I went to the Electricity and Magnetism Room .As it is obvious , everything was related to currents . voltage and magnets. An interesting thing was an apparatus that used Earth's Magnetic Field to determine the Dip Angle (science students know , others may ask ). Then there were different kinds of current producing magnetic apparatus , as old as the scientists who made it , probably. At least they looked old enough to be kept in a museum :). But overall , it seemed quite boring , but still a bit interesting.
"the Idiot Box" as we sarcastically call it , had a lot of history behind it. Due to this there was a separate section for Communication Instruments .I had least interest in reading those boring stuffs , so i went as quickly as possible thruogh them. Though I still wondered , how an object as small as a cathode ray tube could be so much useful for TV operation. Another thing to notice was a Television Studio , which used to capture pictures and transfer them to the world.

Lolo's Hut

A tiny Hermit Crab named 'Lolo' lived in a tiny seashell with his Mother , and he used to call it 'Abode of Santa' . He was a great fan of Santa and used to wait for the whole year for Christmas to come. Since he had grown much bigger now , living in a small shell with his mother posed a lot of problems to them. So , thinking of future , his mother decide to buy another separate shell for Lolo.
Next morning , as early as the Seagulls begin to chirp , they went to the Octopus Mall to buy them. The Mall was a tiny cave , made up of dead Corals , and decorated with multicoloured Algae paints. In the center was a large sculpture of Sir Christopher Octopussy , the founder of the Mall. On both sides , were standing pretty Marvins to welcome their customers. Lolo and his mother entered the Mall from its front opening , and reached directly to the ASCA (Aquamarine Shell Constructors Association). They found that they didnt have enough Goldfish Fins or Pearls to buy a shell. Even the cheapest one costed five GF's or 2 Pearls. They returned back home.
Observing the despondent face of her child , the Mother decided to earn some more money than their usual livelihood of catching tiny fishes and selling them in the market. She decided to go for the much larger ones , like Tuna , which were harder to catch. She kept on working day and night. After a tall order of five weeks , she finally succeeded to earn two Pearls , and bought Lolo's favourite Shell home. Seeing this , Lolo was filled with joy and excitement , and anticipated the independent life he was going to live.
But his Mother was a bit possessive about him . So she warned him , that since he was still much younger to live on his own , he should remain as close as possible to her. But the tiny Hermit , was a vibrant , lively and ambitious being. He used to do only that which he considered right and ignore his mother's words. So one day . he decided to hire a Ray Cab from the GF's which he had kept in his piggy shell , without telling his mother. He got connected his shell to the cab through a plankton rope and hired him to have a journey around the Reef.
They roamed around at different places , the Squid Circus , where different squids presented their sea stunts , the Jellyfish Museum , which had a large collection of ancient jellyfishes , and his favourite spot , the Star Theatre , where his beloved actress , Lily Starfish performed. While returning home , the Ray just advised him that he would take him to a place , where no one had gone before. Lolo , being so much adventurous and enthusiastic , agreed instanly. It was a place called 'Evil Cave' which , according to the Ray , was rumoured to be the Adda of the bloodthirsty Piranha Dons. He had already advised Lolo to see it from the cab only and not to go near to it. But Lolo was too perverse to obey him. So he went near to the cave opening and took a peek inside. To his horror , one of the Dons who were busy collecting GF's spotted Lolo. He rushed at an alarming pace to grab him , but Lolo was too swift to get caught by them . As Lolo rushed outside , he saw the frightened Ray fly away , without thinking about him. Lolo was as helpless as a lame turtle. The piranha chased him vivaciously , while the ponderous speed of Lolo was proving to be life threatening to him. Don was about to attack this little Hermit , when with a sudden and swift tackle , a mighty Samurai Dolphin came to his rescue. With its strong frontier , it fought bravely with the Piranha , which eventually surrendered and subdued. With minor injuries , the Dolphin scolded Lolo that he should not wander anywhere alone. "Didn't you tell your mother that you were going away from home? " asked the Dolphin peacefully. Quite bedazzled by what had occured , but still holding his nerves , he answered ,"Sir , I had promised my Mother that i will always remain with her and never go out without her permission. But since you know for past three days , these El Nino waves were sweeping through my shell like thunder. And today , a major wave swept my shell alongwith me , to this remote detering cave. You can see , how a plankton made its way through my shell on its turbulent path." Lol o's words convinced the Dolphin in one way , but he was a wise Samurai. He thought for a while and then took Lolo with him on his fins and rushed through the current at godspeed.
Spiralling through the uneven pathways , crossing innumerable corals , a Band of Pomfrets , and a shawl of Jelly Fishes , he finally entered a large corridor , which was guarded by a number of Red Starfish Guards suited in a lavishly coloured feathered dead corals , a symbol of their valour and prestige. As soon as they saw the Samurai Dolphin , they backed-off .Lolo lingered on a thought that he had met someone much powerful and popular among the denizens.
After a while , he found himself being seated alongside the Dolphin , while the fishes and turtles waved and praised , and chorused only one sound - "Long Live Her Highness! The Queen Whale" .As soon as they started yelling , Queen Whale entered the Court Of Justice , as the place was popularly called. The Samurai bowed to her honouring her , and then started his conversation , "Your Highness! When I was taking a round about our territory , i found this little Hermit , swimming hurriedly as if being chased by someone. When i came near , i found it was one of those Piranha Dons chasing him. I combatted them and was able to drive them away. But when i asked Lolo , this is what his name , what drew him here , he gave me a quite reasonable explaination." Turning towards Lolo , he said ; "Lolo ! Tell Her Highness whatever you told me earlier .Don't be afraid! She will help you solve your problem. As he was told , Lolo repeated his words.
The Queen went into a horrible dilemma, Her expression was the same as that of the Samurai few hours ago. After thinking for a long time , she declared "Let this problem be solved by one of the ablest of our Minister , Count Sea Horse." Count Sea Horse was an old chap. He used to talk a lot on irrelevant things , so people used to remain away from him as far as possible. But he was damn intelligent and solved complex puzzles in seconds. He had even won the Great Pearl , an award of Excellency in Science and Logic , three times in a row. When faced with the situation , he said " Your Highness , this is a very easy problem . I have solved much complex problems than this. If you remember , how I solved the Problem of African Spoonbills who used to eat our Tunas , by offering them a much better food , the Sea Mushrooms and then the case of Papraki Crabs....." The Queen interrupted ."Count Sea Horse ! we all know about your achievements.Now can you please come to the point?" He replied "Sure ! Anything for our Lady!" He gathered a few limestones from his box and did something unusual , which was beyond the scope of anyone's imagination. Then he finally answered "Let us give our little Lolo , The Great Spring of Eddy Shark" He continued , "If that spring could keep the ferocious Shark in control for twenty long years , it could surely help this child to remain close to his Mother's shell."
And so was done. The Great Spring was ordered to the Eel Engineers to get Lolo's Hut fixed to his Mother's shell. From that day onwards , Lolo kept on praying to Santa , to let his Hut free from the curse of the Spring , because every time he wanted to go out , he had to take permission from his Mother and that too he could not go alone , he had to take his cousin , the fat , clumsy Hermit Bob , with him. When Christmas came , and Santa asked him for the gift he wished , he told his dilemma . Thoughtful Santa answered , "Its a mother's wish. No one in the world , including me can go beyond it. And you should also obey your mother." And Lolo slept in despair..........
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