Monday, March 29, 2010

Lessons in Urdu

M and I attended the Midival punditz concert a few weeks back. We also got one of the cds as a gift from a generous friend.
One of the tracks that was playing in the car as we were driving back home, was based on Ghalib's poetry- " har ek baat pe kehte ho..ki tu kya hai. Tumhi kaho ke yeh andaz-e-guftagoo kya hai". (stay with me- this is relevant to the rest of the story)

Needless to say, for someone who's gradually becoming familiar with Hindi, this had the same effect a heavy metal song might have on Mayawati- zero comprehension but immense wonderment.

" So, what does gufta-gu mean"
" It's a nice way of saying conversation-but you don't really use it colloquially"
" So would it be right to say- 'mere ghar aa ja. gufta-gu karenge?'"
" hahahahahah. no. that just sounds like a proposition"
" but is it not like 'vaartalaap?'"
" yes. it is the urdu equivalent of vaartalaap- but you don't use it in everyday language unless you are reading the news.....at home!"
" so how would you use it?"
" umm, if I were to compose a poem and say 'aa baith mere ru-ba-ru. gufta-gu karenge" (yes- this was at my poetic best)
"......"
"why don't you call up S and tell her that hum uske ghar gufta-gu ka pradarshan karne aa rahe hain"
"???!!!! silly- pradarshan means display!"
"what does the song mean anyway- each time you ask me, who are you?"
"no no. It's more of a probe into what you are...think of it as 'tu cheez kya hai' types"
"simple-main cheez badi hoon mast mast"
*give up+ apology to Ghalib*

Heavy metal might not be a bad idea. The mayhem does not conceal very many words.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Life Is

A riot of colors

Poetry in black and white

An evening spent in the company of laughter

A day dissolving tears in fire

The breeze that caresses your face

The footprint that melts after meeting the wave

The dew drops of hope that glisten in the sun

Moments consumed by the gluttony of thoughts

Crumbling under the pressure of convention

Getting resurrected by the levity of ambition

The mind wandering and searching for the truth

The heart stumbling on common desires

Experiences that clasp and mold

Events dispersed and tales untold.

Life is.