The Loss Makers...

Just two thoughts to pen down today and a song which has long deserved to be here, on this  blog . The song just came out of hiding , dusted itself off, a few months  back . My favourite song by Dr Palash Sen , its called "Mehfuz" .....

The Identity Slaves: I must have read this anecdote in an Osho Book . There was a magician who was also a shepherd. He had thousands of sheep to look after and he was a very miserly man so he didn’t want many servants and he didn’t want many watchmen. He did not want to pay anybody and he did not want his sheep to be lost or taken by the wolves. But it was very difficult for him to take care of all the sheep alone. He was very rich and he had many sheep. So he played a trick on the sheep. He hypnotised them — he was a magician. He hypnotised them and told every sheep, ‘You are not a sheep. Don’t be afraid.’ To some he said, ‘You are a lion.’ To some he said, ‘You are tigers.’ To some he even said, ‘You are men. Nobody is going to kill you. Don’t be afraid and don’t try to escape from here.’

The sheep started believing in his hypnosis. Every day he would butcher a few sheep but the others would think, ‘We are not sheep. He is butchering only sheep. We are lions, we are tigers, we are wolves, we are this and that…’ even that they were men. Some were even told that they were magicians — and they believed it. It was always some sheep which was to be butchered. They remained aloof, distant. They were not worried. And day by day, they were all butchered.

We are those sheep . All of us ....

I met a British Teacher in Goa who  left his house in Brighton , his job as a State School teacher and moved to Goa to run a vegetarian restaurant along with his Israeli partner who he met in McLeodganj. I asked him what brought him to Goa . He said , I was a forced into the  identity of  a teacher , a soccer lover , a beer drinker by the crowd that i lived with . The fact is his real soul was  a chef, a food lover , a nomad and bike lover . He didn't cook till 51 , didn't ride a  bike and hated vegetarians . Now he runs a Good Karma Cafe and runs rental for  restored Bikes . He regrets most part of first 51 years of his life . They run a cafe 9 months a year and spend their summers in Himachal Pradesh , Biking thru the entire state . 

Some realise , we are the sheep and we will be slaughtered one day , unless we fight the butcher . The time is the butcher .  The force to stay the teacher , is the butcher . 

In Psychology, there is a phenomenon called "The missing Tooth" . This says, when a person looses a tooth , that becomes the key facial observation everyone makes . people ignore other physical attributes . We also focus on what wrong in our life rather than what will make bliss. We keep plugging a false tooth in the place of the broken tooth . It could be a house for those who don't have home , a job for jobless and a child for childless . Khumar Barabankvi penned....

एक पल में एक सदी का मज़ा हमसे पूछिए, दो दिन की जिंदगी का मज़ा हमसे पूछिए। 

भूले हैं रफ्ता-रफ्ता उन्हें मुद्दतो में हम, किश्तों में खुदकुशी का मज़ा हमसे पूछिए। 

Profit and Loss : There is  a lethal word i hear all the time "what is in it for me " or WIFM . It is lethal in every sense. It stands out in saying that every action, every emotion, every expression and every move must end in a "profit" or "goodness" for the individual . It is flawed in its maths . If everyone is the recipient  of "goodness" and then who is giving goodness . Or is this the worlds most perfect barter . This is baffling . If every relation is aimed at WIFM then people will stop having children . Being a parent doesn't have  a WIFM. It has a selfish emotional motive but is it fairly balanced ? When someone gives  a gift , a return gift must not be expected . A return gesture may actually ridicule the intent of the priceless and invaluable gift of time and affection . In our country when people donate a  fan to the temple, they get their name painted on it . How is it a gift then ? Time and attention are priceless gifts one gives to their loved ones but must not expect anything in return . Make the loss , for everything,  is Not for profit . 

Rahat Indori's expression ....

ये ज़िन्दगी सवाल थी जवाब माँगने लगे, फरिश्ते आ के ख़्वाब मेँ हिसाब माँगने लगे

इधर किया करम किसी पे और इधर जता दिया, नमाज़ पढ़के आए और शराब माँगने लगे

I added ...

मेरे दोस्तों ने बना दिया है दोस्ती का मज़ाक, गले क्या लगाया, गर्दन मांगने लगे .......

One must choose to make the perceived Loss , without loosing oneself , how is the divine connect even possible . Be the loss Maker .... 

Now the  treasurable composition so rightly called "Mehfuz"

ज़िन्दगी है धुआं तो क्या , बुझ गए हर सुबह तो क्या।
रूठा मुझसे खुदा तो क्या , हो गए हम जुदा तो क्या ....
फासले थे हज़ारों दरम्यान , वक़्त के थे हज़ारों इम्तिहान .....
फिर भी बन के निशाँ , तेरे होठों के किसी कोने में .....
हसीं की तरह...... मैं मेहफ़ूज़ हूँ
तेरी आँखों के छिपे , दर्द में आँसूं की तरह , मैं मेहफ़ूज़ हूँ..... मैं मेहफ़ूज़ हूँ ...
बेवजह हर वजह तो क्या , बेगुनाही है गुनाह तो क्या , बेअसर हर दुआ तो क्या ....
हो गए हम जुदा तो क्या , राज़ गहरे हज़ारों , बेपनाह लफ्ज़ ठहरे
तेरे काँधे के छीपे तिल की तरह ....... मैं मेहफ़ूज़ हूँ .....