what more to say...fast racing life of city, the modern culture...everything is so fast paced today..that some times I wish that I can revisit that old age ...

તેને આ રીતે કેરી ખાતો જોઈને અકબરને ગુસ્સો આવ્યો કે હું પ્રેમથી જમાડતો હતો ત્યારે આના પેટમાં જગ્યા નહોતી અને હવે કેવી રીતે ખવાઈ રહી છે. તેમણે તરતજ ગુસ્સામાં બૂમ પાડીને બીરબલ ને બોલાવ્યો. બીરબલ સમજી ગયો એમના ક્રોઘનું કારણ, તે અકબર ની સામે જઈને ઉભો રહ્યો અને હાથ જોડીને બોલ્યો "જ્યારે રસ્તા પર ખૂબ ભીડ હોય છે, અને ચાલવા માટે એક પગ મૂકવા જેટલી પણ જગ્યા નથી હોતી ત્યારે જો તમારી સવારી નીકળે તો તેવી પરિસ્થિતિમાં પણ બઘાએ પોતાની મેળે જગ્યા બનાવીને તમને રસ્તો આપવો પડે છે. તેવીજ રીતે કેરી પણ બધા ફળો પર રાજ કરે છે એ પણ છે તમારી જેમ જ છે ફળોનો રાજા તેથી તેને જોઈને પેટમાં જગ્યા બની જ જાય છે".

તેનો જવાબ સાંભળી અકબર ખુશ થઈ ગયા, તેમણે મીઠી કેરીની એક ટોપલી મંગાવી અને એક કિંમતી ભેટની સાથે તે ટોપલી બીરબલને આપી. બીરબલ આ મીઠી ભેટ મેળવીને ઘણો ખુશ થઈ ગયો.

Most of the students went to the spots the night before and waited patiently for more than twelve hours to just have a glance at Olympic torch. Millions of Chinese people along the Olympic torch relay were shouting one slogan: “Go China”.

read more and see the pictures in The Brooklyn Voice

i m akbar n i m new in this blog's so i m the student of computer systm

As many of us know D&D 4^th edition just recently was released and with it the adventure Keep on the Shadowfell. I have always been interested in Dungeons and Dragons and have attempted many a time to play the game although never to any success. Along with unsuccessfully trying to play D&D I had never been able to form a group to play, none of my friends wanted to play and the few times I did get a friend too play there was only two of us and that does not work very well. So when my friend Daniel said he had interest in playing a game of D&D and we both had two friends who would also be willing to play I was thrilled.

We spent a week planning when the four of us could get together and start our adventures in D&D. While they all tried to figure out when they could play I went out and dropped a hefty amount of money on the D&D 4^th edition core rule books and the adventure Keep on the Shadowfell. After a week or so of changing the date on when we could all get together the four of us came up to my house on a Saturday afternoon.

I had spent the week reading the D&D rule book but even looking over that again and again could not prepare me for what I was about to do. I was going to be the Dungeon Master of the game because I was the only one with a slight amount of experience in D&D. We all sat down and I realized in all my reading I had not fully understood how to roll a character from scratch. I got how to get stats but once I got to AC (Armor Class), Fortitude, Reflex, and Will I was rather lost. Among that I could not find how to figure the characters Speed, Initiative, Perception or how your stats affect your Skills or anything else for that matter. We ended up going with the Pre-rolled characters the adventure gave us.

After much laughter and failed attempts at making characters the three adventures started the journey to find there mentor Douven Staul. The hook was there mentor and friend Douven Staul had gone missing about three months ago looking for a dragon burial ground thinking there might be the treasure store along with the dragon. On the road to the town Winterhaven were there mentor was last heard from they quickly realize this won’t be any walk in the park.

The Adventure was made for a party of 5 characters, we only had three so the odds were stacked against us from the beginning. For this adventure my friends had these characters

• Daniel played as a Human Wizard by the name of Akbar. He is the real brains behind the group both in and out of game. He also was in character the most which is one thing my group does have to work on, playing in character.

• Dakota played as a Halfling Rouge by the name of Argon. He was the most charismatic character so he appeared as the leader and took some of the rolls of a leader like doing most the interacting with people although did not think out everything.

• Mason played as a Dwarf Fighter by the name of Thor. He was the idiot of the group. That was not a bad thing in fact it did make the game fun.

As a whole every one could work on their Player skills but I also need to work on my DM skills. Anyways now onto the adventure it’s self.

“The wind in your face is cool and comfortable. The road beneath your feet is level. An occasional ancient cobblestone peeks through the dirt road, indicating decades of neglect. You notice footprints leading up and down the road, many of which were made by small, clawed feet”. Taken from the Keep on the Shadowfell read aloud text

Up on the road stood five Kobold Minions a Kobold Slinger and two Kobold Dragonshields. The adventures walking along hear a shriek and the Minions rush them. Akbar fires magic missile at the forward rushing Minions instantly killing one. Grinning Argon begins to throw daggers at the forward rushing enemies. Thor pulls out his Maul and smashes it into towards the Kobolds but not before they can quickly move out the way.

“Roll a d20 its +6 vs. AC.”

“I got a 13.”

“Plus 6 is… 19 ok your good roll 2d6 + 3”

“3 and a 4 plus 3 is 10”

“Ok you smash your Maul into the side of the Kobold Dragonshied doing 10 damage. He takes a step back but looks back right up towards you for ready for another round. Ok every one re-roll for initiative and remember your number this time.”

This is how the first encounter went on for an hour or so like this. It being all our first times we had to stop and look up rules every once and while. We also stopped for many wisecracks and bad jokes although this did not take away from the fun we were having. After this encounter we moved on to Winterhaven and this is when the really fun parts started and my friends were able to breathe a little life into their characters. Upon arriving at town the adventures were directed towards the Inn.

“The rutted King’s Road leads to the foot of a broad hill that holds the walled village of Winterhaven. The village nestled in the southern foothills of the Cairngorm Peaks. The walls are weathered stone topped by defensive palisades.

Small thatched homes stand around Winterhaven, each fronting a small piece of farmland or pasture. Beyond the farms to the west and south lie dark woods, and to the north, tall mountain peaks.” Taken from the Keep on the Shadowfell read aloud text

At the gate of the town the guards wave in the now bloody adventures asking them if they are alright and pointing them towards the inn. They quickly make their way to inn wondering if there old friend Douven might be there or if anyone had heard from him. Once in the Inn the clean up and tend their wounds and then make their way to questioning about their friends. Salvana Wrafton the owner of the Inn mentions she remembers a fellow of the name Douven and that he has business with Eilian. Argon starts asks Eilian the Old “Have you seen Douven Staul? He was headed up this was to look for a dragon tomb.” Eilan answers with a long drawing out story about how he had told him the way to the Dragon tomb and was now wondering the fate of the poor man

It was at this point the group started getting bored and Mason tried to rape the innkeeper. I asked him if was sure and being the good DM I am I let him try. I told him to roll for it and decided to use his charisma to see if he could do it. He rolled a 15 or so and his charisma bonus was only like 1 so he failed epically. He was thrown in jail.

That night Argon tried to break him out although only to half success. First his lock picks broke in the front door so he had to get through the roof. Once in he found himself in a room full sleeping guards. He found the keys and was able to free Thor but found out they had no way out. Dakota at this point figured the only way he could get his character, Argon out alive was if he ditched Thor. Mason was left wondering what he could do with his 200 pound dwarf, Thor standing in a room full of sleeping guards with no stealth what so ever. And not only that Argon had woken up a guard on the way out but he could not see and was not sure what was going on so he went back to sleep. Mason figured the best thing for Thor to do was go back in his room and wait the night out.

On the way back to the Inn after Argon made a face plant outside the Guard House he was questioned by one of the two on patrol Guards but got away by saying he was taking a leak. Daniel just sat back and watched this whole thing unfold because his character the wizard Akbar was asleep in the Inn.

The next morning the guard noticed nothing wrong with Thor and never figured out about the failed escape attempt. Akbar and Argon went around town looking for jobs and wondering what the fate of their friend Thor would be. They learned more about the town’s Kobold problem and were offered 100 gold piece if they could kill their leader Irontooth. Thor was told if he brought back the head off Irontooth he would be forgiven for what he had tried yet he was to get no gold. Mason was pretty pissed off about this but went with it anyways after much arguing about how he would just leave the town and never come back. I told him out of character there were no other towns yet and he is an adventure he wants to go kill things and have an epic adventure.

The next encounters with the kobolds was even harder and took longer than the first but was equally or even more fun because of the new challenge and the slight better understanding of the rules.

“War cries break from the underbrush as several small figures dart from hiding places. They are similar to the creatures you fought earlier, but three of them carry longswords and shields” Taken from the Keep on the Shadowfell read aloud text

Argon takes on the Kobold Skirmisher dagger to spear. The nimble reptilian figure darts around jabbing Argon in his leather armor. The brown-red scales covered by the leather armor to bleeds red when a dagger from Argon hands sticks into his side. The Kobold screams in pain and takes a few steps back and looks over the situation.

On the other end of the battle Akbar uses Scorching Burst on a Kobold Dragonsheild. The red scaled reptilian’s armor burns a brighter color of red for a few seconds before smoldering and falling off. The Kobold turns around to met the Maul of Thor yelling a war cry in dwarven speech.

Shortly after this encounter we were forced to call it a night.

I would have to say this is the best game of D&D I have ever played and the most fun I have had in a long while. Even though we did not follow the rules word for word I think we still accomplished the point of D&D, which is having fun. We are currently planning and hope to do again next Saturday. I cannot wait for our next game in which I have some fun things in store. I also plan on doing another write up on it. Maybe not as long as this one but never the less I will not stop telling you the stories and adventures we have. Until next time have a great week

So we finally decided we were going down to Agra. Yes the city known for Taj Mahal, which was recently reinstated in the Seven Wonders of the World courtesy the 100 billion Indian population texting! Another of my jiju's cousin, Sonal had joined us. So we quickly logged on the internet and looked out for the Google's map for Agra from Gurgaon. God, these Google people come out with some really innovative stuff. A second and it shows all the roads, by lanes from anywhere to everywhere. So we quickly sorted out the route. Okies instead of going to Delhi we can take a road to Faridabad via Sohna rd. and then reach Ballabhgarh and then we are on the great historic NH2 (which in olden times ran from Lahore to Dhaka via Indraprastha) which takes us straight to Agra not before touching Mathura, the birthplace of the our beloved Lord Krishna, the great flirt in his youth but who also gave us the best lessons in our religious scriptures the revered Bhagwad Gita which everyone must abide to. (Or atleast try to)

So our Road Trip was supposed to begin on Saturday, the next morning at 6!

Next morning at 6 everyone was sleeping! It was only at around 8 that everyone gained consciousness I guess, then it was not before 10 that we left, a good 4 hours off schedule. I was naturally excited because I love Road Trips, Travelling or anything you can remotely associate with trekking. So we embarked on one helluva journey in the grey colored Maruti Zen that my jiju owns which was registered in Andhra Pradesh, being run in Haryana and now was gonna go via Delhi to Uttar Pradesh.

 For me it also provided an opportunity to hone my photographic skills, which is another of my interests and I was guessing if I would be able to capture some real good stuff. I had always loved capturing nature, routine innovative and artistic stuff rather than humans in my snaps! So what? Nothing. So our trip started, and I was in possession of a relative mean machine a Sony Cybershot.

We reached Agra around 3 in the evening. On the way we halted mid way near Mathura. Had a quick lunch. Took a few snaps from the car itself. Explored the great Mathura refinery and took a few snaps (hoping these were not the last snaps of a working refinery, because the way these oil marketing companies are losing money, it may not be very long before they might close down!). We did touch the holy city of Mathura but only from the outside. Though we could see the Krishna Janmabhoomi (Lord Krishna's birthplace) and a mosque next to it from the highway, soaked in a serene calmness and perfect example of the secularism that prevails in our country no matter what people say or think.

It was soon afterwards we touched the capital of the Great Mohammed Jallaludin Akbar. The first historic place we hit was his tomb itself, Sikandra. Took a few snaps, yup did have a look at the tomb also! It was the great Akbar's idea to order his peers to keep his grave to the simple, the way he lived and brought about peace and brotherhood during his rule. On the way we decided let us drive back home the same night unlike what we had earlier planned to stay a day and start next day. So we quickly had to finish Agra fort and of course the Taj Mahal. Soon we reached the Agra fort, to make it clear it was not my first time in Agra. I had earlier been to all these places during my class X tour and had another helluva trip that time.

Yeah and the last time I came to Agra, one guide (it's a major lucrative employment taken by the youth over here, who would drive you nuts with their crazy history stuff! Which could possibly be way off mark, and more importantly they will give you some raw and hard to digest spicy trivial tidbits about the city) told me that AGRA got its name from AA- GIRA meaning come and fall, because in olden times it was famous for Pick-Pocketers, so you come and your wallet falls, oh ho now I get the logic. (This fact may be untrue for above stated reasons).

Moreover if these guides drive you crazy and insane then you have a world-class place to get yourself treated in Agra the Agra Mental Hospital!

Jodha-Akbar, seen that movie twice I guess. It was so fresh in my memory that I could relate to all the stuff this time more easily.

At the Agra fort: hey! Look this is the entrance where Aishwarya Rai went through when she first came to Agra after getting married to Hrithik. Hey look this is the place where Hrithik pushed MahaManga's son after he got nuts and killed the WAZIR! Hey look this is the place where he wooed Ash by flaunting his muskills (muscles). And yeah that's the court house, Diwan-e-am, now I see... So we quickly went through the Agra fort. We came out by 6, had exactly half an hour before we could reach Taj Mahal before they let in the final batch of people and close for the day.  

Yeah had one helluva time there. Because they don't let in any polluting vehicles near the TajMahal, we had to take a camel cart till the entrance about a kilometer from the parking. So I could not imagine the frail looking camel buddy pushing four of us (jiju, his cousin, sis, and me) and the master around. Strange medieval ride in Modern times, surely cutting down global warming but lame and against animal rights, to be honest I'm against such practices.

 No wonder we reached Taj Mahal, it was the worst I'd seen of it. It was not as beautiful as was on my previous trip, had turned blacker than ever, courtesy Ms. Mayawati, Mathura Refinery and all the brilliant people around in our country holding top positions. However it was good. I could see people involved with guides more keen on remembering that Babar was Humayun's godforsaken father, whose great son Akbar had ruled this place and brought to India the concept of secularism and brotherhood, his son Jahangir who went against his father to woo Anarkali, and then came Shahjahan who'd spent a billion bucks constructing this magnificent building and many more, completely draining the Mughal's budget on his beloved (citation required) and then his dim witched moron son Aurangzeb who would plan out complete capture of India and see the downfall of the Mughal empire. Between all this we were taking a lot of snaps (before TajMahal white marbles turn into Grey marbles).

I rushed towards the back side of the TajMahal to catch a glimpse of the great Yamuna River, which seemed to attract me more than Taj Mahal! It was a lovely sight; I just wondered how wonderful it must have been, when there would have been greenery all around, and the river flowing to its complete freedom, unhindered by dams and pollution. No wonder Shahjahan though a spendthrift had a great penchant for artistic and natural beauty and planned a perfect place to build a tomb for his wife. 

Finally we were outta that place, and headed back to Gurgaon via Delhi this time. We had a great time driving back to Gurgaon. Overall it was a memorable trip.

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એક વાર અકબર બાદશાહ બીરબલ સાથે અલક મલક ની વાતો કરતા બેઠા હતા, અકબરે બીરબલ ને પૂછ્યું "કહો સૌ થી ચતુર જાતિ કઈ?"

બીરબલ કહે "હોંશીયાર તો વાણીયા",

અકબર કહે "અને મૂરખ કોણ?"

બીરબલ કહે "મૂરખ તો મુલ્લા..."

અકબર આ વાત ન માન્યા, તે બીરબલ પર ગુસ્સે થઈ ગયા. તે કહે "ખોટી વાત, મુલ્લાઓ તો બહુ હોંશીયાર હોય છે."

બીરબલ કહે "તો ચાલો પરીક્ષા કરી જોઈએ..."

અકબર કહે "ભલે તો કાલે કરીએ પારખા..."

બીજે દિવસે બીરબલે દરબારમાં એક મુલ્લા અને એક વાણીયા ને તેડાવ્યા. પહેલા એણે મુલ્લા ને પૂછ્યું, "મુલ્લાજી, બાદશાહ સલામતને આપની દાઢી ની જરુર પડી છે, બોલો શું કિંમત લેશો?"

મુલ્લાજી કહે  "બાદશાહ તો માલિક કહેવાય, એ તો અન્નદાતા છે, મને બાદશાહ સલામત જે આપે તે ક્બૂલ છે"....બીરબલે હજામ તૈયાર રાખ્યો હતો, તેણે મુલ્લાની દાઢી કરી નાખી અને તેને બદલામાં સો રુપીયા આપ્યા.

હવે બીરબલ વાણીયા તરફ વળ્યો અને તેને કહ્યું, "બાદશાહ સલામતને આપની દાઢી ની જરુર પડી છે, બોલો શું કિંમત લેશો?"

વાણીયો કહે "બાદશાહ સલામત માટે તો જીવ પણ હાજર છે, બાદશાહ માંગે તે આપી દેવુ એ તો ફરજ કહેવાય, પણ અમારે ત્યાં દાઢી એ તો ઈજ્જતનો સબબ કહેવાય છે. મારી દાઢી એટલે મારી આબરૂ. મારી માં મરી ગઈ ત્યારે આ જ દાઢી ની આબરૂ રાખવા મેં દસ હજાર રૂપીયા ખર્ચ્યા હતા. મારી પુત્રીના લગ્ન માં પચીસ હજાર આ જ દાઢી એટલે કે મારી આબરૂ માટે વાપર્યા હતા. ..આવા તો ઘણા ખર્ચા કર્યા હતા, બીરબલજી સમજો કે દાઢી એ જ મારી આબરૂ..."

બીરબલ કહે "જા વાણીયા તને પચાસ હજાર આપ્યા, ગણી લે...હવે દાઢી આપી દે"

વાણીયાએ તો પચાસ હજાર ગણી લઈ લીધા, પછી તે દાઢી મુંડાવવા બેઠો.

પણ જેવો હજામે દાઢી ને હાથ લગાડ્યો કે વાણીયાએ તેને એક તમાચો મારી દીધો. કહે "અલ્યા મૂરખ, આ કોઈ વાણીયાની દાઢી થોડી છે? આ તો બાદશાહ સલામતની દાઢી છે અને અમારે ત્યાં દાઢી એટલે આબરૂ.....બાદશાહ સલામતની આબરૂ ને હાથ લગાડવાની ગુસ્તાખી ના કરતો...."

અકબર બાદશાહ હસવા લાગ્યા, બીરબલ કહે જોયું? વાણીયા એટલે ડાહીમાના દીકરા"

This song was actually not composed for the movie, it was one of the templates which Rahman recorded for himself to listen to. Gowariker liked this so much that he wanted this to be in the movie, and he created a sequence for the song.

About this song... Sung for Moinuddin Chishti also known as Gharib Nawaz (Urdu: غریب نواز ), is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of South Asia. He was born in 536 A.H./1141 CE, in Sajistan, Khorasan (other accounts say Isfahan) in Persia. He is also known as "Sultan-e-Hind". He claimed his progeny to Muhammad through the sixth Shia Imam, Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq.

He was one of the most outstanding figures in the annals of Islamic mysticism and founder of the Chistiyya order in India.

Here goes the lyrics of the song with the translation...

Khwajaji, khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Khwajaji, khwaja, khwaja ji
(O saint khwaja) ; (O saint khwaja)
Ya gharib nawaz
(The one who cherishes/soothes the poor)
Ya moinuddin, ya khwaja ji
(O Moinuddin Chisti), (O khwaja saint)
Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Dil mein sama ja
(Reside in my heart)
Shaho ka shah tu
(You are the king of kings)
Ali ka dulara
(Ali’s beloved)
Khwaja mere khwaja dil mein sama ja
(O saint khwaja); (Reside in my heart)
Beqaso ki taqdeer, tune hai sawari
(The destiny of the ones in despair, you have changed for the better)
Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Tere darbar mein khwaja
(At your door, o khwaja)
Door toh hai dekha
(I’ve seen it from afar)
Sar jhuka te hai auliya
(Your confidents/protectors/confessors bow down to you)
Tu hai Hindalwali khwaja
(You are the hindalwali Khwaja)
Rutba hai pyara
(Your status is glorious/great)
Chahne se tujhko khwaja ji mustafa ko paya
(By wishing/worshipping you Khwaja, I have found Muhammad [the chosen one])
Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Dil mein sama ja
(Reside in my heart)
Shaho ka shah tu
(You are the king of kings)
Ali ka dulara
(Ali’s beloved)
Mere peer ka sadka
(The alms of my old age)
Hai mere peer ka sadka
(It is the charity of my old age)
Tera daaman hai thama
(That I have come in your refuge)
Khawajaji
Tali har bala humari
(All my problems/crisis have been averted)
Chaya hai khumar tera
(Your trance is all over me)
Jitna bhi rashk kare beshak
(No matter how much one may envy (rashk) be jealous)
Toh kam hai ae mere khwaja
(Its just too less, o khwaja)
Tere kadmo ko mere rehnuma nahi chodna gawara
(Its not acceptable(gawara) , o my guide(rehnuma), to leave your feet(kadmo)now.)
Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)
Dil mein sama ja
(Reside in my heart)
Shaho ka shah tu
(You are the king of kings)
Ali ka dulara
(Ali’s beloved)
Khwaja mere khwaja dil mein sama ja
(O saint khwaja); (Reside in my heart)
Beqaso ki taqdeer, tune hai sawari
(The destiny of the ones in despair, you have changed for the better)

Bow to thee!!

here goes the video as well....

با تو پر می کنم

و پرها را خالی

روایت همیشگی

-نبودنت٬  

"بودنی"  که عادت نمی شود-

تنهایی ام

         بزرگتر از انتظاریست که می کشم

دلتنگ عقربه هایی می مانم

                                     که لای انگشتانم دود می شوند.

                             «اکبر دلاور»

دوستان را به دو دسته تقسیم می کنم: خوابگاهی و غیرخوابگاهی. فرق دارند اساسی.  هرچی هم با رفیقهای غیرخوابگاهیت دمخور باشی و شب تا صبح و بعضاً صبح تا شب رو باهاشون بگذرونی بازم شناختت به اندازه اون یکی گروه کامل نیست.  «علی»

یه رفیق داشتیم به نام اکبر.  بچه اردبیل بود، لاغر و جمع و جور. عمران می خوند. ارشد. سیگار می کشید- چایی میخورد- کتاب می خوند – چیزهایی رو که خونده بود با هیجان واسه ما از خدا بیخبرها تعریف می کرد و توضیح میداد و  این سیکل هی تکرار می شد. اوایل ساعت کاریش به ما نمی خورد. یعنی 2 از دانشکده میومد و تا 8-9 میخوابید و تازه از 12 شب موتورش روشن میشد و میرفت رو منبر. عشق ادبیات بود. کافی بود اسم یه نویسنده جدید رو پیداکنه و از نوشته هاش خوشش بیاد. دیگه ول کن نبود. تا یادداشتهای دوران کودکی اون نویسنده رو هم می کشید بیرون و می خوند. حالا کی، شب امتحان. خلاصه خیلی حال می کردیم باهاش. دو ترم آخر هم اتاق بودیم و دیگه تا 2-3 شب حرف می زدیم  و  اختلاط می کردیم از مارکز و هدایت و براهنی گرفته تا بیضائی و مجله گلستان و عصر پنجشنبه و ..... و بعدش همه می رفتیم می خوابیدیم و اکبر یه سیگار روشن می کرد و کتری رو برمی داشت و می رفت سمت آشپزخونه.... خلاصه، یکی دو هفته پیش خبر رسید که اکبر تصادف کرده. با ماشین رفتن ته دره. عکس پاترول رو دیدم. سقف نداشت. اکبر رو به کمک اره برقی از اون تو درآوردن....اكبر زنده موند..... بعد از چند روز فهمیده یکی دو تا از مهره های کمرش آسیب دیده. الان یه مدته خونه نشینه. هنوز هم کتاب می خونه و سیگار میکشه. هر از چندی هم میاد بیرون تو خیابونهای اردبیل و لای کتابفروشیها می پلکه. اکبر وقتی رو فرم باشه شعر میگه و داستان می نویسه. مطمئنم یه روز معروف میشه.  

اکبر الان یه وبلاگ مشترک داره با داوود  (که داوود هم دنیایی داره واسه خودش و یه پست جداگانه می طلبه)  که توش شعرها و قطعات ادبیشو می نویسه. البته تو ورژن قبلیش  هم کارهای خوندنی زیادی هست.  خلاصه اگه تو خط شعر و مخصوصا از نوع جدید و آوانگاردش هستید یه سری به این اکبر ما بزنید.

فرهاد نیستم که

بفرستیم پشت کوه

با تیشه ای که زده ای به ریشه ام

تا بعدهابگویی:

 از پشت کوه آمده ی

و بعدترها

بخواهی سیاوشی باشم٬

دستم به دستی نخورده

وحشت شعله ها را

دور ناله های مذابم بپیچم

گناه از من که نبود         سوختم

تا  آمدم بجنبم

اسبم به جفتش خیانت کرده بود.

حالا که

 "خواب شیرین" از سرم پریده است

 شبها٬

ساعت

بر روی دیوار

گورشخصی ام را

                  شخصی تر می کند.

 من در

           "آب از سرم گذشته است"

                                              زندگی می کنم

بی آبروتر از آنم که برای بوسیدنت

منتظر گل دادن گونه هایت بمانم.

بیا عقربه ها را برگردانیم

در "راستگرد" خبری نیست

خودت که دیدی

باطل دور هیاهوی زمان می چرخیم

گوش کن

می شنوی صدا را:

"دیشب صدای تیشه از بیستون نیامد"

شاید سراغ لیلی٬ فرهاد رفته باشد.

                             «اکبر دلاور»

• Hacking tactics used by an employee of Via in the rift between Akbartravelsonline and Via.Fresh speculations about Via's involvement by using its employee cannot be ruled out. There is a rumor that Via is distributing free tickets on a certain LCC carrier to their top agents.The rumor and speculation translates clear involvement of Via to harm akbartravelsonline.com
  Article from Bangalore Mirror,May 13,2008
  

  Article from Bangalore Age, May 13,2008
  

The Enchantress of Florence is not Rushdie at his best but after the searing disappointment of his last two works, whose characters were flatter than the flat food that Michael wants to develop in Microserfs (food that can be slid between the gap of a door and the floor), the Rushdie fan can rise again. There is still hope and it floats like an armband-wearing kid in a swimming pool, with little fear of drowning. Though, to be fair, the armbands might deflate significantly if Rushdie can't restrain his self-indulgently convoluted sentences. Frequently in The Enchantress... , it took a minute and a half to finish reading a sentence and a second to realise there's no cleverness in it; only lots of commas. There are also strands, like the one about Vlad the Impaler, that seem to be little more than an aside that Rushdie put in so that he can giggle to himself.

But but but but but but, Rushdie can still tell a story. Not just that, he can create a story. There are no slices of life in The Enchantress... - not even for Hrithik Roshan who played Akbar in that mangled mess called Jodhaa Akbar. The tales of Mogor dell'Amore, Akbar, Qara-Köz and Argalia the Turk are fantastic and fabulous. His language is effortlessly magical as he writes about "the memory palace", about Fatehpur Sikri and Dashwanth the artist, which is what makes the self-indulgent bits that much more noticeable and irritating. He returns to India, the country he left decades ago but still writes more evocatively than the places that have been his home in more recent times, and weaves characters and despair from across continents into a  beautifully-constructed novel that Scheherzade of The Arabian Nights would approve of and one that Ashutosh Gowariker should wish he could afford the rights for (he probably could have considering the budget for Jodhaa Akbar).

In the British edition to this novel - beautifully designed and printed by Jonathan Cape - Rushdie writes at the beginning that "a few liberties have been taken with the historical records in the interest of truth." For those who want the history, Rushdie has a hefty bibliography (he has invited corrections and additions from readers). For the imagination, there are stories like The Enchantress of Florence with its disappointments, imperfections and its beauties.

A blond Italian man shows up at Akbar's court with a tale to prove his claim that he is the Emperor's uncle. The Enchantress... is that tale, and many others. It is the tale of an imaginary princess, Jodha, who is brought into shadowy life by Akbar when he crafts with his imagination his perfect consort. Except even this thing of beauty, created by him, disappoints him. When he strips himself of his royal "we" and offers the "I" of the man and not the emperor, she is too deeply wound in her vanity and ploys of how to woo the emperor to notice. Akbar finds the companion he seeks in the storyteller, Mogor dell' Amore, the Italian. It's the story of Niccolo Machiavelli and his two friends who witness Florence whore, burn, clamour, swoon and survive as they go from boys hunting for mandrake to bitter old men. It's the story of Angelique, trapped in the memory palace, for whom sleep-walking through someone else's life is far less painful than remembering and stepping into her own. It's a story of  Argalia the Turk who has to renounce Christianity in order to survive the Ottoman prison but whose identity, for all the journeys and twists and turns of his life, remains a citizen of Florence.

Contrasts like enchantment and pragmatism, intrigue and debate, and solitude and the hum of chatter are  balanced neatly against each other to create a vibrant  world of Mughal India and Renaissance Florence, full of appetite, riches and, of course, magic realism. At the end of the book, Rushdie smiles at you warmly from his picture in the back flap and I can't help wondering if he's Akbar, the lover of tales and the one whose insight cuts past the imagination and into reality, or Mogor, who can weave fantastic yarns that become believable because he believes them, or if he'd like to believe he's both. I know I certainly would.

Critics always sniff dismissively at the idea of using a creation as a looking glass that turns the reader invisible and shows a reflection of the creator instead. There's a lot of merit to that standpoint because no matter how personal a  work may be, a reader attaches to it meanings  and associations that have more to do with their own personal history. Despite this, it's so tempting to see The Enchantress... in the time that it was written in Rushdie's life. Like Mogor, he is telling a story with the desperate need to give himself credibility (this is always true for a writer but a little more true when you've written some painfully bad work recently). Jodha finds herself having to compete with the storyteller, and losing; perhaps this is what it's like to be a beautiful woman married to a writer - you embody a figment of his imagination brought into reality and you last only as long as there isn't a more interesting story to be told.

Soon after I was acquainted to Paul Oakenfold and his Bunkka, the dashing Mimoh came to shake hands as Jimmy. As if this was not enough, Sir Rushdie came up to read me a few excerpts from his The Enchantress of Florence. I was reintroduced to Akbar and asked to have lunch with the imaginary Jodha Bai. I was about to clap after Birbal's antics when Sashi Tharoor cautioned me to be wary of writers and poets with his article on Kipling's If. Leander Jameson appeared hurt but I seemed not to notice and focussed instead on Buddha Bar. Later, John Malkovich entertained with his brilliant puppetting. I was in a swirl when I had to take a ride on The Darjeeling Limited where I met the illustrious Coppola family through Roman and Jason. I wonder what Bill Murray was doing on it though.

I need to rest. Rafi, sing me a song.

THE MUGHAL EMPIRE has an inordinate pull on the contemporary imagination. After a succession of assaults on India beginning in the 11th century, the Mughal dynasty had established itself over north India by the 1500s, and at its height in the 1700s, controlled all but the southernmost tip of the subcontinent. The empire has today become a byword for opulence and aestheticism. Akbar, the 16th century Mughal emperor is a central figure in Salman Rushdie’s latest novel, The Enchantress of Florence, a book that flits between Renaissance Europe and Akbar’s court, and the cultures in between.

It is a readable book, pacy and irreverent, but steeped in an English bourgeois romance with the Mughals, whose wealth and artistic refinement awed the precolonial westerners who first encountered them — a view that has dominated history. Sentimentalists will revel in the smells, superstitions and exotica of the novel; those with a grittier knowledge of Indian history will find it effete and superficial. Rushdie’s writing style is both fey and bombastic; reading him is like being cornered by an overexcited elderly schoolmaster.

This is most acute when the subject is sex. His mysterious Italian journeyman protagonist, Niccolo, is discovered as a stowaway, enroute to India, and attracts the attention of the ship’s captain, who then exposes himself: “The Florentine gravely expressed proper respect for the heft and circumference of the mottled member that lay before him upon his lordship’s table smelling of fennel, like a finnochiona sausage waiting to be sliced.” I laughed aloud reading that, but for the wrong reasons. All the sex in the novel — and there is a lot — is written with a similar combination of jaded prurience and juvenile glee, much like the imaginings of a dirty old man. But it is with sex that Rushdie comes closest to providing an adequate metaphor for the relationship between the Mughals and their subjects — albeit a trivial and unwitting one.

Rushdie writes of Akbar’s son Salim, and his youthful penchant for raping dancing girls: “But the dancing girls were complaining, their bruised rears, their vandalised pomegranate buds, made it harder for them to perform, the little whores.” Akbar is acclaimed as an exceptional Mughal for rescinding the levy on non-Muslims and entertaining dialogue with other faiths. His uniqueness lies in the hiatus his regime provided to the annihilating hatred of other Mughals towards those they ruled. The 800 year period that began with the 11th century invasions was an era that saw the near extinction of Indian Buddhism, the desecration of countless temples, forced conversions, and the reduction of the bulk populace to a servile peasantry — heavily taxed and deliberately starved to keep it pliant. It was an era of profound intellectual stagnation in which India made no scientific and political progress.

Like the Russian tsars, they squandered the enormous resources of their kingdoms on courtly art and lavish architecture, while Europeans developed the social ideas and technology that would enable them to conquer the globe. India was, to the Mughals, simply a vast pool of bodies from which to extract wealth and pleasure — the little whores. Rushdie doesn’t address the ugly wider reality of India under Mughal rule, fixating instead on the court and person of Akbar, who is depicted as fraught with existential doubts and the responsibilities of power. Like so many hippy dope-heads, India’s complexity provides a context for his banal navel gazing: “Was there then no essential difference between the ruler and the ruled? Could there be an ‘I’ that was simply oneself?” The real-life Akbar held discussions with Hindus, Sikhs and Christian missionaries that culminated in his creation of the Din-i-Ilahi (“Divine Faith”), a personality cult that died when he did. Rushdie’s Akbar is even less interesting than the original.

These debates don’t appear at any length; nor does Rushdie refer to India’s classical tradition with any depth. Classical India and non-Mughal Indians are merely ciphers lending exoticism and comic value — fawning servants, mystics and prostitutes. Rushdie’s Akbar sees himself as one of “the humdrum people of the East” but his engagement with India is as shallow and aloof as that of any bush-hatted Rajera bureaucrat. This Akbar, like Rushdie himself is an entirely Western construct, cloaking himself in India’s mystique to maintain a pose of worldliness and higher wisdom. The novel is at its strongest when addressing Europe of the same period.

Rushdie captures something of the filth and chaos of the continent, wracked with religious and mercantile wars. But his treatment is undermined by his constant descent into fantasy, overwrought lyricism and halfbaked attempts at sensuality. The European part of the story only reminded me of Q, a far superior
Italian novel. Set in the same era, Q vividly portrays the desperate struggles of a continent awash with blood, fighting to find a new identity as Protestantism rose and shook its foundations. It also uses sex as a device to animate the past, but depicts it in earthy and anatomical terms, underlining the mortality and physical urgency of an era in which human life was short-lived and cheap. Rushdie gives no sense of the political intensity and cruelty of the times; his obsessive diversion into fables only glosses over what really took place.

AS THE novel’s plot traverses the brothels, battlefields and courts of Europe, India and the near East, it introduces us to many beautiful women, oddball characters and mythical figures. Consequently, no character develops believable depth. Rather than explore the psychology of any individual, Rushdie leads us through a trite and exhausting carnival of giants, witches, strange tyrants and apparitions come to life. It is ultimately a sexualised fairytale: Harry Potter for adults. As such, it is an entertaining romp, but a worthless insight into history. There is a symmetry in how this novel is being released at the same time as Patrick French’s biography of Rushdie’s nemesis, VS Naipaul. Naipaul has tackled India with more courage and honesty than anyone. His description of the destruction of the Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagara by the Dec can sultanates is a harrowing account of how 16th century India actually worked. With India booming, Rushdie has returned to the subcontinent wanting to be on the ball; but his romantic whimsy reveals how little he knows it, and only confirms Naipaul as its preeminent writer.
From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 14, Dated April 12, 2008

I didn't know anything about the Mughals before I saw JA; there's lots I should and want to catch up on, where to start? That's why I cannot say anything as to if and how historically correct or adequate JA is. To me, it's a tale about an emperor who actually wanted not to conquer, but to win the people's hearts. On the other hand, it's a tale about a woman who shapes her fate, and does not only acquiesce it. She marries Akbar for reasons of state, nevertheless she isn't the victim of those reasons, but presents her demands and wishes. Possibly it's a fairytale, but it doesn't matter much to me. It's beautifully told, and I agree with the main messages.

The story of Akbar's quest to win Jodhaa's heart mirrors his quest to be "a good regent" to the nations he has conquered: Her feelings when she hears of the planned marriage are reflected in the different kings' reactions when Akbar's envoy presents Akbar's demand, that they should join his empire: some (most) cry out "Never!" - Jodhaa's first reaction. One agrees immediately, without conditions - she agrees much later. One agrees, and presents his demands - that's what Jodhaa does, too. The beautiful thing is that Akbar agrees to her conditions, and respects her. He's a very enlightened emperor for his time, at least in my european eyes. We neither had his respect for other's beliefs, nor for women's right to self-determined sexuality back then.

There's really lots and lots of eye candy: Hrithik is hot hot hot, he can wear those period clothes and look hot in them (btw, Shahrukh Khan can't). I loved the scene when he's doing some sword practice, bare chested. So much for drooling. Aishwarya looks beautiful, too, and everyone except Akbar's nurse wears so much jewellery! Loved the Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah picturisation - the only song that I liked before I saw the movie. Big drums! Lots of folks in (probably) traditional costumes! All of them dancing together! Wonderful choreography! The other song I got to like in the movie, when I saw it in context, is Mann Mohana, that seems to be a prayer. The other songs are not too bad, but I don't really like them.

JA shows beautiful people wearing wonderful clothes and jewellery, in beautiful surroundings. Besides that it has battles with battle elefants (that's always a bonus, though I was a little shocked that they showed how the elefants stamped and trampled down soldiers. It's what a battle elefant has to do, but it ain't pretty). It has duels. Intrigues. Love. Betrayal. Beautiful cinematography. It has lengths - when Jodhaa and Akbar finally loved each other, I nearly was relieved that the movie would be over soon, and then came another intrigue. Damn. Nevertheless, I really love JA, though it really ain't the best movie I've seen, because of the beauty and opulence it shows.

China’s India Example: Tibet, Xinjiang May Not Be Assimilated Like Inner Mongolia And Manchuria

Zhang Qingli, Tibet's current Communist Party boss, reportedly said last year, "The Communist Party is like the parent (father and mother) of the Tibetans. The Party is the real boddhisatva of the Tibetans." Before communism, China's people followed three non-theistic religious cultures, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism, choosing whichever aspects of each they wished to see in their daily lives. Animosity towards the theism of Muslims and Christians predates the 1911 revolution. Count Witte, Russia's top diplomatist in Czarist times, reported the wild contempt towards Islam and wholly unprovoked insult of the Emir of Bokhara by Li Hung Chang, Imperial China's eminent Ambassador to Moscow, normally the epitome of civility and wisdom. In 1900 the slogan of the Boxer Revolts was "Protect the country, destroy the foreigner" and catholic churches and European settlers and priests were specifically targeted. The Communists have not discriminated in repression of religious belief and practice ~ monasteries, mosques, churches have all experienced desecration; monks, ulema, clergymen all expected to subserve the Party and the State.

Chinese nationalism
For Chinese officials to speak of "life and death" struggle against the Dalai Lama sitting in Dharamsala is astounding; if they are serious, it signals a deep long-term insecurity felt in Beijing. How can enormous, wealthy, strong China feel any existential threat at all from unarmed poor Tibetans riding on ponies? Is an Israeli tank-commander intimidated by stone-throwing Palestinian boys? How is it China (even a China where the Party assumes it always knows best), is psychologically defensive and unsure of itself at every turn?

The Chinese in their long history have not been a violent martial people ~ disorganized and apolitical traders and agriculturists and highly civilised artisans and scholars more than fierce warriors fighting from horseback. Like Hindus, they were far more numerous than their more aggressive warlike invading rulers. Before the 20th Century, China was dominated by Manchu Tartars and Mongol Tartars from the Northeast and Northwest ~ the Manchus forcing humiliation upon Chinese men by compelling shaved heads with pigtails. Similar Tartar hordes ruled Russia for centuries and Stalin himself, according to his biographer, might have felt Russia buffered Europe from the Tartars.

Chinese nationalism arose only in the 20th Century, first under the Christian influence of Sun Yatsen and his brother-in-law Chiang Kaishek, later under the atheism of Mao Zedong and his admiring friends, most recently Deng Xiaoping and successors. "Socialism with Chinese characteristics" is the slogan of the present Communist Party but a more realistic slogan of what Mao and friends came to represent in their last decades may be "Chinese nationalism with socialist characteristics". Taiwan and to lesser extent Singapore and Hong Kong represent "Chinese nationalism with capitalist characteristics". Western observers, keen always to know the safety of their Chinese investments, have focused on China's economics, whether the regime is capitalist or socialist and to what extent ~ Indians and other Asians may be keener to identify, and indeed help the Chinese themselves to identify better, the evolving nature of Chinese nationalism and the healthy or unhealthy courses this may now take.

Just as Czarist and Soviet Russia attempted Russification in Finland, the Baltics, Poland, Ukraine etc., Imperial and Maoist China attempted "Sinification" in Manchuria and Inner Mongolia as well as Tibet and Xinjiang (Sinkiang, East Turkestan). Russification succeeded partially but backfired in general. Similarly, Sinification succeeded naturally in Manchuria and without much difficulty in Inner Mongolia. But it has backfired and backfired very badly in Tibet and Xinjiang, and may be expected to do so always.

In India, our soft state and indolent corrupt apparatus of political parties constitute nothing like the organized aggressive war-machine that China has tried to make of its state apparatus, and we have much more freedom of all sorts. India does not prohibit or control peasant farmers or agricultural labourers from migrating to or visiting large metropolitan cities; villagers are as free as anyone else to clog up all city life in India with the occasional political rally ~ in fact India probably may not even know how to ban, suppress or repress most of the things Communist China does.

Hindu traditions were such that as long as you did not preach sedition against the king, you could believe anything ~ including saying, like the Carvaka, that hedonism and materialism were good, spiritualism was bunkum and the priestly class were a bunch of crooks and idiots. Muslim and British rulers in India were not too different ~ yes the Muslims did convert millions by offering the old choice of death or conversion to vanquished people, and there were evil rulers among them but also great and tolerant ones like Zainulabidin of Kashmir and Akbar who followed his example.

India's basic political ethos has remained that unless you preach sedition, you can basically say or believe anything (no matter how irrational) and also pretty much do whatever you please without being bothered too much by government officials. Pakistan's attempts to impose Urdu on Bengali-speakers led to civil war and secession; North India's attempts to impose Hindi on the South led to some language riots and then the three-language formula ~ Hindi spreading across India through Bollywood movies instead.

China proudly says it is not as if there are no declared non-Communists living freely in Beijing, Shanghai etc, pointing out distinguished individual academics and other professionals including government ministers who are liberals, social democrats or even Kuomintang Nationalists. There are tiny state-approved non-Communist political parties in China, some of whose members even may be in positions of influence. It is just that such (token) parties must accept the monopoly and dictatorship of the Communists and are not entitled to take state power. The only religion you are freely allowed to indulge in is the ideology of the State, as that comes to be defined or mis-defined at any time by the Communist Party's rather sclerotic leadership processes.

Chinese passports
During China's Civil War, the Communists apparently had promised Tibet and Xinjiang a federation of republics ~ Mao later reneged on this and introduced his notion of "autonomous" regions, provinces and districts. The current crisis in Tibet reveals that the notion of autonomy has been a complete farce. Instead of condemning the Dalai Lama and repressing his followers, a modern self-confident China can so easily resolve matters by allowing a Dalai Lama political party to function freely and responsibly, first perhaps just for Lhasa's municipal elections and gradually in all of Tibet. Such a party and the Tibet Communist Party would be adequate for a two-party system to arise. The Dalai Lama and other Tibetan exiles also have a natural right to be issued Chinese passports enabling them to return to Tibet~ and their right to return is surely as strong as that of any Han or Hui who have been induced to migrate to Tibet from Mainland China. Such could be the very simple model of genuine autonomy for Tibet and Xinjiang whose native people clearly do not wish to be assimilated in the same way as Inner Mongolia and Manchuria. India's federal examples, including the three-language formula, may be helpful. Once Mainland China successfully allows genuine autonomy and free societies to arise in Tibet and Xinjiang, the road to reconciliation with Taiwan would also have been opened.

The theme of Jodhaa Akbar, as one might be tempted to think, is not of Akbar’s ambitions and heritage. Rather, it’s about his softer side that made him fall in love with a totally alien princess and the consequent changes in his political outlook. People tend to equate length to boredom. Gowariker has known this truly and woven a script with Haider Ali that never sags for most part of the movie. Lots of convoluted subplots that are characteristic of the Mughal era definitely aid the movie’s pacing. Special mention should be made to the lyrics and dialogues that not only keep Hindi and Urdu in their native form, but also are made accessible to the common man.

Cinematography for a historic film, obviously needs to be grand and Kiiran Deohans takes care of that. He manages to capture the might of war as well as the strained relationship between the lead pair with utmost care. Gowariker has borrowed cinematic tools from Kurosawa and has used it well especially early on in the movie. However, the editing of the movie leaves a lot to be desired. The editing not only avoids us from sinking into some scenes but also fails in covering up some weak shots especially the fencing scenes. A R Rahman has already delivered the album of the year with Khwaja Mere Khwaja and Inn Lamho Ke Daman Mein being the picks of the album.

Hrithik Roshan, the Leonardo DiCaprio of Bollywood breathes life into Jalaluddin Mohammad and has matured from a being lover boy into a semi-veteran who can play characters with panache. This person is going to be “up there” in the years to come. Aishwarya Rai may not have equaled Hrithik but definitely has done what she was asked to do. The chemistry between these two carries the movie providing both comic relief and script pace. Sonu Sood too has done a wonderful job.

The movie has its own shortcomings with a “too-cinematic” last 20 minutes and weak stunt choreography. Probably the better versions are out there on the cutting table! Jodhaa Akbar is definitely no Mughal-e-Azam, but it does manage to capture the attention of the new millennium.

Verdict:

The films that have a history are those that entail an epic creation, but JODHAA AKBAR which has released across 25 countries in 1500 screens worldwide and dubbed in Tamil, Telegu, Dutch and Arabic, seems to be the one making a history on its own.

JODHAA AKBAR is standing a monumental testament to Oscar nominated film director Ashutosh Gowariker's vision and commitment. To compliment Ashutosh Gowariker's efforts are power packed performances by Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

How could he become the man he wanted to be? The akbar, the great one? How?

"Make as much racket as you like, people! Noise is life, and an excess of noise is a sign that life is good. There will be time for us all to be quiet when we are safely dead." The city burst into joyful clamor.

That was the day on which it became clear that a new kind of king was on the throne, and that nothing in the world would remain the same.

The change, however, is not straight forward and soon the emperor is on one of his conquests, beheading an upstart, the Rana of Cooch Naheen. It is the remorse after killing the young Rana, that Akbar, like Ashoka after the Battle of Kalinga, faces the existentialist question on how to become great. It is certainly not by beheading small time threats to his growing empire.

The country was at peace at last, but the King's spirit was never calm....

He, Akbar, had never referred to himself as "I", not even in his private dreams.

Technorati Tags: Salman Rushdie, India, Short Story, Literature

IN JUNE 2002, as Pentagon strategists were making their plans for the invasion of Iraq, a short distance away down Washington's National Mall, the Freer- Sackler Galleries at the Smithsonian were showing one of the most interesting exhibitions of Islamic art seen in the US for years. Ironically, the show was made up of illustrations of a story largely set in the very Iraqi cities which were shortly to find themselves as targets for the Pentagon's munitions.

The Sackler show was unusual in that it displayed just one single painted manuscript - the Hamzanama: a spectacular, illustrated book commissioned by the Emperor Akbar (1542-1605). For art historians, the show was fascinating for it brought together the long-dispersed pages of what was the most ambitious single artistic commission ever undertaken by the atelier of an Islamic court: no fewer than 1,400 huge illustrations were produced.

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Also, check out Jai Arjun Singh's literary blog on the Amir Hamza epic

I don't think much of phrases like "important/essential book" or "one of the year's most significant publishing events" (pompous, best reserved for jacket descriptions written by the marketing divisions of publishing houses), but more than once I've been tempted to use them for The Adventures of Amir Hamza, Musharraf Ali Farooqi's outstanding 950-page rendition of the epic Dastan-e Amir Hamza). As the first complete English translation of a medieval classic that has been in danger of neglect, this is a landmark work in its very conception - invaluable to students of Islamic heritage and Arabic literature - but the excellence of its execution makes it a fantasy-adventure that can be relished by readers from all backgrounds.

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This is a lovely song from the new film "Jodha Akbar". The song is so very touching and very melodious and sweet to listen. This song is for you all to listen and enjoy. Rahman is simply kool and rocking..

Next one from "Sillunu Oru Kaadhal". Simply mesmerizing music. It is always my favorite. Hope you all love it too..

The business trip seemed shorter.

So the moment I got back to IST, while my biological clock is still sightseeing somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic, I decided to, in the interest of public service, to shoot an email to Ashutosh Gowariker asking him to shorten the movie to something less than the time it takes a medium sized star to turn into a white dwarf.

But I didn't do the shooting, for 2 reasons

• I did not have Ashutosh Gowariker's email ID
• A close cousin got married and I had to discharge several critical responsibilities (such as eating breakfast, hogging lunch, guzzling coffee and tucking into dinner)

But since this is a blog with a fairly tenuous connection to the restricting limitations of real life, let us imagine that I actually did send this email to Mr. Gowariker.

And the ideas I've handpicked are:

The Tansen Fan club of Teynampet

We are ok with the movie till the point where Jodha marries Akbar. After that we find, to quote Lord Vader, the lack of Tansen disturbing. Remember the scene where Akbar is in the Diwan-e-Aam (Sofa made from Mango tree) and this important event is interrupted by strains of Jodha singing "Man Mohanaa"? The emperor then declares the session closed and joins his lady love in singing some Krishna bhajans.

At this point, we believe Tansen should intervene and point out that Jodha is way off the original Raga in which the composition was set. He then goes on to demonstrate how it should be sung and Jodha is shamed and decides to go back to her Paattu maami to start over from Sarle Varise. Akbar then goes on to marry 700 more women and lives like every other Mughal emperor. Some harm and a lot of harem.

Length of Movie - 30 minutes.

The Gardening Club of Kotturpuram

Akbar wins lots of wars. He then decides to marry Jodha. His army throws a bachelor party and invites Sufi singers to sing "Khwaja Jee".

As anybody can clearly see, this is a plot by the Gardening Club of Panipat to assassinate the emperor for his reckless laying waste of gardens and nurseries in Panipat in 1556. This is exactly why the singers are symbolically wearing flower pots on their heads. Once the song finishes, Akbar joins in the Sufi trance and at that moment, one of the potheads releases a King cobra which goes on to kill the emperor with a deadly bite.

Of course, it's not historically accurate, but hey, neither is your original movie.

Length of movie - 25 minutes

The Cookery Club of West Mambalam

We are OK with the movie till the point where Aishwarya Rai serves the emperor a lavish self-cooked Rajasthaani meal. Now, imagine a former Miss World cooking a palace meal. Now, we are not doubting that she could rustle up some Maggi noodles or perhaps microwave some MTR precooked meals, but hey, a full meal for the palace? Here is the shortening (not the culinary type, he he) that we recommend.

In the process of cooking Rajasthaani Kadhi, all the L'Oreal and Revlon cosmetics she is wearing mixes with the food. In addition, her diamond studded Longines watch falls into the mix.

So when she serves Akbar and Maha Maanga demands that it is customary for the chef to taste the meal in front of the emperor, she does, and ends up fainting as a result of a lack of a digestive enzyme for L'Oreal face wash. Maha Maanga says - "See I told you so", and Jodha is banished from the kingdom and Akbar lives happily ever after eating Lamb Biriyani.

Length of movie - 45 minutes

The Murli Manohar Joshi School of Revisionist History

This movie is not only unnecessarily lengthy, it is also a blatant distortion of history. Our problem with the movie is scene nr 1 - Akbar's battle with Hemu. When Bairam Khan attempts to behead Hemu, his sword breaks into two and Hemu is unscathed. Bairam Khan is enraged and attempts to behead him again with another sword. That one also shatters. Hemu then reveals himself to be an avatar of Vishnu and everyone in the battlefield is humbled and the Mughals go back to their native Uzbekistan.

Length of movie - 5 minutes

The SuperUltimateSupremeIlayaDalapathiStars Fan Club of Saidapet

When Jodha lays down conditions for her betrothal with Akbar (No conversion to Islam, Krishna shrine etc), the emperor's thoo-neelaam-oru-ambaley type docile response is despicable. In our world, Superstars, Ultimate stars and Supreme Stars usually say - "Ei. Saridaan Podi" (Hey. I request you to take your leave) and go on to do heroic acts and make the heroine fall at his feet at the end of the movie and beg for his mercy and agree to be ahangaaram-less and get married unconditionally.

Basically, most important scenes involving Jodha can be cut and only the hero can be focussed on.

Length of movie - 2 hours.

The World Wide Fund for Nature

We are OK with the movie till Akbar's attempt to tame the wild elephant. It is a complete insult to the elephant's leg-eye-trunk coordination skills when you show it missing Akbar many times. Elephants are physically more agile than humans are. Here is what we propose. The elephant raises its foot to crush the emperor. It doesn't miss.

Length of movie - 30 minutes.

Do read Maami's post on the real Akbar and Greatbong's take on his nama.

Khwaja Mere Khwaja, from the movie Jodhaa Akbar.

Sung & Composed By A.R. Rahman!

Khwajaji, khwaja
(O saint khwaja)

Khwajaji, khwaja, khwaja ji
(O saint khwaja) ; (O saint khwaja)

Ya gharib nawaz
(The one who cherishes/soothes the poor)

Ya moinuddin, ya khwaja ji
(O Moinuddin Chisti), (O khwaja saint)

Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)

Dil mein sama ja
(Reside in my heart)

Shaho ka shah tu
(You are the king of kings)

Ali ka dulara
(Ali's beloved)

Khwaja mere khwaja dil mein sama ja
(O saint khwaja); (Reside in my heart)

Beqaso ki taqdeer, tune hai sawari
(The destiny of the ones in despair, you have changed for the better)

Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)

Tere darbar mein khwaja
(At your door, o khwaja)

Door toh hai dekha
(I've seen it from afar)

Sar jhuka te hai auliya
(Your confidents/protectors/confessors bow down to you)

Tu hai Hindalwali khwaja
(You are the hindalwali Khwaja)

Rutba hai pyara
(Your status is glorious/great)

Chahne se tujhko khwaja ji mustafa ko paya
(By wishing/worshipping you Khwaja, I have found Muhammad [the chosen one])

Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)

Dil mein sama ja
(Reside in my heart)

Shaho ka shah tu
(You are the king of kings)

Ali ka dulara
(Ali’s beloved)

Mere peer ka sadka
(The alms of my old age)

Hai mere peer ka sadka
(It is the charity of my old age)

Tera daaman hai thama
(That I have come in your refuge)

Khawajaji

Tali har bala humari
(All my problems/crisis have been averted)

Chaya hai khumar tera
(Your trance is all over me)

Jitna bhi rashk kare beshak
(No matter how much one may envy (rashk) be jealous)

Toh kam hai ae mere khwaja
(Its just too less, o khwaja)

Tere kadmo ko mere rehnuma nahi chodna gawara
(Its not acceptable(gawara) , o my guide(rehnuma), to leave your feet(kadmo)now.)

Khwaja mere khwaja
(O saint khwaja)

Dil mein sama ja
(Reside in my heart)

Shaho ka shah tu
(You are the king of kings)

Ali ka dulara
(Ali’s beloved)

Khwaja mere khwaja dil mein sama ja
(O saint khwaja); (Reside in my heart)

Beqaso ki taqdeer, tune hai sawari
(The destiny of the ones in despair, you have changed for the better)

Lyrics translation courtesy of Smita

After making movies like 'Lagaan' and 'Swades' Ashutosh Gowarikar makes it a HIT Trio with Jodhaa Akbar.

Having watched the movie three times till date, I finally decided to write my opinion about the movie.

To get the feel of the movie before reading the review, Visit the official website.

Click the link for the official website: Jodhaa Akbar

Click Here to download the lyrics: Lyrics

The Story:

Set in the sixteenth century this is a story about the love between Mughal Baadshah Akbar and the daughter of the king of Balmer, Jodhaa. The story's main focus happens to be the alliance in which the king of Balmer soughts relation with Akbar to allow his province to stay in peace.

Baadshah Akbar soughts to fulfill his father's dream of ruling India, due to sudden death of his father he is made the king of the Mughal Dynasty at a very small age. Growing up, Baadshah Akbar soughts after his father's dream, Before going to war with the other king's he does give the king's another chance to rule under him. This is when the Rajput king 'Balmer ke Raja' decides to accept Akbar's plea. Having agreed to rule under a Mughal emporer, the marraige of his daughter, Jodhaa is cancelled with the prince of another dynasty. Balmer ke Raja agrees to rule under Akbar only on a condition. Akbar should marry Jodha.

The story all begins at this point of time, A story of love between a Mughal Emporer and Rajput's daughter Jodhaa. With all the elements of hatred, betrayel, and Love, the story is to only make the audience feel each emotion deep within the hearts.

Highlights in the movie:

AR Rahman makes this one with his heart and soul to it. The album only with 6 songs is sure good enough to be loved by everyone. I do feel nominating AR Rahman for a national award would not be a bad option, He sure deserves all accolades for the music which forms a very important part of the movie. I believe most people would watch this movie a third time (2 times of course, for the way it has been directed and presented) just to feel the music with all the wonderful choreography.

The cast happens to be the other highlight of the movie, I never thought Hrithik Roshan could do such a kind of role, He fits into the character smoothly. Aishwarya Rai Bachan also deserves all the accolades, she has always proved herself as an improving actor. Not to forget the other people in the cast who have played the epic so naturally. Again all accolades to the director for having presented these characters ever so beautifully.

Not to forget the efforts of the director, and the crew. The effort that the director has put into making the movie is evident in the movie itself. Four years of research is portrayed in each and every shot of the movie. Each scence in the movie leaves the audience with mouths open, screaming 'WOW'. Especially the opening scene of the movie where two army's clash against each other, The director takes u in the thick of the happenings with amazing camera work. Making so many people, animals available and synchronising it, is an effort in itself. Scenes where Baadshah Akbar having a parlimentary meeting (Not what it was called in the sixteenth century, Anybody who knows an exact name please leave a comment :D) about the daily needs of the people in the province, somebody raises a topic about Akbar being a mughal and marrying a rajput. In the thick of the discussion, Jodhaa starts singing a bhajan (Manmohana - Song) leaving superb expression on the people attending the meeting is a beautifully shot scene. Watch the movie only in theatre to experience it all.

Hats off(I'd say even hair,clothes or anything off :D ) toAshutosh Gowarikar, his cast and crew for having created a wonderful movie.

Here are a few videos of the songs, so u get a feel of the movie. Source: YouTube