Few beautiful lines I read about God :

A dog will recognize his master in whatever way he dresses. The master may dress in robes, suit & tie, or stand naked, but the dog will always recognize his master. If we cannot recognize God, our beloved master, when he comes in a different dress from another religion, then we are less than that dog.

(from 'The Journey Home')

GIFT

You ask me, to show you the path...

You are my angel in disguise,

Like a shower on arid land,

Sweet lullaby on a lonely night,

Held the hand of a drowning soul

Oblivious to my despair,

Let me feel bliss,

detaching me from my name that IS…

You do not know what you give..

Yes. I now see how it feels to live.

To you, I may never say...

but always wishing our bond would stay,

What a precious gift you are,

A Gift For Me From God

freedom

Aching for freedom

Freedom in belonging

Freedom from self

Longed for, for too long,

Freedom from the racket inside,

from the silence outside

Engulfed by indifference,

hoping for conflict

Pained by every stifled plan, every wish,

suppressed by apathy, sometimes her own

Longing for life to be fair?

fooling oneself for so long

Rage & zest reduced to the occasional tear

Suffocated into numbness,

away from anger, despair, fear, desire, hope & glee...

This is FREEDOM.

Is it not?

ज़िन्दगी

शहर के बीचोंबीच एक खूबसूरत मकान है मेरा. पुरखों ने छोड़ी हुई कुछ दौलत और मैनेजर की नौकरी भी.
दिन गुज़रता है मेरा नोट कमाने में. आखिर जवानी में  न कमाऊंगा तो बाकी ज़िन्दगी आराम से कैसे कटेगी?
लेकिन जवानी सिर्फ कमाने के लिए तो नहीं है , शाम होते ही दफ्तर से घर लौटता हूँ , तैयार होता हूँ और निकल जाता हूँ अपनी गाडी में... महफ़िलें सजती है यारों के साथ. कभी शेरो-शायरी , कभी नाच-गाना और कभी हसीनाओं के बीच दिल बहला लेता हूँ . देर रात घर लौटता हूँ और फिर सुबह दफ्तर चला जाता हूँ.
इससे ज्यादा खुशहाल ज़िन्दगी क्या होगी ?  कोई कमी न थी जीवन में.संतुष्ट हूँ मैं अपनी दुनिया में.

                  आते जाते यूँ ही कभी कभी उसे देखता हूँ ...सोचता हूँ, न जाने कितने दिनों से वह सोया न होगा, न जाने कब उसने सुकून से बैठकर खाया होगा. बाल बिखरे हुए , आँखों में कभी एक उदासी नज़र आती है, कभी प्यास छलकती है तो कभी एक हलकी सी मुस्कान भी. अपनी ही दुनिया में खोया हुआ पाता हूँ उसे.
उसका नाम तो नहीं मालूम मुझे. सुना है कुछ  लोग उसे 'दीवाना' कहते हैं और कुछ 'देवदास'.

कभी मैखाने की तरफ जाता हुआ और कभी सड़कों पर आवारा फिरता हुआ दिखाई देता है मुझे.
समुन्दर के किनारे बैठा हुआ न जाने किसके तसव्वुर में खोया रहता है...किसके इंतज़ार में? मुस्कान और आंसूं एक साथ हैं उसके चेहरे पर...

तरस आता था मुझे उसकी हालत पर. मेरी ही उम्र का लगता है वह. क्यूँ अपना यौवन यूँ बर्बाद किये जा रहा है?
यह भी कोई ज़िन्दगी है ?  क्यों न मैं दोस्ती का हाथ बढाऊँ और उसे जीना सिखाऊँ...
खुद को रोक नहीं पाया. मैंने कहा, " भाई मेरे, क्यों इस तरह अपना जीवन बर्बाद करते हो? मेरी तरफ देखो.ज़िन्दगी बहुत खूबसूरत है.उसे सही तरीके से जिया करो."
हंसकर वह बोला, " मुझे तरस आता है तुमपर , मोहब्बत कभी न की तुमने और कहते हो की जी रहे हो!" 

delusion

This -'More than 90% of Indian marriages are still arranged. Less than 5% result in divorce' is nonsense.

http://youtu.be/Z8X97OL06OY

Most of India lives in villages & small towns, not in metros. Divorce is still a TABOO in our society.

As I live in a metro, I will share what I've seen around me. None of these are hypothetical.

My maid servant is the only earning member in the family with 2 kids & a husband to support. The husband does not work, is a drunkard & also beats up & abuses her regularly. Occasionally, she has to get him released from jail. One might dismiss this as being common in the slums/lower classes.

My friend's parents - The husband is an high ranking official at FDA. The wife runs her own beauty parlour in a posh locality. Same story again. Drinks & domestic violence. They both had extra-marital affairs & their kids know this. However, divorce is never an option.

Another friend's sister - Hers was an arranged marriage. They now have a son.

Her husband rarely takes her out. He says 'I don't like to spend time with you'.

There is no violence here. But no companionship, no respect either.

Industrialist father used to beat up mother regularly. Finally he stood up for his mother when he was old enough to defend her. But today, he does the same thing to his wife in front of their two daughters. His wife is quite wealthy & she is aware of his extra-marital affairs. But divorce?

After twenty years of marriage, one of my relatives is 'trying to adjust' in this family.

She advises me to get hitched to someone who treats me well.

From my native, a girl married an NRI. After 2 years, he drops her back in her village, saying 'I don't want her.' Now she has to raise the kid alone & live with the stigma that her husband left her.

I am not sympathizing with women here.

The point of writing this is 'not getting divorced does not mean the marriage is successful'

Can't understand the Indian obsession with marriage either.

Getting married due to societal pressure, men & women stay in unhappy marriages due to the stigma attached to divorce, the society, for the kids etc.etc......... & many take the easy alternative-- extra-marital affairs...