The Indian budget every year has always been an eagerly awaited event. For many decades, the best minds in economics, finance, tax, business and industry throng the media house to analyze the provisions shared by the Financial Minister.
Sometimes major events completely disconnected may be data points for the plans of the different powers around the world. The challenge is to discern what purpose they serve? More critically, what are we moving towards?
When the US Ambassador threatened India's "Strategic Autonomy" policy over India's friendship with Russia - much more than meets the eye was at stake. Let us unpack how the Ukraine war has fundamentally changed the US and the world. And why are we here anyway?
This poem was written at the time of partition and is one of the greatest poems by Amrita Pritam, probably one of the top Punjabi poet in modern times. Listen to this poem in her own voice.
One of the reason I am posting this poem is as a response to the bloodshed and terrorism being wrought in Lahore for the last one month specifically. Punjab was a place – specially the part in Pakistan – which gave stories of highest love like Heer-Ranjha, Sohni-Mahiwal, Mirza-Sahibaan, and poets like Bulleh Shah, Sultan Bahu, Waaris Shah. From Bulleh Shah to Jehadis has been a long journey, which one hopes had never begun… and not knows where it will end!
Who will survive in the Punjab of future is a question mark.
The whole poem is below:
Aj Aakhaan Waris Shah nu:
Aj akhan Waris Shah nu ki tun kabran vichchon bol,
Te aj kitab-e-ishq da koi agla varka phol.
Ik roi si dhee Punjab di, tun likh likh maare vain,
Aj lakhan dheean rondian tainu Waris Shah nu kahen.
Uth dardmandaan dia dardiaa, uth takk apnaa Punjab,
Aj bele lashan bichhian te lahu di bhari Chenab
Kise ne panjan panian vichch ditti zahar rala
Te unhan panian dharat nun ditta pani la
Is zarkhez zameen de lun lun futtia zaher
Gith gith charhiaan lalian fut fut charhia kaher
Veh vallisi wha pher, van van vaggi ja,
Ohne har ik vans di vanjhali ditti naag banaa
Pehla dang madarian, mantar gaye gawach,
Dooje dang di lag gayi, jane khane nu lag
Lagan kile lok munh bus phir dang hi dang,
Palo pali Punjab de neele pae gaye ang
Galeyon tutte geet phir, takaleon tutti tand,
Trinjanon tuttian sahelian, charakhre ghukar band
Sane sej de berian, luddan dittian rohr,
Sane dalian pingh aj, piplan ditti tor
Jitthe vajdi si kook pyaar di, ve oh vanjhali gayi gawach
Ranjhe de sab vir aj, bhul gaye usdi jach
Dharti te lahu vasiya, kabraan paian choan,
Preet dian shahzadian, aj vichch mazaran roan
Aj sabbhe qaido ban gaye, husn ishq de chor
Aj kitthon liaiye labh ke Waris Shah ik hor
Aj akhan Waris Shah nu ki tun kabran vichchon bol,
Te aj kitab-e-ishq da koi agla varka phol
'The Vaccine War' is a beautiful story of very complex times. Vivek Agnihotri has weaved together a masterpiece dealing with a subject very few would have touched. The pandemic and the triumph of India.
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