HOME :: Our Mission is to educate, entertain and invoke critical thinking in creating a cohesive environment to work, socialize and function effectively through the medium of Poetry. Our purpose is to establish a new stream of Pluralism poetry in Urdu and Hindi languages - indeed, it is the 2nd most spoken language in the world. Mike Ghouse, Foundation for Pluralism, Studies in Pluralistic societies


Saturday, May 30, 2015

Allama Iqbal Honored for his poem


From Chief Minister of Bengal, Mamta Bannerjee's official page

Today we were honoured to confer the prestigious “Tarana-e-Hindi” Award posthumously on Allama Iqbal, the great poet who penned the famous patriotic piece, “Sare Jahan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara…” in a colourful programme at Nazrul Mancha.
The award was received by Prof. Dr. Waleed Iqbal, grandson of Allama Iqbal.
Some pictures of today’s event are uploaded here for all of you.
 


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Urdu Hindi
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website: www.UrduHindi.net ​ 

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Enriching Urdu Language; contributions of Allama Iqbal and Hasrat Mohani

Urdu-Hindi, the language of the people | www.UrduHindi.net 

There was a time in India, when English was considered "Angrezon Ki bhasha", but now, that conclusion is withering away. English is indeed a language of the people, for the people by the people to communicate ideas, thoughts and actions. No one owns it and no one can slap its ownership on it, anyone who speaks, writes and reads, he owns it and it is his language.

Indeed, at one time in India, Urdu was the language of the people, for the people by the people. Anyone who spoke wrote or read Urdu, became his or her language.

Since our independence, Urdu got a raw treatment. The right wingers (those who do not think beyond their skulls) forced a religious label on it - that it is the language of Muslims.
 

If they think, they will find out that Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladeshi, Turkey, Iran, Sudan or Mali..... i.e., 56 out of 57 Muslim majority nations do not speak Urdu. What about India herself? It’s the official language in three states out of 30 States - UP, Delhi and Kashmir. Muslims from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Odessa, Maharashtra and other states do not speak Urdu either, those who speak, is on par with what non-Muslims speak.

Urdu will survive despite the prejudices it faces, it is the language of the common people. By the way Urdu-Hindi is one language with three scripts; Devanagari, Persian and Roman English. The language fell into the laps of Muslims and they are carrying it forward and waiting for fellow Indians to call it their language as well.  Millions of songs are written in Urdu that is the common language. Attempts have been made to force Urdu and Hindi as two languages by giving a heavy dose of Sanskrit and Persian.

Now, we have to re-work the language back from the beginning. A language becomes yours if it captures your imagination and expresses your stories, myths, mythologies, romance and caring of fellow beings.

Now that Urdu has accidentally fallen in the lap of Urdu Speaking Muslims, they have a responsibility to remake the language, a language of the people.  We need to write Prose and poetry in a way that everyone feels a part of the language.
 

For example Rajiv Chakravarti learned Urdu Language and its nuances from a Muslim point of view, several years ago, he recited poetry and used the word "Toor" - it relates with Moses receiving God's words at Mt. Sinai - also known as Koh-e-Toor. Ahmed Rahi referenced Jesus’ call to cast the first stone who has not sinned, the Christians can relate with that very well. In the past several Muslim poets have referenced Hindu culture, mythology and holy texts in their poetry - making Urdu, a language of the people.

Indeed there are endless references by Muslim poets about Hinduism, some of the best devotional songs (Bhajans) are written, sung and composed by Muslims.  Most of them did not look to it as songs of Hindus, but songs to praise the praise worthy. 

Rajiv Chakravarti, an Urdu Scholar in Dallas shared the following links and it was a delight for me to read them all over the long lunch at Al Kabob's on Harry Hines. A world of people came and left, I was enjoying my reading.

This is the reason we have taken the initiative to make an effort to undo the Muslim label from Urdu, which is not just, and restore it back to the language of the people through the initiative of Pluralism Poetry in Urdu-Hindi. Every South Asian ought to feel, it is his or her language - as there will be references about what is dear to him or her. 

This website www.UrduHindi.net is dedicated to promote Urdu-Hindi as one language, others can do the division we will do the cohesion, are you with me?




POETRY

The Maulana Who Loved Krishna
Mohani with Ambedkar

Hasrat Mohani was not just a maverick when it came to publicly championing the radical thinking of Tilak. He also wrote verses expressing deep love for Krishna, and often went to Mathura to celebrate Janmashtami.

CM Naim's write up is worth reading, there is a connection you find with the Maualana.
C.M. NAIM ON HASRAT MOHANI

My heart has fallen in love with Kanhaiya. 
Why would it think of anyone else now?
We looked for him in Gokul and Brindaban, 
Let’s now go to Barsana and see if he’s there.
Hasrat, give up for him all that is yours, 
Then go to Mathura and become a jogi


man to-se prīt lagā’i kanhā’ī 
kahu or kīsurati ab kāhe ko ā’ī

gokula DhūNDh brindaban DhūNDho 
barsāne lag ghūm ke ā’ī

tan man dhan sab wār-ke Hasrat 
mathurā nagar cali dhūnīramā’ī




 




Iqbal on Lord Krishna and Ram

It was Iqbal’s confirmed conviction that Sree Krishna was the one of the messengers of God. He traced the visible miseries of India, to the fact that the messages of Krishna were being totally ignored. His beliefs went further to include even Sree Ram also. He envisioned Sree Ram as the ‘Spiritual Leader of the Indian Peninsula’. In his poem ‘The Call of the Caravan bell’, he wrote of Ram as the ‘Philosopher of the Easterners’.
Iqbal endeavoured ceaselessly to remove the misconceptions the Indians had about religion. Ali Sardar Jafri writes: “According to Iqbal’s beliefs, which has the authority of the Quran to support it, every religion, race and nation has received messengers of God i.e. prophets, in different ages to guide them. Gauthama Budha was one of them. Other contemporaries of Iqbal, like Moulana Hasrath Mohani, shared this belief and paid tribute Krishna as a prophet……… He was convinced that the fall of the Hindus was due to the fact that the teachings of Krishna were forgotten”.
Iqbal himself had great respect for Ram. He describes him as the spiritual leader of India (Imamal Hind). This poem was written after 1908, 

Iqbal on Gautama Buddha


Harmit Singh Shares the poerty of Iqbal on Buddha
Thank you

mike

Mike Ghouse, Speaker
Motivation | Pluralism | Human Rights | Religion.
(214) 325-1916 text/talk

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Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism, Islam, India, Israel-Palestine, Politics and other issues of the day. He is a human rights activist, and his book standing up for others will be out soon | He is producing a full feature film " Sacred" to be released on 9/11 and a documentary "Americans together" for a July 4 release.  He is a frequent guest commentator on Fox News and syndicated Talk Radio shows and a writer at major news papers including Dallas Morning News and Huffington Post. All about him is listed in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com - Mike is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. 

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Mother's day song and its translation in English by Rajiv Chakravarti

Mother is the ultimate definition of selflessness! No matter what happens to the world or even her, she is there for you in your need; she recognizes your need much before you know it.  Of course every day is Mother’s day, and each one of us honors her in a variety of ways. From simple caring to doing things for her that makes her most happy. Mothers don't need a whole lot; they just need to know that you care.  Remember you were showered by her attention when you needed it? 

Every religious tradition has elevated mother to nearly the status of God, because she possess many a qualities of God; kind, merciful, beneficent and caring among thousand other qualities.  Mother is the reason for our existence; sustenance, nurturence and shaping who we are. I dedicate this write-up to my Mother, and all the Mothers out there. 
 There is a beautiful song in Urdu/Hindi language

Us ko nahin dekha hum ne kabhi, per us ki zaroorat kya hogi
Ai maa teri soorat say alag bhagwan ki soorat kya hogi.

I have not seen him (God) ever, but what is the need for it?
Dear Mother, your face cannot be different than God’s own face

Here is the song -
http://youtu.be/3HbmbO0b-Sc
 



My friend Rajiv Chakravarti, a Urdu Poet of Dallas has translated it beautifully:

We have never seen HIM...,
but what is the need for this?
O Mother, O Mother, how different
can HIS face be from your own?

Why talk of mere humans, even Gods
have grown up in your bosom
Heaven is nowhere but on Earth,
right under the shadow of your feet!
The affection that emanates from your eyes,
Which Idol can take its place?
O Mother ...

Why would the heat of suffering burn me?
Why would storms of sorrow affect me?
These hands which raise to prayer of yours
Come and rest permanently on my head
When you are my guide in the dark roads of life,
What would I even need the Sun for?
O Mother ...

It is said that no words suffice
to describe your greatness
Even God does not have enough wealth
that constitutes your price
All I know is that, in this World
There is no fortune that exceeds YOU!
O Mother ...

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MOTHER IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES



I called my mother, " Amma" and at times "Ammi" while addressing her it was Ma.

Languages Spoken in South Asia

Arabic - umm
Assamese - Aayi, mA, mAtri  Aayi, mA,
Baluchi - Ma
Bengali -
Mata or jononi,
Bhojpuri – Mayee
English- Mother, Mama, Mom
French- Mère, Maman
German - Mutter
Gujurati - Ma
Hindi - Ma, Maji, Mata
Kannada -Amma
Konkani - Amma
Kashmiri - Muoj
Latin - Mater
Marathi - Aayi
Malyalam – Amma
Nepali -
Aamaa
Oriya – Bou
Pashtu- Mor
Persian- Madr, Maman
Portugese- Mae
Punjabi - Mai, Mataji, Pabo
Sanskrit - Mata
Sindhi –
Mau
Sinhalese- Amma

Tamil - Amma
Telegu- Amma
Urdu -Ammee, Maa, Amma

There are more languages out there… and listed in the Huffington post aricle at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/mothers-day-interfaith-ce_b_7233900.html 


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Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism, Islam, India, Israel-Palestine, Politics and other issues of the day. He is a human rights activist, and his book standing up for others will be out soon | He is producing a full feature film " Sacred" to be released on 9/11 and a documentary "Americans together" for a July 4 release.  He is a frequent guest commentator on Fox News and syndicated Talk Radio shows and a writer at major news papers including Dallas Morning News and Huffington Post. All about him is listed in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com - Mike is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.