Monday, June 11, 2007

"My India Is Great"

Well that’s what I learned from Mr. S. “My India Is Great”.. I’ve always wanted to write about that great encounter I had with him months ago.. Thanks to Maqsood; as he revived the whole thing by writing about India.. I’m so glad you’re proud & belong to where you come from..

Months ago, me was mad.. Real mad while going to the bank to see what took them so long to get things done.. Phone didn’t do much for me.. So while talking to this dude and that dudette, comes Mr. S. & I was like (in my head) who is he & why is he intruding.. And of course had a fast judgment.. He politely introduces himself and takes me to his office.. He thanks me for my patience & calm behavior & tries to handle the matter.. Minutes later I realize that he’s actually a very busy manager and wanted to pay respect due to my respect.. ha ha :) And then started to get things done.. A few days later, I had to go pick some stuff and meet & thank him.. Went into his office & found out that he was one of the best people I’ve ever met.. I noticed the beautiful posters on his office’s walls & the politeness and generosity he had..

He was a poet, we started talking about his writings & a few minutes later he started translating for me his Indian poem titled “My India Is Great”.. It was a BEAUTIFUL poem.. I saw his beautiful Indian handwriting & admired his insistency on writing the poems by hand (not a keyboard) & using only pencils.. And that poem was so beautiful.. I can’t stop saying that.. He’s a Muslim Indian who happens to be very creative..

Firstly, the title comes from the back of public transportation automobiles, a code kinda thing.. He’s told me that in India, on almost every bus or cart, you’d see “My India Is Great” written.. As a Muslim, he wrote how his India is great & not great, from that prospective.. How women pay their dowry (interestingly “mahr” in Indian as in Arabic) :( How many different religions live together.. How spiritual & loving their majorities are like..

That was one of the best talks I’ve ever had.. But the worst part is coming.. Nothing to do with him..

Over here, in this land, the land I was born and brought up in.. The dearest land to my heart, a lotta Indian labors work.. And it breaks my heart how the deeply rooted word Indian resembles something ugly and far away form the reality of it.. It saddens my heart.. And breaks my heart that beside that the word “Indian” is misinterpreted and discriminated against, labors are looked down at.. How handymen are not respected..

I always wondered, why would a worker who builds (or does whatever) or a nanny, who works almost double the hours I work, would get one fourth of what I get, in terms of salary.. ‘Cuz of my degree? You’re telling me that it’s not by hours or efforts? Is it fair? I’m asking, not being sarcastic here.. Really? Who decided that? Allah’s prophets were handymen.. Carpenters, shepherds..

Hindy bala hindy.. A song me & bro made up & used to sing when we were really young..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your India Is definitely Great :)
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17 comments:

Ash said...

Thats my photo!!!

sara said...

Definately..

If you click on it, it'll take you to your blog.. Do you mind?

If you do, I'll cut it right away..

And sorry for any disrespect..
I didn't mean any harm..

Small Blue Thing said...

Mhm... A little too much attention to the mister :P :P :P

sara said...

Oh my God Ara.. The attention of the world won't be enough for that man! I never ever thought that people like him still exist!

It was one of my best experiences dealing with him.. Great muslim, father, manager & everything I believe..

Really wanna see more like him in my life time..

Prayer is all I could do when remembering him..

Thanks for dropping by.. I missed you :)

Love you to pieces dearest :)

Anonymous said...

Why do you write of this person in past tense ( i.e He was a poet)?

Doesn't he exist ?

He surely must have appoligised for the inconveneance caused.

You are very generous with the words for this person !

In India, when registeringa public transport vehicles, you have to place a slogan at the back of the vehicle and most of the times its " My India is great ' or " OK horn please ".

I must acknowledge that you (and more good people like you) do not like the usage of the word " HINDI".
It is derogarotive, demeaning. Adds salt to the insult.
Unfortunately, people forget that without these people, life wouldn't be easy and better.
Its definitely looking down. Proudiness ? or jealasy ?
Both are not allowed in Islam.

We all are created differently so that we may recognise each other.
No one is better than other except in piety and righteousness.

God gives whom He wants and doesn't whom He doesn't want.
Its nothing to do with education but Kadr(destiny).
Not believing in Kadr will amount to disbelief...

On a closing note,

" Nobody wants to have daughters of own but
wants daughters of other..."

sara said...

OH MY GOD!

Is this you Mr. S?

Surely he's not in the past tense.. He IS a poet..

"He surely must have apologized for the inconvenience caused." I think it was the best inconvenience EVER.. Thank God for it!



Is it you?! Mr. S?

I'd be honored!

" Nobody wants to have daughters of own but
wants daughters of other..."

I NEVER EVER forgot that!

And on a closing note, I'd like for you to hear brother Masoud reciting the verse that proves that what you've said is THE RIGHT THING TO SAY..

Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDJVUnX0rwQ

Anonymous said...

Al Hamdu lil llahi Rbbil Aalmin.

Your God & My God is One
& the same.

Is it you ? would have sufficed. Do you not think so ?

The inconveneance EVER...
God hasn't left anything to chance but written long before
& with purpose...

The Daughters...
Nor expected you to forget.

I Wish...
Wish we all could say the right thing...
Wish we all can say the right things...

sara said...

Amen.

And before that, feel the right things..

With an everlasting respect..

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely right...

The posters are still waiting to be picked up.

Anonymous said...

Mr S,

no offense plz, to sara, i know this is ur space, but i really wanted to ask Mr S, whom u so proudly speak off.....

Even thou, we pray, feel and could do the right things, Y, doint we do it in the first place....??? all we do is speak, n speak n speak, rarely we find some1 who is true to his words...

But u seems to be a good guy, insallah. wish u all d very best!

On the closing note, do i get some posters..............:)

Anonymous said...

Y, doint we do it in the first place....???

Can't answer without the context.

Hope, you do get to meet someone who is true to his words.

Find me and you get a poster...

And you also get to meet someone who is true to his words... :)

Anonymous said...

a clue ??? :)

Anonymous said...

On 2nd thoughts, in general terms,

We don't do the right things because , most of the times, we all are not sure whether we are doing the right thing.

We speak n speak n speak...
because we are humans.

In fact, we feel first, speak then.
And all we need is to be brave to do the right thing first time. Some of us are brave...
Hope this suffice.

Clues
-----
1) There are many clues in Sara's post,
2)I Work for Foreign org(60 years old)on ground floor,
3) The office is next to the longest road in Abu Dhabi that takes you out of the city.
4)One of the oldest Mosque is(on the west side of my office)on the other side of the road
5) My 1st name and family name starts with english letter S.

I can't make it easier than this. If you still can't find me then I am really sorry.
You need to go back to the author of the post.

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOD...................!


HSBC!!!


I bank with u guys....Insallah, meet u soon!!!

Anonymous said...

very well said abt india."My India is Great" when i read this title here i attracted towards inner part of it as a being indian.But u any time get opportunity to come to india and not only india but any part of the world ,u will find such a true indian. You must pass my salute to that indian whom u met.

well just want to conclude that india has great story of noble men.And from past thousand years to the years that yet to come, u will find more n more such indians throughout the world spreading light of Indian culture. In the blood of every noble indian,indian culture flows.And remember my words here that coming years/dacades/santury are of India and Indians.

it is really nice experience to read here this article about India and ur experience about indian.

Proud To Be AN Indian.
regards
Take care
ur indian friend
manu

sara said...

And here is my promise to you: YOUR WORDS WILL ALWAYS REMAIN IN MY HEAD :)

"poet in me - Manu" said...

and hey i respect ur thoughts and way of expressing it, rather i would say that i love ur thoughts and writing so whenever i will get spare time i come to ur blogg absorb myself in to it and feel happy and inspired so that ur efforts of writing will worth and be precious and ur ultimate aim to inspire will accomplished

take care
manu