A popular Sufi rock song of the 90s era

I wanted to share a song that is so nostalgic from the 90s era. It's a Sufi rock song that originally hails from the Pakistani pop band Junoon (featuring Salman Ahmed on the guitars). First this is the song:

 Junoon - Sayonee (Official Music Video)

I did not know until recently that the story of the song evokes folk tale of Sassi-Pannu about separation from divine/Beloved (Sayonee: Lamenting the Cruelty of Fate - The Khusrau Circle). Infact the words "kon mode muhaar" in the song actually refer to reins (muhaar) of the camel that is connected to the story that can be read at the link above.

In the music video, a boy gets kidnapped and becomes homeless and separated from his mother. He is shown striving and struggling to find his soulmate while going through innumerable hardships and even after he is grown up, the struggle does not cease, neither does the search. The boy is thus constantly on the run, almost analogous to the whirling of the Sufi dervish who is constantly spinning, that's' where the Sufism aspect of the song comes into play. Sadly, as the cruel wheel of fate keeps on spinning too, the boy never gets peace or meets his mother or the soulmate, reflecting cruel fate of some...

The song lyrics and translation (available from link Sayonee: Lamenting the Cruelty of Fate - The Khusrau Circle ) are:

Text, Transliteration, and Translation

سیّو نی

सैय्यो नी
sayyo ni
O my friends!

چین ایک پل نہیں اور کوئی حل نہیں

चैन एक पल नहीं और कोई हल नहीं
chain ek pal naheeN aur koi hal naheeN
I have not a moment of peace, and there is no solution!

کون موڑے مہار کوئی سانول نہیں

कौन मोड़े मुहार कोई सांवल नहीं
kaun moRe muhaar koi saanwal naheeN
Who shall turn the camel’s reins? My beloved is no longer here.

کیا بشر کی بساط آج ہے کل نہیں

क्या बशर की बिसात आज है कल नहीं
kya bashar ki bisaat aaj hai kal naheeN
What is a human’s worth? He is here today, but not tomorrow!

چھوڑ میری خطا تو تو پاگل نہیں

छोड़ मेरी ख़ता तू तो पागल नहीं
chhoR meri khata tu to paagal naheeN
Leave my mistakes behind, for you are not also mad!

What I find somewhat nostalgic is that I still have vivid memory connected to this song when I would hear it a lot (along with other favorite songs in my cassettes) probably around 10-12 years old. A specific vision is glued. I still remember as I heard this song I was gazing in a small mirror kept at face height on a wood platform and from the side window, the sun rays pour in right over such that I see half of my face in the mirror but other half remains so deeply illuminated that it's difficult to identify if it indeed it was me or another face but the eye color appeared to change to amber brown so it was not my eye color for sure....I wonder how human memory is so amazing that certain events /visions remain strongly imprinted connected to sounds/music....

A beautiful similarity in one of the stories of Islam and Hinduism

 I wanted to share a similarity in the message of stories that I noted in one of the stories of Islam and Hinduism.

I.

First, let me talk of the story that is related to the Prophet Ibrahim (A.S). about the incident of the great fire into which the prophet was thrown by the tyrant Nimrod. There is an anecdote (although it's not explicitly stated in the holy book) that as the blazing fire leapt, a small bird was seen to carry water drops in its beak back and forth from a nearby river and making consistent efforts to help in dousing the flames. The other larger birds would mock at her act taunting that her action was no good since the tiny amounts of water would hardly have any effect on such great flames leaping up the skies. To that, the bird replied with sincerity that it knew it wouldn't be able to achieve the end result of extinguishing the flame to save the beloved prophet, but it knew in its heart that the sincere effort was what mattered and that is what was eventually significant in the eyes of God. 

The link of the story are available here:

Even the Fire Couldn't Stop This Tiny Bird's Devotion to Ibrahim!

Do What You Can to Help, for Allah Will Ask What You Did Not How Much… | Amaliah

II.

Now, what I was in awe of was that I realized that a very similar theme/anecdote exists in the Ramayana connected to the Ram-Setu story with Rama. As the Vanars (monkeys) were carrying big boulders (with the name of Rama written on them) and working hard to create the bridge (setu) to Lanka, a small squirrel was seen carrying small pebbles and consistently going back and forth so it could help in the building of the bridge. The Vanars were seen making fun of her and commenting that her act was futile as it was having no contribution whatsoever in the building of the enormous structure on water. Meanwhile, Rama (incarnation of God) was present observing all things and events and quietly smiling. He then went and took the squirrel in his palm and gave his words of wisdom to the Vanar Sena stating that any effort done with pure sincere devotion is what is sacred in the eyes of God and that is never small. He also blessed the squirrel for its act immortalizing that act of devotion.

I decided to post this video of this particular sequence as no other link would do justice.

महाएपिसोड - जानिए राम सेतु बनाने में गिलहरी क्या था योगदान ? श्रीमद् रामायण

(In the video, which is actually a full episode of the series, the episode I am talking about is present from time stamp: 33:19- 38:00 minutes)

Truly, one should do their karma as it's their duty, irrespective of their strengths/ weaknesses/ limitations as every tiny bit does count (although it may not be visible physically but counts spiritually) and that the final outcome rests with God. Moreover, what I found deep was that ultimately, as each soul is answerable to God, consistently doing what is the right thing (even though you may face criticism or no support from peers or others in power) is what is true Dharma of every being...

A haunting Bollywood song-Pyar ko ho jaane do.....

 Sharing a song from an old Bollywood Hindi movie (Dushman, 1998) that stands out especially because of its haunting piano music tunes at the start and throughout the song. For some reason, every time I have heard this song, it continues to mesmerize me..As I do not know what chord/ music notations is used, I would think it must be some musical notation in it that is so divine that something about the tunes/chords of this song continues to remain immortal. The song features the actor Sanjay Dutt (playing role of a Major who is blind), who helps (and falls in love) the actress Kajol who is set out to take revenge of her twin sister who was killed. 

Although the actor (Major) in the movie is blind, he still manages to help the actress seek her justice and proclaim his love to the actress. Sometimes, I wonder, those who have eyes that see, still choose to remain blind..something like the poetry of Meer Taqi Meer who says that the whole garden knows, yet the rose is oblivious...

(I was getting reminded of the sher: "patta patta boota boota haal hamaara jaane hai

jaane na jaane gul hī na jaane baaġh to saara jaane hai"- Meer Taqi Meer)

Anyhow,

the video song is available here:

Pyar ko ho jaane do (Dushman 1998) - Sanjay Datt - Kajol

Also, I found the piano instrumental of it here: Pyar Ko Ho Jaane Do | Instrumental

(I have not found an authentic piano instrumental of this song online that does justice to the song though)