Monthly Archives February 2008

eclipse

bin baadal taare chand
yeh aasmaan kya hota
poochte to sunle te
unka andaaz-e-bayaan kya hota

quasumption

quasumption

a question posed as an assumption

jaadu hai kya hai?

jaadu hai kya hai?, what is “jaadu hai”?

Literally “jaadu hai” means “magic is”, or “there is magic”. “jaadu hai”, this can also be seen as saying “magic exists”, confirming its existence and more importantly its presence.

The whole notion of “jaadu hai” came about when I performed magic for a group of people and afterwards stuck around to answer their questions on magic. During the discussion I explained that “magic is not something I do with my hands, the magic is in your eyes”.

I later translated that into urdu in the following format:
“mein in haathoon se jaadu nahi karta
tumhare nazroon mein jaadu hai”
or
“mere haathoon mein jaadu nahi
tumhare nazroon mein jaadu hai”

“tumhare nazroon mein jaadu hai”. wow. This is an example of where something gains in translation. This doesn’t really translate to “there is magic in your eyes”, it means “there is magic in the way you see things”. wow.

The last two words, “jaadu hai”, is how jaaduhai.com came about. Confirming for me the presence of magic.

Just a note: I have been referred to as “mr. jaadu” on the internet and in person.
But how can I be magic, when all I do is see magic?

In either case, this is way back in December of 2006 (I brought the blog back at adnanali.net in October 2006). Unreal how long ago that feels now. I remember at that point really really badly wanting to add more lines to “jaadu hai”. I also remember trying and thinking. But there was nothing. I was blank. And I really really badly wanted to.

Then this year (2008), as lines flow… all of a sudden, “jaadu hai” flows as well.

so here are the lines:

mere haathoon mein jaadu nahi, tumhare nazroon mein jaadu hai
dil jab rukh ke phir dhadak ta hai, tumhare us dhadkhan mein jaadu hai
saansoon mein tere, tumhare khamooshiyoon mein jaadu hai
chand ki roshni mein nahi, us ki gheyraiyoon mein jaadu hai

yeh jo jaadu hai rukhta nahi, bas har ek pal mein jaadu hai

at cost

I’m not selling myself short, I sell myself at cost.

breathe

step slower
sip slower

dip deeper
dig deeper

not your madness

give me your method
not your madness
tell me what you did
not how you feel

put me in that box

go ahead and try

throw me in this bucket
put me in that box
but I won’t fit
I’m a paradox

when you think of me

don’t cry
when you think of me
I die
with every tear

no tear
will ever
bring me
back to life

boondein hai

dariya mein
paani nahi
boondein hai

aasmaan mein
baadal nahi
boondein hai

gin sako
to ginlo
aansu mere

listen

and then, for a moment, I heard myself listening, and it gave me further pause.