Miffed's Scribblings

Beloved Maa, As the hands of time gently turn the pages of our lives, tomorrow marks 12 years since you left us on that fateful November 4th. The ache of your absence lingers, and the depth of our longing for your presence continues to grow with each passing year. Your departure left a profound void that can never be filled. You were the cornerstone of our lives, the very essence of love, wisdom, and resilience. Your nurturing guidance sculpted us into the individuals we are today, and your legacy shines brightly through Me, Neetu, and the values you instilled within us. We remember your warm smile, your comforting embrace, and the countless sacrifices you made for us. Your memory brings tears, but it also brings a deep sense of gratitude for the time we had together. On this day, we honour your life and the beautiful moments we shared. Your spirit resides within us, an unwavering presence that guides our steps and comforts our hearts. We cherish the time we were blessed to spe...

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music, said  Aldous Huxley. It is indeed one of the most universal ways of expression and communication for humankind and is present in the everyday lives of people of all ages and from all cultures around the world. Several types of research suggest that listening to music we hear in our youth helps us recall specific events, reminds us of people we have forgotten, and helps us revisit significant periods in our lives. Why do we love music? Who among us doesn’t have a similar story about a song that touched us? Whether attending a concert, listening to the radio, or singing in the shower, there’s something about music that can fill us with emotion, from joy to sadness. Studies have shown that when we listen to music, our brains release dopamine, which in turn makes us happy. Typically, our brains release dopamine during behavior that's essential to survival (sex or eating). In one study published in Nature...

Dearest Maa,  If I could turn back the clock, I would. And I know that is not the way life works. Even after 10 Years, you are still everywhere I know you would not want me sad. But I can’t stop thinking about my longing for your presence. You left us today and it's already been a decade. Though my actual memories of the days and weeks that led up to your death have almost faded, my feelings of sorrow are bone-deep. I don’t need to remember with any amount of clarity to feel overwhelmingly sad. As the years roll by, my feelings of loss change shape and I’ve noticed that they’re fixated on the passage of time lately. I’ve found that the more time I place between you and me, the more acutely I ache for the past. Ten years after your death, I understand that the vulnerability to experience grief is always with me. Some days, it lies dormant. Some days, it becomes inflamed like emotional rheumatism. Like a particular time of year, certain experiences flip a switch, and I am flo...

Batadrawa Project: An Innovative blend of traditional and modern culture? My Op ed on the recently approved Batadrawa Project and the discussions surrounding it got published in NorthEast Today . Do check it out by clicking on the above link.

Dearest Maa  It's been nine long years without you, a lifetime to go. I've slowly and steadily kickstarted earning with my own efforts. I remember once when you told me, “With your first salary I will buy myself a beautiful Sador Mekhela” I wish I could buy you one today maa... Nevertheless, to fulfill your wish I promise to gift something to Mahi & Neetu. Maa its your ninth anniversary and you are much more clearer today in my vision, thoughts and prayers. With each passing year I acknowledge your love more and more. I'm sorry Maa for the things that I had failed to learn when you were around, I'm not the same anymore Maa, I've changed. With each passing day, I look for a better person within me. You weren’t only a excellent mother but in addition an incredible instructor. I had learned a lot from you. Since father was mostly engaged with his work, you completely dedicated your time for both me and Neetu. We now try to realize the amount of sacrifice you did fo...

  Introduction “Not a believer inside the mosque, am I nor a pagan disciple of false rites not the pure amongst the impure Neither Moses, nor the pharaoh” ~ Bulleh Shah A man who was refused by the mullahs to be buried after his death in the community graveyard because of his unorthodox views, today enjoys worldwide reverence and recognition.   The tomb of Baba Bulleh Shah in Kasur (Pakistan) and the area around it is today the only place free of collective refuse, and the privileged of the city pay handsomely to be buried in the proximity of the man they had once rejected. This radical change has been possible because people have been impressed in the course of time by the holy way of Bulleh’s life and the efficacy of his teachings. Baba Bulleh Shah is one poet who wrote in complete surrender of love. At times singing, at times dancing and at times dressed as a woman, he also became the voice of woman in Punjab. A Sufi saint, whose philosophy of life was beyond the boun...

‘He whom you call Allah and my people call Krishna, are but one and the same!’... ‘ Jhulelal’ Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Shrine in Pakistan,  Photo Courtesy (https://www.wikiwand.com/) We are all aware of the famous song, “Lal Meri Pat.” In the song’s refrain, the line goes, “Jhule lal, Jhule lal, Mast Qalandar, Jhule lal.” The word “Jhule lal” means “swinging red,” popularly referring to the associations between Lal Shahbaz and his red cloak. However, the term equally refers to the deity Jhulelal. Jhulelal was a water deity who was said to have emerged from the Indus River in the form of a ‘palla’ fish.   When Lal Shahbaz Qalandar travelled to Sindh in the 1200s, he did not define himself as Muslim (just as Jhulelal did not call himself Hindu). Lal Shahbaz’s stories became entangled with those of Jhulelal’s. Hindus look upon him as their saint - their incarnation of the god, and Muslims look upon him as a Sufi saint. While Muslims revered Lal Shahbaz as a sa...