On your second

What do I wish for you today?
When everyday I wish the best for you
I wish for a smile that never leaves your face
I wish for a dream that stays with you
I wish you a heart that is full of joy
And a tinkle always in your voice
I wish for a sprint in your step
And everyday that you rejoice
I wish you the strength to follow your dream
And to know what is right and good
I wish you the best in all you do
And I wish you bonds of love for good

Two years

I still remember this day, two days back when I was in a store looking for twin stroller. There was still a week for my elective procedure and I had just started buying things for my twins. Little did I knew that I would go into labor within 12 hours and that my boy would die eight days later. In these two years of joy and sorrow, every time I have laughed for my daughter, I have cried for my son. I have wished him to be alive, to play with his sister. I have wished for him to be here or else to have never been. Every time I visit baby stores, the trip hurts me. It hurts me for the child I lost.

A case for secularism

The Bangladesh High Court rejected a 28 year old case challenging the amendment of the Constitution making Islam the State religion without a hearing. This case came at a time when the attacks on religious minorities have more frequent. With the impact of fundamentalists increasing, the dismissal of the case without a proper hearing cannot be a surprise.
Secularism is important because it protects the religious minorities. Secularism broadly means the separation of church and state. It connotes that there shall be no State religion and the State shall neither favor one nor loath the other religion or its followers. Secularism gives the right of religious freedom which protects the religious as well as the atheists and agnostics alike. Without it, blasphemy laws come into play and atheists and religious minorities are in danger of their life and property.
The modern societies which are cosmopolitan in nature require secularism as a base. When individuals from all religious faiths come together for work, it is essential that those who are in minority are protected from extremist elements. In a free society, every man should have a right to follow and practice the religion of his choice or to not follow any religion at all if he so desires.

Springtime

The earth blossoms
the colors play around
the melody of birds
the dance of butterflies
There is a story in every bloom
and every twig tells a tale
the story of perseverance
of getting stronger with each trial
Through the harsh and dark
from gloom to fresh light
is a story of reawakening
of coming out and being free
And every tale has a memory
of loss and moving on
with the past paving the way
for the promise of the future
The change is around the corner
as we take the step
and creating fresh memories
we leave a print behind.
 

Women's right to worship

The Supreme Court has recently questioned the devaswom board that manages the sabriwala temple why can't women enter and worship in the temple. The rules of the board stipulate that women between the ages of 10-50 years cannot enter the temple and touch the idols. The petitioners contended that this rule is violative of article 14 (equality) and articles 25/26 (freedom of religion). The defendants claimed customs of over five centuries to support the ban. The Apex Court observed that the board has no constitutional right to ban entry of women. The said provision is violative of the constitutional provision of not discriminating on the basis of age, sex or caste. The court further observed that there is difference between a temple open for public and a mutt. Women cannot be barred from entering a temple and worshiping.

Of birds and memories

Lying in bed on a lazy Sunday morning, I was startled by a familiar yet forgotten sound. Sparrows were chirping outside and the sound was so gaily that it prompted me to leave my warm bed and go out in the balcony even though it was just -1 degree centigrade. I stood outside in the cold watching the birds fly around the now leafless trees and memories from my childhood came flooding. I thought of my childhood home in Lucknow where the many old trees had provided a safe haven for the many species of birds and small animals. I thought about my weekends spent just watching the birds and squirrels play. The sound of people talking, the fragrance of flowers mingled with the aroma coming from the kitchen. It was a truly blissful time. But above all, it was the many species of birds and their fascinating nests that could attract anyone. The population of birds has since come down, mainly because of the cutting down of trees for construction everywhere in the country. The birds that were once common are now s rarity. Moving to Pune, those familiar sights almost disappeared. And now today, across the world, in another country, I came across those familiar sights. It seems like some friend from my childhood has come back to stay with me.

Mothers

Once while climbing the mount, prophet Moses slipped, God spoke to him to be very careful from that day on as his mother had died and now he was exposed to the perils of hell. As long as a person's mother is alive, her prayers for her child keep him safe from various perils. Not only does a mother pray for her child till her last breath, she provides him with constant guidance and support. Mothers hold a very high and special position in a person's life and the same has been highlighted in Islam as well. Prophet Mohammad said that the position of a mother is three times higher than that of a father and is the one person who should be loved and respected more than anyone else. The wise say that whenever a person is facing problems in his life, he should talk to his mother and his problems will disappear.
Ask a person who has lost his mother how he feels. Ask a motherless child, how lonely and sad he is. A mother is not a support only in childhood, she is a blessing all lifelong. I remember my grandfather speaking about his mother once. He said that though he was only five years old when his mother died and he hardly knew her, yet even at the age of more than eighty, his heart shivers when he hears the word 'mother'. Such is the impact of a mother.
And today, we read the news that a member of isis publicly killed his own mother because she told him to leave the terrorist organization. He killed his mother on the command of his evil bosses. He claims to represent Islam but in reality he is following the regime of satan. Anyone can imagine how much a person has deviated from the right path, how much misguided to have harmed his own parent who was the biggest blessing from God. And how blind he is to have closed the doors of God's mercy.