Sufism is very closely related to real Sikhism. Saints like Bulleh Shah, taught the truth and I considered them perfect saints in ever sense of the word.

Hi Ash,

I am glad you are in favor of eliminating religious friction among Indians and Pakistanis. I just wish our leaders could understand this. Indian and Pakistani leaders have gone so much into hatred that I don't see them coming back to being normal in near future. However, I do believe that it won't be too long before some educated young people will take over India and bring real democracy in India. I do believe that technology will do India good in more than one way. It's going to expose Indians to rest of the world and Indians will be able to see how Western democracy works. Eventually, there will be more liberal and balanced (unbiased) people running India.

As far as sufism goes, I don't know much. I just remember some of the stuff I studied in 6th or 7th grades. Thanks for the compliments though.

Hi Simran,

First of all, I am sorry to hear about your mom. See, we (humans) don't have much control over many things in our lives. I know it's difficult but we need to learn to live with this simple fact. I am actually glad you shared this with us. It's good to share your grieves and happiness with friends. Like they say, happiness grows and sadness shrinks when you share them with someone. Also, sometimes people who have had hard time in their childhood turn out be better people in their adulthood. DUKH DAARU..SUKH ROAG BHAYA….

I know it can be difficult being away from where you were born and brought up. I have been fortunate enough to be familiar with both the US and India. Although, I was born here in California, I spent most of my childhood and adolescence in India. I actually lived in a small village and went to high school there. Then I went to a college in Jalandhar from 1990 to 1993. Since, most of my family, including maternal uncles, aunts, grandparents and whole bunch of cousins, was here in the US, I visited the US a lot before I started living here regularly in 1993. I just finished MS in Comp. Eng. and am looking forward to getting MBA. Life has been really really busy for me for last seven years. I have been working full time and studying full time. Now, I have been married for last couple years and we have a four months old daughter. I am trying to finish up school so that I can spend more time with our daughter later.

Maybe, you should try to keep yourself and your sister busy. You can't undo what has happened already and what you don't have control over. But, you certainly have full control over your present and your future. At least you are lucky enough to have good massiji and a cousin brother (he is my age). See, that's why they call maternal aunt MAASI (MAA-SI), meaning just like mom. Also, as you know, being religious will help as well.

No, I am not Muslim. Although, someone could be a Muslim and Jat Punjabi as well, I am Punjabi Jat Sikh. I think we went through Moga once while going to Faridkot (spelling?). I stayed so busy with my education in India that I don't know much about my surroundings. Being 3-4 years younger than an average student, I didn't have many friends in college either.

Ok, take care for now…this brother of yours will pray for your happiness…more later…

Oh, the reason why I respond so late because, I just changed my job about 3 months ago and this job keeps me really busy. Also, you are on the east coast and I am on the west coast, exactly on the other side of the US. That's could a factor as well.

Take care…Rab Rakha…Bhul Chuk Maaf :)

To Jat and Simran
Hey I am called Ash and I would like to say that I wish every site had people like you guys, it would be really cool. Punjabi's are by nature very friendly and happening people, it's just wrong and corrupted religous values that cause us to hate and hurt others. I hope and pray that all Punjabi's can learn the message of our Sufi's and of Guru Nanak and Buley Shah and Waaris Shah. We must end this hatred. I have spoken out my views on several other sites before about politics and religion but today I think I'd prefer to talk about something else.
Tell me guys what's it like in New York anyway? From what I have heard and seen it is one hell of a place.
I myself one day hope to go to the states and have tour of the whole country. Two places which I definately hope to visit are New York and LA.
Oh and Simran, I am very sorry to hear that you are lonely, but you seem like a very nice person and I'm sure that you will make many friends in New York if you havn't already.
And Jat Punjabi, I am very impressed by your knowledge of Sufi wisdom maybe you could share some more of it with us.
By the way I am a Pakistani Punjabi. I was born in England and I have lived here all my life but my family is originally from Toba Tek Singh in Punjab. Are any of you guys familiar with this place, please let me know.

To Simram,

We know Moga.Where were you from?
Do you know the Sangha Hospital?
Best wishes

Hi Jat Punjabi: What took you so long to respond back?

You know, I agree with what you have said and I just love what you wrote down about poetry. Well, I think I will go with your suggestion from now on.

Anyway, why do you call yourself Jat Punjabi. The way you write, you sound like you are muslim. Are You? What is you name anyway? Are you a college student?

My life is kind of different than rest of Indian girls in N.Y. Me and my sister are living with my aunt. We do not have mother, she died when my sister was only two years old. We were living in Moga with my uncles and aunts. Life was so hard. My maasi brought us here last year in september. I still miss Moga. I don't think I like here.

My sister miss our mom a lot. So do I. Well, our maasi is just like our mom. She only has one son who is 24. It was his idea to use computer and look through this site and make new friends. I do not have any problem with English but just a lot of fear in my heart that doesn't let me do anything.

Well, enough of my sad story. So long.

Hi Simran,

I am glad I could make someone happy. Par enha khush bhi na hovo ki tusi udnan lag javo. Hor na kise imaarat wich baj kei zameen na digh peyo ate satt lava baithon. Anyway, my Punjabi could be a little different from yours depending which area of Punjab you are from. I am from Doaba.

I thought there were a lot of Indians in NY. Well, maybe not enough for you to find at least one friend. Par chalo ji, tusi saade naal gal kar liya karo.

Baki gal rahi Waheguru di. Mai es gal naal sahmat haan ke rab ton darna chahida. Par Rab ton enha bhi nehi darna chahida ke dar naal apna har dam khoon hi suka kei baith jayo. Rab da kam kise nu darauna thodhi hai. Sago, Rab taan chauhanda hai ke usde bande khush rahan. Eh te loki hi han jehdhe ik dooje nu nafrat karan da bahana labh lende han.

Ok, here is something Shah Husain said:

Rabba mere haal da mahram tun….
Andar tun hai...baahar tun hai...Roam roam wich tun…
Tun hai taana…tun hai baana…sabh kuchh mera tun...
Kahe husain fakeer nimaana…mai nehi sabh tun…

Vaki Rab Rakha…Rab tuhanu mat samatiya and shaanti bakhshe….

To Jatt Punjabi, from Simran:

I can't tell, or explain in words, how happy I was when I read your response to me. I felt like flying all over my town. You know, it is so great when you realized that there is someone who really cares about what you are writing. I also appreciate your response.
Mr. Jat, can I say, that so far at least I have made ONE FRIEND?

I am in New York, living in Coney Island. But since I came here to study in college, my aunt told me to stay with her in Manhattan. So, here I am, all alone in city of western people. To be honest, I really don't like being here. It's like, someone has cut the wings of a free bird and put in cage for long long centuries.

As I was saying about Indian friends, so far I have not make anyone.

I would like to tell you guys about this situation that happened a few days ago in my College class. We were discussing about family roots and different family patterns. All of a sudden, a girl (not related to indian culture) stood up and said, "Indians are the one who suck because they all have ugly looking dressings, faces, and they have so many nasty languages". I was shocked to hear this and I told her that she had no reason to say this because I am also indian and I cannot let anyone say anything about my country. It really hurts me to hear these kinds of stupid things. It was first time in my life that I felt so insulted and embarrased. Well, why would I be embarrased, infact, I am proud to be a punjabi Indian. Anyway, professor told that girl to say sorry to me and I really forgive her.

My message:

HER EK AADMI NOON, OOS SAACHE PITTA VAAHEGURU TOON DARNA CHAHIIDA HAI.

Simran,

What country/state do you live in? I am in Silicon Valley. I can see a lot of Indians in Punjabi suit and it seems like non-Indians are used it because I don't see anyone looking at them in a strange manner. Well, Californians are probably used to a lot of different cultures. I have also seen Indian girls wearing Punjabi suits in college once in a while. But, I guess things change from state to state or maybe country to country. As far as Indians in colleges/Universities, I see a lot of them. They are so many that they are not even minority anymore and they don't pay attention if they see another Indian.

Take care

By Simran:

I love this site. Especially, when I read what is written from people who are from punjab(india or pakistan). I don't know if I am right or wrong, but it is very hard to find a friend in foreign country who speaks your own language.

I am living here since september of 1999, and I am in City College, but so far, I am so sad to see that I am all alone. I hurts me to see these white, blacks, spanish, jewish,etc. students with a lot of friends. It reminds me of India and my haasda waasda punjab, where I used to play with my saahelian all the time.

I know it may sound funny to you guys but this is true that I always cry inside my heart because I just want One person with whom, I can speak punjabi or even hindi. I don't feel any difference in indians or pakistanis. It's just so hard for me to adjust to this foreign ways of living.

I love to wear saalvar kameej, but since noone is there to have me company, I feel embarrased to be the only one who is wearing a strange dress in the college. I read a lot of Indian names on wall papers and even some professors' names but I haven't seen any single one in person.

Most of you guys might be going to colleges or may be high schools. Is this the same problem with you guys? My sister goes to John Jay high school. That school is like a heaven. I am not sure but that's what she says. According to her, there a lot of indians, pakistanis, and even bengalis. I feel so great to when they come to our home and we all sit and at least then, I can talk in my own language.

Well, I think that's enough. Anyway, if i will find any saaheli, I will let you know.

My message to all those who love this site:

MAANS KI JAAT SAABHE EEK HII PEHCHAANBO!!

VAAHEGURU JI KAA KHALSA, VAAHEGURU JI KI FATEH!!

BOLE SO NIHAL, SAAT SHRI AKAL!!

Awal Allah Noor Upaya, Kudrat De Saab Bande.
Ek Noor Te Sab Jag Upjeya, Kaun Bhale Ko Mand.

Bole So Nehal, Sat Shri Akal.

We (Indians/Pakistanis/Bangladeshis) were comletely hoodwinked by the British....one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the magnificent nation that we once were. Brings tears to one's eyes.

This is an old news from Jan 1999 but we reproduce here to show that Punjabis in India or Pakistan are part of the same fabric although a bit different colors.

'Lohri' Brings Together Indo-Pak Punjabis

NEW DELHI: Punjabiyat, an idea which was repeatedly murdered during the militancy in Punjab, has reared its head again with a show in Delhi which brought together singers, fashion designers and models from both Indian and Pakistani Punjab.

Put together by the World Punjabi Organization (WPO), the Punjabi fashion and cultural extravaganza, aptly called 'Punj Dariya' on the name of the land of the land of five rivers, was held on the occasion of 'Lohri'. The idea was to promote the rich cultural heritage, language and dress of both India and Pakistan in their provinces of Punjab. Famous Pakistani singer Rafaqat Ali Khan, who prefers to call himself Punjabi, said "music and sports can go a long way in promoting the ties between the two countries."

About two dozen models, singers and fashion designers from both Indian and Pakistani Punjab took part in the show put up by Nikki and Neena of Bizarre from Lahore.

The show began with Rafaqat Ali from Lahore with his high-pitched solo Allah Tera Shukria (Thanks, My Lord). After Bally Sagoo's Punjabiyan Di Shaan Vakhree, the fashion show got under way with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan numbers.

As the music system blared Kinna Sohna Tenu Rab Ne Banaya, the leggy models sashayed down the ramp. There were Natasha, Ameena, and Wameeza Sameer Rana from Pakistan, and Shafali Talwar, Juhi, Bhavana and Sunalika Oberoi from Delhi.

As the tunes changed, so did the dress. There was lehenga, there was kurta, sarees and Patiala salwars followed.

The WPO, which was inaugurated just last year by the then Prime Minister I K Gujral, announced the adoption of 200 Punjabi students from the weaker sections. "A special fund will be set up for outstanding students to help them from class 12 for professional courses. Already we are financing the studies of a child prodigy, who at 15 next year, will become the youngest computer engineer," said Vikramjit Singh Sahney, secretary general of the WPO.

The show was signed of with performances by Adil Barki and Ibrar-ul-Haq from Pakistan. Among the dignitaries at the show were WPO president Raunaq Singh, film star Sunil Dutt, former Union minister S S Ahluwalia, Mumbai sherif K S Kohl, Punjab and Sind Bank chairman S S Kohli, Delhi Tourism Chairman Tarlochan Singh and Punjab Kesri editor Ashwani Minna, designer Rohit Bal and ambassadors from many countries.

I am a 24 years old Punjabi sher from Jalandhar distt, my parents and grandparents were born in Lahore. I have listened a lot about the Sadar Bazar etc.I wish I can get a chance to visit Pakistan to see the old village of my grandparents. It is so encouraging to see that here in US, pujabis r sharing their views through such sites .I would like to chat with some one who lived in my area before partition.punjabi zindabad.

It is only by chance that while surfing I came across this site. It seemed to represent all the feelings which I used to have but could never articulate.

I often wonder that Had the partition in 1947 not been on the basis of religion and on the basis of language then perhaps Punjab would have easily surpassed not only the remaining states of United India but She would have been easily amongst one of the most advanced nation. Perhaps It is only now that so much of blood and tears are being shed over the religion. my grandfather, used to live in near Multan, has told me that he had muslim friends and they used to play togather. The distance he used to maintain was equal to fellow hindus who were of different caste.

To Mr. PJ : Jats also belong to extended Punjabi Biradari. Asi apne aap nu Punjabi jatt (not Jaat) hi khnde haan. As waaste porus punjabi putr hi hoya.

DA
New Delhi

Touching farewell to hero - Badal assures job to wife
Tribune News Service

KILLI BHISIANA (Bathinda), May 30 "Ajay you have broken your
promise to return home after carrying out the task of protecting
the frontiers of the country. Why have you broken the promise,
wailed Alka when the coffin carrying the body of her husband,
fighter pilot Ajay Ahuja was brought at the local Air Force station
here today from Srinagar.

Alka, who was in consolable, said she was proud of her husband.
"The hero never dies".

The body in a wooden coffin was brought to the local Air Force
station from Srinagar by an Indian Air Force plane. Air Vice-Marshal
A. Sen, AVSM, accompanied the body which was received by local
Station Commander Rakesh Kakker, Chief Minister Parkash Singh
Badal, BJP spokesman K.L. Sharma, Mrs Laxmi Kanta Chawla, MLA,
Mr Parshotam Lal, Mr Vijay Ahuja and Mr Sudhir Sachdeva, father,
brother and maternal uncle of the deceased.

Ajay Ahuja, who was asked to carry out specific operations in the
Kargil area in Jammu and Kashmir to push out Pakistan-backed
infiltrators on May 17, the day he was promoted and took
command of a squadron, moved to the Srinagar air base on the
same day, two hours after he had taken the command.

He was allegedly shot dead by Pakistani soldiers when he ejected
safely from his MiG 27 after a missile hit it on May 29 while he was
searching for another aircraft.

"I am not satisfied with the way the BJP government is responding
to the Pakistani army action in Kargil. The Indian government
should take strong action against the Pakistan-backed infiltrators",
said Mr Parshotam Lal, father of the deceased fighter pilot.

"He sacrificed his life so that we could live with honour. He was a
brave soldier. I am proud of my son. He has done his country
proud", he added.

Asked whether he would like to sent his four-year-old grandson
Ankur to the armed forces, he said: "I forced Ajay to join the
Indian Air Force against the wishes of other family members, but
now I will not dictate anything to my grandson."

Wreaths were laid on the body of the hero on behalf of the Punjab
Governor by the local Deputy Commissioner. Sub-Divisional
Magistrate Gurtej Singh laid a wreath on behalf of the Chief
Minister. During his meeting with the bereaved family, Mr Badal said if
Ahuja's widow wanted a job, the government would be willing to
provide the same to her along with a residential plot in Punjab.He said a
statue of Ahuja would be installed at the nearby crossing
on the Bhatinda-Muktsar road.

All present at the funeral burst into tears when little Ankur asked
his maternal uncle: "Who is in this box", pointing his finger towards
the coffin. Nobody dared to answer his query. "Where is my father?
I want to salute him," he insisted.

The fighter pilot's body was cremated with full military honours. A
contingent of the Air Force personnel reversed arms fired three
rounds in the air and sound the last bugle before the body was
consigned to the flames. Master Ankur lit the pyre.

The BJP spokesman, Mr K.L. Sharma, later talking to mediapersons,
said the Central Government would lodge a protest with the
Pakistani authorities if it was found that Ajay Ahuja was shot dead
by Pakistan's Army. He pointed out that many countries, including the USA
and China, had criticised the action of Pakistan in Kargil.

Ahuja was shot at point-blank range
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, May 30 The post-mortem report of Sqd Ldr Ajay
Ahuja has conclusively indicated that he was tortured and shot
dead at point-blank range by Pakistani troops.

The pilot of the MiG 21 Ahuja was captured alive after his aircraft
was shot down by Pakistani troops with surface-to-air missile on
Thursday and was later shot dead in cold blood, the post-mortem
report indicates, IAF officials said.

The post-mortem of Sqd Ldr Ahuja, conducted at Srinagar Base
Hospital, stated that the probable cause of death "was due to the
gunshot damaging the blood vessels, internal organs leading to
haemorrhage and shock."

As per the detailed post-mortem report available with The Tribune
stated that "a penetrating gunshot wound, entry near right ear,
exit near the external orifice of left ear with bleeding and clot."

"Gunshot wound (second) entry, 2 cm medial to right nipple, exit
near left iliac crest damaging viscera like liver, interstine and
peritonium," the report said, adding that Ahuja had suffered a
"compound" fracture of the left knee.

The report stated that Ahuja suffered multiple punctured wounds
over left and right thighs, rupture of right lung, injury to neck
vessels, small intestine and left liver.

The Tribune had reported that the pilot of the MiG 21 had been
shot in the head from point-blank range and that he had
apparently put up strong resistance before being killed in cold
blood, which has been confirmed by the post-mortem report.

The body of the pilot was handed over to the Indian authorities by
Pakistani troops somewhere in the Kargil sector. It was later taken
to Srinagar for post-mortem and to Bathinda for cremation with full
military honours.

Sqd Ldr Ahuja was carrying out an operation close to the LoC
when one of his colleagues Flt-Lt Nachiketa (Nachi) claimed that
the MiG 27 he was flying had developed an engine snag. At that
time Nachiketa was over the Batalik sector.

During the second strike at around 11 a.m Nachi contacted the
mission leader saying that "Nachi engine flame out relighting". After
a few minutes, he again called on the radio "Nachi ejecting now".

The crippled aircraft was losing height when Nachiketa ejected,
hearing his R/T call, Ahuja broke away from the formation and
circled over the area where Nachiketa was parachuting down.

While on the lookout Ahuja was reportedly hit by a Stinger missile.
His last call was "Hercules ( Ahuja's call sign), I suspect missile
hit".


Those who never came back

NEW DELHI, May 30 (PTI) Bodies of four Indian Air Force
personnel, who were killed on Friday when their helicopter was
downed by Pakistan-backed infiltrators in Drass sector of Jammu
and Kashmir, were flown to Srinagar this evening.

IAF sources said the bodies of all four airmen Sqn Ldr Rajiv
Pundir, Flt-Lt S. Muhilan (both pilots), Sgt R.K. Sahu and Sgt
P.V.N.R. Prasad (both crew) would be flown to the Sarsawa air
base by a special aircraft in Uttar Pradesh for cremation tomorrow.

While Sqn Ldr Pundir had over 3,000 hours of operational flying,
Flt-Lt Muhilan had recorded 1,200 hours and was one of the best
rocket shooters.

Sgt Prasad was commended for devotion to duty two years ago,
while Sgt Sahu was an expert flight engineer.

Their chopper was hit by a US-made Stinger missile when they
were participating in the operations to flush out the heavily armed
intruders in the Drass area. Their bodies were recovered by ground
troops this morning after the wreckage was spotted.

India and Pakistan should be friends!

Dearest friends

On a scale of 10.000 years, our years are simply tiny dots quasi invisible.
Last 5 decades have parted soul of a culture, a geo-economic region which was ONE for thousands of years.

BUT nature does take its course.
The healing is a natural process as the bio-chemical laws of nature are stronger than the bio-diversity itself.

After thousands of prayers of commpassionate hearts, God has finally heard their message and some wisdom is instilled in good people and we will be linking broken links once again.

Let this little candle of hope become a fire of love and compassion and engulf all of us and open our hearts and let the nature take its course. Love is more powerful than any other sentiment and feeling.
Those who dont understand this fact are ignorants.

Human intervention is merely a sheepish attempt to ridicule God's free will.

ANY ONE destroying God's will is destroyed sooner or later and is lost in dust. People who give love are remembered and become history for future.

People with LOVE and COMPASSION are the blessed ones and let love substitute for hate for God's sake.

God bless all those who are working hard to let the nature take its actions.

Where do we go?

Today we should all celebrate as Pakistan is discovering itself. India and Pakistan can talk and meet and celebrate - that is the way, it should be...

Pakistan's people have very big hearts and their compassion is quite deep yet because of some tunnel visioned people who make religion the cosmetic cover to exploit people; have made Pakistan's image a bit opaque and crystallized.

Pakistani people are made of same stuff as most people of India.
The labels and man made belief systems can never change the BASIC nature of people.

India and Pakistan - both are not yet free.
We are still enslaved and still naive about ourselves.

We as nations are insecure and childish.

THE day India and Pakistan embrace each other with a clean heart just like two long lost brothers (which they are); the real freedom will be gained.

We will be then celebrating our REAL independence.
We have maligned ourselves, destroyed ourselves with stupid and ignorant hate, made ourselves enemy for miscommunication and misunderstandings and come to the point of killing each other for material things.
This is not a sign of maturity.

Yet Pakistani people just like people of India want happiness in their lives like any settled community and ancient culture.
We are not nomadic central asian thugs nor camel pushers.

People of India and Pakistan are parted politically but geo-economically they form the same body for ages unknown.
Just an ideology yet so powerful that it blinds people, and stop the whole progress.


Today, Pakistan should have been a very rich nation.
But our people have to live in miserable conditions, emigrate to make a better living and even work for Arabs as their slaves simply for few dollars.

You me and many brothers will be in Pakistan and India if we had social justice there, economic opportunities and a genuine peace.

With violence and injustices, all our resources given to protect ourselves (from whom?); education and social welfare has become an extinct phenomenon and today Pakistan has been invaded by a strange oligarchy which live like parasites benefitting the ignorance and naivete.

Mr Sharif is a brilliant man and very fortunate one; who come from Middle class families like most of us, but who have a very big responsibility. It is very difficult to manage Pakistan or India with our societies going to dogs.
Despite our enormous problems and our people living miserable or marginal lives; we have to enrich other countries to buy bombs, aircrafts and guns to kill ourselves.

Does not this smell the same conspiracy which British so cleverly used in 1857 when they divided the Hindu Muslim soldiers?

We are inflicting pain on self and hurting each other for a weird and abnormal frozenness in our relations; which can melt when we see the realities.

This must END.

The day we discover ourselves we will be free.

Pakistan will and should become a wonderfully rich and powerful nation with rich people the same way India should; and they both deserve. IF any one has doubts and you think we should not progress like the rest of the world go for a mental checkup.

But to reach that goal we will have to respect each other and instead of calling ourselves enemies; re-regulate ourselves, re-think our own stupidities and face the truth; face the hard realities which we face today.

India and Pakistan need each other as they are one family.
Only brothers can work for each other no body else.

We dont have any friend in the world. How can Chinese, Americans, Europeans or Russians or Arabs be interested in us when culturally we are not close to them nor they care for us?
India and Pakistan must support each other and work hard to make use of our limited resources and dedicate ourselves to build our communities.

The waste and retarding progress trend should stop and we should be able to go ahead like the rest of the world.

The day we are firmly decided to recognize our potentials as brothers we will become strong and our people will be able to enjoy the life they deserve truly.

Religions and all these demagogues in mosques : "hazraat - time has come to kill each other - dushman ko marna hai " must be checked as they incite innocent people to create a pool of hate in their hearts.

Religions must be for private practice and not the basis of dividing people and exploiting them on all levels. Enough of making fools!

The true potential of India and Pakistan lie in themselves and no where else.
Nobody in the world want that we should progress.

ALL powers want us to fight and destroy each other.
The day people in Lahore and Islamabad understand that; they will realize that the true enemy is our own ignorance and our zeal to waste our time like misguided teenagers.
The issues are not borders or lands but our people who are going without a good life, good education and other simple necessities.

The true leaders of Pakistan and India in all spheres must re-think their stands and accept the truth.

If not.. things can not be worse as they are now.

The prime ministers of India and Pakistan have begun formal talks in Lahore as they seek a new foundation for ties after five decades of bitter division.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee arrived in Lahore after completing a short, but historic, bus journey across India's border with Pakistan.

Prime Minister Vajpayee back in Pakistan after a 21 year gap
It is the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Pakistan for 10 years, and Mr Vajpayee's first visit for 21 years. It was made using the new public bus service between the two countries.

When he was greeted by his Pakistani opposite number Nawaz Sharif at the Wagah border crossing, Mr Vajpayee said he felt a sense of elation to be on Pakistani soil.

"I bring the good will and hope of my fellow Indians for peace and harmony," he said.

Mr Vajpayee's 16-strong delegation included Indian celebreties and artists such as former Test cricketer Kapil Dev and movie star Dev Anand.

The bus journey inaugurates a service between Delhi and Lahore, which both governments hope will be a small step towards easing tension.

Punjab folk dancers led the golden-brown bus into Pakistani territory as it moved slowly past the check-point at the border. Mr Vajpayee could be seen smiling and waving inside the bus.

The Pakistani government says it will not allow the visit to be disrupted despite the threat of protests by Islamic groups.

On Friday about 2,000 people protested in Lahore.
Most of the protesters belonged to Islamic parties, including the influential Jamaat-i-Islami, which has called for a general strike in Lahore to coincide with the arrival of Mr Vajpayee.

Separatist guerrillas have stepped up their attacks against Indian forces in Kashmir, apparently in anticipation of Mr Vajpayee's visit.

High on the weekend agenda will be discussions covering the Kashmir conflict and South Asia's nuclear strategy.
More realistic is some joint initiative so that they can better manage their nuclear arsenals.

Poetry diplomacy
To coincide with the visit, a book of Mr Vajpayee's poetry has been published in Urdu by a Pakistani pulisher.

It is the first time an anthology of poems by an Indian politician has been published in Pakistan but the publishers say they are not too sure whether it will be a commerical success.

Aftab Hussain of Lahore's Kitab Numa publishing house said the production was a joint effort with the poems translated into Urdu by an Indian, Dr Jameel Akhtar, in Delhi.

He said the gesture had symbolic significance.

India Calls for Peace With Pakistan

LAHORE, Pakistan
India's prime minister called for ``durable peace, harmony and cooperation'' Saturday with its uneasy neighbor Pakistan after traveling there on the first commercial bus service between the two countries in 51 years.

Mr Vajpayee crossed into Pakistan aboard a bus loaded with politicians and Indian film stars and decorated with flags from the two countries. He said the bus service was symbolic of ``the desire of the people to improve relations and come together.''

``My regret is that we have spent so much time in mutual bitterness,'' Vajpayee said Saturday in a prepared speech at a banquet in his honor at the Lahore Fort. ``It is unworthy of the two nations the size of India and Pakistan to have wasted so much time in mutual ill-will.''

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said, ``The time is not so far away when we, Pakistan and India, will be able to live as the United States and Canada,'' as two friendly neighbors.

Pakistan's Information Minister Mushahid Hussein said the success of Vajpayee's visit can be measured by the fact that ``we are not shooting at each other, we are not shouting at each other. The success is that we are not talking at each other but we are talking to each other.''

Upon meeting, Vajpayee and Sharif shook hands and embraced. The meeting was broadcast live by state television in both countries.

While most people in Pakistan welcomed Vajpayee's visit, Islamic militants held protests throughout the provincial capital of Lahore, burning tires, throwing stones at ambassadors' cars and battling riot police who hurled tear gas shells at them.

Militant young men carrying sticks forced shop owners to shutter their shops throughout the day to protest Vajpayee's visit, something many said they did out of fear rather than support for the militants.

India and Pakistan must be friends and good neighbors! Period! There is no other way around it. Otherwise, both will loose and and remain loosers.
Both India and Pakistan have lots in common.
Smart and intelligent people.
Please do not be loosers!

Dahshat ki aag
aur gundagardi ki thand
badmaashi ki garmi
khauf ka kohra bichhaate ho

Pyare, Nafrat ka zahar uglate ho
kyoN sanp ko sharminda karte ho
nafrat karo jitni bahut accha hai
har nafrat sai jindagi kam karte ho

Nafrat ka zahar tumhare andhere man ko
dhak ke baitha hai charag par pathar ki tarah
nadaan! sirf ek aankh sei duniya ko dekhoge yuN
Khuda bhi tumhe aadha nazar ayega

Pyar ki eik kiran
roshni se pharpoor hai
mohabbat ke uzaloN mai dil ko tapne do
apne sone ko kundan sa ban ne do

band aankhe man ki kkhulne do
pyar jivan hai use chalne do
nafrate maut ka pal hai, use phalne na do
phool khilte hain sahra mai jo khilne do

pyar se pyar hi payoge
tum JahaN bhar se
nafrato ki aag mei kheloge
jhulas jaayoge

Jhulas kar kyuN jigar ko chak karte ho
mere mohsin mere pyare sanam
jhulse hue insaN
kya Khaq jiya kare haiN !!

(C) copyrights PK Kapila pk- at - npk.net

The Europeans are almost becoming one nation with the creation of European Community and the common curency Euro. It is about time that we at least start the dialogue of sharing the cultural view points of all Punjabis.

It is very good to know other languages. It is even better to write literature in one. I do not want to sound like a linguist bigot but we should work towards the advancement of our own mother tongue (Ma Boli).

We have been continually bombarded by Hindi in East Punjab and Urdu in West Punjab. When are we going to rise up and stop this linguist invasion? I do not mean bloodshed, but a concerted effort to ward off the threat to our mother tongue.

Stop associating the beautiful language Punjabi and its script Gurmukhi to any religion. We should, however, be open to the concept of finding ways to develop another script so that everybody can understand it, and also make it possible to use powerful mediums such as the internet in the further development of the language. Claim Punjabi as your mother tongue if your mother speaks to you in Punjabi. It is a privillege not shame. Be proud of it.

Many years ago when Soviet Union was still alive, I read that the Soviet Government was creating scripts for many less developed languages in the arctic region. In spite of that government's depleted resources, they made an attempt to keep the languages in the remote regions alive by providing alphabet to record the literature, keeping records of the oral stories centuries old and above all giving means to the educators to teach the younger generations their heritage.

Once someone told me that he never enjoys cursing in any other language but Punjabi (this person has lived in Canada since from the age of 7). I am not resorting to vulgarity but the point I am trying to make here is that your mother tongue is unique. No other language can take its place. When you pray to your God, it is always more calming if you use your mother tongue.

No dog can become a wolf by howling in the wolf's manner. It will still be called a dog. No matter how pure or accentless a foreign language you speak, others will still refer to you by your heritage or more commonly by your language.

Just like one only has one mother, similarly one only has one mother tongue. Whether you require the mastery of other languages to be ahead in your professional carrier, no language would give you the peace of mind except for your mother tongue when you are down.

It really hurts when we see Jhehlam and Chanab in the West (Duab?) and Sutlet, Ravi and Bias in the East (Tiab?) Punjab. Punjab really refers to the five bodies of water (rivers). Similarly, Punjabi refers to the folks living in that region.

All original Punjabis were Hindus by religion. King Porus, who nearly defeated Alexander the Great was a Hindu Punjabi. Punjabis are a martial race. Muslim and Sikh religions further beautified this marvelous language by creating great literary works such as the works of Sufis and Guru Garanth Sahib and numerous others.

Does anyone remember the prose by Shah Muhammad: "Shah Muhammada Singhan Ne Gorian De, Wang Nimbuan Lahu Nichor Ditte!" (The Sikhs wringed the blood out of the English forces as juice out of a lemon). This prose was written after the Chellean Wali war between the British colonial forces and army of Maharaja ranjit Singh. I have noticed one thing here, Shah Muhammad was a Muslim Poet who eye witnessed the war and wrote the facts about the Sikh armies bravery. In the next breath he says, "Shah Muhammda ik Sarkar bajhon, faujan jit ke ant nu harian ji!" (Without Maharaja Ranjit Singh, his armies won many battles but lost the war in the end).

I have sited some history that there was no animosity between any religions. Language and literature were no one religion's monoploy. Punjabi was everyones mother tongue.

After the independence, in spite of the fact that Punjab was carved into two pieces, the martial blood still flowed in every Punjabi's veins. This was a threat to Pakistan as well as India. They used the new nationalism to supress the Punjab and Punjabi hood. Pakistani goverment literally outlawed the Gurmukhi script by saying it is a Qafir script. In a sense they cut the legs of the language. However they forgot that mouth is still alive. The oral traditions are still flourishing today. The Indian government could not goto that extent, but they attacked the Punjabi language by choking East Punjab economically. No one can set up a decent business without the central governments approval. The Hindi films were bombarded into Punjab. No all Punjabi radio station was set up to promote the language. The Arya Smaj was promoted to persuade Hindus to declare Hindi as their mother tongue. Remember the irony here, the Hindu Punjabis are the forefathers of both Muslims and Sikhs.

Fortunately, there are enough Punjabis who are educated and working as professionals in the developed world, and the rest of the world to see the light. The veil of ignorence must be lifted off the eyes of other brothers who are still stuck in the communal and feudal warfare and are still treating the Punjabi mother as a step mother. Time is now. We have lost enough time already. Irrepairable damage has been done already to our dear Punjabi. Come and unite. No matter where you are, if your forefathers spoke Punjabi, declare Punjabi as your mother tongue. Demand to be taught in Punjabi. Remember, what miracle the Quebecers (French Canadians) pulled through. For centuries they were treated as second class citizens. But by persistence, they finally won the cultural war. Now the French language is flourshing in Quebec. If we do not do anything, we would be like the Kurds (divided between Turkey, Iraq and Iran). The stateless and the languageless people. Incidently, Kurds are now operating a Kurdish radio from Austria.

Recounting instances from Lahore trip


by Humra Quraishi in Delhi

EVENTS lie so crammed that it makes you wonder whether the world is crashing to an end and that’s why everything has to be fitted as soon as possible...Well, as of now, last weekend saw Uma Vasudev holding a special reception in honour of Satish Gujral, where the guest of honour was Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit. And the front lawns of her home were packed with those who form a part of New Delhi’s glitterati evening — Prem Shankar Jha, Rasheed Talib and spouse Fatima, ICCR’s deputy director-general D. Manchanda and his artist spouse, The National Gallery’s Anjali Sen, Doordarshan’s Rita Mukherjee and Sharad Datt, Suneet Vir Singh, Satish Chibba, Anita Singh, Sharon Lowen and Naresh Kapuria, Suresh Kohli and spouse, Jatin Das, Aruna Vasudev, Ved Marwah and many others. And amidst them all Satish signed one of Uma’s portraits which he had made in 1959. Capturing her face in a sombre mood, as though she was looking ahead at the years to come.

A lot did change for both Uma and Satish, for as his wife Kiran tells me that once upon a time he was all set to marry Uma. If things didn’t work out along matrimonial lines, the bond of friendship seems absolutely strong. And later that evening after most of the guests left, Satish and Kiran stayed on recounting instances from their recent trip to Lahore and even those from the visit they undertook in the early eighties. As Kiran began saying “in 1982 when we had gone to Lahore Satish had fallen ill, in fact he had to be hospitalised for about six days so I couldn’t seen anything of the town... “Satish added” and when I became conscious and peeped out of that hospital window I could see Sir Ganga Ram School and some other buildings and it’s then that I realised at this very spot (where now this hospital stood erected), earlier there was a ‘pagal khana”!

There’s also news that Satish Gujral would be holding an exhibition of his works in Lahore this coming October. At least something came out of that bus ride.

The News is a leading newspaper of Pakistan part of Jung Newspaper group.
On their website they invited views of readers on India Pakistan summit and the meeting of leaders etc.

You may like to read about 150 opinions on this evergoing myriad issue:

India Pakistan Relations - Views

This is a letter posted in The News - Pakistan

Satish Gujral

Among the celebrities that accompanied Mr. Vajpayee in his recent whirlwind visit to Pakistan, there was a very special person in Satish Kumar Gujral, the famed Indian painter and the younger brother of former Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral. Thereby hangs a tale. When Satish was seven years old at Lahore, he had lost his ability to hear in an unfortunate incident. He continued to suffer from deafness for 62 long years. It was as late as June 1998 that he regained his hearing thoroughly a costly cholear implant in Sydney at the hands of Dr. Gibson. This operation is a medical landmark. The treatment involves careful embedding of electrodes in the cholear, that part of inner ear which is filled with liquid and through which sound waves travel to auditory nerve. This is popularly known as bionic ear implant. Kumna Datta had interviewed Satish Gujral and his wife Kiran after the implant and the interview was published in Khaleej Times (Oct. 31,1998). Kiran added, " I feel so happy for him. It is good to see him enjoying the children’s chatter". The artist himself stayed back in Sydney for some time to familiarise himself with environmental sounds. The sound of the wind and the Sydney waters had excited him the most. When recently at Lahore the memories of his noisy/silent childhood must have crowded back on the artist’s mind more vividly. The sounds of Ravi’s waters and the boatman’s propelling oars must have ‘rolled back the universe’ for him. A change in colours has been noticed in his recent masterpieces after the watershed date. However, the fleeting visit to his ancestral home, which had suddenly gone silent at an impressionable age, must have stirred different emotions and recollections; he alone could have fathomed in private. Did any one question him? He may recapture the poignant moment to depict exquisite sensibility in vibrant hues.

Moinuddin Khan
Karachi

Wonderful work.

Whenever there is some relaxation at Indo-pak border, particularly at Punjab Sector, people throng to cross the border. Even with the lapse of a period of fifty years the enthusiasm is still overwhelmed with excitement. The PURAANA ISHQUE is still surviving.
Kashmir is the only tumbling block. When would this PURAANA ISHQUE turn into a happy go lucky marital status.
Recently Dr. Farookh Abdulla, the Chief Minister of J&K, remarked that the Line-of-Control may be turned into an international border between India and Pakistan.
What are the views of the readers?
No sinister and derogatory comments please.

A friend from Pakistan Asim Hayat who lives in Europe

Nationalism

Nationalism is a curse. Its the single myopic reason that
you and I tend to
hang on to false values of greatness about our respective
countries, given
ourt intertwined histories, Its the reason we fail to look
at people, and
rather concentrate on their origins, Its the motivation used
by our politicans
to manipulate our strings without letting us become aware
that you and I are
mere puppets on a string.


Its the senseless ness, that lets one Soldier shoot at
another one from across a border, based on a nothing more
than orders to
kill the enemy. Its a random event that resulted in you
being born in India
and me in Pakistan, things could equally well have been
different because of
random events theory, and our roles would have been switched
at birth, but
still we would defend the views of our assumed nationality.

Dear Jat,

Your are dead wrong to call King Porus, a Hindu Punjabi(i.e., in religious sense but in geographical sense you are quite correct-in the ancient Hindu literature there is no such word as HINDU -this word is derived from the word Sindhu,i.e. a person living east of the river Sind h because Persians pronouced S with H- Grimm'Law). Nontheless, Porus was Scythian(Saka) king(i.e,forfather of modern JATS). Sakas ruled India for over 600 hundred years almost continuosly.In fact,Greeks also ruled Punjab for almost 150 years-study their capital city modern Sialkot. No offence!

PJ