“ LOKUM “ A DELIGHTFUL SWEET OR CONFECTIONERY FROM TURKEY .

                                                                            

 ( Photographs Autar Mota )

“ LOKUM “ or  TURKISH DELIGHT .

The Popular Turkish sweet / confectionery ‘LOKUM ‘ is Karachi or Sindhi Halwa

I am informed that LOKUM came to Turkey sometime around 1700 A.D. Ali Muhiuddin Bekir from Anataolin brought this sweet for the then Ottoman Sultan . When the sultan ate it , he cried “RAHAT LOKUM “ ( Relieving Morsel ) . Ali Muhiuddin Bekir had also learnt the technique of making LOKUM. And the subsequent Ottoman sultans gave royal patronage to this sweet ..

LOKUM travelled to Europe where it came to be known as Turkish Delight . I am further informed that as time passed , Ali Muhiddin's descendants (the shop is still owned by the family) did some wonderful innovations to Lokum adding walnuts, pistachios, oranges, almonds, clotted cream and rose water . I tasted LOKUM in Mumbai recently. Sandeep Mota had brought from Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir shop in Istanbul (Turkey ). It is nothing more or nothing less than the Karachi or Sindhi Halwa. Did Ali Muhiuddin Bekir travel to India or Did Karachi Halwa come to India from Turkey ????… Can’t say ……..

( Autar Mota )

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THE WAX MUSEUM OF LONAWALA NEAR MUMBAI ( MAHARASHTRA )

                                                                        

WAX MODEL OF ANNA HAZARE INSIDE LONAWALA'S WAX MUSEUM.

( All Photographs by Autar Mota )

WAX MUSEUM OF LONAWALA ( MAHARASHTRA )

Apart from the beautiful water falls , lakes , Rain clouds , Hills , Flora and Fauna of western Ghats around Lonawala ( a peaceful hill station near Mumbai ), You also come across a grand Wax museum housing about 50 Wax Models of some celebrities or well known personalities. The wax museum is the brain child of Sunil Kandallor , a trained wax sculuptor from Kerala . Shri Kandallor has already opened his wax museums in Tamil Nadu and Kerala .

                                                                                 

                                                                          

We visited the wax museum in September 2014 and saw his Models . So perfect and elegant. Anna Hazare , Mohd Rafi , Rabindra Nath Tagore ,Sadaam Hussain , M S Subalakshmi , Gandhi Ji , Kapil Dev , Babasaheb Purandare ( Eminent Matrathi writer and Historian from Pune ), Sardar Bhagat Singh , satya Sri Sai Baba, B R Ambedkar, A R Rehman,Prabhu Deva , Narendra Modi, Atal Bihari vajpayee  and so many other personalities appear alive in Wax. Amby valley ( Developed by Sahara Group ) and Khandala are also close by .To reach Lonawala , you enjoy every minute of your drive on Mumbai -Pune super Highway .The highway takes you through the hills of western Ghats.Lonawala is also connected by Train .

So next time you plan a visit to Mumbai , visit this grand Wax Museum at Lonawala . Why keep worrying for a visit to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum in UK?

( aUTAR mOTA )

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WHY DOES A SEA OF BRUISED HUMANITY SLEEP ON FOOTPATHS IN OUR METRO CITIES ?

                                                                           

A MAN SLEEPS ON DADAR FOOTPATH ON A BED SHEET MADE FROM OLD NEWSPAPERS ...

( THIS MOBILE PHONE PHOTO WAS CLICKED FROM TAXI WINDOW ON 25.09.2014 AT 7 AM BY ME AT DADAR KABUTAR KHANA )

MUMBAI… 

A city that provokes , excites and sets many dreams in motion. Its beaches , Trains , Speeding Taxis , Theatres , Cinema Halls , High rise buildings, Ever busy lifts , Glare , Glamour , Fashion ,Films , shopping Malls ,Art , Museums , Lights , Marine Drive , Heritage Buildings , Horse racing , Gambling Dens , Bookies , Crowded Roads , Cricket , Cars , Casinos , Builders , Tourists , Exploiters , Arm twisters , Underworld , Drugs , Industries , Hospitals , Liquor , Discotheques , Politicians , Spacious Churches , Huge Marble Mosques , Rich Temples ,Trade Unions , and what not .

Worshipers in this city impress you with their Alms .Men over here keep exploring viable alternatives to park their Wagon Loads of wealth.

 But the  Breeze at Worli Sea Face or Band Stand Bandra  braces up and soothes every person be he a resident or a migrant to this City of opportunities . 

                                                                          

                                       ( Band stand  Bandra sea view . Photo Autar Mota )

Why Does then a sea of Bruised Humanity sleep on your Footpaths ? Answer Mumbai….

Sarv o saman Bhi Mauj e naseem e Sehar Bhi Hai ,

Aey Gul Teray Chaman Mein Koyee chashme tar bhi hai...................... ..

(  You have the Cypress and the Jasmine and  the wafting morning Breeze as well,

 O Flower ! Look around ,  There sits a person with moist eyes in your garden  .)

( Autar Mota )

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CHAAR CHINAR ( SONNA LAENK ) WAITS FOR THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING IN KASHMIR.

                                                                         

CHAAR CHINAR (SONNA LAENK ), A SMALL ISLAND GARDEN  INSIDE DAL LAKE IN KASHMIR ,  WAITS FOR THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING....

 To this photo , i am adding some lines from a Gazal of   Noted Urdu Poet  Late Majrooh Sultanpuri 

Paara e dil Hai Wattan Ki Sarzameen Mushkil Yeh Hai ,

Shahar Ko Veeran Kahein Ya dil Ko Veeraana kahein..

Aey Rukh e Zeba Bataa Dhe Aur Abhi Hum Kabh Talak ,

Teerghi Ko Shama Tanhaayi Ko Parwaana Kahein ....

( Autar Mota 04.09.2014 )

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A QUTRAIN IN KASHMIRI COMPOSED BY ME AND A PHOTOGRAPH OF SPRING IN WAIT.

                                                                          

 (SPRING IN KASHMIR) ..

HOW LONG COULD THE SPRING WAIT  FOR ME  ?? ...

To this photo , I am adding a quatrain in kashmiri composed By me today…..

Hupaaer Aaess Soanta Graekh Tchhandaan Ba Koat Goss,

Yapaaer Mutcharith me Aeiss Tafreeqa Daftar ….

Na Vaaethh Baagus Na Chhoav assi Soanta Vaava ,

Fakat Troav Oush Na Gayee Zaanh Nyaay Mokssar …

( Autar Mota )

There the spring’s Gracious abundance kept waiting ,

While over here , the offices of sorrow were still open for me.

Neither did I visit the garden nor take pleasure in the Spring Breeze ,

Shedding tears , i remained busy ,

And this predicament stayed put with me….

( Autar Mota  05.06.2019 )

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URDU POET ALI SARDAR JAFRI WROTE A POEM IN PRAISE OF RIVER JHELUM OR VITASTA

                                                                               

A PHOTOGRAPH OF RIVER JHELUM  NEAR PAMPORE TOWN IN KASHMIR.. 

THE RIVER ORIGINATES FROM VERINAAG SPRING ( About 80 Kms from Srinagar city close to Banihaal tunnel from kashmir side ) IN ANNATNAAG DISTRICT .

AFTER ENTERING AND COMING OUT OF WULAR LAKE , IT GOES TO BARAMUULA AND FINALLY ENTERS POK WHERE IT IS JOINED BY RIVER NEELUM NEAR DOMEL IN MUZAFFARBAD .

IT FINALLY ENDS UP MERGING WITH RIVER CHENAB NEAR TRIMMU IN JHANG DISTRICT OF PAKISTAN.

                                                                          

 ( Sardar jafri and  Jagan Nath Azad in writers conference organized by J&K Academy Of Art Culture And Languages..1985 Srinagar  )

The Sanskrit name of this river is Vitasta. The river finds repeated mention as VITASTA in Nilamata Purana. it is also mentioned in Rigveda as river VITASTA.

Ancient Greeks named it HYDASPES . kashmiris call it VYETH. The river is linked with history , culture and heritage of kashmir and kashmiris....

Long Back Ali sardar Jafri wrote a poem on Jhelum river .. I quote some lines from this poem titled “Jhelum Ka Taraana “

Maanind Joo e Zindagi Shaam o Sahar Behtaa Huun mein 

Har Dam Ravaan Har Dam Davaan Har Dam Jawaan Rahtaa huun mein..

Vaadi mein Lehraata Huva 

Sabze se Ithlaata huva 

Sau Pech o Kham Khaata huva 

Hanstaa Huva Gaata Huva ..

Maujon Ki Zufein Kholtaa 

Qatron Ke Moti Roltaa 

Maashooqa e Kashmiri ke 

Pehloo Mein Itraata Huva …

Kheiton Ke daaman Mein Yahaan 

Baagon Ke Saye mein Vahaan 

Apni Sharaab e nab ke

Sagar Ko Chhalkaata Huva …

Maanind Joo e Zindagi Shaam o Sahar Behtaa Huun mein 

Har Dam Ravaan Har Dam Davaan Har Dam Jawaan Rahtaa huun mein..

( Autar Mota )

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URDU POET TILOK CHAND MEHROOM WAS A GREAT LOVER OF KASHMIR

                                                                            

INDO PAK MUSHIARA MARCH  1952..

The Indo-Pak Mushaira of 1952 was held at New Delhi and presided over by well-known freedom fighter Asaf Ali ( husband of Aruna Asaf Ali ). Asaf Ali was the Governor of Odisha at that point in time. You can also see Sufi Tabassum, noted Poet from Amritsar ( with a Karakulli type of cap ) in the picture. On his right side, you can see young Josh Malihabadi. To his left is Kanwar Mahinder Singh Bedi. Close the mike, and on the right-hand side, to Asaf Ali is Tilok Chand Mehroom with a typical NWFP Kula and Pagri on his head. And on his right is Pandit Labhu Ram  "Josh" Malsiyani.

Sufi Tabassum belonged to a Kashmiri family from Amritsar that migrated to Pakistan in 1947. Sufi Tabassum ( 1899-1878 ) wrote in three languages: Persian, Urdu and  Punjabi. He was a successful lyricist of Pakistani film Industry. The popular Punjabi song " meray shauq da nahin eitibaar tenu, aa ja vekh mera intezaar aa ja" is his composition.

 The well-known Urdu poet Tiloke Chand Mehroom ( 1887-1966 ), father of noted Urdu poet Jagan Nath Azad, was also an acknowledged and respected Urdu poet of the subcontinent. He was a patriot and a secular personality. He visited Kashmir many times before 1947 and happened to be a great lover of its natural beauty. He also felt intensely about the poverty that was visible almost everywhere in Kashmir then. 

I share some lines from Tilok Chand Mehroom's poem on Kashmir.......

“ Tu reshmi doshaale dniya ko de Raha hai,

Tera jamaal rangeen rakhshaan hai cheethhadon mein,

Daur e khizaan bhi tera hai rashq e sadh bahaaraan, 

Aey vaadi e gul afshaan……………..

Duniya ke ahle imaan kehtain hain jis ko jannat ,

Sharmindaa ho ke tujh se rooposh ho gayi hai,

Varna kahin to hotay aasaar bagh e rizwaan,

Aey vaadi e Gul Afshaan…

 I quote his grandson, Adarshazad Arora:-

"He and Dr Iqbal exchanged letters, and I saw two letters to him from Dr Iqbal in my father's study room. There was adabi nok jhonk too. Tilok Chand Mahroom's couplet is known.

" Iqbal ne jo chhori rah e watan parasti,

Ga kar naya tarana sara jahan hamaara,

Hum ne bhi ek misre mein baat khatm kar di,

Sara jahan tumhara hindustan hamara"

In his teens, Tilok Chand Mahroom sent a poem for review to Akbar Allahabadi, who was in the last phase of his life. Akbar wrote back, "Apke aasaar ache hain, and composed a rubai in praise. Mahroom also wrote a rubayi thanking Akbar Allahabadi..

"Hai daad ka musthik kalaam e mahroom,

Lafzon ka jamaal aur maani ki hujoom.

Hai inka sukhan mufeed-o-danish amooz,

Inki nazmon ki hai baja mulk mein dhoom.

( Akbar Allahabadi )

"Tabai mauzoon khudai bartar se mili,

Taseer e kalaam kalb e muztar se mili,

Aaya mujhko yakeen ki shair hun mein,

Jab daad-e-sukhan janab akbar se mili "

( Avtar Mota  03.09.2014 )

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