the more i live in this sileceous chrysopolis i call home (for want of a better word) the more i realise how much in common not only punjabis across the grating divide, but pakistanis and indians in general have in common.
one of the (few) positives to have come out of my time here is the realisation that my cultural heritage is indian - not "muslim" (as if there is a universal muslim culture) and certainly not "arab". and pakistan hasn't been around long enough to have developed a cultural tradition of its own (at least i hope not!)
I agree completely with you.
However, the greatest misfortune of the sub-continent has perhaps been that its people seem to have been far more receptive to messages of hatred than those of peace, love and brotherhood. 'Divide and Rule', as a policy, has flourished rather than having died a natural death, as it should have, with the end of foreign rule.
Hopefully, all this will change for the better, over the coming years.
suna hai umeed pe dunya qaim hai
Ji, sahi farmaaya!
Sidhu ji
What a lovely post - No matter what the 'minority' view is (and recent polls suggest that!) there are more commonalities and a stronge urge for friendship and getting over the past.
I am an optimist - it would take more time and a replacement of leadership in both the countries who can take a detached and independent view of Indo-Pak relations.
I end with a quote from Ali Sardar Jafri:
Tum aao gulshan-e-Lahore se chaman bardosh,
Hum aayen subh-e-Banaras ki roshnee le kar
Himalay ki havaaon ki taazgee le kar
Aur iske baad yeh poochein ki kaun dushman hai?
You come from the garden of Lahore laden with flowers,
We will come bearing the light of a Benares morning
With fresh breezes from Himalayan heights
And then, together we can ask, who is the enemy?
(Translated from the Urdu by Khushwant Singh)
I have been reading and re-reading this comment!
You are absolutely right about the kind of role that the leaders on both sides are required to play, for there to be peace and friendship.
I sincerely hope that favourable public opinion will build up some time in the not so distant future.
Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful piece by Ali Sardar Jafri!
its funny how we (the new generation) sees no difference between each other (the people of both the countries), yet we are unable to walk an extra mile in order to overcome the distance and do anything about it. thanks to our so called "leaders". anyway i guess we can hope for the best. btw thanks for commenting on my blog... it was very much appreciated!
Ahem ahem. By the way when are you posting the pictures from Goa?
@Malaika: I suppose what we can do is to help build up positive public opinion, as far as we can.
As I wrote in my comment on your blog, you write well. Please keep up the good work! 
@Mridula: I'll try to write more on the subject and post pictures alongside.
Baki dian galla chaddo, I loved the speech...
Sidhusaaheb, I saw your comment on Raza Rumi's blog ie., wanting to see the original punjabi text to Bulleh Shah. This text can be found on www.apnaorg.com. Something tells me that you might be aware of this site already but if not, then this is my favorite punjabi site & Bulleh Shah is available here both in Gurmukhi & Shahmukhi (heck I am not even punjabi and I love it so that shows the power of sufi poets). Ref your blog, I do hope we see a day in our lifetime that we are able to visit our neighbouring countries and renew the bonds hardcoded in our DNA
My blog might not be as fun as your
but it is more informative
So please go and get the truth on what really going on in the Middle East
at http://lastdaywatchers.blogspot.com
aaaaaawww...dont worry inshallah you will get a chance to say all this loud ..infront of an audience...but this is not even bad...
Wow, what a long acceptance speech, hope the auto save issue gets sorted out!
Congrats...but tussi apne blog readers noon thanks nai kaho ge?
Btw check my comments on Asma's latest post :P
@MP: Mehrbaani!
@Naveed: Thank you so much! Yes, I do know about the website. In fact, some of my blogposts were translated into Punjabi by APNA and published in their quarterly magazine called 'Sanjh', which is brought out from Lahore in Shahmukhi and from Ludhiana in Gurmukhi.
The Sufi philosophy is superb. In fact, a number of Baba Farid's verses have been included in the Guru Granthh Saahib also.
I do hope that the day when you and I will be able to visit any part of each other's country, unhindered, will dawn very soon.
@Leon: I'll check out your blog ASAP.
@Hira: Thanks for the good wishes! Er...Do you think the speech should be bad, in order to be presented in front of an audience? 
@Cyberkitty: Hehe...I do tend to go on and on, at times.
Auto-save has been a boon as well as a bane.
@Fariha: Bilkul janaab, tuhaada tey hor saare readers da bohat-bohat shukriya!
Dear Sidhu jii
mainoo towadi post kafi pasand aai.
Tusi kafi soojday ho iss malay which. Main pury tara towaday naal agree tay nahi karda per far vi kawan ga key tusi lagay rawo. shaid tuwadi kushishan naal in dona deshan di nafratain kaam ho jawan.
Best of luck from my side
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