Ramadhan Kareem

The time for revitalizing the body and soul has come again. A time when you can take decisions to change from the stagnant lifestyles we had been living and to rejuvenate the soul so that it lives again.

The month of ramadhan is on our doorsteps and it is time to indulge with one's own soul, to wash it from the scars, clear it off from the worldly dilemmas and bring out a fresh person from each of us.

Wishing you all a very happy and spiritual Ramadhan


2:183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-

Between Kayli Mundu and Levi's

The Past quarter of a century or more has seen a new breed of Indians being born. The Arabian sands witnessed the liquid gold erupt changing it into an Arabian paradise of crude oil, the modern synonym for luxury,wealth and fief(It is ending). It began a transformation of the entire Asian continent marked especially by the changes in the Indian subcontinent. The Indians, Pakistanis and Bengali flocked to this modern paradise to sweat under the scorching heat and earn some gold for their families. The sixties were the beginning and seventies and eighties saw them coming in large numbers.

Kerala was one of the beneficiaries of this boom and it saw the gulf phenomenon spread viral across every nook and corner of the state. Dubai or 'Dhubei' as pronounced by the Malayalis, was the paradise for every ordinary Mallu. Soon families settled , children started growing on the desert land alien from the Mallu land until they finish high school and go back for college and higher studies.The Levi's are sold out for the blue and green checks of the lungi (kaylimundu). This is one big transformation for them. A mindset is being changed when one leaves the luxuries of the Arabian paradise and reach the tropical warmth of the coconut land.

People tend to try and find out the pros or cons of each lifestyle but both has its own merits and it is seen when passing through life period as well as places of different culture and scope. The cultural soup in which children grow in the gulf is different from the life back in the villages and this collides as well as fuses at different points of time. This is an interesting aspect of  the expat children and their life. The Namesake Mallu is abandoned in his homeland while branded one in the gulf.

Children in the middle east meet different cultures and form a unique one combining all. But it sometimes fades one's own. It all depends on the way he or she is being brought up and may vary from place to place. While they are 'Malabari' in the middle east, they are called 'Saaip/madaama'(sir/Madam a term used to mock at mixed culture or English influence) in Kerala.... confused between the kayli and  Levi's.

The flow of the stream...

Life thoughts are something that amazes our mind since it is a sort of introspection of ourselves, our lives and environment we live in yet it isn't a complicated set of logical statements found in reports published after an analysis of a system

The simile that life could be attached to is a stream.A clear stream of water flows down the hills. Life is indeed like a body of water not too large but flows continuously through a large variety of terrain. It flows slowly among the grey and black pebbles taking some small ones along with it. The clear water of life is similar. We start slow and clear. We feel things and grasp them. Thoughts are created, seeing through different views,new things sprout up like shrubs and at a later stage, the tall grasses grow at the sides of larger stream. The stream then flows down a sudden and comes up through brown rocks forming a different path. We learn bigger things, we learn the base of life and we start thinking differently. The stream slowly inherits color. It absorbs the color of the light green grass that grows at the sides. It gets the colour of the grey slates of rocks and it embraces the yellow and crimson of the sun. We take in the good, bad and those are in between and try to understand the course.

But we walk the journey along with the flow. We move ahead in a track that we did not plan at the beginning; rather we flow with the landscape. The stream is now heavy but it flows with greater pace. It cuts through the large rocks and flows with a massive force. White froth and foam arise as it falls with great speed and mass. The water gushes forth and is whitish blue. It is alive and bubbling like a young man who is eager to conquer new avenues. The water paves its way through huge boulders of sand and rock taking the silt and sediments banking at the sides along its way.

The youth is powerful, implementing ideas, exploring and fearless. It bursts with tremendous power and can create further ways when channeled. Youth is the prime of ages and it is when you can show the world what ‘you’ rather than for whom you are. It is the time to show the identity, like the stream that shouts out loud what it is. Then the stream slows down being a rivulet. It moves with a large amount of water. It is big, sluggish and takes in any amount of deposits whether it is material or energy.From this stage on the stream starts dying. It moves into a body of countless streams being one of them losing character and energy. It rests in peace. It passes away.

The Felaj

Ancient engineering skills are something that surprises our minds since during that period heavy machinery and other forms of equipment we have today weren’t available. One of such systems that requires mention is the Felaj system of irrigation in Oman. The Felaj system is seen across Oman and some parts of Iran and Iraq and these systems have a history of more than 3000 years. The system known as Felaj (p. Aflaj) was built for extensive irrigation needs of this region since the region is a semi-arid terrain and rainfall is scarce. This system is an engineering marvel of ancient Arabia.

The system is actually a network of channels that pass through an entire village supplying water from a hidden source somewhere at the foot of the mountains.It acts as arteries of water that supplies the entire region. The system has a mother well from which water is channeled into the villages and water can be used from these small networks of the Felaj system. The Felaj are seen all over Oman and have different varieties. In Iran it is called Qanat and is of slightly a different form having a large mother well and a number of vertical shafts. The Omani Felaj system is of ancient origin dating back to as early as 2500 B.C.

This system can provide water across large areas and some of the Felaj extend upto 12 Kms or more. The water supply increases with rain and may be scarce during intense summer but it provides water almost all year round. These Aflaj are found in almost every part of Oman and there are about 3000 of such systems at present.The Aflaj system has been included in the world Heritage sites by UNESCO.

The photos show an old Felaj in the village of Imty which has gone dry. This system consists of a source well hidden from view at the foot of the mountains bordering the village. The water is carried from there through underground channel of the felaj and flows into the village. The felaj consists of small wells in to which the water is fed. These wells are about 10-12 metres in depth and the water flows through it and emerges out from another well from at the other side of the village about 100metres away. The system then runs across other fields and houses in the village. The water flows in the well (gharraq) and reaches another one and flows out through it (fallah). The entire artery is hidden from view and lies beneath the land.

Another interesting fact is the material used in the construction of this sophisticated network of water channels. The felaj is strengthened and cemented with a material known as Surookh, which could be called ancient cement. The material is made from the wood of a tree which is burnt to ashes and used for cementing the Felaj. The material is strong and still remains as it is without much damage.

The engineering and science used in these systems make us think about the expertise that the ancient generations had and this system is a remarkable asset to the Omani History.

 

sources: My travels to the A'Dakhiliyah region

Photos from the Wilayat of Izki

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1207

A city rain...

The monsoon has arrived and the sky is darker above with life sprouting underneath. The wind is heavy and cold but pleasant and it tickles the heart as it passes through you. The city beneath is waiting for a bath. Rain in cities is a mess. The cloudy skies make you happy expecting a downfall that would bring blessings, but the city never likes it. It is clogged, heavy and busy and the trickles and drizzles would bring rainfall that fills it. I can see the dark big clouds blanketing the jungle of cement and bricks. The blue and pink villas are now dark and waiting for the rainfall. The sky looks breath-taking with the blue clouds over the white ones and the string of orange sunshine struggling to pass through it.

 And it rains, it rains heavy. The water swells up on the ground and the narrow gulley is filled with mucky water. People run to the sides of tea stalls and small shops, standing under the sign boards wet but safe from drenching in the rainwater. When you look at the sky an overwhelming feel of happiness with awe strikes you. It is indeed a blessing. The dry atmosphere has been changed within seconds to pleasant one.

But cities get crowded with rainfall. The bustling markets get even thicker with traffic and the atmosphere is filled with loud sounds of autorickshaw horns and vrooming of those light weight motor bikes. It gets even dirtier with puddles of rainwater on the road mixed with the overflow of the drainage system. Whatever messiness it creates one cannot take away happiness from rain. It is happiness and it is pouring down on every particle of the brown soil. Sitting cross-legged on the terrace I sip a hot cup of tea watching the rain, watching blessing in water form….

FAITH II

The aspect of faith that reveals itself to human is that which brings a stronger affinity towards faith in something that you believe. This aspect is the unexpected events that occur in every human being’s life. We may call it ‘the miracle’. Sceptics may challenge this word as everything has a reason but within the boundaries of human thinking, some miracles haven’t got any reasons. This benefits the believers with the cementing of one’s faith.

Miracles are called so since men cannot comprehend cause of such an event. This exerts the view that Faith is real. While it is real it has many different dimensions as well as forms. These forms are according to the direction to which faith points. Reality is the One and when the path is towards it, faith exists in its realest form. Faith is believing in ‘al ghaib’ and believing in ‘al ghaib’ sweeps away the notion of reason. One wonders then why do we think, why is it a part of the human process and why is it encouraged in the holy book.

The answer lies in what faith is made of. To reach the epitome of faith one has to step on all the blocks of the staircase and reasoning helps in achieving one’s faith. In the case of the real faith which is the faith in the One, the Omnipotent, reason and intellect actually purports the very idea of learning his or her faith. Intellect supports his faith in the One. The Holy Quran encourages thinking and reasoning as it says

And it is He who spread the earth and placed therein firmly set mountains and rivers; and from all of the fruits He made therein two mates; He causes the night to cover the day. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought. (Al Quran 13:3)

These signs are a stimulator of thoughts that provide the impetus to think about god and get close to him and ultimately be a devout human being. It strengthens the faith. In this respect intellectual capability and logical reasoning channelled in the desired way will lead to faith in the one and only god. It begins or initiates the belief in god and is the step of the staircase. Miracles are also similar to these signs but they may have no reason that can be understood by men but it surely shoots in a thought of God and this starts the process towards the faith in him. In both ways, faith is instilled in one’s mind. They are a source to belief or faith.

Faith Involves reasoning and logic but depending on it entirely is detrimental for faith itself. Reasoning and logic are modes to reach a conclusion and in the case of faith in God too it is implemented, but man has a limitation; the limitation that was created by God and there are matters above the boundary of man’s thought which may baffle his mind but is an ultimate truth and believing in it confirms his faith. One can say reason and intellect will lead you to faith and the belief in the unseen confirms it.

FAITH I

Faith 

Faith is the contentment that one receives when submitted to a source of power. Faith is a strong bond, an internal one that connects you to someone else, and eternal faith is that which connects you to the supreme, the merciful, the compassionate and the planner.

During the childhood days we were innocent, we believed what people said. Our relatives, parents and siblings told us stories that made us excited and wondered at and we just believed it completely. We felt the stories, saw it and heard it as if It was real. This was because the mind and heart was clear. We had faith. We felt, whatever they said was true, was clear. The innocence brought us faith and it wasn’t the faith and trust towards the parent but when we dwell into the entire concept, we find that the ability to believe comes from a clean and pure heart, and that creates the trust. This is from a belief, a belief on someone who blew life into us, and that is faith.

The ultimate faith is towards god, the supreme power and faith means to submit in entirety. This we did when our minds were clear and innocent during the blissful days of childhood. But some may wonder, we didn’t have knowledge, we didn’t have the ability to understand the right from the wrong, and then how can one say that was faith. But that was indeed real faith, the faith that was already in us.

The faith in God and his powers was already ingrained into us from birth. It was just there. The things that happened next could be called the undoing of faith and the struggle of the soul against it. Quite philosophical but when thought in through this angle, it fits. The faith is to believe in something without any conditions. It is an unconditional love and belief for someone and it could be done and given to only a supreme power, or at least only to a single element and that one is God.

The love that comes after it is all part of the existence of God and the faith you have in him. The degree of faith is the crucial issue. People may believe in him or deny him. In the people who believe in him there are different degrees of belief and faith relies on these degrees. The Holy books tells us to reach the epitome of faith, to believe whatever he is and whatever comes from him unconditionally and when you can do it then you are the believer or as Quran terms him/her AlMu’min. The Quran explains it beautifully:

“Alif, Lam, Meem. This is the Book about which there is no doubt, guidance for those conscious of Allah. Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them”(AlQuran Ch2:V1,2,3) .

This explicitly states the belief in the unseen and that is an important part of the faith. Faith is strong when he can believe the unseen, the unfelt without a fragment of incredulity. He can believe whatever is given to him and he is known as the Muthaqi or one who is conscious of god. Faith is in believing something without any doubt, with absolute surety  and submitting to the belief completely.