THE UNSURE SHORES

Travelling to the core,

beneath the psycho scores,

I found a hand 

struggling for more

Third , they call it war,

Metaphysical cord it roar

stressing and adding to bore,

logical stand it wore.

Intellectuals may deal for sure,

The unsure shore it swore,

deep beneath the mind

unleashing mystery to explore.

-Prabhnoor N.Ghumman

Assistant Professor

Chandigarh University

The Benign Storm

Prabhnoor Narwan

Assistant Professor

Chandigarh University

Mohali

Hello,

I am sorry for keeping away for too long(read festivals make Punjabis lazy). Anyway, hope you all rocking and adding to calories since its India's festive season and not to forget "wedding" season.(Quite seasonal these days..eh?!!). 

Well, the abstract cord in me has again been struck by a thought. Storm is a scary term for many.It symbolizes destruction to some and change to others. For me,  it is a symbol of hope,construction,new beginning and justice. (The Tempest by Shakespeare has been an inspiration).

It promises change and balance which is the law of nature. It makes sure that the stiff towering mountains(authority, autocracy, injustice) are laid flat whenever there is an absence of balance. A mountain gets eroded & is turned into a plain and vice-versa.

Ahem, and the subjectivity seeps in! Well, my life like anybody's life has been struck by many storms time and again. They have been so harsh at times that I almost felt "WOW" this is a tragic-comedy being telecast live.Storm has taught me the most precious chapter of my life  i.e. to be "flexible". The only way to take a grip of any situation is by being "flexible" and "patient."(Even though I admit that I have been a patient of impatience in the past). Stiff mountains and trees are gracefully chopped of by dear storms. But nothing happens to the grass. Thoreau has been a grass lover too!No wonder being grounded, being flexible and rooted has been a great assets for survival.


So, keep your lives simple, rooted, consistent and flexible. Nothing in this life is more precious than your "peace of mind" and health. I am not a preacher but just any tested grown up like you all who is sharing her experience. Its very easy to complicate but believe me its never too late to simplify.Never wait for the storm to settle and take the charge, its always better to review you immediate set of goals and your immediate past actions so that equilibruim could be attained. Rather that fighting with the storms, sometimes its advisable to let go and let nature take the charge of life.

Yes, nature answers in its own way and gives you what you deserve and not what you desire. We need to be deserving before desiring. Lets be strong and consistent like grass! 

Thank you storms!

Keep watching this space for a new stroke, coming soon! *cheers & winks*

Love 
Noor
 

I can cook anything except food!

Prabhnoor Narwan
Assistant Professor 
Chandigarh University
Mohali

"Foodies", they call it! It amazes me how "Khaana Khazana" once ruled our Indian "cable" TV. With the coming of new digital world suddenly food has become a TV model in itself. I never knew the importance of it. Even food has been under stress to look good. (Come on! Paparazzi may sneak in anytime.)

As, always the fertile, twisted mind takes me to one funny incident of my life. I know you all will say, why do I bring up the issue of cooking or food?!!( But, it's a topic close to me by default......shhhhhhh). Ok, well I had gone to Australia in the beautiful spring season almost two years ago. I was alone at home, since my friends were at work and  I was watching Masterchef Australia(read "extraordinary chefs") One of it's contestant simply not just made a dish, but a miracle for me.

One day I was introspecting on how tough would it be to show off one's culinary skills??! The master chef inside me was coaxing to blurt out my burning talent(*far fetched conceit*, reminds me of John Donne). Coming back to you all, OK, I went into the kitchen,opened the fridge and took out some veggies,some bananas, black salt and pepper. I hopelessly tried aping one of the masterchef contestants and ended up just putting every ingredient raw in the dish. Sprinkled some black salt and pepper, poured some curd,red chilli sauce and then baked it for a few minutes.

To my surprise I ended up making something like a dish or a cuisine or may be food. I don't know but I realized that my food then needed a picture for my instagram. Believe me, it looked wicked and yummy. Then,I googled up an even more unique name for my dish, I intentionally searched for ancient mythical names. (Let me repeat my tagline here" if you can't convince them confuse them") OK, I finally had a name for my dish "EDOARDONANA". My friends came back from work and I served them "EDOARDONANA". They were so impressed by dish that they even gave a good feedback to my mom back home. 

I came back to India and cooked the same for my mom. As expected, my dish was not able to impress her and she ended up( shhhhh.. we all know what!"). She was almost cursing me for doing such culinary tricks and even said that I am a hopeless cook. But I told her with pride "I can cook anything, except food". I guess that's what the vibe of fusion cooking and some high end cooking channels is all about. Food is almost like vocabulary now, we are adding new prefixes and suffixes to make it new ones. As McD puts it, "I am lovin it!" :D

Love 
Noor

From Rangla Punjab to Udta Punjab!

From Rangla Punjab to Udta Punjab!

"Rangle punjab di sifat sunawa,

ethe rabb wargiya maawa,

dharti panj dariya di rani,

 jis da sarbat warga pani..."(-Sarabjit Cheema,1996)

 to

 "Rifle dikha ke mushaire luttiye

Upar se kudd ke ajj tuttiye
Kaali si botal mein rangeen bharke khwaab
Haan ud-daa Punjab
Haan ud-daa Punjab"(- Vishal Dadlani, Amit Trivedi,2016)

I still remember the first time I heard Sarabjit Cheema's super hit song "Rangla Punjab". It embossed the cultural richness and flawless spirit of Punjab. But, sadly after twenty years, the picture has completely changed. It was quite shocking to see such dark side of Punjab. It seems as if the youth is under pressure to adopt and act in a certain "way", in order to "qualify" for the post of being a PUNJABI. I don't want to crib about hyperbolic drug issue like an immature kid or give any impractical "politicized" reaction, instead I would like to reflect and meditate upon its invisible root cause:

1."BAI-ISM" - The "bai"(means brother in Punjabi language) syndrome has been misused by some youngsters. Mostly Punjabi youth is shown as dependent either on their father's money or a "VADDA BAI" ( big brother or friend) for approval and survival in every respect. A sense of individuality and independence of character seems lacking due to such upbringing. They blindly follow their "bai" and some times fraudulent and corrupted"bai's" mislead them and push them into drugs, alcohol, etc...So, good role models (read "BAI") must be erected if one is under the umbrella of "following" some one.Hope all the "BAIs" are listening!

2. LET'S GIVE "CHANDIGARH" AND "CHANDIGARH VALIYE" A BREAK- Udta Punjab can also be seen in the declining morals and values which were once possessed by Punjabi boys and girls. I wonder why singers these days are after Chandigarh and Chandigarh diyan kudiya(girls of Chandigarh). Every second song is an insult to Chandigarh girls.They are showcased as characterless, materialistic, immoral, cheats who can only know how to use "pindan de jatt"  for buying gucci, parada! @"Jing bangers"- I hope you have made huge money, by now, but I am sure you will not be having issue when such immoral songs will be sung for your sister or wife  studying or residing in Chandigarh. Chandigarh is a hub of intellect and the most beautiful city in the world, lets not pollute it by injecting such below the belt culture.

3. ALARM FOR GIRLS, "power puff girls", "girl power", "superwoman"... phew!!! I already like the sound of it. I am happy that girls have the freedom of doing their "own thing". But, just a reminder, swinging into extreme and misuse of freedom will only add to social anarchy. Drugs and alcohol in extreme doesn't make you look like some "cocktail" diva but it is making you numb and clouding your common sense. (Don't blame the kids if they follow you!)Punjab is definitely flying and fading since the fertility rate is decreasing.Dignity and respect seems far fetched concepts.Respect your self first if you want to be respected. Be cool, smart, individualistic, independent and logical.Don't misuse or act like a parasite on boys. Believe me they will respect you more. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction!(@Girls- Ironically, even Gautam ended up marrying Meera and not Veronica,that too in UK, so filmy and Indian..Alarming Girls, take the hidden clue!

4.THIS TIME WITH PUNJABI PARENTS- "Munda I-phone varga" is the latest model being produced by every Punjabi parent. (@Steve Jobs- Rest in peace,Sir).It is a humble request to all the parents to either adopt the modern way of thinking or don't adopt at all. Your half baked "baby" is confused by your remixed morals and this clouded mind never knows what is the real way to life. Even if your son wants to marry "Veronica" your desi morals always force them to see "Meera"They will take drugs for Veronica's coolness but marrying Meera then becomes a disaster. Please bring up your kids by injecting rationality. Let them breathe and help them ,give them time to see the right path. Act as a benign friend and not a confused parent. Their confusion is one of the reason behind "chitta intake". Understand the need of hour and not just react. @Such parents - Grow up!

Well, I sometimes feel I am giving too much dose but I must tell you that I have so much love for youth and rational freedom.I feel we can do a lot more than what we are projected as in the world. I wish to see my "RANGLA PUNJAB" back which is full of  sound modern values, love, colors, respect, fun and not corrupted by drugs!!I am sure "Ik kudi jida naa mohubaat" will come back. Lets make a space for it.

Love
Noor

 Prabhnoor Narwan

Assistant Professor

University School of Business

Chandigarh University

Mohali

 











         

Empathy!

Prabhnoor Narwan

Assistant Professor

University School of Business

Chandigarh University

Mohali 

 "Ooh, I've been travelin' on this road too long
Just trying to find, my way back home
The old me, is dead and gone, dead and gone..."

                                                                                             -Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake must be hitting wisdom while singing and composing such powerful lines(A BIG SHOUT OUT TO JUSTIN!). It really sums up most of our lives full of disappointments,evolution and short episodes of "scripted" happiness, as laid down by "social parameters". Well, ever since forever, human being is known to be the most refined of all animals- "social animal". Logically, we humans are known to understand and equate with an emotion called "empathy". On the contrary, now days this beautiful "humanely" emotion seems fading. Do you know why? There are numerous reasons which I am listing below:

1. World no more believes in "repair", replacement is the only religion being followed. Relationships are not repaired but replaced just like organ transplant.

2. Youngsters are forgetting the difference between "space" and "distance". They are forgetting that they need to give space to their social networking sites and not social animal named human being.

3.The concept of "instant life" and "smart world" is dissolving the basic common sense. They are forgetting that technology is to make their life easier and not just unfriend or block somebody as and when convenient.

4.Deteriorating and miserable relationships are putting a bad effect on the harmonious development of a nation. It's not only diffusing humanity but also adding to global frustration.

5. Options are another way of confusing the youth. Everyone is available at a trivial click of an instant and vice-versa, which is taking away the essence of the real life relations based on love, morals,patience and loyalty.

6.Insecurities are sky rocketing in every sphere among the youth. Nobody wants to compromise or "live less". Taking one's partner for granted has become another trend since it makes one look "cute and tempting" for a while. Everyone wants to enjoy the chase or else there is a replacement out there.

7. Over- arching ambitions and too much coherence with materialism is putting too much pressure on the "secret". Extra thrust upon "Positive thinking" is becoming "desperate thinking", adding shallowness and frustration.  (Well, "marketing- gurus" really know the tricks of the trade!!!!)

I don't want to make my space here look like a science project full of points. My space and blog believes in empathy for others. I would request all the beautiful youngsters to wake up from their slumber and start by first making peace with their personal lives. Its essential to be stable, lovable, real, loyal and never take your loved ones for granted. It's OK to be human!! Let's inculcate a sense of empathy for others and make our contribution towards global harmony, peace and love.

Let Justin Timberlake know love will also come back as he often puts,"What goes around, comes all the way back around" (*winks and cheers*)

Love

Noor