Barnard of Clairvaux and his poem "Song of Songs"- a lusty poem on Sex

Medieval Poem " Song of Songs" is, in Reality, a Poetry of Sex

Introduction

Poetry many a time gives a gloss to sex. A veneer that hides the real meaning. This was more so in the medieval age when sex was not so open as today, particularly in Europe which with the advent of Christianity was caged in a wall of puritanism. Ancient India was way ahead and what America is today, India was miles ahead at that age. India appreciated art and sex and enmeshed them together. It was not so in Europe and during the medieval age a poem titled " Song of Songs" was written. Theoretically, this poem refers to the love between God and the soul. Poems in that period had to bring in God so that the church did not come down heavily on the poet. This poem expresses love between the soul and God. It gives an analogy of this love like between the love of a bride and bridegroom.  The poem eulogizes the love of the soul and God and compares it to the most intimate moments of carnal love between a bride and a bridegroom on a nuptial night.

The composer of this poem was Barnard of Clairvaux.

Who was he? He was a French Abbot and a reformer of the Cistercian order. Barnard wrote this poem in an inspirational mood and today it is a poem that draws the greatest attention for the latent meaning of love. Barnard could not finish his work and died just when he was beginning the 3rd chapter. Never the less the poem arouses great expectation and is considered a work of art.

The Song and Lusty Sex

The song created ripples in the art world in the 19th and 20th century when the renaissance movement of reality was ushered in. People began to read it as a lusty celebration of human carnal desire. There are hints and clues and reading the poem will bring a reader to the depth of the soul. The poem alludes to the sex acts of the Shulammite women with Solomon. By Shulammite, the writer refers to the women of Jerusalem and the acts of pleasure with Solomon who was the ruler.I may point out that this was the period of the orgy and the Pagan dance made immortal in the movie "Solomon and Sheba".

The poem or song presents carnal intercourse as a mystery, as well as an obsession. In modern times the mystery has gone, but the obsession has remained. Now all are aware that sex is a clash of bodies and exchange of fluids. There is no magic in it, but the song presents this as a mystery. It represents the mood at that time which was Puritan.

All said and done the song is however an exponent of lusty sex, albeit hidden in the love of God for the soul of man.  Probably if this song were written today, like the poetry of Iris Murdoch the verses would have been more open and god may perhaps not have figured.

The song is great literature and it also teaches a lot. If I may add this song is the essence of erotic literature. The message of the song is that the body when in the act of love is all powerful and the center of everything. The song brings out the power of a physical union as Solomon who is the lover throws away everything in the world to just love his bride. The poem says that Solomon loves deeply and he discovers and gets a glorious insight into the soul inside his bride. This theme is the beauty of the song and gives the song an eternal look and feel. As per the poet, the strength of love (physical) is greater than the forces of death.

Allusions to God

The poem repeatedly brings in God or alludes to him.  These verses are certainly not for the puritan for God in his wisdom invites his beloved to the "house of wine". All around are forests, orchards, and figures in temples. What a lovely scenario. One is almost reminded of the Indian temples of Khujaraho, with nude carvings in the most explicit depictions. Wine adds impetus to the act of carnal knowledge and God is pleased. The poem brings out the power of carnal knowledge disguised as a reference to god.

The song brings out the fact that sex is something deeper and in that respect, Christianity was way behind Hindu tantra and philosophy, which accepted sex as a path to salvation or moksha. The Puritan church in Europe would not allow it and so we have this charade of the love of god for the soul. The song is a great way to have a fantasy and reading it with a beloved with a glass of wine is an afternoon well spent.

Last Word

The poem is also a great study of human nature, of passion and desire. These are the qualities that must be allowed to flower and not suppressed. The song plays a central role in fertilizing the imagination which in the main is sexual in nature. For there is no doubt that a physical union is the greatest way to be liberated and that is where Tantra comes in. 

I will close by writing and recommending all to read this song. It is archaic English, but in the company of a girl who understands the language, it can be a great and elevating experience.

John Wayne; Star Par Excellence

My Favorite Star in a Cowboy Role: John Wayne

• Hollywood Films
 
• Cowboy films
 
• Westerns

 

I was a small boy when John Wayne died in 1979. But even at that age  I loved the films of John Wayne and watched them in cinema halls with my friends while playing truant from school. Later,  I built up a collection of his films and have now over 90 of his films on my hard disk. For me there is no bigger star of cowboy films than John Wayne. Maybe Clint Eastwood would come a close second, but Wayne was the original macho star.

I saw his movie in a morning show in 1985 or 86  titled "True Grit". In this movie, he plays an aging one-eyed Marshal and the best scene is when he goes at the outlaws with the horse's reins clenched in his mouth and both guns firing at the outlaws. It was a great shot and I am so glad that John Wayne won an Oscar as the best actor for this role in 1973.

Wayne was the original macho movie star. He had strong views about negroes. In one of his interviews in Playboy magazine, he was asked what he thought of black rights. His reply was succinct and lucid. He said, "tell me in which country in the world does a black have a better life than in America?". How very true, as all over the world like in Africa, the black man is dying of hunger, malnutrition and internecine wars.

 

John Wayne was a tough star and he lived his roles. One can remember his roles in  The Horse Soldiers, Big Jake, North to Alaska, the Longest day, True Grit and many more. I am told he acted in almost 170 films and never played a role as a supporting actor.  I have almost 90 films of his on my computer and it gives me great pleasure to watch him action on an afternoon holiday with a glass of beer.

Wayne teamed up with all the top heroines of that era. The career of John Wayne touched almost 40 years. He was honored posthumously with the President of the United States with the  Freedom Medal in 1980.

John while filming close to the Nuclear test site suffered some radiation and later developed cancer of the stomach. I think he died prematurely in 1979. He lived a full life and married thrice with 7 children from 2 wives. But this is just an aside and one cannot forget his drawl and the cowboy hat and the blazing gun.  Truly a Hollywood great.

All photos from Pixebay free and downloadable

Dining in Dubai at the Nayab Handi

Dubai is a Gourmets paradise. In case looking for Afghan and Pakistani style cooked meats look no beyond 'Nayab Handi'.

The restaurant opened three years back and has a branch in Islamabad. It is famous for its meat dishes and has a magnificent spread of beef, mutton, lamb, and chicken. Almost 25 meat dishes in both grill and handi including curry are on the menu. I love grilled mutton and beef and I don't look beyond this eatery. It also serves Biryanis and a trademark naan (Northwest bread) served mounted on a massive vertical grill. Nothing like this, anywhere else and all diners will break pieces from this naan and eat. 

The menu includes beef Taka Tak, beef roast, beef handi, and assorted chicken and lamb. The beef boneless briyani is a treat and the taste lingers for a long time.  As I said this is a place for a meat lover, who has no inhibitions. 

The dessert spread is authentic with dishes from Pakistan. A dozen types of kheer, rabdi and gulab jamun are on the menu. It's an unforgettable feast. It was a delight to see so many Indians dining away to glory here. Yes, that included Tamils as well. A Tamil girl told me she had never eaten such tasty beef and mutton in her life. 

Why no Military Coup in India

The Army calls the shots in civil administration in Burma, Pakistan and Thailand

Image Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Army

• AUGUST 06, 2018
• CATEGORY :DEFENSE

It is an enigma why the Indian army did not follow the path laid out by India's neighbors like Pakistan, Burma, and Thailand and continued to be a mute spectator even when India burned and its own privileges and perks were curtailed.

The political scenario around India's neighborhood is very different from what we see in India. Burma, Pakistan, and Thailand have an entrenched military presence in civil administration. In India, the civil administration from the days of Nehru has always sidelined the army and over the years whittled down its perks and privileges. They have been instrumental in reducing the army to a position of weakness vis a vis China and Pakistan and the stage is set that at the moment the Indian army cannot even sort out Pakistan which is one fifth the size of India. Combating China is more of a dream than reality. This, however, has not perturbed the civil administration which is happy as it merrily continues clipping the wings of the army. 
 
The army itself accepted this p[osition and I for one can see no explanation for it.

It started with Pakistan when General Ayub Khan seized power in 1958. He dismissed the corrupt civil administration and ushered in his own form of governance called "basic democracy". Elections were held but not on the name of any political party.

The next step was the rise General Ne Win. He carried out a military coup and ushered in an era of military rule and now after 6 decades the army is the most important factor in Burma and has 30% seat reserved for it in parliament. Important ministries like home and law and order are the sole field of the army in Burma. Thailand also has a military rule as the civil administration has proved to be remarkably weak in ruling the country with corruption a byword.

In India, this has not happened and many are saying this is so because of the weak and pacifist ethos of the Hindu. After all, Frank Moraes wrote about the Hindu as being "meek and mild". This is, however, a half-truth as the Buddhist religion is even more pacifist than Hinduism and yet military coups have taken place in Buddhist countries like Burma and Thailand and a lot of blood is shed. Another Buddhist country Sri Lanka put down the terrorist group the LTTE by harsh action and massive killings.

The truth is somewhere else and probably lies in the lack of ambition by the Indian army top brass and the extinct for self-survival. Let me get my rank and continue to say three bags full so how am I concerned about anything, even the privileges of my men.

The political leadership has almost emasculated the army and one wonders why we can't have a coup here. Probably the composition of the army on the basis of caste and religion has something to do with it. Unlike Buddhism and Islam, Hinduism is not a composite religion and caste and clan is the dominating factors. The castes are almost antagonistic to each other and a coup well nighs an impossibility.

Not a leaf moves without my will-A tale of love

Not a Leaf moves without My Will

love sketch

In India, particularly in the city of Mumbai are small tea stall run by women. These stalls are alotted by the government and they serve a definite purpose in society. Years back I had an emotional encounter with a young girl who ran a tea stall. I could never locate her again as she seemed to have vanished in the depths of this great city.

It all started in the month of June, the period when the monsoon is in full force. I drove to my office when thunder boomed and boomed again. Torrential rain commenced and I thought it a good idea to stop the car and wait for the rain to stop. With lightning flashing, I looked around and through the rain espied a small Jhunkar tea stall. I rushed to the stall and saw it was run by a young girl. She was perhaps about 22 or 23, but she looked lovely in her sari that clung to her body. The thundering rain all around created an enchanting world. Perhaps it was the will of Lord Krishna as a magical world was created.

The girl prepared and served me tea and hot samosa. I was loathed to leave and continued sitting there. We got into a conversation and she told me she was married for 3 years and had no kids.

This was the beginning and almost every day I visited the tea stall. A strange intimacy developed between us. It was as if the Lord KRISHNA had willed it. I became a frequent visitor to her stall. Sometimes we chatted for a long time. One day I found her crying and she told me she had been beaten by her in-laws as she didn't have a child. Spontaneously I gathered her in my arms to console her. The effect was electric and we ended kissing each other

Love blossomed, at least for me and we had regular trysts in the stall. Many a time she would shut the stall as the monsoon crashed on earth. I was swept by passion and this continued for 2 months.

One fine day, I entered the stall, but could not see my girl. An old woman sat and she prepared tea. I casually asked where the young girl was. The woman beamed and told me God had blessed her and she had gone to her village.

I sat stunned, wondering what to do. I didn't even know her name or address. I wondered what the lady meant by the words ” blessed by God”. I had a lurking fear of what it meant, but fate had decreed and I had to obey. Memories die hard. But I am reminded of a saying attributed to Lord Krishna in the GITA.The lord Krishna says ' Not a leaf in this world moves without my will'. I accept it.

Omar Khyyam-Can we Forget Him ?

Women, Wine and Omar Khayyam: is this the Truth?

Updated on December 12, 2017

The B-24 and the IAF- A Romantic Tale

Resurrection of B-24

During 1948 war with Pakistan, when the IAF had to use the C-47(Dakota) as a bomber, the need for a heavy bomber dawned on the IAF air staff. No heavy bomber was available as the Western countries denied a heavy bomber to the IAF. At that time in 1948 information came that the Royal Air force had abandoned about 70 B-24’s at Chakeri air field near Kanpur in 1946. These planes were part of the lend lease pact and one of the terms of the contract was to make the planes unfit for flying. The RAF technicians had disabled the machines as they could not be taken back to the UK. They had not done a thorough job and as the RAF men were eager to get back to the UK. The machines were just parked and left with some minor defects.

The IAF technicians surveyed the airfield and were wonderstruck at the treasure made available to them.

Making the Liberator's fit for flight

The planes were examined by engineers from the IAF and they were of the opinion that the planes could be made fit for flying by cannibalization. A team of aero engineers now came from Hindustan Aeronautics and work began in earnest to make the machines airworthy. It is a tribute to Indian skills that about 50 B-24 were made air worthy and inducted into the IAF. All credit to Jamshed Kaikobad (Jimmy) Munshi the chief test pilot of HAL who played a major part in testing the machines. The liberators were made air worthy and flown to Bangalore where at the HAL factory they were made fully serviceable. No parts were imported as parts from about 20 B-24s were cannibalized and used. In all the IAF could make about 50 liberators air worthy.

News of the Liberators in service with the IAF reached the Americans. This surprised them and they suspected that the Indians may have purchased them from some rogue nation. To allay their fears a team from the USA Air Force was invited to have a look. The team came in 1951 and was impressed with the way the Liberators had been restored.

Madan G Singh: Dating Irish Girls

Madan G Singh: Dating Irish Girls:   My friend is a  Indian resident of Dublin, He just passed by me through Singapore and we had a good wow over a glass of beer. He had m...

Dating Irish Girls

 My friend is a  Indian resident of Dublin, He just passed by me through Singapore and we had a good wow over a glass of beer. He had married an Irish girl who was not traveling with him. I asked him how he managed to marry an Irish girl and he credited this to a dating site that specifically show cases Irish girls. The site is http://ie.match.com/.

https://pixabay.com/en/wedding-dress-beautifu-l-girl-2098223/

There are about 35 Irish dating sites on the net, but this site is at the top rung of the ladder. Research tells me that there are 25 million members of this site with over 400,000 success stories for dates and marriage last year. That is a phenomenal success rate.

 Irish people are distinct from English who ruled over them for centuries. Many Irish women were also made concubines and slaves of the English and Cromwell himself launched a big purge in occupied Ireland. There is, however, an exotic charm of Irish women that endears them to men all over the world and the result is the membership of this dating site.

The site is a comparatively costly affair and can set you back by $ 101.94 for a six-month subscription, payable in one installment.  

Trump Invites Putin to White House

Trump and Putin the equation deepens

After the Helsinki Summit, a new combative Trump is seen who has now invited the Russian leader to the white house. This is a new phase in US-Russia equation

Trump has just met president Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on 16 July 2016. He claimed in a tweet that the meeting was a great success and has now gone one step further. He is likely to invite Putin for a visit to the White House this fall. This shows that Trump is fighting back after being hemmed in by allegations of a " Russian connection".

NBC has reported that when the news of Trump's invitation to Putin was conveyed to Dan Coats the head of National Intelligence, he was surprised as he is the man who has been saying that Russia influenced the US Presidential election. He is not the only one but many opponents of Trump led by Schwarzenegger, John McCain etc have been shouting hoarse that there is a"Russian connection" All are saying Russia "interfered" in the election. But again nobody is saying what was the result of this "interference'? Did Trump win because of it? There is no answer except that it's a convenient stick to beat Trump with.

The Razakars of East Pakistan

The Infamous Razakars of East Pakistan

Razakar' is an infamous word, because of its association with rape and killings in Hyderabad and East Pakistan. The word is derived from Arabic and means 'volunteer' and has an ancient past. Razakars were soldiers who fought alongside Mohammed, the prophet during the days when he was under siege. The Razakars made an appearance in East Pakistan during the time when the Bengali population was agitating for their rights in the old composite state of Pakistan.

 General Tikka Khan promulgated an ordinance on 01 June 1971 called the East Pakistan Razakar Ordinance. By this, he created an irregular militia to help the Pakistan army. Recruitment was voluntary, but the men who joined were mostly Bihari Muslims and local Bengali Muslim sympathizers of Pakistan. These Razakars were armed and given some military training by the Pakistan army. The Razakars were commanded by Major General  Mohammed Jamshed. The Razakar strength rose to almost 100,000 in a month and they were divided into brigades of 3000-4000 men.

Instructions were passed to the Razakars to 'weed out' the anti-Pakistani people and suitably deal with them. The Razakars began to roam the countryside and started a campaign of terror. They began a policy of rape and indiscriminate killing under the aegis of the Pakistan army. They were particularly severe on Hindus, many of who were killed and the girls abducted and taken to their camps and raped. They also did not spare Muslims and it was common for a group of Razakars to enter a village and kill a few people who they felt were supporters of the Awami league and carry away young Muslim girls. A classified secret US report mentioned that the Razakars were creating anarchy by their actions of rape and killings.

This state of affairs continued until December 1971, when special units of the Indian army special forces operating in East Pakistan began to kill the Razakars in encounters. An exasperated Yahya Khan ordered an airstrike in the West on 3 December 1971. This was the signal for 5 divisions of the Indian army under General Sagat Singh to enter East Pakistan in a pincer action from 4 directions.The Razakars who initially engaged the Indian army were no match and hundreds were shot dead. Morale of the Razakars began to ebb and large-scale desertions began to take place.As the army advanced thousands were killed by the Mukti Bahini as reprisals for their part in raping and killing the locals.

Heart rending tale behind 'The Last Post'; the bugle on retreat

The  tale behind the poignant tune

The story behind

Indian bugler after Bangladesh war

ALL have heard the haunting song, 'The Last Post.'
It's the song that gives us the lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes.
The fact is not many know the story behind the song?
If not, I think you will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.

Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the American Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.
During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment.

When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead..

The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.

The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted.

The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.

The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.

But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.

The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth's uniform.

This wish was granted.
The haunting melody, we now know as 'The Last Post' used at military funerals was born.

The Melody

The bugler

The words are:

Day is done.
Gone the sun..
From the lakes
From the hills.
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.

Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright.
From afar..
Drawing nigh.
Falls the night..

Thanks and praise.
For our days.
Neath the sun
Neath the stars.
Neath the sky
As we go.
This we know.
God is nigh

Last Word

The lonely bugle

I too have felt the chills while listening to 'The Last Post' but I have never seen all the words to the song until now.I didn't even know there was more than one verse.
I also never knew the story behind the song and all I can say is that I now have a
deeper respect for the song than I did before

An article worth reading" Chattar Singh Rangroot"-Coming film on Sikhs in WWI

https://hubpages.com/entertainment/The-film-Chattar-Singh-Rangroot-showcases-the-glory-of-Sikh-Soldiers.

The film

The film is a paean to Sikh soldiers during the war. It is one of the most authentic war films ever made in India and one feels happy that in case the British retreat from Dunkirk can be presented on Celluloid, why not Bollywood showcase the bravery of Indian soldiers.

Yes, they were mercenaries, fighting for a foreign power, but the British had made India their home and after independence, the new Indian state has acknowledged the umbilical cord of the British Indian army with the modern Indian army.

There is another magnificent role played by Yograj Singh, who acts the role of a havildar who motivates the Sikh soldiers to fight the Germans. Thousands of Sikhs died in France, remembered only by the English, as independent India led by Nehru turned its back on these brave soldiers.

Pandit Nehru is guilty of a great act of misdemeanor as he ignored the sacrifice of Indian soldiers in France and for 6 decades no Indian leader ever visited the hallowed resting place of soldiers who died in the far-flung land of France and Italy.

The film portrays the fears of the Sikh soldiers sent to fight thousands of miles from home to defend the borders of England. Many wonder whether the blood they will shed will bring something for India. They wonder whether their bravery will be acknowledged by generations to come.

Lessons of Writing the Novel"Romance of the Frontier"

Source

When my novel" Romance of the Frontier" was published many people asked me questions as to how I compiled a book of over 250 pages and what were the pitfalls if any.Many wanted to know what goes into writing a novel. Hopefully, I will try and give a peep into the mechanics of writing a novel and how to go about it.

Writing a novel is different from writing any other book like a textbook or even non-fiction. In the last category, the author needs hard facts and it is a question of marshaling those facts into a readable book. It could be a

biography or a book on any scientific topic. In contrast, a novel is a plain fantasy, except when writing a novel based on a historical incident.  A novel is a test of a writer's imagination and its translation to the written word. It is also the ability to put across your ideas in a coherent form to readers.

You will need a plot, a story to tell. It will be a good thing in case you have some personal experience on the topic you are writing. You will need a good command of the language you write because the publisher cannot publish a book if it does not have proper grammar and language. A point to be noted that writing novel can be pure inspiration and recreation of events that are enthralling to the reader. 

I wrote " Romance of the Frontier" 3 times and the computer was a help. One must give credit to the great writers who wrote in longhand and no resources

like a word processor. But again you will have to create a story, a romance and write a book that appeals.You will need a publisher and that is both the difficult and the easy part.Easy because there are so many of them who want to publish a book and difficult because some are just out to make money and will charge you. You may not sell a single book and thus your investment will be down the drain. But whatever it may be, you will have to create a story and relate it in a coherent manner.

My novel " Romance of the Frontier" has given me intense satisfaction and enhances standing in society. A writer is a respected man, more so if he is a creative man. Yes, one does require perseverance and a spark of genius. All of us have it some time and one can channel it to write a book. In case readers are interested this book is available on a dozen sites including Amazon. 

I hope these few lines will motivate newbies to pen their thoughts and write a novel. After you write the first, the second will always be easy. My novel has now sold over 9000 copies and that is a source of great satisfaction.

Bangladesh Ex PM Khaleda Zia sentenced to Jail term for corruption

Turmoil in Bangladesh as ex-premier Begum Zia is convicted for corruption

Begum Khaleda Zia chief of the BNP has been given a five year jail term and the entire country is facing an agitation by her party.

Khaleda Zia appears before court in graft cases | (Image via Dhaka Tribune)

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Begum Khaleda Zia the ex-PM of Bangladesh has been sentenced to 5-year Jail term.

While in the opposition she was indicted by the anti-corruption bureau of embezzlement of 3.1 million Taka from the Zia Orphanage fund. This was the money that came from abroad for a humanitarian cause. Her eldest son Tarique Rahman and four others were charged along with her for the offense.

Tariq is the Vice-Chairman of the BNP( Bangladesh Nationalist party). Yahoo 

news has reported that the Begum is given five-year jail term while the others including her son have been sentenced to 10 years RI.

Politics in Bangladesh will certainly hot up. 

The Muslim PIr who Impregnated over 300 Women in Punjab

Islam came to the sub-continent nearly 1300 years back and a lot of mixture of the Islamic faith with Hindu and Buddhist religions took place leading to Sufism a more benign form of Islam. The Sufi’s produced a series of godmen called Pirs who were supposed to be in communion with God.
The Pir’s

The Pir's are revered in India and Pakistan by both Hindus and Muslims. Many Pirs is hereditary and I have been following a Pir in Mumbai for 25 years.
The hold of the Pir over Muslims is hypnotic and many feel he will solve their problems
The Pir from Lahore
A true story about the powers of a Pir has been reported by Pak Newspapers and also there is a video on YouTube about it. The man, a youngish Pir of about 30 years of age is alleged to have impregnated over 300 women.
In the East to be childless is a sin and not having a son is an equivalent sin. This is a hangover of a feudal mind but people in India and Pakistan are swayed by these thoughts. This Pir propagated that any women who could not conceive or wanted a son could approach him and he would intercede with Allah and see that the wish of the women was granted.

The Noor Bed
It so happened that a few desperate women approached the holy man and were completely hypnotized by him. In a trance, they were led to large bed which he referred to as the “Noor Bed” and there he copulated with them. A few conceived and the word spread that the Pir had magical powers. The fact that a woman had slept with the Pir was never told.  Women who were childless also approached the Pir. He duly obliged and over a period of a few months impregnated over 300 women.
The end
Somebody got a whiff of it and informed the police who went and arrested him. But no charges could be leveled or framed as no woman was willing to give evidence. In any case, the Sharia laws are so lax the charge of rape can never be proved. The Pir is now on bail  I wonder if any research can be done to really find out how many got pregnant from the Pir and how many had boys. A friend from Lahore told me that the Pir did a good social service as he saved the lives of many women who suffered abuse at home. What a thought !.

Russian Airline Aeroflot after end of Communism

Aeroflot is the state air carrier of Russia and has its pedigree from Communist days. The airline launched under communism was not initially treated as a commercial venture. During Soviet rule, the stress of Aeroflot was not commercial, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, commercial considerations came to the fore. The airline is one of the biggest airlines in the world and flies to 800 destinations from Cuba to USA and China to India. It covers most of the globe and is Russia’s official flag carrier.

The airline’s safety record is suspect and a number of accidents have occurred. In addition, in-flight catering also needs a revamp. But it is the best airline to fly to the far corners of Russia.

 Competitive Airline
The fares charged by the airline are competitive and this is one of its strong points. The airline also has a cargo division which transports goods to the far corners of the globe.
Aeroflot allows a refund and tickets can be canceled. Patrons can expect a full refund in case the booking is canceled 24 hours prior to the flight. The refund policy is fairly liberal and the airline allows a full refund up to the flight time departure.
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The Aeroflot head office is in Moscow at Aeroflot Head Office
10, Arbat Str.,
Moscow, Russia, 119002
Phone: +7 (499) 500-6905
Fax: +7 (499) 500-6867,
Feedback
During the days of Soviet rule, the airline laid very less stress on customer care.Aeroflot has improved its service and is a monolith carrier. Its advantage is its reach all around the globe. Passengers are divided at about 50% about the efficacy of the airline. Another bonus is the Russian girls as air hostesses. Nobody can beat them and if you play your cards right you may land one for a date after she finishes duty.

Dining at NAYAB HANDI in Dubai

It's best for eating varied types of beef and other meats.  A Pakistani restaurant it opened 3 years back.  Here are some photos.

You can't get a better spread of meats with authentic Pakistan food anywhere else. Don't go there with inhibitions as this a pure delightful eating joint.  The king size mounted on stand is a highlight I have not ever seen. 

Legend of Gyges of lydia and Power of Sex

Plato in his book "Republic" recounts a lovely tale that has intrigued me to a great extent. I have interpreted it as a realization of a dream of man and sexual conquest. Nobody can deny, that men even the most puritan of them do have lascivious thoughts of women and in this context, the tale related by Glaucon, who was the brother of Plato needs to be read. 

The legend runs something like this. There was a lesser vassal called Gyges, who paid allegiance to the King of Lydia. Gyges was infatuated with the queen, the wife of the king of Lydia. He longed to possess her and have carnal knowledge of her body The more he saw the queen in court the more he lusted for her.

Providence took a hand and one day while he was roaming about in the countryside an earthquake took place. This earthquake had a magical effect and a small cave opened. Gyges went inside the cave and saw a large horse made of bronze. This horse was a cover for a tomb of a man and Gyges saw the corpse was wearing a ring. He removed the ring and wore it. In a moment he was aware that he had astonishing powers and once he wore the ring he became invisible.

Gyges wearing it entered the king's palace and proceeded to the chamber of the queen. As he entered, he saw the queen now nude and he seduced her. Plato does not explain how he seduced her as he was invisible. But in all probability, his invisibleness added to his charm as he made love to the queen. After having satiated his desire he went to the king's chamber and killed him.He came back to the Queens chamber and again made ferocious love. 

He later married her and became king. The desire for a woman can lead you anywhere. Right?

The Cemetery at Calcutta( Park Street) from the Days of the Raj

A Relic of the Raj

The cemetery shows that many Englishmen who came to India fell in love with India and its culture. Many converted to Hinduism as they felt that it gave them greater insight into the cosmic dance of life and death.The cemetery is a relic of the Raj and a visit to Kolkata will never be complete without a visit to this lovely place and old world charm.

The cemetery is open 6 days in a week, except Sunday.The Cemetery is looked after by the ASI, but it does require a facelift. There is no entrance charge and one can spend hours moving around the cemetery and imbibing the glorious history of that period. It's a pity that this cemetery is not so well known in the west. There is no doubt that the cemetery is a treasure of the greatest value and I hope the ASI spends some more money and brings the monument into proper shape.

The cemetery shows that there is much more that happened during the Raj beside imperialism. It's a wonderful place to spend a morning and then one can hop over to Flury's or Magnolia for some sandwiches and cold beer. It will be a great way to spend a day.

The cemetery shows that many Englishmen who came to India fell in love with India and its culture. Many converted to Hinduism as they felt that it gave them greater insight into the cosmic dance of life and death.The cemetery is a relic of the Raj and a visit to Kolkata will never be complete without a visit to this lovely place and old world charm.

T