around the world

How delightful to have this wonderful possibility of sharing thoughts around the world. Two people in Pakistan - unknown to each other as far as I know - have contributed to this process in the last few days.

Last week I mentioned the moths that captivated me and I'd already put some of the pictures on Flickr.

Pakistani photographer from Lahore, Waheed Khalid, (look at some of his portraits) responded with a poem:

shama kehay perwanay se
peray chalaa ajaaaaaaaa
meri terha jal jaey ga
yahan nahi aaa
woh nahi sunta usko jal jana hota haiiiii
pyar dewana hota hai
mastana ho ta hai

I asked my friend and former colleague Paul Thaxter who'd worked in Pakistan if he could translate. (Though afterwards I thought it might be Hindi, not Urdu). It seems it's high Urdu and Paul in turn asked Pakistani friend Anila, who replied with this translation:

A flame asks the flying insect
(these flying insects appear after rain and
continuously fly around the lamp and at last it burns)
go away
you might be burned like me
don't come here.
But he doesn't listen, and burns
Love is crazy
Love is mad.

This is a film song named Kati - Patang
Music:- R D Burman
Lyrics:- Anand Bakshi
Singer:- Kishor Kumar

Oxford, Lahore, London, Karachi, Flickr, Moths - thanks all!