Thanks alot for the article Amit. I remeber giving the link in April here on these forums but couldnt translate due to lack of time.
A feedback: In Away from the Material World, its the writer who said that whenever the plane takes off, I think its my last journey and ARRahman smilingly agreed saying my thoughts are quite similar to yours. Excellent effort. I would write about the rest of the article later. Thanks Amit. - In [email protected], "Amith Chandhran" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > This writer called Rabah Nazki once happened to travel to Chennai by the > business class; and surprisingly found the person sitting besides him was A. > R. Rahman! Here is what he has written about AR he observed during the > journey. Long back this article was shared in the group. I could not > translate it then. The original article is written in Urdu, and is posted > here<http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/interactivity/specials/1249_rehman_a_r /index.shtml>. > This is the *free-hand translation* of the same article. I am > *not*translating the article word-to-word due to the lack of time and > the > limitations of the translation. But don't worry, am taking care that you > don't miss the important content in its pure form! > > Enjoy, comments from Urdu knowing people, like Jawad, Silal and others are > welcome.. > > -- > > A. R. Rahman is a combination of innocence of a child and simplicity of a > saint. I recently met him on Mumbai to Chennai trip. When I introduced > myself to him, he noticed the similarity in my name and that of Rabah > Basri's, and in no time, we started talking. He was very frank; in fact; our > conversation started in the air travel and ended in his home in Chennai! > > > > *Far away from the material world:* > > > > What I realized thru the conversation about him is that he is far away from > the material world. He started talking on spirituality by saying "Whenever > the plane takes off, I think this would be my last journey of life". He went > further describing how music and spirituality go hand in hand. "You cannot > take one out of the other. Music lets you look inside within you. It takes > you on such a high, far away from this material world, and moreover, it also > takes you nearer to the God. You feel the purification that takes place > within you while listening to music. Maybe this is the reason why music is > sometimes called an integral part of devotion of *Dhikr *and *Ibaadat*." > > > > "We used Sufiana music in *Chhaiyyan Chhaiyyan* from *Dil Se..* and people > appreciated it a lot. That is only because; Sufiana music is all about > devotion. People can easily relate to it. Music cannot be created on > conditions. According to me, while creating any form of art, the only thing > which should be taken care of is that it should be perfect piece of craft. > We should do our best to get the perfection." > > > > * Only because of my mother:* > > > Whatever I am today is only because of my mother. I can never forget what > she has done for us. After my father passed away, she insisted that I join > the music. She had seen a dream for me and she has worked very hard for that > dream to come true. She was more confident than anyone else that I'd be a > musician sometime. She knows what's right and what's wrong for our family > better than anyone else. She has a great intuition. There is something > divine about her". > > > > *Spirituality and religion:* > > > > "For me religion is like an instruction manual. You know the instruction > manuals which come with mobile phones? I think religion is something like > that. It is an instruction manual for the human beings, to make them the > perfect human beings." > > "Religion teaches us a lot: regarding many things in life. It teaches > maintaining the relations with others; heading to the right path in life; > thinking in a better way and almost everything. If we follow the things > perfectly we will certainly be happy in our lives, and will have mental > peace." > > "Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H.) has once said, listen to your inner voice, and > it will guide you, it will tell you the rights and wrongs. The God is within > us, and we are the most closer-ones to the God. Only necessary thing is to > know about yourself and your needs." > > "In this modern age, every person should try to follow his own religion > perfectly. And the teaching of all the religions is in fact one and the > same. That is- loving others and spreading the peace! Is it not?" > > > > *Music is what I breathe:* > > > > "Music runs through my blood vessels. The very first show ever in my life - > in which I had performed - was conducted when I was about 11 years old. > Being in music since my childhood, I knew that success doesn't come all of a > sudden, but it comes gradually. People started appreciating my music very > slowly, after listening to it through the radio programs, television shows; > live shows and later in the films. Couple of years ago, I felt that the live > concerts are much more exciting and stimulating for the audience as well as > our musicians. I feel the audience shares the music running thru my blood > vessels. This is the feeling which helps the musicians to grow." > > "Music is devotion only. Music itself is a language, which everyone can > understand. It gives peace. Music is the language of spirituality which > knows no boundaries. Music is beyond all religions, castes, and all kind of > differences. Believe me; one good song can change your life. I know some > people, who, rattled by the experiences in life, were on the way ending > their life. But it was music which didn't let them do that and they changed > their minds. This is the effect of music. Won't you say this is something > spiritual?" > > > > *All the rest is momentary:* > > > > "If you accept that the change is bound to happen and that the only > permanent thing in this world is change, you learn to keep balance between > your heart and mind. Maybe this way is not an easy way but I learnt this at > very tender age, due to the experiences I had during my childhood. We had > everyone with us on our side when my father was alive, and there was no one > left with us after his demise. This was the world practically and this was > the truth. After suffering thru all this for a while, I understood that > name, fame, money and everything is temporary, and thus, going after all > these things is of no use." > > "These days I'm working on Sufiana music again. Having heard a lot about > Kashmir's relation with Sufi music, I wish I could visit the place sometime. > Its very beautiful place but times are not well there. If I get a chance to > visit, I really would like to go there... only if my mother permits..!" > > "I have suffered a lot during my childhood days. That made me complex and > therefore I became a believer in God and spirituality. I believe that when > you learn to treat successes and failures equally, then only you can survive > in life." > > > -- > Trusting in God never makes the mountain smaller, it just makes the climbing > easier. I never ask Him for the lighter load, but only for the stronger > back. - A. R. Rahman. >
