Great Quotes from Literature, History, Movies, Songs, Poems

I have read, watched and listened enough in my life to wonder how come I haven't compiled a list of my favorite quotes or excerpts from those? This is an attempt to remedy that missing piece. I hope this will help me get back to my favorites as and when I need to revisit them.

(1) Fuler Bone Jar Pashe Jay, Tarei Lagey Bhalo - by Rabindranath Tagore

This is one of the many such romnatic dialogues from Rabindranath Tagore who needs no introduction. I just picked one from his rich wealth to show my tribute to him. Below are the lyrics of the song and the full youtube video song sung by Rezwana Choudhury Bannya

চাঁদের হাসির বাঁধ ভেঙেছে, উছলে পড়ে আলো। 
ও রজনীগন্ধা, তোমার গন্ধসুধা ঢালো ॥ 
পাগল হাওয়া বুঝতে নারে ডাক পড়েছে কোথায় তারে-- 
ফুলের বনে যার পাশে যায় তারেই লাগে ভালো ॥ 
নীল গগনের ললাটখানি চন্দনে আজ মাখা, 
বাণীবনের হংসমিথুন মেলেছে আজ পাখা। 
পারিজাতের কেশর নিয়ে ধরায়, শশী, ছড়াও কী এ। 
 ইন্দ্রপুরীর কোন্ রমণী বাসরপ্রদীপ জ্বালো ॥

(2) Kar Baitha Bhool Woh Le Aaya Phool Woh, Usse Kaho Jaaye Chand Leke Aaye - from movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

This time apology to audience who wont be able to follow hindi. This is sung by Lata Mangeshkar. The lyrics and the video follows.


(Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye Aa Ke Mujhe Chhed Jaaye) – 2
Usse Kaho Kabhi Saamne To Aaye
Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye Aa Ke Mujhe Chhed Jaaye
Usse Kaho Kabhi Saamne To Aaye
Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye

(Kaisa Hai Kaun Hai Woh Jaane Kahan Hai) – 2
Jiske Liye Mere Hothon Pe Haan Hai
Apna Hai Ya Begaana Hai Woh
Sach Hai Ya Koi Afsaana Hai Woh
Dekhe Ghur Ghur Ke Yoonhi Door Door Se
Usse Kaho Meri Neend Na Churaye
Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye Aa Ke Mujhe Chhed Jaaye
Usse Kaho Kabhi Saamne To Aaye
Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye
 
(Jadoosa Jaise Koi Chalne Laga Hai) - 2
Main Kya Karoon Dil Machalne Laga Hai
Tera Deewana Hoon Kehta Hai Woh
Chup Chup Ke Phir Kyun Rehta Hai Woh
Kar Baitha Bhool Woh Le Aaya Phool Woh
Usse Kaho Jaaye Chand Leke Aaye

(Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye Aa Ke Mujhe Chhed Jaaye) – 2
Usse Kaho Kabhi Saamne To Aaye

(3)
“What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
― by William_Shakespeare from Romeo and Juliet 

(4) Kane Kane Shudhu Ekbar Bolo, Tumi Je Amar - from Bengali movie Harano Sur, starring Suchitra Sen and Uttam Kumar.

If you ask anyone of my earlier generation in Bangladesh (and in Kolkata, India) you will understand the impact this movie and this song have had on them. It's music was by Hemanta Mukherjee, and sung by Geeta Dutt and the movie was released in 1957. The movie is regarded as one of the finest Bengali movies of the period. The lyrics and the video song given below.

তুমি যে আমার, ওগো তুমি যে আমার,
তুমি যে আমার, ওগো তুমি যে আমার,
কানে কানে শুধু একবার বল, তুমি যে আমার, 
তুমি যে আমার, ওগো তুমি যে আমার।
আমারি পরাণে আসি, তুমি যে বাজালে বাঁশি,
আমারি পরাণে আসি, তুমিযে বাজালে বাঁশি,
সেই তো আমারি সাধনা, চাইনাতো কিছু আর,
তুমি যে আমার, ওগো তুমি যে আমার।
তুমি যে আমার দিশা, অকুল অন্ধকারে,
দাওগো আমারে ভরে, নীরব অহংকারে,
তুমি যে আমার দিশা, অকুল অন্ধকারে,
দাওগো আমারে ভরে, নীরব অহংকারে।
জীবন মরুর মাঝে, এসোগো বধুর সাজে,
জীবন মরুর মাঝে, এসোগো বধুর সাজে,
সেই তো আমারই জিবনে, তোমারই অভিসার।
তুমি যে আমার, ওগো তুমি যে আমার,
কানে কানে শুধু একবার বল,তুমি যে আমার,
তুমি যে আমার, ওগো তুমি যে আমার। 

(5) Chul Tar Kobekar Ondhokar Bidishar Nisha - from poem Banalata Sen bu Jibananda Das

Although I picked only this line from the poem - it would be appropriate if I would be able to put the whole poem as the heading for this entry. Here is the poem for you to judge by yourself -




(6) O people, I have been appointed over you, though I am not the best among you - by Abu Bakr Siddeeq’s (RA) at the Inaugural Speech when he was elected as Khalifa after death of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)

“O people, I have been appointed over you, though I am not the best among you. If I do well, then help me; and if I act wrongly, then correct me. Truthfulness is synonymous with fulfilling the trust, and lying is equivalent to treachery. The weak among you is deemed strong by me, until I return to them that which is rightfully theirs, insha Allah. And the strong among you is deemed weak by me, until I take from them what is rightfully (someone else’s), insha Allah. No group of people abandons military/armed struggle in the path of Allah, except that Allah makes them suffer humiliation. And evil / mischief does not become widespread among a people, except that Allah inflicts them with widespread calamity. Obey me so long as I obey Allah and His Messenger. And if I disobey Allah and His Messenger, then I have no right to your obedience. Stand up now to pray, may Allah have mercy on you” [Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah (6/305,306)]

(7) Jeo Na Shathi, Cholecho Ekela Kothay, Path Khuje Pabenako, Shudhu Eka - from movie Durdesh, sung by Syed Abdul Hadi

This song was sung twice in the film; first when Shoshi Kapoor and Shormila Thakur were young and second time when they were old. The video song link I gave below is when they were old - and this is the one with most impact on the audience. In course of twenty years, the repentness Shoshi shows was something that moved me even when I was only a few years old kid!

যেওনা সাথি৷৷ 
ও ও ও 
যেওনা সাথি চলেছো একেলা কোথায় 
পথ খুজে পাবেনাকো শুধু একা 
যেওনা সাথি 
ও ও ও 
যেওনা সাথি 
সেই দিনের এতটুকু ভুল 
নিয়ে গেছে কতদুর৷৷ 
আমারও স্বপ্নের মহল তাইতো ভেঙে যে হলো চুর 
যেওনা সাথি চলেছ একেলা কোথায় 
পথ খুজে পাবেনাকো শুধু একা 
যেওনা সাথি 
ও ও ও 
যেওনা সাথি 
আর যে সইতে পারিনা জ্বালা 
দোষ না হয় কিছু হয়েছে৷৷ 
পথ হারা পথিকটাতো ঠিকানা ফিরে পেয়েছে 
যেওনা সাথি চলেছ একেলা কোথায় 
পথ খুজে পাবেনাতো শুধু একা 
যেওনা সাথি 
ও ও ও 
যেওনা সাথি

(8) O Amar Bodhu Go, Chiro Shathi Path Cholar, Tomar Jonno Gorechi Ami Manjil Valobashar - from movie Keyamat Theke Keyamat

This is from Bengali remake of hindi film Keyamat se keyamat tak (Amir Khan and Juhi Chawla). The remake was well done by Slaman Shah and Moushumi - their first films and was a superhit. Slaman Shah later on became one of the legends of Bengali films although he was tragically short lived.

ও আমার বন্ধু গো
চির সাথী পথ চলার,
তোমারই জন্য গড়েছি আমি
মনজিল ভালোবাসার।
এক সাথে রয়েছি দুজন
এক ডোরে বাঁধা দুটি প্রাণ
ছিঁড়বেনা কভু এই বাঁধন
আসলে আসুক তুফান।
তুমি আমারই বলবো শতবার।
হাত দু'টি ধরেছি তোমার
মানবো না কোনো বাধা আর
শুনবো না কারো কথা যে আর
মন্দ বলুক সমাজ।
তুমি আমারই, হায়, বলবো শতবার.

(9) A quote or scene from a Humayun Ahmed book - I keep it as a place holder for now because I am at loss to pick one from the thousands coming to my mind. I really need to make up my mind before I choose one. But I guess I may end up with Baker Bhai and his right hand Bodi. For now let me just quote that because I am failing the courage to try to watch that part of the episode again although its available in YouTube. Those who have grown up at that time, will only be able to relate to what I mean. Here is something for now coming out of Baker Bhai after he was sentenced to death -

"মুনা শোনো। বদিকে বলবা আমি ওকে ক্ষমা করছি। ফেরেশতা পর্যন্ত ভুল করে। সেতো একটা মানুষ, সেতো ভুল করবেই।"

(10) Afreen Afreen by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan- At different times I like different versions of this same song. I got introduced to it through the

Album: Sangam Song: Afreen Afreen Singer: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Music Director: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Music Arranger: Uttam Singh Lyricist: Javed Akhtar

The other 2 versions are https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iViz1ZG4AWs and Nusrat's nephew Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's Coke Studio Fusion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw4tT7SCmaY

(11) Breathless by Shankar Mahadevan - Lyrics by Javed Akhtar and Shankar Mahadevan -

Lyrics: https://genius.com/Shankar-mahadevan-breathless-lyrics

(12) Incredible Hulk of Avengers -

"That's my secret Captain. I'm always angry!" - Dr Bruce Banners as Hulk

(13) Empty Chairs and empty tables from Les Miserables-

Another master piece that reminds me Manna De's "Coffee Houser Shei Adda ta Aaj Aar Nei...".

There's a grief that can't be spoken
There's a pain goes on and on
Empty chairs at empty tables
Now my friends are dead and gone

Here they talked of revolution
Here it was they lit the flame
Here they sang about tomorrow
And tomorrow never came

From the table in the corner
They could see a world reborn
And they rose with voices ringing
And I can hear them now!

The very words that they had sung
Became their last communion
On this lonely barricade
At dawn

Oh my friends, my friends forgive me
That I live and you are gone
There's a grief that can't be spoken
There's a pain goes on and on

Phantom faces at the window
Phantom shadows on the floor
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will meet no more

Oh my friends, my friends
Don't ask me what your sacrifice was for
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will sing no more

Dr. Yasir Qadhi's Series of Lectures on Seerah of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)

Today I finished listening to one of the most significant lecture series in my life - Dr. Yasir Qadhi's Series of Lectures on Seerah of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). Initially I was listening to it from YouTube after knowing about it from Wali Bhai. Later Amin told me that he found an iPhone App named Yasir Qadhi where all these lectures are available in audio format and I could download it and listen to the audios offline. So this saved my data plan as in my first month I already crossed my 40GB plan just by listening to it while driving to office and coming back.

It's a 104 part lecture series containing approximately 175 hours of lectures by Pakistani descent but American muslim scholar Dr. Yasir Qadhi who stayed in Madina for 10 years for his islamic studies. Any muslim or non-muslim will be moved listening to this series. You will learn to be humble, polite, wise and humane to others. Dr. Yasir focused mainly on 2 things - rigorous academic analysis of Prophet's (pbuh) life, actions, teachings and the situations of Arab at that time; and how the we can relate those to our 21st century American muslim life.

I was in awe many times just listening to the incidents, just thinking about the patience of Sahabis (R) and their love for Islam and our Prophet (pbuh). Often I have been laughing loud or crying while driving on the way listening through my headphone, disappointed that I reached office or home already while in the middle of a great analysis of a particular fiqh issue. This work by Dr. Yasir is one of the most profound of its nature in English language. I can't think of anything else comparable.

I invite you to listen to it. I will now move into his other lectures, and then probably into Mughal, Roman and Persian empires, second world war, Mahabharat and so on that are freely available in YouTube.

Update: I have finished the Seerah series for a second time yesterday. Alhamdulillah. It was as beautiful as I felt when I finished it the first time in November last year!

Bay Area Bangladesh Association -BABA look back 2015

In 2015, BABA had successfully conducted the following events for the bay area bangladeshi community:

1. BABA reception for Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder of BRAC.
2. BABA Shadhinota Dibosh Celebration featuring Partha Barua.
3. BABA reception for Ambassador Bernicat and Congressman Honda.
4. Bay Area Bangladeshi Soccer Tournament, 2015.
5. Fund/Special Items donation to the BN Ashar Alo (A school for special needs children) with the help of BNS Samudra Avijan management. 
6. BABA Eid Reunion Celebration 2015 featuring Tapan Chowdhury and Chandan Zaman Ali.