Must be that I'm approaching 5 years since I left my home country. Must be that my diet now has a steady infusion of daal, roti, and chai (chai latte for you Westerners) since my parents' visit. Or that I feel a nostalgic yearning for all things Indian upon reminiscing that my plans at departure included likely returning after 6 months.
In that spirit, here's a list of songs from my native land that remind me both of a bygone era and a time yet to come. Songs that deepen melancholy but still express hope.
And if there were a way to convey continuity between Mumbai, the chaotic city of my birth and a tranquil eternity unsoiled by pain, heartache and injustice...
(1) The words of this song occurred to the writer (Wilson George), heartbroken at the sudden death of his 30-year old brother, Sunny. He died in an accident in 1990 while on his way to preach the Gospel in Nagpur. The writer was originally supposed to travel with his brother, but couldn't join him at the last minute.
Maut zindagi ki aakhari manzil to nahin; maut ke baad ek aur zindagi abdi
Ki abdi zindagi mein, apne kaamon ka pratiphal paoon
Anant ke liye kuch inaam kama jaoon; isse pehle ke chala jaoon, is duniya se
Death is not the final destination of life; there is a life eternal beyond death
And in that life eternal, I will receive the fruit of my labors
So I must reap a reward toward eternal life; before I depart from this world
Translating it does not adequately capture its solemnity and gravity on the one hand, or its expectation and ecstasy on the other.
Psalm 90:2 "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom".
(2) The haunting bridge. The classical harmony. And the rich score.
Andheron mein tu roshni hain; tu hi manzil, tu raasta bhi hain
Tu hain jahaan na kuch kami hain; tera hi naam zindagi
In darkness you are the light; you are both the destination and the road to it
Where you are, there is no lack; your name alone is light
Matthew 4:16 "The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
(3) And this final gem is in Malayalam (I wouldn't be surprised if it's amongst the languages spoken in heaven). Malayalam, is the state language of Kerala, situated on the southernmost tip of India, where history records Thomas, the apostle of Christ, as having arrived in AD 52. He was martyred in Mylapore, near Madras (now Chennai).
Yeshu en pakhshamaai theernanithal, enthor anantham ee bhuvil vaasam
Haa ethra modam parthalathil, jeevikyun naal
Since Jesus has been on my side, what peace has been earthly living,
Oh what joy on this mortal coil, as long as I live here
Romans 8:31 "If God is for us, who can be against us?"
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