My darling, my darling, my darling glow in my eyes!

Habibi, Habibi, Habibi ya nour el-ain, aah

Habibi, Habibi, Habibi ya nour el-ain

Ya sakin khayali

( This was the only Arabian song I knew before I started liking Arabs)

There is something fascinating about Arabs!  I am talking about the Algerians, Moroccans & Tunisians who are from the former French colonies, who I meet on the streets. I absolutely love them.

I don't know whether this exact phrase  will be the reason for my expulsion from France one day by some extreme right wing racists which I have seen on television. Well! I don't care, I am neither left or right, nor East or West, (yes, bottom or top! ) but just a normal human being who observes things.

First of all, I am fascinated by their enthusiasm to live and breed. I have hardly seen an Arabian woman with one kid, usually she is accompanied by a herd of kids, infants, babies, toddlers, teenagers,  name it, you find a variety. I, myself who is already terrified, horrified at the very thought of maternity, rather the act of giving birth to a complete living being coming out of a vagina, must venerate these Arabian women who have courage to undergo that pain more than six or seven times in the name of whoever the God. 

You are at the super market, Arab women do shopping with the kids hanging around her ( she is a true mother)  and she opens packets of food inside the shop and feed them on the spot, some pain au chocolats, crumbs of baguettes, as if they would die of starvation before they go home. Sure, they make a mess inside the shop, but they don't care at all.

Then, there is this handicapped old Arab man on clutches who creeps inside the public library everyday asking for one euro for coffee. Tok, tok, tok , he walks on clutches across the hall, waking me up from day dreaming and he is never ashamed to trouble the others,no emotions. He stops at every one who is reading,writing,thinking or sleeping, just to ask one Euro for a coffee with his singing but annoying voice :

" Excusez-moi madame, pouvez vous me dépanner un euro pour le café?" 

He seems to be having so many coffees everyday and I hope he won't die soon out of too much caffeine in his system! Some beggars, professionally trained ones, made you feel so bad by asking and giving the look " Don't you have one euro?" I myself have trained to answer " No, I don't " because I still don't have a fund for underprivileged. Or they approach you to ask " Do you have fire? " which I vehementely rejects "No, I don't smoke" . But, I feel bad because they are the only prople who talk to me willingly in this highly provincial city, so next time I should carry a lighter eventhough I don't smoke.

                                                  (Image courtesy of Sebastien Javelle)

Some Arabs cheat, like everyone else. The worst example is the Arabian student who "hired" me to correct her English papers! She called almost everyday, sent non-stop sms to see whether I correct her papers, forced me to rewrite her essays, asked to type them clearly according to her instructions & made a slave out of me. And then she comes, she pays half of the money for my corrections and never comes back to the scene again. Well, I can still remember the tingle in her black, green, grey mixed eyes, so determined to pass her exams and enter in to Army! How can I hate such enthusiasm for some euros? I stay like a dumb idiot believing she would pay me one day but as per historical records by my French house owner they never come back! His philosophy is Arabs are born to create you problems, and they will be happy when you are in trouble. I don't know the truth, still my bag has not been stolen away, perhaps in near future! 

My Chinese friend's apartment had been robbed , robbed to the core, ruthlessly. So, instantly they made Arabs the scapegoats who are very popular for those acts. The fascinating thing about their robbery was the ruthlessness of it. They take all the valuable things, may be you have not thought it was valuable until you lost it but they have already measured everything perfectly. They suck up your souls, your energy your good humour and they survive.

Recently, just infront of my eyes, Arab hit a french man, then he stole the car & drove away, like in a film. It was shocking for me to see the quickness of his action, the hatred in his face. We could not do anything about it than just wait like ducks for Pompiers who come 30 mins later with their relaxed attitudes.

You discuss with many French natives, they hate Arabians and Arabians hate them back. It is a famous secret which is not revelaed because France seems to believe in "Fraternity". Both parties have typical stereo types. In their point of view Arabs are associated with stealing, drug trafficking, smuggling, killing, shooting, fighting and all the misdeeds in the whole universe! 

Talk to a Arab, they will tell you instantly they hate France, such a racist country, criticise everything and yet they never leave France. It is like a love-hate relationship, they seem to hang on to France  for the benefits. Let me think it in a literal way with some historical background. If France was a man ( Do you know French fuck & forget ? It is a cliché) , he went and fucked the "Arab" woman in the name of colonisation, he gave so many French kisses, fucked her so hard, promised to marry her but disappeared in a French style thinking everything is done & dusted. Disappointed, heart broken "Arab" woman is not so easy either. She travelled across Mediterranean to seek the revenge of this betrayal, now she breeds everywhere like the rats who run in Parisian streets till she ruins France in to bits and pieces. It is like you messed with me, now suffer!

Let me talk about their beauty. I am not talking about unshaven dirty beggars on shaggy clothes or gigantic Arab moms with enormous boobs, tummies and buttocks. It is about Arabian girls. I sometimes wonder how beautiful they look inside their veils. Their pink lips, full lips, eyes with long dark lashes covered with mascara, hairy eyebrows, rosy & butter coloured cheeks, that's all you see, but that is enough to appreciate their beauty. I wonder whether they are happy inside their veils.  It is us who complain about women rights but they seem to be perfectly comfortable with it, having a sadistic pleasure of hiding their valuables, even in a fully liberated society . Of course, I get to see so modernized Arabian girls in the streets, with shorts and tube tops who colour their hair blond, who want to be French, at least from looks who talk with a rough French accent which drills my ears. These girls look so strong too, so much of life in them which again captivates me. I want to enter in to their heads and observe how they feel about the world.

(image @http://smritikozindagi.blogspot.fr/2011/12/beauty-under-scarf.html )

Another place is the open air Arabian market. Life is vibrating there at its best. In my drowsy & lethargic moods, when I think about the existence of human kind, the burden of life & contemplates on how Sisyphus carries that famous boulder uphill, I can see Arabian men carries so energetically vegetable sacks! They don't care about any absurdity of life, they need to survive somehow. One man sells cheap perfumes telling all the lies & manipulating, fruits & vegetables vendor so busy greeting, smiling, weighing the goods, calculating, customer service at its best unlike the lazy women in super market cashiers who are like half dead zombies, who greet   "bonjour" in a monotonous way. Thay all greet me warmheartedly , Ashwalam allekum, Mademoiselle ( Gosh, I don't know how to pronounce it ) & I hear Inshallah, here & there. I am overwhelmed with rough arabain accents.Arabs have their own  Arab customers.They buy couscous, various grains, colourful spices, dates, almonds , mint leaves in huge quantities to feed the whole community. They seem to prefer all Arabian products, nostalgic about their country like many immigrants. 

(image @http://travelpost.noble-caledonia.co.uk/articles/arabian-delights)

I think French government should stop imposing  French values to them because they don't seem to care at all as if they don't want to be civilised. It is like they are given Cheese to eat and  Wine to drink  and they vomit all. I can never see them as French.

Well, I can go & go on. May be I am so naive to talk about a different race just from outside observation. I always feel sorry for culprits! Morally sound saints bore me big time and there is no "fun" in them. This does not mean I justify crimes & all the thieves out there. But, there is a "beauty" in every nation which we never see or never bother to see or accept. You don't have to think deep to like People, We are all same, differently.

Conclusion : I love almonds, mint tea & camels = I love Arabs

I prefer absurd conclusions about life & people.

By Jahooli Devi

(Image courtesy of Sebastien Javelle)

A dream within a dream

There lies

a vertical dream

within a flat dream

we dream

secretly.

Noone believes

In the mirage of a 

dream

that can exist

another dream

sequestered.

They only

see one,

only one

a happy dream.

Then, they applaud.

If only 

they see

What we see

Inside that dream?

By Jahooli Devi

You are gone

You are gone

to a far away land

exotic

before I love you

hold you in my arms

& show you

what love is...

I weaved

red coquelicot wreaths

stuffed with

dew drops diamonds

to welcome you...

I prayed

the rainbows

to stay as they are

till you arrive

to show

my love for you...

They waited.

But, You are Gone

Even before you arrive,

with the winds of desires

blown off

leaving me

in the desperate shores

alone, alone for years

                                                                     By Jahooli Devi

Use your hands!

Hands are an undervalued part of the body because we always talk about eyes, nose, mouth, ears, brain & heart as the most important parts of the body. Use your hands properly! This article is not about erotica. If you are disappointed, you may leave now. :-)

I will describe you why we should love our hands & how to use hands for a better world. As strange it may sound, you don't have to take this very seriously but take a minute to read if you want to save the world just by using your hands.

Hands & Food

When I first came to France, I was shocked ( yes, I am always shocked) thoroughly, let's say appalled by the view of many plastic forks, spoons & knives that are used to eat food in University canteens & cafés. There were metal ones too, but I am talking about the plastic ones here. We could take as much as utensils for our use & later on we throw them into the bins. I did not see anyone re-using those, except me who kept a plastic fork & a spoon in my bag after using them once thinking about a picnic in the park later.

I don't like the view of people using these plastic cutlery in an abundant manner for their convenience.

Why can't they just use their hands to eat like many Asians do ( Asia means South Asia) ?

All my life, I ate with my hands except during the visits to highly sophisticated restaurants in Colombo where we have to imitate English manners & go home starved after playing with the cutlery.

That's where the value of hands should be highlighted.

We are born with perfect hands with fingers. Chop them off, if you don't need them for a basic survival.

Now, some who are reading my article would say :

Disgusting, to eat with hands using fingers !

I remind kindly those very people who criticise seriously when they see some Asians eating with fingers, to think about other places where they nobly put the fingers! 

God or whoever created the human anatomy gave us ten fingers in our hands, not only for the purpose of grasping, holding or shaking hands but also to eat , to survive by eating.

Instead, people use their hands for totally useless things.

Men & women, think about the weird instances where you use hands!

I used those intimate details just to prove that you should not be ashamed to eat with your hands in public because they are many shameful things in this world than that.

I faced this problem in French tables where they decorate with millions of cutlery in order, where we have to select the correct item to eat as if we will have to face digestion problems if not properly selected. I am not criticising their culture or table manners but I was annoyed when some people told me that I am not civilized, that eating with fingers is a clear sign of uncivilized manners. «  Il faut évoluer » You should evolve is the phrase I heard. Should I care ? I never loose appetite even in most difficult times in life ! We have evolved too much, that is why are close to the apocalypse.

Why you should be using hands?

When we eat with fingers, there is a different flavour to food.
If you eat using those cutlery all your life, you would not understand what I say. But ask Asians, they would describe you. Rice mixed with curries & succulent chicken can only be enjoyed by eating with hand. I feel empty every time I eat with those metals or plastic & I leave the table dissatisfied. If I get a fingerbowl in restaurants, or a find a washroom nearby, I am not afraid to eat with hands even if thousands look at me with surprising eyes, or disgusting eyes because I am aware I do no harm to anyone, no harm to nature because I don't leave behind anything to recycle. 

Some people think :

Yeah everything would be recycled so we don't have to worry, but they are not aware that recycling would also cost a lot & if they avoided the process of recycling they could have saved  more & more money & energy.

Some like to complain  & here are some funny answers.

Eating with hands is annoying, I spill everywhere : Unless you are paralysed, with a bit of practice you will manage, Dear

How can I cut meat ?  I hope you still have your set of teeth.

After eating with hands, I have to wash hands : Oh, I thought being civilised is not being lazy ! So, go & wash your hands. No water, seriously ? Use Coca cola.

My hands smell : No one is coming  to kiss your hands today !

Is it hygienic ? There are millions in Africa, Middle East & Asia, over populated, I wish they would die in mass just because of this unchanging habit !

If you can eat Pizza, Hamburger, Chips & bread with your hands, I am confused, why can't you eat the other food?

Now, my innocent thoughts are not enough to convince many civilised people. Let me give you an example from a research because something needs to be proved scientifically in the labs & would be approved by a Jury to put into practice in western society because what can a Sri Lankan villager know about protecting the environment!

Here is something I found : Apparently eating with hands is good for health.

In the Vedic tradition, eating with ones hands is tied to the practice of hand mudras – or meditative gestures using the hands and other body parts. The hands are honored as a beautiful ‘organ of action.’ A famous Vedic sloka or verse suggests that divinity rests within human effort – brought about through the hands.

When we touch our food before putting it into our mouths the millions of nerve endings on the tips of our fingers are getting a temperature and texture reading that is immediately sent to the stomach – like a warning signal. Ayurvedic wisdom teaches that our bodies can respond to this food-touch by producing the needed enzymes and digestive juices before the food even meets our lips – and that the fingers themselves even contain enzymes which start the digestive process upon first touch.

source:http://guardianlv.com/2013/06/eating-with-your-hands-is-healthier/#E7OHqc3E4lWxTAcr.99

I don't think I have to rewrite this in a different way. My father was always right that he never eats with utensils. The only time I saw him using them was when his hands were injured. He is so healthy, never had digestive problems.

A lot of Sri Lankans make a huge effort to eat with these western invented utensils in Five Star hotels that they end up having an orchestra there ! We laughed our head off listening to the troubles that friends faced eating with forks & knives ; like flying chicken, lobsters untouched, rice spilled etc. 

If we can make a trend of eating with hands, I think we would be reducing a lot of plastic.

If you girls disagree to eat with your hands, at least carry a metal knife, fork & spoon in your beautiful handbags, not to kill anyone but to eat! 

Guys, if you can carry a huge iphone in the pockets, find a way to carry the cutlery, my head is too small to think a solution for guys. They are so cool so they would easily eat with hands. Flexible, I would say!

It is just a way of life, a little sacrifice for your health, for all of us & for the environment.

By Jahooli Devi

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by Edward Lear, 1812 - 1888

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea
   In a beautiful pea-green boat:
They took some honey, and plenty of money
   Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
   And sang to a small guitar,
“O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,
   What a beautiful Pussy you are,
            You are,
            You are!
   What a beautiful Pussy you are!”

Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl,
   How charmingly sweet you sing!
Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried,
   But what shall we do for a ring?”
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the bong-tree grows;
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,
   With a ring at the end of his nose,
            His nose,
            His nose,
   With a ring at the end of his nose.

“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
   Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.”
So they took it away, and were married next day
   By the turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince and slices of quince,
   Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
   They danced by the light of the moon,
            The moon,
            The moon,
   They danced by the light of the moon.

Match box

With you

I made

a quick attempt

to kindle

a Fire

blue & yellow

striking hard

on the coarsy edge

of the match box.

tried

failed.

tried

failed.

tried

failed.

There are n't

any sticks

left.

No more

Fireworks

tonight...

By Jahooli Devi

Painful Brazil Vs Germany World cup semi final

Image : It is not me, I don't cry like that :-)

Love & Football do not go togther but I need a space. I have no idea how Football is played but I see some hot looking guys running after a ball for 90 minutes & I found it quite fascinating.

I am writing this on the half time after watching the Foot Ball match between Brazil Vs Germany.

5 - 0 Wow! Am I seeing a nightmare here? Is this a Foot Ball match or a  Handball match?

I can't see Brazil making an effort to win atleast one goal, so should I watch the second half?

It is true that Brazil does not have the best team today but others players also know how to play Foot Ball, so why can't they just be active on the field and make an effort. Allez, Allez play your game.

Every time, it is like this, whenever, I sit down to watch a match it would turn out to be a nightmare.
Forget  the World cup dream for Brazil , I am just praying that they have "soft" humiliation tonight.

But , what do they discuss right now in the dressing room?

Goal Keeper Cesar : What am I going to have for breakfast? Caesar Salad?

David Luiz or someone with the nice curls : Should I quit Football & start playing cricket?

Hulk : I should be acting in the next Hulk film only with an underwear

Nymar at the hospital : Heart attack ! Too young to die

Coach : These morons killed my reputation, now, no job.

All the other players : Are we going to get attacked by tomatoes or eggs? Do they throw this kind of things in Foot ball matches? I would do it, if I had some rotten eggs.

Well, on the other hand, German Dressing room:

Bring us Beer, Yeyyyy

I am sure If these refrees do an alcohol test on Manuel Neur  on the second half, he is sure to fail it because they all must be drinking beer by now merrily, Cheers!

Oh God, Why did I waste my precious time to watch this ball game , I am tired & going to sleep & tomorrow I will look at info to see how people talk about this with a serious note.

Ps: I still love Brazil, Ahh I know why because I like the forest! Should I take " ball games" seriously?

I pass by

I pass by

Alone

the paths

We could have

walked

Together

holding hands

They ask me why

Why ? Why ?

But Why ?

I know why

You know too.

By Jahooli Devi

Offside Goal

Fellipe came from the school and he got his lunch in two minutes…Then, he got the soccer ball and ran in to the street, where they play soccer with his mates.  That’s how days are going for Felippe. He was just 18. He loved soccer more than his life.  All day long, he played & played without paying much attention to any other work.

She was a girl, named  Larissa who was in her late teens like him.  Every day she was passing the street where Fellipe played football. Most of the time, Larissa glanced at Fellipe, when she was going through. But, Fellipe never showed any interest on her because he got only a  “Soccer ball” in his mind!

One day, as usual Fellipe and his friends were playing football. They were practicing targets on the net. Each time before they kick the ball to the target, they bet on something, with each other. Fellipe kicked almost every time right to the targets and won the bets. They were enjoying this game very much. Suddenly…one of Fellipe’s friends saw that Larissa was going across the play ground. Then he shouted…

“Hey Fellipe…I bet this time you can’t hit the target number 3?"

“I always win dude…any bet?”

“Any bet? hahaha ....How about a kiss on the cheek of that girl…huh?....if you loose.. you should kiss the girl”

Felippe didn’t think twice…he didn’t care what his friend told, even he didn’t see the girl…he was pretty sure he was going to hit the target…then he said…

“Piece of cake....Friend...…I’ll kiss anyone ….and look at this…dude…right to the target”

And he kicked.

But…He missed the target…his friends were delighted…and shouted to kiss the girl.

Fellipe…Fellipe... Fellipe

He couldn't even think what was happening around him. He was blushing but he couldn’t refuse the bet in front his friends as a man and he got his pride with it. He didn’t think again…he ran directly to Larissa and kissed her lips.

Poor Larissa didn’t know anything about this, slapped his face angrily. All the friends laughed at Fellipe. He felt guilty and shame about what he did to this young girl, right on the middle of the street.

“Sorry…miss…I’m really sorry”  He said

“You retarded Soccer maniac…go away…idiot”

Again all his friends laughed at him…but Fellipe felt so guilty and embarassed. He went straight away to home. He didn’t come to play soccer for weeks. His friends thought that he might not come due to the shame. So, they thought it might take some time to get back Fellipe to play soccer. But Larissa kept walking across the street as usual.

But…Felippe’s world was turning up side down in his mind, since that incident. He couldn’t stop thinking about Larissa. Her Lips, the scent of her hair mixed with the sweat, her eyes, and her round face. He kept on thinking about her each and every passing minute. He didn't want the soccer ball anymore. 

Though, Larissa went across  the street for last few months, he never noticed her until that day. Because his entire world was soccer. He realized  what a girl can do for boy's life. He spent the days sadly without seeing her. Several times, he wanted to see her. But, he felt so guilty to face her again. Most of the time, he cursed himself, for not seeing her before this tragic incident. 

 

After thinking several days, one day he decided to go and meet her  to tell how much he suffered after the incident and that he truly wanted to apologize. He met her on the street accidently and apologized for what he did on the other day.

But she kept saying that…

“You know…Retarded moron...I know your type…you people  think that girls are objects........No ...no....rather…betting objects, huh? …go away from me”

Fellipe confessed :

“Look…Miss…its really a tragic incident…but I’m not the type of guy you think, I never wanted to do so... I just did what my friends asked me to do, I was fascinated by the game, but when I realize what I did, I regretted. I didn’t take you as a object…please try to understand what I’m saying here”

“You know Soccer maniac, I don't have time to waste here talking rubbish…please go away from me, I don’t need your excuses…you  go & play with your ball instead…now go..Idiot”

“I don’t know even your name… before I kiss you… I didn’t know really whether you existed. But about one thing..... you may be right…Yeah…I’m a maniac…but not anymore about the soccer….about you. Since the day that I kissed you…my world is you”

Fellipe looked in to Larissa's eyes with tearful eyes, then went away from her…. She couldn’t understand what she heard. She blushed.

Time passed by, after 3 months; Fellipe came to play again.  Larissa continued to walk passing the “Soccer Street” to her school. But Larissa never glanced at Fellipe. When she passed Fellipe stopped to play to look at her, until she disappeared from his eye sight. 

Ten months later, Fellipe got a scholarship to go to another school in Buenos Aires.

One last time, he thought to talk to Larissa. So, he met her by the road.

“Larissa…I know…you hate me alot. But its fine…because…totally …it’s my fault. On the other hand, I love it too. Without happening that, I never knew that I also had feelings of love, inside me. I knew only about soccer, until that day. Not only that, I met a girl who could inspire my whole life with feelings. Feelings are enough, to make me a different man. But…it’s so sad…that very same girl cannot forgive me, for my stupid work. Still I hope, you may forgive me one day”

Larisa was just listening to his words, then she uttered.

“You don’t have any idea, how a girl feels, when a strange guy kisses her in front of a bunch of people, right on the middle of a road…just for a crazy betting  And then…all the people laughed at me. Do you now how I feel it...huh?

“Larissa…I know it’s a painful for a girl’s dignity. I know it’s not ethical. That’s why, even after one year, still I’m after you.”

"After me?....after me for what?.... apologizing?"

"Not only that Larissa....I ...I'm in love with you"

“Ah…it’s mean you going to justify it, by loving me…even worse…how dare you?”

“No…Larissa…no way…I never justify that…I…apologize for what I did…but my love about you is… totally different than that."

She didn't tell anything...she just looked away..and Fellipe kept on talking...

 “Larissa…I leave for Buenos Aires next year for my Football scholarsip . We may never meet again like this. I don’t have any reason to stay here. But, it doesn’t mean I’m gonna say good bye to you… you will remain in my heart forever with all my love and the first kiss that I made upon my true love.”

She just sighed and then parted her lips to say something. He didn’t have more to say. He sadly moved away from her, to cross the road. He didn’t see a truck was coming on the road.
Larissa screamed 

Fellipe….

He just turned his head towards Larissa....

“Fellippe…I Love….”

He could listen to the rest…in a blink of an eye…He was under the truck…warm blood was flowing on the road!

Larissa ran up to him… crying  fell upon him embracing his body.  

By - Manu Fernando