DAY 01 – 11/12/2012
Tweets from Mission Olivistan
Four Nations. One Journey
Very soon going to embrace an intellectual roller-coaster ride with history, politics and religion of some of THE most happening nations.
Expecting the most unexpected in lands whose maps coordinates may change any moment.
GOD made the heart, we its feelings.
GOD made earth. We drew the maps.
In December 2009, landed in Delhi for a four-states tour culminating in MISSION NIZAMUDDIN. In 2012, it’s a four-nation plan.
No one’s never too early for a journey. I figure it out every time I start one.
Keralites never get tired of carrying homely luggage, even take dates to Basra!
So here starts MISSION OLIVISTAN. Expecting to witness a cocktail salad of history, politics and religion in the coming days. Inshallah.
Co-travelers include the Sayyid and Dr Nadwi, a lifelong academician, and many more eminent personalities.
A Chinese lady, seated on my left to the window, folds her hands in prayer as the flying beast begins to race on the runway.
Prayer isn’t just a relief-response to overcome fear alone. It’s an expression of the soul’s yearning for the Ultimate Being.
An Emirati gentleman held long discussions with my learned co-traveler abut the ‘Hallaq of Malabar’ who took the community for a ride.
I first saw soil of Amman through the camera lens of the Chinese lady who blocked the window. It’s often others often help us see important truths in life.
Touchdown Amman.
Just in time before the so-called fateful date 12 12 12. Adventures ahead I guess.
The airport is named after the wife of former Jordan King. A sort of Taj Mahal memoir of love for his beloved, although she wasn’t his only wife.
Rain greeted us outside the Airport. Sign of Merciful Surprises ahead.
Wael, who hosted us in the bus to hotel, says the driver has a golden rule. ‘You nap, he nap. So please stay awake’.
‘Jordan has truly four seasons. It rains. Yet water here is a BIG problem’
‘Jordan means low-land. And Dead Sea is the lowest sea-level point on the earth’.
‘Jordan’s rulers aren’t originally Jordanians. They hail from Hijaz’
‘25% of Jordanians live in Amman’
Dr Nadwi, who leads the team, quoted an Arabic poem about Dinar, Jordan currency, and Dirham. One ends in nar (hell) and another in ham (tension).
‘Although Dead Sea is in lowest point, Allah’s Mercy has saved it from being over flooded’
‘Jordan produces only 3% of the total food production required for its population’
Dr. Nadwi is equally well-versed with the geo-political facts as much as the religious sciences.
It was a co-incidence to listen SuraAlKahf at Maghreb prayer of the previous day of my journey. The cave-Sleepers are located in Jordan.
Normally the youth in any community are distracted from the serious goals in life. But the Cave Sleepers were the heroes of Truth in their age of darkness.
Truth is timeless. The Story of Cave Sleepers illustrated it immortally.
Dinner consists of rich Olives and Salads.
