Gamble

I look through shapes of hearts and diamonds...

For a dream an aim misplaced by the wind.

Emotions cloud my eyes and vision...

blurred are the images with dust and mist.


Layers of sediment...


What is the depth of human desire?

Emotions? Flood of tears drown your being,

And thoughts lose clarity.


Hearts that are cups filled with water,

Plain and immature; yet pure,

Too filled to add a pinch of reason

Overflowing with a touch of love.


Youth without experience,

Full of life...

Untouched cups filled by the hands of longing

belong nowhere

yet search for a place.

Alas, lost are the souls that feed on love.


Hands empty, eyes filled...

Filling the cup life placed in their hands.


Drink life, sip the brew,

Blend of emotions...


Or take my cup, and give me the one you have.

Replace this water with wine that could be aged

Matured to treasure,

And to be proud of a whole cellar...


Spades, Hearts, Diamond, Clubs...

No more gambling, no trials of error.


Clarity and reason, reason to love...


In the hands of life I leave my cup

To be filled with wine of knowledge.

I will grow old, and know the right time,

To serve it with a toast...

In the honour on my existence...


(A poem written a couple of years back...)

Dry Flowers

The trees and the plants of my child hood, and fond memory of my friends,

Non existant pieces of past... today rest under the concrete... hardened.

I look through shapes of spades and diamonds, for a dream misplaced by the wind...

Lost in the gamble of life my heart, gone is the esence but the flower remains...

Dried flowres... life less, but pretty, are now trying to fake a grin,

This is where my garden lived, this is where my hope ends.

Just one more shade of the same gulmohar, one more shower of that rain...

I will start afresh for a new horizon, a new journey once again...

Khushboo se sarabor hai mere ghar ka ek kona,
Jane ye kiski yaad hai jo mogre me jaa mili...

Diware

Tuti khidki ke jale gatto se dhak kar ke,
Aaj maine apne ghar me aane wali hawa bhi rok di hai
Is chaardiwari me us duniya ka khayaal bhi na aaye
Isliye diware chhat se jada zaruri hai…

Is diwar ke us taraf ke log alag hai
Unki galti hai ki mere ghar ki chhat tuti hai
Int patthar ke saude kiye maine diwaro ke liye
Kyoki diware chhat se jada zaruri hai

Ab is hawa me mera hissa do,
Kyoki jo hawa unke galiyare se aati hai,
Usme main saans nahi le sakta.
Mere ghar pe patthar phenka tha usne…
Isliye diware chhat se jada zaruri hai.

Kaun kehta hai muhafiz hai wo mere bolo,
Mujhpe ahsaan kar ke aaj gunah dhone aaye?
Unko keh do ki yaha mafi nahi, sirf nafrat milegi…
Meri ranjish mujhe teri hansi se pyaari hai.

Ye ranjish kahi unki bato se na dhul jaye
Isliye diware chhat se jada zaruri hai.


(dedicate to all of us who are so fond of dividing that we forget, God never created divisions, just differences, which can be reduced, or magnified... depending on one's wish)

Yesterday you called me shallow for not reflecting your image,

And I remember the day when you called me empty

Because I showed you your real face…

Ruki ruki si zindagi, ruke ruke se hum....

ruka ruka sa waqt hai, ruke ruke kadam ...

Teri aankho me tera aks meri tasveer ban ke tha,

main jab bhi mili tumse, aaina ban ke mili

Ankahee

Nam si bayaar me bhi kyo ek aag hai chhupi
Jane ye bunde os hai ya roya hai koi

Khamoshi me kyo shor si awaz hoti hai
Jane khayal kiska hai sone nahi deta

Chup chap yaha log sare jeete bewajah
Is bheed me kisi ka koi naam nahi hai

Benaam main bhi ho ke kahi kho gayi agar
Jugnoo ke peeche chal ke mujhe dhundhne aana

Gar na milu to bhi na bhulna meri yade
Subah nahi to raat ke darwaze milungi…

Humsaya

Koi saye ka daman tham ke chalta hai kahi
Humne parchaiyo ke pheeche safar mapa hai…

Koi kadmo ke nishan kabhi mile hi nahi
Jaise pairo ko badalo se aaj dhaapa hai

Jhoko ke saath ud na jaye kahi humsaya
Humne parchayi ko resham se aaj bandha hai

Kachche dhago ki tarah kachchi samajh bhi hai abhi
Kaise batlaye is safar ka kya irada hai

Rehna chup chap tum bhi meri tarah subah tak
Raat ke saath aaj guftgu ka vada hai…

Tum na chal payo mere saath to bhi gam hai nahi
Meri tanhai teri dosti se jada hai

Crossroads

Some day at the dusk of life
I want to be on crossroads with you again
This time to chose the same way...

Our tryst in my dreams
Long after you said goodbye
Were small and beautiful
Sweet as our love was when it was still there
Holding hands once again
Walking together on a rain drenched lane

Hands in hands we sit on a bench
My head on your shoulders,
Dreams in my eyes
And in my dream I dreamt of togetherness
One that lasts forever
But forever is a dream
I don’t even have today

And just as I was to kiss you,
Night gave way to the day.
My dream was shattered without a sound
A meek cry from my heart went unheard…

Slowly as realty overshadows dreams,
I wake up too tired to start a day
Unable to leave the bed which is still drenched
with your thoughts
And with the rain I dreamt of

I toss and turn on my bed
Praying for the night to come back
I want to sleep again
To have that dream back in my eyes
To live with you again

But neither dreams nor you
Are ever to come back
A tear filled adieu to my night I bid
A sorrowful greeting to the day

And then I pour the blood of my heart
To a prayer
For once I want to meet you again
Just as we met before
Walk on the same roads
Holding hands

On the cross roads of life once again
Come to me my love
This time I will lead the way
And neither you nor I will cry ever again.

Raat ke kinare

Maine kholi jab kiwadi raat ki,
Dhue ke saath kuch khab bhi ud gaye…

Abhi bas bhor ki khat khat se khuli thi ankhe,
Abhit tak raat ke takiye pe hi padi thi main.
Abhi to bujh bhi na payi yhi shama sham ki,
Abhi to udte jugnuon ke par bhi na gine.

Abhi main sochti thi kaise bulau unko,
Koi pairon ke nishan ret par mile bhi nahi.
Abhi to tinka tinka jodti thi yado ko,
Abhi is pal ki parat bhi kaha uteri thi…

Magar kuch sochti tab tak hi darwaza khatka,
Subah ki dhoop mere khabo ko le udi.

Dream

A whisper from the night and a scream from the day,
My eyes are full of dreams don’t ask me to wake up
I worte a name on my pillow last night...
Let me read it once before I leave my bed.
In fragments I remember my dreams from the night that went,
Let me arrange the fragments before they are lost in time.
Don’t ask for an abrupt departure
If you have to go, make it slow,
Give me time to gather the moments left behind…
That night was a dream I know,
But let me live the dream for a while before I wake up…

Amaltash

Photos by Sandeep Malkania

Aaina

Zamane ki bheed me khud ko khone wale,
Tumhari ek tasveer maine ab bhi saheje Rakhi hai

Kahi beete zamane me mere jaise hi the tum bhi
Wo tumko yaad na ho maine sambhala hai us pal ko

Yu to aaina wqt kaid kar ke rakh nahi sakta
Magar sheeshe me is dil k tumhari shakl na badli

Kabhi khud ko samajhna ho to mere paas aa jana
Main khud ko bhul kar baithi hun par tumko nahi bhuli

Tumhare paas meri yaad na ho to bhi aa jana
Main teri yaado me apni nishani dhund sakti hu

Tumhare khat me hai kushboo tumhare hatho ki ab tak
Agar apni likhwat dekhni ho mujhko batlana

Junoon wo tha tumhara tut sakta hai nahi gam hai
Mera to dard tha main bhul ke bhi ji nahi sakti.

Hartaal

Aaj desh ke rehnuma
Desh ke bure halat ko
Desh ki awaam tak pahuchane ke liye
Desh vyapi hartaal karenge.

Hartaal yani aaj kuch nahi hoga.

Han, base book ki gayi hai,
Logo ko kone kone se rajdhani tak lane ke liye,
Aur baso me lad ke tayyar hai log, dilli dekhne aane ke liye,
Kaha milta hai aisa mauka roz,
Bina tikit rassed ke ghumo rajdhani,
Hum awaam hai, awaam ke liye itna to karnge.

Kadakti dhoop hai,
Magar mahngaayi se jyada nahi marti hai dhoop.
Loo se to 10-15 log marte hai puri garmi me ,
Mahangayi har roz maar rahi hai.
Lekin desh azaad hai,
Kuch utha-patak hai mausam ki
Aur kuch antar-rashtriya bazaar ka prabhaav hai
Isliye sarkaar kuch nahi kar paa rahi,
Aisa akhbaar kehte hai.
Magar koi antar-rashtriya dabav nahi,
Hamare rehnuma hamari bhalayi me tatpar hai.
Sadhe saat fisadi ki dar hai badhne ki
Ye baat aur hai ki mere gaon me ab tak sadak nahi aayi.
Tana tani hai rajya aur Kendra ki sarkaro me,
Beech me football bani laat khati awaam,
Magar mahangayi kam ho rahi hai,
Aisa akhbaar kehte hai…
Kyoki desh azaad hai aur rehnuma
Hamare bhalayi ke liye tatpar hai.

To kya agar bijli ke khambe nahi lage,
Khambe to hai aur unpe netaji ki tasveer bhi hai,
To kya agar sadak nahi bani,
Shilanyas ka pathar hai aur uspe bhi netaji ka naam hai.

To kya, to kya agar desi daal nasseb nahi thali ko,
Canada ki daal kha ke hamari to teen peedhiya tript hai.
Ye baat aur hai ki sarkaar IPL ke pachde niptane me vyast hai,
Aur halaki school banana ke liye paise kam hai,
Commonwealth khelo ke liye paryapt matra me dhan uplabdh hai.
Sarkaari godaam khali, dalalo ke ghar bhare hue;
Magar desh azaad hai…
Isliye, ummed ka daaman nahi chodte hum.

To bhaiya, buse tayyar hai,
Dande ko tel pilayo aur tayyar ho jao,
Aaj chakka jam hai,
Bekari me ye bhi ek kaam hai.
Ham berozgar nahi, rajneetik karykarta hai,
Hamare haq, hamari zarurat hame pata hai,
Aaj sthiti vikat hai,
Par agar chal gaye to agli manzil party ka ticket hai.

Han bhai, dhool me phool khilenge,
Aaj nahi to kal, netaji hamse bhi milenge,
Aur koi mane na mane,
Humne akhbaar padha hai isliye ham mante hai,
Ki desh azaad hai aur hamare rehnuma tatparta ke saath,
Yudhstar par jute hai,
Par mausam ka mijaz kharab hai.
Kadi dhoop me to rehnuma bhi behosh ho kar girte hai,
Magar kisaan ka hal nahi rukta.
Lekin aaj nahi, aaj hartaal hai…
Aaj, sirf roti hi nahi hamare rajneetik haq ka sawal hai…
Phaad ke aankhe dekh lena,
Aaj neta ji sakshaat dikhenge
Aur koi kuch kahe,
Hum jaante hai ki desh azaad hai,
Aur sthiti me sudhaar hai,
Aisa akhbaar kehte hai.

Tumhare sheher mein

Do bitta zameen chahiya aur roti do waqt ki,
Tumhara sheher bahut bada hai par itna bhi nahi hai.

Meri aankhe badi budhi nahi dikhta hai ab kuch bhi
Magar main dekhta hu tez chalti is sadak ke chhor
Aati jaati gadiyo ka shor
Jagti aankhe aur tadapte badan
Raat se din tak bechain tadapte man
Ummedo ki jagah dhue se lipti rato ka sach bhi
Meri budhi si aankho ne hai dekhe andhere din

Guzarte hai watan ke rehnuma har roz in sadko se
Yahi pe main bhi meri kyo khabar kisi ko na hui
Kaha unke liye milo tak resham bunte hai sab log
Mujhe to tat ka bistar bhi mayassar nahi hota

Dillagi

Chalta rahe agar to safar warna dillagi,

Ae zindgi ab khud tu meri nazar se dekh...

Jo manzilo se age ja sake hai wo rasta,

Tu ab meri rafter me kuch dheere chal k dekh.

Shabo-seher kai jala ke raakh ki maine,

Is ki lehek me tu bhi karwate badal ke dekh.

Meri tarah se rona kabhi tum ne na seekha,

Meri tarah hasne ka gur la ke amal me dekh.

Dekhe hai tamashe kai tumne bhi yaha pe,

Ban ke tamash aaj tu apni shakal bhi dekh...

Saba...

Photo courtesy: Sandip Bhattacharya

ye rang hai ki dhoop hai
khili hai ya bikhar gayi
hai os ya ki dhundh hai
udi hai ya utar gayi

kisi ki ankho se ude,
kisi pe aa utar gaye
ye sapne hai ki titliya
hai hanste ya ke dar gaye

bandhe nahi khule nahi
ruke hai ya guzar gaye
ye lamhe hai ki ret hai
hai phisle ya teher gaye

kadam k hai nishan ye
ya chaav hai ummed ki
hai laute ya he gumshuda
safar pe hai ya ghar gaye

Ankahee

Zindagi k manzar
Aankho k aage se aise guzarte hai
Jaise koi unmana sa bachcha
Daant k dar se
Panne palat raha ho kitab k
Shabd dikhte nahi
Par aankho k aage se chalte jate hain
Kai pal, yun hi bewajah
Barbaad…
Dhool si udti hai kuch
In panno se,
Kai dino se khule nahi
Seeli se mehek
Alag hote kaghaz k tukde…
Khadi rehti hu me bhi aise hi
Jaise kahi pe waqt theher jata hai
Aur phir aankho k same se
Log, pal, manzar, manzile…
Sab nikalte rehte hai
Par sudh nahi hoti
Ki ja raha hai kuch
Ya ye ki main thehri hun
Chalet jate hai kadam
Par rasta pata nahi hota
Ek khalipan
Jo sukoon deta hai
Main akeli nahi hu
Log hain
Par jodna padta hai khud ko
Jaan bujh kar
Aur jab kisi se vassta nahi hota
Tab khud ko sunti hu
Khamoshi me araam
Tanhai ka sukoon
Duniya ka tamasha
Mujhe bioscope ka khel lagta hai
Jaise koi ghuma raha hai tasveero ko
Aur main dekhti hu
Par awaaze nahi sunayi deti
Aur main usme shabd bharti hu…
Phir, chup chaap, aage badh jate hai kadam
Aur itni kahaniyo se bhari duniya
Aur log
Meri aankho k aage se guzarte jate hain
Kabhi padhti hu
Aur kbhi, unmane
Paltte jate hai panne
Apne andar unsuni kahaniya samete…

Bebasi

Badi bebasi hai, kahi kho gayi hai
Wo duiya jaha ankh kholi thi maine
Wo galiya, wo raste, wo ghar wo dukane,
Nahayi hui dhool me garm shame
Wo thandi bayare bhari chandni me
Wo loo k thapedo me thande se kamre.

mai june me jab paseena tapakta
kati bijli me mombatti jalana
thahako ki mehfil me garmi bhula k
purani kisi film k gane gana
bade besure rag lagte the lekin
dadi hamesha bajti thi tali
waha jaan k khud ko rani suro ki
andhere me khud pe zara itrana.

Kaha hai mayassar tang shehro me chhat ab
Wo tha daur jab chhat pe din raat beete
Kabhi dhoop aur kabhi badal udaye
Kabhi barishe kabhi jugnoo sajaye
Bhare sapno wali wo nadaan aankhe
Kshitij me thikana kahi dhundhti thi.

Khud ko shehenshah samajh k gali ka
Sadak ko khel ka maidan banana
Bina bole ghar me gali me bhag jana
Phir der sham tak bahar rehne ka shauk
Chaar baar bulane par man masos kar
Dhali sham ghar me aana
Phir padhai se bachne k bahane dhundna
aur jab koi bahana kaam na aaye…
table pe baith k khayali patang udana.

Teen rupaye ki ice cream k liye,
Terah logo ki sifarish,
Do manzil k ghar me
Upar neeche, kahi to koi mile;
School ho ya ghar, pdhne ki zarurat nahi
Wo to bado ka sirdard tha ki kaise padhaye

Bas ek dar us bachpan ka,
Report Card…
Result k pehle k wo din
Har roz agarbatti jalan….
Par dant k alava kabhi fail karne me koi aur dar nahi laga…
Aaj, zindgi har roz imtehan leti hai,
Besure gano ki tariff koi nahi karta,
Aur kshitij ki sachchai bhi pata chal chuki hai…
Ab fail hone pe dant nahi padti,
Par dar lagta hai
Kyoki aur koi rasta nahi
Yaha class repeat nahi hoti,
Fail ka matlab hamesha k liya fail.
Koi apni gali nahi,
Aur ghar me bhi sab badla badla sa hai
Purane chehre ab pados me nahi dikhte
Na hi wo gali hai pehle jaisi.
Mera apna sheher mujhe anjaan lagta hai,
Sochti hu ki kya wo sach tha meri zzindgi ka jo guzar gaya
Ya ye hai jo aaj hai…
Ya phir dono hi sach hai..
Main ghar ko chod k bhi chod nahi paayi
Aur raste pe chal k bhi chal nahi rahi…
Meri manzil abhi bahut door hai;
Aura b to apna ghar bhi dur nazar aata hai