Echo

Har ek din ek saans aur zaya
Wohi kahani hai har raat ki
Thaki aankhe aur bojh khwabo ka
Din to guzar jata hai teri bheed me sar phodte hue
Khali lamhe khud k saath guzarna
Bhari lagta hai do pal
Apne saath baithna

Kabhi kabhi

Kabhi kabhi dil me yun khayal aata hai,

ki ek lambi si saans ke baad ki khamoshi,

aur us khamoshi ki baad ka shor,

palke jhapakne pe pal bhar ka andhera,

aur phir roshni ka ek rela aata ankho ki or

kitab ke panne palate hue

aksharo aur shabdo ke beech do pal ka sannata

aur phir us sannate ko cheerte,

shabd bikhre charo or...

subah se shakh pe baithe, thake kuch patte

shakh se bichadne, aur zamin se dosti hone ke beech

kitni khalao se guzarte,

girte...

kisi phul ke murjhane ke baad ki dastan,

kisi koyle ke heera ban jane ki dastan...

kabhi kabhi,

wo ek pal jisme kuch nahi hota

wo likhe hue har pal se khas hota hai...

ek anjan shakal jo bhid me muskurati hai hume dekh k

ek alpviram, jo tute hue shabdo me

arth jodta hai...

Bhram

Kabhi kabhi tejabi raate hoti hain...

Jab phulo ke rang os me dhul jate hain...

Daghdaar dil khud ko chand samajh baithta hai,

Par suraj ke bina bas amavas hi ban pata hai

Chirag khud ko tare maan lete hain,

Bhool jate hain magar aandhi se ladna unke bas ka nahi

Aur timtimate tare badal se haar kar,

Chup kho jate hain raat me kahi.

Wahin andhere ki agosh me kho kar,

Tute patte me simti ik bund khud ko sagar samajhti hai

... raste me pada paththar,

Himalaya hone ke khwab dekhta hai

Par agli subah dhoop sare bhed khol deti hai...

Aur din ka miraj, raat ke bhram se alag hota hai.

Cobwebs...

A mesh of cobwebs entangles my soul,

cant believe these fine silk like threads can hold up years of longing…

And what was wished for forever

Seems like a distant dream…

Cobwebs… the spiders are all around.

Are they too hard at work, or am I too lazy to remove them in time…

Or is it my comfort zone which is stopping me from venturing out.

I did not bid her adieu

I did not bid her adieu…

She left in such a hurry

Now I wonder how far she must have gone

For neither my voice, nor my thoughts reach

That world which she calls home now

I don't know where it is...

No accolades no tear drenched speeches

No promises of meeting again

She came like a lightening

And flew like a bird

To lands far away...

The human form lost long ago

She lives like the feeling for November sun

Strong and pleasant… everyone’s friend

Only to fade away in the winter fog

She said something about a spring

When ships may cross by again

Would she remember I passed by her

And have looked for her all the way

It is no tragedy, just life

A poem or a song I heard

A short story which had to end

A post script in me she left…

A silent commemoration

A quite tribute I pay...

And later I may write memoirs...

If from me to her

Memories had a way.

Ik tanha chirag dhundhti hun

Jo jalte hue doston ki ummed na kare

Akeli raat ke andhere samete khud me

Par ujalo ke humsafar ke aane ki raah na take

Ye sheher jo kabhi mera humasaya tha

Aaj ajnabee nazar aata hai

Agar ujale ke badle

Chirag jaane pehchane chehre mangne lage

Kaha dhundungi...

Humsafar andhere ke

Chand ki Mehfil

Meri dehliz pe kyo chand utar aata hai
main rokti hu use phir bhi idhar aata hai
wo janta hai uski mehfile chubhti hai mujhe
mujhe chidhane ko har roz magar aata hai

main dhue se kar k parda nazar churati hun
wo magar cheer k parde pukarta hai mujhe
kaisi yaari hai ki marzi hai uski mera kya
meri bato ko ansuna sa karta jata hai

uski zid hai ki kuch to arz karu uski nazar
ye jaan k ki khamoshi ke naam raat likhi
phir bhi ladta hai roz roop naye dharta hai
aankh pe rukta nahi dil me aa utarta hai

main hansu ya ki rou zid pe aa k baitha hai
ek masoom si ada hai, na kahu kaise
do lafaz bol du ki behle aur so jaye
wo magar puri ghazal ki zid pakadta hai

jeeta hai chaand ya khamoshi meri hansti hai
jane kyo aaj yaha chandani chahakti hai...
Meri gali me dhoop chao ke khel ke baad
aksar chup chap chand ki mehfil jamti hai...

Khwab se

Raat ki tanha talash ka tukra

Ek akela sa khwab hu main...

Adhura bojh lagu to bhi

Nazaro se girana nahi...

Thak bhi jayo agar meri tabeer ki talash me,

mere saath chalna, khayal jaan k bhulana nahi.

Na dekhi dhup na tare gine,

Na os ki chadar chhui, na dhundh ki shawl buni...

Anjani duniya hai tere aankho ke aage ki

Anjan meri nasamjhi se tum kahi chidh jana nahi.

Koi raah mere kadmo se judi nahi ab tak

Na kisi aur ke raste pe chalna sikha hai...

Tum agar dhundhte ho pairo k nishan mere kahi

Na mile to bhi dhundhna... thak jana nahi...

Mere naam ki koi shakal nahi hai ab tak

Mera wajood to hai... pehchaan abhi mili nahi

Koi mere bare me pooche, aur samajh na paaye

To bas khamosh ho jana... Samjhana nahi...

Mai teri chhaya hun ya tu mera humsaya hai

Kuch to hai ek sa hum me ki hum jude hai kahi

Tune ji aankho se duniya hai dekhi ab tak ki...

Main unhi aankho se kal ki shakal ko dekh aayi...

Tumhe jo ik jhalak dikhlau us kal ki apne

Sach janna usko...

Jhuth samajh hansi me udana nahi.

Barish ke baad...

Bundo ki ruh jaise fiza me udti si hai...

Barish k baad ka ye dhua

lamppost se latka

hawa me atka...

Dhundhla thanda...

Ankho k aage os k parde sa...

Chhup nahi sakte iski ot me

chhu nahi sakte

ankho ki galti ya samajh ka pher bhi ho sakta hai ...

khoye pyar ki yaad sa...

na hoke bhi kahi gale me atka

koi dekhe koi dekh k bhi na dekh paaye

samajh k pare ek ehsas sa

sagar k beech kashti me pyaas sa

badalo ke khoye tukre sote hue zami pe

kisi shayar ki aankh me bhare jasbaat sa...

Bundo ki ruh hai,

barish phir se aayegi, to dhul jayegi...

Warna subah ki dhup ke saath

phir bund ban k

peshani pe utar aayegi...

By Anjali Ojha

Inteha

Ik inteha hai yeh bhi ki ab tak intezar hai,

is rah ki waise to manzil kahi nahi...

Ankhe thake bhi haar k sapne nahi thakte,

din ki kasauti pe inki kimat yun kuch nahi.

Hatho se dhanpte hai ankhe chand se chupne...

Chubhti hai ankho me teri tasveer chand me.

Jalte charago ko bujha khud ko jalaya hai...

Yun to ujalo se bhi ab ummed kuch nahi.

Photo by: Anjali Ojha

Koi khushbu nahi faza me magar...

Tere tasavvur se mehki raat me soye kaise...

Meri tanhalyi ka sabab teri yade hi to hai...

Teri yado se saji raat me soye kaise....

Aise kitni jalayi raate kitne din khoye....

Rakh me sulgi hui raat me soye kaise.

Udte badal me bawandar hai chupa bund nahi ...

Jaante hai hum ye baat to soye kaise.

Jite to hain magar gin paye na apni sanse...

Aise uljhe hue halat me soye kaise...

Khoyi aankho se pata subah ka puchche kaise...

Besabab behte hai jsbat hum soye kaise...

Ik khayal k jhoke me

Teri yaad hai adhuri...

Udti khushbu si,

Maujud har taraf,

Par hasil kuch nahi...

Mogre ki safed jhalak...

Ya gulmuhar ki lali...

Kohre me lipti sham si

Ek shakh patjhad si...

Puchti hu khud se kabhi kabhi

Umeed kyo na ho?

Tu guzra waqt to nahi ki mud k aa nahi sakta

Raat

jane kyo raat mujhe din jaisi lagti hai...

thanke hue sab musafir apne apne ghar gaye...

panchi bhi so gaye, raste bhi so gaye

thak kar chupa hai chand bi, badal bhi so gaye

phir taro ki ungli pakad ke tanha hum chale...

na unch neech na dharam, na bhed dikhte hai...

raat ki aaghosh me sab ek dikhte hai

patthar ki chadar pe bhi sapne aate reshami,

aur band aankho me bhi aksar din utarta hai...

par jalti hui aankhe, kaise chain ki chadar odhe....

raat din se haseen hai, iska daman kaise chore....

Sab bhool jaye to bhi ik baat ya bhi hai...

Ye raat dilruba nahi par humsafar to hai.

saaye

Maine ghabra ke sayo se, jab din ko chune ki khoshish ki…

Apni hi parchayi raat ke andhere se ghani samne khadi mili

Haath badha ke chune ki koshish ki suraj ko,

ungliya jail… aur roshni bhi nahi mili…

akele khud ko apni baho me samete, main raat dhallne ki raah dekhti rahi,

subah aayi, leking koi kiran meri khidki pe nahi utar payi…

aur phir intezar me ek boond dhoop ke, meri aankhe khsitij ko dhundhne lagi…

par na asman aur na hi zamin mere ankho ko mil sake…

aur raaten kat-ti rahi bekhabar si…

dhundhte hue asman ko nazre mili samne guzarti sadak se…

khidki se ek ungli bahar nikal ke, bahut der baithi rahi

shayad kai din, shayad kai saal…

ek ummid ki koi ungli pakdega,

aur main usse poochungi roshni ke ghar ka pata

magar badhawas sadko se, bas cheekhti tanhayee guzarti nazar aayi...

phir kaano ko hantho se band kar ke,

aankho ko zor se meech liya…

(band aankhe subah aur raat me fark nahi dekh pati…)

aur phir, barso se khoyi hansi, palko ke kinare utar aayi.

Thake hatho se kaise khat tumhare naam pe likhe..

Likhe jazbat ya k bas khayalato pe khat likhe.

Marasim me sach ko dhundhti tanha teri aankhe,

likhe un ankho pe ya k marasim pe ye khat likhe...

Ya wo likhe jo tera sang me lamhe guzare the,

ya phir wo dard likhe jo nazar tujhko kiye maine...

Likhhe mausam ke naam pe ya haale dil pe khat lilkhe,

sheher ke shor pe ya phir ki tanha man pe khat likhe...

Tumhara haal kya puche kaha sach bolte ho tum,

na tumne poocha hi ki haal pe apne hi khat likhe...

Jo teri khair rakhte hai, tu unki fikar rakh lena,

tumhare naam pe alfaz itne se hi bas likhe

Kaise kahe tanha ujala dhundhte hai hum,

ye raat dilruba nahi par humsafar to hai...

Ik dard hi sahi koi apna to hai magar,

duniya me teri yun to akele hi sab chale.

Insan jo kuch nahi hai gume ishq ke bina,

wo ishq ke dago ko kaise dagh bhi kahe.

Hasart hai dekhne ki magar milne ki nahi,

kyo ho shikayat wo nazar chura k jo chale.

Hai shauk ik ye bhi ki khelte hain khud se hum,

tum ruthte ho kyo tumse to nahi khele...

Sach aur bharam me mere ik khwab ki lakir,

sapno ki yari hai zara mehfil to ab chale...

Under the summer sun

The dusty road tracks jump with friction; fog of dust is all we have for clouds…
In a swanky red ac bus I roll down the street... Mercury rising like inflation…

Through semi tainted glass, I can see the side-lanes set afire.
Yellow Amaltas... scores in a row...
Spilled through the road side, lighting up the skyline...

In Lutyen’s Delhi...
The winter dew transforms in summer sweat.
Like beads of pearls adorning foreheads...
As if the weather has taken upon itself to coronate every one...
Rich or poor... It won’t discriminate... For the kings have paved the way for the common, From Queen's way to Janpath...

And the Mougals are all on roads...
Their names inked with precision on bright green boards...
Burning under the yellow sun...

Poor sun is no one's friend today...
Hiding from it's glare under a turquoise umbrella...
I look at the street urchins... Selling a thing or two...
Jorawar, Munni and Raju...
A sip of water is dear for them,
For the plastic bottles are not to be stored but sold...

And cooling their limbs in the shades and subways,
The labor that has been building this city of aspirations.
Centuries of toiling without a place
No roof for those who build the palaces...
I wonder how they manage to sleep in the heat wave...
Sniffing a mud stained handkerchief, a pair of lost eyes answer my question
With scorch as harsh as the summer sun.

It’s a busy circle in the heart of the city,
No weather can deter the shopping enthusiast
The summer collection hanging on display,
Busy feet treading the sandstone paths.

Somewhere rolling round a huge tin jar,
Mounted on a red cloth covered platform
A boy plays a with spoon on a row of glasses...
Desi lemonades, banta, jaljira...
Summer delights have no end here...
For every pocket, a promise of fulfilment.

I move with ease between the two worlds...
Of air conditioned chambers and scorching streets...
Through tainted glass and under the naked sun...
I metamorphose myself, every now and then....

The concrete roads create a mirage…
And I follow in search of the promised satiation…

Shikva

Shikvo ka daur hai aaj kal

zamane walo sambhalna...

gar narazgi se naraz ho...

bas bach ke nikalna.

Guft-gu shikayat me badal jaye na kahi

Hum se jab milna, chup chaap milna...

Shikayat

Chandni ki syahi me ek ungli duba k, maine raat k asman pe tera naam likha hai.
Teri khidki ke hisse me asman thoda kam hai, warna shayd tu bhi mera naam likhta rato me.

Din k ujale juda hai hum tum se, yun to bhi raat ki hi ek parchayee hai;
lekin sarhad hai ek aankho aur haatho me, waise daman tera mujh se koi juda to nahi.

Ishq hai ya ki kasaq ka asar bacha sa hai, aaj bhi kagaz pe naam jodti hu do...
Likh ke sau baar mitaya tujhko kagaz se, isliye asman pe aaj naam likha hai...

Maine shikve kiye zamane se, khuda se bhi... Phir bhi jane kyo shikayat meri kam hoti nahi,
Manga jab haath phiala k khuda se tha tujhko, ek lakir se bati hui zamin de di...

Teri khushiyo me na main gum me nahi hu shamil, phir bhi hisse me thoda dard ye tera bhi hai,
Ek akhir ki dor hai ye bhi dono me, dard k aage bas taqdeer k haraf hai hum...

A rainbow lost

In a dew drenched morning, we stood at a crossroad,

Neither I nor you knew what stood beyond the veil that covered our eyes...

It was through the winter fog... I thought, I saw a path laden with roses;

Fragrance of jasmine strong in my nostrils.

A Mild chill touched and my cheeks blushed...

A drop of January rain settled on my eyelash.

I looked at the sky and the fog gave way to the sun....

A single ray of light fell on the drop

And the drop broke into a rainbow...

Seven colours of the universe scattered on my face...

Delighted I looked for you, just to find myself standing alone

Your distant shadow visible walking away...

I stood there long, I was sure you will come back...

The sun rose higher up the sky, the veils of fog and dreams removed,

I was alone at that crossroad...

I wondered why I did not follow you; why didn't I ask you to stop...

Ages passed, I did not follow you; but why didn't I take another path?

Uljhan

Koi bechaini si dil me hai ek zunoon hai kahin,
chain ummeed me nahi hai aarzoo bhi nahi.



Saans aati nahi aur na hi karaar aata hai,
aur is besabab bechaini se gila bhi nahi.



Na tapish hai na to thandak magar ek had ye bhi,
jane kyo raat apni, din begana nazar aata hai


Kisi aalim ne kaha man ki khata hai ye bhi,
phir bhi samjhaye se ye man na smajah pata hai.



Ek lakir khdiye se khichi aur mit bhi gayi,
man magar phir bhi sarhado me bandha jata hai.



Yun to bandhan main saare chod aayi sadiyo se,
jane kyo khulne ka nafas na ab bhi aata hai.



Mujhko kyo tane dete ho ki ruki kyo ho...
Mere pairo me bandha ab bhi ek wada hai.



Aur ud k bhi mere pankh gar khule hai nahi,
seem o zar ka ye bojh in pe kuch jyada hai...

Lamha

Benakab ho tamanna phir se, beparda ishq ankhe na churaye

Tere ghar se mere ghar tak, ek rasta to aaye...



Aankho pe neend ka bojh, aur khayalo ki besabri chain na lene de,

Khwabo ko takiye ke neeche rakh ke soye, khwabo ka dum na ghut jaye.



Ek lamha ho kahi, jisme kuch bhi na ho,

shayad us lamhe me khoye khud ka pata mil jaye.

Dilo me aag na ho, hawa ki tapish se aitaraz nahi,

Chand ko taak ke raat kaate, wo mausam phir se aaye



Main haath badhau to tera haath mile thamne ko,

Parchayeeyo ke peeche bhagne walo ki kismat ik baar palat jaye



Bhigi lakdi me dhua na ho, aur sanso me jalan na ho,

Sham ke aasman me tare ho, uljhan na ho,

kano me teri awaaz ho, khamosh hi sahi,

apne gum pe hansi aaye, khusi par afsos na ho…



Kaha janant ki tamanna thi, par zami to na cheene koi

Thirakne ko taraste kadam kahi chalna na bhool jaye...

Jaale...

Photo Courtesy: Sandip Bhattacharya

mahin resham se dhage,

makde ke jale ko dekho, resham se alag nahi...

phir kaise ye mahin soot bandh lete kisi ki udan ko...

aur bandhan bhi aisa ki jitna nikalne ki koshish karo, utna uljhata jaye...

kya ye makdiya tez hai bahut, ya maine samay par jale saaf nahi kiye?

...har taraf jaal hai, resham se dikhte hai,

dhoop me chamakte hai,

par uljhan hai...

Kagaz ke phool

Kagaz ke phoolo me mehek purani kitaab ki....

Zang lage guitar ke taar, aur dhun ek jaani pehchani... purani.



Thake hue pairo ko nayi rah ki si aas,

Aur gumshuda yaado me se ik naam ki talash.

Phir aankh me aakar kisi sapne ka atakna

Aur dil ka lalachna kisi anjan shay ki or...



Lakdi ke dhue pe saji bundo ki mekek bhigi si,

Bhigi sadak ke gaddho me pani si theri zindgi;

Guzre palo ko thamo to behti hui si zindgi...

Sab khone ka dar hai aur kal ke panno me band ik khushi.



Jane kyo aaj ye hawa guzri gali se aayi hai...

Jane ye kaise saath guzre pal ki khushboo layi hai

Phir se thake pairo me thirkan wahi purani,

Aur purane kitab ke panno me likhi ek aur kahani...

Log kehte hai ki safar hai, par sab makaam dhundhte hai;

Subah chale the, sham tak koi rah hume bhi dhundh legi...