Asmanjas

State of mind on signing the first technology transfer deal...

असमंजस 

असमंजस की आंधी में बंजर है, सपनों से सींचा, उर्वर मनीषी उपवन!

चाहूँ मै उड़ना, उसके लिए पर, पर मांगें पैसे, पैसे की अस्फुट उलझन!

विचारों की दरिया में डूबते हुए मन को, मिलता न तिनका, किनारा,

आंसू की वर्षा को, मन की हताशा को, मिलता कलम का सहारा,

प्रलोभन हैं ज़्यादा, समझ की कमी है, किस्मत का ढलता सितारा,

कांपते हाथों से दस्तखित सौदे के पर्चों का पल पल घूमे नज़ारा,

रत्तीभर मुनाफे में बेचा है मैंने कल, अपने कलेजे का टुकड़ा अनमन!

चाहूँ मै उड़ना, उसके लिए पर, पर मांगें पैसे, पैसे की अस्फुट उलझन!

पल में बदलते इरादों-विचारों से भरा गया मेरी कल्पना का पिटारा,
चाहत है बढती नयी निर्मिती की, अब तो मुझे रतजगे भी गवारा,
प्यास और भूख नहीं, पहेली के हल का कहीं तो मिले इक इशारा,
इनामी भंवर में फंसा बावरा मन आतुर है, जल्द हो सौदा दोबारा,
किसी की अमानत बनेगा फिर, जटिल जतन से हुए सुमन का सृजन!
चाहूँ मै उड़ना, उसके लिए पर, पर मांगें पैसे, पैसे की अस्फुट उलझन!

असमंजस की आंधी में बंजर है, सपनों से सींचा, उर्वर मनीषी उपवन!
चाहूँ मै उड़ना, उसके लिए पर, पर मांगें पैसे, पैसे की अस्फुट उलझन!

Luck By Chance

The havoc wreaked by the recent Tsunamis in Japan has made me re-live the horror of 2004 and brought back to memory many of the related incidents. One such sad incident involved an ill-fated police inspector of bad repute who was amazed by the extensive low tide and rushed to explore the newly exposed sands for pearl shells on his new bike. That became his last journey as he was surrounded by many feet high mud springs splattering from underneath the sand and that was the last time he was seen. There was another man of similar repute on another island with a better(?) fate...

He was known to one and all as 'Raghu's Father' in the nondescript town of Shivpur. Raghu was still a middle school student while his friends were about to complete their schooling and was better known as a notorious character. Not every one was known by his children's names in Shivpur. It depended on who, the father or the son, was known more.

Raghu's father was a lineman in the electricity department and his job ensured that local drink 'Handiya' never ran out of supply for him. He made the best use of his wages by keeping himself drunk day in and day out. He was the last person to be called in case of any line faults as no one wanted to put his life in danger. Sooner than later it started creating problems, especially when he was the only lineman on duty at night and a minor rainstorm disrupted the town's power supply. Complaints against him started escalating and he was eventually punished by being transferred to a remote island of Kanata with a population count of double digits. Some suspected that this disciplinary action was a boon in disguise for him as it gave him the opportunity to drink more freely and frequently.

Almost all of the houses on the Kanata Island were beach facing and presented an exotic sea view. This arrangement was for rather practical than aesthetic reasons. The land was flat for a few meters along the shore and the rest of the island was hilly. There was a dispensary atop the hill and a single narrow winding road  led to it. A huge party was held there on Christmas night and people returned home at midnight, heavily inebriated. The compounder had to stay behind as the Engineer Sahib was taken ill after the heavy bout of drinking. Power supply was disrupted at three in the morning and by five all the candles were exhausted. It was now that the compounder started for lineman's house. He had a very tough time waking him up and it was already six by the time they could start back for the dispensary. The compounder was still wondering how he could manage to wake up the drunk lineman.

Suddenly there was a huge roar. The compounder thought he was hit on head by the drunk man. The drunk man thought he was dreaming. The roar continued and appeared to be approaching near. The compounder turned behind to see a huge wall of water approaching and he froze. It was now the turn of the drunk man to turn back and see his house being engulfed in water along with everybody else's. For a fraction of second he thought he saw a couple of souls trying to run away from water and failing to do so. He shook the frozen compounder by the shoulder and both of them started running frantically towards the dispensary. When they looked back the next time, it appeared that they had landed on a new island which seemed to have suddenly risen above the sea waters. There was no sight of the till now existing civilization.

The news of Kanata's destruction reached Shivpur after four days. By that time, every one had already assumed that not a single soul would have survived there. There was mourning at Raghu's house and people were already discussing who should take up the job that will be offered on compassionate grounds. Some rooted for his mother taking up the work, others supported Raghu. But everyone was generally relieved that the family could finally get rid of the drunkard. It was a scene of mixed emotions.

Soon it was first January. Unlike previous years, it was a day of despair and mourning. The ten o'clock bus brought an unbelievable piece of news. An engineer, a compounder, a carpenter and a lineman from Shivpur were the only four survivors on the Kanata Island. The crowd started towards Raghu's house with mixed emotions once again. In his mother's own words, 'the Almighty had kept me on slow poison, then he paused only to resume with a higher dose.'

Mahabharata Live

History: The original version of the Tale of Mahabharata presents a least distorted account of human psychology in a very novel style. It had exposed bare emotions when it was not the norm. It is still not a norm, but that is another thing. A dozen doctorate degrees would not honor its creator enough. It continues to intrigue me as I see its chapters unfolding all the times, all around.

Mahabharata Live!

As a teacher publishes a pupil's thesis in his name,
As a reportee bears the brunt of his boss' shame,
As a factory effluents poison the rural resources,
As a man is blinded, misled at bigoted discourses,
As an offical deducts share from a poor's food,
As a hawker is shooed away in a tone very rude,
As facts are veiled to nip competition in bud,
As intellectuals get engrossed in slinging mud...

Compassion is killed, ethics are omitted,
A Drona is created, an Eklavya is cheated,
An Arjun is exalted, a Karn is defeated,
And The tale of Mahabharata is repeated.

Hum Khwab Dikhane Wale Hain

Background: This post has been compiled on the earnest request by a politician for his public address.

Politician Speak:

In a world replete with temptation,

I am still accused of corruption;

Adressed to the one who maligns

And will regret lacking political signs,

My emotions are expressed in these lines!

(Hindi Translation)

सोने के प्याले में मोती मिश्रित मद्य मधुर सा लगता है,

फिर भी लगते आरोंपों का यह वेग न थमते दिखता है;

हमे मलिन करने का मंतर, किसी चतुर का लगता है,

जीवन का परचा पेश करे, यह वीर रस की कविता है,

जिसको पढ़कर सोचोगे, क्यों बने न हम भी नेता हैं!

हम ख्वाब दिखाने वाले हैं

कुछ पगले पूछें, दुनिया से क्या लेकर जाने वाले हैं,

उन्हें बता दें, हम तो सब कुछ यहीं उड़ाने वाले हैं,

जो बच जाये, नौ पुश्तों के नाम कराने वाले हैं,

वो भाव पूछने वाले हैं, हम रूप परखने वाले हैं,

वो ख्वाब देखने वाले हैं, हम ख्वाब दिखाने वाले हैं!

वो सूखी रोटी खाते हैं, अपने पकवान निराले हैं,

वो मीलों पानी को तरसें, अपने मदिरा के प्याले हैं,

उनके पैरों में छाले हैं, हम उड़न खटोलों वाले हैं,

वो कतार में लगते हैं, हम भीड़ जुटाने वाले हैं,

वो ख्वाब देखने वाले हैं, हम ख्वाब दिखाने वाले!

उनके कपड़े साल पुराने, हम गाड़ी रोज़ बदल डाले हैं,

उनका कोई इलाज नहीं, हम प्लास्टिक सर्जरी कराले हैं,

उनका कोई अस्तित्व नहीं, अपने तो बने देवालय हैं,  

वो मंच सजाने वाले हैं, हम रिब्बन काटने वाले है,

वो ख्वाब देखने वाले हैं, हम ख्वाब दिखाने वाले हैं!

उनको दुख-दर्द सताते हैं, हम जीवन का लुत्फ़ उठाते हैं,

वो मर-मर के जी पाते हैं, हम मरे भी अमर हो जाते हैं!

Biwi No 1

What a Dream: Reading newspaper just before going to bed has unusual effects and last night was no different for me. I watched Biwi No 1 on the silverscreen of my dreams with a rather meaningful song.

Biwi No 1

Opposition है, court है, बढ़ता media pressure,

India भूल जाए सब, कुछ ऐसा जादू कर!

                                                             घबराने की क्या बात है, जब हाथ में है दफ्तर,

                                                             Caesar की बीवी होने का, चलाता जा चक्कर!

                                                             CGV में क्या है, दलदल,

                                                             मच्छर भी छाए हैं, हरपल

                                                             2G  की रिश्वत लूं, ले ले,

                                                             ओ मै तो यही चाहती हूँ,

Inflation का आलम, JPC आये है, 

हम दोनों को corruption की बदनामी खाए है, 

                                                             Radia तो इक खच्चर है, और Raja है अजगर!

                                                             Caesar की बीवी होने का, चलाता जा चक्कर!

                                                             तेरी कुर्सी मैं ले लूं, ले ले,

                                                             बाबा को दे दूं, दे दे,

                                                             वादा तो दे जा, दीया,

                                                             थर-थर कापें है जीया|

कलमूहे का इशारा, PM पे आ गया है,

अदालत का फरमान, Thomas भी चला गया है,

                                                            Impeach करा दूं judges को, तू दे दे बस लिखकर! 

                                                            Caesar की बीवी होने का, चलाता जा चक्कर!

Opposition है, court है, बढ़ता media pressure,

India भूल जाए सब, कुछ ऐसा जादू कर!             

                                                           घबराने की क्या बात है, जब हाथ में है दफ्तर,

                                                           Caesar की बीवी होने का, चलाता जा चक्कर!

  

Credits: The caricatures have been drawn by reputed artists and were available online. These have been merely displayed here and might be subject to copyright.