Talaash - My Version of the Story

Talaash - My Version of the Story

This post has been removed by me.

 

After Delhi Tragedy, I have found a new respect for this movie, especially for the line 'ek ladki ke gayab ho jane se kise fark padta hai, waise bhi, jo hai hi nahin, wo gayab kaise ho sakta hai'.

Afterall, girls are considered non-existent in our society.

I am waiting for 'Nirbhaya' to return as Kareena does in this movie.

Z for Zebra Crossings

Z for ...

Zebra Crossings

The vehicle of a person's life,

Runs carelessly on highway of fun,

Till the worldly zebra crossings,

Force it push hard on brakes.

The zebra crossing of high school,

Then of job, followed by marriage,

Well that has a huge signal also,

Then of kids and finally of age.

Y for Yardstick

Y for ...

Yardstick

What I find acceptable
You may find that wrong,
Your one perfect circle,
Might look to me oblong.

People are many,
Thoughts don't mingle,
Why is it, even then many,
Measure all by yardstick single?

A to Z April

A to Z April

I was a first timer on this incredibly challenging, fun and learning challenge. Throughout April, I kept on thinking about the topic and the post and as soon as a picture was framed in my mind, I felt extremely kicked and could not wait to write it down. Keeping the theme for the challenge in sync with my blog theme, that is, Everyday Inspirations and deciding to write in verse, yes, I do think those lines were more verse, less prose :-) proved much more difficult than I could fathom initially. A lot of times, I did feel like quitting. Then what kept me going?

• Heart-felt comments by fellow bloggers. Thank you for stopping by and leaving behind your treasured footprints :-)
• Amazing posts that I got to read. It was a wonderful and delightful experience to see the creativity and imbibe the lovely thoughts coming from many a beautiful minds :-)
• The incredible efforts being put in by the organizers in running this challenge.

Confessions

• I was lagging many times by a day or so and was horrible during the last week. And my consolation to myself was, if posts can be written in advance and scheduled, then they can be composed a little later also, that's cheating I know, but that's how I thought.
• I could not visit enough blogs throughtout the challenge and plan to compensate during this month. Thanks to organizers for keeping the linky list active for a longer time.
• I surprised myself as I had never ever imagined that I would be able to churn out 26 poems in such a short timeframe and that too in English as I feel more comfortable writing poems in Hindi.
• At the moment I am not sure if I would be participating next year because I would neither want to lag or leave midway nor would I be able to write in advance and wait to post as I am too impatient for that.

Parting Thoughts

I am glad I signed up, participating in this challenge has been a very fulfilling experience for me. A big thank you to each and every one associated with the challenge.

X for X-Factor

X for ...



Image created by David Castillo Dominici
Image taken from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/



X-Factor

Tears were flowing, emotions choked,

At the funeral service of the young man.

For the young bride, all seemed concerned,

Till someone observed, 'What a fate for the beauty'.

'Such tragedies should not touch beautiful people',

All agreed at once in a collective sigh as if

The 'un-beautiful' are born to suffer without sympathy

And the X-Factor of beauty is a ticket to life of privilege.



W for White and Black

W for ...

Images Source : Wikipedia

Colors, Black And White


Colors make a rainbow,
A beautiful sight
Colors make a peacock,
A bird of delight.

Squares black and white,
Give chessboard power role.
Keys black and white,
Are guide to piano's soul.

Colors are to impart,
A visual appeal,
White and black give,
The creative feel.

V for Vines and Tree

V for ...

Image Source
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/Portals/0/Gardening/Gardening%20Help/images/Pests/Poison_Ivy631.jpg

Vines and Tree

Once upon a time there was a tree,

Quite happy, healthy, standing free.

Then sprouted a vine to embrace it,

They looked good together by every bit.

With time the embrace grew tighter,

The tree looked like a captured fighter.

As more vines grew, the tree grew old,

Sapped of juice, robbed of life, untold.

Yet the world adored flowers and scent,

Of the vines climbing, smiling without repent.

Why not, when the tree is the mother,

Vines are family, society, who don't bother.

U for Umbrella

U for ...

Image Source Wikipedia

Umbrella

The umbrella shielded him from the sun,

But of what use was it in winter chills,none.

Though for him, it took beatings from the lashing rain,

Yet to carry it all along was a little pain.

She cared for him, cooked him nice food,

If she asked questions, he did'nt find it good.

Though she gave up her life for his sake,

Her advices, he found, not so easy to take.

One day he lost umbrella and she was gone too.
Scale of loss was felt deeply in an instant or two,

On exposure to this evil world and wicked weather.

Umbrella could be bought again, what about the mother?

T for Train Journey

T for ...

Train Journey

Anxious about her fate and choice,
With teary eyes and a broken voice,
With lots of wishes and some money,
She started on the long train journey.

Travelling through the racing backdrops,
Of fields, forests, towns, rivers, hilltops,
Like the scenes outside, her feelings inside,
Kept ebbing, surging as her tears dried.

With clear eyes she saw her co-travelers,
Who looked good, not bad bad anglers, 
Some of whom in the same state of mind,
And they all smiled, leaving tears behind.

And so started the real train journey,
With eager strangers for company,
Sharing juicy nuggets of their lives,
Like jokes from treasured archives.

There were people she met daily,
What she knew of them was scaly,
Hard to see through and external,
As if a facade, impermeable, formal.

In the train it was different to say,
Sharing space for an entire day,
To see them talk, sleep, eat, emote
So close by was hard not to note.

So she knew the travelers better,
Parting advices failed to hold her,
As she bonded with those people,
She sensed new excitements ripple.

Like the fast train that had her shifted,
Far and wide her thoughts had drifted,
De-boarding was not end of a journey,
But an FB status update, a new journey.

S for Silence

S for ...

Silence

Silence the most powerful expression,

It shows both approval and objection,

It may mean admiration or admonition,

It stands for consensus and dissension.

It cares, it hurts, it may even frustrate,

Into victory or loss, it may translate,

It may kill an argument or fuel a debate,

It may pump up ego or make it evaporate.

It is gust that blows away emotional pages

It is understood by cultures and languages,

Across nations by people of various ages,

Even before they learn to use their verbiages.

Speech is the gift, that makes us unique,

To chose not to use it is a power technique

On fabric of speech, silence is an applique,

Adorned beautifully to add to its mystique.

 

R for Roomie

R for ...

Photo Source Wikipedia

Roomie

Twelfth birthday came knocking at my door,
Brought me the teen years and a lot lot more,
In the form of my first real friend, a dear friend,
Who took me out of the simple land of books,
And made me worldly wise to traverse the maze,
Built of confusions and temptations of teenage.

I was a river tumbling down through the hills,
In the mood of destruction, always in spate,
You were the dam who held me down,
Changed my course and tapped my potential,
To nurture my thoughts with the restrained waters,
And brighten my soul with the generated power.

You were my audience, you were the critic,
Who complimented sincerely and censured honestly,
You were my microscope, you were the telescope,
To show me the perspectives beyond my limited sight,
You were my lighthouse, you were the ship,
To take me safely on the voyage of exciting discoveries.

Thanks to your tastes, I learnt to enjoy little luxuries,
Of music, poems, flowers, rains, swings, crushes, beaches,
Your conviction gave strong wings to my lofty dreams,
And when I woke up, two years were gone, we had to part,
But by then you, who showed me how a friend should be,
Were my roomie, sharing space forever in the room of my heart.

Q for Queues, Unusual Queue

Q for ...

Photo taken from Wikipedia and slightly altered.
The licensing terms remains same as for the original image on Wikipedia.

Queues, Unusual Queues

It takes people longer to shop,

Bill counter is the one last stop,

How can a queue form over there,

As customer why wait to pay,

Bet the system is wrong there.

We queue up to cast our vote,

To make the leader of a sugarcoat,

Why can't we just sit back at home,

And send the vote on mobile phone,

It's 'who cares for public' syndrome.

P for Pink Pastries

P for ...

Image taken from Wikipedia and altered

Pink Pastries

The trays filled with pink pastries,

And many more tempting savories,

Locked inside the lovely glass case,

Brought smile and tears to her face.

'How can I get the pink pastries

At least, if not other savories',

She was thinking day and night,

Yet a plan remained out of sight.

A treat not even seen as leftover,

Always made her heart sink lower,

Yet her craving was never killed,

  It only left her upset and thrilled.

Thus she grew up in want and dreams,

Held together by painful seams,

Where pink pastries became a symbol,

Of all that made her feel terrible.

O for Optical Illusion

O for ...

Image Source Wikipedia

Optical Illusion

On bended knee I proposed to her,
She smiled, then burst into laughter,
The jaundiced eye of my tired brain,
Took that for an approval in vain.

Someone cleared my optical illusion,
That laugh meant mockery, not affusion
Of a new relationship as I had seen it.

To avoid illusions, optical, audio, I admit,
Going fancy, proposing with a ring,
As they do in the films, is the best thing.

N for Namesake

N for ...
 












Namesake

Why was I named after a person famed,
For lacking virtues, why am I blamed?

I am tired of the constant comparison,
Bored of recognition without a reason,
Please look at me, not at my name,
Which has glam, but all the same,
I want a simple, subdued life,
Happy, free from unwanted strife,
Coming from constant public glare,
Forcing spectator to turn a player.

I didn't chose this name for me,
Please let me what I want to be.

M for Music, Melody, Magic

M for ...

Music, Melody, Magic

Sitting in a lazy corner, wishing to chat with special someone

Rings the doorbell or the phone, the caller is that same person,

The bell now sounds like music, soothing music for the soul kind,

Astonished you exclaim, 'Telepathy works, you read my mind!'

Well that's music, that's magic, music in eyes, magic in voice.

Discussing a controversy, raking brains for a catchy phrase,

To best express a golden opinion, to outwit others in the chase,

Two friends end up saying same things at the same time to strike

Chords of melody and merrily proclaim, 'Great minds think alike!'

Well that's melody, that's magic, melody in thoughts, magic in voice. 

L for The Last Leaf

This is my most humble attempt at putting the gist of O.Henry's masterpiece 'The Last Leaf' in verse. My sincere apologies to all those who might feel offended at my attempts to kill the soul of a brilliant piece of work, my skills are really limited.

L for ...


The Last Leaf



The Last Leaf

Once upon a time, inside a squatty studio,
Situated in the maze of Greenwich village,
With a death-white face, ready to bid adieu,
Johnsy laid counting, the ivy vine foliage.

Terrified with the doc's observations,
Panicky with Johnsy's last leaf fancy,
To Behrman, Sue disclosed her emotions,
To him going with the leaves looked infancy.

The rains beat the vine hard in the gushing wind,
Yet the stubborn leaf refused to fall,
And forced Johnsy's views to rescind,
To set her on a path of recovery, clearing pall.

Behrman was gone around the same time,
But the masterpiece he used to always tell,
Was left behind in all its glory, on the ivy vine,
Painted by him the night, the last leaf fell.

(Epilogue)
A masterpiece not valuable enough,
To be auctioned decades later as a lifeless art,
But one of its own kind of priceless stuff,
Blessed by Him for saving a dying heart.

K for K

K for...

Wield power remaining mute 

K

K is a unique character,

How to wield power, how to contribute,

Without being vocal and remaining mute,
We can learn through this letter.

(Without K )
A strong knot that tames elephants becomes a not,

A knight in shining armour is reduced to a night dark,

Knowledge loses its existence, knife loses its spark,

Yet have we heard of the K in them, no we have not!

J for Jingle to Song

J for...

Jingle to Song

My life was just another jingle, 

Scattered sounds lacking melody,

Living for a dumb purpose single,

To sell junk to any and everybody.

It was sans an individual existence,

Much like an hyperbole' assortment,

Which looked catchy but needed reference,

When she entered without announcement.

Lyrics changed, expressions improved,

To become, by adjusting notes all along,

A beautiful musical piece that all approved,

So she upgraded me from a jingle to song.

I for Ink, The Elixir for Thoughts

I for ...

She stepped back

Ink, The Elixir for Thoughts

After painting the hall walls in white and blue,

As she stepped back lovingly admiring her work,

Jumped off the ladder platform, the can of blue,

Splatter buried the wall pattern in a single jerk,

Instead of tears, started flowing old memories,

Memories of the early days of writing stories.

That one story seemed very close to her heart,

Characters seemed better than Agatha Christie,

The scene description looked like a canvas art,

More than Sherlock Holmes, her plot was twisty,

Conceited as she touched the papers on her table,

The ink bottle fell and made the letters invisible.

Oh how bad it hurt, the elixir to etch words forever,

Had erased those very words forever in one swipe,

She rushed to engrave them all over again on paper,

Her senses seemed sharpened by that ruthless snipe,

The words sounded forced, characters appeared lame,

The poor plot, instead of conceit, now evoked shame.

Wiser by the enlightenment, she had felt huge relief,

The trash got trampled before the world could see,

That's how begun her tryst with the ink and the grief

That was really brief, made her as strong as she could be,

To hone work till perfection, her lips made a smile small,

As she could now see the better fate awaiting her hall :)

H for Happy

H for...

Happy

Happy joined a new school after the fateful afternoon,
And became the favorite student of her teachers soon.

Her classmates wondered at her manners, true to her name Happy,
With an innocent deftness, she sidestepped their comments snappy.

Her genuine grace and contented smile were objects of envy,
All were eager to find where she lived, the place must be twee.

One afternoon they furtively followed her to where she went,
She entered an orphanage and they hid behind a signboard bent.

They peeped into the courtyard to find her surrounded by kids,
She was helping them with their studies, oh what noble deeds!

Then she played with the kids there and they waited curiously
For her to finish, when the matron found them hiding suspiciously.

'We following the wonder girl, but only to find where she lives, her grand mansion',
Said she, 'This has been her home since she lost her parents to the bomb explosion!'

More blasts followed, this time inside the callous skulls of her till now envious classmates,
In that sudden glare they saw, hitherto concealed behind the smiles and uniforms, fate's dictates.

G for Goof Up

G for

Goof Up

I was chatting happily with my friend,

Up popped a ping from the bully boss,

To bring my conversation, to a sad end,

At a juicy juncture and made me cross.

I typed just an apt message for my friend,

'Its death calling', read my sentence,

Without wasting any precious time, hit send,

And waited for a winking smiley in response.

Came back a roar typed in upper case,

'What do you mean, you better shut up', 

I almost died fumbling for a saving grace,

On learning what sent the bully in the goof up.

F for Fun with Friends

F for

Fun with Friends

Storing phone contacts by their

Nicknames they hate the most

And giggle every time they call

Only to be told to get lost,

Is fun, is fun, is fun with friends.

Making their most embarrassing

Secrets public and laugh out loud

As their embarrassment gets

Wrapped in an angry shroud,

Is fun, is fun, is fun with friends.

Playing a nasty trick on a stranger

Only to blame your buddies for it

And enjoy watching from a distance

Them being reprimanded for it,

Is fun, is fun, is fun with friends.

And yet when they don't dump you,

They are bunch of real friends :)

E for E

E for ...   

E embellishes exciting literary creations

With enigmatic expressions and emotions
And endows them with the enticing elixir

For which earnest ears are forever eager.

E echos ecstatic, exhilarated cries of encore
E effuses eternal elegance and some more

Ethereal entities like entertainment, electricity
With the exception of ego's eerie eccentricity.

 

D for Delightful Delhi Spring

D for

Delightful Delhi Spring

Like the lyrical notes of a beautiful song,

Rows of  marvelously adorned trees all along,

Welcome visitors to the mother nature's feast

For the eyes of the gauchest and the tweest.

Delhi spring is a lovely festival of vibrant colors,

Where all trees turn into dreamy flower pedlers,

The sweet scent laden air is mighty intoxicating

And the chance petal showers are rejuvenating.

Colors, Designs, Fragrances

Left to Right, Top to Bottom:

Flame of Forest/Butea (Palash), Golden Shower/Laburnum (Amaltash), BottleBrush (Cheel), Jasmine (Juhi), Flamboyant (Gulmohar), Jacranda (Neel Gulmohar), Sunflower/Yellow Daisy (Surajmukhi), Bougainvillea (Kagaz phool), Frangipani/Plumeria (Champa)

Note: This quick collage has been created by taking sharable photos from Wikipedia. I do not own any of these photos, I have merely reused them as per the Wikimedia Commons License Agreement.



Gulmohar



C for Cricket

C for Cricket

C stands for Cricket, Cricket the game, not the insect,
It is this cricket the Games Biologist is going to dissect.

A creature from the kingdom Games, class OutDoors,
Family TeamGame, species Cricket, races as per overs.

With limbs of bat, ball, stumps and a few more prosthetics,
It has power to bend, twist and kill all the laws of kinetics.

Endowed with the best survival tactics called suspense,
It always emerges winner as speculation remains intense.

Interaction with man results in very dangerous situations,
As the fans go crazy, both the losers and the champions.

Now is time for the very first match of the summer season,
And the Biologist tunes to it with an ostensibly valid reason.

B for Billu

B for Billu

Meow meow my dear Billu, where have you gone,
I am still calling you, sitting at the window all alone.

You used to instantly cheer me up after a day's work,
Your antics were no less than a high-priced artwork.

These days I see you in the shadows thrown by leaves,
And in those once hated scratches on my shirt sleeves.

P.S. I wrote it on 2nd but could not post.

A For April Fool

A For April Fool

The front page carried happy news of petrol price cut,
Some jumped with joy recalculating their daily budget,

Only to be punched in face by ugly, sad, bitter, truth later,
How hard the revelation hurt, it made one and all a hater.

Targetting a reader's Achilles' heel to make a fool,
Let us tell you stupid editors, can't be called cool!


P.S. I wrote it on 1st but could not post.

Vikhandit

विखंडित

वो पूछते हैं हमसे आखिर मन उदास क्यों है,
खिलखिलाती हंसी में दर्द का अहसास क्यों है,
चमकती आँखों में अश्रुयों का वास क्यों है,
मीठे बोलों में आज अचानक परिहास क्यों है।

कैसे बतला दें उन्हें  वे स्वयं वेदना कि वजह हैं,
तकदीर की कचहरी से हमे मिली अजब सजा हैं,
कोई सीखे उनसे रद्दी से मोहक मूरत जोड़ जाना,
औ खुद-ब-खुद राह चलते  वही अजूबा तोड़ जाना।

Kal Aur Aaj

कल और आज

कल यहाँ थे वंदनवार,
                गुलमोहर के सजे हुए,
आते जाते बरसायें फूल,
                मुस्कुरा पड़ें खिजे हुए|

आज अकेला दिलकश वृक्ष,
                खड़ा इमारती जंगल के बीच,
बगल-से गुज़रें कितने प्राणी,
                विरक्त, मशीन-से, आँखें मीच।

Avenging Robin Hood

These lines form my version of epilogue to Robin Hood's tales epilogue. Robin Hood had sworn his gallant friends not inflict any harm on his cousin for her treacherous plot against him. A maiden staying next to Sherwood, who Robin Hood had never known, had been in love with him. She got mad on learning all of this and vowed to avenge him by killing this woman!

Avenging Robin Hood

The witch leeched Robin Hood to death,
Yet he forbade Little John to harm her,
At this a Sherwood maiden lost her breath
Pledged to avenge him sooner than later.

His noble deeds had won over her heart,
Yet she had never proclaimed her feelings,
Never missed a show of his skill and art
But kept him free to pursue his dealings.

Gallant Little John could not fight a lady,
Nor could anyone else of the merry band,
She could, for her it wasn't a deed shady
Red with fury she entered Yorkshire land.

Prioress with look of betrayal on her face,
Was easily spotted by her in the nunnery,
Revengeful blow of sword closed her case
And the swift next ended maiden's misery.

Tohfa

तोहफा 

वो ले चले सोलहवीं मंज़िल पर जन्नत दिखलाने,
घर हो बेटे का भी अपना, माँ के सपने सच कराने।


बालकॉनी के बाईनोकुलर से देखा हमने गौल्फ़ कोर्स,
देखी नदिया कल कल बहती, उड़ते पंछी औ रेस कोर्स,


देखी ट्रैक पर उड़ती कारें और आँगन में मज़दूर बस्ती, 
वो बोले बन जाये बिल्डिंग, मिट जाएगी इनकी हस्ती। 


देख जहन्नुम बस्ती, पसीज गया मन, हो गया वमन,
यहाँ जल, वहाँ मल, रोटी पर मिर्च बढ़ाए भूख की अग्न,  


काँधे छूती छत, झुके करेँ गमन काले कंकालों से तन,
सूअर की घुर घुर से घबराये, बीमार बालकों का चमन। 


बस्ती के नज़ारों ने बदला हमारी जन्नत का रंग रूप,
आंसूं का फव्वारा, बिल्डिंग बन गयी शोषण का कूप,


गुलामी की छत्त, जुर्म की बालकनी, भूख की दीवारें,
तड़पता फर्श, हताश सीढीयाँ, ज़ख़्मी आइना चीखें मारें,  


मजबूरी का आँगन, किल्लत की रसोई, लाचारी का सोफा
और चीथड़ों की सज्जा, कैसे दें माँ को हम ऐसा तोहफा? 

Naina

Naina

Kirti Bhawan was overflowing with cousins who had come for the wedding and had extended their stay on the pretext of summer vacations. They were making all possible efforts to get into the good books of  the new addition to the family, their beloved Bhabhi. The elders were delightfully surprised to find this rowdy lot well behaved as they tried to copy her pleasant manners and delicate countenance. Every single dress and accessory of hers was admired by this group. Hours were spent learning to drape the saree as she did, to apply the simplest of makeup as she did, to walk with grace as she did, to talk in pleasing style as she did. All the discussion amongst this group was about her. They believed Pygmalion's Galatea's beauty paled in comparison to her. It was impossible to miss the fact that they were besotted by this lovely lady. 

They had organized a small party in her honor on the moonlit terrace. Amongst others, the next door Rakhi brother Aakash, who had just returned home after completing his degree was invited too. Bhabhi and Atul bhaiya were led to the stage with great pomp by the cousin group. Soon it was Aakash' turn to greet the couple. Bhaiya introduced her, "Hey bro, meet my pretty wife Naina", turning to her "Naina,  meet the recently coronated Architect, Aakash." "Aakash, you should sue your college folks for making you miss our wedding. We sorely missed the presence of a charmer like you while  closing out the Joote-Churayi deal with the very demanding Salis." 

Aakash was hardly hearing what was being said to him. A look at the smiling Naina had swept him off from reality, after all her beauty could even make a stone a beholder. Now it was clear to him why she was the talk of the street, why folks envied the luck of the house in finding the ideal daughter-in-law and hers in finding the perfect family, why was everyone saying that this couple was truly made for each other. He lost all count of time and finally left with a resolve to see her lesser lest dart of his eyes or unnecessary twitch of his facial muscles betray his feelings for a girl who he could not accept as a Bhabhi, he the most righteous bro-in-law.

Soon after he had to leave for a distant land to start his career. His young heart was soon sown back as he met new people and started getting accustomed to the work life. He no longer harbored conscious feelings for her, though her memory was etched forever in his subconscious mind; A random girl brought back an image of hers, a comparison of sort, or the elegance of a new building design seemed to resemble her, that's it. 

Back home, his family shifted to a different city, they were no longer neighbors of Kirti Bhawan. Like smoke lines rising from an open fire, he also drifted away from his old neighbors with time and amalgamated with an ambiance centered around his work. It was fifteen years before he visited the city of his childhood again to attend a wedding. An over enthusiastic aunt took the responsibility of re-introducing him to the old acquaintances and updating him on the developments in their lives.  She introduced him to one particular lady, "Beta, here comes Aakash, your husband's childhood partner and the naughty duo used to make my life hell!" Aakash was left scratching his memory for the uncle he partnered with in mischief making but could not recall anyone who could be a likely husband for this aunty. Seeing him in dilemma, the over enthusiastic aunt said, "Pehechana nahin, she is Naina, Atul's wife."

That was too much of a shock! Aakash was left wondering, "Naina, Naina, na na na!" The subconscious image of Naina bore no resemblance to the ageing lady he had just seen, it was in fact too much of a contrast. Naina's eyes were dancing, twinkling, here was a pair of spectacled dull, mute eyes, the smile was missing and above all, the sharp lines of the beautiful face were all gone. The enigmatic contours had been lost under a wrinkled, paled puffy mask. The charm powerful enough to send the message of her arrival through every molecule of the atmosphere and make all heads turn towards her had died. She was reduced to a nondescript woman whose presence is not registered by anyone around, who is left haggling alone at a grocery store for her rights, for whom offering a seat in a crowded bus is considered below their dignity by the youths.

The shock left Aakash' senses paralyzed for a while and he remained silent. The aunt prodded him, "Why didn't you ask her about Atul?" He could not follow her intentions and seeing him disconnected she said again, "Haven't you heard about Atul? He lost one eye to some disease and right hand to paralysis an year back." The news brought back a sharp pain, a pain similar to what he had experienced when he had first seen Naina as Atul's wife. It also brought a powerful remorse for being out of touch with Atul, for being happily unaware of the misfortunes of his childhood chum. 

At other tables, ladies who once used to secretly dream of marrying Atul were openly heaving a collective sigh of relief  for their dreams not coming true. That day he could not eat anything out of excitement, today he could not eat in grief, grief for Atul, grief for Naina and an unexplained grief for himself.

Palken Bichaye Baithe Hain

पलकें बिछाये बैठे हैं

पलकें बिछाये बैठे हैं हम इन्बौक्स के गलीचे पर,
न आया मसेज, न आई मेल, आयीं बस आँखें भर,  

चाहत तो बहुत है पहल हम ही कर लें,
अपनी हालत की खबर उनको  कर दें,

इक इशारे का मोहताज तो समझदार होता है,
समझाये बिन जो समझे वही दिलदार होता है।

Kaanch Ke Tukde

काँच के टुकड़े

नशा था या गुरूर, नींद या सुरूर,
था प्रदर्शने-शूर, या मशीनी कसूर,

किसी के यहाँ  मातम छाया होगा,
किसी ने लाख शुक्र मनाया होगा,

बयां करते हैं दुर्घटना की दर्दनाक दास्तां,
सड़क पर बिखरे काँच के टुकड़े बेजुबां।

Vasant Ratri

वसंत रात्रि

इस वसंत न खिले हैं गुलमोहर न अमलतास,
पर अम्बर पर हैं मेहरबान कुछ मेहमां ख़ास,

रात का आँचल सजाये अदृष्ट कोहिनूर सा ज्यूपिटर,
गुलमोहर की लालिमा लिए लाल मार्ज़ भी दृष्टिगोचर,

सैटर्न ने जड़ा है रात्रि ताज में इक नया नगीना,
उगता अर्ध चन्द्र बना गया अमलतास स्वर्णिमा,

सिरीअस चमके ऐसे लगे कि जैसे कोई नव-गृह न कि तारिका,
ओरायन, बिग डिप्पर, कैनिस मेजर, टौरस से शोभित रात्रि वाटिका।

IPS - Indian Political Service

आई पी एस - भारतीय राजनीतिक सेवा

जन-आन्दोलन के दबाव में आकर 'दिल्ली कॉमेडी-सर्कस' वालों ने राजनीती में नियुक्ति के लिए आई पी एस की परीक्षा का प्रस्ताव पास कर दिया था और परीक्षा का आयोजन किया गया था। पर्दाफाश मैगज़ीन के जासूसों ने कुछ अभ्यर्थियों द्वारा दिए गए उत्तर अपनी टिप्पणियों सहित साप्ताहिक हास्य विशेषांक में प्रकाशित किये।

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प्रश्न - 'लोक-सेवा' की परिकल्पना पर अपने विचार उपयुक्त उदाहरण सहित प्रस्तुत कीजिये। उत्तर सीमा ५० शब्द।

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मनमोहन जी  - मेरे विचार से मौन व्रत लोक-सेवा की उत्कृष्ट अभिव्यक्ति है। सुप्रसिद्ध लेखिका महादेवी वर्मा जी ने भी कुछ ऐसा ही कहा है, "अगर मूक पशुओं की भांति मनुष्य भी जुबान के बजाये नयनों से बातें कर पाते तो दुनिया में कितने ही विवाद समाप्त हो जाते"।

(खेद है की शोध-करता अभी तक प्रकृति के नियमो को पलट मनुष्य का काया पलट कर पशु नहीं बना पाए हैं)

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लालू जी - (इनके लिए प्रश्न पढ़ उत्तर लिख पाना नामुमकिन था। इसी वजह से इन्होनें ज्योतिहीन होने का प्रमाण-पत्र बनवा लिया और एक प्रतिलेखक  को साथ लेकर  परीक्षा देने  आये। प्रतिलेखक ने प्रश्न पढ़ा, उत्तर सुना और उत्तर पुस्तिका पर लिख दिया। )

हम कहि देता हूँ बिहारी गैया और भैंसिया को रुखा सुखा घुन लगा सरकारी चारा न खाने देने में ही परम लोकसेवा है। जब उनको ये चारा नाहीं मिले, तबहूँ न  खेतों में घुस कर ताज़ा मटर, गेंहू, मकई खायेंगी। और इस परकार हमार प्रदेस में गोरी-गोरी क्रान्तिया आएगी। नाहीं समझे का? हमार तात्परवा यह है की ताज़ा भोजन से उनके दूध का उत्पादन बढेगा। इसके अतिरिक्त जिआदा दूध दोहने से हमार आलसी युवकों की बौडी भी बनेगी।

(भूख और मलखंभ क्रांति को भी निमंत्रण है)

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माया जी - जनता के पैसों से पत्थर के हाथी बनवाना और पार्क सजवाना लोक-सेवा का खूबसूरत उदहारण है। फैशन वीक में खादी के कपड़ों प्रदर्शन तो दिखावा मात्र है। मेरे हाथियों को ढकने में प्रयोग हुए टनों महीन कपड़े की मांग ने दक्ष बुनकरों  की अँधेरी ज़िन्दगी रौशन कर दी है। अकुशल मजदूरों को भी कपडा परिवहन एवं आवरण कर दो टूक रोटी मिली है। बेघरों को चौल के कीचड़ की जगह सुर्ख पत्थर का फर्श मिला है। शब्द सीमा के चलते कुछ और नहीं लिख पा रही हूँ। जय माया!

(इनपर आरोप है की हाथियों का आवरण खादी से नहीं, इटैलियन-सिल्क से किया गया है)

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बाबा रामदेव - भेष बदल कर अपने कुल की रक्षा करने में ही निस्वार्थ लोक-सेवा की भावना निहित है। भस्मासुर के लोभ और प्रकोप से मुक्ति पाने हेतु भगवान् विष्णु जी को भी मोहिणी का रूप धारण करना पड़ा था। पूज्य परमात्मा का अनुसरण मोक्ष प्राप्ति का एक मात्र मार्ग है।

(मोहिणी की सुन्दरता का अपमान नरक प्राप्ति का एक मात्र मार्ग है)

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ENGLISH TRANSLATION

IPS - Indian Political Service

Bending to popular demand, the 'Delhi Comedy Circus' team had ratified a bill for conducting Indian Political Service exams to recruit politicians and the exams were held for the first time. 'Unveil' magazine agents got hold of a few answer sheets and published them appending their comments under the section 'Weekly Dose Of Laughter Medicine'.

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Question - Define public service in your own words with suitable examples. Word limit 50 words.

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Manmohan Ji - In my view, Oath of Silence is the best expression of public service. Renowned writer Mahadevi Verma had also opined, "If like animals, humans could also talk through eyes instead of tongue, it would have spelled doom for all the trouble in the world." 

(It is regretted that researchers have not been able to metamorphose humans to animals by reversing the natural process of evolution of species.)

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Lalu Ji - (He could not read questions or write answers, so he got a blindness certificate custom-issued for himslef and managed to get a scribe)

I am proclaiming that not letting Bihari cows and buffaloes eat any of the government supplied tasteless and pest infested fodder is the greatest public service any one can offer. Only when they would be deprived of the easy fodder, they will barge into the fields for fresh crop of peas, maize and wheat. It will invite a fair revolution to our land. Could not follow me, could you? I mean fresh food will increase milk yield. More milking will also make the loose bodies of our lazy youth solid.

(Sounds like an open invitation to hunger pangs and punch gangs also)

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Maya Ji - Utilizing tax payers' money for sculpting elephants and building parks is a beautiful example of public service. Khadi on ramp during fashion weeks is mere show off. The demand for fine clothes to veil my elephants has brought the real sunshine into the dark lives of weavers. Cloth transportation and veiling has also provided bread and butter to the unskilled labrors. Homeless have got sandstone floors under their feet instead of the chawl muck and slime. This imposed word limit is forcing me to bring this discussion to a close. Long live Maya, May victory be hers!

(It is alleged that the imported Italian Silk, not Khadi was used for veils)

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Baba Ramdev - Resorting to disguise to save your clan is the embodies the doctrine of selfless public service. God Vishnu had to disguise as Mohini to tackle the greedy and scheming Bhasmasur. Following the path shown by the Lord Almighty alone leads one to salvation.

(Insulting Mohini's beauty is the sure shot shortcut to hell)

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Sach Ya Sapna

Once upon a beautiful time, the last bus I was traveling in broke down at the most exotic spot on earth I have ever seen and I am sure will ever see. I could not be happier sitting on a little rock and soaking in the beauty around as the lovely moon played a naughty game of hide and seek. These lines are a recollection of that cherished moment.

सच या सपना 

बदली के चिलमन से, चंदा की बाती, बिजली चमकाती जाती,

समीरन के झोंके से, झरने की सीकर, सिहरन झड्काती जाती,

कगारों से टकराती, तरंगों की कलरव, कंजीरा थपकाती जाती,

पुष्पों के जंगल में, जुगनू की पलटन, पन्ने जगमगाती जाती,
खुशबू की ख़ुमारी,  तारक की टिमटिम, सागर की सरगम,
सच थी या सपना, श्रुति या स्मृति, थी वास्तविकता या वहम!

P.S. This has been my first conscious attempt at a slightly remixed version of alliteration. 

Let Me Go

Let Me Go

Let me go, let me go to a quieter world,
To hear beautiful flowers speak,
Moving lips of petals in the gentle breeze.

Let me go, let me go to a clearer world,
To see the strong wind blow,
Enlivening the vacuum with its halo.

Let me go, let me go to a purer world,
To smell the naughty rainbow,
Filling the sky with its fragrant glow.

Let me go, let me go to an emptier world,
To touch many a poignant word,
Rolling down stairs of time undiscovered.

Let me go, let me go to a fresher world,
To taste the morning rays of sun,
Concocting recipes of fulfillment and fun.

Let me go, let me go to a crazier world.
Let me go, let me go to a merrier world.

High Speed Lane

The social activism week is being celebrated through the district and the Active Theater group is staging a theme play...

High Speed Lane

(Curtain rises. A young fellow is seen sitting across a posh table in a very small, very clean and bright room.)

Shrink: Welcome! Welcome my friend, what brings you here?

(Happy: Who doesn't welcome a ready-made mint? I have paid twenty five hundred for this welcome!)

Happy: A referral from Muskaan's Asha Kiran!

Shrink: Do you mean the one at Vijay Chowk?

Happy: Righto!

Shrink: Hmm, interesting! Have you successfully undergone their program?

(Happy: You find that interesting, are you an expert at dealing with addicts?)

Happy: Well, they refused to take me in in the very first place :(

(Shrink: What type of a case is this, looks confident, speaks perfectly well yet sounds creepy :O)

Shrink: Oh really! I never heard them doing anything like this before. Were you given any reason being sent to me?

Happy: Not initially, but I asked for it. Are you willing to hear the truth :P

Shrink: Why not, I am dying to know.

Happy: Brace for the revelation then! They said you are the most psycho shrink in the town and would kinda suit me ;)

Shrink: I think we will kinda get along well in that case :)

Happy: :D 

Shrink: Now tell me Happy, why were you so secretive while fixing the appointment? 

Happy: Well, you see... 

Shrink: Well, strange as it might sound, I am no MRI scanner. You will have to tell me at least something. Let's shift to a better room to talk freely. 

(Happy is led into a bigger and cozier room with easy chairs. He is offered the first serving of Pepsi which is not spiked as per ethics. Conversation resumes after a brief pause.) 

Happy: Doc, I am in this weirdo situation. And I will be very uncomfortable if my situation is known to any third party. Can I trust that nothing of this is being recorded?

(Shrink: Oh you are teaching me new tricks!)

Shrink: You can completely trust me that all of what we discuss here dies within these four walls.

(Shrink: Given a choice, I would have happily disclosed everything about you, but I haven't been afforded that privilege; ethics, you know!) 

Shrink: I am waiting to 'see' this 'weirdo situation' :) 

(Happy's balloon of thoughts was waiting to burst out...

Happy: Thanks to drugs, I know what's heaven, what's the state of pure bliss, how it feels when the skull becomes weightless, soft and porous and soaks in the sweet nectar which every single cell of the brain relishes with utmost pleasure, the world gets slower, enchanting music props up in the background, the kingdom of brain expands into a fantasy garden filled with dancing giant fireflies and every single atom of your existence starts gyrating to their tunes and then the soul gets liberated!

As you plop back into the muddy waters of realty, you crave like a madman for this ecstasy, every single atom of your existence revolts against even feather-light rational thoughts trying to auto-pilot you towards Asha Kiran!

...and it did burst with a loud pop and a painful twitch of the body!)

(Shrink: And they instead of letting you land there, divert you here! By the way, you tempt me to do drugs and that makes a classic case of hunter getting hunted.)

Shrink: I can see, you have been through a hell lot of pain and I can very well empathize with you. Tell me more. Did friends get you into this holy mess?

Happy: That's the catch in my story. I can bet my friends are holier than any living holy men. It was a doc who drove me to this high speed lane :(

Shrink: Let me understand this clearly. Do you mean to say that a genuine doc, a registered medical practitioner? :O

Happy: Yeah.
Shrink: *#$%  ?@$#%&  ^#@*

Happy: Please don't be so harsh on him. He kinda did me a favor. I could not be administered anesthesia. He spared me the horrors of surgery by sedating me. So you get it now, he gave me those sedatives in the operation theater.

(Shrink's eyes are popping out in disbelief while Happy appears to have calmed down.)

 

Shrink: So, so when were you operated upon? I mean for long have you been taking those sedatives?

(Happy gets agitated.) 

Happy: Are you kidding doc? You should be able to guess that! Anyways, I am not in touch with any of them anymore. It's just that the sweet taste still continues to linger in my brain, I can still see those fireflies. A good company and strong will keeps me away from it, but it feels like a torture that tramples my psyche.

(Shrink is visibly relieved and the sweat drops evaporate from his forehead though Happy fails to notice that)

Shrink: Hmm...that's a good start that you are able to maintain the distance. Let me deduce, you never had that stuff of your own, else you couldn't have been sitting here articulating so well. Is that so?

Happy: That was straight from an MRI scanner :)

Shrink: Thank you :)

Happy: So what next?

Shrink: Next? Next...yes of course next you have to be saved from the trampling torture. Lemme see how...

(Bullet trains of thoughts start colliding against each other inside the tracks of Shrink's mind)

Happy: ???

Shrink: Happy, I promised to keep our talks behind a permanent veil. May I ask you for a promise in return?

Happy: Hmm...(imitating Shrink) lemme see...well yes!

Shrink: You are a very determined young fellow. Promise me that you would stop thinking of the events that landed you in the OT. It will break the series of thoughts leading to the memory of those sedatives. The less you are reminded of the state of ecstasy, the less you will be tempted to try it again, the lesser tortured you will feel to suppress that temptation.

Happy: Wow! That's quite uncomplicated, quite simple. (Getting up and hugging the shrink)Thank you doc, thank you, thank you :')

(Happy leaves the clinic feeling quite transformed. The shrink is still in shock at his success as all that he said was a mere desperate attempt to save his own face. Then suddenly, he starts jumping with joy and thinks aloud)  

Shrink: Yes, I have done it, yes, I have finally put my English degree to a good use! Being an agony aunt, I mean uncle, was just so simple. Placebo theory does work indeed! I am all set at earning a handsome fees till they call me a quack again and kick me out of here :D

(Curtain)

Gone Crazy

Gone Crazy

How do you know you are no longer alright?

When

To take a turn, 'right click' is your instruction to driver

To simmer a flame, all you say is 'minimize burner'

You hang up a call with words 'Closing the session'

See a crying baby and blurt out, 'oh, it's hanged again'

Instruct the tailor to 'edit size' of a brand new dress

Say 'spam' and friends know that means your boss

Party invites are just some 'freeware download' rights

And rightly curse morning alarm as 'boot sector virus'

Then

You know for sure you are no longer alright. :-)

Chaand Ka Jawaab

दिनकर जी के दिनों में तो नन्हा चाँद माँ की परेशानी समझ झिंगोला सिलाये बिना रह गया था। पर आज का नन्हा चाँद माँ से कह रहा है...

चाँद का ज़वाब

लाड़-प्यार से पला हूँ  तुम्हारे,

माँ मुझको अब न बहला रे;
चिढ़ाएं न मुझको नन्हें तारे,
मेरे कर दे पूरे नखरे न्यारे!

दिला दे मुझको पंद्रह-सोलाह,
हर साइज़ का एक झिंगोला;
आइस-क्रीम पर मन है डोला,
खिलौनों से भर दे मेरा झोला!

भर दे मेरे मोबाइल का बिल,
कॉल मिला लूं जब चाहे दिल;
औ दिला दे इक बाई-साइकिल,
फिर न बोलूं सफ़र है मुश्किल!