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।