तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमयः

तम रहे न कोई पास तुम्हारे
ज्योति रहे जगमग जग में
दीप जलाये रखना तुम बस
आशा खुशियाँ बन महकेगी

मैं भी शामिल सुख में तुम्हारे
यह करूँ कामना इस दीवाली
देश-देश छा जाये यूँ उजियारा
हर गली सुखों से बस चहकेगी

जाति धर्म और देश काल तज
सब जन हित रख लेना मन में
एक दीप जलाना तुम भी ऐसा
खुशियाँ जग जन में यूँ बरसेंगी

न जाने क्यों

जीवन का वह क्षण
एक प्रस्तावना सा था
सोचा था निबंध बनेगा
प्रसंग तो थे लेकिन
लिखना बड़ा कठिन था
उपसंहार स्वरुप कुछ नहीं
उप-शीर्षक रहते हैं
अब भी ध्यान में यदा कदा
प्रसंग बिसरा गए थे
यहाँ तक कि विलुप्त हो गए
किंकर्तव्यविमूढ़ सा मैं
सिंहावलोकन कि भाँति
न जाने क्यों अब भी
तलाशता रहता हूँ
विलुप्त हो चुके प्रसंगों को

ज़िन्दगी की शरारत

अक़सर जी करता है हर हाल में मुस्कुरा दूँ
कोई फ़िक़रे भी कसे तो मैं बस मुस्कुरा दूँ
कुछ अपने इस अंदाज़ की तर्ज़ पर ही सही
कुछ बेवक़ूफ़ों की यूँ अक़ल पर मुस्कुरा दूँ
कभी ज़माने के ज़ुल्म-ओ-सितम पर तो
कभी ख़ुद की ही बेवक़ूफ़ियों पर मुस्कुरा दूँ
कभी उन मोहब्बत भरी निग़ाहों के लिए तो
कभी बिसरी मोहब्बत दास्ताँ पर मुस्कुरा दूँ
उस शोख़ शरारत भरे लम्हों को याद कर के
उन्हीं शोखियों पर ही कभी मैं यूँ मुस्कुरा दूँ
ज़िन्दगी के बचे खुचे अरमान गिन कर मैं
ज़िन्दगी की ही हसीन शरारत पर मुस्कुरा दूँ

Single Life Time

Could be often pleasant
At times not so pleasant
Depending on our mood
The blowing of a breeze
The thoughts of our love
Company of the people
In various moods, colors
The sound and rhythms
Of music, of nature, wild
Chirping of many birds
Or the pin-drop silence
The sense of belonging
The taste of the cuisines
The entertainment ways
Weathers and changes
Travels and places many
Or just lazy days around
The morning sunshine
Dusk, dawn and nights
The philosophy of living
And all its open secrets
Times of and in our lives
Bring in so many colors
In just a single life time

Solace

Those living life as it flows
Bear all that happiness glows
Albeit some ways may sound ill
Life remains the most beautiful
It can sound bad unreasonably
For those take more seriously
It is a zigzag in the sequence
Life’s ways are sure the weird
It brings thread after thread
Those who will well understand
Life is like film on the screen
Everything is never all green
Life smiles at just one thing
Seeking solace in everything

बन्दगी के हुनर

लोग औरों से अलग दिखना चाहते हैं
हम सामान्य जन सा दिखना चाहते हैं
लोग कुछ भी पाकर ख़ुश नहीं रहते हैं
हम जो मिल गया उसी में ख़ुश रहते हैं
लोग औरों से प्रतिस्पर्धा करते रहते हैं
हम बस स्वयं से ही प्रतिस्पर्धा रखते हैं
लोग नए-नए परिधान में दिखाई देते हैं
हम सामान्य पोशाक में प्रसन्न रहते हैं
लोग बड़े होटलों का खाकर जतलाते हैं
हम बस घर की दो रोटी में ख़ुश रहते हैं
लोग तो चाँद पर जाने की बात करते हैं
हम यहीं ज़मीन पर चलते ख़ुश रहते हैं
ये नहीं कि हम ख़ुद को कम आँकते हैं
हम ज़िन्दगी की हक़ीक़त में झाँकते हैं
लोग तो खुदाई में बड़ा यक़ीन रखते हैं
हम तो बन्दगी के हुनर तलाशते रहते हैं

अपनी तरह

ज़िन्दगी का अपना फ़लसफ़ा
ये अपनी तरह चलती जायेगी
कभी काम तो कभी आवारगी
ये हर तरफ हमको ले जायेगी
ज़िन्दगी जब तक भी रहेगी
हमारी याद तो तुमको आयेगी
हम-तुम यूँ मिट जायेंगे मगर
हमारी ये कहानी रह जायेगी
अर्श से देखना फ़ितरत नहीं
जमीं ही सब कुछ दोहराएगी
रूह क्या है नहीं मालूम मुझे
जो हाथ आई मेरी हो जायेगी

Lone Wanderer

People live in confusions
About self and associations
Of others, self and World
Fellows and companions
With the preponderance
Of thoughts wandering
Passing time with the time
Actions look at meaning
Chasing dreams of mirage
Realizing it soon or later
At the end of it all nothing
But being a lone wanderer
From beginning till the end
Like the days of a squatter

रुखसत

तुम इस क़दर पास आया न करो
हमसे यूँ दिल तुम लगाया न करो

वक़्त के जो ज़ख्म थे अब भर चुके
हमको फिर वो याद दिलाया न करो

आशिकों की नहीं कुछ कमी है यहाँ
हमको शामिल उधर न किया करो

कभी बहके थे हम अब बहकते नहीं
बहकी बातें यूँ हमसे किया न करो

ये तनहाइयाँ भी हमसे खुश हैं इधर
मेरी तनहाइयों को सताया न करो

लो रुखसत कहीं और का रुख करो
ऐसे हमको बस तुम सताया न करो

Thumbs Up

I had never asked for the Moon
Yet I wanted some things soon
My needs that were so limited
Started getting now unlimited
Before it beyond proportions
I started doing introspection
I found no wrong with desires
So long life or living admires
Whatever hasn't come by my way
It wasn't meant for me anyways
Love, wealth, health; anything
Yet I must strive for anything
Without running to catch them up
Just give all them a Thumbs UP!

Smiles

I never cared or got worried
Smiles always I had carried
People around had envied me
I wondered why it's just me
Why can't they look like me
Their worries were beyond me
The times had started passing
Ambitions went on increasing
I then tried to be competitive
Things started look repetitive
I earned money and the wisdom
'Me'started receding to blossom
I made new friends and the foes
Each one was adding to my woes
The worries then arrived my way
And those smiles had gone away

मधुरस की धार

होगे तुम मधुरस की धार तुम्हारे स्वर में
मैं तो बस रही प्यासी ही हूँ अन्तर्मन तक
तुम सृजनाधार कहो स्वयं को यों सुर में
मैं खोज रही किसी विहग के सुर अब तक
जीवन की गति के पँख न जाने कैसे होंगे
मैं सोच रही कैसी होती होगी गति अब तक
उन गीतों की रागिनी कब आल्हादित कर देगी
है नहीं भान जिन के सुर, लय भी अब तक
उस पर्वत-शिखर के शीश सी ही टीस है मेरी
सब दूर दूर दर्शन से छवि निहारते अब तक

Some People Live in Contractions Without Realizing Them!

Some people do nothing else than criticize others! Be them the business people, politicians, media, jurists, public servants, utility workers; or even the teachers. They will find fault with everything and every person on every issue. There is something they must say against at all times and situations; as if they are the best carriers of wisdom and leadership in the World and other people shouldn’t be bereft of their opinions and ‘words of wisdom’.

When there is surplus food grains rotting in the warehouses and in open they argue that this should have been rather supplied to the poor for free! On the contrast, if government came up with a scheme of providing food grains to the poorest at nominal subsidized prices, they will start criticizing this as a populist move of the government and an unprofessional and unwise decision at the cost of the tax-payers!

If there is a movement for the Ombudsman and legislations from the streets by common people, they would tell them with great ‘wisdom’ that for legislative reforms one should contest elections and come to the legislature to represent the people and their voices. The same people start criticizing the movement leaders vehemently, when they form a political party to do so.

They would preach that government should ensure fair-play and least intervention in economic and business matters and be restricted to only supervision and policies related functions. When the prices are decontrolled, they start cribbing about open nepotism and brand graft taking place the lead roles in the policy decisions of the government.

They would swear by the secularism and welfare state; but then they get jittery over the actions of the government which are of secular nature and intents; without at all having any knowledge or wisdom of the statecraft in such matters! Even their own behaviors in their individual and social life remain skewed with the contradictions that manifest in many ways!

They would be very vocal about the rights of the downtrodden and those who are backward and deprived people among the society for long. When it comes to their turn to make way for them (having already come up from there and in balance with the others) they would vehemently deny making ways for them and term it as the conspiracy against their ‘class’ (or caste) by the forward people!

They would sing songs about their opinions and resolves about the national service and to serve the national cause; but would not desist from evasion of taxes or making any contributions for the cause that are seemingly very close to their hearts!

They would be in all praise for the people and organizations that work for the rights of the women and children; but on their turns (should there be a situation demand) will just avoid, ignore or runaway from any scene where their presence or the helping hands may be very important. The double standards will also be very blatant in their behavior and approach when it is a comparison of their own family members and the other people in general!

May times one may see people demonstrating against the exploitations of various kinds and the injustice meted out to the vulnerable sections of the society. While some people mean it, the others will only lend their lip-sympathy without meaning an iota of this. Their flash-presence is meant for their own ego satisfaction and soon they will leave the scenario under various excuses or alibi; without any intentions of coming back to the site!

I have seen the protagonists and activists making the small children and women work in their households for a paltry sum; and under inhuman conditions. Being an activist or a protagonist is more like a fashion statement for such people!
Who doesn’t know about the misdeeds of the so called saints and sages these days, who have made headlines in news repeatedly in India and elsewhere? Previously, people used to become a sage or a religious preacher by renouncing the worldly comforts and wealth; now the story is reversed! The sainthood and being a preacher is a well managed and highly remunerable profession now!

There are many more examples I can cite from the people in public life, public services, sports, entertainment and glamour industries and so on. The point that I tried to make here is there are many people who practice and live in contractions and contrary practices. I am certainly not trying to say that all people are alike.

There are certainly people, who are well meaning, well intentioned, who walk their talk to the extent they can. The society and the World is run by them and not by those living in contradictions and adopting the double standards!
Finally, I do not know why I wrote this all but I can tell you it’s written for me and not for anyone; anyways the thoughts here are too common to be told anyone and many people will have the same or similar experiences!

कभी तूफ़ान कभी शोलों सी

जाने क्या मौसम की यहाँ गाज़ गिरी
ओस की बूंदें भी यहाँ ओलों सी गिरीं

बचाये रखने की कोशिश तो करी हमने
सर्द मौसम सी हवा में बिजली सी गिरी

दिल को बहलाया लाख तरीक़ों से हमने
दिल के हर कोने में बस आँधियाँ सी चलीं

ज़ख्म सहने की कोशिशें तो कीं थी हमने
हर दफ़ा सामने वहीं वो औंधे मुँह थीं गिरीं

हसरतें संभाल रखीं थीं जो दामन में अपनी
कभी तूफ़ान और कभी वो शोलों सी गिरीं

साक़ी की तमन्ना

ये तो साक़ी की तमन्ना थी कि पी लें हम भी
वरना यूँ जाम-ए-ज़हर पीने में यहाँ रखा क्या है

दिन ढले शाम की इज्ज़त की ख़ातिर पी लेते हैं
वरना इन ज़हर के घूँटों को पीने में रखा क्या है

जाम-ए-महफ़िल से बहलाते हैं हम ज़िन्दगी को
वरना यूँ चार दिन को यहाँ जीने में रखा क्या है

दोस्ती ही कर ली है यहाँ मय के प्यालों से हमने
वरना घुट घुट के यहाँ बस जीने में रखा क्या है

दिल जला कर पिलाये जा साक़ी जाम पर जाम
आग यूँ बस छुपाये अपने सीने में रखा क्या है

In the Name of Peace

All such prevalence of acts
For spearheading of peace
Threatening small nations
The aggressive state crafts
A diplomatic belligerence
Insurmounting arms race
The arms deals and sales
The proxy motivated wars
Prevailing trade relations
Economic or commercial
For those political motives
The alignments disguised
Mutual friendship by pacts
Without intending a peace
All in the name of peace!