hawa

aznabi ban main es anzaan shahar mein kaise aa gaya
main to chala tha dhool batorane
apne se sapno ki, jo yanha se gujarte waqt vo
apne pichhe chhod gaye honge

abhi aatur hi hua tha mera haath
es dhool ko daaman mein bhar lene ko ki
ek parichit sa hawa ka jhoka aaya aur
use mujhse duur kar gaya

tanik bhi krodh na tha mere man mein
us hawa ke jhoke ke liye
jis-mein khusbu hain apanepan kee
jis-mein thandak hai us aam ki chhanv kee
jiske niche hum sara din khela karte the

vo laga mujhe us hawa ke jhoke samaan
jis-mein gaharaai hai gaanv ke puraane talab kee
jis-mein chanchalta hai us titalee kee
jisko pakadane ke liye hum ghanto but¹ bane rahte the

tum vo hawa ho, jiska nikat se nikalna maatr²
mastisk³ ke chitr-patal⁴ par anginat⁵
smritiyon⁶ kee punawarti⁷ kara deta hai

vo hawa ho tum, jo jab gaanv kee gori ke chehare se
pallu hatati hai to uski abodh, nischhal, hiranyamayee aankhe
anzaan bhay⁸ se jhuk jati hain

vo purvai ho tum jiske liye gaanv ke log
tak-taki laga kar dekhate the ki
kab tum unke khalihaano mein khushi lekar aaogee

sab baalak wanha apni patang⁹ udaane ke liye
tumhari raah dekhate honge
tum es aznabi shahar mein kya karne aa gayi?

tumne to kai aznabiyon ko dekha hoga
kya tum es raah-bhatake musafir ko bhi rasta dikhaogee?
kya tum es aznabi ka es
aznabi shahar mein saath dogi?

1 --> statue
2 --> only
3 --> mind
4 --> canvas
5 --> innumerous
6 --> memories
7 --> recapitulation
8 --> fear
9 --> kite

halo moon

I took these photographs on the clear night of Sept. 18, 2005 with my dsc-p73.

one of the original
one of the digitally enhanced

Aren't they beautiful?

From wikipedia:
Image: Halo around moon
Article: Aura (optics)

kachha rasta

wo kachha rasta
jo chalta hai, rail ki pataree ke saath

jo yaad dilata hai, un doston ki
jo skool se chhuti ke baad
gale mein haath dal, pairon se dhul udaate the

yaad dilata hai babuji ki, jo shaam ko
theek sade-paanch baje ghar ki chat se dikhai dete the
yaad dilata hai, bade bhaiya ki
jo saikil¹ par barsam² baandh ke laate the

doharata hai vo khushi jo milati hai
rail mein jate logon ko haath hilane se

kachha rasta, jiske kinare pe
baitha hota tha ek amrud³ wala
jo na hota tha pareshan, humare tang karne se

jivit kar deta hai pairon se banai vo lakeeren
jo banti thi, chalti hui buggi⁴ ke pichhe latakane se

aur kabhi kabhi saath mein yaad aati hai
us sondhi mahak ki, jo udhati hai
halki bauchhar ke baad

1 --> cycle
2 --> green fodder
3 --> guava
4 --> bullock cart

bright day

3 Gals

three girls of different heights
roaming through a street
seizing others hearts tight

with dark eyes
hunting for someone
want to snare birds
for their deadly ransom
sylph, steamy, sophisticated they are
one blink of their eyes is enough for war
for their pray they have no bar
neither age, color, caste, not even, how far they are

they just want to enjoy their riping youth
just as a child enjoys her new suit

kya dafan hai is seene mein

kya kya seene mein dabaye firtae hain
kuchh gham dabaye firtae hain
kuchh thoda kam dabaye firtae hain

aansuo se bhigi raet hai
patharai hasrataen hain
do mutthi raakh hai, kanhi to
kuchh log dolat khaak kiye firtae hain

sarfaroshi liye firtae hain
inkalaab liye firtae hain
liye firtae hain aazaab bajuo main
aur behisab liye firtae hain

khamoshi liye firtae hai
intazaar liye firtae hai
munavwar ho janha sabka
ye fariyaad liye firtae hain

aazaab --> tufaan
munavwar --> roshan

tamana-e-hijr

na kar waqt zaya, mujhe samajhane mein
suljha sakta hun kud, vo sawal hun main

maanaa ke kuchh nahi, main duniya ke vaste
sochata hai tu jise din raat, wo khayal hoon main

na karo mujhpe ehsaan, khabar hai sahar mein
chuka chuka hoon itne ke, jayb khali maal hun main

na bhag mere peechhe, yun mund ke aankhain
milne se jiske kushi mile, nahi vo ma'aal hun main

na koshish kar jan-ne ki, khairiyat meri
jab se gaya hai tu, behaal hun main

ma'aal --> result

beautiful morning

kuchh kachcha pakka

mujhe mil gaya koi mere dard ko samjhne vala
main dosti apni rakib se kar li hain
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subah karta hun, sham karta hum. din raat ek hi kaam karta hun
yaad kar kar ke din nahi bharta, isliye milne ki fariyaad karta hun
-------------------------------------------------------------------

kuchh to vakhat chahiye jakhm-e-dil ko nasoor banana ke liye
chand roz aur na aaye, to phir aana na padega
-------------------------------------------------------------------

vo aag to kab ki bujh chuki
sirf angar hi baki hai
ab dhuan udhne laga hai
kal shaayad vo bhi na ho
-------------------------------------------------------------------

kya aalm tha kal mahfil main
ye unki yaad hi thi jisne askon ka dariya palko pe tham diya
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mat puchh meri udasi ka sabab
main teri sahar mahkti rakha chahata hun
-------------------------------------------------------------------

apna kya hai bahata hua dariya hai
yaad aaye bhi to mud ke ja nahi sakta
-------------------------------------------------------------------

kon kambakt nind ke aagosh mein jaana chahata hai
hum to sote hai isliye ke unka chera dekhn sake
-------------------------------------------------------------------

sarfaroshi liye firate hain
inkalaab liye firte hain
liye firte hain azaab bajuo main
aur behisab liye firte hain
-------------------------------------------------------------------

mujhe maloom hai dost ke tu sach kah raha hai
per ye kam naseeb dil jhoot sunne ka aadi ho chukka hai
-------------------------------------------------------------------

charag gul kardo sab
ke shama aa rahi hai
koi murda e aashiqe le aaye
ke uski ruh aa rahi hai
-------------------------------------------------------------------

mat jaahir karna asaliyat-e-husan aaine ke saamne
chatak jaayega jaayega kanhi dil rakhta hua agar
-------------------------------------------------------------------

intazaar

ye khamoshi khaye ja rayegi mujhe
ye khamoshi jo mere jahan mein bas gayi hai
sab kuchh khamosh hai
agar kuchh shor hai to, wo tumhari aawaz hai
jo rah rah kar dur se aa rahi hai
agar kuchh sar-sarahat hai to, wo tumhare aas pas hone ka ahsaas hai
lekin ye sirf ahsaas hai

sari kaynaat tut rahi hai
aur main dono hantho se apne aap ko thame hua hun
darr raha hun main bikharne se

bas aur ab, nahi bardaas kar pa raha hun
nahi hota aur intazaar un banho ka
jo mujhe samait lengi apni aagosh mein

eye of the tiger