Hope

It was the day of submission of ph. d. thesis and so obvoiusly for me it was a time for celebration. As a part of tradition, I was suppose to go and buy sweets for the people of my department. So I took a rikasha for kamala nagar market. However, we could not find kaju barfi in any of the shops I knew. So we decided to explore the market for other sweet shops. Meanwhile, I started chatting with him. He asked me...aap kaya kartee ho madam ji. I told that I study in the department and today I have submitted my thesis and therefore, looking for sweets.

He had his further questions like what does thesis means and how would it help me. I said I will get a Ph.D degree. Then he said...aap kei padhai mei ek aur degree jode jayegee.....phir aap ko naukari mil jayegi kaya?......For a moment I was a bit confused what to answer him but then I said...haan mil jayegee.....boosting that education never goes waste....but he was silent....simply listening to me. Probably sitting in a comfortable place, I was in a frame to convey the importance of education to him. Then I started talking about him and was surprised to learn that he was a graduate. Beyond that point there were very few questions for me to ask but there was lot for him to share.....a guy from a very poor family with no land ..from bihar...worked real hard to get himself educated and came to the town with a hope to earn well so that he can take care of his younger brother and rest of his family member.....after a while he said.....teen saal barbaad kiyee madam ji....riksha hei chalana tha to baarve (12th) kei baad hei chal letai...kuch ab tak bacha to leya hota. I did not have any word to say beyond that.......Today he is here...running his rented riksha everyday......taking students around in the campus.....with a hope that he could save enough money. Then he said.....chotte bhai ko bola hai engineering kei tyaree kar.......uske kismat saath de jayee.....kaya pata kuch ban jayee wo....uskee leyee paisee jode raha ho......and Finally we managed to find our sweet shop after struggling for about an hour. - S. V.

The lines it often reminds me....

Dil naa umed to nahiin,
Naakaam hi to hai,
Lambii hai gam kii shaam,
Magar shaam hii to hai

Ye safar, bahut hai kathin magar
Na udaas ho mere hamasafar

ye sitam ki raat hai dhalane ko
hai andheraa gam kaa pighalane ko
zara der is mein lage agar, na udaas …

nahin rahanevali ye mushkilen
ye hain agale mod pe manzilen
meri baat kaa tuu yakiin kar,

kabhii dhund legaa ye karavaan
vo naye zamein nayaa aasamaan
jise dhundhati hai teri najar,

Fiza

Main hawa hoon, kahin bhi theherti nahin
Ruk bhi jaaoon kahin par to rehti nahin
Maine tinke uthaaye hue hain paron par
Aashiyaana nahin hai mera
Ghane ek ped se mujhe
Jhoka koi leke aaya hai
Sukhe ek patte ki tarah
Hawa ne har taraf udaaya hai

Aa na aa
Hey, aa na aa ek dafa is zameen se uthe
Paaon rakhe hawa par zara sa ude
Chal chale hum jahan koi rasta na ho
Koi rehta na ho, koi basta na ho
Kehte hai aankhon mein milti hai aisi jaga

Tum mile to kyoon laga mujhe
Khud se mulaaqaat ho gayi
Kuch bhi to kaha nahin magar
Zindagi se baat ho gayi

Aa na aa …Hey, aa na aa saat baithe zara der to
Haath thaame rahe aur kuch na kahe
Chhooke dekhe to aankhon ki khaamoshiyaan
Kitni chup chaap hoti hai sargoshiyaan
Sunte hai aankhon mein hoti hai aisi sada

Tu hawa hai, fiza hai, zameen ki nahin
Tu ghata hai to phir kyoon barasti nahin
Udti rehti hai tu panchhiyon ki tarah
Aa mere aashiyaane mein aa

Main hawa hoon, kahin bhi theherti nahin
Ruk bhi jaaoon kahin par to rehti nahin
Maine tinke uthaaye hue hain paron par
Aashiyaana nahin hai mera

गुलाबी चूड़ियाँ

प्राइवेट बस का ड्राइवर है तो क्या हुआ,
सात साल की बच्ची का पिता तो है!
सामने गियर से उपर
हुक से लटका रक्खी हैं
काँच की चार चूड़ियाँ गुलाबी

बस की रफ़्तार के मुताबिक
हिलती रहती हैं…
झुककर मैंने पूछ लिया
खा गया मानो झटका
अधेड़ उम्र का मुच्छड़ रोबीला चेहरा

आहिस्ते से बोला: हाँ सा’ब
लाख कहता हूँ नहीं मानती मुनिया
टाँगे हुए है कई दिनों से
अपनी अमानत
यहाँ अब्बा की नज़रों के सामने

मैं भी सोचता हूँ
क्या बिगाड़ती हैं चूड़ियाँ
किस ज़ुर्म पे हटा दूँ इनको यहाँ से?
और ड्राइवर ने एक नज़र मुझे देखा
और मैंने एक नज़र उसे देखा

छलक रहा था दूधिया वात्सल्य बड़ी-बड़ी आँखों में
तरलता हावी थी सीधे-साधे प्रश्न पर
और अब वे निगाहें फिर से हो गईं सड़क की ओर
और मैंने झुककर कहा -
हाँ भाई, मैं भी पिता हूँ
वो तो बस यूँ ही पूछ लिया आपसे
वर्ना किसे नहीं भाएँगी?
नन्हीं कलाइयों की गुलाबी चूड़ियाँ!

नागार्जुन

हम पंछी उन्मुक्त गगन क

हम पंछी उन्मुक्त गगन के
पिंजरबद्ध न गा पाऍंगे,
कनक-तीलियों से टकराकर
पुलकित पंख टूट जाऍंगे।

हम बहता जल पीनेवाले
मर जाऍंगे भूखे-प्यासे,
कहीं भली है कटुक निबोरी
कनक-कटोरी की मैदा से,

स्वर्ण-श्रृंखला के बंधन में
अपनी गति, उड़ान सब भूले,
बस सपनों में देख रहे हैं
तरू की फुनगी पर के झूले।

ऐसे थे अरमान कि उड़ते
नील गगन की सीमा पाने,
लाल किरण-सी चोंचखोल
चुगते तारक-अनार के दाने।

होती सीमाहीन क्षितिज से
इन पंखों की होड़ा-होड़ी,
या तो क्षितिज मिलन बन जाता
या तनती सॉंसों की डोरी।

नीड़ न दो, चाहे टहनी का
आश्रय छिन्न-भिन्न कर डालो,
लेकिन पंख दिए हैं, तो
आकुल उड़ान में विघ्न न डालों।

शिवमंगल सिंह सुमन

Success is counted sweetest by those

Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne'er succeed.
To comprehend a nectar
Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple host
Who took the flag to-day
Can tell the definition
So clear, of victory,

As he, defeated, dying,
On whose forbidden ear
The distant strains of triumph
Break, agonized and clear.

- Emily Dickension

Pukaro mujhee naam lekar pukaro

Pukaaro mujhe naam lekar pukaaro
Mujhe tumase apanii khabar mil rahii hai

Kai baar yuu bhi hua hai safar mei
Achaanak se do ajanabii mil gae ho
Jinh rhu pahachaanatii ho dil se
Bhatakate bhatakate vahii mil gae ho


Khayaalo me tum ne bhi dekhii to hogi
Kabhi mere khvaabo ki dhundhalii lakiiren
Tumhaarii hathelii se milatii hai jaakar
Mere haatho kii ye adhuurii lakirein