Wednesday 22 December 2010

You Middle Class!

During those golden days of past, we had so many workers at home, whom we would play around with. They would take us around to places of varied locality, and also gave us the freedom from our parents’ watchful eyes. The mirth, the joy of childhood, which I could only yearn for, but never achieve through any amount of money that I will possibly earn in my life, is filled with the instances of such people. I faintly, but surely remember the “malaiwaalah” that used to turn up to our house every Saturday and Sunday, knowing that we would be around and would surely pester our parents to get “malai”. The “hawa mithaiwaallah “ too followed the routine, and all of them so beautifully created the their own space in my decorated childhood, interspersed with memories of great simplicity. They themselves  appeared in torn and wretched clothes, but never did their goods appear to degrade in taste, the taste that still sits atop my tongue, and could never be matched by any cuisine. Ah! The beauty of such memories drenches me in this sweetness. The gratitude and the generosity of these men in my life is something that will always light up my life.

Wednesday 8 December 2010

Natural and Artificial

Natural and artificial . These two groups are worth revisiting. What is natural ? That which comes of its own? Like  trees, waterfalls, forests, animals. But what is artificial? Anything that man creates and is supposedly not " in consonance with existing order". Why , it seems, ranging from a pin to a leviathan , are all artificial. All of these have been created by application of human minds.
But , does that mean , our mind is the seat of artificial things?

Tuesday 30 November 2010

Our Death!

Thus there would be deaths,
 In millions and billions,
But tell me O you!
Whence has death preceded life?

Man may tower the pinnacles of success,
 Yet he is nothing more than a death of death!


Look at this man!
He is scared of death!
He didn’t know, what was he thinking when he had life!

In the womb he lay, breathing or not breathing!
And now, he THINKS, thinks he is dying!

Sunday 28 November 2010

बातें !!

तुम  क्या हो? मासूम, नटखट, बचपन की  छाया , या चतुर, चालाक  , जीवन की निर्वाहिका !  तुममें हंसी रुकी भी नहीं छुपी भी नहीं| आँखों में शरारत है, कि मासूमियत  ? कुछ होने या न होने के दायरे में तुम कहीं बसी हुई हो, ठहरी हुई तो नहीं, पर दूर भी नहीं|

Sunday 14 November 2010

Twilight's haunt!

Why am I so scared,
when It's not dark as yet.


Sneaking through the window,
is the twilight's eery crescendo.


Silence is deafening,
and the brightness , sickening.


The heart goes bleaker,
the promise grows weaker.

Saturday 13 November 2010

रात की और सुबह की ...


रात के कुछ पल बीते ही थे कि सुबह की दस्तक आ गयी,
आँखों में कटी  या साँसों में , रात तो सुबह में घुल गयी | 

पर अब तक रात खामोश सी थी , सुबह का शोर सुनने को,
ये रात मदहोश ही थी, सुबह तक होश होने को|
रात तो बस रात ही है, अँधेरा सिर्फ मन या रौशनी का नहीं,
सुबह पर सब कुछ है, सवेरा मन  का भी, सिर्फ रौशनी का ही नहीं|


ज्यूं रात बदल गयी है , सुबह में,
में भी बदल जाऊँगा अगले पल में|

Sunday 24 October 2010

The palette of heaven

How did the sky color itself in blood today!
Look there in west, its orange,crimson and other ruddy ways.


One could none but wonder at this palette of heaven,
Whites in bunch, blue in abundance and red sprinkled uneven.


That crown of king shines crimson red,
And follows its procession behind, bathed in white drape.


Glorious is the beautiful sprawl of orange flavor up there,
one could not help but gaze at those shaded bundle of uneven clouds,
shaded in red glare.


Saturday 23 October 2010

To Him!

And this is another Sunrise,
Not yet the morning bright.


The darkness of night  defeated,
But darkness of dreams stays bright.


There perhaps is no meaning of this day-birth today,
There had been no meaning since the Time had had its sway.


To kill Time, I pen my words,
But, to kill the Self, no sword has been cast yet.


For only when this constricted self departs,
Will there be the birth of Universal Man.


Thursday 21 October 2010

The hazy grate of a morning

The hazy grate of a morning, churning out brightness, through wads of  fragmented clouds, accompanied by cool and moist breeze that flows through a gaunt figure, lying on a four legged steel frame. The figure
doesn't appear to move much, lost amidst its acts. What acts? There is no semblance of movement, but there is no quietude either.

It appears to be lost in oblivion, with shapes passing through it. Though lethargic, its in motion, answering questions put across it, fighting the urge, the compulsion, and the compunction , all together in a moment.

Wednesday 20 October 2010

In that class

"Cold war, though not as destructive as the pernicious world war II , perpetrated an unprecedented race for weapons and covert acts of destruction by individual nations, in particular Soviets ."

While madam, wallowed in those historical facts, I wallowed in the sight that presented itself from across the grills of window. A branch of mango tree, with its greyed leaves, swayed in the gentle breeze. The breeze that caressed my face draped in sweat beads,twinkling. The breeze that carried with itself the faint cadence of a genset working far away.


Monday 4 October 2010

An anger

 Why is it that a person must be an achiever to prove himself? Why shall I be defined by what I have achieved? Is it all worth  it? What have the achievers done so different for the mankind?

I am just a boy willing to live merrily , with peace in this world. Why should I prove my presence with an achievement? Why should I have a goal in order to portray myself as a worthy being?  What shall be my worth anyway? My worth isn’t more than  216ft. cube of  land. Till that day arrives can’t this world allow my soul to roam about in hope and peace and hearth?

Tuesday 14 September 2010

नौकरी में ही सब है!!

"नौकरी  में ही  सब  है ", जब  ये  शब्द  मेरे  कानों  पे  परे  तो  में  तिलमिला  उठा | इस  सत्य  को  तो  शायद मैं  भुला  ही  चुका  था , मानो  जैसे  ये  शब्द , सत्य  और  असत्य  की सीमा  से  परे  हो गए थे  , जैसे  कि  मेरा  अस्तित्व  इसी  सत्य  के  अन्दर  बसा  हुआ  है , और  मैं  इसकी  "सत्यता" पे  कभी  ऊँगली  उठा  ही  नहीं  सकता | पर  आगे  आने  वाले  शब्द  थे , "तुम  अभी  नहीं समझोगे ", मानो  जैसे  अंजली , राहुल  से  कह  रही  हो , "कुछ  कुछ  होता  है  राहुल , तुम  नहीं  समझोगे ". पर मैं  समझता  हूँ , कम  से  कम  समझने  का  दावा  तो  जरूर  करता  हूँ , वरना इस  निर्दयी  और  निमार्मिक  नौकरी  के  पीछे  दिन  रात  क्यूं  भागता | पर  शायद   में  उनकी  दृष्टि  से  नहीं  समझ  पा  रहा  था , क्यूंकि  विगत  शब्द  मेरे  बाबूजी  के  मुख से  निकले  थे |

Sunday 5 September 2010

The Vultures of freedom!

From the clueless union of two souls,
    Was I conceived, to tread on this world!


Cast was I into the mold of their culture,
    But the shell was broken down and I was taken by the vultures!


Those vultures ate up the moss of society on my soul,
    And when I died, caught in those talons, my rebirth met my pristine soul.


And I became a vulture too, to eat up the moss society creates,
    Although, I am left alone and weariness grates.


Wednesday 25 August 2010

अँधेरी रौशनी और तुम !

तुम कौन हो ? थोड़ी सी छुपती , थोडा उमड़ती !
जैसे अँधेरे में छुपकर, धूमिल रौशनी बिखेरती!!

यूँ होता है तेरे होने का एहसास, उन अँधेरी उजालो में,
कि बस घिरा और उलझा हूँ लाखों सवालों में!

तुम मेरी मंजिल तो नहीं, ना ही  तुम मेरा रास्ता हो!
पर तुम संग , यही लगे की हमारा हमेशा का वास्ता हो!!

Sunday 4 April 2010

What If ...

What if I were a labor born,
With a different hum and a tragic song.
Would've quoted Marx and inspired revolution.
Would've witnessed fall and mired in convolutions.
But who could say, I may have been a Stalin.


Yet, I am a bourgeois child of education,
create wealth and unwary of rations.
Ideas and theories rule my day,
even though I falter and get asway.
But who could say, I may not be one.


Sunday 21 March 2010

When they met ... again ... VII

He sighed and looked around. His face bore signs of confused pleasure and bewilderment . She stood there in front of him, with the baby still cradled in her arms. It was not hers , off course, but how did that matter. She was joined to it's fate, for now and maybe forever. The child too seemed to have had accepted her as its mother.

And she herself,as beautiful and coy as he had imagined, stood in her eyes. But more than her corporeal primness, something else appeared to be emanating from her, something that had no parallel in words . It was only to be felt and dwelt in.

Thursday 11 February 2010

As it happened . . . - VI

"You appear to be lost. Where do you think you want to go?", the old man asked him. But he, sitting by his side kept looking in the oblivion. "You seem to me to be the affected one, the kind, lost in itself. I know where I am heading to, but you seem lost, even with me, and that's a rarity.", the old driver remarked with smirk sprawled over his face.

He didn't bother to take note of those words , yet out of irritation he blurted , " I am of the kind who has just left everything behind himself ,at the instigation of a reasoning mind which wallowed in rationality and failed to take practicability into account. And now, when I have debased myself and failed at the application of my own thoughts, I do not see any merit in it. I can't see people around, I can't go back to my old world, and most sadly, I can't think practical any more. Of your help , I am grateful, yet I would wish not to be lectured by some moronic cart driver."

Monday 8 February 2010

A rosy click.

"What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". While Shakespeare attributed these lines to Romeo, didn't he arrogate complete authority of the flower to the olfactory sense exclusively. In this picture above , the ocular sense emanates and redeems its due glory.

Thursday 4 February 2010

A revolution for men.

We urgently need a revolution . One that would free us from the troubles and tortures of an oppressive authority.Who are the perpetrators ? They are everywhere , even in your own house, just as in mine. And we are victimized , by them, not only for our time but also in our thoughts .
It's been too cliched to talk about the oppression of women against men, you heard me right, women against men, yet its worth raising one's voice once again. None of the voices raised have been powerful one, although . Why, don't you know the weapon of mass oppression? Television sops, of course.

Tuesday 2 February 2010

Bangalore Nights.

Bangalore nights are special, especially since it's the representative of the pristine city , uncrowded and unpacked. What gives the feel of heaven more so is the cool climate of the night, the breeze blows gently against oneself and chills him. It's so special since you can drive on road , hassle free.

Tonight (Sunday ) was one such beautiful night. Moonlit streets, cold breeze swaying you on its bosoms, and silence of a lazy road with a gusty motor racing on it. Trees on sidewalks had their silhouettes drawn up with vivid starkness. The way ahead seems to be approaching you faster than you would want it to. But, except my motor, none are in hurry. The entire panorama had almost dissolved itself in the moonlight and gentle wind caresses the tarred way ahead .

Monday 25 January 2010

An inexorable Bihar.

Imagine a civilized society. A society where people lived fearlessly, citizens pursued happiness and had access to the means to that purpose. Pride in tradition coexisted seamlessly with modernistic values. Human life drew respect and had significant value. Wouldn't that be an ideal definition of a political state? It's hard to say if India stands up to that ideal, but certainly Bihar is an antithesis. A perfect contrast, rather.

Saturday 16 January 2010

Her Departure - V

When she woke up, it was almost daybreak. She was tired, but the sleep had helped invigorate her a bit. The baby was still sleeping by her side. She felt its breath on her fingers and sighed. She looked around for him in a hazy glance, and then laid back on bed once again.

Thursday 14 January 2010

4th Idiot.

Obviously, that's what you and I are feeling. Three were there , in the movie, and fourth who else but us. And it works in general because many of us didn't choose our path of our own volition , but were made to choose, by peer pressure, parent pressure and finally sheer luck. And sadly there wasn't any Aamir Khan in his philosophic avatar to open our eyes. To make us nod in acquiescence and guilt, when he says, "Excel in what you do and success will eventually follow". Sadly, I could never say that to my surroundings,which have gone by, which impressed on me the need to immerse in books , to excel with great marks, to be number 1 in studies. Oh ! Aamir where were you!

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Dilemaa - IV

And then it vanished, just like those ripples last night,as if it never had been there. He realized suddenly what he had been doing since last night. He was inebriated with his own ideals, and perhaps in his own fit of realization he had overwrought himself. It wasn't strange for him to wallow in this dialectic with himself, but yesterday , he had given up. He gave up all that he had created, all that he had clung to, all that he had borne till then.