My Seventeenth Birthday

Here is the start of new story, I am writing these days. It’s the story of a teenage boy lived in small town in India. Period of the story was later years of nineties (1997-2000). I hope it to be completed in next month however can’t commit anything at the moment. Till than read the starting pages of it and share initial feedback with me -

“Don’t be late on first day otherwise you will reach school late in entire session.” My friend Manish told me when we were going school on first day of new session in eleventh standard. People may change their way of work for a day, but they will surely come to their natural habit next day. Manish was on time for first day only. Second day, I was waiting for him at Birla-Gram Square from last twenty minutes, but there were no signal of him reaching there. Well…I was very well aware about his habits so this was no surprise for me. He usually reach late everywhere and I was the victim of his laziness most of the time because I have habit of reaching at exact time everywhere. After waiting for twenty minutes, I got tired standing there so I sat at the bench in the corner to relax.

It was the year 1998, when I passed high school. That was the time when Globalization winds were impacting Indian society and their habits. Middle class society was getting more matured day by day in terms of living standards. People’s thinking and dreams to achieve something were also getting higher. Shahrukh Khan was the most famous Bollywood actor at that time and his Kuchh-kuchh hota hain movie was released just few days back. This movie has redefined the definition of friendship between boy and girl; but such friendship was still a nightmare in small town like Nagda. Several eyebrows were raised if you caught with a girl at anywhere in the city. And why only others, our own friends and group circle people looked at us like we caught with alien. Nagda is a small town in Madhya-Pradesh, which was mainly developed due to Grasim Industries of Birlas. I Nityam Rathore, was the student of Birla higher secondary school at that time and Manish was my best buddy there.

I was still sitting there at corner bench to pass the waiting period. My eyes were looking for Manish but mind was thinking about Kuchh-Kuchh hota hain, movie I saw last week. When I watched Sholay movie in my childhood days, I wanted a friend like Veeru or Jay in life. But after watching Kuchh-Kuchh hota hain, Foot prints of Jay-Veeru type friendship of my childhood days were completely erased, and Rahul-Anjali were my new idol of friendship in teenage. You can say it was my attraction for female or my salute to true friendship but I desperately wanted a friend like Anjali in life. Once I told about it to Manish but he said that it is nothing but my cheap mentality as I wanted friend like Anjali just because she is a girl. He argued that Jay and Anjali are almost similar; Anjali has sacrificed her love for friendship and Jay has sacrificed his life for friendship; the only difference between them is that Jay is a man and Anjali is a woman and this is the only reason I wanted Anjali from life, not Jay. Manish also slammed me for giving the name of friendship to attraction towards opposite gender. Well…I didn’t have any reply of his argument but I was very sure about my choice of Anjali over Jay.

I was in the thoughts of Anjali and suddenly I noticed a beautiful girl with Hero-Puch moped stopped there at square. She looked here and there for some time; I thought she was looking for someone there. Suddenly she started looking at the same side where I sat. She smiled but I got confused; is she smiling at me? It’s the chance every boy looking for…a beautiful girl smile at him. But to be very true, I was not sure how to react at that time…I mean for a second, I confused…next second, I felt happy that such a beautiful girl smiling at me. She was dressed in same school uniform so I thought she might be our junior in school. But why she smiled…may be she knew me…but how? ….she might know me due to cricket…after all I was the Sachin Tendulkar of our school cricket team. I got some confidence that she might know me due to cricket and stood up. I put a light smile at my face and about to move a step toward her but suddenly I found another girl came from the building at back side and crossed me. Other girl said hi to her, wrapped a scarf over her face, sit at the back seat and they moved away from there. Oh! What a misunderstanding…now I got the thing…she was smiling at the girl back side of me…and I was feeling happy, proud and lucky that a girl smiled at me. Hey God! Can’t you make this misunderstanding true for me…

Girl has gone but her smile printed in my eyes. I was started dreaming about her sitting at there…in case if she was smiling at me…I met her and she would ask me…you are the one who hit four consecutive sixes and make our school team won in last year cricket tournament…I blushed at this…and then she would offer me lift up to school at her Hero-Puch…we were moving to school at her Hero-Puch in the dreams and suddenly horn of another moped destroyed everything. It was Manish there… almost thirty minutes late. “Let’s make hurry Nityam, we are already late.”  Manish told. I sit at the back seat and Manish started driving.

“You will never improve your habit of coming late” I started expressing my frustration on the way. Manish didn’t reply anything as he was busy in driving. But I haven’t completed yet, “yesterday you were giving me lecture on coming late… than what happened today.” Manish was still unaffected at my chat but his silence made me more aggressive. “Don’t be late on first day of session otherwise you will reach school late in entire session…who… your grandma told you yesterday and you forget everything just next day.”

This time Manish took a chance to speak “Grandma told only about first day of session…what should do next day…she never spoke about it” Manish replied innocently.

“Very funny…there is a universal truth written in almost every book of moral science that you should always come school at time…can’t you read it” I found this conversation a good topic to tease him but Manish was not the candidate who can be easily captured in such conversation.

“If I could able to remember everything what written in books than I would be the topper of our school” Manish replied again in same innocent manner.

I laughed at his reply but still my mission to make him hyper was not completed. “oho topper!…you secured first division in last year board exam …and person who secured first division is also counted among toppers….and yes…uncle gifted this moped at your success in last year exam…why he gifted it…so that you will reach at time everywhere…if you can’t come at time on this new second-hand TVS Champ moped, than our bi-cycles were much better than it.” This time I got success in my mission and Manish became red somewhat.

“You can say anything to me but don’t dare to say anything about my moped…its very special for me…and what is this new-second-hand…it’s always new for me” Manish said in annoyed voice. My mission has completed …its very tough to get command over Manish but today I made it possible as he irritated on my ‘new-second-hand’ comment…it’s a very lucky day for me.

We haven’t talked for next few minutes and this silence sent me again in past…what a smile she has. I again started thinking about that girl…she was really very beautiful…I must try to make friendship with her…but how…she was dressed in same school uniform so it means she is in same school…but in which class…how can I find her…

I was flying in thoughts and sudden brake of moped sent me on earth. A girl on bi-cycle suddenly came in front of our moped while crossing road. “Why girls use their legs to stop the cycle…can’t they know there are breaks given in hand?” Manish complained.  The girl on bicycle used her legs to stop her cycle while crossing road but that didn’t stop the bi-cycle immediately and she came in front of us.

Well…I was agree with Manish on his general statement about female society but today I was not in mood to speak anything against girls. “She might be a new learner…that’s why using legs instead of breaks” I said in sympathetic voice.

Smile of a beautiful girl made my morning refreshing but not Manish…his morning was totally spoiled due to laziness. “No, this is the habit of all girls…I noticed girls on Hero-Puch moped uses their lags instead of brake…Government should ban girls to drive on road.” Hero-Puch word of Manish again reminded me about that girl at square but Manish was not completed yet. “Girls are responsible for most of accidents happen on the road…some accidents causes due to such driving habits of them…and some happen as people get distracted from driving by looking them on road.” Manish expressed his expert opinion.

I again took the side of girls and said “What do you mean by some accidents happen as people get distracted from driving by looking girls on road…what girls can do if people get distracted by looking them.” I was giving air to listen some more fire-words from Manish. “No they should not do anything…government should not issue driving license to girls…especially beautiful girls.” Manish made a pause before saying beautiful girls and this pause said everything what he intended to said. I laughed loudly at his statement and it brought a naughty smile on Manish’s face too. “Yes…you are absolutely true…there should be a clause of not being very beautiful for issuing driving license to girls.” I concluded while laughing.

Manish was looking in good mood to me now. We were again silent for few minutes. Thought of that beautiful girl was the only thing cooking inside my heart from morning but I never get a chance to speak about it yet. I was dying to express about my feeling for that girl and I found this thought a good way to break the ice.

“Hey! Today one good thing happened with me due to your laziness.” I started fresh conversation with Manish. “What happened my friend?” Manish asked curiously. “I saw a beautiful girl at square…what a gorgeous smile she has…she looks like an angel… morning angel” I expressed all my emotions.

“Hey Mr. Romeo! These angel types of girls found only in movies, not in real life…but anyways…what’s her name?” Voice of Manish was very hard when he was saying that angel type of girls never meets in real life, but his tone get soft when he asked about her name.

“I don’t know her name…but she was dressed in same school uniform.” I replied. “So what was she doing at square?” Manish asked in investigation mode. “She came there to pick up her friend” I answered. “How was that second girl?” Manish looked very interested in the matter now. “I don’t know…means… I haven’t look her properly but she was short in height and a bit fatty…but who look at the other girl when such a beautiful girl was there smiling in front of you.” I again lost in the thought of that girl with saying this.

“Ok…no problem…we will find those girls in school…as we have lots of free time in these initial days of session.” Manish said. “Why we…means why you are so much interested in that girl…I saw her first.” I warned Manish. “If you see a parted kite in sky first, than it doesn’t mean that kite belongs to you…kite goes to that person who catches that first at ground. “Manish’s trademarked baseless logics started. “Ok…we will see later…let’s catch that girl first.” I concluded. “That’s the spirit my friend!” Manish complemented and we entered into school campus. Manish parked moped and we moved towards the classroom as prayer was already over.

Coming Soon…

शहर

इस शहर की गलियों में गफलत हैं बहुत,
आवाज़े हे कम पर शोर हे बहुत

हवाए भी रखती हे यहाँ आग का असर
खुशबूये हैं कम जिनमे पर धुआं हे बहुत

तनहा मायूस लगती हर सूरत संजीदा यहाँ
ख्वाहिशे घुटी हैं जिसमे, हसरते सहमी हैं बहुत

डर गुस्से का हर किस्सा होता निगाहों से बयाँ यहाँ
कुछ आँखे रोई हैं बहुत, कुछ गुर्रायी हैं बहुत

मतलबपरस्त हो चूका इमां हर इन्सां का
खुदाई दिखती कम पर खुदगर्जी बिकती हे बहुत

कितनी बेरहम हे दुआये खुदा के दलालों की भी
हमदर्दी हैं गुम जिसमे पर नफरते महकती हैं बहुत

कुछ कारण हैं कि लिख रहे हे ऐसी गजल गाली खाने को
वरना महफ़िल में तारीफे हमने भी बटोरी हैं बहुत

ये किस शहर में आ गए ‘ठाकुर’ तुम अपनी तकदीर तराशने को
पत्थरो कि हैं हुकूमत हर जगह यहाँ और फूलो कि ज़िल्लत हैं बहुत

Road side Romeo

हुए जब भी हम पर हसीनो के हमले,
याद नहीं रहा कब गिरे, कब सँभले !

फूल गुलाब से ये देखे या छूले,
सूखे न मुरझाकर इन्हें धुप से बचा ले!

सर्द हवाये न इनकी रंगत चुरा ले,
की आहो से इन्हें जरा हम फिक्रमंद कर दे !

ये मासूमियत ये अदा इनकी, बन न जाये कही अकड़ कल की
की नज़रो से हम इन अठखेलियो में, हमदर्दी-ओ-हया भर दे !

ज़ालिम ज़माना हे ज़रा जोर ज़बरदस्ती वाला,
की बाँहों में भरकर इन्हें हम महफूज़ कर दे !

शोहदों सा नहीं मिजाज़ मेरा, यहाँ गिरे, वहाँ फिसले
आशिक हु हुस्न-ए-जवाहरातो का, तुम्हे तराशे, तुम्हे सहेजे !

कोई बेवफा न कभी इनके नाजुक दिल को तोड़े
की सब हसीनो से हम अकेले ही वफ़ा निभा ले !!

मत पूछ मेरे हौसलों की हदों के बारे में

मत पूछ मेरे हौसलों की हदों के बारे में,
ये वो पंछी हैं, जो जानते ही नहीं सरहदों के बारे में !
उड़ते रहते हैं ये निरंतर ख्वाहिशो के आसमानों में,
और बाज नहीं आते कभी तकदीर को आजमाने से !

रूठ जाती हैं तकदीरे कभी, बदल जाता हे वक़्त भी
दगा देते हैं इंसा अपने, दिक्क़ते देती उम्र भी
बस ये हौसले ही हैं जो कभी रुठते नहीं
हारती हैं ज़िंदगियाँ पर ये कभी हारते नहीं

मत पूछ क्या हासिल हैं इन हौसलों की वजह से
ये वो पंछी हैं, टिका हैं आसमा जिनकी वजह से
ढूंड लाते हैं ये रोजाना ज़िन्दगी का दाना
और भूलकर सारे गम गाते हैं मस्ती का तराना

आया था इक दिन जब हार गए थे ये हौसले
कट गए थे पर इनके, टूट गए थे घौसले
लग रहा था अब न उड़ सकेगी ये कोपले,
पर अगले दिन फिर निकल पड़े ये तिनको को धुंडने
एक-एक तिनका बीनकर, लगे फिर आशियाना जोड़ने

मत पूछ उस दिन इन हौसलों की हालत के बारे में
कुछ सोच ही नहीं रहे थे ये उस दिन राहत के बारे में
उड़ रहे थे उस दिन ये उम्मीद के आकाश में
आसुओं को पौछ्कर आशियाने की तलाश में

ये हौसले भी किसी हकीम से कम नहीं होते हैं,
हर तकलीफ को ताक़त बना देते हैं,
और दर्द से भी दवा चुरा लेते हैं !
एक ख्वाहिश टूटे तो हज़ार ख्वाब सजा लेते हैं,
और छोटी-छोटी कोशिश से मुक़द्दर बना देते हैं !

मत पूछ क्या हाल होगा इन हौसलों के न होने से
मर जाता हैं पंछी कोई पिंजरों में क़ैद होने से
मोह नहीं रहता उसे न खाने में न जीने में
और मर जाती हैं तमन्ना उड़ने की फडफड़ाकर सीने में

मत पूछ मेरे हौसलों की हदों के बारे में,
ये वो पंछी हैं, जो जानते ही नहीं सरहदों के बारे में !
उड़ते रहते हैं ये निरंतर ख्वाहिशो के आसमानों में,
और बाज नहीं आते कभी तकदीर को आजमाने से !

2011 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 11,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

…उस दिन रात नहीं कटती !

कोई हँसी ख्वाब नहीं बनता,
कोई खूबसूरत ख्वाहिश नहीं खिलती,
दिन ऐसा गुजरा जो कोई,
तो उस दिन रात नहीं कटती !

दिन गुजरा बेमतलब बातो में तो क्या
बेफिक्र फुरसत के बगैर तो भूख भी नहीं लगती
और खाया जो खाना फिक्र में घुलकर गर
तो उस खाने से तबियत नहीं खिलती !

कोई मनपसंद गीत होंठ नहीं गुनगुनाते
किसी दिलकश धुन पर पैर नहीं थिरकते
कोई पागलपन जब तक हम कर नहीं लेते
तब तक उस दिन को अलविदा नहीं कहते

कोई हँसी ख्वाब नहीं बनता………………………………………

नफे नुकसान में तुलने लगी जो बाते अगर
मतलब से ही बँटने लगी हँसी जो गर
आया कभी मौसम ऐसा सितम बनकर
मर जायेंगे उस फिज़ा में हम लाइलाज जख्म खाकर

बिन बोले जो बात नहीं होती,
बिन बात जो हँसी नहीं आती,
लम्हा ऐसा जो गुजरा कोई ,
तो उस लम्हे में वो बात नहीं होती !

कोई हँसी ख्वाब नहीं बनता………………………………………

संजीदा होकर किया हर काम अच्छा हैं
पर जिंदा होने का अहसास हे तब जब दिल बच्चा हैं
मासूमियत में घुली हर हरक़त सच्ची हैं
पर मत सोचना कभी ये आदत टुच्ची हैं

किसी खूबसूरत चहरे को नज़रे भर कर ताक नहीं लेते
यारो के संग मन भर कर मसखरी कर नहीं लेते
अनजानी गलियों में जब तक आवारा तफरी कर नहीं कर लेते
कदम तब तक हमारे रुकने का नाम नहीं लेते

कोई हँसी ख्वाब नहीं बनता………………………………………

गिले शिकवो से बनी हो हर दिल की गली अगर
झूठ फरेब से सजा हो हर मन का आँगन अगर
चमका जो चमन ज़िन्दगी का कभी ऐसी महक बनकर
घुट जायेंगे उस खुशबू-ए-चमन में हम खराश बनकर

किसी अपने से बात नहीं होती
किसी अनजाने से हमदर्दी नहीं होती
आँखे किसी की याद में जब तक नम नहीं होती
तब तक इन आँखों में नींद भी नहीं उतरती

कोई हँसी ख्वाब नहीं बनता………………………………………

चार दीवारों में क़ैद रहे जो जिंदगी का तराना
काम में डूबा हो जो हर पल का फ़साना
पड़ जाये गर ऐसे ही पूरा जीवन बिताना
अर्जी हे खुदा से अगले जनम हमें इंसां ना बनाना

बादलो से जिस दिन बात नहीं होती
आवाज़ हवाओ की कानो में महसूस नहीं होती
पंछियों की चहचाहट संग जब शाम नहीं आती
उस दिन जिंदा होकर भी हममे ज़िन्दगी नहीं होती

कोई हँसी ख्वाब नहीं बनता,
कोई खूबसूरत ख्वाहिश नहीं खिलती,
दिन ऐसा गुजरा जो कोई,
तो उस दिन रात नहीं कटती !

My Girlfriend

“Yes…I am in love.”…yeah, I am sure about it…please lock this Mr.Bhagwan… No…not this way…Let me shout a loud to shake the world with the words of love…Let me send the sound waves of my voice to every corner of this universe… Let me speak about the most wonderful and exciting feeling inside me. Love is the most amazing thing happened with me till now…but I really don’t know how to react on it. I mean I behave very strange these days…I feel crazy inside but there is a blushing on my face; I want to speak a lot but when it comes to speak, I stop myself with just a smile. I really don’t know what I am doing but these are just trailer of the sensation that sails my soul boat in the ocean of love these days. My wildest dreams are like put a cap at head, mike in hand and sing loudly like Himesh Reshmiya, curve my hand and dance like Salman Khan on the beats of Dabbang song, Pull off shirt and waves in air like Saurav Ganguly …and lot more like these. But let keep the craziness aside because that is not the main agenda of this article…I start writing this post to portrait the image of my girlfriend with my words…to  spread the magic of love that I feel everywhere around me. So here are the details of our relationship in little bouquet of words with innocent smell of love :-

• When it comes to describe a person, we talk about his/her nature and looks. Well …I will tell about looks later…first come to her nature. I can’t describe her nature in one word because every day she looks into different mood to me. Sometime she looks sweet and simple to me, sometime she becomes bold. One day she behaves like a child and next day she talks in mature and sensible way. There are some moments when she was extremely caring and charming to me but there exist few moments too when she was very rough and harsh to me. It seems that every day she starts with fresh mindset and different attire. Well…I can’t say anything exactly about her nature…but one thing for which I am sure is her behavior… Her behavior is totally replica of mine. When I love her, she also start loving me; when I make distance from her, she also maintains some distance from me and when I avoid her, she also start avoiding me. She never makes any complain or excuse to me; she never expect anything from me; and she also not forced me to be with her every time. But to be very true…when I parted from her or avoid her, it gives me pain; feel me sad at the end of the day.
  
• In the teenage, I thought many things about the topic ‘My kind of girl.’ The girl I dreamed at that time had brown, straight and silky hairs till waist. And yes… she doesn’t use any artificial straightening technique for such hair. But my real girlfriend has dark, black, curly hairs that looks dry and rough sometimes. I love to play her hairs with my fingers, but many times my fingers get stuck in those curls. Sometimes I resolve those curls with love and softness and sometimes I get irritated by this, but she love to watch me playing and struggling with her hairs. I also feel a strange sensation of love and affection continuously through her eyes and smile when I resolve those curls. You can also say that her eyes and smile act as a source of energy and inspiration for me in this game. The most satisfactory point of this whole exercise is the reward that I get in the form of her warm hug at the end. (Also, I know the art of resolving curls)
• During teenage, I also thought that my girlfriend would be the most beautiful in the world. But my real girlfriend is not like that one… I mean she is beautiful and attractive but not always. Sometimes she looks too gorgeous to me and I thought nothing is better than her in the whole universe. But next day…she looks quite average to me. Sometime when I compare my girlfriend with my friend’s girlfriend, I feel jealous with my friend. Even a day also comes when my girlfriend looks too ugly to me such that I don’t want to see her anymore.  Once I asked her “Have you apply any kind of make-up at your face; sometime you look very beautiful to me, some day you become quite average and some day you come up with such ugly face. Why are such variations?” She smiled and replied, “Beauty resides in the eyes of viewers. I look same every day; it’s your eyes honey that makes difference. If you look at me with love, innocence and kindness, I always look beautiful to you.”
• “Often love starts with the eyes and reaches deep inside the heart by the way of heartbeats, but our love will be totally different in this context; because it starts feeling deep inside heart first and will be reached in the eyes by the way of consciousness.”  I heard this in a dialog of a movie…well reel drama never be real…I never started feeling love in the eyes nor deep inside heart, it just happened due to consequences of series of incidents. And to be very honest, I haven’t done anything with the intentions of falling in love in those incidents. But yes…I attracted toward her first time due to her eyes. When I see into her eyes, it seems that time should stop at that moment and I stuck starring her forever. Her eyes make me move into world of will and love…and I start dreaming while looking into her eyes…and yes…my dreams are fully decorated with our love. However dreams are dreams, they are far apart from reality …even sometimes my girlfriend also not behaves the way I dreamed. But I love to see dreams into her eyes…it really rejuvenate me…and from my side, I always try to live those dreams in reality.
• I am an engineer by profession, a writer from heart and farmer by attitude. But she is like a teacher by profession, player (sport person) by heart and soldier by attitude. As a teacher, she teaches everyone around her with love and punishment both ways; as a player, she works in every situation with same spirit and dedication; and just like a soldier, she maintained brave, ready to fight and man at action like attitude always. One day I told her that I want to become like her…rough and tough…bold and beautiful…but she told me that you could not become like me. You can learn from me and I can learn from you and this way we can work to make our world beautiful but I don’t want you to lose our original charm. After all I love to a person who is not similar to me and I want to enjoy those differences; this is how true love works.
• I love to be shy, silent, simple and cool but she make me shout, hyper and aggressive. May be these are not prime attributes of my personality but sometimes when I come into influence of her; I take bold steps; I shout a loud to shake the world; I become crazy for something.  These things amazed me also; how my attitude turns so dramatically in certain situations. But knowingly or unknowingly, she helps me to enhance my caliber, to bring my hidden potential upfront, a different face of my character, and that too maintaining my original cool and calm attitude as it is.
• Her love is true and innocent but she is not like a saint. She loves to play tricks, and her tricks are quite challenging for me. Her tricks irritate me, disturb me, put me in trouble too and sometimes these tricks examine my love and dedication for her. But I must say that God is indeed great to me; he always helps me to make right choice and select correct path on the way of facing her tricks and challenges.
• God may help you always but luck doesn’t favor you every time. Sometimes I make wrong choice while working on her tricks and challenges.  Black cloud of selfishness and insanity covers the blue sky of my wisdom and I turn to the wrong way at that time. Knowingly or unknowingly, I hurt my sweet girlfriend at such occasions. Though she doesn’t say anything to me but she cries loudly in alone. And when she cries anywhere in the planet, a storm with poignant sensation strikes at the deep coast of my soul and I start feeling disappoint and lost. I desperately feeling regret of my past actions and in the course of remorse, I say sorry to her. But she is not the one who forgets everything so easily. It takes time to win her faith again; I need to show my commitment and love through my efforts and actions again. This is the only way to bring her smile back and you know… I love to do anything for it.
• One day I told her that I will bring stars at earth for her. She laughed and told “Be passionate like this in love but don’t make such big promises to me, just show your love in small steps and little efforts.” Well I didn’t understand what she said but I haven’t tried such filmi dialogs after that, and also didn’t make any extra-ordinary effort to impress her. I am just doing as per my caliber, capability and faith… and yeah…she is quite happy with it
• Once I asked her whether she would live with me like this ever. “Well…I am with you in each and every moment but I can’t make any commitment that I will be with you forever; because it’s the universal truth that I will leave you one day.” I started feeling sad after hearing this, thought of being parted from my sweetheart blocked all my sensations and I was not able to think anything at that moment. But she said me “Don’t upset with this fact, just live with me in every moment like that is the last moment of us together, love me like you will never get chance to love me again. If you live like this than believe me …people will know me with your name one day.” I tried to live with her like this after that, and I am really very happy with me on this; but still sometimes thought of being lost her disturbs me.
• Last but not least thing about her…She doesn’t give me anything, not even a single kiss, when I come to her with doubts, dilemma, dishonesty or expectation. But she showered me her true love when I come to her with true heart, innocent love and sheer dedication.

I know you want to know the name of my girlfriend now…well… I don’t want to keep you guessing and play with your patience (and also don’t want you to spread rumorsJ) Let me reveal the secret too…Name of my girlfriend is LIFE (ज़िन्दगी) and yes…I LOVE my LIFE.  She is with me in each and every moment of my consciousness and unconsciousness. All I wrote above was about my life. Well…I can’t say I know my girlfriend (…LIFE…) completely because every day she comes to me with new color and shade but I am not finished with writing about her. In next post, I will reveal some more secrets about our relation…till than live the life…and feel the love…

Happy Diwali

फुलझड़ी यादो की बुझने न देना
दीये दिलो में दोस्ती के जलाये रखना
प्यार के रंगों से आशियाना सजाना
और दुआओ की रौशनी से संसार को नहलाना

सपनो के रॉकेट को आसमाँ तक पहुचाना
फिर चाहे इसके लिए पड़े बादलो से भिड जाना
हो न हो धमाका हर बार, कोई गम नहीं
पटाखे प्रयासों के पर तुम हमेशा फोड़ जाना

धन बरसे, ऐश्वर्य बरसे
और बरसे खुशियों का खजाना
मेहनत की मिठास रहे पर मन में
और होठो पर रहे जिन्दादिली का तराना

हमदर्दी के रंगों से हरदम रंगोली बनाना
और समर्पण की नीयत से उसको निहारना
शुभकामना मेरी हैं ये आप सबको
दिवाली दिलो की, दोस्ती की, दुआओ की हर पल मनाते रहना

Tough time for Libya

‘Fire in neighbors’ house heats your home too ‘This line is very well applied to Libya; but it’s not the heat of destruction, these are the flames of revolution indeed. After Egypt and Tunisia, it’s Libyans who want to throw dictatorship from their country and establish democratic environment. People who were living with problems like poverty, unemployment and illiteracy from last 41 years, are finally on roads to finish the dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi.

Revolution always happens for change, stability and better future, however in the process of revolution, a nation goes into instability, war and blood fights. Libya is currently undergoing into the same situation. A significant percentage of population is very angry with Gaddafi government and started protesting against him. These protests are getting violent in nature day by day. Gaddafi is also not in mood to resolve the issue peacefully; he is on the way to crush these protests brutally using force and arms. There is a portion of population, who still supports Gaddafi and wants him to continue with his governance.  And rests of people are in the state of confusion, fear and anxiety. Overall country is hammed in from all around by its own internal troubles and nobody knows the end result of this whole turmoil; anything can be happen. United Nations and other countries are also trying to resolve situation at their level but the real path to resolve this crisis has to be identified by country itself.

Coming few months (or may be years) are going to be very hard for the people of Libya. They will gone be victim of bloody history of their country. They have to decide their fate, whether to continue with dictatorship or let support the revolutionaries so that country get breath in democratic environment. All we can do at the moment is the pray for people who are facing tough times these days in Libya!

गुले – गुलज़ार

Human heart is the ocean of emotions and human mind is the treasure of thoughts. While living day-to-day life, many things inspire me to write. Few of such inspirations convert into poems, articles or stories. But there are many that doesn’t get chance to shape into any. Today, I decorate this post with such lines that I wrote at specific incidents but did not get chance to convert them into poem.  Thought these lines are complete in itself, I added some commentary in between in my own poetic way so that you get the context of compositions. I hope you like it –

तेरे नाम से शुरू होती हैं हर बात मेरी, भूल जाऊ तुझको ऐसी नहीं औकात मेरी ! लिखा था कभी मेने तेरी रहमत के बारे में, आज कहता हु कुछ तेरी जहमत के बारे में ! -

मेरे खुदा की हैं बस यही आदत बुरी,
की वो मदद भी करता हैं तो बताता तक नहीं!

एक दिन हमारे शहर में हो गया दंगा | हाँ यार …वही धर्म के नाम पे होने वाला पंगा | मन उदास हुआ, दर्द भी हुआ, पर क्या कर सकता था ये बंदा ! बस कलम उठाई और कर लिया दिल को ठंडा -

फिर जल उठा शहर मेरा !!
फिर घबरा गया दिल मेरा !!
रोई आँखे नए सिरे से,
पर दर्द कम्बखत सदियों पुराना हैं !!

सोचा कुछ कहे दोस्तों के नाम पर, और लिख दिया ये नजराना कमीनो के नाम पर -

गिले शिकवो के सैलाब जब भी उमड़े,
मेरे दोस्तों के नाम उनमे न निकले,
आएगा नाम कैसे मेरे यारो का उसमे,
उन कमीनो के दम से तो शिकायतों का भी दम निकले !!

वैसे तो इन बातो से अपना कोई लेना-देना नहीं पर इन बातो को युही भुला देना नहीं ! लिख लेते हे कभी-कभी हम दूसरो के अनुभवों पर भी, बिन सोचे की ये बात हम पर लागू नहीं ! हैं सच्चाई ये इस दुनिया के हर दुसरे शख्स की , केवल मेरे मन की कोरी कल्पना नहीं ! आपके साथ भी ऐसा हुआ हो तो ठीक हैं वरना अपन जैसो की भी इस दुनिया में कोई कमी नहीं -

हम यादो में उनकी खाना तो छोड़ ,
पानी को भी हाथ लगाते नहीं !
और जमाना ये हमसे कहता हे,
की हम नहाते क्यों नहीं !!

दोस्त कहकर वो दीवाना बना देते हैं,
सब कुछ लूटकर भी बेखबर बने रहते हैं !
कैसे जाने की मोहब्बत वो भी हमसे करते हैं,
क्योकि दोस्त तो वो हर किसी को कह देते हैं !

वो महफ़िल में हमको देखकर मुँह फेर लेते हैं !
नज़रे बचाकर हमसे हमको निहार लेते हैं !
दोस्तों से हमारे हालचाल जान लेते हैं !
गोयाकि क्या हम अभी तक जिंदा हैं !
शायद अपनी बेवफाई पर वो आज तक शर्मिंदा हैं !

वैसे तो करते नहीं हम अपनी तारीफे, पर तन्हाई में खोल लेते हे ये बंद लिफाफे ! सहमत हो तो बताएगा जरूर वरना भूल जयेइगा लगाके ठहाके  -

सूरत अपनी शरीफों वाली,
नीयत अपनी फरिश्तो वाली !
दिल में भरी हैं मोहब्बत-यारी,
और दिमाग में होशियारी !

कोई हँसी ख्वाब नहीं बनता ,
कोई ख़ूबसूरत ख्वाहिश नहीं पनपती !
दिन ऐसा गुजरा जो कोई,
तो उस दिन रात नहीं कटती !!

आये जो अपनी हरकतों पर हम, पागल पूरी दुनिया हो जानी हैं !
रोका हे खुद को पर यही सोचकर की. एक पागल ही इस दुनिया के लिए काफी हैं !!

ज़िन्दगी दर्द की दास्तान न हो पर दिल में दर्द का अहसास तो हो
उम्र जलवो की चाहत में न कटे पर मन में उजालो की आस तो हो
जो चाँहू सब पाऊ ऐसी दुआ नहीं दाता से
पर कुछ कर दिखाने का खुद पर विश्वास तो हो

शराबी की तो फितरत में हैं लडखडाना, पर ज़माने को तो चाहिए था समझाना ! खैर जो ज़माने ने ना समझा वो हम जैसे पागलो ने जाना ! …और फिर क्या… बन गया ये नजराना -

मेरे दिल में कोई राज नहीं
मैं दुनिया से नाराज भी नहीं
सोचता हु छोड़ दू शराब को हमेशा के लिए
पर मेरे दोस्त, वो दिन आज नहीं

माना की ये चीज़ बुरी हैं
पर मेरे लिए यही भली हैं
पीना पड़े गर ज़हर जिंदा रहने के लिए
तो ज़हर पीना भी सही हैं !

वैसे तो राजनीति हमको रास आती नहीं, पर अन्नाजी के अनशन के बाद, ये बोले बिना बात ख़त्म होगी नहीं -

ज्ञान की बात करता हैं, संविधान की बात करता हैं !
क्या बचा हैं ऐसा नेता कोई जो इमान की बात करता हैं !!

Dare to be Dravid

Not remembered exactly,but It was the year either 2000 or 2001. I was watching a crucial cricket match of team India. I was very much excited to watch Indian batting. Saurav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar started Indian inning. My heart was pulsating with bang when this pair came on field to bat. I could feel the sensation of my heartbeats thousand times when  Saurav Ganguly blinked his eyes continuously while a ball delivered to him. Same way I could feel anxiety when a ball was dropped from bowler’s hand and moving toward Tendulkar. After few overs, Sachin Tendulkar became out and I got shocked with the failure of my favorite player. After Sachin, Rahul Dravid came at number three for batting. Now environment changed completely. I got relaxed; my heartbeats became normal; no more fear, anxiety or tension to me because the Great wall of India was there on pitch. No more wicket would get down easily from one end at least and runs will deposit with steady but consistent rate. This is the charisma of this great player Rahul Dravid; Hear I jotted down such facts about Mr. Dependable of team India that never mentioned in any record book -

1. When Sachin Tendulkar bats, millions of hearts spark rapidly with expectation, excitement  and anxiety because anything can be happened on next ball. But when Rahul Dravid bats, millions of hearts relaxed and rejoiced with classic batting and assurance of constant run rate and safety of wicket. (Darvid cares about heart patients:) )

2. When Mahendra Singh Dhoni became captain of team India, he found the option for every player but he didn’t get any alternative of Rahul Dravid. Because there is no alternative of Great wall of India; he is the unique gem of Indian cricket. So what Dhoni did? he changed his own batting style and tried his best to fill Dravid’s space.

3. Dravid dares to play and perform when situations are not in favour but at the same time he denies to be in spotlight when situations favours his team. He leads from the front at field in critical situations but he loves to accomplish his job silently and give opportunity to  play, perform and shine others in easy time. This is the majesty of this great gentle man.

4. Dravid’s real contribution to team is never apparent on scoreboard. If you really want to sense his spirit and dedication, you have to watch complete match. During balling session, he was there on field either in the role of ever-time busy wicketkeeper or a cautious fielder at slip position. During batting, he batted twenty to thirty over (out of fifty)in almost every match and that too with rotating strike on almost every ball. So he was the man at work for seventy five to eighty percent time of total match duration in every match. Such a great spirit ! …but unfortunately the credit he received at the end was always less in compare to his efforts.

5. One ball is enough to out a batsman. But why that ball came after thirty five or fourty overs for Dravid until he finished his job and commitment toward team. In test matches also Dravid usually never left the field until make a half century. May be God also want to see the classic traditional batting of this great cricketer in every match !

6. Dravid is not the player who works only in few matches and change the game in the favour of his team with extra ordinary efforts. But he is the player who keep his team in the match till last moment with his natural style and consistency in any situation and every match.

7. There is not much excitement on Dravid’s face when he raised his bat after making century or half century because this is not the way he cherished. The real celebration of him resided in the moment when he took off helmet after batting for an hour; the continuous flow of sweat says all about his strength and struggle with which he faced every ball with stealing a single and keeping wicket safe.

8. Try to Remember two great innings  – First, 281 runs of VVS Laxman at Eden garden test against Australia in 2001. Second, 183 runs of Saurav Ganguly against SriLanka in 1999 world cup at England. Rahul Dravid is the common thing in both innings. Dravid was the batsman who stood with Ganguly/Laxman and gave them a chance to play their lifetime inning…and yes Dravid not only stood there, he also made 180 runs against Australia and 145  against SriLanka. One more common thing is that Dravid became run out at both occasions.Laxman and Ganguly played such inning only once in their lifetime but Dravid showed such commitment in almost every match, sometime he got support from other end and created strong foundation of Indian inning and sometimes he stood all alone there fighting and struggling with every ball and wicket.

9. Great leaders silently drive people with their actions and efforts. On field, Rahul Dravid always drives his partner to play and perform. He gives fair chance to play to others and at the same time he also teach and motivate them with his classic batting style. When Rahul dravid is there at non-striker end, other players can play their natural game without worrying about wicket and run rate. Dravid made wonderful partnership with almost all batsman of his time. Sachin and Ganguly got chance to play and shine many times under his partnership. Players like Yuvraj, Dhoni, Laxman, Raina, Gambheer…played, grown and blossomed when they got chance to face the ball on field with Dravid.

10.  Its very easy to gear up run rate and score fast for three overs but its tough to bat thirty overs with maintaining same run rate and keeping wicket safe. Sehwag, Sachin, Ganguly, Dhoni, Raina, Pathan, Yuvraj…all have ability to draw big shots and collect more runs on lesser number of balls, but only Dravid knows the art to bat twenty to thirty overs without throwing wicket and maintaining run rate and that too in every match. The player like him comes up with guarantee to accomplish his job in any situation and every match.

11. Dravid plays like the ‘knight’ piece (horse) of chess game. This piece has limited capability of two and half speed but this piece is like the trump card for king. With the constant speed and continuous effort, this piece turns the face of game anytime without let opponents know.

12. Captaincy and injury never broke the consistency of this player. Rahul rarely missed any match or tour due to any injury (wonders how?… God also don’t want to pause his consistency). Mohd. Azaharuddin, Saurav Gangualy, Sachin Tendulkar…batting performance of everyone declined under the burden of captaincy. Even Mahendra Singh Dhoni also changed his batting style after getting the captain’s cap. But Dravid’s performance never  hurted with this overhead. He played with same spirit and consistency during his leading period. It was just his bad luck that team India exited from world cup 2007 in just three matches (and out of those three, one was won by team) and this gentle man took the complete responsibility of this defeat and resigned from captaincy.

13. Whenever Sachin Tendulkar got the Man of the Match award, he gave credit to team effort. But to be very true, it was the team and Dravid effort that made team India won the match…because Dravid was always there behind every win of India.

14. I indeed feel that 2011 world cup win is the fruit of what the three legends serving to Indian cricket from decade – Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. They are the source of inspiration for youngsters…They are the father of revolution in Indian cricket. Sehwag, Dhoni, Zaheer, Harbhajan, Yuvraj, Kaif, Raina, Irfan…list is too long to mention the name of the talents who came, grown and shined under the company of these three legends.

15. Simplicity and gentleness are key characteristics of Dravid. Slanging, abusing, disrespect of umpire, mess with opponent player…Dravid never came on field for it. He very well knows what he has to do and he is very consistent to accomplish that in any situation. Rahul…how can be you so cool and consistent ?

16. Dravid, we like you, not just because you are a great player, and your classic batting style  is unique and marvelous in world; also its not just because you added thousands of runs in test and one day cricket. We like you for strength with which who stood there holding one end when no one was able to play; we like you for struggle you did for stealing single run with keeping your wicket safe; we like you for patience with which you waited for a loose ball to come, and last but not least we like you for spirit and dedication with which you performed in every match even when you didn’t get credit you indeed deserved.

17. Aishwarya Rai is known as beauty with brain in fashion world. Same way, Rahul Dravid will be known as perfect combination of class with consistency in cricket history.