Month: July 2009

Gulgul

“Go straight inside baby” Bhiku the rickshaw wala told her before dropping her off at the gate. It was the month of July, schools had just re-opened and all of 8 year old, Gulgul, the girl with chubby cheeks felt liberated. It had rained heavily in the afternoon and at 4 o’clock when the school ended, the roadside was full of big and small puddles  making her mind race and imagination run wild as she sat in the rickshaw to reach home.

And there it was, a huge puddle just outside the entrance of her home. There was a stone way through the puddle to the veranda of the old bungalow and it was easy to reach the door without getting her feet soiled -as she was told time and again, girls ought to behave demurely and in proper fashion, she even started to walk on the pathway. One step and the second one, she saw her own reflection in the puddle, stood there admiring the sky being reflected in water. Continue reading Gulgul

आहुती

उषा की निमर्ति
निशा की आहुति
तारों का टूटना
गिरना ‌और बिखरना
सपनों की आहुति
पत्थरों की पूजा
धरती की ठोकर
गिरती हुयी मंजिल
उडती हुयी राहें
जिन्दगी की आहुती

अश्क

गमों की रहगुज़र पर जब अश्कों ने भी साथ न दिया
तो हम चल पडे अकेले ही मंज़िल की तलाश में
आंख की कोर पर बूंद मानों लटक कर रह गयी
और धीरे धीरे हालात की आंधी ने उसे भी सोख लिया

मैं!

मैं निराशा की गर्त में डूबने वालों में नहीं
आशा की कोर को छूना जानती हूं ।
यथार्थ को जी कर सपनों को पालती हूं
इस छोर पर खडी हो उस छोर की
बाट जोहने वालों में नहीं
मैं अंतहीन होना जानती हूं ।
विध्वंसक न सही
मैं हौले से आंचल के कोर से
खुद अपने आंसू पोछना जानती हूं ।
शब्दों की गहराइ में उतरती भी हूँ
पर उथले कीचड को पहचानती हूं
ज़रा सी ठेस से टूटने वालों में मैं नहीं,
अपने टुकडों को समेटना जानती हूं ।
निराशा के अंधेरों में डूबने वालों में नहीं
मैं आशा की हर सहर बिताना जानती हूं ।

India Today!


For the uninitiated, Limericks are 5 liners with rhyming pattern of aa bb a i.e the first, second and fifth lines follow similar rhyme with the second and third line following a different rhyme. Limericks were popular atleast during my teenage on account of their salacious content and humour. If the youngsters of today can enlighten me on its current status, I would be grateful.  
 

                                     I
There was a MP who slapped the manager of a bank,

Drunk with power, hiding behind his status and rank,

Caught on the camera, the whole episode he denied, 

On his own political clout as a SC/ST leader he relied,

Do we require such leaders? That is my question frank.

                                     II

And now, I hear even a High Court judge has sought,

Protection from Minister, whose loyalty is easily bought,

The quagmire, the muck, the corruption vile,

Makes me mad and angry, brings up my bile,

This is not the freedom for which our forefathers fought.

 
                                     III

There was a talk of Section 377 finally being abolished,

The age old law was definitely draconian and ghoulish,

With great enthusiasm, out came the gay pride,

Only to realise that they have been taken for a ride,

The Govt is scared of its vote bank being demolished.

 
                                     IV

Religion, caste, creed, region, ethnicity – our people divide,

On being Indians foremost there seems to be lesser pride,

Spurred on by politicians for their selfish personal gains,

To differentiate ourselves into sub groups we take pains,

When will the people of my country stem this rotten tide?