Saturday, 22 September 2018

सार का विमान -1

गोधुली बेला का वक़्त था जब सार का विमान यहाँ शहर के बहार इस जंगल के साथ दौड़ती सड़क पर आकर टकराया था |
जिन्होंने देखा था उनको यकीं हो गया था की जो भी कोई उसमें होगा वो ज़रूर ख़तम हो गया होगा, किसीने पास जाने की हिम्मत भी नहीं करी
शायद किसीने भी खुद को मदद करने के लायक नहीं समझा | हादसा ही इतना खतरनाक था,
और फिर पल भर में वहां से सबकुछ गायब हो गया, सार का विमान भी और उसके साथ हुयी तबाही भी |
लोगो ने अपनी रुकी गाड़ियों में बैठ कर निकलने की तैयारी ही करी थी, की ये सब देखकर वो हक्के बक्के रह गए | कुछ ने इस हादसे को मोबाइल वीडियो में कैद कर लिया था, और कुछ इस मौके को चूकने का अफ़सोस कर अपनी तक़दीर को कोस रहे थे,
जिन्होंने मोबाइल से नेट पर डाल दिया था वो अपने अपलोड पर आये लाइक्स की लाइन देख कर ख़ुशी से फूले नहीं समां रहे थे |
वो नोटिफिकेशन्स से बजते अपने फ़ोन की धुन में नाच रहे थे |
लेकिन सार का क्या हुआ ?
सार सच में वहां उस हादसे में मारा गया था ?
या वो ज़िंदा था ?
हादसा जो हुआ भी था
या नहीं |
किसीको नहीं पता, न सार का नाम सुनाई पड़ा न उसका वजूद
कुछ दिन यह खबर बहुत उछली और फिर
सार की पसंदीदा मछली की तरह दूर समुन्द्र में बह गयी |

लेकिन जो हुआ था सच था
सार भी, हादसा भी

और हाँ सार ज़िंदा था
लेकिन कैसे ?
और क्या हमारे लिए ?


Saturday, 11 August 2018

Advika and Huzaifa




Advika : Linen Khadi Saree pressed and kept on bed,
                  Earrings and carry bag kept by its side.
                  Flip Flops checked,
                 This is the perfume I will wear today,
                 Should I keep my hair open or make a bun,
                Who I am kidding! I have a pixie cut !
                I will just wear a pink buckle; I hope it won’t be loud,
               Oh forget it! They won’t even notice as I have pink dyed my hair, which will get                       camouflaged,
                Then why wear the buckle in the first place? There is no use of it,
                Right! I will just fix it with pins,
                Lipstick, Naah! A lip balm would do!
               (Singing) Baby lips I have oh yeah! Yeah!
             
                Ambassador will be arriving in an hour,
               Let me take bath and get ready,
               Dev Ji would have prepared breakfast by now !
               Should I eat it before bathing ?
              
(singing) Let’s eat before we meet, the world is in need... I am a woman with heat... (Pauses and utters ) How cheesy is that !

......
Advika: Phirni Please start the car,
Oh wait, I forgot my sunglasses, Phirni bring them, they are near bedside table,
Let’s see what I have in speech,
Ok we are lambasting about bad road conditions,
Poor rural development and how people are shifting to urban lands because of that,
Criticizing opposing party, even if their schemes are good!
Damn ! The same speech again and again!
Let me see what this new intern has written,
(Reading in mind)
“I am not here to say what’s wrong or right, courts are for that, I am here to work, work for you,
Work with you. But what should we work on, your problems! Our Problems ! and what are they ?
Food ? law ? education ?, do we need help of government in this, do I need to say that, you give me votes and then I will do this and that, Sorry my friends I am not going to do that, Here is the deal Let’s crowd fund, find sponsors and solve our problems together, if your current representative is not doing it, you and I will do it, what say ? I have some contacts, you must be having some, let’s fund it and get started, and if we succeed together, then you give me votes and we will continue to succeed together “

(Yells out ) Who the hell is this intern, I need to talk to him, what a crap has he written, asking money from people, asking them to work and help government instead of using the psychology of just raising problems, how can we propose a solution... No, no!

This guy knows nothing about politics... Politics is such, because people are such! They wan’t to continue living in potholes, they are coward and don’t want to work..
I should stay away from such thoughts, People are brave, people don’t have time, they are unlucky, they can’t do anything except one thing, they can vote me...
Vote me... Press the button next to  Pink Beard symbol.
Phirni increase AC man!

.......
Huzaifa : So you wanted to meet me..
Advika : What’s your name ?
The man replies Huzaifa
Advika : What ? Hoo jayfa ?
Huzaifa :No, Hu- Zay- faah
Advika : Ok Huzayfah.. Whatever
Huzayfa Huzayfa... Anyways, what does it mean?
Huzaifa : “Some say its companion of god, others say its gift of god”
Advika : And whom do you believe in,  some or others ?
Huzaifa : None
I believe in myself! (He looks straight into her eyes while saying that)
After a long pause
Huzaifa : I believe it to be just a name kept by my parents, and nothing more!
Name tells nothing about a person
Advika: Indeed that’s why I wanted to meet you in person.
Huzaifa: What is it about ?
Advika: How much ice ?
Huzaifa : I don’t drink...
Advika : be a man!
Huzaifa: I will have tea
Advika : No one drinks tea here this late in night
Huzaifa: then I will have nothing
Advika: No no, we can have it made, specially for you
Huzaifa: So, your speech went well !
Advika: Do you want me to compliment you ?
Huzaifa: you called me here
Advika : and do you think it was for compliments ?
(Huzaifa is puzzled,
They stare each other for a while)
Advika: You stare a lot
Huzaifa: You too
Advika: Do you realize who are you talking to ?
Huzaifa: A daughter of an erstwhile politician, fighting hard to find her place
Advika: I am not fighting hard, it is an easy battle for me, didn’t you see today’s news,
People are with me, and it is not her place, his place, my father’s
Huzaifa: You are a brave girl in love with her father.
Advika: Thank you for the speech, I had not selected to give it, but I forgot the other one in my car, and yours was the only one I had...So I had to give it.
Huzaifa: May be destiny wanted us to meet.
Advika: Don’t flirt it away!
Maid gives the tea
Huzaifa takes a sip of tea
Advika laughs
Advika : Its strange
Huzaifa: Just like you, wearing pink pixie cut hair on a khadi saree. You are a rage in youth
Advika: I am an intelligent woman who likes to express her looks. Let the world think what it has to, and in your words, we are here to work together and make world a better place... that’s all matters, me and you are insignificant
Huzaifa: You have seriously crammed them up
Advika : No! I believe in them... I believe in you..... (Pauses)
Actually you are right..... (laughs off)

..........
(In one of the living room of CM House )
Advika : So here we are, I am the new C.M. the youngest CM ever
Huzaifa: Yes, your Dad’s dreams come true.
Advika: Well not exactly his dream was to have my brother as a CM
Huzaifa: And your dream was to...
Advika: to fulfil his
Huzaifa: I like your love for your father, your passion to help people, your rebellious streak of expressing yourself, you are one honest woman.
Advika: It would not have been possible without you. You are one intelligent man, I like intelligent people. Why don’t you join politics, why you are going away again, to be a corporate slave ? You can help people here.
Huzaifa: Everybody has their destiny and dreams just like you...
Advika : You can build your business in India, over here
Huzaifa: But why ? How does it matter
No one speaks for a moment, its like the depth of ocean has been felt on its surface.
Advika: Yes it doesn’t matter. You may leave. Why were you here in first place ?
Huzaifa leaves without answering.
Advika punches on the door, and cries out...
Then wipes her tears and wears her sunglasses. Sunglasses hid her tears, like they did every time her speeches and public outings were welcomed with abuses and hatred, except that one time and every time after that speech she accidently gave or was it an accident?
.......
Aarush: So you did the job
Huzaifa:  Yup! Finally that stalking on social media and little bit of courage helped. I wish I had developed it earlier. In college she was so intimidating. Girl who would think so high of herself, dressed in elite clothes, talked in elite manner. She had limited friends too. Then she had this background...It’s all so tough for an average guy like me to approach her directly. So I sent her a friend request and gradually followed up her every other social media account.
Time is gone now. Thankfully she did that mistake of reading my first speech I wrote for her.
Aarush: An accident indeed. She knows your real name. Here is a mail we received yesterday at our office on your fake id of Huzaifa
Huzaifa: What? (He takes the paper handed over by Aarush and reads it,)

“ Dear Kabir, yes I know you, I always did, We were in same college, I had liked you back then too, but didn’t have courage to say. Thankfully you sent friend request to me back in college. I wish you had approached me too. You see I didn’t have that bravery to go upto a guy, I didn’t have back then, So all I did was follow you on virtual world. In fact if you had noticed I liked your every post over there...I thought you would recognize, but you didn’t. I shared and liked your story about the angel Huzaifa too, about how he saved a princess and helped her fight the world.

As world of responsibility bogged me down, I tried to stay happy with whatever I had of you. I expressed myself in the way you had always desired. You remember during an extempore competition you had described about the women of your dreams. Wasn’t she exactly like me, pixie cut, pink dyed hair, wearing saree and fighting the world.

When my research team said a new intern wanted to join our party, I instantly said yes when I heard the name Huzaifa and saw your picture on your fake Resume. I knew why you were there, I knew you had come for me.
We had feeling for each other but we didn’t have nerves to face each other.”

Kabir: Give me the phone
He dials her number
Kabir: We don’t have courage even now.
Advika comes infront of him
Advika: Atleast I do
Kabir: and me too
Advika moves towards him, stands infront of him.
They look in each other eyes for a long time
Aarush: Oh come on do something you cowards
Kabir: I l....
Advika: I love you..
Kabir hugs Advika...
Advika: I think kiss would be a perfect end...
Kabir: and the perfect beginning.....

While walking away after that kiss
Advika: That crap of a speech you had written, It was indeed an accident that I took your speech instead of other. 

..........














Tuesday, 24 July 2018

दायमा कहाँ है ?

कहानी की शुरुआत ऐसे नहीं होती,  यह तो कहानी का  मध्य के बाद का भाग है,
दायमा ने जब दुकान जमाई थी तो हमें बिलकुल नहीं लगा था की उसका अंजाम ये होगा,
खैर आज उसकी तेरवी है और हम सबको भोजन पर बुलाया गया है,
मुझे और हेम को भी, खाने में एक ही चीज़ बनी है, दायमा की बेसन मिर्च की परछाई,
सबको एक एक ही मिली,  मुझे और हेम को लेकिन दो दो,
हमने भी लेकिन अपनी  पहली ख़तम करके दूसरी सबको दिखाते हुए  चटकारे लेते हुए खायी,
बेसन मिर्च तीखी थी लेकिन हमने उससे खाने के बाद, एक बूँद भी पानी की नहीं पी,
हम दायमा के सच्चे प्रशंशक थे, और शायद इसीलिए हम बच गए,

बाकी जो भी लोग आये थे उनकी पानी पीने पश्चात एक एक करके मृत्यु हो गयी,
दृश्य बड़ा भयानक था, सूखे काका से लेके बादली गुड्डी सब के सब सो गए|

हमें पहले चैन की सांस आयी, और फिर मानो सांस ही रुक गयी, फागुन के आदमियों ने हमारे बालों को पकड़कर हमें उठा लिया,
हम दर्द के मारे चीखे जा रहे थे, और फागुन, मंद बुद्धि हमसे सवाल पूछ रहा था, कहा है दायमा ?
हमने कहा पहले हमें नीचे उतारो, दर्द सहेंगे या तुम्हारे बेशकीमती सवाल का जवाब देंगे ?
फागुन ने ये सुनकर हमें नीचे रखने का हुक्म दिया |
हमने अपने बालों पे हाथ रखा, काफी हाथ में आ गए, थोड़ी देर करहाने के बाद, हमने दर्द के बाद मिलते आराम की  सुखद अनुभूति करी,

फागुन ने प्यार से पुछा ,रबड़ी  मंगवाओ या ऐसे ही बता दोगे ?
हेम  मुस्कुरा दिया, तुम्हारी दूकान की रबड़ी  खायी है मैंने, इतनी बुरी भी नहीं है, जितनी हम दोनों ने उसे  बना दी,
हम लोग है तो कलाकार, तुम्हे खुद ही खुद की बनायीं चीज़ पसंद न आने लगी |
हमारे ठहाकों  से वो शमशान बनी  जगह गूँज  उठी, फागुन भी हमारे साथ हसने लगा, और फिर एकाएक बन्दूक निकाल के तान दी,
मैंने उसे  कहा हम इस खिलोने से  नहीं डरते, हम बन्दूक वालों के मोहल्ले से है, वहां तो ये हर खिड़की में दिखेगा,
फागुन ने कहा वहां तुम्हे पता है की तुम्हारे पास भी बन्दूक है और ये भी की  सामने वाला गोली नहीं चलाएगा, यहाँ सामने वाला मैं हूँ और मैं ज़रूर चला दूंगा,
दायमा का पता बिना जाने ? हेम ने पुछा

फागुन रो पड़ा और रोते हुए बोला  बता दो दायमा का पता,
जिसकी तेरवी है उसका पता पूछ रहे हो, मैंने अकड़ में कहा,
तुम्हे भी पता है की वो ज़िंदा है, फागुन बोला,
तो फिर हम यहाँ आते क्यों ? हेम ने पुछा,
दायमा ने तुम्हे भेजा हो, यह बोलकर फागुन असमंजस में पड़ गया
लेकिन क्यों मैंने फिर सवाल पुछा
इतने में ही हेम ने एक बोम्ब निकाला और उसके आदमियों की और फ़ेंक दिया,
मैंने भी मिटटी फागुन की आँखों में फ़ेंक दी और उसकी बन्दूक छीन ली,

और फिर, मेरे ऊपर पानी की बरसात हो गयी,
दायमा ने हम दोनों पर पानी की एक बाल्टी उंढेल दी थी,

उठो और काम पे लग जाओ, हेम तुम मंडी से सब्ज़ी लाओ और रब तुम पूरी होटल की सफाई में लग जाओ,
आज मुझे सारी  टेबल चमकी हुयी दिखनी चाहिए,

हेम बोला, सपने में इसकी तेरवी हुयी, और ये ज़िंदा है,
खैर दोष किसे दें, हम तो सपने में भी इसकी ही तरफदारी कर रहे थे,
ये सुनकर मैं चौंक गया, लेकिन ये सपना तो मैंने देखा था, तुझे कैसे पता,

तूने फिर मेरा सपना देखा,
कैसे करता है ये तू ?
हेम बिन बताये मंडी की और भाग गया और मैं उसके पीछे पीछे,






Saturday, 14 April 2018

Lizard

मृत पड़ी है कल से,
चंचल भ्रमण करती थी जो दीवारों पे,
सारा शरीर श्वेत पड़ा है,
ज़हर जेहन को जला रहा है,

हिम्मत करके थोड़ा हिलाता हूँ,
रह रह के मैं करीब जाता हूँ,
हलकी सी पूँछ जब हिलती है,
मेरी धड़कन दीवारों पे चढ़ जाती है,

दफनाऊ, जलाऊ, या सड़क पे युहीं फ़ेंक दूँ,
कोई रिश्तेदार आये इसी इंतज़ार में बैठा हूँ,

छत से गिरकर मौत हुयी है,
चौक कर क्या सिर्फ सुन्न हुयी है,
तहकीकात फिर बाद में फुर्सत से करूंगा,
मछर गुनेहगार हैं, या मछर मारने की दवा,
साबित ज़रूर करूँगा, 

कुछ भी हो, कातिल मैं हूँ
इस शक को यकीं में तब्दील होने नहीं दूंगा |

A Cotton Thread

हुआ है रुआँ सा,
रुई का रेशा,
कहे है खुदको,
चाँद का हिस्सा,
फिरे है गाता खुदका किस्सा,

तम से कटा है,
फलक से गिरा है,
फ़िज़ा से बिखरके,
फ़िदा हुआ है,

ज़ख्म से दर्द को सौख रहा है,
नींद बनके साथ सौ रहा है,
काजल पहुँचके,
लोचन रुआँ सा कर रहा है,
है दाग चाँद का,
गाता फिर रहा है,

हुआ है रुआँ सा,
रुई का रेशा |

On the twelfth floor she lived all alone


On the twelfth floor she lived all alone,
Hoping somebody would reach out to her,

It had been years she had ears for her desires,
And eyes to look deep into and tell about her fires,
Ant like they walked all the liars, One after the other,
making her mad and bitter,
On the twelfth floor she lived all alone,
Hoping somebody would reach out to her,

She blew the kisses,
Threw some roses
Aromatic letters, ferns to tickle
Burning candles, muffins and wine barrels,
But nobody looked back, How Cruel!
On the twelfth floor she lived all alone,
Hoping somebody would reach out to her,

she was pretty but derpy,
she must have missed something,
making first move to meet new people ?
courage to face rejections ?
or wearing a smile ?
nah! Nah! No! No!
Binoculars maybe!
Yes definitely !
so she picked them up and focused badly,
on the wrong guys and girls,
untill she saw him reading one of her love letter,
in torn shirt and baggy trousers,
he looked like a beggar,
but it didn’t matter,
he had made the first move of looking towards her,
she used to play hard to get in such situations earlier,
but water was now above the table,
So she jumped out in the thin air,
On the twelfth floor she lived all alone,
Hoping somebody would reach out to her,





Tuesday, 27 March 2018

Thank god it's her !


Hello!

“you should not have called”

I have, what to do now ?

“ i am cutting the line “

Who is interested in talking to you! Give the phone to your dad

“are you crazy ? My dad loves my mom, he won’t go out with you “

You are saying that! you! Don’t you remember you tried to set me up with your dad

“that was because he was lonely and sad “

So you used me to cheer him up and now when your mother is back I am a problem!

 What about me ?

“what about you ? “

You started the story and now I have fallen in love with him

“It’s just infatuation, How long do you know him ?, just one meeting ?”

One moment is enough

“in books”

Give him the phone, you won’t understand

“shut up!”

How dare you

( Who is on phone coffee ?

"No one mom" )

So they call you coffee at home ? how sweet!

“low sugar “

Just like your voice

“Listen!”

Alright, I will listen to you, meet on lunch

“I won’t meet you”

We will sign an agreement, you will get hefty paycheck

“for?”

For your dad

“you ! i will kill you!”

You will have to meet me for that.

“Okay. Today on lunch at cloud 9”

Done, bring your dad too

“he has plans to go out with mom”

Don’t burn me

“i will burn you even more on lunch”

Phone is switched off and both talkers leave to get ready



( Mom hears the recorded conversation,

Mom: I can smell some sparks here, I hope he falls in love with her, even if she is a ...

At least she is a girl. I was scared when he said he is...no! no! he is not)



But boys in love did have a long lunch that day on cloud 9

Friday, 23 March 2018

Oil Sales Pitch..





Its rough that way,

Its killing all the fun,

Oil is for pleasure,

Put some oil on it,



Cook at elevated degrees,

Taste, unfelt buds, click a bokeh on tongue,

Oil is for variety,

Put some oil on it,



Can’t pay bills ?

GDP is going down,

Oil is for money,

Put some oil on it,



Medicines going out of gut ?

Cells can’t absorb Vitamins from water,

Oil is for health,

Put some oil on it



Want to kill someone softly ?

Show your love, On whatever they like,

Oil is for murder,

Put some oil on it,


Can’t see your neighbour grow ?

Fund a rebellion, start a fire in their home,

Oil is for disease,

Put some oil on it,



In the desert, Off the shore,

Nobody can live ?

Oil is for life,

Put some oil on it,


All world thinks about is religion,

Picking up swords, has nothing to do,

Oil is for jobs,

Put some oil on it,



Staying on same thought,

Got a bike , car, a bus ?

Oil is for movement,

Put some oil on it,



Head is heavy, Its been a long day,

Remove bullets of stress,

Oil is for spirituality,

Put some oil on it,



 Its been too dark for too long, all efforts have tired,

Light up a lamp,

Put some oil on it,

Oil is for hope,

Monday, 19 March 2018

Ae Ziba...


Sepehr ka  aftaab,
Meri, Ae Ziba !
Qorboo-net be-ram, ae ziba !
Sokut ka Rubab,
Teri aawaz, ae ziba !
Qorboo-net be-ram, ae ziba !

Shaam aaye, aaye na aaye, mahtaab,
Tu aaye to aaye meri jaan, ae ziba !
Qorboo-net be-ram, ae ziba !

Derakht  ki bahaar,
Teri mehak, ae ziba !
Qorboo-net be-ram, ae ziba !

Fard ko par,
Parende ko ghar,
Tera didaan se sab, ae ziba !
Qorboo-net be-ram, ae ziba !

Khoob roka, qaib pe na zor chala,
Gazedaan bhara, teri khaatir duzakh ka, ae ziba !


Qorboo-net be-ram, ae ziba !