Roz jiska intezaar rehta hai hamein

I composed this when I was in college:

Roz jiska intezaar rehta hai hamein,

Woh aur koi nahi kisi ka khat hai.

Jiski yaad din raat satati hai hamein

Woh aur koi nahi meri mohabbat hai.

Unse zyada unke khat ne' hamein sataya

Yeh unse' shikaayat hai.

Apna haal e dil abhi tak nahi sunaya,

Yeh unse' shikaayat hai.

Apni nadangi pe' hamein hansi aati hai,

Unke khat se' shikaayat kaise' karoonga?

Anke bina ab jeena dushwaar hai,

Yeh unke khat se' kaise' kahoonga?

Samajh main nahi aata,

Jab unke' khat ko apni nazron mein basa loonga,

Toh phir unhein kin nigahon se' dekhoonga?

Jab woh mere kareeb aa jayegi,

Toh unse' kya kahoonga?

Sochta hoon, unke khat ko bhula kar,

Unki yaadein yaad rakhoon,

Aur tanhai mein yoonhi baithe' baithe'

Unki kuch pyaar bhari baatein yaad karoon.

Woh mere' nazron se' door hai,

Kayamat nahi,

Woh mere dil ke' kareeb hai,

Shaayad mohabbat yahi.

Fortunate or Unfortunate

This was composed after the declaration of the results of general elections in 2014 

The verdict is out,
Our electorate is restless.
Their angst is expressed only through the ballots,
Aren't we fortunate?

Ups and downs are a way of life,
What goes up must go down,
And what is down can come up,
Then who can say someone is unfortunate?

Old order gave way to a new one,
Celebrations are in the air,
But there lies a mammoth task ahead,
Isn't it to early to say, the victors are fortunate?

Mass hysteria will soon give way to critical evaluation,
The new powers-that-be better deliver,
And prove to we the People of India and the World,
That they are indeed made of sterner stuff,
Else, won't the World say to us "Oh, you are really unfortunate"?

Kal humne' khushi ka ek naya andaaz dekha

Kal humne' khushi ka ek naya andaaz dekha,
Kisi aur ki khushi mein shaamil ho gaya,
Aur khud ko khush hota dekha.

Wajah kya thi?
Mahaul kya tha?
Kisko uski fikar thi?
Kya lena tha unn sab baaton se?

Kisi ki khushi ko apna samajh,
Humne khud mein ek naye' insaan ko dekha.

Aaj ke' daur mein,
Kai khushi ko yahan wahan dhondte hain.

Kudrat ka koi karishma ho jayee,
Iss fikar mein zindagi yoonhi guzaarte' hain.

Kitni ajeeb baat hai,
Jo apno mein mil sakta hai,
Use' hum kudrat ke karishmon mein dhoondte hain?

s

I am fighting a losing battle

 I composed this when my Mom was critically ill, and doctors had given up hope. I kept up with my efforts, hoping for some miracle:

I am fighting a losing battle,

But I shall persist till the end.

                          

Victory will not be mine,

But defeat will salute my valiant efforts.

Why should I keep up my untiring efforts?

Its not about emerging victorious.

I am determined to let victory know,

The valiants never surrender in the face of certain defeat.

This is my commitment to someone very precious to me,

I will leave no stone unturned to snatch victory from jaws of defeat.

Neend (sleep) mein woh muskurana tera

Neend (sleep) mein woh muskurana tera,
Yeh koi Khwab hai, 
Ya koi bahana tera?

Barsaat mein woh bheeng jaana tera,
Woh mausam ka koi karishma tha ,
Ya koi shararat bhara karnaama tera?

Hum toh bekarar hain sunne' koi afsana tera,
Magar ek tum ho, 
Aur koi na koi bahaana tera.

A tribute to Major Mukund Varadarajan

Major Mukund Varadarajan made the supreme sacrifice while battling terrorists n Kashmir, in the summer of 2014, when our Nation was in the midst of general elections.

A never ending war on terror,

Claims another valiant son of our motherland.

He too had a family to look after,

Parents, wife, and a three year old angel daughter to look after,

But he decoded to dedicate himself for the cause of our motherland.

Our Nation state today is in the midst of an amazing spectacle,

Elections in the world’s largest democracy,

But our motherland is still under the omnipresent and persistent threat of terror, 

With few chosen ones to dedicate their lives for the cause of our motherland.

Our mass and electronic media are caught in a tempest,

Where winds of charges and counter charges are blowing at furious speeds,

Where the stormy seas of insensitivities and even inhumanity,

Threaten to drown ships of hope and humanity.

For what matters now are the citadels of prestige and power,

Which has intoxicated most of the aspiring politicians trying their luck at the polls.

But somewhere in this tempest, a beacon of hope emerges,

Major Mukund Varadarajan makes the supreme sacrifice,

Not for our politicians or anyone else, but for the cause of our motherland.

My tears flow uncontrollably at the scene of his funeral,

At the news of his three year angel daughter wishing him a final “good night”.

Rest in peace Mukund,

Your supreme sacrifice is indeed a testimony of a valiant like you,

For whom the cause of our motherland is supreme,

I am helpless

People come to me with their problems,
But I am helpless.

They think I am their savior,
But I am helpless.

I lend them my ears,
Comfort them, give them solace, but nothing beyond,
Because I am helpless.

Sometime later, they take my leave and go all charged up,
With the hope that now all would be fine,
But little knowing that I am helpless. 

At times, I hate myself for not being bold enough to tell them,
"Don't waste your time with me, I am helpless."

All I can do is empathize with them, give them advise and pep them up,
But can't change anyone's destiny,
Because here I am helpless.

Zindagi se' aaj kuch tu tu main main ho gayi

Zindagi se' aaj kuch tu tu main main ho gayi,
Main toh apni hi dhun mein chala jaa raha tha,
Ek a ek kahin koi takkar ho gayi.

Chot kuch jism mein lagi,
Kuch meri rooh bhi ghayal ho gayi.

Ek taraf baith kar main kuch sukoon paane' laga,
Kuch palon ke baad meri haalat theek ho gayi.

Zindagi ke' iss raah mein phir chal pada,
Magar mere' dil o dimag mein yeh baat baith gayi.

Kyon aise' haadse' hote' hain?
Aisi anhonee mere hi saath kyon ho gayi?

Aise' sawaal naa jaane' kitne' hain?
Jawaab magar kuch kuch  hi hain,
Zindagi ki yeh sach soch kar mere' dil ko tassali ho hi gayi.

One Fine Day

One fine day, I found myself,
Caught between joy and sorrow.

How strange it was,
Like being in neither today nor tomorrow.

The day began on a delightful note,
With the news of a new arrival in the family.

But ended sorrowfully,
With the tragic news of a demise of someone, 
Who was like a family.

God's ways are indeed strange,
What message HE often sends, 
Is beyond someone's mental range.

HE is the creator of this universe, 
And who is to come when and when who is to go,
Is something which only HE can either decide or veto.

Mohabbat ka ahsaas kabhi hua tha

Mohabbat ka ahsaas kabhi hua tha,
Sirf mujhe hi nahi unko bhi hua tha.

Kuch armaan yoonhi jaag uthe' the',
Yeh khwab mein nahi haqiqat mein hua tha.

Fiza ka woh jhonkha,
Chand ki woh chandni,
Hamare beech aata hi rehta tha.

Baatein hum dono mein hoti rehti thi,
Magar zubaan par jaise' taale' lage' hue' the',
Nazron mein hi kuch kuch ho raha tha.

Din  toh ruk ruk kar beet rahe' the',
Shaam ke' har pal ko jaise' parr lag gaye' the',
Aisa aalam idhar ho gaya tha.

Ab main fiza ke' unn jhonkon ko dhoondta hoon,
Aur chaand ki chandni mein woh baat dhoondta hoon,
Aisa aalam ab hua hai aur kabhi kabhi ho hi gaya tha.   

Din raat mushakkat (labour) ki hum sabne

Composed the following for my colleagues, to pep them up for their untiring efforts despite tough business conditions:

Din raat mushakkat (labour) ki hum sabne',
Jahaan mein ek misaal kayyam ki hum sabne'.

Jo kabhi kisi ne' khwab mein bhi nahi dekha tha,
Aisi aukaat haasil kar hi daali hum sabne'.

Baat bahut mamooli si hai

Baat bahut mamooli si hai,

Magar phir bhi kisi mushkil mein hain hum.

Hamein unse' mohabbat hai,

Magar yeh unse' kaise' kahein hum?

Baat bahut mamooli si hai,

Magar phir bhi kisi mushkil mein hain hum.

Unke mohobbat ka bhi ahsaas hai hamein,

Magar unse' kaise' pooche' hum?

Baat bahut mamooli si hai,

Magar phir bhi kisi mushkil mein hain hum.

Iss mohabbat ke' kashmakash ko samajhte' hain hum,

Magar iss samajh ko kaise' kahein hum?

Kuch kahe' bina toh ab raha bhi nahi jaata,

Magar ab kaise' rahein hum?

Baat bahut mamooli si hai,

Magar phir bhi kisi mushkil mein hain hum.

Naa jaane' kab iss mushkil ko mamooli samajh kar jee sakenge' hum?

Shayyad tabtak, 

Baat bahut mamooli si hai,

Magar phir bhi kisi mushkil mein hain hum

That is life!

A colleague loses his job,

His emotions and feelings had perhaps got better of him.

We were told, “Beware, there exists zero tolerance policy for some misconducts.”

Such painful decisions are a part of the corporate world,

And we are no exceptions.

Today it was him, tomorrow maybe someone else in some other organization,

Someone whose emotions and feelings would have got better of him.

In the highly uncertain and fiercely competitive world,

There are umpteen minefields,

Which can sound ‘death knell’ for some naive or stupid.

I wondered, “ How can life be so cruel?”

That very evening I got to know about  a Naxal attack,

Which claimed precious lives of some security personnel.

I got an answer from within “Isn’t that the way of life?”

One error of judgement,

And you can leapfrog into heaven.

The souls of those dare devil fighter pilots, those cops, of those soldiers etc would say,

“Your colleague would find another job. Would we find another life?” 

While emotions, feelings and sense of judgement do make a man,

But tragically enough, they also play a role in destroying a man.

That is life!

  

Aap sab ki iss be-intaha mohabbat se

Composed and recited the following, at the Annual Day celebrations at my workplace in 2014. This was my expression of gratitude to all my colleagues, for all their love and respect which they had bestowed upon me:

Aap sab ki iss be-intaha mohabbat se,

Ab ghabraane laga hoon.

Aap sab ki iss be-intaha chaahat se,

Ab sharmaane laga hoon.

Sochta hoon, kabhi isi mohabbat aur chaahat ko,

Main tarasne naa lag jaaoon.

Ghabraata hoon, shaayad kisi pal aap sab,

Mujhe iske laayak hi naa samjhein.

Main toh kabhi aapki isi kadardangi ke,

Sirf ek katre ko tarasta tha,

Magar ab aapki badaulatl,

Mujhe aapki kadardangi ki yeh barsaat naseeb hui.

Sochta hoon, iss barsaat ke kuch katre, 

Apne kal ke liye bacha ke rakhoon.

Kya pata aur kya khabar?

Kal yeh barsaat mujhe naseeb ho naa ho.

Kyonki naa toh mai koi ajooba hoon,

Aur naa hi kudrat ka koi karishma hoon,

Bas, aap sab ki zindagi ki iss shandaar mehfil ka,

Ek mamooli saa hissa hoon.  

As a kid I was taught by my school teachers

As a kid I was taught by my school teachers - "All things are bright and beautiful",
I used to wonder, "Am I not lucky to come to this world?"

As an adult I was laughed at, for still believing the same,
I wondered, if all those who laughed at me were "sinners"?

As a middle-aged person, I finally laughed at myself, 
I wondered, if I was "led astray" in my childhood by such teachings? 

As I gradually advanced in life, 

I develop some angst against my school teachers,
Should they not have taught me instead "Street Smartness"?

Main fikar karta hoon

Main fikar karta hoon,
Woh fikar karte' hain,
Aur zindagi ke naa jaane kitne'pal,
Yoonhi guzaar lete' hain.

Kabhi kuch bechaini hoti hai,
Kabhi kuch  yoonhi khayal aata hai,
Magar pal do pal ke' baad,
Kuch yoonhi sukoon aata hai.

Muskurahat toh jaise' kahin kho gayi ho,
Zinda dili ki khoj jaise' koi mushakkat ban gayi ho,
Zindagi ke' anjaane' safar mein aise' mukaam jaise' aam ho gaye ho.

Muqaddar ko kaun poochta hai?
Taqdeer ki keemat kaun samajhta hai?
Jab har taraf fikar ho toh kisi ajoobe' ke' baare' kaun sochta hai?

Magar kitni ajeeb baat hai,
Fikar bhi ek bahaana hai,
Kisi ke' josh aur hoslon ko phir jagaane' ka,
Woh garma garam chai ka kaam karne' ka.

Magar phir bhi naa jaane' kyon,
Fikar ki fikar main bhi karta hoon,
Woh bhi karte' hain,
Aur iss jahaan ke' naa jaane' kitne log karte' hain. 

You too were darlings of your parents

A tribute to our fallen soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice while defending our borders:

You too were darlings of your parents,
But still you decided to defend our borders.

You too had your families to look after,
But still you decided to defend our borders.

Death was omnipresent in your line of duty,
But still you decided to defend our borders.

It was a rare martyrdom which shook our souls,
But still your souls would be proud at our borders.

Millions come and leave this world everyday,
Who cares?

But your memories would be etched in our conscience forever,
And your very thoughts would make our hearts bleed.

For you left your loved ones and us forever,
While defending our borders.

Fateh kiye' the' kai dil humne'

Fateh kiye the' kai dil humne',
Socha tha ab unn dilon mein hamari hi mehfilein sajengi.

Apne dil mein ek-a-ek kashmakash hui,
Dekha toh unn sab haseenon ki mehfilein hamare' hi dil mein saji thi.

Kya kehne apne' iss deewanepan ki?
Khud ko toh humne' Sikander samjha tha,
Magar sirf unn sab ki katilana nazron se'  hamari  fateh hui. 

Zindagi aur maut ke sarhad par

This was inspired by the valiant fight put up by a close relative of mine, with a terminal disease he was suffering from:

Zindagi aur maut ke' sarhad par,

Hamne' kisi aziz ko,

Ek elaan-e-jung mein uljha dekha.

Zindagi ki koi umeed na hote’ hue bhi,

Hamne kisi aziz ko,

Maut ko bhi fateh karne' ki zurrat karte' dekha.

Na jaane kab zindagi ki sarhad paar kar,

Yeh maut ke aagosh mein aa jayen,

Magar phir bhi ek jaanbaaz ki tarah,

Hamne' unhe' maut ko lalkarte' dekha.

Ek naa umeed aur bebas insaan ki tarah,

Hamne' kaiyon ko zindagi ki sarhad paar karte' dekha,

Magar khud ke’ hee elaan-e-jung mein,

Maut ko bhi ek bemisaal chunauti de kar,

Use’ gale lagate',

Hamne kisi aziz ko pehli baar dekha.

Sach, umeed ke’ daire’ mein reh kar,

Hamne kaiyon ko,

Auron ko jeene ki raah dikhate dekha.

Magar na umeedi ki chadar odhkar,

Maut ko bhi heiraan kar dene' ka andaaz,

Pehli baar ek misaal kayam kar,

Humne' kisi aziz ko iss jahaan se' jaate dekha.

 Translated:

   

At the bordering zone of life and death,

For the first time I saw someone very dear to me,

Engaged in a self declared war against death.

Despite having no hope for survival,

For the first time I saw someone very dear to me,

Daring to conquer even death..

God knows when,

After crossing the bordering zone of life,

He would embrace death,

But nevertheless like a valiant

He was seen daring even death.

Like a hopeless and helpless being,

I have seen many crossing the bordering zone of life,

But now for the first time I saw someone very dear to me,

Engaged in a self-declared war against death.

No doubt, by staying within the circle of hope,

I have seen many,

Showing others the path of life.

But despite donning the mantle of hopelessness,

Yet mastering the art of astonishing even death,

For the first time I saw someone very dear to me,

Entering the bordering zone of  death.

 Amazingly enough, at the bordering zone of life and death,

For the first time I saw someone very dear to me,

Fighting a hopeless battle with a renewed zest for life.  

     

Uski Muskaan Laut Aaye

A young distant relative of mine met with a cruel fate, which shook us badly. Her state prompted this composition from me. 


Kisi ki aah jab kabhi sunta hoon,
Mujhe bechaini hone' lagti hai.

Usspar taqdeer ne' bhi kya zulm kar diya,
Mujhe ab taqdeer se' shikaayat hone' lagi hai.

Woh toh ek masoom insaan hai,
Zindagi ki khushiyan abhi dekhi hi kahaan hai.

Magar phir bhi taqdeer ne' usspar itna zulm kar diya.
Uski muskaan achaanak cheen liya,
Mujhe ab uski woh muskaan lautaane' ki junoon hone' lagi hai.

Kisse' koi jung karunga?
Kisse' koi fariyad karunga?
Bas sirf uss masoom ki woh muskaan laut aaye',
Yehi dua ab kisse' karunga?

Main aasmaan ki taraf dekhta rehta hoon,
Uss khuda ki koi parchaiyi mehsoos karta rehta hoon,
Uss khuda se baar baar yehi fariyad karta rehta hoon.

"Taqdeer se' ab keh do,
Uss masoom ki jholi iss jahaan ki tamaam khushiyon se' bhar do."

Mere dil-o-dimag main yehi fariyad  baar baar goonjti rehti hai.

I thought she baked a cake for me

I composed this as an expression of my gratitude to someone, who once baked a cake for me, which was just amazing!!!!

I thought she baked a cake for me,

In a very special WAY.

I looked again and found it was,

An art which made my DAY.

“Sure,” I said , “She must have done it come what MAY.”

I thought she baked just for FUN,

I looked again and found she was,

Second to NONE.

“Sure”, I said “ my admirations for her have just BEGUN”.

   I composed this poem to thank her a TON,

And lo! Found it was a unique way to have some FUN.

“Sure” , I said, “ We must soon have a RE-RUN”.