Shukraana

Tere paas hoke, tere paas na hona Achha nahin lagta Tera ek baar hoke, tera phir na hona Achha nahin lagta Mujhpe itna bharosa thha tujhe Tera mujhse yun umeed chhodna Achha nahin lagta Hum saath chal rahe thhe na? Phir tera mujhe akela chhodna Achha nahin lagta Tere paas hoke, tere paas na hona Achha nahin lagta

Fir tere zikr ne mujhe parishaan kiya Fir unhi be-dil sawalon ne hairaan kiya Fir poocha ki tujhe gham na hua? Tune kaise dil-e-naadan kiya? “Saanson ke bina jee liya tu Badi daleri ka kaam kiya" Taqreeb -o-jashn pe bulakar, Poocha kya guzri dil par? “Hum toot jaate, jaan se door na reh paate " --- Jaan, main door nahin - ye sochta nahin koi Saansein jaa rahi hai - ye dekhta nahin koi --- Ab kya kahoon use, ki tere sawaal na kare? Maine hi jab khud ko tera aaina, jaan, kiya 25 th November 2007

Wo jo ek ped thha na, Mera gehra dost thha Chheen ke lete thhe phal usse Chadke baith jaate thhe gode main Socha nahin dard hota bhi hoga use Mud ke dekha bhi nahin ki moch bhi aai hogi kabhi Ab duur chal gaya hai mera dost Kabhi kabhi sochta hoon Wo dard vasool to nahin kia na usne 12 th Oct 2007

I remember home Ma Her chappals They were hers they were mine We wore them together, turn by turn Till those slabs of thin rubber took shape The ups and downs, the myriad contours of our feet… And then I left. Now only ma wears them. Her chappals They seem to have fondly changed shape They have comfortably fitted now, into her feet Because we don’t wear them anymore – only ma does. And sometimes now, when I go back home And sometimes when I wear her chappals, our chappals They don’t feel the same anymore. My feet They don’t feel the same at the heel They should be lower Just beneath the toe it used to be higher. And the rubber straps They don’t hold me so securely no longer They will never feel the same again. That is how they are Chappals They forget Only I remember. Only I know they will never be how they used to be Only I know nothing will ever be how it used to be Nothing, I know, nothing will ever be the same a...