Revenge of the shadow

Revenge of the shadow

Tall, he was

characterized by his height 

forehead like an ocean

pinnacle of glory shining bright

his open arms epitomized magnificence 

wealth flowed down his hair

for his infinite benevolence

all the nature's wealth

he captured

and distributed to those 

in front of him

how well were they nurtured

upon whom he looked

prosperity was bestowed 

like a deity 

he was deservedly adored

but 

those who lived behind 

they were out of sight 

for him, out of mind

leave apart the wealth

they would not get even light

they starved in the cold shadow

their cries, their complaints

fell on a deaf hollow

he said "go and don't return"

but he wished

"only if I could turn!"
To survive, one has to strive
when one is born
one tries to live
till he is alive
so did the shadow
it mustered the courage
the shadow had but didn't know
to live
it put it's life at stake
and didn't know
how ruthless
the courage could make
the shadow scaled him
and crossed over to the fore
everything was there
food, wealth, light
like a golden bird
twinkling bright
the shadow picked up
what it could
and happily returned
to belong where it should
but soon
it was again
empty and cold
no rain
and it crossed over again
and yet again
and again
marauded the golden bird
again and again
and every time it returned
it was only a shadow
it realized it would have to stop being
how into light it had to turn
so it crossed the tall, majestic and cold
Himalaya for the last time
towards the warmer side
and merged with the light
hitherto white
with the shades of shadow
it became vibgyored
like a rainbow!
 

Sushupta & the Prince

Sushupta and the Prince!

Prince of the jungle he was

and big enough to rule 

the other side of the lake.

Yet playful with other animals,

with them friends 

he would make!

His roar was loud

and his gaze intense

but not consternation,                              (Panic)

his arrival would 

bring reassurance!

He would be the king 

He would be the king!

One day he was

bit ill at ease.

Before he could take

his stride would cease!

On lifting his paw

a wound he saw,

"Must have been a thorn

that was not pried!"

and a thyme leaf

the friend applied.

The wound didn't go

howsoever

all animals tried.

"Other side of the lake,

to the west

the soil there, 

for all ills

it's said to be the best!"

Jungle was his world

without any fear

alone he would roam!
In no time he

reached there.

There was a lull,

the air seemed dull!

He wondered

"Why it's so

stoic here!"

A man, he saw there,

and wondered
what he does here!
But the man started
to tremble with fear
"Don't be petrified,
it is for cure
that I come here,
the soil, they say
has healing power
but am also jocund
having met you.
Humans are known
for their mending hand,
and what's that they
call you"
"Sushupta"
and he remained quiet!
"Why don't you alleviate
my suffering
or you await
some offering?"
"No...me..
the soil...
the soil is good,
just be here....
surely cure...
it would"
and he fled
as if unwilling
to take the price
but the prince
heed his advice
and resolved
to stay back

He, who is born
to be the king,
his fate may turn
and an unknown future
it may bring,
those whom he trusts
may be the cause
the head may not
get the crown
even if ills
are in the paws!

It was the loudest roar
the zoo had ever heard
but all continued their business
no one was scared!
The prince was inside a cage
devouring anyone was
besides the point,
he couldn't even graze!
In fact that was why
he was being given
his meat supply
but rather than
gormandize the feast,
at the provider
would snarl the beast!
"Why does he have
such a conduct?"
asked the keeper
"Of the inward anger
that is the product"
replied the provider
"Only you could have
appreciated,
go ahead Sushupta,
the beast needs
to be educated"
"I must talk to him
before his anger
is up to the brim!"

The next day
Sushupta approached
the prince
No meat this time
only words
to mince
"why don't
you eat?
" Dare you
repeat!"
the Prince thundered
what to do next
Sushupta wondered!
"First, my helotry you brood
then so kindly
you offer me food"
"Chutzpah, it may sound
but the truth
you haven't found!"
"Only to capture me
was your goal
that's the truth
you perfidious soul!"
"What I did?"
"From where you hid
you watched me
become a prey
Having told me
there to stay"
"Ah! but there
on your own
you came"
"You connived
with my friends
so as to tame,
instead of herbs
poison they used
and made me lame
and ill-advised
to go to lake's west,
a guileless lame prey
in your domain
and the trap
did the rest"

"You won't trust
whatever I may say,
but please eat,
with folded hands
I pray,
Now, that's what is best
for sure
look at the future
forget the yore.
Whenever I come to help
your preclude
your own cause,
you terrorize me
and show me
your fangs & claws!
Next time
to come
I am jittery,
but I want
to help
and that's not
for pity,
I know I must
but for that
you have to trust,
don't maraud yourself
your only hope
I promise, this is
your chance to grope
you trusted me once
do that again,
believe me
I can't see you in pain."

Prince looked
with leery eyes,
Sushupta felt
in vain were
all his tries
but the Prince stopped
growling from thereon
when his meal
would be borne
but it was not Sushupta
the bearer,
the Prince didn't know
had he lost a friend
or had he become
dearer!

The wound had healed
that of the paw
but is that equally easy
for the hearts to thaw?
The keeper was away
and dawn was breaking the day
Sushupta had awoken
and he made
a bar of the cage look broken,
without a wince
opened the cage door
and told the Prince
"I gave you hope
and it is today
that you must elope.
Go, rule the world,
here,
I have kept my word!"


Was it a relieved sigh
or an indignant cry?
Out came the Prince
and thundered loud!
The Prince said
"Whether you feel proud
or it's your repentance
it's your affection
or to be absolved, a chance
but I suffered because of you
and my anguish
you can not have a clue!'
"You didn't seem
to have faith
but I trusted you
and my senses
that are always true,
whether you devour me now
or are obliged
is up to you"
" I don't care
whether you contrived
to have me bound,
but in my freedom
pinnacle of happiness
I have found,
can't even think of revenge,
am so blissful in liberty,
and dear friend
it's only
because of your audacity,
so thank you
to the sophomore you
and one thing more
that the food was insipid
when not brought by you!"
To the Jungle, the Prince went
where rest of the days
as a King he spent,
Sushupta was awoke,
told the keeper the truth,
how the cage broke
but was too precious
for the keeper to lose
who contemplated
how for another hunt
Sushupta could be of use!

The effect!

I was returning from work bit early that day. Some daylight was still there. The long stretch of road, where I daily struggled with the traffic and traffic signals, seemed like a sea-shore. Some vehicles were there but they felt like company rather than competition. The weather was lovely. My speedometer seemed to be happy about reaching almost my age, it was used to behaving half as much routinely. Our city is quite clean, quiet and green, I realized that day. I was tranquil. It was then that I saw this big orange light from my windshield, as if telling me to stop. I obliged! Even this was looking beautiful. I was blissful. Others seemed to be in a hurry, nobody stopped. The city is in a hurry to catch the day before it nights, and catch the night before it days, I thought. Why can't we just enjoy the days and the nights, the mornings and the evenings, as I was doing at that time? I was enchanted! With time, the light turned red. It was splendid! I was soaked in the charm of the view. I was oblivious! People were honking behind me. I was unfazed and waited for the light to turn. It dissolved but never turned green! Gently, the day had retired in the arms of night! Sun had set, I realized. I apologized with a smile on my face to the people behind me for holding them. I was smiling at my insanity. Nature had exhibited it's wonderful show for me. I was gleeful. My day and night were made!

I had met you that day!!

Me & you!

I was there only
at the square one,
being nice,
talking to everyone,
You came
coyly giggling
"would you like to help me?"
I was tentative,
as though saying
"I don't know"
"depends!"
You gauged it,
"oh! I am having problems
on my way,
can you sort them"
"I have never gone this way,
but, may be I can try"
I said!
We were going together
on your way,
you were telling me,
I was listening!
the bonhomie
was beginning
I felt,
I felt you were enjoying
my annotations,
we just kept walking,
all was well,
I had been anticipating
problems now,
but I couldn't see any,
I hung on
and on
but finally
I asked,
"where's the problem?"
you stopped,
opened your bag
and showed me
a mirror,
"that's the problem!"

and this
has happened every time
I have tried to help,
makes me think
"oh so I am the problem!"
but then
I can't be the solution as well
but somehow
I can't believe it,
I believe
You don't have a problem,
you are the problem!

but still
can't say 'adieu'
that's me
that's me & you!

An insight

Between me and my insight,
my thoughts are the interface.
A new one, many a times
brings a smile on my face!
Like revelations,
realizations dawn on me,
as if a message of God
in my own words,
like a cloak
bestowed upon me!

I pine to talk to you,
as I know that brings peace to me
the thoughts in disarray
are harmonized
like beads of a rosary

but I wait,
I wait for your call
rather than reaching out to you
I silently follow
because when I approach
if I make the call,
somehow the yoke
is hollow

why this happens
is not known to me,
it fructifies, only when you sprout
why the connection gets made
only when you stretch out

sometimes I wait & wait,
I need to talk to you,
but you don't call,
that's when
to my anguish
I fall,
I get bitter
I writhe in agony
addicted to your remedy

but you won't call
you won't heed
the blame is on you
not on my dependence,
neither my need,
not even on my thought
it is just an interface,
the blame is on you,
my insight,
you are my God!

Do call me sometime,
to establish,
the connection so sublime!!

अशाब्दिक सम्बन्ध

अशाब्दिक सम्बन्ध 

ये नहीं कि मैं अनभिज्ञ था,
भावनायों से तुम्हारी,
किन्तु असंतोष मेरा अधिज्य था,
अकर्मण्यता पर तुम्हारी,
केवल इच्छायें पर्याप्त नहीं होतीं,
मात्र आकांक्षायों से विजय प्राप्त नहीं होती,
उसी प्रकार संबंधों में भी शब्द-प्राण अनिवार्य हैं,
बिना प्रत्यंचा के धनुष में टंकार नहीं होती,
जानता हूँ कि तुम्हारी भावशून्यता में
भावों का अभाव नहीं
किन्तु बिना शब्दों के
भावों का कोई प्रभाव नहीं

 धारणा ऐसी थी मेरी
किन्तु अनायास ही मति मेरी फिरी
अपनी ही एक बात जब कंठ से तुम्हारे सुनी
उस अभिज्ञान से आस्था हो गयी दोगुनी
कितना सुभग ये सम्बन्ध है
व्याख्या की आवश्यकता हो
नहीं ऐसा अनुबंध है
प्रीत को रीत बाध्य नहीं
मूक प्राणियों में भी स्नेह असाध्य नहीं!

इनको और पनपने दो

इनको और पनपने दो 

मत बांधो इन आशारों को      (ashar - couplets)

दायरों की ज़ंजीरों में,

मत जकड़ो इन रंगों को 

फ्रेम लगी तस्वीरों में 

इनको और पनपने दो!

मेरे जो सामईन शुमार हैं बेहतऱीनों में    (samaeen -audience, shumar--counted amongst, behatareeno -better ones) 

मेरे ख़त ढूंढते हैं 

मेरे नग्मों की ताबीरों में           (nagmo -songs, tabeer -interpretation)

रिश्तों के पैरहन में                (pairhan - dress)

मत लपेटो इन ग़ज़लों को 

इनको और पनपने दो!