Friday, May 30, 2025

Book Review: Zindagi Yeh Main Hoon, Poet: Charanjit Singh, Amrit Books

बहुत अजीब सी किताब है। 

न लेखक परिचय है, ना आलेख! 

इतनी उम्दा कविता!!! 


पता नहीं आपको कहाँ मिलेगी। 


पर ये पंक्तियाँ मैं यहीं सांझा कर देती हूँ: 


सपने 

कुछ मेरी पहुँच के पार जान पड़ते हैं 

कुछ हैं जो अभी पूरे किये जा सकते हैं 

कुछ तो इबादत से हासिल हुआ करते हैं 

कुछ जो बाज़ार से खरीदे जा सकते हैं 


मेरे विश्वास की खुराक थे ये सपने 

इन्हीं से थोड़ी बहुत हिम्मत बरकरार थी 


दुनिया मेरे सामने अखबार पढ़ती रही 

और मैं शायरी सुनाता रहा 


नफे नुकसान की परवाह न की 

250 का ख्वाब था 15 में लगाया 


चाय के दो प्याले और एक केतली हैं मेज़ पर 

और इंतज़ार है किसी की जागने का 

कोई है जिसे अपनी नींद बहुत प्यारी है 

और मैं आराम की बहुत इज़्ज़त करता हूँ 


बहुत से टूटे हैं हकीकत से टकराकर 

बहुत से लूटे हैं मुकद्दर ने आ कर 

बहुत से छोड़ गए होश में आने पर 

बहुत से गिर पड़े परदे उठाने पर 


जब कभी जीना बेवजह सा लगता है 

तब मेरे सपनों की अफीम काम आती है 

पाँच सात सपनों को गोल मोल कर के 

हौसला सा एक तय्यार हो जाता है 


सपनों में सब मेरी मर्ज़ी के मुताबिक था 

लेकिन मेरी मर्ज़ी इतनी सयानी ना थी। 


सबने कहा ये भरोसा नहीं पागलपन है 

भाग दौड़ करते हुए सपने ही सच होते हैं 

मैंने कहा नहीं ऐसे भी इंसान हैं 

जो छाते को खोल दें तो बारिश होने लगती है 

********* 

कुछ ना होगा इस कदर किश्तों पर जीने से 

दिल वालों को ज़िंदगी नसीब हुआ करती है 

सागर खत्म नहीं होते घूंट घूंट पीने से 

******** 

मैं प्यार हूँ 

मैं होता हूँ, मुझे किया नहीं जाता 


मैं लाज़मी हूँ, हर इत्मीनान के लिए 

मैं सबसे अहम हिस्सा हूँ हर एक तस्सली का 

मैं बहता हूँ, हर इख्तियार की नसों में 

************* 

बेबसी की हवा का नाम शायद भूत हो 

******* 

किसका था कितना कसूर आखिर तक न तय हुआ 

आरज़ू मुजरिम हुई तकदीर सब कुछ सह गई 

***** 

तजुर्बा कहाँ मिलता है उधार किसी को 

****** 



Monday, May 26, 2025

Yes, energy works. it is real.

Two days ago, I was going to my neighbour's house to pick up the key I had left there. We usually leave a key there when we travel. My meditation said, 'Don't go." 

I ignored that warning, because, what could go wrong with going to a neighbour's house and picking up a key? 

Well, you don't just walk in and out, so we got to talking, and she mentioned that she has a strong pain in her left shoulder. In that moment, i physically felt the pain move from her to me. I came home and didn't think much of it, shrugging it off as my own overthinking. 

The next day, the pain started. Mild. I was surprised. Left shoulder. I had had nothing of the sort ever. My tendonitis was right shoulder, and over a decade ago. No issues with the left shoulder ever. 

Today, the pain is really strong. I went to get a massage. That usually takes care of small muscular aches and pains. By night, the pain is worse. I have already popped a pill and am now sitting with the tens physiotherapy machine plugged in on the shoulder (I have one at home for the recurrent hip pain). 

So, I went to my meditation, apologised, and asked for directions. At the time of writing this, the meditation is laughing. "Now go through with it. You asked for it." 

Sigh! Well. 

The point of this post is, energy is real. Do not ever laugh it off. 

I routinely fall ill and get better based on the energy of the room and people around. So far, I have not learnt how to control that, close one's aura etc. But I know it works. Every single time. 


Saturday, May 24, 2025

मैं घर की हो गई 

घर मेरा नहीं हुआ। 



Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Ashar from the poetry group

 मंज़िलें क्या बताएँ मैं क्या हूँ

ज़िंदगी का उदास रस्ता हूँ


काम आई न कुछ शनासाई

शहर की भीड़ में अकेला हूँ


ख़ार-ओ-ख़स ही सही मगर यारो

मैं भी सहन-ए-चमन का हिस्सा हूँ


आप अपनी सुनाइए 'मासूम'

मेरी क्या पूछते हैं अच्छा हूँ


~ मासूम शर्क़ी


**** 

There is a song in a Hindi film that is also a ghazal: 

यूं हसरतों के दाग मुहब्बत में धो लिए 

खुद दिल से दिल की बात कही, और रो दिए 

****** 

And a Ghalib sher that comes to mind: 

कब से हूँ क्या बताऊँ जहां-ने-खराब में 

शब और हिज्र को भी रखूँ गर हिसाब में 

***** 


Friday, May 09, 2025

न्योता

पेट भर कर खाईयेगा 

गिद्दों की दावत 

अक्टूबर तक है. 


Tuesday, May 06, 2025

घर

घर 

एक जगह का नहीं 

एक इंसान का नाम होता है 




If you must have the longer version: (I don't. For me, the poem ends in 3 short lines). 

कभी माँ

कभी "वो" 

कभी बच्चे 

कभी कोई पोता-पोती 


कभी कोई जो 

रिश्ते में 

कुछ भी नहीं। 


Home 

is not a place 

it is a person. 


At various times 

Mom 

You 

The Kids 

Grandkids 


And sometimes 

Someone who 

bears no 

label at all

but is 

the shelter. 


ਘਰ 

ਥਾਂ ਨਹੀਂ 

ਬੰਦੇ ਦਾ ਨਾਉ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ 


Saturday, May 03, 2025

I miss you

I miss you 


Like the night misses

the day 


Like the boat misses 

the bay 


Like the barn misses 

the hay 


Like November misses 

May 


Owning your energy

For as long as i can remember, my self-concept has been that of a fumbly, awkward teenager. Then, the world's dowdiest housewife. Because that is how my family made me feel - awkward, unsuitable, ugly, and dowdy. 

But in recent years, people have told me that I also exude another energy - kind, warm, and, according to some, unwittingly sensuous (meaning, they can see that I have no idea of having that effect on people, but it's there nonetheless). 

Yesterday, Roopam came home and as I was walking to my room through the corridor, she asked me to pause. And she put me in a different mindspace. And asked me to pose just so. She said, "You won't believe this is you." 

And I didn't! 

Those pictures had another quality. But they also initiated another shift in me. For the first time, I started to own, not just acknowledge, but accept, that I might have another kind of energy - kind, warm, and positive.

When, in meditation, I see my own energy, it is usually the spiritual domain. My aura is not white or even golden yellow. It is still the healing yellow, and transitioning towards pink (spiritual love) and white. 

But this energy, belonging to this world, is new to me - the acknowledgement of self as a being also of this planet - that does not happen. 



Adee's lovely blog!

I was introduced to blogging by Deepa. And then made some friends on the way - some quickly, like Wriju, Nomorechanteddays, and some slowly, like Z, Dee, Mampi, nm, and Adee. 


For as long as i have known him, Adee has been a wordweaver. When we met, I was not surprised to learn that he is also a lovely person. We met at Book fairs (predictable, right?) and at his wedding. :) 

But this post is about Adee the wordweaver. 

His poetry evokes images in the head spontaneously. Without using too many words, he still manages to draw vivid pictures and evoke deep emotions. 

And then, his photographs... that play of light and shade, going just so, creating sharp angles that we did not see, and bringing out unique perspectives.. 

Adee is not a wordsmith. A wordsmith carves and leaves something out from the whittle. He is a wordweaver. A weaver takes all the threads, and makes a lovely tapestry. Nothing feels extraneous or excluded. Everything comes together, everything finds a place. 

I often say that life is Navrasa - all 9 emotions are needed to feel complete. Adee's writing is that. It is positive, negative, fearful, hopeful, sad, happy, romantic, and despondent. 

His old blog, Delhi Dreams, is no longer available, and thats a loss to us.  

But https://www.aloksaini.in/ is, and .. don't take my word for it. Just read him. 

He is on Insta as https://www.instagram.com/chitrastories/#