जिंदगी तू कितनी अजीब है !!

जिंदगी तू भी बड़ी अजीब है ,
हर पल क्यों  तू एक नया मोड़ लेती है ,
वो कहानी जो बिखरी पड़ी थी कांच के टुकड़ों की तरह,
क्यों उन्हें तू एक दिन अचानक जोड़ देती है !
दीवारें वो खामोशियों की जो खड़ी थी दरमियाँ,
कैसे  उन्हें तू यूँ पलों में तोड़ देती है !
जिंदगी तू भी बड़ी अजीब है ,
हर पल क्यों  तू एक नया मोड़ लेती है !!
कभी जब खाली से लगे ये बादल उम्मीदों के ,
तू रोशनियों की खिड़कियाँ क्यों खोल देती है ,
सन्नाटों की भीड़ में जब घिर जाती है ज़िन्दगी,
चुपके से आके न जाने तू क्या बोल देती है !
अंधेरों में जीने की आदत रही जिसे उम्र भर ,
क्यों तू उस ज़िन्दगी में एक नया रस घोल देती है !
जिंदगी तू भी बड़ी अजीब है ,
हर पल क्यों  तू एक नया मोड़ लेती है !!
जिनकी कीमत हम न लगा सके उम्र भर ,
उन ज़ज्बातों को भी तू सरेआम यूँ तोल देती है ,

आदत जब पड़ जाये ज़िन्दगी भर किसी सहारे की,
वक़्त -बेवक्त मुस्कुराते हुए तू फिर हाथ छोड़ देती है ,
हारकर तेरी उड़ानों से, बैठे जो किनारों पर चुपचाप,
तू आकर उम्मीदों की कटी पतंग फिर जोड़ देती है !
जिंदगी तू भी बड़ी अजीब है ,
हर पल क्यों तू एक नया मोड़ लेती है !!

तन्हाईयाँ

 शहर की वीरानियों से  दूर,
तेरी यादों की ढलती शाम पे,
आज घिरा जब तनहाइयों में तो फिर लगा,
ज़िन्दगी में शायद कही कुछ खो सा गया  !
ठोकर लगी जब फिर उसी राह पर चलते हुए ,
और कही भी जब सहारा न मिला ,
दिखे जब हर तरफ अन्जान चेहरे ,तो फिर लगा,
ज़िन्दगी में शायद कही कुछ खो सा गया  !
कभी तेरा साया जो हर पल था साथ मेरे,
जिसकी छाँव में दिन निकल जाता था ,कुछ पलों की तरह,
पर आज जब तन्हाईयों में ,खुद से ही मैं लड़ा,तो फिर लगा,
ज़िन्दगी में शायद कही कुछ खो सा गया  !
यही जिंदगी कभी इतनी खूबसूरत  भी थी,
की उम्मीदों के घरौंदे बना बैठे थे हम ,
आज जब बिखरे वो आशियाने रेत के, तो फिर लगा ,
ज़िन्दगी में शायद कही कुछ खो सा गया  !
मुस्कुराते तो हम अब भी हैं तेरी यादों के साथ,
वो मीठे पल तन्हाईयों  में कभी गुदगुदाते भी हैं,
पर आज जब मुस्कुराते हुए एक आंसू गिरा तो फिर लगा,
हाँ...... जिंदगी में कहीं...कहीं  कुछ  खो सा गया  !!

तलाश

मीलों तक चले आये ,
कुछ सोचते हुए ,
जाने क्यों उनकी तलाश में !
यादें जो भूली हुई थी ,
आती हैं कभी लहेरों सी .
एक चेहरा मुस्कुराता हुआ,
अब याद नहीं इस भीड़ में ,
कहा खो गया....
धुएं के एक बादल सा !
डर....एक अनजाना सा लगता ,
वो मिलें न मिलें ,क्या पता !
कभी लौट जाना भी चाहा इस डर से ,
फिर सोचा दो कदम और सही ...
बस दो कदम....शायद कही मिल जाये ,
फिर उसी राह पर, चेहरा वही !
चल पड़े कदम ये सोचकर ,
खोया हुआ कल पाने की आस में ,
उठे चुपचाप और फिर चले हम ,
न जाने क्यों उनकी तलाश में .....!!

Life @ IIMB

A tempting world outside,
sprawling beauty everywhere.
But I can't let her embrace me,
For now,loosing focus is my utmost fear.
Daily new charms,
sliding in front of my eyes.
But I overlook them all,
time here comes for a heavy price.
A blurred image of an 'unknown world',
which resides outside this wall.
The world I was a part of earlier,
now,within my heart,only memories scroll.
Life is turned into a deadly battle,
with lots of assignments,quizzes and cases.
And in this battlefield,
I see nothing but series of worried faces.
My eyes have become bloody,
and the face deep pale.
the place spares nobody,
a burning hell behind iron veil.
Party and fun not for me now,
faced with them, my eyes don't shine.
Then slowly,I turn back to my room and study ,
Again,the fear of missing a deadline !!

Voyage of a Lifetime

Standing there by the side of the sea,
and watching the sun dying slowly ,
deep down the waters,waves rising and lingering
I keep my feet away,for the fear of drowning,
Of losing all i have and breaking my safe shell,
Trying to know what is unfathomable dark of life,
And doubting whether i can split the veil,
and end it with the beaming light,
which so far was hiding in deep inside.

Wondering sometimes what i have lost,
Just by standing there silently,
like a corpse with no glee..
Like no warrior in the middle,
but in the crowd,an ordinary viewer.
Then the thoughts suddenly swerved,
is this what i was made for..!!
And is this what i was destined to be ?

No..a shallow sound came from far,
Where the skies meet the waters,
And then, i started towards the blues,
to take a deep dig,and deeper..
Again, to be a warrior..not a spectator,
what i used to be,throughout my life.
To search what hides there inside,
A treasure of life maybe,my soul cried !!
For,no anchor I needed now..
And then slowly,i started sailing..
Headed towards the deep sea,
to sail till eternity was my destiny,
who knows....maybe !!!!

Moments with Self

Behind worries that surround me,
Lies a soul ,determined and unfazed.
The sands which slow me down,
get blown away,with the winds of time.
I,walk alone to search the path,
to find what Gods have written for me.
The dark that shrouds me at times,
Gets ripped by a brighter sun inside.
For surroundings,which try to morph me down,
I have to be a rock,I know...strong and quiet !!
To keep moving with head straight,
let on me,no worries have a fatal blow.
No attachment i feel inside,
for what I earned here,at last,has to go.
When people around,I know
crumble and fall on the path,exhausted,
I walk quietly yet continuously,
What lies there at the end of the tunnel,
The search never ends for me!!!

Farewell

Just before the dusk takes place,
and the chirping of birds turns into dark silence,
I see myself surrounded by a lot of people.
God ! How well i knew these faces before ,
Now,why they are fading away in front of me?

Why I feel a strange numbness in my limbs,
And chilly shudder flowing down my spine.
I feel all my strength going away drop by drop,
My heart beat slowing down,i can hear.
Why all my senses are drowsing one by one ?

I feel i am dying.....yes i am dying !!
Going in eternal slumber,but still,
I am not afraid, i am free from now on.
The dusk is pouring down slowly,
and the darkness takes over me......!

What's Your Story ?

The story is too short.....
For the morning dew drop,lying over the rose petal,
it knows,the first ray will part them forever,
but still.....it lies there in some hope ...maybe !!

The story is too short.....
For the fly who circles around the burning candle,
in the hope that they will be together ...till eternity,
ignorant to their fates,they both are dying slowly,though together.

The story is too short.....
For the drop of tears,who roll down the eyes,
to wash down the pain inside,
and dry on the cheeks at last.

The story is too short.....
For the snow flake,floating on winds,
it knows maybe,it has to melt down at the end,
leaving no trails behind.

The story is too short.....
For the waves,who try over and again,
to meet the shore,just for the split of second.
After that,what they are destined for....who knows !!

The story is too short.....
For the eyes who meet in the crowd,
with pounding heart,exchange of smiles,
Feeling the warmth and spark in the heart,
but overlooking the fact that whatever starts....,
has to end at last...........no matter what !!

New Year Celebration

As the new year knocks in,and passes the old one,
We start celebrating in our own special ways.
Jubilant faces,full of vigor.....partying,
with their friends and loved ones...celebrating !!
Ecstatic,nostalgic and smiling crowd,
Away from worries,lost in their own world.

And far away from the flashing houses,
On the other side of the dark road,
A mother,weak and fragile,with her small son in arms,
Both wrapped in a piece of torn sheet ,
Shivering in chilly winds....!
With a small bowl in her hand, half filled with food,
She,trying to feed her child....... silently.
With no sign of life in eyes,no mark of hope,
Unknown to the word 'celebration',
only the apprehension of survival left on the face.
To her,its just another year ....
another one,full of suffering ,agony and pain !

I stood there for a moment and then carried on,
with a thought in my mind...............,
Won't it be a celebration for her,
if she survives for another few days ????