~ Gohar .. ~ / ~ Pearl .. ~

Picture Courtesy: Sanjay Pandita

~ Gohar .. ~

Mah uroosi (Honeymoon),

Meri kundan nigah aur Mahtaab ki ..

 Woh dhoodh ki pyali, aadhi bhari,

Larazti geeli ungliyan, nigah ki, un pe sarakti,

Woh Mahtaab ka sharmana,

Abr (cloud) sa ghoonghat uth jana,

Nigaah ka, ulfat ke naghme gungunana .. phir .. dohrana ..

Sej Kaamdani (wire work on clothe), sitaron ki,

Lachhe, gote, kaliyan, sili ..

Mahtaab tab kare nigah ko ghaayal,

Chanka ke chaandni ki, chaandi ki paayal,

Mahtaab ne, saanjh ke shikore se, ek pehli hansi jab undeli,

Nigah ne nigah bhar fauran pi daali,

Mahtaab phir zor se khilkhalaya,

Khush Mah ko dekh, nigah ne kaan main fusfusaya —

“Sochti hoon jo ye hota,

Aasmanon se mustafeed (pleased) ho ke, ek roz,

Tu mere pehlu main utar ke sota,

Sone si angrhaiyan teri, main chunti, phir bunti,

Mujh se khoob marasim (relation) tu, tujh pe iqtedaar(right) na khota,

Yak takiye ko door chutti pe bhej, apne Maskan (house) se,

Mere bisaat(bedding) e pistaan (bosom) pe, tu neenden pirota,

Meri jhoot hi bheechi, khushk palkhon ko,

Tu apne khushroo (graceful) khawaabon main bhighota,

Choomti meri ungliyan,

Tera ek ek sakoot (silence) e pora,

Nichod deti labon se,

Qiwaam (essence) e husn tera,

Piti meri muztarib (impatient) nazar bhi,

Boond boond, tera shabaab e jamaal chehra,

Ae’ Mahtaab, mere nayaab ‘Gohar’,

Kaash .. kaash ki tu, sirf aur sirf, mera hi hota …’’

~ Pearl .. ~

Honeymooning with Moon,

My hazel eyes ..

It, a half-filled goblet, of milk,

In those groping tempted fingers ..

Clouds would when unveil the Shy moon,

My eyes would sing the melodies of love .. once .. again ..

Cot beaded with thousand stars,

Trinkets and glitters, tucked fast, too..

Moonlight burning holes, such silver, such sensuous,

Killer Moon, thus preying my naïve eyes …

Moon chuckled when, aficionado of twilight,

Eyes drank it, at the very first innocent sight,

Moon laughed so clear this time,

Seeing it amused, eyes, hence softly murmured —

“Would you ever know how I wish?

When gratified with your skies, some day,

You would glide down, to me ..

Gilded yawns of you, I’d lovingly pluck and pot again ..

So, being inclined, you would always be beautiful and mine ..

Denouncing in my house, the use of one pillow that I’ve,

My bosom would serve you truly, to find your sleep ..

My nocturnal eyes, closed, when telling an arid lie,

Your shrubbery dreams would then seep into them ..

Every serene pore of your virgin white body,

Would be kissed, by slow caress of my fingers,

Nipping, squeezing between my lips,

The moonlit essence of your nimble soul,

Then would my impatient eyes suckle,

On the dripping grace of your face …

Ah, Moon! My Moon! My precious ‘Pearl’!

Would forever wish … wish that you were, only ‘n only mine!”

~ Mujh sa tu … ~

~ Mujh sa tu … ~

Kaun hai tu?

Na thi kabhi tujh se yun ru-ba-ru ..

Saheli nahin koi,

Na humshak’l,

Humum’r,

Humsaya,

Aur .. na hi humra’h ..

Haan, shayad .. humraaz hai tu,

Meri har ulfat, husn e nazar, har raqabat ka,

Har nafrat, ruswai, har kamtari ka,

Chashmadeed bana hai tu, meri har sulagti khawahishat ka,

Un se uthte gehre surmayi dhuen ke bhanwar e ghubar ka …

Sadiyon si doori hai hum main .. meelon ka sa faasla …

Hai tujhe taaron ki chahat, mujhe chaand se lagaav,

Par jab bhi yakayak, tees si uth-ti hai, nihaarne ki falak ko,

Woh jo hai unn aasmanon pe, meri bheechti deewaron ke pare,

Teri aankhon se dekh leti hoon … Sab kuch … ufaq talak …

Baaten teri keh jaatin hain aksa’r,

Patharon ko aanchal ke oat main samet-ti sehlati nadi ki kal-kal,

Jhurmut main baithe jhinguron ki, madh’m jhayen jhur jungle se,

Kachhi neend se jabran uthe kisi janwar ki kulbulah’ti angrhayi,

Raat ki godd main apna basera chorhti chidiyon ki teekhi pukaar ..

Par, phir wahi kaundhata sawaal, hai kaun tu ?

Kaise sun leta hai tu meri kahi,

Bina mere kuch bole bhi …

Nahin, pyaar nahin hai tu,

Phir bhi kyon paati hoon tujhe har su?

Kab ban gaya, baghayr aiana ke, mera aks,

Jaise dhoop main bilakhti rooh ki pehchaan,

Parchaayin meri tu, jhulse akelepan ki, adhoori chaanv main bhi …

Tu mujh sa, main tujh si — aisa hai kya kahin likha … taaron pe ?

Tujh se aati purkhez sada ne, itna hi mujh se hai kaha —

Baakiyon ke jaisa, tere saath main ‘shor’ nahin,

Dil ki gehraiyon ko, tar kar jaane wala, ek ‘sukoon’ sarabor hai …

Tu jo bhi hai … sunn zara … bas ab kabhi kahin khona nahin ……

~ In affair with ye .. ~ / ~ Aap ki muhabbat, main ..~

 

~ Aap ki muhabbat, main ..~

Dekhiye,

Woh jo karte hain sawaal,

Poochte hain mera haal,

Ki, kisski hoon main pehchaan,

Kiske ghar hoon mehmaan,

Toh main ye bolti hoon,

Lab ahiste se kholti hoon,

“Kyon nahin yaad apko mera chehra?

Garbh main apke hi, mera wajood thehra ..

Kop’l phoot, bani naqsh e mazmoon e pyaar,

Muhabbat hun apki, na itni mazallat se napiye Janaab mera byaar ..”

Yun toh bemaqsad hi log yahan aate hain,

Na- mauzoon Khawaishen, phir paate hain,

J’nti umeedon ki Ghaar e bhook main,

Ranjishen chabaate, majbooriyn pii jate hain ..

Phir waqt hone pe, maqsad lawaaris chorh chale jaate hain ..

“Unhi be-maqsadon ka ek adhoora maqsad banun,

Pehlu pakad apka, toot-te taare pe paun dharun,

Aap door khade, shabashi do, taliyan bhi,

Aankh meenche, dagmagaate qadamo’n si,

Main haule haule aapki taraf chalun,

Oss sa jhade tabassum, uski baarish main dhulun,

Nayi shafaq libas si meri jild ko,

Aap phir apne aagosh main lo,

Bosa lo unn andhere goshon ka,

Tadfeen tha, makaan jo wo’ silwaton sa,

Manind ho jayen hum ek doosre ke yun —

Tawaazun e muhabbat se — maqsad mukammal main banun!”

~ In affair with ye .. ~

Doth they ask,

Question my resemblance,

That who’d willingly home me ..

Would I say — betwixt slow parting of my lips

“How doth thee forget my face?

In thy womb, I was placed ..

Budded — into a frescoed word of love,

In affair with ye, doth not disgracefully measure me, O’ Monsieur ..”

They come here, no wish-spoon in their hands,

Then, they desire far-fetched desires till the end,

Thither, in the hungry dark caves of birthing hopes,

Resentments they eat, drink their bitter feeble-selves,

Orphaning their wishes, soon they would pass ..

“So, would thee call me one of thine incomplete wishes?

Holding thy hold, I shalt step upon one wishing star ..

Would ye praise me, applaud my gait?

Shutting close my blinking eyes,

I shalt slowly walk towards ye ..

In thy dewed smile, let me wash my scared blemished self,

With a chaste skin, I promise to someday embrace ye ..

Then, should thou kiss those dark nooks,

Buried deep, housed as in wrinkled furrow,

Thou shalt become me, I shalt become thee —

Poising our affair thus — one perfect, exultant wish be I!”

~ Mila … ~

~ Mila … ~

Hashiyah-e-tasawwurat se hawalah mera, fariyaadi mila,

Shokhiyon main lipti ‘Na’ ka main, humesha hi, aadi mila ..

***

Mil toh jayenge maayene, lafz koi bekaar nai farhangi main,

Na milun kabhi, samajh lena maayene mujhe, barbadi mila ..

***

Tukur-tukur dekhta hoon, khud ko hi aksar uske aaine main,

Do ankhen, ek naak, phir mujhe laqab kaise, ‘abaadi’ mila?

***

Malmal main dete hain lapet, lasani jo kuch ek sache aashiq,

Inteqal to’ maine bhi farmaya, mujhe kafan kyon, khadi mila?

***

Imtehaanon se gurezaan main nahin, kare ‘ainy’ shinaakht,

Marta kaash ki ye sunte hue, ‘Majnun mujhe, fauladi mila’!

******

*** Hashiyah – Footnote

Farhangi – Glossary
Gurezaan – Fleeing 

~ Deewani main teri … ~

~ Deewani main teri … ~

Ho na jaun yun sawaali main ab teri,

Baaw’la jiya, uss ko tujh pe gayi haari …

Ankhiyan ki simat’ti putliyon si meri,

Tujhe dekh ghabrai, tujh se hi sanw’ri,

Jaye deewani teri, tujh pe sadqe vaari …

Hoti jaati hun tujh bin kaisi khaali,

Kaahe na bhare ab meri sooni jholi?

Barsa de tu, do mehki boonden prem ki,

Bheeg jaun main sir se paun tak saari …

Udne ke liye surkhab ke pankh paati,

Chorr falak ka pakad tujh tak laati,

Ishaara jo jhoota hi kar deti palkhen teri,

Chaahe tu ne mukh se na bhi ho boli,

Jeena kya, main tujh pe hi jaati maari …

Baadalon ko chunti, qalam main piroti,

Nichod deti unko, ansuon se unke likhti,

Dhed teri kahani, aur apni adhi adhoori …

Prem-ras ghol ke, jo main syahi bana paati,

Saare kore pannon main tujh ko likh jaati,

Sondhi ek chahat hai tu sainya ve, meri,

Deewani hui main kab ki sirf, o’re teri …

~ A Crescent Smile ~

Photo Credit: Sanjay Pandita

~ A Crescent Smile ~

Honey!

They say, would truly swear,

Moon was always there,

Kindly poised God’s tear,

Antediluvian fables’ lair,

And that, it’s not to wear …

They call it as lovers’ love,

They’d also kin it to dove,

White, innocent, sky’s cove,

Unblemished ride of Jove?

Honey, I find it all a farce,

A blatant lie, it should be!

On the dull dubious blank black slate of my thoughts —

I know, you’d scribble it for me,

With a virtuoso white chalk .. Or,

May be scratched with a coin,

One crescent walk the talk .. Or,

Whittled it from a crystal ball,

Stolen from one witch’s hawk .. Or,

Did you Glue a chewing gum,

Clicking it before it could balk?

Was it not the Moon that clinked?

But, I danced whilst you blinked ..

A true moony teary crescent smile,

Engraved on my sky, unto a while!

~ I took Wings, once… ~

~ I took Wings, once… ~

Inviting …

Labyrinth was his soul

I whispered … beseeching …

How long would I hold?

How to brace myself?

Should I try not to fall?

But …

His dark eyes beckoned me,

Whenever I did close mine ..

Enticing me with my rich hued image fostered in their core,

They promised me a kiss, long enlivening ..

A kiss so deep, washing on my senses, even as I sleep ..

Loosening my hold, So —

I kissed him, in my dreams,

Whilst he and I were in an embrace, in a way,

That I placed my heart in his right,

And my right took his left,

An embrace of our hearts, of bodies, of our souls ..

Kiss, the sweetest purest wettest ‘taken’ stamp of Love, he’d tell ..

So, should I say, I belong to me, no more?

There, I undo my grip, slackening my ‘I Can’t’,

So — in a bottomless hollow, I fall, I fall,

Along the path, caressing the wild pretty blossoms —

— Blithely growing on the walls,

Tumbling, echoing, would I go,

Cupping in palms, the fledgling of our warm Kiss, first that was ..

I decide, he & I would fly it … soon … together …

Down and down, giving so willingly into the coveted receiving …

Pinions got grazed, fledgling couldn’t breathe ..

I then called him twice — namelessly

When he didn’t respond, I asked,

‘What name should I call thee?

Would thou embrace same me?’

He still didn’t reply!

Henceforth, I thought to name him something, anything —

Whilst I fall …

Nothing? Nothing? No one? Nowhere?

A book, he must be, with torn edges, so captivating,

Or, a stern wall of vines, green, blessed, so confined,

Or, the West Orange wind, stealing breaths, blinding,

An ornate plume, colorful, darling feather, befooling?

Or, one tall glass of English wine, sucking into stupor,

A bold promise, hot, boiling liquid, soon evanescence?

Or, may be only an impregnated dream, born of —

The coupling of my yearning with my desire …

And, I hit the bottom of my winged thoughts …

So —

I — now — fly — no more!

~ Lagta hai .. ~/~ Shadow .. ~

~ Lagta hai .. ~

Rujhaan mera ussi taraf, jo bhi tujhsa lagta hai,

Tera har deewana ab, hu-ba-hu mujhsa lagta hai ..

Likhta hoon, shab O roz tujhe, harf harf seene pe,

Talab, ek nazar tera rukhsar, safha pyasa lagta hai ..

Ghiss tu, meri ulfat ke raize, be-parwai ki ayrhee se,

Taseer dekh, ki ab sard chaand bhi, jhulsa lagta hai ..

Be-pahar, Saye se tere wabasta hua yun, adna sa dil,

Aks mera, aaina bola, ‘le ab dhundlatasa lagta hai’ ..

Udhar lin shuayen, shams se, gunchon se liya jamaal,

Fir likh diya, jaise tu faqat ek ghada qissa lagta hai!

~ Shadow .. ~

I saw thee, found thee, every face resembled thee,

Thy lovers seeking thee, now they’d resemble me ..

Carving into letters, I engraved thee on my chest,

Thirsty is the paper, its only desire, hence thy face ..

Let thy cold heel, rub them sore — grains of my love,

Effect should thou see, for icicled moon, is aflame ..

Little heart, grew fond of thy Shadow, so timelessly,

Even mirror says now, my image is, renouncing me ..

Sun lent me its radiance, beauty from springing buds,

Wrote thee then, a fabled anecdote, as thou must be!

~ Puraani si Woh .. ~

~ Puraani si Woh .. ~

Suno nah,

Hai jo woh,

Kuch kuch,

Daadi maan ki na-jadeed(not-modern) seekh jaisi,

Behadd qadeem(old),

Par itni asardaar,

Ek jo woh noorani nuskhe si ..

Hai dekho, tamaam ke hisse,

Har shaks ke waaste,

Pulinda bhar bhar,

Sakht hidaayten,

Jhooti daant si,

Budbudati dua’en,

Paeni nazaren,

Nakli hi sahi, pitayi bhi,

Aur, jo sab lagne lage,

Ekdum hi be-asar, bekaar,

Toh meethi baaten,

Do-chaar naye puraane sikke,

Paandaan se nikal ke,

Woh yun behlana,

Fir fuslana,

Puchkarna,

Godd main baitha ke,

Kadwi dawa pilana ..

Haan, suno nah,

Seekh daadi ki,

Nuskhon ki phate jild ki kitab si bhi,

Dua dawa har aam O khaas ke liye,

Sirf, na kuch hai toh, rok pana —

Khud ka mansokh(obsolete) hona,

Dhoomil padti syaahi sa,

Zindagi numa safeh se,

Jadd se hi,

Mit jaana ..

Guzra waqt ban jaana ..

Mitti si yun ho ke,

Mitti main hi mil jaana,

Ek roz, na chahte hue bhi,

Fana’h ho jaana …

A song — ~ No More ~

A song — ~ No More ~

Baby … how I tell you

How much I miss you

They say it is day and,

All I see is dark, only dark ..

Your eyes were my sea,

So blue, how so deep,

Now where do I go?

Looking into them is no more … no more

Baby … How I tell you

How much I miss you

We wanted to explore,

So much together — You & I

The heights of cliffs, and

Depths of our love … of our love

Now where do I go?

When that spirit is no more … no more

Tell me, how I tell you,

How much I miss you

You were my melody,

Your voice my song … my song

Now where do I go?

When my soul-song is no more … no more

Baby, how would I tell you?

How much I miss you,

I’d push you away, so far,

Now I blink endless times,

But you’d not come … would not come

There is nowhere to go, baby

When my heart beats no more … no more … no more …