Khata

Khata humari thi
sitaron ke aagey jahan aur bhi thi

Humeen ne kadmon ko badhne ki ijazat na di
khoye rahey yaadon ki dhund mein,
waqt ke dhalney ki parwah na ki

Acha kiya bura kiya,
muhabbat ki gunaah kiya

Pachtawa nahi hai fir bhi
jo kiya acha kiya

Bahaar

Mili baharon ki wo masti ke khizan ki aahat jaan na paye
jab paat piley padey to patjhad ke aaney ka ehsas hua

Humey fir bhi ye ummeed thi ke bahaar laut aayegi
par logon se suna ke wo kal shab aakar laut gayi

Mere baagh ke ujadney ka magar
kehtey hain usey koi afsos na tha

Tabeer

Khwabon ko sajane mein ek umra guzaar di humne
jab tabeer ki ghadi aayi to zindagi ne munh fer li

Na thi nigah mein manzil to kismat ko kosa kiye
Jab manzil mili to besud kisi aur raah ho liye

Ab khwabon he mein jee lete hain do ghadi
Subah jaane zindagi kis rang mein aaye...

Muskaan

Bebas nigahon se maazi ko dekhta hoon
haath badhakar chuney ki chaah hoti hai

Par waqt ki diwar sakht hai
aaj aur kal mein sadiyon ka faasla hai

Jin khwabon ko pyar se seencha kiye the kabhi
wo aaj tootkar bikhrey padey hain raahon par

Duniya ke liye wo bemol hain
raundtey hain pairon taley unko

Mere khwab fir bhi muskuratey hain
apna dard muskaan se chupatey hain

Uljhan

Bhagtey firtey hain ab un raahon sey jinhey hum chhod aaye
chaanv mili thi jahan do pal ko wahan ab kaun jaaye?

Yaadon ki ubalti dhoop mein paaon jaltey hain
tanhai ke sehra mein kaash koi chaanv mil jaaye

Na ummeed to nahin hain hum par ummeed karkey bhi
koi kya paaye?

Zindagi meelon chalegi abhi sirf dil ka tootna kaafi nahi
laazmi hai ke saans bhi toot jaaye

Jaam

Hairaan hotey hain, dost mere badey pareshan hotey hain, kyon ye talkh jaam hum shouk se peetey hain, baat ye humse bar bar poochte hain,kya batayein unhe hum ke wo jo bhi kehte hain shayad bhali kehte hain;dil ko aadat si ho gayi hai ab to fir bhi har kadvi ghoont mein kuch meethi yaadein gholkar pi letey hain,na pooch humse abhi khuda jaane hum ye jaam kyon bar bar peetey hain...

Ek mazey ki baat

Duniya hansti hai mujhpar, keh kahey main bhi lagata hoon apne he aks par jo bezaar sa nazar aata hai aaine mein, iske chehre ki mayusi meri sachchai bayaan karti hai ya mere keh kahon mein chupi mayusi issey nazar aati hai, duniya mere hansne par hansti hai ya uski mayusi par tahakey lagati hai?
Mere rehbar haathon ke isharey se aane waley kal ki raah batatey hain aur meri nigahen beeetey kal ko tatolti hain, wo fir hans padtey hain meri bebasi par aur main bhi hans leta hoon apni zindagi par jisey kismat ne ek lateefa bana diya hai...

Sarmaya

Mere janazey par zarur aaiyega, sabse mehnge waaley phool laaiyega, phool mujhe bahot pasand hai, aur aapko apna ghuroor, dono ka mail karaiyega, mere janazey par zarur aaiyega;
Mere chahne waley channd chehrey honge, mujhpar laanat bhejne waley bhi kum na honge, par us muhabbat aur zalalat ki bheed mein meri nigahen aapko dhundengi, mere janazey ko aapka intezar rahega;
Meri nakaam zindagi ke maalik mere maut ke jalsey mein zarur aaiyega, apni pasand ke phool saath laaiyega;
Par jab ye din dhal jayega aur phool murjha jayenge, mujhe yakin hai ke aap fir aayengi, aur iss bar phool nahi mere mazaar par shabnam ki do boondein chhod jaayengi, meri adhuri zindagi ka yahi sarmaya hoga...

Tinka

Bechain hawaon ne mudh jaane ko kaha, shukr hai humne unki baat maan li; munh jo modha tha haqiqat se to ghataon ne ye sila di, ke jhoomte the jin boondon ke fuhar taley unhi boondon ne zindagi mein sailaab di; beh raha hoon ab ek tinkey ke maanind, jaane kab ye dariya kinaar de...

Hisab

Unse keh do ke hum ab bhi ghumon ka hisab rakhte hain, ginte hain unglion par sitam unke aur pyar ke lamhon ko hasrat ke tarazu mein taultey hain; pyar ab bhi bhaari hai, sitam unke jitney bhi aaye behad kum aaye; sawal ye na ho ke wo laut aaye ya na aaye, sawaal ye ho ke mohabbat mein darar kyon aaye; poshida hai unki yaadon se zindagi meri wo aayen idhar ya ke na aayen…

Katra

Maazi ke jharokhe se ab tasviren kum dikhti hain, sailaab tham gaya hai, yaadein ruk ruk kar katron mein aati hain, fir boond ban kar ek roz aakhri katra bhi aankhon se tapak jayega; yaadon ke sukhe dariya ki tapti mitti par paon rakhna mushkil hoga, sirf aankhon ki nami se ismein firse sailaab lana mushkil hoga...

Aah

Dil pe hasraton ke daagh bante hai jab khwaab adhure reh jaate hain, ghaav aur gehra hota hai jab wo adhure khwaab bhi toot jaate hain, zindagi ne kai khwaab todey, unhi mein se ek ke tootne se dil bhi toota aur ek aah nikli, par kisi zahid ne kaha hai aah ko chahiye ek umra asar hone tak...

Aankhen

Dhalte suraj ke haath se ujala mutthi mein qaid ret ki tarah fisal raha tha, channd katre roushni ke ab bhi baaki the jinhe raat apni kaali chadar mein samet rahi thi, maine kaha do pal aur jee lene do inhe shayad kisi bhatke hue musafir ko manzil dikh jaye, raat ne kaha wo manzil he kya jiski kurbat aankhon se mehsus karna padey, dil chahta hai jisey benoor aanke bhi usey dhoon leti hain, andhera to bas ek bahana hai unke liye jo dekhna nahi chahtey, warna dil ki aankhon ka roushni se kya sarokar?

Andhera

Wo sitara jo aasman ke doosre chor par apni muskaan bikher rahi hai kabhi meri zindagi ko roushan karti thi, ache din the wo aisa lagta tha kabhi raat na hogi, par kismat mere peeth peeche andhera bunn rahi thi, meri khushion ki shaam dhalne wali thi aur main issey anjaan uski roushni mein apni khushian gin raha tha, fir shaam dhal gayi, meri khushian usi andhere mein kho kar reh gayin. Mujhe malal apne khushion ke khone ka nahi, par ye ghum hai ke sitare ne bhi chupke se andhera odh liya, saath chhodne se pehle ek ishara to kiya hota...

Zinda

Fir bhi zinda hoon jaane kis umeed par, aisa lagta hai maut ka saya ummeedon tak nahin pahonchti, jaise yaadein nahi marti, jaise khwaab nahin marte, marta hoon to sirf main, har us roz, har us pal, jab tumhari yaadein saath nahin hoti, baaki lamhon mein bhi main bas saans leta hoon...

Hisaab

Tamaam umra ke dard ka hisaab yadon ke ek panne par likh kar usne rukhsat le, khuda haafiz bhi kaha; khuda uska haafiz rahe, humne to khuda se bair le rakhi hai...

Panah

Teri yaadon ke panah se door ek naye chaanv ki talash mein nikla tha ke shaam dhal gayi, kadam ruk gaye aur nigahein wapis usi raah mudh gayin jiske doosre chhor par un yaadon ka basera tha, khada raha kuch der wahin aur apni bebasi par hansta raha, fir chal pada yateem khwabon ka bojh uthaye usi raah par jahan tere pairon ke nishaan ab bhi baaki hain...

Sawal

Kal shaam zindagi ke ek sawal ne chaunka diya mujhe, usne poocha khwabon aur yaadon mein kya fark hai?
Meelon sochkar jab lauta to zindagi tab bhi mere jawab ke intezar mein khadi thi...kuch socha? usne badi narmi se poocha mujhse
maine kaha maaf karna jawab dhundte dhundte yaadon ki basti mein door nikal gaya tha, wahan mere kuch tute hue khwaab bikhre pade the, unhe sametne lag pada tha, kuch tukde ab bhi pade honge wahan
zindagi ye sunkar hans padi jaise usko apne sawal ka jawab mil gaya ho...

Youn he

Ek aur anjana sheher aur wahi purani yaadein, kuch khatti, kuch meethi, kuch nukili bhi; chubhtin hain ab bhi is kadar ke jaise ye zakhm abhi kal he khai ho, kyon hai dil ab bhi dagdar aise, koi pooche to kya batayein hum?...

Chehra

Maazi ke jharokhe se aksar andhera aur uska chehra ek saath nazar aate hain, har shaam jab suraj apne ujaale par raat ki siyahi udelti hai to uska roushan chehra apni bheeni si muskaan liye aa dhamakti hai, main bhi khush ho leta hoon aankhon mein uski tasveer pakar; ye aur baat hai ke uski muskaan aaj bhi dil mein utar jaati hai kisi nashtar ki tarah, jeene ka ye tarika bhi seekh liya humne, kaun kehta hai jeete ji marne ki manahi hai...

Saathi

Log kehte hain ke ghum paalta hoon main, unhe batlaye koi ke ghum paalte hain mujhe, zindagi ki thokar khake maut ke bahon mein jhool jata beshaq, ghumon ne haath thama to kehne ko aaj zinda hoon main; kisne maangi thi dua mere umre daraz ki? Kumbakht pooch to liya hota isse pehle ke dua ki, ab jo zinda hoon to samhalo mujhko mujhe ye dar hai ke ghumon ka saath bhi na chhoot jaye kahin...

Khamoshi

Anjaane sheher mein ek ajnabi dariya ke kinare kuch purani yaadein laut aain, khoobsurat yaadein thin jo hothon par halki si muskaan chhod gayin, usey dekh dariya ne mujhse poocha kiski yaadein thin jo muskaan ban kar khil rahi hai tumhare chehre par? Main kuch kehta isse pehle dariya ne meri aankhon mein tumhari tasveer padhli; maine bhi thehre paani mein tumhari parchai dekhi aur chup raha...dariya bhi kuch bol nahi paayi...

Uska sheher

Ek baar fir uske sheher mein hoon. Kabhi ye sheher mera tha, ab sirf yahan basi yaadein meri hain, jo anginat lehron ki tarah takra rahin hain mujhse. Dum ghut raha hai mera, yahan ki fiza mein uski khusboo hai, uske kareeb hone ka ehsaas hai...kyon ye yaadein sirf mujhe satati hain? Ye uski bhi to hain...

Awaaz

Kabhi to pareshan hokar manzil ke nishaan dhundta hoon; kabhi veeranon mein beeti zindagi ki aahat sunta hoon; jab bhi koi awaaz pukarti hai mudhke dekhta hoon; hasrat hoti hai dil mein ke shaayad wo naam mera ho; fir maayus chal padta hoon tanha ye sochkar, ke shaayad agley modh par zindagi se mulakaat ho jaaye...

Daag

Youn bhi dil ke daag zehriley hotey hain; ristey hain zakhm to zinda hone ka ehsaas hota hai; dard jab hadd se gujarta hai to maut ki tamanna hoti hai; kambhakt maut bhi badi zaalim hai, har roz kishton mein maarti hai...

Mutthi bhar khwab

SABR
Dil ko sabr mein aane dijiye, tamanna betab hai usse karar paane dijiye, mehfil mein nigahein aapko dhundti hain, ek nazar in aankhon mein basey tasveer par aane dijiye, shayad ye aapko jaani pehchani si lagey…inmein khwab purane hain, kuch dhundle hue jaate hain, beshaque taabeer na sahi, inko chain se mar jaane dijiye…

PAANI
Abhii to aankhon se lahu ka tapakna shuru hua hai, khaare pani ki tarah ye bhi rukk jayega ek din, aankhon mein khoon ki name liye zindagi ka khel dekhta hoon, iss surkh parde ke peeche se duniya badi rangeen nazar aati hai…

SAZA
Jo na chah sakoon wahi chahiye mujhe, jo na pa sakoon wahi pana hai mujhe, tanhai ke diwaron par sar phodta hoon main, taqdeer ke chattan par nakhoon khurachkar tera naam likhne ki nakam koshish karta hoon main, khoon ke katre unglion se bhi jharte hain aankhonn se bhi, zindagi khair maangti hai mujhse, tumhi keh do usse jeete rehne ki saza paayi hai maine…

LAKEEREIN
Galati sitare mein nahi in haathon ki lakeeron mein hai jisne aasman ke seene se usse churane ki koshish ki thi, ye aur baat hai ke haath sitare tak pahunchte he nahin gar wo aasman ka haath chhod mere taqdeer ke lakeeron se ulajh na jaati, ab na wo sitara hai na wo lakeerein, aasman ne usse wapis chheen liya, ab wo apne oonche makam par hai aur main apne jhulse lakeeron ke liye marham dhoondta hoon…

ADHOORA
Baarish mein dhuli, chaandni mein nahai hui, baadalon ke goud mein ek chhota sa aashian hai, kahin door pahadon mein chhote se gaon ke munder par basa wo aashian humare pairon ke nishaan dhundti hai, suna hai ek chhota sa aangan bhi hai wahan, maine chupke se ek roz ek khoobsurat sa khwab bo rakha tha wahan, wo narm mitti ab bhi mere pairon ko sehlati jaati hai, bahut yaad aati hai wo undekhi duniya jahan mera wo khwab dafan hai…

TAMASHA
Tamashayi ki tarah door khada zindagi ka khel dekha kiye, hansa kiye dumbhar roya bhi kiye khoob…dor taqdeer na bandhi aur hum kheencha kiye purzor, ghalat fehmi youn hui ken a dekha kiye uss or, munh firaye sar jhukaye bhagte rahe kisi chhor, tamasha aur hua, khel kuch aur bana par hum na mudey uss or…

Bura Sapna

Jiski ek jhalak paane ko ab bhi tarasta hoon main, usey shayad mera chehra bhi na yaad ho, fir bhi marta hoon har roz usey paane ko, jeeta hoon is ummeed mein ke jaane kab wo awaz fir gunj jaye, wo muskaan dobara zindagi roushan kar de...koi bura sapna jee raha hoon shayad, kya pata kab jag uthoon aur humesha ki tarah usey apne paas he paoon...

Daag

Aaine se aankhen to mila paate hoge, zameer ke rubaru bhi kabhi aate hoge, haath bhi kisi anjaane hichak se na kaanpte honge...par tere daman pe jo khoon ke katre hain wo mere khwabon ke kuchalne se aaye honge, kis tarah ai dil bata wo ye daag chhupate honge...

Wheels of Time

In the end, it was not about love or the lack of it...I wish it was...time travels faster than it ought to as if it's out to spite you, spite it does, crushing the memories under its wheels, precious memories that you never wanted to part with...in the end you're left with those broken mutilated memories that you spend your life piecing together...but they never look the same again...

Ghair

Sadiaan beeti teri yaad na chhooti, duniya ne diwana karar diya hume, hum aaj bhi teri hasrat liye tanhai ke biyaban mein bhatakte hain, dhoonda karte hain teri parchai, jaise tera jana abhi kal he ki baat ho, tu ab ghair sahi, ghair ki sahi, humari hasrat bewajah sahi, humara pyar tere qaabil na sahi…jiye jaate hain fir bhi teri yaadon ke saaye mein…suna hai maut har marz ki dawa hai, kyon na ye ghoont tere haathon pi jaye…

Modh

Jis modh pe hum bichde, suna hai wo modh ab bhi tumhare dar ki raah batate hain, tum laut gaye ya kisi aur raah ho liye, aur maine ussi do raahe ko apna aashian bana liya, kuch mussafir idhar se guzre, mujhe tanha dekh unhone awaaz bhi lagayi, par maine muskura kar unhe unsuna kar diya, fir adatan mudh gaya beete raah par tumhari parchai dhundne…

Safar

Wo nahi saath magar zindagi ke safar mein usse humsafar jana, chala hoon akela aaj us or jidhar suraj dhalta hai, hai ujala abhi to kya hai? Ho andhera bhi to kya ho? Ghum ki andheri diwaron par suraj ki roushni be asar hai…la do wo sitara jo zindagi roushan kar de warna apne ghumo ke saath mujhe tanha chhod do…

Hulchul

Samandar chup thi kayi dino se, lehren bhi thithak kar aati thi jaise saahil se takrane se dar rahi hon, ghataon ka ghirna bhi ab kum ho chala tha…fir hawaon ne koi raag chedi, dhadkan tez hui aur unglion ne ret par kuch lakiren kheenchi, un aadhi tirchi lakeeron mein chupi ek tasveer ne poocha kya hai tumhare dil mein? Maine kaha pyar, wo hans padi aur mera dil ro pada, jaise puri kainaat us par hans rahi ho…samandar ab fir se beqabu thi…

Jeene ka saman

Mere sher mere jeene ka saman hain, log saans lete hain main sher kehta hoon, kabhi muridon ko, kabhi khud ko...inke sahare zindagi ki saza kaat raha hoon, ye jo bichade to saans toot jayegi, fir maut ke baad bhi chain na hoga...

Aas

Barf ki tarah jami yadein, parat dar parat khwabon ke zameen par milon bikhre pade hain; waqt ke pairon ke nishan door tak dikhte hain; har mausam yaadon ka mausam hai, har yaad nukili hai jo khwabon ko kured jaati hai, par khwab ab bhi zinda hain, yaadon ki chubhan se betarah ghayal, ummeed ki dor thame, maazi ki or nigahen tikai pade hain, un aankhon mein aas ki chamak ab bhi baki hai...

Maya

Hazar diye jalein to uski ek muskaan ki barabari ho, wo jo hansde to samandar ke saare moti fike pad jayein, uski palken uthein to sagar ki gehrai kum pad jaye, palken jhukein to samandar sehra ho jaaye, uske kesuon mein raat palti hai, shafak uske labon se narmi churate hain, aatish bhi unhi rukhsaron se apne sholon ki lapak
paate hain, apne aanchal mein lehren chupaye jab wo zameen par paon rakhti hai to aasman ko apne oonche hone ka ranj hota hai...Maya hai wo, uska aana gulon ko khilne ka dawat hai, uska jaana patjhad ko bulawa hai...abke aaye to phoolon ka dor banaoon, baandh rakhoon dil ke khoonte se usse...ke fir jaaye to jaan bhi saath le jaaye...

Pani

Baarish ki boondein padti rahin raat bhar, subah palken bheegi thi, aur aankhen surkh; bahar aangan ki mitti bhi zard thi, jaise aasman ke aankhon se bhi khoon tapka ho...

Titli

Kuch soojhta nahi bas ek naam phad phadati hai zehen mein kisi titli ki tarah... yadon k ek shakh se doosre shakh par mandrati...kabhi udkar door bhi chali jaati...par itna bhi nahi ke laut ke na aa sake... bahut koshi sh ki thi maine use udaane ki, darane ki... par thak kar har maan li hai maine...ab use apne ird gird udta dekh bas muskura bhar deta hoon...ye sochkar ke ek din...ya barson mein kabhi... isse panah dene wali yaadein na rahengi... tab iska aashian kahin aur hoga...

Grief

Oh yes, I'll laugh about yesterday when tomorrow comes...today let me grieve in the darkness left behind by the bright star that faded...

Short story

Long lives don’t beautiful things make, but it shall not be in vain rather a meteor, bright and shooting than a planet eternally going round in circles such was life meant to be by celestial decree before ever and after for ever...

— Courtesy Sankar Sridhar