Nostalgia

the steaming rice

drinks up the broth

and spices up its lonliness…

the smoking oil in the wok

tantalizes the young and raw onions

they turn pink

blushing

they hide behind the stiff okra

or sturdy potatoes

flavours, dormant and subdued

flare up

and fill my room

with aromas long cherished

i find home

in wafting flavours

nostalgia, bubbling in a wok!

The Otherness of My Words

"Your words, not mine"-
you pushed the conversation towards me
holding the empty silence at your end.
"My Words!"
Ah, I see,
the ownership, the title deed - mine.
These words-
               mine?
               truly mine?
               mine alone?
Each syllable,
all the intonations
every meaning -
               ascribed or presumed, all mine?
My words
because,
              I rolled them on my tongue
              tasted the hurt in them
              gulped down the expectations they carried
              kissed them good luck,
              as they left my lips...
beacuse,
              they stood forlorn
              suspended in the otherness
              engulfing the small universe, mine.
My words
because,

            they could not breathe
            in the air heavy and pungent
            with the acrid odor of breathing ghosts.
My words, mine,
only mine
because,
I spoke them to dead ears and deaf eyes.
         

Insanity

An antonym

Opposites

And unlike what is said

Opposites don't attract,

And even if they do

There's friction

My diction

Your language

My rage

Your patience 

Makes sense

To those grazing the surface

The furnace 

Burns deep

And when I weep

Tears are hot

They burn a trail 

I fail

To stitch logic

Or reason, or rhyme

Is it a crime 

To seek, to ask, to question?

Perception

Is an art of management 

I went

Mad, from being madly passionate

At any rate

It's the antonym

That has stuck on me 

You have flipped my world

The one that you hold in your hand

Beyond my reach

Beyond the stretch 

I could muster...

A tale so mundane...

You hold the right end,

And, I on the opposite, insane.

United, We Hate.

In hatred 

We unite.

Hatred is powerful.

It makes us capable

-of spilling venom

It gives us the power 

-to berate

-to hurt

-to burn you down to ashes.

In our hatred

the rainbow pales

- there is no red and green and orange.

The glare and glow is from one color

-only one

for, plurality is never to be entertained

- in hatred we focus on one,

in unison.

You all, all of you

are defined with a single you

-one finger that points 

-in one direction

Focus. Purpose. Precision.

We do not differentiate, 

you all are you, and you alone

- not good and bad.

We are not misguided by degrees of separation

- our decree, focus.

For us, you are bad.

Period.

Our hatred is red hot

it scorches our innards

We burn

the collective fumes rise

engulf the entire universe, 

yes universe,

-because we are focused.

Our eyes flash red.

The fumes

-angry and venomous

guide us in the haze

our scorching ire

sees one truth

- inside out

We stop seeing you.

As person. As Living. As human.

Your unseen presence

fills us with rage.

We strike

-to kill

-to teach a lesson

-to make you remember

Our hatred is complete.

What is this ‘reason’

you keep mumbling

our thundering voices can 

overrun any murmur.

Listen, hear, feel-

We do not need reason, 

your reason or any else-

We are not going to budge-

in hatred,

we unite.

Horn. OK. Please.

Honk.
Bleet.
Shout.
Scream.
The rugged helplessness of those stuck-
driven - in passanger seats
Loud curses of those at wheels
that they can steer, nowhere!
Passive - in grammar - is a voice
heard loud
as a roar on Twitter
as a rage in Studios
as a deflection, on streets.
The Greens, Yellows and Reds signal
latency -
systemic
orechestrated
perpetual.
Propelling staggard movements-
onwwards, left/ right-
the lanes overflow
and at crossroads,
overlap.
Learn the rules of the chaos-
the one behind
with restless foot on pedal
will not wait
but overtake,
from right.
There is nothing left,
on the left
not even the footpath-
nothing to walk on.
Stay where you are
Stuck
The hind-sight of the bulldozer truck
owns up
Horn. Ok. Please.

Saamna

Apni tasveer dekhta hai bas,
Har koi aaeena nahi rakhta-
Deed chashmon se chhup kar guzri-
Ab koi saamna nahi karta.  

Kamaal- e- Kalaam

Jo likha tha, tumne padh liya
Harf_on mein bayaan e haal tha
Per lufzon mein uljha hua
Ek ankaha sa sawal tha...
Tum padh ke bhi nadaa_n rahe
Hum kah ke bhi kahan keh sake
Lufzon mein lipti Khamoshiyan
Nazron ki phir gustakhiyan
Yeh guftgu kuch ajeeb thhi
Kuch alag hi kamaal e kalaam tha!  

Haqeeqat

Neend bhi hum ab dukaano se kharid laate hain,
Khwab kya dekhengi yeh khauf zada si aankhen
Yeh jo jindaa_n hain na, lohe ke nahi, darr ke hain
Inme chupi baithi hain kuch saans leti si laashein

Rangon ki batein

Asmaan utrta hai nile pani mein
Kahin surkh shaam ka parcham doob jaata hai
bal dhoti hain kali ghatayein bhi kabhi
Yeh berang paani kitne rang chadhata hai!
Per ye aansu hai na, berang hai khud
Aur na hi koi rang isse bhata hai
rukhsar ki surkhi dho deta hai yeh
To kala Kajal faila deta hai kabhi
Chup rehna iski adat hi nahi-
Raaj sabhi khol deta ha yeh.
Dariya ka pani to kitna mitha hai
Rangon se sharbat yeh banata hai.
Ansu ka namak per koi chakhta nahi...
Namak ka karz utha sake ta umr
aisa dost kahan hota hai!  

Main Zinda Hoon

Jo dhal gaya to bhi kal phir aaoonga aye dost
Bujhe huye chirag ko bas aatish to chahiye
Mera wajood in tariqion mein kho na sakega
Meri zeest ko bas ek teri khwahish to chahiye

Aaj ke Shahenshon ke naam

Woh suraj ban ke chamka hai
Hum badal ban ker chayenge
Woh aag hai bujh jayega
Hum thandak de kar jayenge
Har subah ki hasti shaam talak,
Woh bhul gay hai, jaane do
Hum dharon pe behti kashti ko
Sahil tak pahuchayenge
Yeh  singhasan jab dolega
woh taish mein her rang dho dega
Tab kachche rang utar ke hum
Sada parcham lehrayenge
- Nidhi  22:

Kya zaroori hai...

Har raz sar-e-aam ho zaroori to nahi hai
Har rishte ka ek naam ho zaroori to nahi hai
Ek hawa mein le ke saans main uski dulhan bani
Sitaron se bhare maang ye zaroori to nahi hai!

Nazm

Woh kore kagaz le kar hathon mein
Kitni nazmein padhta hai!
Nazrein rengti hain
Khali safhon per
Ki jaise safed kaai mein dafn
Ankur tatolti hon.
Lufz der lufz kholta hai
Woh har raaz
Jo maine
Parcham sa lapeta thha!
Mujhe to ilm hi na thha
Na hi shubha kiya koi
Ki mere parcham ke dhabbon per
Woh yun nazrein gadaye thha!
Kore kagaz haathon mein le
Wo wohi dastaan kehta hai
Ki likh de gar jinhe wo kahin
To kagaz hi jal utthe -
Aur bas khaak haath aaye!

Sachchi

Us duniya ki aas nahi
Iss duniya ka khauf nahi
Mera dilbar dil mein hai
Kya hua jo mere pass nahi...

Waldein ke naam

Sabhi parents ke naam...
Humne bachchon ko patangein to la kaar de di
Dor ab tak per apni ungaliyon pe hi uljhai hai
Unki aankhon ko apne sapno ki duhai de kar
Unki lau apni zard ummeedon se bujhai hai..

Dhundli Rahein

Hum dono ka ye waqya
Hum dono tak hi na raha
Meri baat tum tak na rahi
Tera ranj mujh tak na raha!

Ye jo ufaq per gubar hai na,
Dhuan hai bhujti aanch ka-
Is dhundalke mein koi rah dikhe
Yeh aasra tak na raha!

Udhade Rishte

Chak jigar dikhta thha pehle
Ab siwan sab dikhti hai
Tere mere rishte yun udhde
Rafu bhi hon to tees lage...

Khali Panna

Surkh, zard, nili, syah
Har rang ki syahi liye baithi hoon...
ls safed kagaz per
Kis rang ke hurf utaroon?
Zindagi to bas shatranj ki bisaat nahi
Yeh just to bas ek shah aur maat nahi
Chaushath khano mein bandhi
Jo safed aur syah mohro mein thani h
Pal pal chubhti ek jadd-O-jehad hai jist
Jo kabhi khusrang hai
Kabhi phiki phiki
Kabhi purnoor, kabhi riti riti
Khwabon ke satrangi pankh hain isme
Ummedon ki ujli tarang hai isme
Udasi bhi apni berang kahan hai-
Nit naye rango ki lehren rawa_n hain
Sawan ka shabza kabhi
Nazron mein chubhta hai
Kabhi bhoori mitti ka
mas khatakta hai
Nile se ambar pe shaam ka sona
Kabhi shyah shab ka ruphla khilona
Kuch chitkabri si yadein
Kuch dhundle se saaye
Aur dhanak ki khanak liye
Shaam ki chai...
Kitne ye rang jeevan se jude hain...
ltni syahi main kahan se laun
Behtar hai panna safed hi chhod jaaun.

Gumnaam Dakiye ke Naam....

Na ab khat likhta hai koi
Na koi naamwar aata hai
Hawaon mein tairta hua ek "message" bhar aata hai
Jisme na lufz poore hote hain
Na bayaan
Na kasak hoti hai intezar ki
Na aamad ka josh
Aadhe adhure afsaane sunata
Zaldbazi ke rishte banata
yeh "message" ka chalan
Na sukoon deta hai dil ko
Na seene mein jalan
Ab in me teri khusboo hai
Na tera mas
Kuch lufz hain bemani se... bas

Khali hai hatheli

Mere hathon mein Gulal hai bas
Aur kuch nahi
Khali hai hatheli
 Kuch lakirein hain
Tedhi medhi
Jo ghis gayi hain ab
Taqdeer ka pata nahi batati..
Dekho-
Koi nazm nahi hai
Gulal hai bas, sachchi.
Yeh lali  kagaz tak lay gaya to
Aaina ban jayegi
Jisme rang o gulal ke piche chupa 
har chehra dikhayi dega...
Per woh sab aur kabhi
Aaj lufzon se nahi
Rangon se khelne do holi
Tum bhi khelo...
Kuch rang laga lo chehre per
Fika pad gaya hai.

Rang hai na...

Who dekho ja rahi hai berang zindagi
Rang do use
Bhiga do uska daman
Bahut dino se
Khusk hai
Chubhti rehti hai...
Thodi nami to aaye aankhon mein
Dhul to jayen adhmare khwabon ke dhabbe...
Holi hai
Khoon ke ansoo bhi gulal nazar aayenge...
Rang hai na...

Khalish

Itni baatein banate hain phir bhi
Karne ko baat kuch nahi hoti
Roz milte hain, Roz hanste hai
Yeh khalish to phir bhi kam nahi hoti

Waham

Humne khushgawari ke kaise waham pale hain
Tumne dekha hi nahi meri muskurahat ke parre...

Guftgu

Baat karoon to baat chalegi
Hum dono mein baat rahegi
Mujh se tum tak, tum se mujh tak
Lufzon ki aukat rahegi
Per deewarein aur dararein
Apne sab alfaz sunengi
Mayne to sab jhar jayenge
Shabdon ke bas teer chalenge
Hum dono kuch aur bidhenge
Ghav lagenge
Zakhm risenge
Kuch naasoor si ghat lagegi
Choro, Kya karna hai keh ke
Baat Kari, to baat badhegi.

some pages are better left un-turned...

some pages are better left un-turned...

the taste of yellowing pages

on the tongue

the moistening saliva

on the thumb

mark the pages 

with a definite impression

it reeks of possession

of ownership

of something that was never meant

to be owned or possessed

the pages, 

lose their starchy uprightness

and crackling stiffness

with dew of time

the lightness

that draws in

with maturity

leaves them open

to winds of change

let them flutter

in the breeze,

turn if they like

let's not finger in the change

and make a perfectly upright book,

dogeared.

some stories are better left unfinished

some tales are better left untold

some pages are better left,un-turned.

Dreams Must Explain Themselves

They are not the culprits, the eyes...
no, not at all-
for, they are shut, tight
lids closed,
to sight, light.

In the darkness
they creep-
their steps
heavy, loud, reverberating..
or subtle and stealthy.

They enter the quiet
the peace of void
of nothing, but nothingness
that surround.

In the colorless darkness
they play tricks
create shadows
of myriad shapes,
speak in voices -
heard, lost or imagined.

Ephemeral -
the illusions
that entice
surprise
reprise.

Why they arrive
in my sleep-
dreams must explain themselves,
tonight.