Is shahar ki nigodi galiyaan

kuch choti kuch chaudi galiyaan,
is shahar ki nigodi galiyaan-
main ghar se na nikloon jo kabhi,
meri raah dekhne mudti hain,
khidki pe ret si udti hain,
agle din paiyya padti hain.

mujhe giraake daant dikhati hain! (teeth)
har roz yun daant sikhati hain. (gaali)
meri jaan baantke khaati hain,
is shahar ki nigodi galiyaan.

dupahri shor ke sang tahalti hain.
kachahri bani to inki kya galti hai?
sabke ishaaron se banti badalti hain,
is shahar ki nigodi galiyaan.

kahin simat-ti kahin bikharti hain.
naqshon se bachke guzarti hain.
par roz hi peecha karti hain,
is shahar ki nigodi galiyaan.

har subah ye dhoop me pakti hain;
phir shab aake inhe dhakti hain.
ruke koi to jhat se lapakti hain,
is shahar ki nigodi galiyaan.

mitti ke libaas pahanti hain-
kadmon ki kahaani sunti hain-
nishaanon se pahrein ginti hain,
is shahar ki nigodi galiyaan.

kitne pairon ke neeche pisti hain-
kahin se nikalke kahin ghusti hain-
kitnon ka ghar kitnon ki basti hain,
is shahar ki nigodi galiyaan.

har raat in kaali sadakon par,
parchaaiyaan baithi rahti hain.
in saayon se phir din bhar ke
sab gappe sunti kahti hain,
is shahar ki nigodi galiyaan;
kuch choti kuch chaudi galiyaan.

Janaaza

aaj sadak par chalte chalte, ek bejaan si soorat dekhi hai
taajjub hai ek insaan pe ek insaan si soorat dekhi hai

ujhde-jhade khaabon ki baatein har roz maine udti suni
jo kabhi suni hi na ho aisi dastaan si soorat dekhi hai

na to jazbaat bikhre the kahin, na ummeed nishaan chod gayi
ik khaali si, ik sooni si, sunsaan si soorat dekhi hai

dhoondh dhoondhke bahaane aaj to saari duniya dariya hui
sabse alag jalti tapti registaan si soorat dekhi hai

kitne chehre dekhe, sab par hasrat ki patangein udti hain
pehli baar yun khule khaali aasmaan si soorat dekhi hai

aawaaz uthaai hogi kabhi,dikhte hain aankhon me kuch tukde
ab to khud pe sannaate mali, bezubaan si soorat dekhi hai

baaki thake-mare se hain, bas harkat se zinda lagte hain
hilti-dulti to nahin phir bhi jawaan si soorat dekhi hai

Sapna

kaise bataaoo pichli raat tum
aankhon me kya kar gaye the
mujhe to bas tera chehra sa yaad hai
par sapna yaad nahin hai
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kuch chhil gaya hoga
kuch sil gaya hoga
kuch dhul gaya hoga
kuch khil gaya hoga
aankhon pe tona sa chal gaya tha
khaabon pe sona sa mal gaya tha

ek nazaaraa sunahra sa yaad hai
aur kuch, tera chehra sa yaad hai
par sapna yaad nahin hai

kaise bataaoo pichli raat tum
aankhon me kya kar gaye the

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kuch hanske badhe honge
kuch phanse pade honge
kuch hisse jude hone
kuch kisse mude honge
shayad teekhi nazmein pak rahi thi
jinhe teri nazrein chakh rahi thi

mujhe bas dil thahra sa yaad hai
aur kuch, tera chehra sa yaad hai
par sapna yaad nahin hai

kaise bataaoo pichli raat tum
aankhon me kya kar gaye the

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Tohfe

Pichli raat kuch likha tha maine
socha tumhe de doon
phir socha- rahne do!

tumhare kamre ke peele-narangi deewar pe
ek masoom si hansi tangi rahti hai
kuch pandrah saal purani hansi
us ghadi ke baaju me..
jo bade zor se aawaaz karta hai
aur bees minute tez chalta hai

kabhi kabhi daftar me
mez pe baithi 'bowl' me woh hansi dikh jaati hai
kabhi kabhi sadak pe
koi baccha hans pade to teri aahat si ruk jaati hai
kabhi kabhi aankhon se
woh hansi girke do boond mere lab pe rakh jaati hai

socha saari baaton-yaadon ki halki pudiya
bandh-ke tumhe de doo
aur tum yaad se le jaaogi apne shehar
phir socha- rahne do

pichli raat bahut kuch likha tha maine
socha tumhe de doon
phir socha- rahne do!

tumhare ghar ke aage ek rasta hai
jab bhi tum ghar se nikalti ho to bahut hansta hai
main der se aaoo to gurrata hai aur mujhe dansta hai
aaj bhi mere pairon se ulajhti rahti hai
woh dhadak-ti sadak
aur kabhi us raste pe basti sunahri khamoshi
dheere dheere sarakhti hui
meri gali aa jaati hai, mere peeche

tumhare baad aasmaan pe shayad winter sa hai
sitaare jhadte rahte hain
aur tere ghar ke raste pe padte rahte hain
yaa phir shayad raaton ko tere intezaar me
timtimake timtimake thake sitaaren
tere dar dastak dene utar aate hain

socha saare thake taaron ki halki pudiya
bandh-ke tumhe de doo
aur tum yaad se le jaaogi apne shehar
phir socha- rahne do

pichli raat sab kuch likha tha maine
socha tumhe de doo
phir socha- rahne do!

Chehraa

aaj aaine me apna chehra dekha
to aankhon ne poocha-
yeh aks kiska hai?
yeh shaks kaun hai?

ik ajnabi si lag rahi thi apni hi nazar
ammi ki dee hui muskaan pheeki pad gayi!
shayad mera aaj ka chehra kisi gair pe gaya,
yaa phir shayad woh apna wala kahin sair pe gaya

ajeeb sa lag raha tha
to maine apna chehra dhoondha,
almirah me rakhi album me

kitne chehre palatke dekhe
kitne chehre pahanke dekhe
apna chehra mila hi nahin!

phir laga
shayad kabhi mera koi chehra tha hi nahin;
bas ek parda tha jis par kahaaniyaan raqs karti hain

jaise jaise udti sunti hain-
nazrein chup-chap
do chaar lakeerein likh jaati hain peshani pe;
do chaar laal lavz rakh jaati hain
bas hamein pata nahin chalta
nazrein aawaaz thodi na karti hain?!
bas tasveerein banaati baant-ti rahti hain

ab to roz khud se jaan pehchaan karna padta hai-
ab is chehre ke saath din utaarna hai,
to karna padta hai!

aur jab din dhalta hai
to mera dil darta hai
phir meri kahaani karvat legi
phir kuch kore kone kaale pad jaayenge
phir kuch berang tukde jud jaayenge
phir bhare chehre ko adhoora chod jaayenge

aur kal subah aaina dekhoonga
to parde par kahaani hogi,
ajnabi si, nayi si, alag si
phir aankhein poochengi-
yeh aks kiska hai?
yeh shaks kaun hai?

The Nightingale

They waited for her
to sing them skies
which did not change colors each hour
where the moon never went black
where the winds did not blow messenger clouds away

They waited for her
to sing them sleep
still & sober
which would bring them steamy dreams
the vapors condensing into droplets
on their empty eyelids

They waited for her
to sing them seasons
which had never visited their courtyards
which perched on branches turning them green
which showered leaves down the roads
on unsuspecting travellers
on windy days

They waited for her
to sing them streets
where dust did not rise to the horizon
making strange designs in the air
ominous & forbidding
but leaving no choice but to walk on

They waited for her
to sing them stories
of snow caps or dry taps
of wheels or whales
of sights they hoped,existed somewhere

They waited for her
to sing them smiles & sobs
but she sang them
silence & sweat

They waited for her
to sing them something - anything

They waited with hope - vicious & disgusting
fingers trembling with anticipation
ears aching with restlessness

They waited for her
They still do!