आँखों मे जलती धूप और मुह पे लू के थपेड़े,
पसीने से भीगी शर्ट और धूल धूसरित उज्जड़ बाल ।
रहरहकर नंगे पैरों में चुभते वो कंकड़ हजार,
अगली गेंद से नज़र हटने का लेकिन ना कोई सवाल ।
मुनियों की सी एकाग्रता और गेंदबाज पे पैनी नज़र,
गदा समान बल्ला मुठ्ठी में कसकर पकड़ खड़े तय्यार ।
फील्डर और सीमा का, अवचेतन मन में चित्र खिंचा,
तन गई भुकुटी लो शुरू हुआ अब अगली बाल का इंतजार ।
अपना पूरा ज़ोर लगाकर, गेंदबाज ने फेकी गेंद,
सन्नाटे को चीरती बढ़ती, ध्वनि-सीमा को कर गई पार ।
एक कदम कर पीछे लेग पे, बल्लेबाज ने बल्ला भांजा,
दम टूटा फील्डर का पीछे, आगे देखो हो गये चार ।
उल्लासोन्मादित हर्षित दर्शकगण, चहक उठे और उछल पड़े,
तालियों और नारों कि गूंजों से, होता जीत का अभिवादन ।
बल्लेबाज कंधों पे चढ़कर, प्रशंसा का करता रसपान,
हार कठिन है सहनी लेकिन, उससे भी दुष्कर यह क्रंदन !
-Self
Thursday
I remember
न जाने क्यों, अचानक आज वो दिन याद आ गये जो अभी तक बीते हुये सावन में मिट्टी की सोंधी महक की तरह दिल के किसी कोने में, धूल कि कई परतों के नीचे दबे हुये थे।
मुझे याद हैं वो लम्हे जब वो आँखें धड़कने तेज़ कर देती थीं।
मुझे याद है कैसे उसके सामने आवाज़ मेरा साथ छोड़ देती थी।
मुझे याद हैं वो पल जब वो एक नज़र एक नयी उमंग जगा देती थी, और कैसे मैं उन पलों को बार बार ज़हन में उलटता पलटता रहता था।
वो कुछ बार जब दो शब्द निकले हों मेरे मुह से।
वो कुछ बार जब दो शब्द निकले हों उसके मुह से।
वो शर्म से उसका उंगलियाँ चटकाना और रह रहकर बिना वजह किसी और ओर देखना।
वो बेबाकी से नज़रों का मिलाना।
वो मीठा सा तसव्वुर और बेसब्र इंतज़ार।
वो किताबों के पन्नो में उस सूरत की ख्वाहिश।
वो आँखों के आगे धुधलके की परत िजसपे वो चेहरा खिंचता था।
वो दिन जब आखिरी बार उसे देखा।
वो शब्द जो ज़ुबँा पे आ न सके।
वो अरमान जो इन आँखों के साथ ही पथरा गये।
कितना कुछ कहना था, कितना कुछ सुनना था,
शायद दोनो ओर से पहल का इंतज़ार रह गया।
और आज इन हाथो में फिसलती जा रही धूल बची है।
वो धुधलाता हुआ चेहरा जिसको अब पहचानना मुश्किल हो चला है।
गये सावन की वो महक जो अब एक याद बनकर रह गयी है।
डूबते हुये दिन की वो आखिरी किरणें।
-Self
मुझे याद हैं वो लम्हे जब वो आँखें धड़कने तेज़ कर देती थीं।
मुझे याद है कैसे उसके सामने आवाज़ मेरा साथ छोड़ देती थी।
मुझे याद हैं वो पल जब वो एक नज़र एक नयी उमंग जगा देती थी, और कैसे मैं उन पलों को बार बार ज़हन में उलटता पलटता रहता था।
वो कुछ बार जब दो शब्द निकले हों मेरे मुह से।
वो कुछ बार जब दो शब्द निकले हों उसके मुह से।
वो शर्म से उसका उंगलियाँ चटकाना और रह रहकर बिना वजह किसी और ओर देखना।
वो बेबाकी से नज़रों का मिलाना।
वो मीठा सा तसव्वुर और बेसब्र इंतज़ार।
वो किताबों के पन्नो में उस सूरत की ख्वाहिश।
वो आँखों के आगे धुधलके की परत िजसपे वो चेहरा खिंचता था।
वो दिन जब आखिरी बार उसे देखा।
वो शब्द जो ज़ुबँा पे आ न सके।
वो अरमान जो इन आँखों के साथ ही पथरा गये।
कितना कुछ कहना था, कितना कुछ सुनना था,
शायद दोनो ओर से पहल का इंतज़ार रह गया।
और आज इन हाथो में फिसलती जा रही धूल बची है।
वो धुधलाता हुआ चेहरा जिसको अब पहचानना मुश्किल हो चला है।
गये सावन की वो महक जो अब एक याद बनकर रह गयी है।
डूबते हुये दिन की वो आखिरी किरणें।
-Self
Tuesday
Brave New World
Recently, a friend of mine asked me : "So what differences do you find between Indian and American culture ?"
I bluntly replied : "What culture ?"
Huxley's 'Brave New World' depicts a fictional dystopian society where everyone is happy. This happiness is not a result of personal milestones or successes but stems from the complete removal of every social aspect which might some day become a reason of unrest in the society. In this society, individuals are 'created' artificially based upon the demands of 'economic consumption' and 'labour'. Every individual, from birth, is conditioned to do a particular type of work and has the sole purpose of serving as yet another consuming unit. 'Distractions' like love, art, solitude, literature etc. have been conveniently removed from the system so that every individual may serve its purpose of consumption without any undue interruptions. 'Everyone is meant to be for everyone else' so that the pain associated with love and refusals is uprooted from the society. In short, everyone is happy.
While reading the book, I could not help but compare the nightmarish scenario depicted in the book with the present American society in general and the modern Indian society in particular. Having taken the blue pill of mindless capitalism, the dwellers of these societies have now been reduced to mere consuming units. Their lives are dictated by those idiotic TV commercials. Their needs, magnified by the giant corporations which try to sell them everything from nutritious and great tasting 'dog food' to credit cards to cars and what not. The notion that all these material amenities are necessary for emotional fulfillment and happiness is darkly etched in the collective psyche of these societies. Love in these societies, is conveniently compartmentalized into manageable, separate 'relationship' slots so that every 'break up' has the silver lining of being an indication of a new 'relationship'. Sitcoms like 'Sex and the city' expect us to identify with the emotions of the protagonist as she tries to overcome her 50th break-up. What crap!. In such societies, art, literature and happiness which results from solitude and silent contemplation die a cruel death as no one has time for such things. And this behaviour is entirely in accordance with the capitalist views. Its sad that in a place where events like valentine's day, mother's day, father's day and a zillion other days are marked by 10 advanced days of special advertisements of sales and discounts, a 4th of July passes off without even a single mention on the T.V. Sure, it is accompanied by fireworks but they are the prerogative of the Government not the people. Sure, it is accompanied by a host of parties, but I feel that people out here just need an excuse for getting wasted. This is not the sad part. The sad part is that the modern Indian society is frighteningly similar to its American counterpart.
I bluntly replied : "What culture ?"
Huxley's 'Brave New World' depicts a fictional dystopian society where everyone is happy. This happiness is not a result of personal milestones or successes but stems from the complete removal of every social aspect which might some day become a reason of unrest in the society. In this society, individuals are 'created' artificially based upon the demands of 'economic consumption' and 'labour'. Every individual, from birth, is conditioned to do a particular type of work and has the sole purpose of serving as yet another consuming unit. 'Distractions' like love, art, solitude, literature etc. have been conveniently removed from the system so that every individual may serve its purpose of consumption without any undue interruptions. 'Everyone is meant to be for everyone else' so that the pain associated with love and refusals is uprooted from the society. In short, everyone is happy.
While reading the book, I could not help but compare the nightmarish scenario depicted in the book with the present American society in general and the modern Indian society in particular. Having taken the blue pill of mindless capitalism, the dwellers of these societies have now been reduced to mere consuming units. Their lives are dictated by those idiotic TV commercials. Their needs, magnified by the giant corporations which try to sell them everything from nutritious and great tasting 'dog food' to credit cards to cars and what not. The notion that all these material amenities are necessary for emotional fulfillment and happiness is darkly etched in the collective psyche of these societies. Love in these societies, is conveniently compartmentalized into manageable, separate 'relationship' slots so that every 'break up' has the silver lining of being an indication of a new 'relationship'. Sitcoms like 'Sex and the city' expect us to identify with the emotions of the protagonist as she tries to overcome her 50th break-up. What crap!. In such societies, art, literature and happiness which results from solitude and silent contemplation die a cruel death as no one has time for such things. And this behaviour is entirely in accordance with the capitalist views. Its sad that in a place where events like valentine's day, mother's day, father's day and a zillion other days are marked by 10 advanced days of special advertisements of sales and discounts, a 4th of July passes off without even a single mention on the T.V. Sure, it is accompanied by fireworks but they are the prerogative of the Government not the people. Sure, it is accompanied by a host of parties, but I feel that people out here just need an excuse for getting wasted. This is not the sad part. The sad part is that the modern Indian society is frighteningly similar to its American counterpart.
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About Me
- Ankit
- Like a particularly notorious child's tantrums, a mountaneous river's intemperance, a volcano's reckless carelessness and the dreamy eyes of a caged bird, imagination tries to fly unfettered. Hesitant as she takes those first steps, she sculpts those ambitious yet half baked earthen pots.