A Nine-gated Palace

HIS warm breath was still on HER neck, humming though ears and going till the heart embracing the heart from all four quarters His sweet nothings were still in the air, dancing with glory of their togetherness making an incision in the middle of her heart. HIS affectionate sight was so intense  looking into HER eyes as if meeting them  halfway while making space in HER heart His subtle and restless touch of fingers still loom large on HER knotted fingers and caressing her finger tips with her thumb HIS look travelling till the road end still layering HER own glance in whatever or whosoever SHE saw HIS lips twirled like vine of grape mere look of which melted HER  as if she is a snow ball melting near the fire HIS voice looming around like a whirlwind making a funnel in which HER being is twirling deep down & down. In spite of all the remoteness HE is not around HER but SHE is still clinging to the mys...

We can not force ourselves to love - or to withhold it. At best we can curb our actions. The heart itself is beyond our control. That is its power and its weakness.  #Theninegatedpalace

A situation in itself, is neither happy nor unhappy.Its only your response to it that causes your sorrow. #Verses - Krishna

One humid but beautiful August afternoon I decided to gift myself a walk till nearby Grocery shop. The walk was pleasant but it proved me again that nothing has changed yet in-spite of so much of hoo-hullah on women's safety and so called empowerment. The distance was not even one kilometres but I felt I have come miles away.  As soon as I left safe cocoon of the wall of my society, on the main road I met happened to see two grown up boys riding a bike. I shall call them grown up because they were driving, and I understand  in our country driving license is given after 18 years of 'grown up' age.  I was crossing the road, though there is no such concept of Zebra crossing in our country, I was looking at all sides with my ultra alert eyes. The boys were daring also, I must say. The front boy or man or MCP was blinking at me again. The moment was actually funny for me.  I was bought up in a family where blinking is like a crime and consider...

वो ठंडी हवा के झोंके ! वो उड़ते हुए पर्दे ! FM  RADIO  पर गुनगुनाते गुरु दत्त के नगमें ! बीच बीच में आती बादलों के गरजने की आवाज़ , पानी पानी की टप टप की आवाज़ कभी आती कभी बंद हो जाती ! कहीं कोई खुल्ला दरवाज़ा हवा से जोर से बजता , याद आता अचानक छत पर कुछ है तो नहीं जो भीग जायेगा ! फिर वापस आँखें किताब पर गडा देती हूँ "मंटो की अमर कहानियाँ" यह कहानियाँ भी अजीब ही होती है  ! एक बार शुरू हो जायें तो बीच में छोडी भी नहीं जाती बिलकुल जीवन की तरह , एक बार दुनिया में आजाओ तो जिंदगी की आदत से हो जाती है चाहे वोह गले से लगाये या न लगाये ! यह फुर्सत, यह लम्हे रूक  जाये अगर सोचूँ में अपनी गोल बेंत की चेयर  पर, पास रखा BAMBOO का पौधा मुरझा गया है पता नहीं क्यों? BALCONY से झांकते पीले बल्ब चमक रहे थे जैसे बारिश के पानी में आँखें धुल कर साफ़ हो गए हों ! ऐसी कोई बारिश बनानी  चाहेए जो देखने का अंदाज़ ही बदल दे ! ऐसी  कोई महक बननी चाहेए जो भीतर तक समा जाये ! ऐसी कोई रौशनी हो जो अन्धकार को चीर दे ! ऐसी कोई आव...

खोल दो खिड़कियाँ को बूंदों को अन्दर आने दो  पड़ने दो हथेलियों पर ऐसे  जैसे गरम रेत पर पानी का  mirage बन जाये ! तपती धरती सी मेरी रूह  को मिल गया सावन जैसे  आँखों में पानी ऐसे फ़ेला ऐसे  जैसे रंग फर्श पर बिखर गए हों ! जब उन् पोरों पर जाकर रुका पानी  तो उससे रॊक लेने को जी चाहा  क्योंकि पोरों से गालॊ तक की राह  पर लाख सवाल होते है  जिनका कोई जवाब नहीं होता  और न ही वो सवाल रुकते है  ज्यादा देर उस mirage की तरह जो मेरी  हथेलियों पर  आकर बन गया था  समझा तो पता लगा  उस mirage को पार करते ही  सारे सवाल और जवाब भी लुप्त हो गए !

It seems yesterday only, when she was a little girl, as innocent as it can be. Who can forget going to Nani Ke ghar every year. She with her cousin going out to have tiki and golgappe under scorching sun was a child's play.  Mummy scolded and commented but who was listening. She was in her dream world where things were plain simple, no complications.  Then why things turned upside down and she became an adult in a night when her cousin forced himself on her.  He was her friend, brother, mate and mentor.  She lost the meaning of relationships that ever existed. When such meanings are lost one becomes indifferent and indifference hurts the most, even more than kindness.  She is now indifferent, indifferent to the world !