Portraits from the Brown Diary

Portraits from the Brown Diary

Portraits from the Brown Diary

Portraits from the Pink Diary

Portraits from the Red Diary

Portraits from the Red Diary

Paper Bag

Ek tha paper bag
Badaa, mazboot, tikaoo

Badaa, mazboot, tikaoo
Chamki waala
Man ko rijhane waala

Man ko rijhaane waala
Tan jaata tha
wazan barh jaane par

tan jaata tha
magar inkar nahin karta tha
toot nahin jaata tha

toot ta nahin tha
ek gulabi feeta tha usmein
aur ek haraa

ek gulaabi, ek haraa, chamki waala
dono feete mazbooti se lage the
bag jab banaa tha
tab se usmein jude the

tab se usmein jude the dono
sirf ek feeta pakadne par bag nahin uth tat ha
waise uth to jaata tha
samaan gira deta tha

saaman gira deta tha
isliye dono feete saath main pakadne hote the

dono feete pakadne parte the
saath main pakadne parte the

ek tha paper bag
badaa, mazboot, tikaoo
chamki waala
gulabi-hara feetedaar
paper bag

Naya Saal Hoga Kuchh Behtar

Is kavita ka pehla hissa maine March 2008 ki main, Lahore main likha tha. Kavita khatm nahin huyi thi. Mumbai wapas aayi. Saal khatm hote-hote India-Pakistan ke beech kuchh-kuchh behtar ho rahe rishte phir gadbada gaye. 29 December 2008 ko is kavita ka doosra hissa likha gaya.

08.03.08
Naya saal hoga kuchh behtar
Socha tha hum sab ne

Dar, udaasi ko chhod aaye hain
Socha tha hum sab ne

Bin mauke koi shahid na hoga
Maut aam baat na hogi
Socha tha hum sab ne

Ghoomenge befikr Liberty
Tootenge nahin darvaaze, khidkiyan aur dil
hostel nahin banega qaidkhaana
Socha tha hum sab ne

"Dar ki koi baat nahin hai, main theek hoon!"
Aaye din yeh sandesh na denge
Socha tha hum sab ne

Dar lekar na ghar jaayenge
Socha tha hum sab ne

29.12.08

Ghar aa gaye us mulk se hum
Pakistan jise naam mila

Hindustan ki sar-zameen par bhi
Phoonkte -phoonkte paunv rakha

Alag mausam aur naya saal tha
yahan bhi lekin wahi haal tha

Wahi khwahishein phir se jaagi
Kyunki phir dil darwaaze toote

Dar phailaa hai har hisse main
Naya saal kuchh aisa beeta

29.12.09

Ghar aa gaye us mulk se hum
Pakistan jise naam mila

Ek din use bhi ghar bolenge
Socha tha hum sab ne

Aasaan wahan jaana hoga
Mazzedaar kisi ko wahan se bulana hoga
Hum bhi keh sakenge
"Hamaare Lahore main aisa hota hai
Hamaare Karachi main waisa hota hai"

Naya saal bhi khatm hua hai
achhe bure kayi kisse lekar

Takreer karne waalon se aao poochhein
"Mann ka kolahal kya kam tha
yudhhon ki jo shuruat karoge?"