बेटा, तुमने मुझमें एक 'पापा' को जन्म दिया है

तुझ संग लौटा मेरा बचपन
खेल-खिलौनों पर आकर्षण
लोरी-गोदी का ले मौसम
चंदा मामा आ गए आँगन
यह नटखटपन नया-नया है
यह स्वर-गुंजन नया-नया है
इन सब का गंभीर भाव से
यह संतुलन नया-नया है
तुमने मेरी एक नयी अदा को जन्म दिया है
बेटा, तुमने मुझमें एक 'पापा' को जन्म दिया है.

तेरा रंग-ढंग, नखरे सब
प्यारे-प्यारे, न्यारे-न्यारे
दिन पूरा  कट जाता पल में
तेरी एक मुस्कान सहारे
तुम उत्सव हर्षोल्लास के
चमकीले तारे आकाश के
जीवन के इस समर-द्वन्द में
तुम हो राहत भरी सांस से
मेरे वातावरण में तुमने नयी हवा को जन्म दिया है
बेटा, तुमने मुझमें एक 'पापा' को जन्म दिया है.

मेरी पहली मेट्रो यात्रा 

;s ckr T+;knk ugha cl dqN gh o’kZ iqjkuh gS tc dksydkRkk “kgj esa iys&c<+s esjs ikik dksydkRkk eSVªks jsy esa ;k=k ds vius vuqHkoksa dk xoZ ds lkFk o.kZu djrs FksA muds vuqHkoksa dks lqudj tgk¡ mÙkj izns”k ds NksVs ls dLcs fiy[kqok esa iyk&c<+k eSa uo;qod vius firk dh bl miyfC/k ij xkSjo vuqHko djrk Fkk] ogha dgha uk dgha cpiu ls gh ân; ds fdlh dksus esa eSVªks jsy esa ;k=k djus dh rhoz bPNk Hkh j[krk FkkA tc Hkh ikik lkE;oknh ljdkj ds “kklu ls ysdj LVS.M jksM+ okys gekjs NksVs ls vkaxu vkSj cM+k cktkj okys nknkth ds xYys ls ysdj caxkyh jlxqYys rd] dksydkRkk ls tqM+h fdlh Hkh ckr dk ft+Ø djrs rks lgt gh esjs t+sgu esa eSVªks jsy dh Nfo ?kweus yxrhA eSVªks jsy esa ;k=k djus dh dYiuk ek= ls gh eSa jksekafpr gks mBrk FkkA gj xehZ dh NqfV~V;ksa esa esjk Ikkik dks dksydkRkk tkus ds fy, eukuk vkSj gj ckj mudk ,d gh cgkuk& ßDykl esa QLVZ vkdj fn[kkvks] fQj pysaxsAß 

[+kSj] ;g flyflyk ,sls gh pyrk jgkA uk eSa viuh d{kk esa dHkh izFke vk;k vkSj uk gh ;qokoLFkk rd dHkh dksydkRkk ?kwe ik;kA oSls] ;gk¡ eSa nwjn”kZu] fQYe fuekZrkvksa&funsZ”kdksa vkSj FkksM+k&cgqr fMLdojh pSuy ds izfr Hkh viuk jks’k izdV djuk pkgw¡xk] D;ksafd os lapkj&Økafr ds “kS”ko nkSj esa nqfu;k Hkj dh vusdksa tkudkfj;ka rks miyC/k djkrs Fks] ij dksydkRkk eSVªks dks dHkh ugha fn[kkrs FksA fo”okl ekfu,] eSaus vkt rd Hkh Vh-oh- ij] fQYeksa esa bruk lcdqN ns[kk gS] ij vxj dqN ugha ns[kk rks og gS dksydkRkk eSVªks jsyA

;s rks gqbZ cpiu dh ckrsa] ij le; rks xfr”khy gS vkSj ifjorZu bldk vko”;d fu;e gSA i`Foh viuh ifjf/k esa ?kwers gq, lw;Z dh dqN vkSj ifjØek,a iwjh dj pqdh Fkh vkSj esjs lkFk dqN n”kdksa igys gh Lora= gqvk gekjk eqYd Hkh oS”ohdj.k dh uhfr;ksa ds lkFk fodkl dh ckY;koLFkk ls ;kSou dh vksj c<+ jgk FkkA ge ubZ lgL=kCnh esa izos”k dj jgs FksA bl le; v[kckjksa vkSj Vh-oh- ds ek/;e ls ;g [k+cj feyus yxh fd tYnh gh eSVªks jsy dk “kqHkkjaHk fnYyh esa Hkh gksxkA tc igyh ckj fnYyh eSVªks jsy izkstsDV ds fØ;kUou ds lkFk bl [k+cj dk lR;kiu gqvk rks ekuks esjh [kq”kh dk dksbZ fBdkuk gh ugha jgkA vc eq>s ;g iq[rk mEehn gks xbZ fd vc eSa tYnh gh eSVªks jsy esa ;k=k dj ikÅ¡xkA

fQj 24 fnlEcj] 2002 dh og “kqHk ?kM+h vkbZ tc fnYyh eSVªks dk liuk gdhdr esa cnykA ;g ogh o’kZ Fkk tc eSa fo|ky; ls egkfo|ky; esa igqpk¡ Fkk vkSj eSaus vdsys ;k=k djuk “kq: fd;k FkkA  vc eSa fnYyh eSVªks dh lokjh ds fy, iw.kZr;k vk”oLr FkkA IkjUrq] eq>s ,slk vkHkkl fcYdqy ugha Fkk fd eaft+y ftruh djhc fn[k jgh Fkh mlls cgqr nwj FkhA

izFke nkSj esa “kq: gqbZ fnYyh eSVªks dsoy “kkgnjk ls rhl gtkjh rd dk gh jkLrk r; djrh FkhA bls foMEcuk gh dgsaxs fd ;g fnYyh dk og {ks= Fkk tgk¡ u dHkh eSa x;k Fkk vkSj uk gh tkus dh dksbZ bPNk j[krk FkkA vkf[kj ogk¡ fnYyh eSVªks ds flok; vkSj Fkk gh D;k\ uk dksbZ ;kj uk fj”rsnkjA Åij ls vc rd vkfFkZd mnkjhdj.k ds izHkko “kgjksa ls fudy dj xk¡oksa vkSj dLcksa esa Hkh fn[kkbZ nsus yxs FksA ,d NksVh lh xkM+h ek:fr us Hkkjr esa lM+d ifjogu dks tks xfr iznku dh Fkh og vc u,&u, :iksa esa ns”k esa gj dksus esa fujUrj c<+rh tk jgh FkhA la{ksi esa dg¡w rks vc gekjs ;gk¡ viuh xkM+h vk pqdh FkhA fQj] ifjorZu flQZ izÑfr esa gh ugha izo`fr esa Hkh rks gksrk gSA “kk;n eSa Hkh cny pqdk FkkA esjh egRokda{kkvksa dh ÅtkZ vkSj ikjhokfjd&lkekftd vis{kkvksa ds ?k’kZ.k cy dh “kfDr ls eSVªks ;k=k dc viuk vkd’kZ.k [kks cSBh dqN ekywe gh ugha pykA eSVªks jsy fnYyh Hkh vkbZ vkSj eSa dksydkRkk Hkh x;k] ij eSVªks jsy dh lokjh vHkh Hkh ckdh FkhA

o’kZ 2007] fnYyh eSVªks dks “kq: gq, djhc ik¡p o’kZ chr pqds FksA dbZ vk;keksa ls xqtjus ds ckn esjk vf/kdka”k thou jk’Vªh; jktekxksZa ds vkorksZa esa xqtjus yxk FkkA o’kZ 2010 esa fnYyh esa jk’Vªe.My [ksyksa ds vk;kstu ds pyrs fnYyh eSVªks dk rhoz foLrkjhdj.k gks jgk FkkA eSa tSls eSVªks ;k=k dh viuh bPNk dks Hkwy gh pqdk FkkA fQj ,d fnu esjs ,d fe= us eq>s feyus ds fy, DukWV Iysl cqyk;kA ckrksa&ckrksa esa dc jkr gks pyh fd eq>s dqN irk gh ugha pykA esjk fe= eq>ls jkr esa mlds ?kj ij :dus dk vkxzg djus yxkA eSa Hkh jkth gks x;kA

og iVsy uxj esa jgrk FkkA tc mlus eq>s crk;k fd mlds ?kj ds ikl gh eSVªks LVs”ku gS vkSj gesa eSVªks ls gh tkuk gksxkA eSa cgqr ?kcjk x;kA eSa ldqpk jgk Fkk D;ksafd eq>s ugha irk Fkk fd eSVªks esa lQj dSls djrs gSaA ,d f”kf{kr O;fDr ds fy, ;s lc ckrsa iwNuk Hkh ekuksa tSls dksbZ ykpkjh gksaA vkf[kj eSaus jktho pkSd eSVªks LVs”ku esa izos”k fd;kA esjs fe= ds ikl ;k=h dkMZ Fkk fdUrq lTturko”k og esjs fy, Vksdu ysus ds fy, [kqn gh drkj esa yx x;kA ;gk¡ eSa lc dqN xkSj ls ns[k jgk Fkk vkSj lh[k jgk FkkA bl izdkj ml Vksdu ds Li”kZ ls tc }kj [kqyk vkSj eSaus eSVªks esa izos”k fd;k rks HkhM+ bruh Fkh fd eSVªks dk lQj dk dksbZ etk ugha cfYd ltk yx jgk FkkA ij esjs Hkhrj dk ckyd tkx mBk FkkA eSa viuh bl cgqizfrf{kr eSVªks dh izFke ;k=k dk iwjk vkuan ysuk pkgrk FkkA blfy, eSaus vius fe= ls vafre LVs”ku rd tkdj fQj ykSV ds vkus dk vkxzg fd;kA og eku x;kA vkf[kjh LVs”ku ds ikl tc HkhM+ cgqr de gks xbZ rc eSaus tkuk fd eSVªks  jsy fnYyh vkSj fnYyhokfl;ksa ds fy, fdruh cM+h miyfC/k gSA

vc eSa eSVªks ;k=k ds vkjke dk vuqHko dj pqdk FkkA jk’Vªe.My [ksyksa dh otg ls fnYyh eSVªks vkt “kgj ds yxHkx gj egRoiw.kZ LFkku rd igq¡p pqdh gSA vc eSa yxHkx jkstkuk eSVªks esa lQj djrk gw¡A “kk;n mi;ksfxrk âkl fu;e dh lkFkZdrk ds pyrs eSa ;k=k dk vkd’kZ.k rks [kks pqdk gw¡] ij fnYyh eSVªks dh mi;ksfxrk dks fny ls le>rk gw¡A blds fcuk fnYyh esa thou dh dYiuk fdruh fodV ut+j vkrh gSA bldh gj ;k=k vius vki esa ,d uohu vuqHko gS tks ge vf/kdka”kr;k lq”kqIr efLr’d ls vkSj ;nk&dnk psru efLr’d ls djrs gSaA esjh eSVªks ;k=k,a “kk;n vkus okyh ihf<+;ksa dks rks dqN ubZ uk yxsa] ij esjh igyh eSVªks ;k=k rd ds la?k’kZ vkSj t+Ìkstgn dk o`Ùkkar mUgsa jksekafpr vo”; djsxkA   

My First Journey in A Metro Rail

It is not something of distant memory when my Papa, with his Kolkata milieu, would draw great pride in sharing his experiences of travelling in Kolkata Metro. I, being a lad grown up in a small town of Uttar Pradesh, namely Pilkhuwa, found it like a much celebrated achievement of my father and held a strong urge to travel in the Metro Rail somewhere in my heart since childhood. The time Papa would discuss anything related to Kolkata from the Communist’s governance to our place of residence at Stand Road and from grandfather’s shop at Bada Bazaar to famous Bengali sweet Rasogulla, it would let me to imagine the Metro Rail. Even a mere musing of travelling in the Metro Rail led me to sense immense excitement. Years after years, in every summer vacations I had tried to persuade Papa to take us to Kolkata persistently, however he also kept giving the same excuse consistently, “Achieve 1^st rank, and we shall go to the Hooghly’s Bank.”

Nevertheless, things never changed. Neither I could ever secure 1^st rank, nor could I ever visit Kolkata until my youth. By the way, here I would also like to express my grievances towards Doordarshan, Producers-Directors of movies and also a bit towards the Discovery Channel for making available a significant amount of information except showing the Kolkata Metro, during the nascent stage of broadcasting revolution in the country. It should be more than a sheer misfortune that till date also, having seen a world on T.V. and in films, I could never see the Kolkata Metro.    

They were early days, but life moves on and change is an essential outcome of its progress. The Earth had completed a few more rounds of the Sun rotating on its axis and I, together with my country, which was in the early decades of its freedom and was marching forward forth on the path of development with its policies of globalisation, entered into youth transcending our childhood. We welcomed a new millennium. At this point of time, we had started receiving the news of beginning of the Metro Rail in Delhi through different media including T.V. and newspapers. Expressing the joy in words over the reports of implementation of Delhi Metro would quite be a herculean task. These reports were beyond simple conformation to prior news; they rather drew similitude with some melodious saga. At this moment, I was very confident of enjoying a Metro ride soon.

Then came the auspicious date December 24, 2002, the day when the dream of Delhi Metro turned into reality. It was the year when I graduated from school to college and started travelling alone. This further strengthened my belief of an early ride in the Metro Rail. I could never, even in far imagination, think of such a long delay in my first metro ride.

In its first phase Delhi Metro covered only the distance between Shahdra and Tees Hazari. Ironically, it was a region in Delhi where I had never gone and had no intentions to go either. What else did the region have apart from Delhi Metro? Neither any friend nor a relative stayed there. Moreover, by this time the effects of economic liberalisation had started affecting small towns and villages transcending big cities. The enormous speed that a small car Maruti had fuelled in the growth of Indian road transportation system was continuously gaining pace in every single nook and corner of the country in different forms. In short, we owned a car then. Furthermore, change is not only a characteristic of life but also of nature. It was that I had also changed. The counter interaction of mutually competing forces of personal ambitions and social aspirations generated such a power that overruled the attraction of the Metro Ride without it coming to my notice.  The Metro Rail had come to Delhi and I had gone to Kolkata, but a Metro Ride was yet to take place. 

It was year 2007, five years were gone since Delhi Metro had started. Having gone through numerous ups and downs, by this time most part of my life had started passing on national highways. Delhi Metro was expanding its wings swiftly in wake of the organisation of 2010 Commonwealth Games. However, I had completely forgotten my urge to travel in a Metro Rail. Then, one day a friend invited me to Connaught Place for a hang around. Time passed so smoothly in our discussion that I could not even make out that it was getting dark. My friend pushed me to stay at his place. I also gave him uncontrived consent.

He lived in Patel Nagar. The moment he had told me that there was a Metro station in proximity to his home and we had to go by Metro only, I grew very nervous. I was hesitating because I did not know how to travel in Metro. Asking this question made an educated lad like me feel paralysing effects. Finally, we entered in Rajeev Chowk Metro Station. My friend had Metro Traveller Card, yet being courteous he got a token for me. Here I was observing things very closely and learning many things simultaneously. Thereafter, with the touch of the token when the gate opened and I entered the Metro Rail, travelling in an overcrowded Metro felt more a punishment than enjoyment. But, the child innate in me was provoked by this time. I wished to make my long awaited first Metro Ride a joyful experience. Therefore, I requested my friend to go till the terminating station and then come back. He agreed. As the train had reached close to the termination point and crowd mitigated, I came to know what Delhi Metro meant to the city and its habitats.

Now I had experienced the comfort of commuting by Metro. Thanks to the Common Wealth Games, Delhi Metro has reached every prominent location in the city. Now I travel in metro as often as daily. Yes, due to the universal application of the rule of diminishing utility I have lost the bubbly charm of the Metro Ride, yet I understand the importance of Delhi Metro from the bottom of my heart. Thought of life in Delhi without Delhi Metro seems to be a nightmare. Each single ride in it is a unique experience in itself which we usually observe through sub-conscious and rarely with conscious. My journeys in Metro might not be anything anew for the coming generation, but the story of my struggle for my first metro ride would definitely excite them.

स्वप्न और जाग्रति 

           तुम हो मेरे प्यार का स्वप्न
           तुम ही मेरी जाग्रति भी

माना कि मेरे भुवन का
सत्य है बस कल्पनाएं
मन की हलचल में अटलता
है समोती भावनाएं
पर उस अमापित शून्य का
बस एक ही है केंद्र बिंदु
आँसू की एक बूँद में है
तेरी प्रीत का असीम सिंधु
तुम ही निर्गुण आस्था मेरे प्रेम की हो
तुम ही उसकी आकृति भी
           तुम हो मेरे प्यार का स्वप्न
           तुम ही मेरी जाग्रति भी

जग में फैला है वहम कि
मैं स्वयं को खो चुका हूँ
कैसे समझाऊं उन्हें कि
मैं स्वयं में खो चुका हूँ
काटकर मन के अँधेरे
जितना तुमको पा रहा हूँ
सत्य को तकता स्वयं के
पास उतना आ रहा हूँ
तुम ही शाश्वत खोज मेरे अस्तित्व की हो
तुम ही सर्वस्व मैं की प्राप्ति भी
           तुम हो मेरे प्यार का स्वप्न
           तुम ही मेरी जाग्रति भी

समोसा चाट 

छिड़क कर शब्दों का मसाला 

और नज़रिये की चटनी 

लपेट कर अपने अनुभवों के लिफ़ाफ़े में 

तुझे बाटूँगा और बेचूंगा मैं, ऐ ज़िंदगी!

वैसे ही जैसे कि 

कोई हलवाई देता है समोसे की चाट!

मैं नहीं जानता कि 

मैंने तुझमें या तूने मुझमें 

भरे हैं ये जज़्बात आलू से 

और तला है उनको 

हालात की कढ़ाई में 

पर लगता है ऐसा मुझे कि 

जैसे हम दोनों का यह मिश्रण 

अच्छा जम गया है 

जो कुछ भी हो अटपटा सा 

कुछ चटपटा सा बन गया है 

अब मैं बेचूंगा और बाटूँगा तुझे 

ताकि लोगों की जुबां पर 

चढ़ जाये तेरा स्वाद 

और बना रहे अपना साथ

हमेशा... हमेशा के लिए!