NIGHT...

                                                                                    BY-

                                                                                       ADARSH SINHA

“So, what’s so special about this night?” I looked above in the sky. A bright moon along with shining stars. “I don’t know how to define this night but there is something about this time which soothes me” she looked at me with a blank face. “You come here often, don’t you?” there was silence in between us. A gentle breeze blowing across, which seemed to caress her hair and touched her face. “Sometimes, when I am perplexed and unhappy” she looked at me with her enquiring eyes. “Do you still remember those days?” a smile swept across my face.

                                       There has been a lot written and said about night by a lot of people. My kinship with this night and its world began when I found no one standing by my side. The time when my inner demons seemed to overpower me. I had no one to talk to or go to. When this whole world wandered in their dreams in the lap of sleep, I stared blankly at the night sky. Laying down on the bed of darkness under the blanket of stars, I talked to the moon. Some dreams, some aspirations and a lot of memories flooded my mind. There were a lot of questions which demanded answers, but the people who could answer them were nowhere around me.

                                    This night and its calmness, which soothed me when I was being tormented by my inner demons. It taught me that even in darkness, you can find that light. It might not be too strong but it will surely show you that direction, walking along which you will get through this darkness. It taught me that it’s fine if people leave you when you need them the most. Everyone has their side of story and we must know that side as well before jumping to any conclusion. It taught me to forgive people because that’s important to heal our inner soul.

                                    This darkness which seems scary to a lot of people tells a story of its own. It tells us that even those people and situations whom we assume dangerous can teach us the best lessons of our life. The only thing is, are we willing to give them a chance? This night and its own dark world which has its own stories. Stories which are unheard, our stories and our struggle. This night has seen a lot. It has seen my tears, those moments where we made promises to each other. It has also seen the end of me in your life. It’s true, this night has seen a lot of my life.

                   I might never be able to tell how important this night is for me. All I can say is, this darkness defines me and along with its stars and that bright moon, it shaped me…

                         “Do you still love me?” she said with her voice trying to fight her tears. “I just want to thank you because it’s you who introduced me to this night.” There was a long silence between us. None of us said anything because maybe there was nothing left. “Take care and be happy” her words echoed in my ears as I woke up from my dream.

        

                                 “Take care and be happy, wherever you are”, a drop of tear trickled down my left eye as I sat under the blanket of stars and looked at the moon. This magical night and its amazing world…  

               

WORDS LEFT UNSAID...

           

There was a time, I saw dreams with my eyes wide open. There was a time, when I was a kid and there were less complications and expectations we had from each other. We meet a lot of people in our entire life. However, not everyone stays in our life in the same manner. I ponder everyday about this. We used to fight with each other when we were kids. We fight today too, but after each heated argument I start feeling scared. When we were kids, our fights would get resolved within minutes or hours. Today, it takes days or even weeks to get it resolved. The reason or the culprit is our petty EGO!!! Our inability to forgive people and move on. We are a generation which is being driven by social media. In a world where we start getting offended if people don’t reply back to our every message. Is that what we call kinship? Do you remember those petty fights you had with your close ones? There was no need to solve them because we knew how to forgive.
                                 But today, we are not ready to understand anything. The only thing which bothers us is, “how can that person behave like that to me?” Jumping to conclusions without knowing anything. We start forming an image of that person in our mind. The irony is… that same image was clean a few years back but today it has been tarnished. Yes, I had a dream that someday I will be sitting somewhere with my group of people. There were quite a few images in my dream but today, a few images have been blurred out.
                   “I AM SORRY”, these words have the power to save any relationship. It seems so much easy but little do we know that it takes a lot of courage to apologize. It’s fine if you are offering your apology even if the mistake is not yours. If you love someone then being with that person is all that matters. I believe in the power of love, people may not understand their mistakes today but they will eventually. It’s very easy to get angry at someone and venting out your frustration.
                      But, it takes courage to do its opposite. It takes courage to be that greater person who is ready to forgive. We often judge people without knowing their situation. If there’s darkness all around and you are walking with your loved ones, will you leave them if they stumble? Or will you be willing to hold on to them? Our ego is just like that darkness and you are the only one who knows the correct path. What you do in that situation defines you and your love. One day, all of this darkness will go away. People will overpower their ego if you are willing to hold on to them. One day, everything will fall into place. One day…

                          “I am sorry”, in a few minutes his phone beeped again. “It is fine, I am not angry with you and I am sorry too” 


                                         BY-
                                               ADARSH SINHA       

प्रश्न

क्या हूँ मैं इस नश्वर जग में,
चर प्राणी, बस मूक खड़ा
कुछ दिन हैं रवि को प्राप्त हुए
कुछ मुझे, कुछ तुम्हें, कुछ इस जीवन को
क्या गान करेगी कोयल फिर,
देख सर्व मृतप्राय हुए
क्या रह जाएगा सब कुछ यूँ ही
नीरव, यूँ निश्वास पड़ा?
क्या हूँ मैं इस नश्वर जग में,
चर प्राणी, बस मूक खड़ा ।

होगा जब वो चंद्र-क्षय,
चंद दिवस नहीं, शाश्वतता को
क्या सह पाएगा भार कोई,
असीम सिन्धु के क्रन्दन का
क्या कह सकेगा तब वसन्त,
पुलकित, निर्दोष, नव-कुसुमों को?
होगा सब कुछ मिट्टी का,
मिट्टी होकर मिट्टी की भेंट चढ़ा
क्या हूँ मैं इस नश्वर जग में,
चर प्राणी, बस मूक खड़ा ।

उषा, क्या तुम तब भी,
वधू-सज्जा कर प्रतिदिन आओगी?
न होगी जब कोई आँख बची,
अपलक, करती तुम्हारी प्रतीक्षा,
क्या रख पाओगी तुम मन में,
निज-श्रृंगार, अलंकार की इच्छा?
तब रजनी क्या तुम प्रायः आकर,
तारों को नभ में छिटकाकर
उस पार मुझे बहलाओगी?
क्या होगा तब भी अनादि ब्रम्हाण्ड में,
आविर्भाव, अंत की ओर बढ़ा?
क्या हूँ मैं इस नश्वर जग में,
चर प्राणी, बस मूक खड़ा ।

हो जाएगा इतिहास सभी,
शायद फिर जाना भी न जाएगा
होकर सब कुछ मात्र छवि
मेरे साथ ही शून्य हो जाएगा
प्रेम कहो, या कोलाहल
वह था, ज्ञात किसे हो पाएगा?
न जाने परिवर्तन-विधान में,
जीवन फिर कब आहट करता आएगा?
क्या उन शेष क्षणों को मानव में,
लेश मानवता का रह जाएगा
कहकर मृत्यु को तथ्य, यह ज्ञानी
उसे सप्रेम ग्रहण कर पाएगा?
कैसे हो सकेगा मुक्त,
बन निज-बंधक, यूँ मूढ़ अड़ा
क्या हूँ मैं इस नश्वर जग में,
चर प्राणी, बस मूक खड़ा ।



नश्वर = transitory
चर = moving
प्राणी = organism
मूक = silent
रवि = The sun
सर्व = all
नीरव = monotonous
निश्वास = breathless
च्रंद-क्षय = The reduction in moon's size
चंद = some
दिवस = days
शाश्वतता = eternity
असीम = unending
सिन्धु = ocean
क्रन्दन = cry
पुलकित = happy
निर्दोष = innocent
कुसुम = flower
भेंट = offering
उषा = morning
वधू-सज्जा = bridal ornamentation
प्रतीक्षा = wait
निज = personal
श्रृंगार, अलंकार = embellishment
रजनी = night
नभ = sky
अनादि = unending
ब्रह्माण्ड = universe
आविर्भाव = birth
इतिहास = history
मात्र = only
छवि = reflection, memory
शून्य = zero, nothing
कोलाहल = chaos
ज्ञात = known
परिवतर्न-विधान = The law of change
शेष = left
क्षण = moment
लेश = fragment
तथ्य = fact
ज्ञानी = wise
ग्रहण = accept
निज-बंधक = self-restrainer
मूढ़ = stupid

नज़रिया

आओ,
मेरी कलम के लिखे लफ़्जों को ज़रा महसूस करके भी देखो
पिरोया जिन जज़्बातों को मैंने कविता के हार में,
उन्हें मोतियों से ज़रा और ज़िंदा मानकर भी देखो
देखो,
किस नज़ाकत से बटोर लिया मैंने अश्कों को
और घोलकर स्याही में, काग़ज़ पर करीने से बिखेर दिया
जो कुछ फी़का पड़ गया रंग स्याही का,
तो काग़ज़ को रूसवा मानकर भी देखो..
समझो, न समझो तुम मेरी दिवानगी इस रात के लिए
मेरे कहने से एक बार इसे कुछ गुफ़्तगू करने देकर भी देखो
कुछ कहो, कुछ सुनो,
कुछ खुद में शामिल होने देकर भी देखो
है हयात यह भीनी रंज़िश मेरे वास्ते,
तुम इसमें एक लम्हा तो गुज़ार कर देखो
कहती है दुनिया शायर मुझे,
आओ,
मुझे एक दफ़ा औरों सा भी मानकर देखो..

विरोधाभास

काल्पनिकता और वास्तविकता, एक कवि के विडंबना-पूर्ण जीवन की सर्वथा विपरीत, परन्तु सर्वाधिक महत्त्वपूर्ण इकाईयां हैं। एक पल में कवि अपनी वास्तविकता के धरातल से कहीं ऊपर पहुँच किसी मोहक काल्पनिक आकाश में पेंचे लड़ाने लगता है, पर तभी कोई क्षितिज से ठठाकर हँस पड़ता है - "चाहे कितना ही विस्तृत हो ये आकाश, है तो मिथ्या ही!"....और कवि लौट आता है वास्तविकता के धरातल पर, अपनी आहत मनोदशा को शब्दों में उतारने, और शब्दों को बांधते-बांधते फिर से क्षणभंगुर काल्पनिकता को अपने विचारों का अमृत पिलाने।

कवित्व का अभिशाप, और हः! ऐसा उपहास!

कवि भी क्या करे? यह संसार भले ही उसे क्षुब्धः कर देता हो, पर है तो वहीं, उसकी नज़रों के आगे बिखरा पड़ा यर्थाथ! सत्य भले ही हलाहल हाथ में ले स्वागत को खड़ा हो, उससे विमुख होना संभव नहीं है। परन्तु मिथ्या में वह लोच नहीं! मिथ्या पूर्ण नहीं है, पूर्ण मान लेने का सुख है। कवि के लिए मिथ्या अमृत नहीं, संजीवनी है.....

और जो कवि होकर रह लिया, उसका अमृत से क्या प्रयोजन?
परन्तु है तो वह कवि ही, भौतिक ही, मानव ही....

वह काल्पनिकता, यह वास्तविकता, हे ईश्वर, यह कैसी मृग-मरीचिका है जिसकी चिर तृष्णा तूने मुझे दी है?

कवि और कविता

मुझसे एक बार किसी ने पूछा, "क्या कविता लिखकर तुम्हारे चित्त को शाँति मिलती है? अगर नहीं मिलती, तो कविता लिखते क्यों हो?"

भौतिकता की सत्ता के उस पराधीन को कौन समझाए कि चित्त की शाँति के लिए कवि क्रन्दन नहीं करता। उसकी कविता ही उसका क्रन्दन है। उसके तप्त हृदय की उष्णता उसके अश्रुओं को आँखों से ढलकने नहीं देती, अपितु उसकी पीड़ा को शब्दों में ढालकर काग़ज़ पर बिखेर देती है। अगर कविता में उसने कहा है कि उषा लाल साड़ी पहनकर मोहिनी लगती है, तो वह इसलिए क्योंकि उषा से पहले उसने विभावरी को तारों के दीप जलाकर प्रियतम की वेदना से चीत्कार कर धरा को बूँद-बूँद भिगोते भी देखा है। कविता बंजर में खड़ा कोई हरित वृक्ष नहीं है, जिसका आधार ले कवि अपनी व्याकुलता को विराम दे सके। कविता वह मूर्ति है, जिसे कवि ने अपने अप्रकट विचारों की मृदा और अप्रत्यक्ष अश्रुओं को मिलाकर आकार दिया है, अपने दग्ध हृदय की ज्वाला में तपाया है, और अपनी व्यथा के आलिंगन से उसमें प्राण फूँक दिए हैं....उसे देखकर वह शाँति नहीं, केवल व्यथा का अनुभव कर सकता है।

जिस दिन मेरी कविता के शब्द-शब्द में समाहित व्यंग्य और वेदना को यह संसार एक साथ समझ लेगा, उस दिन कदाचित मैं कहूँगा कि मेरा कवि होना व्यर्थ न गया। पर वह असम्भव है, मिथ्या है! संसार के लिए मैं कवि हूँ, और मेरे प्रत्यक्ष रूप की सीमा का अतिक्रमण कर अप्रत्यक्ष से परिचित होना, मेरे विचारों की सूक्ष्मता और वृहद्ता का मंथन करना, संसार की भौतिकता और क्षणभंगुरता के बस की बात नहीं... मैं कवि हूँ, और मेरी वेदना का गान करने की शक्ति केवल मेरी कविता में है...

LOVE...

                                                                                 BY-
                                                                                   ADARSH SINHA

                             

“What is the most beautiful feeling in this world?” I closed my eyes for a second and thought about it… ”it is love”. She seemed puzzled, her eyes had the same innocence and cuteness. Adjusting her spectacles she asked, “what if that feeling and that person goes away”, I closed my eyes and a flood of memories gushed in.

                      A lot has been said and written about love and its meaning by a lot of people. It may be trust, care, attachment or just that person. That feeling cannot be described in words, everything looks serene and beautiful. “LOVE”, these 4 letters are probably the most beautiful letters and its effect lasts till eternity. Love can be anything and anyone, a child smiling or our parents sacrificing their happiness for us. Just watching them smile makes us forget our worries and problems. That smile, that innocence, that bond, above all, those memories which are given to us by our special someone…

                              I wish people could understand that loving someone doesn’t always mean that you have to be with that person for all your life. Every relationship has its life and time, once that time gets over that relation gets over as well. There is nothing right or wrong in this, it’s true that there is a void which is developed once our loved ones go away and this depresses us. A lot of people go through this and in order to get back that person start doing insane things. If “our special someone” comes back again, we start putting restrictions on them because we fear that he or she will leave us again. We proudly say that we love each other however we fail to understand that it’s not love but our fear. If you love someone then set them free because putting them in a prison would simply mean that you don’t believe that you will be loved by that person. Love gives us memories and moments, which remain with us and make sure that we carry that smile on our face. It protects us even if that person is not with us in our life, that’s the reason we seek blessings because they protect us from adversities. Such is the power of love and care.

                                               We do have memories and moments, through which we can meet them again and again. Someone has rightly said, “if you like a flower you pluck that and keep it with yourself, but if you love that flower you make sure that it remains safe and nourish it.” I wish people could understand the meaning of love, it’s not about forcing someone to be with you. It’s about being there for that person and ensuring their safety. Maybe this is the reason, the most selfless and pure form of love is of our parents for us. If you still think that you love your special someone truly, then ask this question to yourself again. If that person leaves you, will you be willing to ensure the safety of that person? Or will you be willing to set them free from your restrictions?

                                           Our society and our generation never fails to amaze me. We claim that we love truly, but we put them under restrictions and spy on them. Fights, arguments take the center stage and our so called “true love” vanishes in thin air. After a few months, the relationship status changes to “single” and then all we care about is how to take revenge from our “SPECIAL SOMEONE”. Once their smile gave us satisfaction, now all we care about is their tears. After a few months or even days, we claim that we love someone and this time its “TRUE LOVE”, and the cycle keeps on repeating itself. It’s ridiculous because these self- proclaimed “true lovers”, are the only ones who curse love and defame this beautiful feeling.

                                        So keep yourself safe from these “TRUE LOVERS”, of our society and listen to your heart. Live in present and make memories with your loved ones now, don’t think too much about the future. Whatever begins has to end someday, relationships also follow this. So make beautiful memories and don’t put your loved ones under your restrictions. Please trust your love and their love as well, and you will realize eventually that why love is the most beautiful feeling in the world. In the end, when that person will go away from your life, you will have a lot of happy memories. They will be the reason of your smile, and that love will protect you from everything. Such is the power of true love…

                

                                I looked at her, there was a drop of tear which trickled down her left eye. “You loved someone, didn’t you?” I smiled at her and all I could say was… “Yes, truly”J.  

IT AIN'T A FAIRYTALE...

                                         By-
                                           Vaishnavi M.R

I see myself how I've been in last few years
And, I can't breathe remembering it
The pain I held in my heart since these years
I can't even say to anyone over here
I get drunk with sadness and pain
I feel like untouchable without love


It ain't a Fairytale
It ain't a Movie
For me to trust blindfoldedly

Heartbreaks, tears, dreadful past
Oh, I just can't get over it
People talk behind you
And it makes you feel bad
And, I can't live
It is not simple
It ain't easy
But I gotta face

It ain't a Fairytale
It ain't a Movie
For me to trust blindfoldedly

I feel so heavy with my broken heart
It's never gonna be the same
I say myself you are brave enough to face it
But as time passes, I give up
And, I can't change my mind
It haunts me every night and I can't live

It ain't a Fairytale
It ain't a Movie
For me to heal quickly

People come to hurt me and go away
And I'm left broke inside
But I don't show it off
Cuz something happens when everybody knows it
And, I've got enough of it
But I'm not gonna admit it as my mistake
Cuz I was honest, loving and caring
And, I can't live without my true soul
No, I can't


It ain't a Fairytale
It ain't a Movie
For me to heal quickly

टीस

अक्सर ही कुछ लिखते-लिखते उसे अधूरा छोड़ देने की आदत है मुझे..कुछ क्या, काफ़ी कुछ है जिसे मैं कहना नहीं चाहता, और बिना कहे घुटकर रह जाना भी नहीं चाहता । उस अनकहे का बोझ मन में लिए कुछ लिख दूँ, तो मेरी कलम मुझे कोसेगी । दिन के शोर और रात के सन्नाटे के बीच जो मुझे बिना किसी बोझ के ठिठका देता है, वही मेरा लम्हा है । और उस लम्हे में हर सिमटे-छुपे दर्द को कागज़ पर उतार देना मेरा काम..काम ही कहूँगा, पेशा नहीं ।
मैं अपने लम्हे में लिखता हूँ..कभी लिखते हुए मुस्कुरा भी देता हूँ, कभी कागज़ को अमीबे की शक्ल में भिगा भी देता हूँ । जैसे दिन की हलचल में कोई खनकती हँसी कानों में गूँज-सी जाती है, वैसे ही यादें एकबारगी मन में छुपन-छुपाई खेलते हुए पकड़ी जाती हैं । फिर वो जो आँसू आँखों से छलकते-छलकते रह जाता है, उसे पता होता है, कि दर्द किसे कहते हैं..

अगर सुबह का सूरज देखकर मैं लिखने बैठूँ और मेरा हाथ कलम पकड़े हुए रूक जाए, तो वजह है कि उस कागज़ का कोरापन मुझे अपना-सा लगता है । तब स्याही से उसपर ऐसे निशान छोड़ने का मन नहीं करता, जो मिटाए न जा सकें । भले ही समंदर के पार एक इन्द्रधनुषी दुनिया बसती होगी, पर उसके और मेरे बीच में उस बोझ का फ़ासला है । या फिर यूँ है कि समंदर की तन्हाई मुझे ज्यादा पसंद है । इस तन्हाई में कुछ सुकून नहीं देता, तो कुछ मुझे झकझोर भी नहीं देता । कुछ भी न सही, तो मेरा लम्हा मयस्सर है मुझे यहाँ । हाँ, वक्त-बेवक्त वो बोझ मेरे लम्हे में घुल आता है, मेरी कलम थम जाती है, पर मेरी ख़ामोशी का वज़न मेरे लफ़्ज़ों से ज्यादा हो, तो ही अच्छा है । जो लिख रहा हूँ वो अधूरा रह जाए, इसी में भलाई है..

'न पूछो मुझसे क्या कहती है मेरी शायरी,
वो रंज़ है मेरा जिसका तुम लुत्फ़ उठा रहे हो..'