HamAre hAth bandhe rahe…*

HamAre hAth bandhe rahe

mutthiyAn nahin bandhin

hum sabhi yuvA the

aur hum sab kavi.

LikhnA hum chAhte the

tab tak likhi jA chukin

tamAm kavitAon se bhi

ek kavitA badi

hum sabhi yuvA the

aur hum sab kavi.

Hum mahAnagar ke nikat

up-nagaron mein rahte the

par sochte mahAnagar the

khAte-pite mahAnagar

uthate-baithte mahAnagar

sote-jAgte mahAnagar

odhte-bichhAte mahAnagar…

hum jeete bas mahAnagar the

aur chAhte

ki mahAnagar aur bAharwAle

yahi mAnein ki hum

rahte hain mahAnagar mein…

vaise ye bhi sach hai ki

hum sabhi the jAnte

ki mahAnagar ki jadd mein

kai-ek burAiyAn rahtin hain…

ki mahAnagar ke kavi ke liye

mushkil ho jAtA hai rakhnA

apni boodhi amma ko

apne chhote-se flate mein

kisi nirAshray kavi-mitr ko

chand rAt Ashray de pAnA

bahut hi mushkil

mahAnagar ke kavi ke liye…

phir bhi hum the chAhte/ mahAnagar ko

aur hona/ mahAnagar mein hi

hum sabhi yuvA the

aur hum sab kavi.

MahAnagar mein bade-bade

sAhityik Ayojan hote

aur unmein mahAnagar ke

sAre boodhe kavi-gann hote

hum bhi hote

lekin bas do hi jagahon par

bade-boodhon ke bhAshanon mein

yA Ayojan-kAryon mein

shesh jagah boodhe chhAte

hum unke Age nat-mastak hote

aur kabhi hote uddand

alag jamAte apni goshthi

hum sab yuvA

hum sab kavi.

aise hi ek Ayojan ki

poorv-sandhya par mile the

hum sab yuvA

hum sab kavi.

aur humne samay-samAj

aur unse jude sawAlon

aur unke liye

ladi jAnewAli ladAyiyon par

bAtein ki thin

aur ant mein yah tay pAyA tha

ki samay-samAj ki mushkilein

door karne ki zimmedAri

dAl rakhi hai

hum par hi itihAs ne

ki jab boodhon ne kar rakhin hain

band apni khidkiyAn

apna kAm/ khidki-darwAze khole rakhnA

tAki dil bhi khule rahein

ki jab boodhon ne kar rakkhA hai

behad gandA-behad jAm

shahar kA har rAstA

hai inki sulah-safAi bhi behad zaroori

aur zaroori/ iss muhim mein

ek sang chalnA humArA…

agle din Ayojan mein

mahAnagar ke sAre boodhe

Aye the cAron-jeepon mein

ek boodhe ne tAreefein kin

humAre ek yuvA sAthi ki

doosre ko thap-thapAyA

teesre se bAtein ki thin muskurAkar…

Ayojan ke Akhir mein

pahle teen yuvA kaviyon ne

janm se vAshinde the jo mahAnagar ke

apne-apne ghar jAne ki jaldi mein

Lift le li/ ussi boodhe ki cAr mein

ChauthA jo panjAb se thA

jAne kab tay kar chukA thA

jeepwAle boodhe ke ghar

rAtri-bhoj mein shamil honA

aur pAnchvAn jiski paidAish thi bihAr ki

jA baithA chauthe ke bAju jeep mein

toh boodhe ne uss-se kahA ki

rAtri-bhoj ki list mein

kahin nahin hai nAm tumhArA

kaise A baithe tum yahAn…

aur wo humArA pAnchvAn

antim bachA yuvA kavi

apne vinat andAz mein

utar gayA thA jeep se

Iss daurAn

chAron dishA khAmosh rahi

chAron ke lab khAmosh rahe

jAne kin/ adrishy tAron ne

pakad rakhi thin ungliyAn ki

poore vinamr bhAv se

humAre hAth bandhe rahe

mutthiyAn nahin bandhin

hum sabhi yuvA the

aur the hum sab kavi!

* published in the Hindi monthly 'Hans', January 2003.