~ Isn't age just a number? ~

#MalalaYusufzai winning #Nobel #Peace Prize at an age when chicks her age are busy finding a new #beau every next day!

... & #KailashSatyarthi dedicating all his life selflessly to set the #children free from the clutches of #ForcedLabour!!

Heartiest #Salute to both of them!!

#Bhaiya_Hopeful

अब हद कर के तो देख तू!!

  अब हद कर के तो देख तू!!

दिल में धुआं बाकी है ग़र अब भी,

एक खिड़की और खोल कर तो देख तू!

दिल में कसक बाकी है ग़र अब भी,

एक अदद कोशिश कर के तो देख तू!

दिल कहता है कि बाकी है गुंजाइश है ग़र अब भी,

एक बार फिर पलकें खोल कर तो देख तू!

दिल कहता है की कहानी पूरी नहीं ग़र अब तलक,

कुछ और पंक्तियाँ जोड़ कर तो देख तू!

दिल पूछता है कि मैं हूँ या नहीं,

खुद को सब में भुला कर तो देख तू!

दिल कहता है कि उस से मिला के ला मुझको,

एक बार उसे आत्मसात कर के तो देख तू!

दिल कहता है की सफ़र पूरा नहीं ग़र अब भी,

चन्द कदम और चल कर तो देख तू!

ऊंचाइयों को पाना इतना मुश्किल भी नहीं,

एक अदद  सीढ़ी और चढ़ कर तो देख तू!

दिल कहता है की सूरज निकलेगा फिर,

इस रात को तसल्ली से बिता कर  तो देख तू!

स्वयं को रोक कर हो मन भर चूका अगर,

बस एक बार अब हद कर के तो देख तू!

#BhaiyaAwaits

The next #CBIDirector seems to be really a skilled and seasoned one. 
The entire selection panel comprising of all-mighty #PM_Modi, veteran Congress leader #MallikarjunKharge and #CJI H.L. Dattu can't find traces of him despite their concerted efforts.

#BhaiyaAwaits

#JustCurious

सूर्य नया उगा लो तुम

सूर्य नया उगा लो तुम!!

घोर निराशा के तिमिर को, 
बस धुंध समझ धकेलो तुम,
विकट कितना भी हो जीवन,
इसकी गिरहों को खोलो तुम!

बस घुमा के देखने से बदलती है ये दुनिया,
बस एक बार, किरदार बदल के खेलो तुम,
ये ऊपर-नीचे, काले-गोरे में बाँट दिया किसने तुमको?
बस एक गागर में सब को डाल, घोंट के देखो तुम!

आयें लहरें, जाएं लहरें, भयभीत ना होना मित्र मेरे,
चढ़ा बाहें, साहस बटोर, बस नाव अपनी खे लो तुम,
चक्र है ये, ये चलता रहेगा, फसना ना तुम इसके जाल में,
दे सपनो को पंख नए, दुनिया अपनी संजो लो तुम!

देर नहीं है, देर नहीं, ये रुत बदलेगी,
छटेंगे बादल, आकाश खुलेगा,
आने वाले उस बसंत के,
स्वागत को कस लो कमर को तुम!

मरुस्थल हो या कि हिमनद,
आधिक्य तुम्हे ना छू पाए,
विरक्त कर खुद को, योगी बन कर,
सूर्य नया उगा लो तुम!

विरक्ति ही नहीं सूत्र एक मात्र,
वैराग्य भी नहीं कुछ सुगम,
सब धर्मों का पालन कर के,
स्वार्थ-साधना कर लो तुम!

स्वार्थ नहीं कोई निन्द्य अवधारणा,
बस थोड़ा संतुलन अवश्य हो,
जब सध जाए वो तो समझो,
लक्ष्य के बहुत समीप हो तुम!

चंवर का काम है डोलना,
साकी मदिरा पिलाने को है,
इन सब से बस थोड़ा ऊपर उठ कर,
सिंघासन को तौलो तुम!!

https://www.facebook.com/notes/deepak-s-salhipore/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF-%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%BE-%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8B-%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE-/915613108451257

One more for  Mary 'Gold' Kom!!

Few weeks back it was being claimed that "‪#‎PriyankaChopra‬ earned more money acting as MC Mary Kom than the pugilist could earn in her entire career!"

But I doubt that she will be able to earn as much ‪#‎Respect‬ in her entire‪#‎Bollywood‬ career that our Boxing Star already has!!

‪#‎AsianGames2014‬

‪#‎BhaiyaSpeaks‬

The festivities of Pujo and the travails of an Indian woman!

        Aditi was enthralled with the ‘Pujo’ preparations.  Everyone seemed to be  intoxicated with the fragrance of special incense being used for Mahalaya.   Her parents were not home when  Mukherji uncle visited her.  As usual he made her sit in his lap. But, today it was little different.   The movement of his hands was not like what she was used to.  He was smiling and perhaps rubbing her thighs.  Aditi was confused.

         A few days back it was ‘Onam’.  Shree, Aditi’s childhood friend sounded equally delighted getting ready for the mass dinner they organize on auspicious occasions.  Since it was not far away and Nath uncle,  a good friend of her father, offered her to ride his scooty.  She grabbed the opportunity and chose to drive it.  After all she still was a teenager.  It was only after few minutes into the drive that she realized that Nath uncle was  sitting ‘just  too close’.  After a while he offered to train her hands at the accelerator and put his hands on hers,  while she could feel his heavy breaths on her neck.

      Paramjeet was training for the  upcoming State level athletics event. Javelin was her passion and her parents had to fight half of their relatives to send her in for this important training camp.  Her Guru Ji, the trainer,  didn’t leave any prospect unavailed to touch her  at every possible place that he could do in the name of ‘training’.

  Gulnaaz was preparing for Civil Services examinations. It was her late father’s dream to see her become an IAS officer.  In her coaching class, near Char Meenar,   boys used to fight for the seat next to her.  That was quite natural keeping in view the adolescence they were undergoing.  But it was her Shastri Sir’s left hand, that ended up landing on her shoulder,  which made her uncomfortable and eventually forced her to leave her classes midway.

  Indrayani had come to Delhi looking for a job.  Her dusky beauty got her the very first job she applied for.  Little did she know that she will have to face a new challenge everyday travelling in the famous Delhi Metro train.  A few hands brushing against her fragile frame every now and then.  A few more trying to cover as much area of her curves as they could before her destination came.

  Hemlata  had all the faith in her physiotherapist that he will help her recover from her ankle injury.  She had to visit him daily for his ‘magical touch’ at his clinic.  He had promised to prepare her before the trials for the next National Kabaddi Championship began.  It was only  after a few days that the magical touch began to extend from her calf muscles to her upper thigh, that she could fathom what treatment he actually was willing to provide her with.

        Little did know little Prajnya that the ‘bhaiya’  standing behind her was intentionally in the practice of touching her from behind in that crowded city bus.  It was only after one of the aunties gave him her piece of mind one after noon,  while he was still standing too close to her despite there  being sufficient space to maintain  some gap, that he never boarded the same bus ever again.

         Ritika was the ‘hot cake’  in her office.  Her reporting boss was her father’s age and similar respect she used to offer him.  It was only after an ‘achievers’ celebration’ that he revealed how hard he had to bargain to  fetch her this ‘Young Achievers’ Award’.  Her hand was already in his grip before she could understand what he expected in return of making her the ‘Young Achiever’.
   
          Stella wanted to start  her own ‘Rock band’.  She made a Facebook group to team up with likeminded amateur musicians in Panjim.  They all became friends gradually.  During one of the weekend practice-cum-party sessions two of her ‘pro’ friends groped and kissed her sufficiently before she could come back to her senses and scream at them to scare them enough to run away from her.

           Ambika  had joined this reputed University to study sociology, specializing in ‘women’s studies’.  She wasn’t aware of the norms of this progressive society where if you raise your voice before the high & mighty, you must be prepared to face ‘appropriate punishment’.  In her case it was gang rape by half a dozen of her seniors.  First, she could not recover  from the shock that one of her hostel friends was instrumental in getting her punished.  Secondly,  she could not report it at the ‘appropriate forum’ for the fear of few other ‘active’  friends of hers could be the target of the next assault.  God only knew what they could do next to gang rape, as they had simply ‘told’ her the next morning of the nightlong  gang rape. They didn’t warn her, they simply told her.

            Tenzin had come to Mumbai to look for a job as a model and actor.  She had the features of a goddess as her friends used to tell her.  It took time for her to know that it  was not only her beauty that would land her any good  assignments. She needed to ‘understand’  and ‘cooperate’  to survive in the ‘industry’. 

            These incidents can not be exhaustive.  These are merely a few instances, mostly hypothetical, but inspired from some real life stories of  many young girls and/or  full-bodied women  in various parts of our country.

            Today,  as Durga Puja or the Pujo or the Nav Ratri begins,  there will be a lot of news coverage from every nook & corner of the nation,  especially West Bengal.  There will be pandals all over the country, depicting Maa Kali killing the demons and in other postures.  People will throng to the pandals keeping aside all their important works.  With folded hands, vermillion  on their foreheads, chanting mantras and half closed eyes, they will seem to be praying.  But not all.  Not all will be praying with the same sense of devotion or purity of mind and deeds.  Many will be there who will perform puja and other rituals with complete dedication while inside the temple or the pandals,  but as they come out, hey will be the first to stare lecherously, pass lewd comments, touch inappropriately,   brush against women’s bodies, particularly the private parts,  willingly to ensure a touch of their private parts. 

            It is not just about Pujo or the Nav Ratris  or any other festival.  It is about our mindsets.  It is about how we worship the Goddess inside the temples and disgrace the our own women right outside the same temples.  Why is it so?  Who is responsible?  Me or you or all of us??

             Hope it  changes this Pujo, in some considerable measure if not full,  as Maa Navdurga in her nine Avatars,  bestows her choicest blessings upon us and some courage and audacity to the women out there.

#ShubhPujo

#BhaiyaSpeaks

iPhone6 : The Status Symbol

While this part of India, which has electricity and internet connectivity,  is busy watching the launch of #iPhone6;  
and  amassing arguments to support 'why to buy one!'

#RahulBaba is brooding over the question "whether possessing an #iPhone6 will make more news or announcing that 'I don't have one' will apparently  take me closer to #AamAdmi!"

#BhaiyaSpeaks

The Hapless Case of an Award Winning Actress!!

“An award winning actress arrested for prostitution!” was the breaking news at every holy news channel and so did  read the headlines of very news paper.  “She was  caught in compromising position earlier as well in a sting operation  done by another saintly Telugu News channel!”- they claimed.   Is it about Shweta Basu Prasad, better known as Shweta Prasad?  Or  are there other subtleties involved ?

Here is a young lady whom I can recall as the sweet little girl portraying the  dual role of Chunni and Munni in Vishal Bhardwaj directed Makdee, where she worked alongside the iconic Shabana Azmi and versatile Makrand Deshpande. It was the film that earned her the ‘National Film Award for the Best Child Artist’. She was 11 years old then.  Another thread of my memory traces her as Khadija in Nagesh Kukunoor directed Iqbal where she performed the role of the younger sister to a deaf and dumb brother Iqbal, an ardent cricket fan and a fine player of the game, played by no less talented Shreyas Talpade. Here again she worked as a co-actor of  Naseeruddin Shah and Girish Karnad.  This very role, once again,  fetched her international accolades as she was awarded with the  ‘Best supporting Actress Award’  at the 5^th  Karachi International Film Festival.  Can we stoop to a level to charge her of having resorted to immodest ways to grab those roles as a 11 years old child? 

Yes,  now she is 23 by age. Yes, she is capable enough to  know and decide the nature of her acts and their repercussions as well.  Yes, she is responsible for any and every act of hers.  But is it only her who is responsible for having resorted to opt for doing it for money?  Many  would say yes. But I would prefer to implicate many others, including the State. After all a Welfare State we are;  and in a Welfare State it is for the State to provide for Social Security to every citizen.  I would also hold responsible the lechers who have seen her grow up,  who might have observed her reaching puberty and cross adolescence.  Most of whom might have waited for her to groom into a full-bodied woman.  Almost all of them invincible by sheer fact of quantum of their  not-so-hard-earned wealth.  Each of them wielding  such powers which almost all of us,  yes all of us, dream to possess at one point or another.     

Is it not the same coterie of persons who eventually became her ‘so called high profile clients’ who are also responsible for it?
Isn't it quite probable that they belong to the same group of lechers who  have been waiting for her to enter her youth?  Since they could not succeed in manipulating her enough in that tender age or could not dare to take that step to tear through her modesty that eventually they ended up using their money to make her fall prey to them?  They might have in the know of her financial and other hardships. No, I am not saying that resorting to any such practice is the only solution. But, is it only her who is at fault or other stakeholders including the Sate too are responsible to an extent.  

In this biggest democracy of ours, we have ‘first past the post system’. It implies that the candidate garnering the support of maximum number of voters shall win, which does not necessarily mean  that he has the support of more than fifty percent of the voters. A person mustering the support of merely 20-25% of the votes is declared the winner. Now you will ask "how is it relevant here?" It is. This same winner, if he fails to win in the next general elections, even then he has the divine assurance of receiving a handsome sum as pension, which increases in multiples commensurating with the number of elections a candidate wins in his entire career.

o   Is not this a primary duty of the State to arrange for the welfare of the talented artists as well?

o   Is it not in the interest of the nation if the art and culture are preserved and promoted in a holistic manner through  policy initiatives?

o   Why are such precious talents left to waste or languish in some unknown  corner?

    o   Has not history taught us that not just the nations but civilizations which failed to preserve          the art and culture of theirs could not stand the test of times and no tangible traces of them are detectable today?

Again, its not about defending the actress in news these days, rather fixing the responsibility of various stakeholders and making them answer. If we can provide pensions to politicians and other individuals like retired government servants, why can’t there be a provision for exceptional artists? Had there been a proper systemic set up to patronize artists, litterateurs etc., such cases would have been a rarity if not non-existent.    

#Compassion

She had read somewhere that a person can survive for 11 days feeding only on water.

Since then, she had been offering  one handful of water every eleventh day to the Shiva-linga.

She had inheritted #compassion from her late mother, who passed away in a stampede at a 'famous' Shiva temple.

आज फिर घर से तार आया है... !

आज  फिर घर से तार  आया है!!

आज  फिर घर से तार  आया है,
इन शब्दों में छिपा माँ का दुलार  आया है |

लिखती  है माँ  कि - 

“बहुत दिन हुए,
अब  आ जाओ बेटा, घूम ही जाओ |
सोनू और छोटी तो तुम्हे अब बस फोटू से ही पहचानते हैं,
क्या इतने सख्तदिल  हैं  तेरी  फ़ौज वाले ?
हाय लगेगी मेरी उन्हें, देख लेना तुम |

सोनू  को तेरी  पुरानी  बेल्ट के मटमैले शेर¹ बड़े पसंद हैं,
और बहू तेरी वर्दी को निहारते नहीं  थकती,
हर महीने धुल के इस्त्री²  कर ही देती है,
सूख जाते हैं उसके भी आंसू,
उस वर्दी के साथ,
और ये नयी इस्त्री,
जो तू लाया था पिछली बार,
उनकी  बची खुची नमी को भी उड़ा ले जाती है |

अपने तो गुड़ हुआ नहीं अबकी,
बारिस³ देर से आई  थी ना, रस ही नहीं निकला,
कजरी की अम्मा से मांग के रखा है थोड़ा,
सोनू और छोटी के लिए,
बच्चे हैं न,  अड़ जाते हैं,
तू  भी  आ जा  वरना अब अगली फसल के ही मिलेंगे,
नए गुड़ में वो स्वाद नहीं रहता न|

सोनू के पैर में तेरे पुराने जूते आने लगे हैं,
अब तो दसवीं की परीक्षा देगा,
तू कहे तो अंग्रेजी की भी  टूसन⁴  लगवा दूँ,
जिद करता रहता है,
तेरी देखा देखी  मिलटरी कट⁵ बाल रखता है,
दौड़ लगता है,
अब तो कसरत भी करने लगा है,
कहता है “पापा की तरह फौजी बनूँगा |”
मैं कहती हूँ “क्या रखा है इस फ़ौज में?
ना एक दिन का चैन, ना  दो जून की फुर्सत की रोटी|”
अच्छा सुन,  इस बार आना तो उसे कंप्यूटर दिला देना,
कहता है  बहुत काम की चीज़ है,
उस पर हम सब तेरी तस्वीर  भी देख सकते हैं,
सच बोलता है क्या?

बालक ही तो है, किसी ने बहला दिया होगा,

खैर...


छोटी अपनी सहेलियों को तेरी वर्दी वाली फोटू दिखा-दिखा के फूली नहीं समाती,
कहती है मेरे पापा वहां सीमा पर है अभी,
छुट्टी में ही आते हैं,
नासमझ है ये भी, 
कुल सात महीने की तो  थी,
जब तू पिछली बार घर आया था,
कहती है पापा आयेंगे तो इस बार फिरिज⁶  खरिद्वाऊन्गी,
बहुत बोलती है... सच में ||


अब  आ जा बेटा,
इन बूढी साँसों का क्या भरोसा,
समय रहते आ जाएगा तो आँख का आपरेसन⁷ भी करवा देना,
बहुत पानी आता है,
डाक्टर बोला की बारिस के पहले करवा लो अम्मा,
उस वक्त संक्रमण⁸  का खतरा रहता है,
ऐसा होता है क्या?
मैंने भी कह दिया “मिलिट्री हास्पिटल⁹ में करवाऊंगी,
बस मेरा बेटा छुट्टी पा जाये,  वहां नहीं होगा संक्रमण  का खतरा |”

बस बहुत हुआ,
अब इस मुई फ़ौज को बोल “मेरी माँ मेरी राह देख रही है,
जाना है मुझे |”

अब क्या बताऊँ माँ  को,
आज फिर सीज़ फायर का  उल्लंघन  हुआ है,
सब की छुट्टियाँ  कैंसल हो गयी हैं |

अब तो बस इस  तार  का  ही सहारा है,
आज  फिर घर से तार  आया है,
इन शब्दों में भर कर  माँ का दुलार  आया है |

*1. मटमैले शेर        : अशोक की लाट के सिंह (The lions in our National Emblem)
2. इस्त्री              : प्रेस  (Iron)
3. बारिस              : वर्षा (Rains)
4. टूसन               : ट्यूशन (Tuition)
5. मिलटरी कट         : फौजी कट  (Vessel cut)
6. फिरिज             : फ्रिज (Refrigerator)
7. आपरेसन           : मोतियाबिंद का ऑपरेशन (Operation to correct Cataract)
8. संक्रमण            : इन्फेक्शन (Infection)
9. मिलिट्री हास्पिटल    : Army Hospital
10. सीज़ फायर        : युद्ध विराम  (Ceasefire)

Sisters

They both were glad and glued!

She, to her flashy cell phone, texting to her friends, inviting them for a night out as the most of the security personnel will be at airport and offices of major political parties.

...& she to the T.V., listening to the news pouring in and contented  that the nation has got a stable government after 3 decades!!

#Sisters
#Democracy

The other facet of 'The Inked Finger'!

I seriously don't know why, but I have a very strong desire, right now!

A desire to break all those inked index fingers being flashed and make them writhe in pain

No I am not an ill-motivated anarchist by nature;

nor a respectable  Maoist;

nor against this mockery called democracy;

nor is it that I don't respect the importance of franchise we have got;

nor is it that I don't understand the repurcussions it has in the longer run;

nor is it because I don't honour the duty it binds us by;

nor is it because I don't believe in the Constitution of India!!

It just repels me.

Please trust me when I say that.

It repels me to see the same finger being flashed with 'the pious ink'  on it, in the selfies being taken just for the sake of it.

It makes me  detest it when I see the same finger which keeps on  spreading filth on roadsides throughout the year is being flahed!

It causes a sort of distaste in me to see the same finger being flahed which holds smoke at public places, despite there being a strict law against it, and throwing the butts/remains there itself!

It makes me to despise see the same finger being flashed which while travelling in a public transport goes astray and explores everything possible or probably the unthinkables as well!

It causes  me to loathe when I see the same finger being flashed which while sitting discreetly in a cyber cafe, runs speedily to explore the possibility of getting under the sheets with an altogether unknown woman!
It disgusts me to see the same finger being flashed which flicks the switches on at every public utility, but does the reverse at his own residence!

It disheartens me to see the same finger being flashed which doesn't come forward to give a helping hand to an old man crossing a road or boarding a public transport, but readily comes into action if its a a chick, that may or may not be in a pair of jeans, but for sure in her teens or tweens!

It lets me down when I see the same finger being flashed which tries every kind of manipulation to jump the queue at railway reservation counters!

I just dislike it the most to see the same finger being flashed which rises in prayer before either a temple or a mosque, but not in front of the other one.

It repels me to see the same finger being flashed which hasn't ever held a brush  by itself, but doesn't hesitate a bit to deface a classic work of art!

It just can't stand to see the same finger being flashed which hits the jukebox at 2 a.m. being high, but can't help his/her ailing mother in kitchen for 2 minutes!

I just want to have more patience when I see the same finger being flashed which can't teach another how to hold a pencil & begin to  write alphabets, but is up for handing over glass of wine to any random stranger!

I crave to scoff at the same finger being flashed which gets lifeless when their grand parents tired legs need them, but it jumps back to life as soon as the girl next door is seen lifting a not-so-heavy bag!
I don't know why it happens, but this is what I have been feeling since this trend has evolved.

It just seems to be a mockery of this wonder called Indian Democracy, the largest in the world.
Someone may argue that it inspires others to come forward and vote, but whom I've seen posting selfies with focus over their inked index finger are not at all doing it for spreading the message. They are rather glad being the part of this 'happening thing'  that is 'in vogue' these days.

But despite everything, can someone please get me a sanction under which I can just slap each one of the categories above. I know really well that while doing the same I'll  end up slapping 80% of my friends!!

But, will not that be worth the pain...?

The inked finger

She was smiling shrewdly on her victory over her, consistently for the past one month.

"Your days are over after two weeks from now!"

Says the middle finger to the index one, which was overjoyed with being of some use and being flashed with pride for the first time in most of the cases.

Female Foeticide

"She would be joining her prep-school by now!" she said as a silent tear traversed through her cheeks.

She had broken her deafening silence almost after three years of her forced abortion.

An abortion that had made her sterile for the rest of her life.

#BhaiyaSpeaks
#FemaleFoeticide

Compassion

She had read somewhere that a person can survive for 11 days feeding only on water.

Since then she offers 1 handful of water every eleventh day to the Shiva-linga.

She had inheritted compassion from her late mother, who passed away in a stampede at a 'famous' Shiva temple.

Capitalism at work!

Of all the things this market driven life could do to us,
Amitabh Bachchan sharing the screen with Yo Yo Honey Singh is the last...
Or the first of many more to follow??

#JustCurious
#Hopeless

Fitness

• #BhaiyaSpeaks
• 
  
• Her father gifted her with a new car so that she visits new gymnasium opened in their locality!

  Earlier, she had a constant complaint that she doesn't like it to go to nearest McDonald outlet in an auto!

#Fitness

The connoisseur

#BhaiyaSpeaks

From Middle East to S. America to Europe; he was highly regarded for his connoisseurship.

Now, he was contented with his life surrounded with the aroma of world's best leaves & beans!

He had opened a small cafe!!

He could not stand their 'corporate culture'!

~Corporate~

Friendship

#BhaiyaSpeaks

She shaved her head in solidarity with one of her classmates who was suffering from a rare form of cancer.

In her, she found a reflection of life!

Her innocuous smiles proved to be an elixir for her!

She gave her another reason to survive!

She lost her hair for a few months.
But, she gained a friend for a lifetime!!

#Solidarity

#Friends

Save Trees Campaign!

He was in a bad mood!!

His long planned leave had to be cancelled due to coral bleaching in Maldives.

He burnt all the pictures and half the documents in his office drawer.

His own e-mail signature read  "Thousands of trees are felled daily to make paper for 'Save Trees' Campaign. Plz be cautious."

Irresponsible!

Did I say that?

He spent half his first periods outside the class, in punishment.

Teacher labeled him as 'the most irresponsible' brat!

Several multi-storeyed buildings he had to cover, early in the morning, before leaving for the class.

He was 14; and a news paper hawker.

~ #Irresponsible ~

The Centre Forward Florist

#BhaiyaSpeaks :


He was the centre forward in National Men's Hockey Team. Represented India in 3 consecutive Olympics. Horticulture was his hobby. Now the former 'Centre Forward' earns his living from his rented 'rear garden'.

A florist shop he had opened!!


~Center Forward~

Mockery of Democracy

Did I say that ?

There was a huge rally of followers of this great leader!

Free lunch packets and packaged water were to be provided to the janta attending the rally.

A boy, with dirty clothes and uncanny look was left to starve right out side the rally ground.

He was under 18. 
He was not a prospective voter!!


#MockeryOfDemocracy

Ironically Bhagat: An atheist by choice!!

There's a cousin of mine, 25,
desperate to get a lady, his senior colleague,
eight years elder to him.
Not sure either to marry or just an infatuation;


Lapped a decent job,
for which he toiled 'day & night';
of which he is quite proud!

Dedicated like anything, towards his career growth;

Willing to sacrifice anything, to watch FIFA matches, 'Live'!

Ready to do anything, to just get even a distant glimpse of Maria(h)s, Sharapova or Carey, any of them!

Celebrates with crackers on every win that India registers, in Cricket!

With his MBA from this top ranking B-School,
With kind of pictures he shares over the social media,
With the kind of 'cool' & 'happening' updates he posts thereat!
With the number of 'Likes' & 'favorites' he receives from his 'online friends'!

With the numbers of followers in three digits he commands!
With the kind of suave tailor-made Suits he sports for his board meetings!
With the kind of cars he has shortlisted to be owned by the year end!
With the kind of 'connections' he has arising out of his Alumni Association...
... and for other numerous reasons, He is considered to be a successful, influential and a sort of an ideal for an average youngster, dreaming of a nice, rewarding career.

& there he was, merely 23 by that time...


When most of his friends were searching for a soulmate,
he was in a desperate search for the purpose of his life,
'A life' to which he gave a 'larger than life' definition;


With his given background and credentials,

he could lead a decent life, with plenty of comforts,
but he chose to choose the path less traveled,

Dedicated he too was, towards the cause of 'the Nation';

Sacrifice he did, with his mortal self;
but the spirit remains, even to this date!!

Childishly impatient he was, to read the 'other revolutionaries'

He too played with bombs, but merely "to make the deaf hear!"

No foreign earned Degrees he had,
No casual socialising could charm him, at all,
Of course, he wrote, so that the younger generation gets to know more, better;

Had more foes than friends, but favorite he became of 'the Nation', Later!

Lesser followers in his lifetime, but many joined in later.

No comforts he knew of,
nor did he desire,

Brandishing, he in deed loved,
Rather his country made pistol!

'Connections' he too had;
and an Association he raised on his own,

... and for numerous inexplicable reasons, he was propagated as to be a 'Terrorist';


Toil, he did, for not a few days & nights,
rather years;

of which, the entire Nation is absolutely proud and indebtted, even today!!

He taught an entire generation to love, their Nation!

To dedicate, their life!

To sacrifice, their everything!

To lead, by example!!

...& make this Life, larger than the life itself!!


Ironically christened as #BhagatSingh!

'An atheist' by choice, he was!!

#BhaiyaSpeaks

It happens!!

He opened the shutter @4 p.m. after attending the senior secondary government school he was destined to deserve.

Hosiery shop cum boutique it was. Enters a woman in her late thirties or early fourties, supposedly to purchase a pair of under garments. He being an adolescent boy, somewhat hesitated to show it with all the specifications she was asking for. Extending the boxes of the things she was looking for, he said-"Please choose by yourself!"

She, bending forward & smiling wickedly, replies - "if you are here, then serve the purpose completly!"

That was the last day he was seen in that shop!!

~ #Adolescence ~

Swadeshi

Did I say that ?

He just smoked the best of Havana Cigar available... And gulped two large pegs of JW Black, backstage; hurriedly!!

He was invited to deliver a lecture on the importance and need of SWADESHI!!

~ #Swadeshi ~

Did I say that ?

Removing his towel, Jumping into the fresh water river, "today it will be plenty I guess!", he said to his companion. The passers by thought 'what a life he has'... & He was wishing some new fish to have swam their way to his side of the river bank!

For others, it was kind of an adventure;

For him, it was his 'livelihood !!

~ #Fisherman ~

Did I say that ?

She was least bothered that one of the packets were missing from her over laden bag...

He was glad to pick that unclaimed packet of dry colour from the road thinking that he will play holi with 'his own colours' this year!!

~ HOLI ~

Did I say that ?

Childhood friends they were.

They bid adios after discussing her new, pricey, in-vogue nailpaint, that was gotten by her new boyfriend, for almost an hour of their two hour long gettogether and she left in her chauffeur driven BMW.

She waved to an Auto & smiled at the #'BlueInk' that was still there!!

It was rather free of cost when she did caste her vote two days back!!

~ Beauty!! of Democracy ~

Capitalism

Did I say that ?

He read the news that farmers committed 'mass suicide' for not getting the expected minimum price for their 'potato crop' !!

Sad he was!!

To unwind, he went out and bought a cold drink with 'potato chipps' worth Rs. 25!!

~ Capitalism ~

उपसंहार !!

   उपसंहार !!

वो दबी थी,
निस्संदेह कुचली भी,
खुशियाँ उसकी ना हुई, 
मुस्कान कहीं खोई थी,
वो तो बस थमी थी, 
क्या उसमे ही कोई कमी थी?

हाँ, आँखों में कुछ नमी थी...   और शायद वो सहमी थी,
किस्मत के मत्थे ही तो शायद वो पड़ी थी,
पर अब भी वो कहीं दूर मुस्कुराती  खड़ी थी,

चुटकी भर सिन्दूर से लाल रंग बिखरा,
पर काले का तो परिचय भी न हो सका,

‘हाँ’ से लिखी थी जीवन की रूप रेखा,
‘जी अच्छा’ से पटी पड़ी थी प्रस्तावना,
और पुनश्च,  ‘हाँ’ से ही होता था उपसंहार,
     संवाद लिखे थे रूढ़ियों से,
     पटकथा थी परम्पराओं से भरी पड़ी,
व्यंग्य से कुंडली का होता था श्री गणेश,
     और कटाक्षों से ही हो पाती थी इतिश्री,   


भूल सी चुकी थी वो शायद अपने को,
     खो चुकी थी वो ‘हम’  के ‘अहम’ में कहीं,
और शायद ललक भी बाकी नहीं रही अब,
     ‘खुद’ को ‘हम’ में ढालते हुए, ‘मैं’ को  पाने की...

क्या कुछ नहीं लिखा,
क्या क्या नहीं कहा,

माँ का हाथ बटाती,
     थोड़ी सी सहमी पिता से,
एक नयी सुबह की मूक प्रतीक्षा में,
     अपनी ही सी एक सृष्टि के सृजन में,
क्यूँ...?
     क्योंकि वह अब एक बेटी थी!!

सारे हुक्म मानती,
     खुलने ना देती कोई भी राज़,
करती साल भर एक रक्षा-बंधन का इंतज़ार,
     सब समझती,
पर कुछ न कहती,
क्यूँ...?
     क्योंकि अब वह एक बहन थी!!

सब ‘अपनों’ को छोड़ के आई, बिना उफ़ किये,
अपना सर्वस्व निछावर कर नयों को पूर्णतया अपनाया,
सतत करवा चौथ की प्रतीक्षा में,
     सब कुछ सहती,
     पर कुछ न कहती,

क्यूँ...??
     क्योंकि अब वह एक पत्नी थी!!

अपनी छाती से प्यार ही प्यार उड़ेलती,
चौथ और डाला छठ का व्रत रखती,
आंसू पोछने में कम न पड़ता आँचल का विस्तार,
     सब कुछ देखती - समझती,
     पर कुछ न कहती,
क्यूँ...??
     क्योंकि अब वह एक माँ थी!! 

क्या नियति ने किया नियत ये,
     एक स्वच्छंद आत्मा के चार प्रहार,
चारों ही कुछ ठहरे से हैं!!

क्या कमी थी स्नेह में ?
     या रह गयी कमी उसके प्यार में ?
कम पड़ गया उसका समर्पण या फिर ?
     आँचल पड़ गया छोटा दुलार का ?

तो क्यूँ थी कमी उसके हिस्से में,
     कमी उसके हिस्से के प्यार में,
कमी जीवन के रंगों में,
     कमी थोड़ी  सी खुशियों में,
कमी उसके विस्तार में,
     कम सी पड़ती वो मुस्कान, और
कुछ कम ही व्यक्त हो पाती वो सहृदय भावनाएं...


     एक ही रंग की भोगिनी थी वह,
ना साहस कम पड़ता, और
     ना ही विश्वास..

तो क्यूँ... क्यूँ  ‘हाँ’ ही ‘हाँ’ की रट लगाती,
     वो इधर से उधर भागती...
कभी थकती...
     कभी हांफती...
कभी थकती...
     कभी हांफती...