स्वप्न

स्याह परदे पे खिले कुछ चित्र यूँ विचलित हुए

बंद नैनों से निकलकर मन पे वो चर्चित हुए

कई पहचाने से खांचे और कई अनजान से

साथ में मिलकर हैं आकारित नए निर्माण से

क्या ये कोई प्रेरणा है या प्रभु का कार है

करना है क्या मुझको साक्रित या कहीं साकार है

ढूँढने उसको निकलता कैसे दिशाहीन मैं

रेत में कोई पग नहीं थे छत्र से विहीन मैं

और भी कुछ सम मेरे थे पास में मेरे कहीं

पूछा पाँव छिल गए इस आस में तेरे कहीं

साथ जो हम सब हुए तो चित्र भी विस्तृत हुआ

छा गया मन पटल पे और अमिट सा वो स्मृत हुआ

कष्ट थे कईयों को और थे कई भटके हुए

कुछ सुलभ से साज़ थे और थे कई चटके हुए

पर ना कोई ऐसा था जो हर किसी के हाँथ हो

हर दिशा में रौशनी दे हर कदम पे साथ हो

मत से, श्रद्धा से, धर्म से और एक विश्वास से

करने को कुछ सबल, प्रथक, एक स्वरित रास से

कृति की आकांक्षा से चित्र को रंगने चले

हम मनुजन करने साक्रित स्वप्न को अपने चले

चाँद

आके कल वो कह रहा था, मुझको तुझसे रश्क है
है गज़ब साया, वो तेरा, आँख में जो अश्क है

सबब है सब बेसबब, मैं तो हूँ खिलता शाम को
जाम छलके जब तलक, मैं बस हूँ रहता नाम को
पर तुझे जो देखते हैं, झूमता हर पल है दिल
समय कुछ हो, साथ कोई, भूलते हर काम को

आज हूँ जो कल नहीं था कल नहीं जो आज हूँ
कुछ हूँ वाजिब कुछ छिपा हूँ पर न कोई राज़ हूँ
फहम तेरा तो है शीशा, नाम तेरा पाक है
बात जैसे गीत कोई , ढूंढता एक साज़ हूँ

चांदनी गहना है मेरी, है चमक बिखरी हुई
तू है कहती है वो सुंदर फलक पे छिटकी हुई
चाँद पर है तुझसे जलता उसकी रूह में दाग है
रश्क है मुझसे उसे, खुशियों का तू वो बाग़ है

कुछ आज हम आजाद हैं...

कुछ बढ़ गई हैं महफिलें
कुछ बढ़ गया सा राग है
कुछ ख्वाब संजीदा से हैं
कुछ जम गया सा दाग है

कुछ आसमान जलते हुए
कुछ बारिशें बढती हुई
कुछ टूटती सी धरतियां
कुछ बंदिशें मिटती हुई

कुछ और हैं अब आईने
कुछ और हैं कठपुतलियाँ
कुछ हैं भरी सी थैलियाँ
कुछ हैं कड़ी सी रोटियाँ

कुछ लाशें अब भी शान हैं
कुछ ज़िन्दगी शमशान है
कुछ जान है घुटती हुई
कुछ घोटना आसान है

कुछ रात है दिन में ढली
कुछ दिन हैं स्याही में ढले
कुछ हैं गला खोले हुए
कुछ हैं हरफ सीए हुए

कुछ मंजिलें हैं गुमशुदा
कुछ रास्ते सुनसान हैं
कुछ घर हैं सोने से सजे
कुछ झुग्गियां अनजान हैं

कुछ जाम से तर हैं गले
कुछ मरहम के मोहताज हैं
कुछ जागते हैं आज हम
कुछ आज हम आजाद हैं...

Iltifaat ...

He was engrossed in dreams of an unfathomable love and melting in the warmth. But there was a voice to tell him what the demonized fire was about to convert to ashes....She wasn't strong enough to cross the line, she wasn't ready to synchronize her steps with him....The strands were breaking one-by-one and the lamenting eyes were trying to cover up the tatters. But there was a hand to patch up the unsheathing honour....Could he have risen from the scathing loss?...Could he have survived in and through a deaf space?...But HE is not merciless; taking-off from one of the pans of balance only results in the other becoming heavier. What he was bestowed with was much more than his loss....

Iltifaat...
===============================================

be-gharaz si zindagi suljhaa gayaa koi
tod ke wo ghaur sach dikhlaa gayaa koi


qaid thaa us aashiyaan ki surkh ek deewar mein
'adam jazbohn se bane ek humnasheen ikraar mein
jal rahaa hai ghar teraa batlaa gayaa koi


the lage maayoos se kuch yaawari ke taar bhi
farq ke daaman mein chupte zaar do absaar bhi
ek nayaa paiband phir pehnaa gayaa koi


ban gayi thi raah sooni khwaabon ke itlaaf se
bazm thi murdah sukoon mein jaam ke israaf se
hibah-e-iltifaat dene aagayaa koi


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[be-gharaz = meaningless, ghaur = deep thought/meditation/close attention, 'adam = non-existence/nothing/annihilation, jazbah = passion/rage/desire/feeling, yaawari = favor/assistance/friendship, zaar = weeping, absaar = eyes, paiband = patch, itlaaf = loss/ruin/decay, bazm = society/assembly, israaf = waste/extravagance, hibah = gift, iltifaat = friendship]

Veham ...

He wanted to talk to her but she had no words. He wanted to see her but she had gone into hiding. All that he tried to convey to her returned back unacknowledged. Did she even give it an eye? Did she even know that he was trying to reach her? And one day she sprang back to life, messaged him to say that she was coming to his land. But he was busy...busy walking away from her...busy trying to redefine his motives...busy trying to find a new meaning for his existence. And he heard a distant music and a cold warmth reminded him of her. He was confused...is it her? No it can't be...

Veham...
===============================================

Shor hai charon taraf...wo sunane ko raazi nahin
Zehan me mere basi hai...dikhne ko raazi nahin

Lafz khat ke keh rahe hain, aaj bhi wo paak hain
Hum-nazar naa ho sake, ab maayane bebaak hain
Mit gayi hain sab lakeerein, girah ko raazi nahin

Aas ke dariyaa pe bandhtaa baandh, phir se dheh gayaa
Cheekhne ki chaah thi, par aah karke reh gayaa
Garkh hai...phir bhi zameen mein milne ko raazi nahin

Aahatein kuch paa ki thithaki, nabz kuch to kam hui
Qaul thaa saanson kaa koi, dhadkane yun nam hui
Taab-e-faiz-e-ishq ko yeh bandagi raazi nahin

Justjoo teri muqaddar, zaar hai meraa naseeb
Siyaah-e-shab hi roshni hai, mai hai meri ab habeeb
Naghmaah uskaa thaa veham, par bood-e-rooh raazi nahin

===============================================

Shikan ...

They want him to tell more....more of the story of the never ending path to the unknown destination....more of the story of the desires that burned.... of the tears that glossed and the words that resonated. They find enjoyment in the narration. But for him its just a way to live a few more moments, a way to re-live the moments gone by.... She never leaves him in wake or in sleep... Always deepening the feelings... Words are but a vent for the lava to ooze out of the dormant volcano of his inflamed existence which lies concealed from the vision of the concourse.... But words have their limit and life has too many colours to paint, too many urges to fulfill (or even express) and too many notes to sound.... Is he trying to enjoy her thoughts and memories in his lonliness? Is he tranquilized by her charms...the source of his pain?....

Shikan...
===============================================

Anjuman-e-meharbaan kuch kehne ko betaab hai
Aaj meri ye zubaan kuch kehne ko betaab hai

Khwaahishon ki ek shamaa, jo jal rahi thi umra bhar
Lab-e-maah ko choomati, jo dhal rahi thi umra bhar
Aakhiri angaar se, phir jalne ko betaab hai

Hosh beparvaah kiye jis jaam ne tere raqeeb
Doobtaa jisme gayaa, har waqt, teraa hi naseeb
Boond-e-sifaal se, chhalakne ko betaab hai

Chasm...jisne tar kiye, is zindagi ke pal kai
Tairate jisme rahe, kuch siskiyon ke kal kai
Tod kar sab bandishein, fir behne ko betaab hain

Lafz...jo ghutate rahe, har saans mein banke zehar
Cheekhate har harf mein, un syaah raaton kaa kehar
Bol kar ab ek ghazal, chup rehne ko betaab hain

Zindagi...teri tadap kaa ziqra, fir baaki rahaa
Mai meri khaali rahi, aur gham meraa saaki rahaa
Aaj, teri har shikan, fir sehne ko betaab hai

===============================================

Jalsaa ...

Opinions, perspectives, views... They are quite individualistic. What looks like life to one might be an ocean of problems for the other. At times one tries to fight against these, to alter their shape, in oneself or others. But this is not so easy a task. She doesn't want to step on what looks like a path of thorns to her. Her vision is limited to see the garden of roses that lies beyond. Can he take even a breath without her? Can he swallow the pain that has engulfed him like chains of burning iron? Can he ever celebrate his moments without her thoughts? ...

Jalsaa...
===============================================

Zindagi ki berukhi, khud se chipaanaa aagayaa
Humko, har ek haal mein, ab muskuraanaa aagayaa

Tu gayaa yun door humse, saans jo khaamosh ho
Waqt behtaa tham gayaa, pal maut ki aagosh ho
Gham ke is daaman mein, humko moohn chipaanaa aagayaa

Qaid-e-kismat ishq hai, rooh ki tadap hum kyaa kahein
Aahton kaa silsilaa, jo zakhm de, hum kyaa kahein
Mehfilon ko aah se, apni sajaanaa aagayaa

Ashq kaa dariyaa hai, yaadein hain teri bheegi hui
Aks fir se khwaab hai, tasveer hai dhundhali hui
Jaake maatam mein, humein jalsaa manaanaa aagayaa

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