कारवां गुज़र गया

स्वप्न झरे फूल से,
मीत चुभे शूल से,
लुट गये सिंगार सभी बाग़ के बबूल से,
और हम खड़े-खड़े बहार देखते रहे
कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे!

नींद भी खुली न थी कि हाय धूप ढल गई,
पाँव जब तलक उठे कि ज़िन्दगी फिसल गई,
पात-पात झर गये कि शाख़-शाख़ जल गई,
चाह तो निकल सकी न, पर उमर निकल गई,
गीत अश्क़ बन गए,
छंद हो दफ़न गए,
साथ के सभी दिऐ धुआँ-धुआँ पहन गये,
और हम झुके-झुके,
मोड़ पर रुके-रुके
उम्र के चढ़ाव का उतार देखते रहे
कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे।

क्या शबाब था कि फूल-फूल प्यार कर उठा,
क्या सुरूप था कि देख आइना मचल उठा
इस तरफ जमीन और आसमां उधर उठा,
थाम कर जिगर उठा कि जो मिला नज़र उठा,
एक दिन मगर यहाँ,
ऐसी कुछ हवा चली,
लुट गयी कली-कली कि घुट गयी गली-गली,
और हम लुटे-लुटे,
वक्त से पिटे-पिटे,
साँस की शराब का खुमार देखते रहे
कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे।

हाथ थे मिले कि जुल्फ चाँद की सँवार दूँ,
होंठ थे खुले कि हर बहार को पुकार दूँ,
दर्द था दिया गया कि हर दुखी को प्यार दूँ,
और साँस यूँ कि स्वर्ग भूमी पर उतार दूँ,
हो सका न कुछ मगर,
शाम बन गई सहर,
वह उठी लहर कि दह गये किले बिखर-बिखर,
और हम डरे-डरे,
नीर नयन में भरे,
ओढ़कर कफ़न, पड़े मज़ार देखते रहे
कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे!

माँग भर चली कि एक, जब नई-नई किरन,
ढोलकें धुमुक उठीं, ठुमक उठे चरण-चरण,
शोर मच गया कि लो चली दुल्हन, चली दुल्हन,
गाँव सब उमड़ पड़ा, बहक उठे नयन-नयन,
पर तभी ज़हर भरी,
ग़ाज एक वह गिरी,
पुंछ गया सिंदूर तार-तार हुई चूनरी,
और हम अजान से,
दूर के मकान से,
पालकी लिये हुए कहार देखते रहे।
कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे।
:- Gopaldas Neeraj

Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan is a festival which celebrates the bond of affection between brothers and sisters. Its also a day for each others' well being and wish for each others' happiness and goodwill.

During the days of Emperor Humayun, it is believed that Rani Karnavati had sent a Rakhi to emperor Humayun in order to get protection from Bahadur Shah who was invading her kingdom. In spite of being of a different religion, he rushed to her help.

I too celebrated and thanked GOD for blessing me with such wonderful sisters .

Celebrated Godh Bharai

Few days back a close family friend was a bit confused on where and how to do baby Shower . Since they were alone , I planned it at my home . Godh bharai is a baby shower celebrated during pregnancy to welcome the unborn baby to the family and bless the mother-to-be with abundant joys of motherhood.

Normally its a all women function , but I and papa thoroughly enjoyed . The feeling was great and I could only say that both of them be healthy . It will take 2 months for the new baby to see this world ,  but even today the house was bright , colourful and joyous .  

Mogra

This summer season , mogara flower in my gallery was full of fragrance . I remember my days in Bokaro , alomost 23-24 years back when maa had a beautiful terrace garden . She was especially fond of mogra and rajnighandha only due to there fragrance . Maa was also fond of  jaba flower and that too only red . I just got an old picture of maa and she looks so beautiful . Sharp features , well and neat dressed , bright face and my all time favourite  ...her smile .

She was pure in all her roles , may be mother , wife or sister ...she managed them so well .

And Today is 15th July : Happy birthday Maa 

My Siblings

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.”   

My Siblings : Fortunate to have them all  

यही दुनिया है तो ऐसी ये दुनिया क्यों है

Few things are beyond our control . Life keeps on moving at its pace and we stand aside and act as silent listener .

This has been my all time favourite   ghazal and the questions in it are unanswered

Secret of A Happy Married life

Few days back , was having early morning team with papa . In the background , I could hear bhajan as normal and papa was reading newspaper . Out of curiosity I asked a question from him that the way he has lived his married life , why i am not able to see it in today’s world . I was with them and the way maa papa have lived life , it was awesome…completely attached  .

Papa answered by question in 3 words and I was moved to see that it was completely true . This might also be his secret of living a happy and fulfilling married life .

He said, there are 3 things , the absence of which is basically stopping someone from a happy married life .

And those are

•  Patience
• Excitement for being together
• Few questions towards life  

He is wonderful and an inspiring person to be with , I feel blessed to be part of him . At last he added one line which I have never heard from him before

“ If I needed someone in my life , it was always Renujee ( my mother’s name ) “