Pariyo si…

नीले आसमानों में कुछ काले बादल,

बादलों में बारिश की कुछ बूँदें,

बूंदों की मासूमियत,

सच बोल,

उन्होंने वो तुझसे ही पायी हैं ना?

 

बागों में फूल

फूलों में रंग,

रंगों वाली एक इन्द्रधनुष की रेखा,

सच बोल,

वो अपनी उँगलियों से तूने ही बनायीं है ना?

 

सुनसान रास्तों पर कोहरे से घिरा,

खड़ा हूँ मैं

और रह रह कर किसी की खुशबू  का एहसास हो जाता है आज,

सच बोल,

इन कोहरे की परतों को चीरती हुई,

मेरे नज़दीक तू आई है ना?

 

मेरे हाथों में एक गिटार,

गिटार की तारों से खेलती मेरी उँगलियों,

और बन जाती है कुछ नयी धुनें,

सच बोल,

कल रात सपने में आकर,

तूने ही गुनगुनायी  है ना?

 

जंगलों से गुज़रती एक राह,

उन पर कुछ क़दमों के निशाँ,

ले जाती मुझे मेरे बिछरे यार के करीब,

सच बोल,

अपने कोमल पैरों से,

वो निशानों वाली चादर तुने ही बिछायी है ना?

 

काली काली ये रातें,

और खोया खोया सा मैं,

आँखों से दूर आज नींद मेरी,

सच बोल,

अपने जादू से,

तूने ही चुराई है ना?

 

एक खाली कागज़,

उस पर सरपट दौड़ती कलम,

और कुछ अनकहे अजनबी शब्दों से बनती एक कविता,

सच बोल,

अपनी इन आँखों से,

तूने ही बतलायी है ना?

 

Neele aasmaano mein kuch kaale baadal,

Baadlon mein baarish ki kuch boondein,

Boondon ki masoomiyat,

Sach bol,

Unhone woh tujhse hi payee hai na?

 

Baagon mein phool,

Phoolon mein rang,

Rangon waali indradhanush ki rekha,

Sach bol,

Woh apni ungliyon se tune hi banayee hai na?

 

Sunsaan raaston par kohre se ghira,

Khada hun main,

Aur reh reh kar kisi ki khushboo ka ehsaas ho jaata hai aaj,

Sach bol,

Inn kohre ki parto ko cheerti hui,

Mere nazdeek tu aayee hai na?

 

Mere haathon mein ek guitar,

Guitar ki taaron se khelti meri ungliyan,

Aur ban jaati hain kuch nayi dhunein,

Sach bol,

Kal raat sapne mein aakar,

Tune hi gungunayee hai na?

 

Junglon se guzarti ek raah,

Unn par kuch kadmo ke nishaan,

Le jaati mujhe mere bichre yaar ke kareeb,

Sach bol,

Apne komal pairon se,

Woh nishaano waali chaadar tune hi bichayee hai na?

 

Kali kali ye raatein,

Aur khoya khoya sa main,

Aankhon se duur aaj neend meri,

Sach bol,

Apne jaadu se,

Tune hi churayee hai na?

 

Ek khali kagaz,

Uss par sarpat daudti kalam,

Aur kuch ankahe ajnabee shabdo se banti ek kavita,

Sach bol,

Apni inn aankhon se,

Tune hi batlayee hai na?

 

Photograph by: Sarika Gangwal

Written by: Abhinav Chandel

My morning raaga

No Name No Face: There’s something about backless dresses, Maybe it’s the element of surprise and the fact that from the front, a dress can look totally demure, yet a glimpse of the back reveals exposed skin and a nod to all that makes women alluring. I tried to give it a classical look! – Sarika

Another day, and another morning I’ll spend staring at her. While she sits in the veranda, and lets the sunrays reflect off her beautiful dusky skin. Creating a wonderful maze while making me explore her some more.

This has been a ritual from past few years, every morning she gets up early, takes bath, drapes herself in a piece of cloth and sits there. All this while thinking that I’m sleeping, but I’m not, how could I miss a chance stare at this marvel of nature every morning. Her free flowing hairs are trying to cover her smooth back, it still holds the imprints of my fingers. Her piquant face is staring into the oblivion as her appealing eyes still contains the recollections from last night.

I guess she knows that I am awake, and therefore, I think it’s her way of giving me an early morning gift. I don’t know, maybe, she just wants to spend some time alone and I don’t want to snatch that space from her. Like an emerald her eyes are shinning as she turned her gaze towards the sparrow sitting on the windowsill, I wonder what that sparrow might be thinking. I guess it might be wondering, if it has arrived in the heaven by mistake and is she a goddess?

A goddess with a smile so pure that it makes world a better place every morning. And her neck so alluring, which still doesn’t fail in making me fall into a well of cozy emotions, every time I kiss that slender piece of marvelous artistry.

Every morning as I search for her scent on the bed sheet, my thoughts debate amongst themselves because I am still undecided if she is a human or a fallen angel. Her touch does not feel like a human’s, it still ignites a fire in me whenever her thin and long fingers caress my hair. On the other hand, maybe she is an angel, because how else can I explain the sweetness in her voice that puts me to sleep every night.

I am looking at the mango tree in our courtyard dancing with the wind, I wonder if the tree dances like that every morning as soon as it gets her first glance. She is still lost in her thoughts; I guess she’s wondering how is she going to wake me up. Like every day, by covering my face with her hair, when as always I find myself surrounded by a mesmerizing darkness and then she places a kiss on my forehead, with her soft and enticing lips. Or is she going to make those random figures on my palm with her soft fingertips, she knows I love those innocent games she plays with me.

It has been fifteen minutes, since she is sitting in the verandah next to the lamp. I guess every morning the lamp derives its fire from her skin, and later radiate that brightness to light up our nights. Maybe, just like I derive my life from her presence, every day. In next few minutes, she will get up and walk towards the bed, her anklet will make a soothing sound, to make me aware of her arrival.

And she will walk like a song, a beautiful song with each of her body part creating a hypnotizing tune, and like every morning she will make me fall for her some more. She’s a beautiful song…

My morning raaga.

Photograph by: Sarika Gangwal

Written by: Abhinav Chandel 

Nadaan Baarish

I was at Juhu everything was covered in little rain drops, it was drizzling. I was walking with my favorite coat as people rushed along, they began opening umbrella’s over their heads, while these two kids were all drenched and selling peanuts in the crowd. I wanted to give them my umbrella but when I asked they said, “No rain is FUN” 🙂 – Sarika

मेरे चेहरे पे अपने निशाँ छोड़ जाती
नादान बारिश
मेरे बिखरे हुए  ख्यालों में
तूफ़ान कुछ और जोड़ जाती
नादान बारिश

बचपन की दोस्तियों में मुस्कान भरती
नादान बारिश
उन बेवक्त आये आंसुओं को मुझसे फिर अनजान करती
नादान बारिश

छत्री के अन्दर छुपे मेरे बदन को
हलके से छूकर जाती
नादान बारिश
और उनके भीगे बदन को कुछ और गुदगुदाती
नादान बारिश

मूंगफली के उन दानो को और मीठा बनाती
नादान बारिश
मेरी अन छुई यादों की फिर एक स्लेट बन जाती
नादान बारिश

उनकी आँखों में फिर एक चमक लाती
नादान बारिश
उन मासूम चेहरों को और खूबसूरत बनाती
नादान बारिश

Mere chehre pe apne nishaan chhod jaati
Nadaan baarish
Mere bikhre hue khayaalon mein
Toofaan kuch aur jod jaati
Nadaan baarish

Bachpan ki dostiyon mein muskaan bharti
Nadaan baarish
Unn bewaqt aaye aansuon ko mujhse fir anjaan karti
Nadaan baarish

Chatri ke andar chupe mere badan ko
Halke se choo kar jaati
Nadaan baarish
Aur unke bheege badan ko kuch aur gudgudati
Nadaan baarish

Moongfali ke unn daano ko aur meetha banati
Nadaan baarish
Meri anchui yaadon ki fir ek slate ban jaati
Nadaan baarish

Unki aankhon mein fir ek chamak laati
Nadaan baarish
Unn masoom chehro ko aur khoobsurat banati
Nadaan baarish

Photograph by: Sarika Gangwal

Written by: Abhinav Chandel 

Sardiyon Waali Dost

हर साल दिसम्बर के महीने
में वो यहाँ आती है
जैसे सर्दियाँ अपनी
मुट्ठी में भरकर लाती है

सुबह की चाय तब और अच्छी लगती है
जब हलके हलके कोहरे से
उसकी प्यारी सी मुस्कुराहट
झलकती है

दूर खड़े मुझे एक टक
देखती है वो
और मैं यहाँ चाय की दुकान से
उसे हर दिसम्बर की सुबह निहारता हूँ

एक अलग सी ख़ूबसूरती है उसके चेहरे में
जो मेरी हर सुबह को और खुशनुमा बना देती है
और इस खोये हुए से सर्द मौसम को
थोडा और दिलचस्प बना देती है

न जाने कहाँ से आती है
और एक महीने बाद
इस कोहरे की तरह
फिर कहाँ छुप जाती है

कभी नाम नहीं पूछा उसका
पर उसके किस्से हर किसी को सुनाता हूँ
और बातों बातों में कोई उसका नाम पूछले
तो उससे मैं अपनी,
सर्दियों वाली दोस्त कह कर बुलाता हूँ

Har saal December ke mahine
Mein woh yahan aati hai
Jaise sardiyan apni
Mutthi mein bharkar laati hai

Duur khade mujhe ek tak
Dekhti hai woh
Aur main yahan chai ki dukaan se
Usse har December ki subah nihaarta hun

Ek alag si khoobsurti hai uske chehre mein
Jo meri har subah ko aur khushnuma bana deti hai
Aur iss khoye hue se sard mausam ko
Thoda aur dilchasp bana deti hai

Na jaane kahaan se aati hai
Aur ek mahine baad
Iss kohre ki tarah
Fir kahaan chhup jaati hai

Kabhi naam nahin poocha uska
Par uske kisse har kissi ko sunaata hun
Aur baaton baaton mein koi uska naam poochle
Toh usse main apni,
Sardiyon waali dost keh kar bulaata hun
Photograph by: Sarika Gangwal
Written by: Abhinav Chandel