Little Snippets from Meghna’s Life

Since I recently shifted to a new place,

I was wondering what to do,

It’s not like I have a very happening life,

Unlike all of you

So I look at this huge window,

That’s the part of my room,

And I open it up only to realize,

“Holy shit, it’s the western sky..”

Now, I can be all sophisticated sitting with a cup in my hand,

Looking at the western sky,

Seeing the sunset every evening,

Wishing sun a pleasant instagrammed good bye

But the problem was,

I didn’t have instant coffee reserve,  

And even though I can make tea,

I don’t like drinking it

So while I wondered how to celebrate this special moment,

A thought came flying by,

I caught it, as it told me,

“Hey Abhi, why don’t you give this particular blog a try?”

I said, “Why not, let’s see if it stirs up my evening?”

So I opened up the blog,

And it made me smile,

As I looked at the sun turn yellow to orange to red all this while

Thus, I witnessed the first sunset from my new room,

And against tea I maintained my strife,

Now, I just want say thank you to

Little Snippets from Meghna’s Life 

Budhiya tapak gayi...

(Click here for the poem in english font)

उस रात हवा कुछ यूँ चली थी, 

घर में हर तरफ मची हुई खलबली थी, 

चाचा ताऊ भैया भाभी, 

सबकी तिजोरियों के तालों की थी बस एक ही चाभी, 

जोर से चिल्ला कर सबने पुछा, 

"बुढ़िया टपकी क्या रामू काका?" 

ना की ध्वनि सुन, 

उनका चेहरा थोड़ा मुरझाया था, 

सबने फिर कोसा था उस मनहूस फैमिली डाक्टर को, 

ना जाने  बुढ़िया पर उसने दवाइयों का क्या जादू चलाया था

बुढ़िया भी तो हरामी थी, 

सारी जायदाद पर जो कब्ज़ा कर रखा था, 

न जाने बुढ़ापे में कौनसे शौक पूरे करने का चूरण उसने चखा था 

अब तो बस सबको यही था इंतज़ार, 

की कब धरती का बोझ हल्का करेगी, 

वह बुढ़िया बीमार

"भाभी चलो इसी बहाने हम इतने सालों बाद मिले तो सही.." 

ननद मुस्कुरा कर बोली थी, 

पहनी उसने नयी वाली घाघरा चोली थी, 

अरे जश्न का माहौल था, 

तभी आया लखनऊ वाले चाचाजी का कॉल था, 

"अरे हमरे बिना पार्टी शुरू न कीजियेगा..." 

ताऊ खिसिया कर बोले, 

"अरे पहले बुढ़िया की जान तो खिसकने दीजियेगा.." 

रामू काका फिर अचानक दौड़े दौड़े आये, 

भैया उनके माथे की शिकन देख हलके हलके मुस्कुराये, 

"अम्मा चल बसी.." 

"अरे बधाई हो..." 

हर तरफ मानो खुशियों की होली छाई हो 

"अरे बर्फी लाओ..." 

"बर्फी छोड़िये पहले बुढ़िया को शमशान लेजाने का इंतज़ाम तो करके आओ..." 

फिर सबने मिलकर जल्दी-जल्दी पंडित का फ़ोन घुमाया, 

माहौल देख पंडित ने सर खुजा कर पुछा, 

"अरे भाई, अंतिम संस्कार कह कर, क्या शादी करवाने है बुलाया?" 

पूजा सामग्री और लकड़ी का तख़्त, 

पहले से ही था तैयार, 

एडवांस में हुई सारी तैयारियाँ देख ताऊ बोले, 

"क्यों हैं न मेरा बेटा समझदार..." 

"अरे चिंटू सब इतना खुश क्यों हैं?" 

उसकी कज़िन चीनू ने पुछा

"अरे इडियट, इतनी सारी जायदाद बेच अब बहुत सारे पैसे आयेंगे, 

फिर मम्मी डैडी हमें ऐश कराएँगे..." 

"ये ऐश क्या होता है?" 

पास बैठा बिट्टू मुस्कुरा कर बोला, 

"अल्ले, अब हमें घुमाने वह एस्सेल वर्ल्ड ले दायेंगे..." 

उधर वकील साहब भी अपनी फटफटिया पर बैठ, 

तुरंत आ धमके थे, 

आखिरकार उनके सितारे भी तो चमके थे, 

बुढ़िया की जायदाद में घोटाला कर उन्होंने ही तो सारा माल हड़पवाया था

अब उनके भी सारे सपने पूरे होने जा रहे थे, 

रास्ते में मारुती शोरूम से वोह नई वाली आल्टो का आर्डर दे कर आ रहे थे, 

"पक्का टपकी है ना?"

वकील साहब ने घुसते ही पुछा था, 

"अरे इन देसी घी में बनी बर्फियों की कसम.." 

सबके चेहरों पर छाया एक अलग ही सुख था, 

और लालाजी की काजू बर्फियों ने दूर भगाया था, 

बुढ़िया के टपकने का जो भी रहा-सहा दुःख था 

"भाई वाह, मजे आ गए| कितने की पड़ी ये बर्फी?" 

पंडित जी ने भी मज़े से चख कर बोला, 

"अरे पंडित जी, बर्फी बाद में खाइएगा, ये बोलो आपने अपना पोटला खोला?" 

उधर से लखनऊ वाले चाचा भी धमक गए थे, 

साथ आई चची को देख, 

इंदौर वाले ताऊ और पटना वाले फूफा के चेहरे कुछ और चमक गए थे... 

"चलो चलो अम्मा जी को लाइए..." 

पंडित जी तैयारियाँ पूरी कर जैसे ही बोले, 

सबको मानो बिजली का झटका लग गया, 

जब सामने खड़ी अम्मा ने झल्ला कर पुछा, 

"अरे रामू, ये कौन टपक गया?" 

                                                                          

Budhiya Tapak Gayi... (English font)

Uss raat hawa kuch yun chali thi,

Ghar mein har taraf machi hui khalbali thi,

Chacha tau bhaiya bhabhi,

Sabki tijoriyon ke talon kit hi bas ek hi chabhi

Jor se chilla kar sabne poocha,

“Budhiya tapki kya raamu kaka?”

Na ki dhwani sun,

Unka chehra thoda murjhaya tha,

Sabne kosa tha uss manhus family doctor ko,

Na jaane budhiya par usne dawaiyon ka kya jaadu chalaya tha

Budiya bhi toh harami thi,

Saari jaydaad par jo kabza kar rakha tha,

Na jaane budhape mein kaunse shauk poore karne ka churan usne chakha tha

Ab toh bas sabko yahi tha intezaar,

Ki kab dharti ka bojh halka karegi,

Wah budhiya bimaar

“Bhabhi chalo isi bahane hum itne saalon baad mile toh sahi…”

Nanad muskura kar boli thi,

Peheni usne nayi waali ghaghra choli thi,

Arrey jashn ka mahaul tha,

Tabhi aaya Lucknow waale chachaji ka call tha,

“Arrey hamre bina party shuru na kijiyega…”

Tau khisiya kar bole,

“Arrey pehle budhiya ki jaan toh khisakne dijiyega…”

Ramu kaka fir achanak daude daude aaye,

Bhaiya unke maathe ki shikan dekh kar halke halke muskuraye,

“Amma chal basi…”

“Arrey badhai ho…”

Har taraf maano khushiyon ki holi chayi ho

“Arrey barfi lao…”

“Barfi chodiye pehle budhiya ko shamshaan lejaane ka intejaam toh karke aao…”

Fir sabne milkar jaldi-jaldi pandit ka phone ghumaya,

Mahaul dekh pandit ne sar khuja kar poocha,

“Arrey bhai, antim sanskar keh kar, kya shaadi karwaane hai bulaya?”

Pooja samagri aur lakdi ka takht,

Pehle se hi tha taiyaar,

Advance mein hui saari taiyaariyan dekh tau bole,

“Kyon hain na mera beta samajhdar…”

“Arrey chintu sab itna khush kyon hain?”

Uski cousin cheenu ne poocha,

“Arrey idiot, itni saari jaydaad bech ab bahut saare paise aayenge,

Fir mummy daddy humein aish karayenge…”

“Ye aish kya hota hai?”

Paas baithe bittoo ne muskura kar bola,

“Alley, ab humein ghumane woh essel world le dayenge…”

Udhar vakeel sahab bhi apni fatfatiya par baith,

Turant aa dhamke the,

Akhirkar unke sitaare bhi toh chamke the,

Budhiya ki jaydaad mein ghotala kar unhone hi toh saara maal hadapwaya tha,

Ab unke bhi saare sapne poore hone jaa rahe the,

Raaste mein maaruti showroom se woh nayi waali alto ka order de kar aa rahe the…

“Pakka tapki hai na?”

Vakeel sahab ne ghuste hi poocha tha

“Arrey inn desi ghee mein bani barfiyon ki kasam…”

Sabke chehron par chaya ek alag hi sukh tha,

Aur lalaji ki kaaju barfiyon ne duur bhagaya tha,

Budhiya ke tapakne ka job hi raha saha dukh tha…

“Bhai waah, maze aa gaye. Kitne ki padi ye barfi?”

Pandit ji ne bhi maze se chakh kar bola

“Arrey pandit ji, barfi baad mein khaiyega, ye bolo aapne apna potla khola?”

Udhar se lucknow waale chacha bhi dhamak gaye the,

Saath aayi chachi ko dekh,

Indore waale tau aur patna waale foofa ke chehre kuch aur chamak gaye the…

“Chalo chalo amma ji ko laiye…”

Pandit ji taiyaariyan poori kar jaise hi bole,

Sabko maano bijli ka jhatka lag gaya,

Jab saamne khadi amma ne jhalla kar poocha,

“Arrey raamu, ye kaun tapak gaya?”

Flying Potatoes...

It’s a night so dark,

I smell a dog smoking in the park,

There are books lying here and there,

A lady dances while I stare,

And I see the potatoes fly

In the crimson sky

There's that barking dog,

Engulfed by the fog,

The stars are confusing me,

Tonight I’m losing me,

And I see Aliens fly by,

Tonight the Gods are so bloody high

That dog stopped barking,

I don’t know why,

Is the end nigh?

Above the golden streetlight,

There’s a crimson sky

And the potatoes waving me goodbye…

Song of Happiness

The stars shone like my dreams
When you were the moonlight that illuminated the whole valley,
I saw one being fulfilled as you walked towards me.

The droplets made me smile
When you were the rain that drenched my naked thought,
Like one appeared on your lips as against your tears I fought .

I close my eyes
Like you’re the lovely breeze and the peace I feel,
Then all of my fears you magically heal.

I caress your beautiful skin
Like you’re the song of happiness that echoes in the hills,
As everytime on this scented earth, our secret spills….