Interpreter of Maladies
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Thehra hua shaharkal shaam, rooth kar chahal pahal se; aas paas ki abo hawa ke ghulte hue zahar se
socha-ghar ki dehleez par baithein; apne shahar ki mitti se lipat kar saans lein
shahar badla nahi hai bilkul; hai wahi bheed, wahi rickshon ka jamawada
wahi platform par bekhauf kooda daalte log; wahi station par bana, gayon ki basar ka thikaana
lag raha hai kisi ne rok diya ho samay ki suiyon ko; ya fir khud hi, thithak gaya mera shahar
aate hain, jaate hain bashinde kayee; alvida kehta hai hamesha, ye thehra hua shahar
hawa mein wo ajeeb si bechain umas; bhookha sooraj jo ugalta hai dhoop ke gole
sadak pe daudti bason ke number; abhi bhi zubaani yaad hain mujhe
sadak ke aage, us gandi nahar mein, ab bhi nahate hain bacche
aur abhi bhi bijli kayee ghanton nahi aati hai
abhi bhi bazaar mein bikti hain nakli ghadiyaan, itr, joote
aur sankari galiyon se chalkar, sadkon ki doori aadhi ho jaati hai
log kehte hain parivartan hai jeevan ka niyam; fir kyun nahi sunta ye, behra hua shahar
apni samajh ke daayron se oopar nahi dekhta; khush hai khud hi mein itna, thehra hua shahar
roz roz bhaagte daudte hue; gati ke niyam se chalti zindagi mein
thak jaate hain mool adarsh aur dhaarnayein; aksar ruk kar poochti hain roz apne aap se
Is abhishapt pratispardha mein kyun hissa le rahe hain hum
santusht the hum apni us thehri hui duniya mein; aur ab chaah kar bhi thahar nahi paate hum
bhala lagta hai mujhko; rengta hua shahar
jahan na chalne ki jaldi hai na lautne ka intezaar
jahan ummeedein lagaane se pehle sochna nahi padta
aur jahan aas paas ka badlaav, todta nahi aapko
aise shahar mein bachi rehti hai pahchaanein apni
aur aapko khud pe yakeen dilaata hai
thehra hua shahar.
