Aaj Sone De Maa...

No comments... Just scribbled these lines today... Think...


आज सोने दे माँ !
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आज सोने दे माँ,
भोर भये कल जाना है,
नेता जी गरीबों को कल खाना बाँटेंगे,
शायद कुछ खाने को मुझे भी मिल जाये;
भूखा हूँ कितने दिनों से;
पेट भर के कब खाया था कुछ याद नही;
आज सोने दे माँ..

कलवा कह रह था कि वो कल आएगा,
कैसे माँगते हैं भीख , सिखायेगा,
शायद कोई चम् चम् गाड़ी में बैठा
मेरे फैले हाथों में शायद कोई कुछ पैसे दे जाये,
उन पैसों से फिर मैं भी पेट भर खाना खाऊंगा,
अभी ना सोया तो सुबेह जल्दी उठ नही पाऊँगा;
आज सोने दे माँ...

एक बात बता माँ मुझको,
क्यों मुझको कहीँ फैंक नही आयी थी तू?
पैदा तो हो गया था, फिर क्यों पाल नही पाई थी तू,
यह बाक़ी के ७ भाई बहिन मेरे,
क्या तुझको कम लग रहे थे?
इनको संभाल नही पा रही थी;
क्यों फिर मुझे इस दुनिया में लायी तू?
अब आ गया हूँ तो जिंदा रहने को खाना भी होगा,
सुबेह फिर बस्स अड्डे पर सामान उठाने को जाना होगा,
कुछ काम मिला तो छोटी बहिन के लिए थोडा दूध लाऊँगा,
थोड़ी सी पतली दाल , थोड़े से चावल मैं भी खाऊंगा,
बहुत अच्छे लोग आते हैं वहाँ माँ,
थोडा खा के बाक़ी फैंक देते हैं मेरे जैसो के लिए,
ज़मीन पर गिरा हुआ था खाना तो क्या हुआ?
पेट में जा के तो भूख को मिटा पायेगा,
शायद कल कचरे के डब्बे में मुझे भी कुछ मिल जाये,
आज सोने दे माँ॥

थक गया हूँ माँ,
आज सोने दे,
सुबेह मंत्री जी कि रैली में गया था,
कुछ आठ दस लाठी खाने के पुरे पचास रुपेह मिले थे,
१० रुपेह कि बापू ने शराब पी ली,
१० से तेरी लिए नयी धोती लाया था,
बाक़ी मंत्री के आदमी ने रख लिए,
वरना अगली बारी नही बुलाता;
फिर कैसे ३ दिन बाद फिर लाठी खाता,
आज के ज़ख़्म अभी भरे नही है,
थोडा आराम कर लिया तो शायद फिर लाठी खा पाऊँगा,
पचास रुपेह फिर कमा के , शायद फिर बीस रुपेह घर ला पाऊँगा,
नही तो इस महिने का खोली का किराया नही जाएगा,
कल सुबेह वोह गुंडा मकान मालिक फिर आया था,
देखा था मैंने किस नज़र से तुझको और बड़ी बहिन को देखा था उसने,
पैसे नही कमाये तो फिर वो तुमको हाथ लगाएगा,
अभी उससे लड़ने कि हिम्मत नही है माँ,
अभी मुझे बहुत कुछ करना है,
सब का और अपना पेट भरना है,
पांच दस साल में कुछ पैसे बच जायेंगे,
तो शायद हम भी कभी उस अच्छी वाली खोली में जायेंगे;
वहाँ तो नहाने का नलका भी है,
पर यह सब तो तभी हो पायेगा;
जब तेरा यह बेटा हर सुबेह काम पर जाएगा,
तो बस माँ, अब कपडे पहन ले,
बापू ने ऐसे देखा हम दोनो को तो बहुत चिलायेगा,
फिर आज रात को शोर मच्चायेगा;
तो आज सोने दे माँ...
क्या मालूम, फिर कब सोने को मिले...

United Indians of the World ???

Ponder this. Amazing insight.

A very close friend of mine called me yesterday from US of A. During the conversation, she mentioned ->

"Atleast I have 4 Indian families in close vicinity where I live. There is this lovely couple from Maharashtra, an uncle type from Chennai, 1 couple from Bangalore who have been in US for 2o years, and another couple from Hyderabad. All loving and caring people, not like these Goras (read Americans) who dont care for anyone."

Why would this get me thinking ? You ask this of me ? Ok.. Read on and perhaps it will be clearer.

I know this friend of mine since 1995. We were in Eleventh grade in different schools. I was from Faridabad City in Haryana State of India, and she was from the capital New Delhi.

She had categorized the world in the following types --

1. The best - Delhi-ites
2. The not so bad - Foreigners (which is everyone outside India ;-) )
3. The ok ok sort - Haryanvis, UP waala, MP waala etc.
4. The Insufferable - Madrasis ( Now this is interesting as for her, everyone from Mumbai down was a Madrasi, does not matter if that person was from Chennai or Bangalore or Hyderabad or anywhere else).
5. The Intolerable - Pakistanis..

I tried a lot to change this notion but gave up soon. Things changed. She changed in a 4-5 years. She now was living in Bangalore working for a Tech company (didnt they all !! ). Now when we talked it was -

"Yeh madrasi saare pagal hote hain. Inko kuch nahi pata. Hum north waale hi sahi hain (These Madrasis are all mad, they know nothing. We North Indians are the best)".

Here its interesting to know that the so called Northis, now had - 1 Noida girl, 1 jat from Gurgaon, 1 jat from Hisar, 2 girls from Delhi, and 3 from Ranchi. See ? Interesting unity right ?

Ok.. so now the world was 1 category less, all Northis, All foreigners, all Southies, and the Pakis.. and this was 1999.

Fast forward to 2007 and I almost lost touch with her during these 7-8 years. It was quite suprising for me to see her mail one day in an email account I checked only once in a blue moon (IT boom days guys, we all created email accounts like crazy.. after all which true blooded Indian will leave alone anything which was free !! by the way its - thedecentmale@yahoo.com in case u are inclined to right, and i do check it more often now .. he he he)

She wrote to me from US of A, we started communicating again and I was wondering what direction is this all moving into. What would a sophisticated Page 3 type girl , A Delhi-ite to boost, living now in US of A would want from a Faridabadi (what she called me in 1990 -s)... who was still in India.

I was not to wait for long.. And as you know, she called me y'day and one statement jumped out ->

"Atleast I have 4 Indian families in close vicinity where I live. There is this lovely couple from Maharashtra, an uncle type from Chennai, 1 couple from Bangalore who have been in US for 2o years, and another couple from Hyderabad. All loving and caring people, not like these Goras (read Americans) who dont care for anyone."

It took a visit and stay in the land of "Uncle Sam" for her to realize that she was an Indian ? that everyone, whether from Hyderabad, Cochin, Bangalore, Mumbai or Haryana or Hisar.

What is next ? After 2 more years, I wont be the least bit surprized for her to call me and say - "I have this lovely Paki friend who took me shopping." Or "This friend of Mine from Colombo makes the best of the meals", or perhaps ->

"We asians need to unite against these Whites." ???

United in Distance are we ? What will it take for us all to realize that we are all humans ? A posting in Mars or Venus ?

Ponder this.. I am still thinking..

Scribble... and More

I Remember

I remember the swing in the park,

the bench on which O'Connor slept during night;

the trees with bark, and dogs which don't,

the flowers, the grass,

the sun shining, Oh So bright...

I remember the dew which made your tres damp,

I remember the chirping birds, Oh what songs they sing;

the ice cream vendor,

the Gypsy peddler;

I remember the faint sweet smell of approaching spring...

The touch of your hair, so smooth so soft,

I remember the shy smile, the apprehension well hidden, yet so clear;

the hesitation in your eyes,

the tremor in your fingers;

I remember the drumming beats in my ears...

Your look, just one, and one too many,

I remember your lips, and they were soft;

First handshake, First hug, the first kiss;

Oh them I remember a lot...

For hard to forget are those days my love,

The days when we met and were swept away;

How can I forget even a moment of those times;

I remember them, every second, every hour, every day...

How much ?

आंखों में तेरी सूरत बसी है;
तेरी तरह तेरा गम भी हसीं है ।

Those who matter will understand this.. Rest are, frankly, of no concern of mine...

Me, myself and I were arguing the merits and demerits of having too much money. Of cource not privilidged enough to have any, forget enough, we were not really bring much practical aspect to the debate but we did reach one final question -->

"How much... is too much ?" ...

Not very Inventive Eh ! .. but really.. how much does someone need to enjoy.. how much does it take to live.. not in splendor, not in garish opulence, but just to live.. and to let live..

How much .. really.. is too much ? And thats applicable to everything..

How much love is too much love ? How much study is too much study ? How many clothes are (plz females.. do not shudder !!).. are too many..

Ok strike that last one out.. just trying to lighten up some heavy stuff. I am going introspective on myself. Me, Myself and I.. all 3 of us keep getting suckered into this awfully dull sulking depression (ok thats one TOO Many adjectives)... But like the Jumping Jack, we keep bouncing right back into the peaceful oblivion of "I dont care.." , on our way to the "Hey !! Watch out world.. We are back.. " mode..

Its really good to talk to yourself.. Just lie down somewhere where all you can see is the sky... Nothing else... just the sky.. and u ... and the world all around...

Its a mind blowing experience.. and talking about blowing and all .. enough blowing my own trumpet ( i mean enough talking about myself .. You perverts !!) for today...

Some time again.. Me, Myself and I will be back for you... With you . Always :-).. Until then.. Sayonara...