Walk the Talk on Fitness Path

Today when I am at Delhi and have just returned from a morning walk, I have felt something that is beyond nostalgia. It is a longing, it's a desire to be together, it is a call of serenity of being with oneself.......!!!! I got reminded of this poem which I wrote a few years back when I was at MTI after a long gap.......!
The journey of life keeps us engaged 24x7x365 in its own way, yet the self within lives on with its own pains, desires and hopes... ! Let's take a walk with our self's.......

Walk the Talk on Fitness Path

On the Fitness-path today,

Someone called-out;

“Hey old man! Look below!

Why are you treading so slow?

Why are we seeing you after so long?

Why so! Is there something wrong?”

Startled at the break of my solemn recluse,

I looked around all-out:

They were the leaves on the ground,

Fallen from the trees around;

Seeming to have known me ever,

As if we have been separated never.

Spontaneously did I reply to them,

Loud enough to be a shout:

“Carrying the business of life along,

Braving the waves of streams so strong;

Swimming with and against the flow,

Might have lost some shine, some glow”

Talking to them along my walk,

I continued my song of doubt;

“Running the errands with the clock,

Banging feet and head against the block;

Listening to all, searching needle in hay,

Like the potter being kneaded by clay.”

The leaves under my feet hissed,

Setting my ramblings to a naught;

Why do you count gone bye years,

Forgetting the smiles, remembering tears,

In the sleep yesternight, weren’t you dead?

No act at hand, no thought in head?

With the rising sun in east, 

It downed on me like a bolt;

Did He not give me a new day today,

To live, to love and to play?

Why not thank Him for the new life,

For a new chance to overcome the strife?

The leaves and I talked along,

With my lungs full of drought;

“In the journey let’s walk a little fast;

Live in the present, forget the past;

Take the reins, gallop to the goals,

Tide over the tirade, light-up the souls”

माँ मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ ..

Life is a journey that we start without a choice. We are brought-up in a way that is not under our control, we are taught the language that we do not choose, we grow as a person that has been groomed not by us. Now I don't know who is responsible for our being what we are. Some say it is God, some say it is society, some others say it is providence........ I don't know any of them. I have not seen God, society is not visible to me, providence is so abstract to me....... I know the only reason for my existence - my mother !  Thus I can complain only to my mother...... !!!!

माँ मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ .. 

माँ मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ ! 

पूछोगी नहीं क्यूँ?

क्यों तूने मुझको इतना प्यार दिया ?

क्यों सत्यार्थ का दृढ विचार दिया ?

क्यों दया-दान का संस्कार दिया ?

क्यों दी मुझको ऐसी सीख,

जिसने मेरा जीना दुश्वार किया ?

इसीलिए माँ, 

मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

माँ मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

पूछो न क्यूँ !

क्योंकि तूने मिट्टी के इस गुड़्डे को प्राण दिया,

क्योंकि बेढंगे से इक पुतले को गढ़ा और पहचान दिया,

क्योंकि इन आँखों को प्रथम ज्ञान का दृष्टिदान दिया,

बता न माँ -

क्यूँ ख़ुदा को उसकी रचना की खातिर,

मुझसे बिन पूछे अपनी कोख का दान दिया ! 

इसीलिए माँ , 

मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

माँ मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

पूछोगी नहीं क्यूँ ?

मेरी बचकानी लालसाओं परअपने सुख का बलिदान दिया,

मुझमें मानवता की श्रेष्ठता का अभिमान दिया,

मेरे सपनों की उड़ान खातिर इक विशद आसमान दिया,

पर बोलो माँ, 

क्यूँ अपने आँचल से ढ़ककर तूने ,

मुझको दुनिया की दुश्वारियों से अनजान किया ?

इसीलिए माँ ,

मैं  तुमसे खफा हूँ !

माँ मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

पूछो न क्यूँ !

जब मैं सोता था, तू सारी रात पंखा डुलाती रही,

जब मैं रोता था,तू कभी खिलाती - कभी सुलाती रही,

जब मैं हँसता था,तू अपनी पीड़ा अपनी व्यथा छुपाती रही,

बोलो न माँ, 

मुझको जीवन-ऊष्मा देने खातिर , 

तुम क्यूँ अपना हाड-मांस यूं जलाती रही ?

इसीलिए माँ, 

मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

माँ मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

पूछो न क्यूँ !

क्यों मेरे दांत निकलते ही तूने अपना दूध छुड़ा दिया,

क्यों मेरे पंख निकलते ही तूने मुझे उड़ा दिया,

ना जाने मेरे किस बात पे कहती रही कि तेरा हियरा जुड़ा गया,

पर बता न माँ,

मुझ जैसी बेलगाम बछिया को बचाने खातिर- 

क्यों तूने अपना नाथ-पगहा तुड़ा दिया ?

इसीलिए माँ, 

मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

माँ मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

पूछो न क्यूँ !

क्योंकि तेरी बातों में अब तेरे दिल का मिलता नहीं हाल-चाल,

क्योंकि लगता है अब तेरे आंसुओं का कोई रखता नहीं ख्याल,

क्योंकि अब अक्सर बिन जवाब के ही रह जाते है तेरे सवाल,

और फिर भी तू -

अपने इन नाती-पोतों कि छोटी छोटी बातों पर,

क्यों जाती वारी-वारी,मुस्कुराती और होती रहती निहाल,

इसीलिए माँ, 

मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

माँ मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !

पूछो न क्यूँ !

क्योंकि तू ज़िन्दगी कि दौड़ में मुझसे आगे निकल जाएगी,

क्योंकि अपना वादा भूलकर तू और बदल जाएगी,

क्योंकि तेरे हाथ से मेरी वो नन्ही सी ऊँगली फिसल जाएगी,

मुझे पता है माँ -

मुझको फिर अपने कोख में पाने खातिर,

तू मुझसे पहले अगले सफर पर इक दिन चल ही जाएगी !

इसीलिए माँ, 

मैं तुमसे खफा हूँ !