Jaane Do

चले जाने दो मुझे, अब गुजर जाने दो...

कैद यूँ न रखो, टूट के बिखर जाने दो...

साहिल पे रुका हुआ, सहमा हूँ कब से मैं...

अब न और डराओ मुझे, पार उतर जाने दो...

टूटे ख़्वाबों के टुकड़े, कब तक चुनते रहे...

बीत चुकी है रात, हो गयी सेहर, जाने दो...

मुन्तजिर रहीं हैं आँखें, इन्तहां की हद तक...

बंद कर दो पलकें, अश्कों को भर जाने दो...

मंजिलों की ख्वाहिश ने, रास्ते पे ला रखा है...

ख़त्म कर दो ये सफ़र, मुझे घर जाने दो...

सुना है इतेफाकान भी, हो जाती हैं मुलाकातें...

तुम न जिधर का रुख करो, मुझे उधर जाने दो...

बोझल सी हैं सांसें, थमती जाती है अब धड़कन...

एक उम्र के इंतज़ार को, एक पल तो ठहर जाने दो...

वक़्त का तकाज़ा है, अब किरदार बदल लें हम...

एक रूह को जिंदा करो, एक लाश को मर जाने दो...

~abhi

Last Touch

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to clear his mind he sought to convince himself there was really something he could do to wipe away the guilt. He hung his head in weariness and looked down at the hand he held, at the hand he needed to hold.


How slender and frail that hand was.

The glow that had always been in her soul was flickering, yet still had the power to warm him. He leaned closer. Unexpected memories flooded his mind and momentarily blocked the pain and anger, and then just as quickly faded to the hurtful words thoughtlessly flung in the car, the accident, and, finally, her cries.

He tried to speak her name, but his voice failed.

Her eyes opened and a tear slid through crimson to quietly disappear into the chestnut hair that should have instead been feeling the breeze. Despite his broken promises, with a slender smile she granted him the one thing he could not bear to receive: forgiveness.

Faint pressure upon his hand became a whisper from her lips that seamlessly became her last breath, “I’m here...”

For a moment it seemed all the air in his lungs had been drawn away. He gasped, choked, and then coughed painfully. In desperation he squeezed her hand tighter, but for the first time she failed to reach out to him through her touch. The smiles, kindnesses, and love that were her essence in an instant became cruel, torturous reminders. A lifetime of control and reserve collapsed and he covered his face with his hands as he realized that he’d just lost everything that mattered. He wept.

A scent that reminded him of her drifted past, but he knew that it was only a memory, and when he looked skyward through the colored trees the lowering clouds released their own burden, the rain first heard in the upper branches before stripping away the leaves and striking his face.

In the growing darkness he grappled with the realization that it was too late to reach out to her with his touch, for she had become the breeze and he had become the emptiness that he was before he met her.

- by Christina Hawthorne

Accha Nahi Lagta

तुम अब यूँ मेरे ख़्वाबों में आया न करो...
हर सुबह तुमसे बिछड़ना, मुझे अच्छा नहीं लगता...

मेरी तन्हाई छीन लो, के तुम्हारे होते हुए...
किसी और के साथ रहना, मुझे अच्छा नहीं लगता...

सब कुछ तो ज़ाहिर है तुम पर, ये ख़ामोशी भी समझ लो...
हर बात होंठों से कहना, मुझे अच्छा नहीं लगता...

एक दर्द कोई ऐसा मिले, जो आखिरी सांस पे रुके...
हर रोज़ नया ज़ख्म सहना, मुझे अच्छा नहीं लगता...

थम जाना ही मुक़द्दर है, तो सागर ही रहने दो मुझे...
किनारों की कैद में बहना, मुझे अच्छा नहीं लगता...
~abhi

Sachin: The Legend

Life is a bitch!!!

The biggest joke that god crafted on humans was to make them feel they can achieve anything. He gave them all the ingredients to be successful and become immortal. He filled in them all the worldly desires and decorated them with the arsenal to convert their dreams to reality.

But then, he was one big insecure freak, who thought this might be a threat to his reputation. He decided to keep the most desirable thing of an individual with himself. He was one selfish “Guru” who bartered the disciples thumb to make sure he lives on as the only one being worshiped.

I haven’t seen life much but there is one thing, I surely know, no matter how good you are, there is one thing that you will never get. There will always be an unfulfilled dream, a wish unheard, a plan gone wrong. That is what makes us a pawn in the “master’s” game.

We all have or are going to have an “abyss” in our lives which grows bigger and darker as we live on. I have failed and I have seen every human failing.

कितनी इक्छायें, हर जाने वाला छोड़ यहाँ जाता...

कितने अरमानो की बनके, कब्र खड़ी है "मधुशाला"...

The secret doesn’t lie in winning the battle because we all know, the game isn’t fair. The glory lies in fighting hard, being there for each other and giving our regards to all those who have fallen.

Sachin, the master!!!

You are an inspiration. Thank you for reminding us that even if we don’t win this war, we can scare the shit out of the trickster, called God. We all owe you a bow for showing us the way, for telling us that everything is possible.

If there is anyone who doesn’t feel the same, let me tell you, this is probably as close as it gets. If Sachin didn’t rise to the occasion, may be neither will any of us.

Stay humble; stay human, because at the end it’s the journey that matters.