Topsy-Turvy

उस दिन की भी क्या बात थी कुछ पल ही सही, वो मेरे साथ थी ॥१॥ ना कोई कस्मे ना कोई वादे बस उस मुलाकात की थी कुछ बातें॥२॥ जानते थे की कोई मंज़िल नहीं इस राह की हमने तो उस सफर को ही अपना नसीब समझ लिया ॥३॥ उसके साथ बिताये लम्होंमे, खुद को कभी था खोया आज उसकी ख़ामोशी में, हमने अपना ही इंतज़ार किया ॥४॥ आँखें नम थी, होठ भी सिले थे बस एक दूसरे को देखकर हमने सारा वक़्त गुज़ार लिया ॥५॥ खुश थे उसे खुश देख कर, आज हमने भी अपनी ख़ुशी का थोड़ा दिखावा कर लिया ॥६॥

लमहा लमहा जोड़, एक कहानी ज़िन्दगी, उस कहानी में तुम न होती, तो कहानी कुछ और होती ॥१॥ तुम्हें रस्मों रिवाज़ों की परवा न होती, थोड़ी हिम्मत मुझमें और होती, तो कहानी कुछ और होती ॥२॥ प्याला हो सागर में न खुदको डुबाया होता, ये दिल अगर संग-ए-दिल ही होता, तो कहानी कुछ और होती ॥३॥ कुछ दूर और तू साथ निभाती, तू होती, तेरा प्यार होता, तो कहानी कुछ और होती ॥४॥ काश के तेरे सवालों का मेरे पास कोई जवाब होता, इंतज़ार न सही, तुझे थोड़ा एतबार ही होता, तो कहानी कुछ और होती ॥५॥ ज़िन्दगी के उस मोड़ पे न मिले होते हम, कुछ दूर ही सही, पर साथ न चले होते हम, तो कहानी कुछ और होती, तो कहानी कुछ और होती ॥६॥

कड़कड़ाती सर्दी में, जब सुबह की धुप निकले  अपने बरामदे में,खुर्सी पर बैठं एक पुरानी किताब के मुड़े पंनोंको सीधा करू  बस मैं इतना चाहता हूँ ||१ || बर्फ की सफ़ेद चादर, जब  पहाड़ो पे लिपटी हो सर्द हवा कापते बदन को सहलाये मैं अपने माज़ी के साथ, कुछ पल बिताऊं  बस मैं इतना चाहता हूँ || २ ||  बारिश की बूंदे जब  पेड़ो के सरसराते पतों को छूकर  मिटटी की बाहो में जा सिमटे  उस  मिटटी में अपने बच्चों के साथ खेलु  बस मैं इतना चाहता  हूँ  || ३ || सागर में उठती लहरे, जब  किनारे को छूती हो  गीली रेत पर अपने साथी का हाथ थामे कुछ दूर मैं चलू बस मैं इतना चाहता हूँ  || ४ || जब वक़्त, उम्र का हिसाब  मेरे चेहरे पर झुर्रियों से लिख रहा हो ज़िन्दगी को मुस्कुरातें हुए  अपने कब्र पर मैं देखु  बस मैं इतना चाहता हूँ   बस मैं इतना चाहता हूँ  || ५ ||

It was past midnight but the CST railway station looked busy as usual. Parth saw a train leaving the platform, but he didn’t bother to run and catch it like he usually did in the morning when he came to work. He knew there was a next train and he was also too exhausted to make an effort. It had rained heavily in the afternoon and Parth knew that the trains would be running late. He was glad that he left late from the office and avoided the train fiasco. He was not sure whether it was raining outside when he took the cab from his office as all the while he was thinking about the presentation that he had made for the meeting lined up for the next day. When the train arrived, Parth hastily got inside, just to realise that it was not needed as it was not so crowded. But habits die hard. Parth thought of catching up on his sleep and closed his eyes. He tried to sleep but as soon as he closed his eyes, his mind raced to the work commitments and the assignments he was into. He r...

“You know the best part of this trek, once you enter there is no way to exit in the middle. You have to complete it”, said one of my friends. He was right. Once you enter the Sandhan Valley, and by the time you realise that you have got yourself in too much of an adventure, you have an option either to turn back and face the same adventure again or hope that the way ahead is less adventurous. That’s Sandhan Valley for you. At the start of 2014, I had decided to trek few trek destinations in the Sahyadris. You can say my ‘to do list’ for the trek season. It had Harishchandra gad, Ajoba and Sandhan. I managed Harishchandra and Ajoba but as far as Sandhan was concerned, I thought it won’t be possible anytime soon as it required expertise support. But as Shahrukh Khan says in the movie Om Shanti Om, Itni shiddat se meine tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai ke har zarre ne mujhe tumse milane ki sazish ki hai I had gone for a trek to Ajoba Hills and when we were returning back, ...

As the year enters into the denouement and the curtains are about to be drawn, it is time to celebrate the achievements, learn from the mistakes and introspect on the year gone by. Every end is the beginning of something. If you believe in the concept of rebirth, death is also a beginning of new life. Night is the beginning of a new day. What the New Year brings is the hope for a prosperous new year. I believe year ends are the time when you sit back and think about the year that has gone by. Counting your blessings and thanking god for the beautiful life he has given you. For thanking life for the experiences it has given you through the year making you stronger. It is time for you to make resolutions for the coming year. There was a Stanford research report that I recently came across which said that, the brain cells that operates will power are situated in the prefrontal cortex, that’s the area of the brain right behind your forehead. This is a very small area and henc...

“Sita Mai” “Luv Ankush” “Valmiki kay khayche kaam nahi ahe” “Sita Mai ne pani bollavale” I am sure when my co-trekkers of Ajoba Hill will hear these statements; there will be a smile on their face. There are some instances in life that make you believe in Humanity, that makes you believe in the existence of GOD. Whether god exists, is a matter of belief. Believers don’t need any reason and for non-believers, no reason will suffice. I feel there is some pseudo force that guides you. This force manifests before you in some or the other form when you need help and guidance. Rendezvous with Ajoba Hill was one such experience for five of us who set out on the journey on 30 th of November 2014. Ajoba Hill Ajoba Hill stands at a height of 4511 ft in the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats. The base village is Dehene in the Shahapur Taluka. Local Folklore is that Goddess Sita stayed here during her exile after separation from Lord Rama. Here, we see Valmiki Ashram ...