Long time, no see :-)

Hello Friends:

I'm back after a rather long hiatus. Over 4 years to be precise! But the actual reason behind this is pretty interesting. I'm quite passionate about certain things happening around us and can get vocal at times. Of all the social media tools available to us, to be frank, I'm quite active on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook, I believe, is a place where you can connect with a multitude of people, both friends and acquaintances, and can hope to be heard and reciprocated with opinions. But this option can get a bit scary too. There are friends who are fine with you sharing tidbits from your life in terms of places you visit (like tourist destinations, 5 star hotels, cinema theaters and even loos) and which songs you listen to, but they can't seem to reconcile with the fact that you can have independent opinion about other subject matters as well. Therefore, fairly innocuous looking status messages, which were not meant to be any more significant than just a medium to vent out your ire over something which you disapprove of, can get you in trouble. Friends, who didn't mind you checking into hotels and spas too often, can now start taking umbrage at your posts. They will, at first, try to sound a bit neutral and would try to ignore you. I would have rather liked them to confront me on those! But they will not let their seething despair be known publicly. They would talk about it offline, at times when they mingle with other connected friends. And then, as is the universal law, what goes around comes around. You'll get to hear from the 10th person that Mr. so & so was talking about you in this manner. Not that I've any problems with any of this, but I would have liked a better nuanced straight talk. Because hearing stuff about yourself from n-th party doesn't do justice to any party. You can be 100% assured that you'll not get the things in entirety.

Coming onto Twitter. Though it gives you the freedom to express yourself by restricting verbiage, but it also allows everyone to be an opinion master. People can latch onto you like leeches, uninvited. But I must admit that if you've to get info on/about anything, Twitter is the place to be.

So somewhere away from the limitations of Facebook and Twitter, my blog seems to be the place to voice my opinion. It won't restrict me in the number of words I can write and it won't impinge on someone else's right to privacy by not being seen on their timeline.

Hope to get the same vigor back, to write as strongly as I can and to make sense to whatever limited audience I've access to.

वापसी

ए  परिंदे  रुक  जा  ठहर  जा
ये  तू  कहाँ  आ  गया वापस  शहर  जा
चल  पड़ा  उन  रस्तों  पर  एक  बार  फिर
ए  ज़िन्दगी  आज  फिर  से  वो  पहर  ला
जिनमे  मैं  खेला  था  बढ़ा  था
उन  नन्हे  पैरों  की  मस्ती उस  उमंग  की  खिलखिलाहट
उस  मासूमियत  के  लिए  फिर  से  मेहर  ला

Sachin on 99!

And I looked at the score board once more. A trickle of sweat ran down my eyebrow and entered my eyes. I wiped that trickle off with my left glove. Now my eyes met with Sachin’s. He was at the non-striker’s end. He was a picture of contagious composure. A portrait of self assurance! That gave me a lot of confidence. Everyone knew what he was capable of doing. But my abilities were up for acid test. But somehow he standing at the other end gave me a lot of confidence. I knew I could do it. But for that final leap of faith, I needed him to be there. His presence was so calming. All the chills running down my spine were turned into momentary shivers. They came and went. I took my stance. Looked up again. It was my 165^th minute of waiting for another delivery. Bowler came charging in. He looked like a man on mission, a man possessed. Full toss! Minimal effort from my side and the ball was dispatched into the stand over the mid wicket boundary. I rocked my fists with Sachin’s. He smiled at me and didn’t say a thing. He had confidence in my abilities. He knew what I could do. He had seen me play and was sure that I will pull it off. His faith was the cornerstone of my growing confidence in what I was going to do tonight.

Second ball landed on good length and failed to bother me in thinking any other way. The ball landed 18 rows beyond the longest boundary on the ground. Our fists rocked again and he smiled again. But this time he said – “Good shot, well played!”

Third ball was sprayed down the leg and it took only a blink of my eyes to deposit it into the stands. This time I stood in the crease. Sachin applauded the shot by raising his bat and tapping his hand on it. The smile was difficult to get off his face. I was in my zone. I could just see people dancing in the stands. I couldn’t hear their shrieking cries. I could see the madness but couldn’t feel it. I was waiting for the next delivery. This time he bowled it short and wide. I picked it up on the rise and deposited deep into the stand behind third man. I knew the pitch and the pitch was getting to know me. Somehow I feel it had to happen. After all Sachin was there at the other end. It was the Master watching over me. How could I ever fail?

I didn’t care for the fifth delivery. I strode out, took the ball on the full, enticed the long on fielder for a second or two, but finally sent the ball where it deserved to go. There was no other place that ball was destined to go. Over long on boundary! How does it feel hitting 5 sixes in a row? Yuvraj Singh would have told me everything in detail. The anxiety in his brain, twirl in his stomach and the pride in his heart. But I wanted a date with these only after the sixth delivery. There was no room for failure. I had to do this. There’s no way out. I can’t let everyone down. I’m in the zone. I know I’m capable and I can do this. I could still see people dancing in the stands. They had gone berserk. This was pandemonium of deep love. A state where you forget everything. Someone would have called it euphoria. But this is way beyond that. I don’t seem to know what it is. But whatever it is, I know it’s because of me. It’s the dance of madness derived out of journey beyond expectations. I know I can’t fail. I can’t afford to fail. I can’t let these people down. See the joy on their faces. Will they settle for anything less? Will they be satisfied? Will they ever get to know what’s going in my mind? And does that really matter? I am supposed to play and am doing that. But why am I feeling that I can’t afford to fail?

A final look at the scoreboard. I close my eyes. Now I can hear them shouting in the stands. It’s getting louder each passing moment. I can even see their faces. Some ecstatic, some jeering. All painted with different colors. And the bowler runs in. He looks jaded – perhaps the effect of what happened in the last five deliveries. But he hasn’t given up yet. I look at Sachin for a moment. And he’s looking the other way. I can’t see his face or his eyes. His back faces me. What has happened all of a sudden? Ball is in mid air, hurtling towards me. Now faces surround me. They are shouting in my ears.

It’s a low full toss. I throw the kitchen’s sink at it. And the stadium goes silent. The ball has written its own destiny. It somehow evaded my bad and chose to kiss the middle stump. It lies uprooted on the ground. I look up and everyone’s gone. I am standing alone on the pitch. Where’s everyone? What about the people? And where’s Sachin? I call out his name. Someone taps me on my shoulder. I look at him. Sonu is ecstatic as he says – “Come! Sachin’s on 99!” I throw my blanket away and rush towards the guest room.

Dreamy eyes!

When this society pushes you more than what you can take

When you are lost within, having very little to fake

Just remember the times when you swore by dreams

And you followed your passion by insidious screams

It’ll strike you, don’t you worry soldier

Dream is your baby, don’t worry just hold her

It’ll burn from inside, it’ll tear you apart

It’ll be difficult to face, it’ll pierce your heart

But don’t worry soldier, keep up the fight

With every drop of blood, with all your might

Because I’ve not known even a single guy

Who’s fought hard and has missed the pie

Your time will soon come, don’t you worry

Just wear that armor soldier, come !come! hurry!

Can’t you see you’re almost there

Can’t you question yourself if not here, then where?

I know the life is being sucked out of you

But hang on! Just do what you’re supposed to do

This life is precious, not gonna come again

Do you want to lose it in a petty bargain?

No soldier! You’re not gonna lose it from here

Come let’s walk down, over there to your lair

You can’t miss meeting her

It’s all you’ve tried for soldier

There she sits cozily in a corner

You can’t miss that sight, come on you soldier

Take all your rest up there, just keep on walking

It’s as good as dead coming here and then baulking

History won’t forgive you if you can’t make it

Can’t you see you don’t have chains, come on shake it!

Don’t die on me like this, we’re almost there

Don’t prove this to be nothing but just a snare

Ah! Where’s the life in you?

Where’s the freshness of that morning dew?

Yes, that’s more like it! Let’s move fast

Let’s get the ship back in shape, let’s hoist the mast

Hey world, see we’re coming, just wait for us

Don’t you like it, hey you! I’m talking to you cuss!

See these colors of life, see them dissolve

They were waiting for you, waiting to absolve

Can you see the light over there, those glowing flares?

We’re going there, yes where hardly anyone dares

And inhale the joys of life

Fruits of sweat, ripened in strife

The journey has surely cost you, your moments and your life

But isn’t this the day you were waiting for, in days of yore and rife

Lo and behold, the beauty before your eyes

Live the moment fully before it dies

Look there in the corner, you can go and rest

Because she’s waiting for you, you have passed her test

Her lap is pristine, a sea of tranquility

You deserve it thoroughly, a portrait of humility

And I too can lie down with you

Such moments I’ve waited for have been very few

And I can look into your eyes when you are fast asleep

How you have toiled hard and have plunged so deep

And I look at her face now, and she smiles on you

You’ve made her proud, and she’s fond of you

And while I sink deeper into the valley of mirth

I know you’ve achieved your purpose of birth!

नयी उड़ान

संकरी  सी  वो  गली
जिसमे  गिरते  पड़ते  मैं  चला
दीवारों  के  बीच
रौशनी से दूर
ठोकर  खाते  बढ़ता  चला

इक  मोड़  आया
और  रौशनी  से  मुलाक़ात  हुई
रस्ता  हुआ  विराट
और  मन  से  कुछ  बात  हुई

वो  दृश्य  था  अनूठा
न  कभी  देखा  न  सुना
रौशनी  की  चकाचौंध  में
हर  एक  मंज़र  ऐसा  बुना  था

बढ़  चला  मैं  आगे
पर  अपने  पैरों पर  नहीं
ना  जाने  वो  पंख  कहाँ  से  लगे
दूरों  तक  कोई  डगर  नहीं

आसमां  में  उड़  चला
उड़ता  चला  बेफिक्र
क्या  छोड़  आया  अपने  पीछे
करूं  क्या  अब  जिक्र

मैं  न  था  अकेला  उस  आसमां  में
और  भी  थे  उड़ते  हुए
उड़  पड़ा  उनके  ही  संग
लगातार  बढ़ते  हुए

फिर  अचानक  एक  आंधी  आई
पंख  मेरे  उड़  गए
क्या  पता  हुआ  उनका  क्या
हाथ  मेरे  जुड़  गए

आ  गिरा  वापिस  इस  ज़मीन  पर

जब  आँख  खुली
पाया  उनको  अपने  पास
जिनके  पर  कट  गए  थे
अरे  जो  अपने  से  थे
कहीं  दूर  गुम  हो  गए  थे
मैं  उस  गली  से  जब  बाहर  आया  था
तो  वो  पीछे  ही  छूट  गए  थे

क्या  हुआ  था  उनका
यह  मुझे  नहीं  मालूम
पर  वो  आज  मेरे  साथ  हैं
क्यूँ  डरूं  के  पंख मेरे  कट  गए
वो  आज  मेरे  साथ  हैं

फिर  आयेंगे  मौके  कई
वैसी  उड़ान  भरने  के
पर  मैं  आज  उस  गली  से  न  निकलूंगा
नए  पर  लगाने
जो  था  मैंने  उस  उड़ान  में  खो  दिया
आज  वो  मेरे  साथ  हैं

दूर  मोड़  पर  रौशनी  है
और  हाथों  में  हाथ

देख  लेंगे  इस  जमाने  को
वोह  आज  मेरे  साथ  हैं