माप

 

 

 

दुनिया की विशालता देख, मैं बहुत परेशान हुआ
थोड़ा हैरान, थोड़ा निर्बाध हुआ

प्रकृति ने तभी एक छोटा उपाय दिया
थोड़े और ज़्यादा का भेद दिया
जीवन की महानता का नन्हा-सा एक मान दिया

उन्होंने कहा कि एक छोटा सा उपाय करना
स्वस्थ रहने के लिए छोटा एक माप रखना
अपने आप को व्यक्त करने के लिए छोटे मीठे शब्द रखना

मन प्रसन्न हो, मैंने भी खुद के चित से कहा
चलो आज एक छोटा कदम लेते हैं
परिणाम से हटकर एक कदम बाएं और फिर दाएं लेते हैं

यह एक अद्भुत बात बना देगा
लय और ताल का जादू यह
गीत और नृत्य के साथ सब कुछ सही राह पर ला देगा

मुझे माप की सुंदरता का एहसास हुआ
मानो खुद को मैं तभी प्राप्त हुआ
मैंने पक्षियों को कुछ करीब से देखा
बिना किसी नाप से, दृश्य की विशिष्टता को देखा

देखा खुद का छोटा रूप
जब दिख रहा था प्रकृति का विश्व-स्वरुप
अपने कर्त्तव्य को पूर्ण करने से पहले
लगने लगा मुझे यह अनुमान अनूप

मुझे बराबर भ्रम हुआ
इस मान, इस माप का मुझ पर ऐसा रहम हुआ
परिणाम की इच्छा भूल, सीमाओं को त्याग
उपाय को अपनाया मैंने | सारे माप छोड़ कर फिर जीवन की डोर को फिर बढ़ाया मैंने

अब न विलम्ब करो, सामान्य लक्ष्य नहीं यह
गाना और नृत्य करने के लिए एक उपाय ले आओ
यदि सूर्य आज अस्त और कल फिर से आता है
कल की अनिश्चितता में खुशी और नृत्य की सुगमता लाओ

आओ इस संसारिक धारणा के पुराने उपाय को भूल जाते हैं
और शुद्ध भावनाओं के अनोखे सागर में गोता लगाते हैं
मानवीय माप को आज छोड़ कर
विश्वरूप ग्रहण कर लेते है

इस दुनिया की अस्थायीता सीखकर
आध्यात्मिक दुनिया के अनोखे सौंदर्य को पीकर
इस क्षण का आनंद लेने के उपाय को ले आओ

ऐसे उपाय के बिना जीवन क्या है
जहा माप का कोई खेल न हो
चिरंजीवी हो या हो एक दिन के योद्धा
माप बिना उस सत्य परिणाम को ले आओ

 

 

 

Writtten by Avinash

Lot of editing and correction by Rini

Photos by Rini

कश्मकश

 

 

अजीब, मुझे अक्सर लगता है कि मैं यात्री बन गया हूँ ।

अपनी पसंद से नहीं, बल्कि किसी के खेल से

एक कठपुतली, जिसके पास कहने के लिए कुछ नहीं है

मेरा मालिक धागे चलाता और मैं चलता रहता हूँ।

कभी-कभी पूर्वानुमान गति में, कभी-कभी मैं दौड़ने लगा हूँ ।

ऐसे ही एक दिन मुझे लगा कि मैं स्वतंत्र हूँ क्योंकि कुछ धागे मेरे पास हैं।

फिर भी मुझे पता है कि वे संभवतः गति को नियंत्रित करते हैं।

मैंने सोच-विचार किया कि क्यों मुझे इन धागे को काटने की जल्दी है

लेकिन फिर प्रकृति ने मुझे आपकी योजना के बारे में बताया

क्यों ये चलना फिरना मुझे नियंत्रित लगता है ?

क्या यह महज मेरी धारणा है

या मेरी संकीर्ण सोच मुझे ऐसा महसूस कराती है

 

क्या मैं गुलाम हूँ?

 

इस तरह के एक पल में मैंने खुद को समर्पित कर दिया

न आवेश में किया, न ही मैंने कोई त्याग किया

लेकिन अपने विश्वास में, मैंने यह अभ्यर्पण किया।

अब मुझे लगता है कि मैं सभी आयामों में आगे बढ़ता हूँ ।

मैं इस दुनिया में स्वतंत्र हूँ, हालांकि लोग कह रहे हैं कि धागे अब भी हैं

मैं कहता हूँ कि धागे तो केवल खेलने के लिए होते हैं

अब मेरा दिल पृथ्वी, आकाश और समुद्र पर घूम रहा

घाटियों में गहरी, जहां कोई भी नहीं देख सकता था

कि मेरी भूमिका में, मैंने आपका पालन करने के लिए

आत्मसमर्पण किया है, मैंने अपने सभी प्रयासों में।

 

Written by Avinash

Edited and translated in Hindi by Rini

Photos by Avinash

Companion

It took all the courage to move on, move on the slippery sides , to walk in the dim lights

But among all these, there is a confession that it was a gentle progression

from long walks to bike trips,

It came all like a learning, which I recollect, was not the motive from the beginning,

not meant for others, but it came with others

and now when I recollect, I figure out it was worth a break

I made some friends with whom I had some adventurous ways for some rough days.

Now I travel more to feel that closeness (to nature) once more

O nature, to look for a friend who has remained true for all such travels,

for whom, there is not a single plan yet to unravel.

With every such adventure, I have enjoyed the company of my conscience,

which has remained silent or may be I didn’t listen to it.

while walking with you, I listened to you; and now I understood that I was a stranger in my own town

I grew and became old, for your learning has given me more ,

Of my share of happiness, I have given none,

lets take a walk to the destination still unknown.

For the beauty lies in the appreciation, rather than outer beautification

Lets take a walk where you can talk, secrets of the truth which are told no more

Lets travel in the distant place, remote, as they say, but ‘oh my conscience’ don’t remain at the bay

with you I can still move on.. in the woods for an unplanned trip, neither for fun, nor for life, but for me to celebrate.

Photo Credits: Rini

What colors to choose?

My soul wanted to express itself. And there is no alternative, other than expressing it in the form of colorful art in this festive season. Next thing, I was rushing to the market, searching for variety of colors. Just then, when I was in the market full of colors and lights, I paused for a moment and thought what color I wanted and in what quantity?

I inquired of my soul, what is the magnitude of art/creation we were talking about. The soul replied, ‘why are you keeping a limit on the colors before even starting’. I gave it a thought and took all colors which my heart wanted to create colorful art.

Rini preparing Rangoli

 

Is it always our choice to choose colors of our life? And if we are free to choose, then why don’t we listen to our soul which always guides us to the colors which we need to make a colorful life.

Rangoli made by Rini at Diwali

Finally, the above Rangoli (decoration) are the outcome.

 

Credits: Rangoli and photos by Rini

The Dream…

{ For my soulmate and wife, Rini  for inspiring and guiding me}

It was a silent night with a hope of bringing new morning light,

Amidst darkness, I missed the light as if it was my last fight .

I felt giving words to something , a will from my inner being ,

Alas!!!! I found none.

I wanted to share my dreams of beautiful twilight embellished in the darkness of night.

From the dream, I said  to myself and to my horror, I had died in the first morning light.

It was dreadful; how could i survive , the dream for the morning in the dark night.

Wish!!!!
I could have lived both day and night, but , it appeared as if different phases of life.

There lies calmness and serenity  in both happiness and misery, the world believes;

For me it was the destiny.

Time to wake up as light was calling , nonetheless, O night !!! you were also appealing,

It was a dream of soulmate , a dream taking different form every day, a dream never ending…..⁠⁠⁠⁠

 

 

…………………

 

 

Home

It has been almost 12 years, a long time, since he has not visited his home even once. Rather it will be the inconvenient truth to say that in these 12 years, he did not visit the place where he knows lies comfort for him. No matter what time it will be, his favorite food will be cooked and people will always be happy to have him around. Yes, it was his home town. After his college, he does not visit his home as often and every time he was in panic he will call them, be it day or night. On the opposite side of the scale, when he got selected in his dream college  and subsequently landed his dream job, he was so excited that he called them in the night. There is nothing bad about it. Family as an organization plays a vital role to cope up with sudden changes in life, be it intended or unintended.

He even ensured that there were regular family reunions. Reaching there was three hours by flight and by bus, it was a 10 hours journey, which was not so difficult for anyone in the family. Maid was given special instructions to cook what the family used to eat in his childhood days, so as to refresh the memories. Lately since his parents were working and sometimes they didn’t get leave to go to him. Even he was busy, so in last couple of years, there was no such reunion.

In any society, a lot of value and importance is given to family gatherings, as it revives the bond and brings unity. Finally, it is the kinship which takes care of its members in hard times. In Indian society, the vastness of this kinship is vocal identity for one’s influence in society. So it is expected from everyone that they attend crucial events. Living in big cities and chasing dreams has taken a large chunk of our time. But at what cost? Some people might be willing to have the discomfort of giving it a thought and out of those, only few will come to a conclusion. After all who wants to waste time, thinking such things when every thing seems so right!

But in last decade, even these 5 hours journey has become a hectic procedure. A distance of mere few hundreds of kilometers is referred to as a remote place by people living in the metros. People think not only about the distance, but time and also the crowd that they have to bear with for the hours of journey. Mostly people avoid journey, which they feel might push them out of their comfort zone. But if we ask ourselves, nothing is as beautiful and comforting as seeing happiness in the eyes of family members, the people you love.

Yes, it is true that he worked hard in office and in his leisure time, he used to develop avenues of future prospects. But as any human being on earth, he was also full of emotions. There were sinusoidal moments of joy and sadness in his life also. This was probably a break from his linear mechanical life. And the irony is that, these moments of high and low were the ones when he took up his phone and dialed his home.

Photo by: Avinash Kumar

But sometimes even people who become habitual of living a fast track life, want a place of peace, and what could be better than the home town where clock ticks at its usual pace, without any pressure attached to it. It was surprising that this time he thought he will go to his home with his mind free and not occupied by either the office or complexities of his life. On the other hand, he was excited to visit his home, to see those playground, friends where he lived and with whom he has one of his his memory.

And finally the day came, he felt that he was again a child and with those childlike keen eyes, which are forever interested and curious to ask questions and prepared to grasp things which come in their way, he stepped out of station. But to his surprise, he was total stranger in his own native place. He felt uncomfortable. He rushed to his home and knocked the door. His parents were happy to see him and blessed him. He inquired about how things have changed. With a childish smile, he asked why was he not informed about the changes in the garden and in the city. It was then that he saw those lines on the faces of his parents. They have developed wrinkles on their face and have spectacles on their eyes.

Those faces which were like sky and earth for him, have grown old but still their zeal to make him happy was not even a bit less. He asked to himself, when it happened, how suddenly all things have changed and all these times, he was acting as if he was the center of the whole world for his family, like in his childhood. How his world has changed without him being aware of it. How his perceptions have become stiff.

This time he was so calm that he could listen to the voice within him, which he had not given much attention after joining the race. It was his conscience which reminded all that he has missed, ‘…the period to love, understand his own family, the race of the world, the continuous effort to be happy…’.

He realized how much self-centered he has become. He has left the ever cheerful nature of a child and the importance of family, far behind. His mind started pondering upon the thought that it’s only family where he can always remain a child.

Photo by: Avinash Kumar

With heavy heart and a sense of gratitude, he remembered a silly discussion with his friend, ‘the river which flows is lively, but when it becomes static, the same water give foul smell’. His thoughts broke by the smell of paranthas (fried Indian bread), as he sees his mother approaching him with the tray. He jumped to the dining table, and became a child once again.