Monday 30 September 2013

Yuvi! We are happy for you


It’s not that I am a big fan of Yuvraj Singh. But today when I heard he had pulled himself back from the brink against the stiffest competition I felt very happy. The reason being he had done it when everybody had started writing him off.

He has been inducted in Indian squad for one T-20 and three one day matches against Australia.

World cup 2011: Yuvi was declared the player of the tournament. Within days of the victory he discovers he is suffering from cancer. This deadly attack kept him out of field for 299 days.

Then he was “offered a chance” in a T-20 in September 2012 against New Zealand. Many so-called experts said it was an emotional offering to Yuvi by the selectors not that he had earned his place.

And Yuvi could not prove the cynics wrong.

In that T-20 though he made a respectable 34 but in the following three Test matches and eight one day matches he could clock meager averages of 25 and 20 respectively. In pre-cancer era his averages used to be 34.57 and 36 in the two formats.

All the time Yuvi remained out of field many players got chance to play for India. And they are so talented they proved they are integral to the team. Shikhar Dhawan, Murli Karthik, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina are just few examples.

Yuvi is middle order batsman and all the spots in the middle order were occupied. There came a time when there were two or three genuine candidates for one place. And Yuvi was in hospital beds.

He came back and after the “emotional offer” that he failed to capitalise over he was dropped from the squad owing to fitness and form problems. He played his last international match on January 27 against England at Dharamsala.

He was dropped and it was the time perhaps he lost hopes and developed disinterest towards cricket. This is what I realised seeing him play in a match at Ranchi this year’s IPL

In practice session he was behaving as if he is really a prince and he could do whatever and none could say anything to the brat. In the match it appeared he was doing some favour to Pune Warriors just by being on the filed. He was not a willing player, I felt. He had lost all the passion.  

I thought to myself, “Why is he doing like this? he is such a big talent, an asset to our country. If he could play to his potential.”

I don’t know what happened after that. He went to France for a 42 day training along with another misfit and out of form (and team as well) Zaheer Khan. And when he got to the ground he played like real Yuvi.

He scored 123, 40 and 61 in three List A matches against the West Indies followed by a quick-fire 52 against the same opponent in a T-20 game. He carried on with his good form in the Challenger Trophy for India Blue where he scored 84 against India Red and a 29 in the final against Delhi.

And now he is where he belongs to. He has made this comeback when no body thought. And who doesn’t like a hero who rises from ashes like a phoenix?   


Friday 27 September 2013

Come on Rahul….you’re young, energetic, wake up early man


He is the only young, energetic, different, revolutionary and genuine politician in the UPA who has the guts to go against the decrees of the first family, unofficially! He is the Yuvraj of UPA. They call him Rahul Gandhi.

He has this extraordinary privilege to choose to remain couched in his air-conditioned rooms when the parliament, judiciary and people discussed the ordinance on whether to disqualify the tainted leaders. 

When the parliament settles the issues, though against the people’s and judiciary’s opinions, one fine evening he decides to come out of the comfort of the couch call the ordinance a “complete nonsense" and suggests to tear it away.

Perhaps he might have realised he is the young and he needs to show some exuberance. Perhaps he might have realised by rolling right hand sleeves up and terming the ordinance as nonsense worthy of dustbin he would look and sound cool.

True, no Indian was happy with the ordinance that had overturned the Supreme Courts’ verdict and allowed the tainted politician to retain their memberships of the House.
But this is also true Mr. Yuvraj that no Indian would find you cool when you termed the ordinance “complete nonsense”. And this is why?

Where were you when the ordinance was being debated? Had you stopped talking to your mother Sonia Gandhi ji! Prime Minister might not have spoken to you; we all know how often does he speak, but why didn’t you approach and tell him what you are telling now to us? Do you have no say in your own party your own “sarkar”?

Or are you simply trying to be the messiah who would purge our parliament of all the sinners and the sins with no regard to what your party and sarkar decides? Are you trying to show that you have the guts to criticize the policies of your own party on the TV? Are you trying to show the fiery side of yours?

If you are doing anything of the sort dear Yuvraj! please take a note that the people in the country are not as fools as you suppose them to be. Why I am saying this? Let me clarify.


Do you remember how you had torn apart pieces of paper in April last year during Assembly election rally in Uttar Pradesh? You had termed those paper pieces as the election manifestos of the SP and the BSP parties.

What happened in the UP elections? 

Your party was demolished much like you had torn apart the paper pieces. It seems you have forgotten the ignominy.

Dear Rahul I am not saying you are not young, energetic and talented. You possess all these qualities; this is what all your spokespersons have been trained to speak. 

My only submission is please wake up on time. It’s already too late. We didn’t like your delayed exuberance at all. 


Train no. 512, scheduled at 11:13

I was waiting for a local train, train no. 512, scheduled at 11:13 a.m. And as it usually happens, the train was late by an hour. I had to wait at platform no.1.

Waiting for trains is the most terrible thing. But in a railway traffic system as disoriented as ours we are accustomed to it. We take it as the right of railways to give us painful hours at platform before we have to get stuffed ourselves like lifeless luggage in railway coaches.

It was 12.30 p.m. and by now neither the train nor my phone made any sound. I had asked her to call me after 12.00noon. Finally it was 1.00p.m.when the train whistled. And as it entered into the platform my phone also started vibrating. I saw the screen and it was a call from the same ‘unregistered’ number.

I was at a fix. What I should have done- received the call or struggled to stuff myself in the train?

Prudence: I should have caught the train. But the prospect of loosing chance of talking to a girl and that too from Navodaya landed me in the dilemma of choice.
The train entered into the platform and the phone was still in my hand. I was looking at the screen. I was at a cross; the train or the call. The call finally went unanswered and the train stopped.

It presented a ten of ten sight of stuffed Indian local train. Anyhow I elbowed my way into the bogey. I was, like everyone else, struggling hard to make an inch for myself to stand.

Though I was struggling to stand I slipped my hand to my pocket to discover if my phone was vibrating again. Now that I was inside the train I wanted to ensure not even a ‘baby call’ go missing. The train started and within few minutes it reached Koilwar Railway Bridge. The deafening sound was arising when the train ran over the bridge with its momentum.

 My hands went on my pocket and my phone was vibrating. Again it was the same number flashing. But again I was at dilemma. Had I received the call the conversation would have been badly marred by the noise of the train on the bridge. But this time I decided to receive the call.

 I wanted not to make her feel I was waiting for her call.

“Hello kaun bol raha hai?” I enquired as if I did not know at all about the caller.
Hello, mai Apoo….

 Kkkkhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrr…………… the soft lady voice was engulfed by the giant roar of the train.

 I am unable to hear your voice. I am in a train and the train right now is running on the railway bridge please call me in two minutes.

And she disconnected the call.
 
As the train crossed the railway bridge my phone again vibrated and it was the same number.

“Hello kaun bol raha hai?”
“Mai Apoorva bol rahi hun”
“Yes, bolo”, I received the call.

And the conversation started. The conversation that lasted………


Friday 20 September 2013

बहुत मजबूत था पर तेरी बाँहों में टूटना चाहता था


लड़का…………………….  


बहुत मजबूत था पर तेरी बाँहों में टूटना चाहता था  
बहुत जिद्दी था पर तेरी जिद्द के आगे झुकना चाहता था  
जागते रहने की आदत थी लेकिन तेरी पहलू में सोना चाहता था  
डर लगता था मोहब्बत से लेकिन तेरे साथ ही जीना चाहता था

चाहा था तुझे दिल में छुपा लूँ, तू दर्द बन के निकल गयी 
चाहा था तुझे आँखों में बसा लूँ, तू आंसू बन के गिर गयी 
चाहा था तुझे होठों पे सजा लूँ, तू बस आह भर रह गयी 
चाहा था तुझे मुट्ठियों में भिंच लूँ, तू पानी की तरह सरक गयी 
तू रहती कहाँ है अब मेरी मोहब्बत जरा फिर से अपना पता दे
इस बार रब से तुझे मांग लूँ.…….माँ पापा से माँगा तो मुझे ही मार डाला 


लड़की 


खुदा से सवाल किया क्यों  लोगों ने इतना बवाल किया 
हाँ मैं बेटी थी उनकी बहन थी उनकी 
लेकिन पहले एक लड़की थी मै  बाद में बहन बेटी 
हाँ उन्होंने मुझे जिन्दगी थी पर जीना तो उसने सिखाया था 

माँ पापा मुझे जिन्दगी जीने की सजा दे दी 
भगवान् के पास ही भेज दिया 
कैसे रहोगी माँ अब किसे बेटा कह के बुलओगी 
बगल की लड़की चाची कहेगी माँ तो नही 

पर अब भी मै भगवान् से प्रार्थना करती हूँ 
अगले जनम तेरी ही बेटी बनूँ 
जब तुम मुझे अपनी बेटी मनो बगल की नही 
कर ली मुहब्बत इस जनम में तो जान ले ली मेरी 

उस जनम में तुम खुद से विदा करना 
मुझे जिन्दगी जीने की सज़ा  मत देना 



Thursday 19 September 2013

Just for once let the chaos prevail….let the country collapse

Stir this equilibrium inflict some disequilibrium
enforce disorder let stand naked your pseudo-order
pretending to be the best is one thing being one is other…..

Here in our country…..

even in 2013 communities clash to kill each other
people are provoked to annihilate the humanity
from the killing of people and annihilation of humanity
our political leaders keep fuelling their polity
Muzaffarnagar is just one example

In December of 2012 they raped a girl to death
in September 2013 "rapists” are to be hanged to death
explore their background…. both the girl and rapists
millions of Indian share their life and living
Few are even worse…living on alms…..
what will happen if you kill these millions.. 

you don’t get time to purge this
you are too busy claiming “India is developing fast”
sorry then... such rapes and deaths will never stop

School buildings have become magnificent
teachers and techniques have donned modernity
but behind the magnificence of the buildings
residing is the education with mediocrity …..

How long would you continue with ostrich’s attitude
don’t pretend to be ‘developing’ when the streets house destitute
worked up we are of this boasting of yours
that hungry kid in my neighborhood died
you just keep on instructing official not to waste fish fried

Please destroy this sand structure you have built
let the chaos engulf the India that you have made
Just for once let the chaos prevail….let the country collapse

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Apoorva had leaned on his shoulder...her baby was still asleep in her lap

“But was Abhijeet an extra-ordinary case? Is it not something that has been happening in our society since times immemorial, unfortunately? Was Abhijeet not just another victim of our social prejudices? Isn’t it prudent enough not to love someone? Isn’t it good to keep the desire to love dormant,” 

I, the writer, was asking myself as suddenly Abhijeet asked me, “Why do one’s girlfriend’s brothers and her family hate one like hell?”

And he gave me the answer too.

My case gave me two reasons:

They know that their family members combined can’t love their girl as much as you singly can; and they also regret the fact that their girl loves a boy more than any of their whole family members.

“How I couldn’t answer any of his questions though I was never wrong either by the law of the land or law of the Lord. Neither constitution makes loving punishable nor does creator,”

I really agreed at his contentions. 

Abhijeet continued……

I stepped at Delhi station, passing through unbearable agony. His words, “don’t think, call or message my sister in future which starts right now” were beating my eardrums. So many questions were arising in my mind, the writer.


I went into deep silence as the train from Delhi station sped way back. But something from my inner part propelled me to answer his questions.

“Some of his questions and my answers and prejudices in the society are constituents of my love story,” Abhijeet continued. 

Apoorva had leaned on his shoulder. Their baby was still sleeping in her mother’s lap.


Sunday 15 September 2013

Don't bid me goodbye......'bookbye' instead

That evening; I was walking in my garden when suddenly she gave a missed call. In no time my finger danced on my key pad like trained puppet which always does the same trick.

We talked for five minutes and call got disconnected. I had run out of balance. 

She called back.

“Why did you call me? I’d have called you tomorrow after recharging my phone,” I sounded caring.

“Hey I just called to say you bye,” she said naughtily.

“Ooo...but just tell me why do we say ‘bye’ when we are to disconnect or see-off?” I had a question for her.

 “I don’t know. You please let me know it,” she asked.

“Actually its last three letters of the word ‘goodbye’. And this word is contraction of three words.
Good+be+ye."

Good contracts to God.

Be is be and ‘Ye’ stands for you.

Thus goodbye means ‘God be with you’.

As we see-off or hung up with somebody we can’t give them company and so we pray God to be with them,” I explained it to her.

Ooooooooo… I see.

“From now on-wards we would never say only ‘goodbye’ to each other but we would be saying 
‘Bookbye’. I want your books to be with you when we are not on phone line,” she was extra caring today.

“Yes. Now disconnect. Bye,” I said.

 “Hey! Say me Bookbye,” she interrupted before I could have ended the call.
Ohooooo……….. sorry.

“Bookbye,” I said. “Bookbye,” she replied.

I could not understand what that was. But something happened to me that evening.

Was I feeling something for that girl? Will she fill the void that was created in my life after Annu had left me? 
No I jerked my head but smiled in my heart. I felt good. Perhaps for the first time I had felt for a girl after Annu had gone from my life. 

Saturday 14 September 2013

हिंदी के बदौलत ही तो मेरी महबूबा मेरे करीब आई ………………….

तु कितनी प्यारी है हिंदी बिल्कुल मेरी माँ तरह
जब मैं बच्चा था तुझे कितना परेशान किया करता था 
तोतलाता था मै रोटी 'लोटी'  बोलता  अरे को अले बोलता   
तुझे कितना तोड़ता था  कितना  मरोरता था 

लेकिन अपने से कभी दूर नही किया 
 आँचलमें सुलाया  शब्दों से  सहलाया 
मुझे बोलना सिखाया मुझे माँ कहना सिखाया 
  कैसे न कहूँ तू माँ है मेरी  …………………

बड़ा हो के जब मै स्कूल आया अंग्रेजी कुल लगने लगी 
तू कभी मजबूरी कभी फ़िज़ूल लगने लगी 
लेकिन उस समय भी जरुरत पड़ी गले तुमने ही लगाया था 
मैथ्स, साइंस,अंग्रेजी में फेल होते होते बचे 
९५ फीसदी अंक एक तूने हो तो दिलवाया था.…………………… 

कॉलेज के दिनों तू दिल के और करीब आई 
जब प्यार ने मेरे दिल में ली पहली अंगड़ाई 
चाँद, तारे, हवाएं, शीतलता और शहनाई ये शब्द तूने ही तो बनाई 
इन्हीं के बदौलत ही तो मेरी महबूबा मेरे  करीब आई …………………. 

आज 

नमन है तुझे हिंदी जो बचपन में मुझे खेलाया 
किशोरावस्था में पढ़ाया और जवानी में प्यार  सिखाया 
नमन है  हिंदी को जिसने मुझे मेरा नाम दिया 
जिसने मुझे आर्यावर्त्त  दिया जिसे मुझे हिन्दुस्तान दिया 

Saturday 7 September 2013

my testosterone flows... for right woman

I too have testosterone..but it flows at right time for right woman
I too am a man & man enough to respect fellow women
I too have eyes but to appreciate and not to vision-rape
I too have hands but to help not to stealthily press



Human that I am falling in love is in my nature 
but love is to caress and not to ravage 
I want to be respected, followed but not being 'baba'
beauties are there around me I want to appreciate not to consume

with same intensity.......I enjoy milk I enjoy wine
I love sex I love to get wet and make you wet 
my virtues you know are the appreciation of  divine......
my vices let me tell you are the manifestation of humanity 

but for all the vices I may have for all the ills I posses
I, as an Indian, promise you...... 
I am a man and am not going to rape you 

दोनों ने जवानी में कदम बस रखे ही हैं


स्कुल यूनिफार्म में सामने से आ रही उस लड़की पे नजर पड़ी .........बायीं ओर देख के वो लगातार मुस्कुरा
 रही थी ......मेरी नजरें बरबस बायीं तरफ गयीं ......उस ओर अपने छोटे से किराने की दूकान में एक
 लड़का बैठा मुस्कुरा रहा था … दोनों एक दुसरे को देख रहे थे…… लड़की की नजर जैसे ही मेरे पे पड़ी…
 नजरें झुका के वो तेजी से निकल गयी……. लड़के की तरफ देखा.... वो भी मुस्कुराते हुए मेरी तरफ देख
 रहा था.... मैं दफ्तर की ओर बढ़ गया ………….दोनों ने जवानी में कदम बस रखे ही हैं

Thursday 5 September 2013

On Teachers' Day....It was love at first sight


It was 5th September, the Teachers’ Day.

 She was in class 10th and I was in class 12, in last year of Navodaya life.  Every Teacher’s Day class twelfth students were given the task to play their teachers. I was in the role of English teacher. And my first period was with class 10th ‘Section – ‘A’.

“Yes, I know all these. “Mai bhi us samay Navodaya me class tenth me hi thi” Apoorva said in lighter tone.

Yes Apoorva. But let me complete.

And I continued.

“In very first period I saw a girl sitting between two girls in the second row. I didn’t recognize her. It appeared to me that I had seen her in Navodaya for the first time. She appeared an alien to me in Navodaya”.  

“You didn’t recognize her? You used to command the entire school in the morning and the evening prayers. Standing on the elevated stage with all girl students standing before you on ground you could have seen every body. How come you had never seen her?” Apoorva interrupted me.

Yes Apoorva I had never seen that girl earlier. I didn’t know even her name. Despite these; that very first sight with her made me feel strongly about her. That was the day when I realized the meaning of ‘love at the first sight’.

But knowing the end result of loving a girl in Navodaya and that too a junior girl I decided to kill that love in my heart before it could sprout.

Days passed; I tried to forget her. But the more I was trying to ward off her memories the more I started feeling for her.

When I was finding it difficult to forget her I decided to find out her name. It was difficult for me to find out her name because she was a junior to me.

One day I was sitting in my classroom (class 12 Science) during supervise studies. Students of class tenth ‘Section- A’ could go into their classroom only after crossing ours. 

As the girls passed by my classroom my classmate Vishu said, “Yaar dekh na kya maal lag rahi hai Phool Kumari!”

“OOO… means you people referred to Annu by phool Kumari,” Apoorva was amused. 


And this was how I came to know the name of the girl. The girl who I had seen for the first time on Teacher's Day. The girl with whom I had a 'love at first sight'!  

That love at first sight on this day (Teacher's Day) changed my life forever.....yes forever......

I told the entire story to Apoorva. 

Monday 2 September 2013

Love is a star: Near and far!

That was near, near, near too near
That was shining, that was glittering
That was glorifying, that was twinkling
That was calling me, that was inspiring me
Come, come,come and grab me
Come,come,come you can have me.

That was far,far,far too far
That was blotting the glory of the sky
that was flawing the beauty of the moon
that was alluring me ,that was deterring me
come,come,come you can’t touch me
come,come,come you can’t have me.

That was a story of a star
Which at times was really a star
But at times a villain starified
Veering between two extremities
Sometimes unknown sometimes a citizen of locality.

That unfortunately is also the story of my love
Sometimes a possibility sometimes rarity and impossibility
Sometimes a mystery deciphered
Sometimes a plight covered
Swaying between two thoughts
Sometimes a sweet drink

Sometimes a bitter bout.