माथे के कागज़ पे

 

माथे के कागज़ पे

यह जो लकीरें हैँ

सोच की  स्याही से हैं 

कहानियाँ लिखी हुई

दोस्ती का चश्मा लगाओ 

और देखो  .... 

सुनेंगी और दिखेंगीं भी

पढ़ो इन्हे तो शायद

दिलचस्प बातें  मिले

कुछ बताने वाली 

कुछ छुपाने वाली 

कुछ हँसाने वाली 

कुछ रुलाने वाली 

कुछ याद कराने वाली 

वो जो दिन थे 

वो जो शामें  थी 

वो काम जो पूरे किये 

वो दिन जो अधूरे जिए

माथा नहीं है सिर्फ दोस्त 

गाथा है इसमें छुपी हुई 

आओ कुछ  फुर्सत ले कर 

चाय का प्याला उठाओ 

दोस्ती का चश्मा लगाओ 

और पढ़ो  ...

माथे के कागज़ पे

यह जो लकीरें हैँ

सोच की  स्याही से हैं 

कहानियाँ लिखी हुई

Godless - hopeless

 A Godless world was a Hopeless world.

So humans created religions in the names of God

A world divided on the faultlines of Religion is a very dangerous place.

A Divided World is a Hopeless World.

To have Hope in the name of God, did we just manage to create Hate in the name of Religion?

Have we created our own monster? Are we bringing our own armageddon? Are we designers of our own Apocalypse? Are we the reason that this stays a hopeless world? 

Happiness (can) Happen

So, I did it again. Although I had promised myself so many times not to repeat the mistake. An important in-person meeting was the next day and, I for one reason or the other had not gotten myself a hair cut that was due a few weeks ago. No, you don't look like a zombie, my wife nicely said, when I asked her; but you do look sick. Which meant that I did look like a sick zombie, if that is even a thing.

 

Looked at the watch and it was 30 minutes past 6pm, the saloon I go to will be open for another 90 minutes which will mean I had to rush as it was about 30 minutes away in evening traffic and they rarely take appointments in last hour before closing. I rushed and reached just in time to get my name added in the day's walk ins.

 

Then the stylist came, I’ve never seen her before, she was new. That was destiny teaching a lesson. My age-old habit of procrastinating on my hair cut plans was reciprocated in getting me a rookie stylist when I needed a very good hair cut to look decent for an important meeting. 

And she started, visibly more nervous than me, which made me even more nervous and that increased her nervousness further. This nervous escalation had to stop, I decided, and I invoked confidence in my mind about her abilities. I wish I could suggest the same to her. She stayed nervous and now in hind sight I can say the whole scene was funny.

Should I cut them short she asked, and I knew she should, but what if she cuts too much? I said, yes but not too short. And she cut just a little, almost none. I still had a zombie look, may be not a sick zombie look anymore. Can you please cut some more, I said, not too much, I cautiously added. She reluctantly cut a bit more.

This crazy cycle ran for a few times and appeared like it had taken many hours.

 Finally, I decided to end this cycle for both our sakes and asked her to stop. She quickly stopped and hurriedly took my apron off. As if, making sure I don’t change my mind. I noticed bit more hair taken off from one side of the head than other, but what can one do.

 I felt relief that it ended. I was not looking like I usually do after a haircut, but was not looking horrible as I had feared at the start of this ordeal. She was relieved more than I was, for one that this was over and may be because my hair was not looking horrible. I was happy, thinking that it could have been a lot worse but it didn't. She was happier than me, may be having same thought as I was having.

Two totally unknown people in a totally weird situation could make each other happy even without either one of them trying, I learnt this on that day.

Happiness CAN Happen !!

 In hind sight I feel good that my not so bad haircut was a part of her training. I am sure that she learnt something about dealing with a nervous client that day. I learnt not to push my haircut plans to last minute.  See, in the end it was a win-win.

I hope one day when she is an ace stylist, she will laugh telling this story to someone, that how she almost survived a nervous customer in her rookie days. Hope I see her again in a year or so and we both can be confident. And hope now I will not delay my haircut to absolute last-minute situation.

By the way my meeting next day got canceled. By next week when it happened, I had grown some hair back and looked almost my usual self. As they day "All is well that ends well"

  

Collective Karma

 

Burnt Banyan tree - Image from CNN.com

The news channels are showing devastation from the fires in the island of Maui in Hawaii. Loss of life, devastation, despair and destruction is seen in every frame that is aired in news. This could have a similar impact as other such news that one sees, sad and upsetting. But this is not just that, in addition to being Sad and upsetting it is emotionally devastating, a personal hurt.

Banyan Tree - Dec'22 by Nikhil

Would not have been that if I had not roamed the markets in Lahaina just a few months ago. When the island of Maui and the streets of Lahaina had been a very generous host to my family during our first ever vacation in Hawaii. The famous banyan tree of Lahaina was an instant friend as I saw it. 

Rooster in Maui - Dec'22 by Nikhil

The banyan tree was not just a tree but an experience that I had verbally shared with almost everyone I met since the visit. The cradling shade of the tree that gave us shelter along with many other visitors, locals, homeless and the carefree roosters (who I learnt was an invasive species in the island, but had made it home many generations ago and the island generously accepted). 

The banyan tree's shade was a blessing for all, displaying the concept of inclusion, equality and equity for all, irrespective of race, gender or even species

A concept that many corporations and societies work so hard to explain and implement.

But now that tree is burnt in the fires that devastated the island. The shelter and the blessing is scorched. The death toll keeps on rising and loss of property, life and hope is heart-rendering.

What can one do, feeling helpless since it is a bad natural disaster. BUT IS IT A NATURAL DISASTER?

Wildfires were due to unprecedented heat, a direct aftermath of global warming. The uncontrolled spread of fires can be attributed to the hurricane winds. Hurricanes that are becoming intense each year due to climate change. Are we responsible? One species who claim to be the best creation of the almighty. 

Not even worth getting in a debate on this topic. I have my opinion that we humans collectively are responsible to a great extent for earth's climate situation.  Our actions, our choices, our karma must take some responsibility.

Banyan Tree of Lahaina - Dec'22 By Nikhil

The banyan tree had amazing karma of its own providing shade and shelter for all for more than a dozen decades, but still it paid the price of the Karma of human race. Similar can be said about many who lost their life or livelihood or home in fire. 

I think when we share the planet, we do share some impact of each other's Karma to some extent. There is the Collective Karma at work some time. That collective Karma harmed the big banyan tree.

But if collective Karma can damage, I have hope that collective Karma can heal too. And so I pray for that Tree to restore to its past glory, (I hope it is only damaged and not destroyed.)

Let us make small changes in our everyday life. Let our collective Karma start to heal what is damaged.

Remember theory of Karma is tightly bound to the concept of free will. Free Will gives us the option to choose our actions to harm or to heal.

Let us heal what is damaged. Let our collective Karma be a constructive force. 

Banyan tree over an Acre- Dec'22 By Nikhil

 

मंदिर की सीड़ी

 हर वो जगह जहाँ हम ने माथा टेका, जहाँ पहुंचना ज़रूरी था, चाहे वो मंदिर हो या पाठशाला या कुछ और, किसी न किसी सीड़ी से सहारा तो लिया होगा | कोई ईंट होगी जिसने बोझ सहा होगा।किसी दीवार का सहारा ले कर खड़े हुए होंगे।  कोई रेलिंग पकड़ी होगी। यह कविता उस सीड़ी, उस दीवार उस रेलिंग के नाम। 

कीचड़ सने पैरो को भी

अपने माथे पे उठाती है

धन्य है मंदिर की सीड़ी जो 

ईश्वर मूरत तक पहुंचाती है

ईश्वर नमन कर के लौटो तो

उस सीढ़ी का भी सत्कार करो

उसके धैर्य की शक्ति है जो 

पूजन सम्पूर्ण  करवाती है

धन्य है मंदिर की सीड़ी जो 

ईश्वर मूरत तक पहुंचाती है

वो टूटे या खंडित ना हो  

इतना ही बस स्मरण रहे 

सीड़ी क्षीण हो टूट जाये तो 

राह कठिन हो जाती है

धन्य है मंदिर की सीड़ी जो 

ईश्वर मूरत तक पहुंचाती है

दबी चिंगारी

 ज्वाला थी जो, बुझी नहीं है

चिंगारी बन कर रुकी है अभी

राख़ दिख रही जो आँखों को 

अंगार उस में छुपी है अभी

हवा का रुख इस ओर हो तो 

राख़ की चादर उड़ जाएगी

दबी आग है  जो चिंगारी में

धधक ज्वाला लहराएगी

ना छेड़ो इसे,  ना सहलाओ

ना छुओ ना तिरस्कार करो

जला नहीं रही, पर आग है यह 

आदर रखो, भले ना सत्कार करो

जब धधकेगी, ऊँची उठेगी 

उस क्षण का इंतज़ार करो 

ज्वाला थी जो, बुझी नहीं है

चिंगारी बन कर रुकी है अभी

राख़ दिख रही जो आँखों को 

अंगार उस में छुपी है अभी

रात और सुबह

सुबह होती है शाम होती है, उम्र यूं ही तमाम होती है शायद इस से ज्यादा चुभती हुई बात कम ही कही हो किसी ने।  यहाँ उसी उम्र को  युहीं तमाम न होने देने के लिए कुछ हिदायत लिखने की कोशिश की है, कहियेगा कैसी लगी. 

हर रात नींद मांगती है

एक लोरी सुना देते

हर सुबह आँखें बोलती है

थोड़ा और सुला देते

दौड़ते पैर चाहते हैँ

कुछ देर सांस ले लें

मन पुकारता है आओ 

थोड़ा हँसे कुछ खेलें

और दिन बीत जाता है

कितने काम के चलते

हर  रात करवाटों में

कल के फ़िक्र खलते

खूंटी पे टांग दो  फ़िक्र

कमीज के साथ साथ

बेफिक्री को ओढ़ लो 

मौज का थाम हाथ

सोने से पहले  रोज़ 

जी भर जी भी तो लो 

कुछ हसीं पिरो लो 

खुशियाँ सी भी तो लो 

और फिर न्योता दो 

उन हसीन सपनो को

जो नींद में रंग भर दें 

खुली आंख की तैयारी 

वो नींद में आ के कर दें 

ऐसे सपने फल जायेंगे 

जगते मे ऐसा कर पाएंगे  

जिसका कहीं ज़िक्र होगा 

जिसपे खुद को ही  फ़ख्र होगा 

वो ही लोरी बना सुनाएंगे 

आराम नींद सुलाएंगे 

क्यों की

हर रात नींद मांगती है

एक लोरी सुना देते

हर सुबह आँखें बोलती है

थोड़ा और सुला देते