Bachpan

bachchon ke chhote hathon ko chand sitare chhune do chaar kitaben padh kar ye bhi hum jaise ho jaenge let the hands of innocents reach out for stars and moon with education they'd become like us so very soon

mujhko yaqin hai sach kahti thin jo bhi ammi kahti thin

mujh ko yaqin hai sach kahti thiin jo bhi ammi kahti thiin jab mere bachpan ke din the chand men pariyan rahti thiin ek ye din jab apnon ne bhi ham se naata tod liya ek vo din jab ped ki shakhen bojh hamara sahti thiin ek ye din jab saari sadken ruthi ruthi lagti hain ek vo din jab aao khelen saari galiyan kahti thiin ek ye din jab jaagi raten divaron ko takti hain ek vo din jab shamon ki bhi palken bojhal rahti thiin ek ye din jab zehn men saari ayyari ki baten hain ek vo din jab dil men bholi-bhali baten rahti thiin ek ye din jab lakhon ghham aur kaal pada hai aansu ka ek vo din jab ek zara si baat pe nadiyan bahti thiin ek ye ghar jis ghar men mera saz-o-saman rahta hai ek vo ghar jis ghar men meri budhi naani rahti thiin mujh ko yaqin hai sach kahti thin jo bhi ammi kahti thin jab mere bachpan ke din the chand mein pariyan rahti thin ek ye din jab apnon ne bhi hum se nata tod liya ek wo din jab ped ki shakhen bojh hamara sahti thin ek ye din jab sari sadken ruthi ruthi lagti hain ek wo din jab aao khelen sari galiyan kahti thin ek ye din jab jagi raaten diwaron ko takti hain ek wo din jab shamon ki bhi palken bojhal rahti thin ek ye din jab zehn mein sari ayyari ki baaten hain ek wo din jab dil mein bholi-bhaali baaten rahti thin ek ye din jab lakhon gham aur kal pada hai aansu ka ek wo din jab ek zara si baat pe nadiyan bahti thin ek ye ghar jis ghar mein mera saz-o-saman rahta hai ek wo ghar jis ghar mein meri budhi nani rahti thin

udne do parindon ko abhi shokh hawa mein phir laut ke bachpan ke zamane nahin aate

meri ek chhoti si koshish tujhko pane ke liye

meri ik chhoti si koshish tujh ko paane ke liye ban gai hai masala saare zamane ke liye ret meri umr main bachcha nirale mere khel main ne divaren uthai hain girane ke liye vaqt honton se mire vo bhi khurach kar le gaya ik tabassum jo tha duniya ko dikhane ke liye asman aisa bhi kya khatra tha dil ki aag se itni barish ek shole ko bujhane ke liye chhat tapakti thi agarche phir bhi aa jaati thi niind main nae ghar men bahut roya purane ke liye der tak hansta raha un par hamara bachpana tajrabe aae the sanjida banane ke liye main 'zafar' ta-zindagi bikta raha pardes men apni ghar-vali ko ik kangan dilane ke liye meri ek chhoti si koshish tujh ko pane ke liye ban gai hai masala sare zamane ke liye ret meri umr main bachcha nirale mere khel main ne diwaren uthai hain girane ke liye waqt honton se mere wo bhi khurach kar le gaya ek tabassum jo tha duniya ko dikhane ke liye aasman aisa bhi kya khatra tha dil ki aag se itni barish ek shole ko bujhane ke liye chhat tapakti thi agarche phir bhi aa jati thi nind main nae ghar mein bahut roya purane ke liye der tak hansta raha un par hamara bachpana tajrabe aae the sanjida banane ke liye main 'zafar' ta-zindagi bikta raha pardes mein apni ghar-wali ko ek kangan dilane ke liye

mere rone ka jis mein qissa hai umr ka behtarin hissa hai

yunhi kisi ke dhyan mein apne aap mein gati do-pahren

yunhi kisi ke dhyan men apne aap men gaati do-pahren narm gulabi jadon vaali baal sukhati do-pahren saare ghar men shaam dhale tak khel vo dhuup aur chhanv ka lappe patte kachche angan men lot lagati do-pahren jivan-dor ke pichhe hairan bhagti toli bachchon ki galiyon galiyon nange paanv dhuul udati do-pahren sargoshi karte parde kundi khatkata nat-khat din dabe dabe qadmon se tapti chhat par jaati do-pahren kamre men hairan khade aina jaise hanste din khud se lad kar gaurayya si shor machati do-pahren vahi muzafaton ke bhed bhare sannaton vaale ghar gudiyon ke lab si kar un ka byaah rachati do-pahren khidki ke tuute shishon par ek kahani likhti hain mandhe hue piile kaghhaz se chhan kar aati do-pahren niim tale vo kachche dhage rangti hui purani yaad ghera daale chhoti chhoti haath batati do-pahren phati-purani kathri odhe dhuup senkte budhe din peshani tak pallu khinche chilam banati do-pahren paani ki taqsim ke pichhe jalte khet sulagte ghar aur kheton ki zard munderon par kumlati do-pahren purvai se ladte kitne varaq purani yadon ke saughhaton ke sanduqon ko dhuup dikhati do-pahren dukhti ankhen zakhmi poren uljhe dhagon jaise din badal jaisi odhniyon par phuul khilati do-pahren odhniyon ke udte badal rangon ke bazaron men chudi ki dukanon se vo hamen bulati do-pahren sunte hain ab un galiyon men phuul sharare khilte hain khuun ki holi khel rahi hain rang nahati do-pahren ye to mere khvab nahin hain ye to mera shahr nahin kis janib se aa nikli hain ye gahnati do-pahren yunhi kisi ke dhyan mein apne aap mein gati do-pahren narm gulabi jadon wali baal sukhati do-pahren sare ghar mein sham dhale tak khel wo dhup aur chhanw ka lappe patte kachche aangan mein lot lagati do-pahren jiwan-dor ke pichhe hairan bhagti toli bachchon ki galiyon galiyon nange panw dhul udati do-pahren sargoshi karte parde kundi khatkata nat-khat din dabe dabe qadmon se tapti chhat par jati do-pahren kamre mein hairan khade aaina jaise hanste din khud se lad kar gaurayya si shor machati do-pahren wahi muzafaton ke bhed bhare sannaton wale ghar gudiyon ke lab si kar un ka byah rachati do-pahren khidki ke tute shishon par ek kahani likhti hain mandhe hue pile kaghaz se chhan kar aati do-pahren nim tale wo kachche dhage rangti hui purani yaad ghera dale chhoti chhoti hath batati do-pahren phati-purani kathri odhe dhup senkte budhe din peshani tak pallu khinche chilam banati do-pahren pani ki taqsim ke pichhe jalte khet sulagte ghar aur kheton ki zard munderon par kumlati do-pahren purwai se ladte kitne waraq purani yaadon ke saughaton ke sanduqon ko dhup dikhati do-pahren dukhti aankhen zakhmi poren uljhe dhagon jaise din baadal jaisi odhniyon par phul khilati do-pahren odhniyon ke udte baadal rangon ke bazaron mein chudi ki dukanon se wo hamein bulati do-pahren sunte hain ab un galiyon mein phul sharare khilte hain khun ki holi khel rahi hain rang nahati do-pahren ye to mere khwab nahin hain ye to mera shahr nahin kis jaanib se aa nikli hain ye gahnati do-pahren

kitabon se nikal kar titliyan ghazlen sunati hain tiffin rakhti hai meri man to basta muskuraata hai

pani mein kankar barsaya karte the

paani men kankar barsaya karte the vo din jab ham lamhe zaaya karte the hod hava se aksar lagti thi apni aksar us ko dhuul chataya karte the dekh ke ham ko rahguzar muskati thi ped bhi aage badh kar chhaya karte the dhuup batora karte the ham saara din shaam ko baant ke ghar le jaaya karte the aaj ghata afsurda karti hai ham ko ham barish men khuub nahaya karte the ek yahi ham dekhen sab khamoshi se ek yahi ham shor machaya karte the 'saurabh' shab thi ek varaq saada jis par likh likh kar ham khvab mitaya karte the pani mein kankar barsaya karte the wo din jab hum lamhe zaya karte the hod hawa se aksar lagti thi apni aksar us ko dhul chataya karte the dekh ke hum ko rahguzar muskati thi ped bhi aage badh kar chhaya karte the dhup batora karte the hum sara din sham ko bant ke ghar le jaya karte the aaj ghata afsurda karti hai hum ko hum barish mein khub nahaya karte the ek yahi hum dekhen sab khamoshi se ek yahi hum shor machaya karte the 'saurabh' shab thi ek waraq sada jis par likh likh kar hum khwab mitaya karte the

mera bachpan bhi sath le aaya ganw se jab bhi aa gaya koi

farishte aa kar un ke jism par khushbu lagate hain wo bachche rail ke dibbon mein jo jhadu lagate hain

duaen yaad kara di gai thin bachpan mein so zakhm khate rahe aur dua diye gae hum

'jamal' har shahr se hai pyara wo shahr mujh ko jahan se dekha tha pahli bar aasman main ne

hum to bachpan mein bhi akele the sirf dil ki gali mein khele the

asir-e-panja-e-ahd-e-shabab kar ke mujhe kahan gaya mera bachpan kharab kar ke mujhe

bhuk chehron pe liye chand se pyare bachche bechte phirte hain galiyon mein ghubare bachche

badi hasrat se insan bachpane ko yaad karta hai ye phal pak kar dobara chahta hai kham ho jae

chup-chap baithe rahte hain kuchh bolte nahin bachche bigad gae hain bahut dekh-bhaal se

main bachpan mein khilaune todta tha mere anjam ki wo ibtida thi

bachpan mein hum hi the ya tha aur koi wahshat si hone lagti hai yaadon se

ab tak hamari umr ka bachpan nahin gaya ghar se chale the jeb ke paise gira diye

faqat mal-o-zar-e-diwar-o-dar achchha nahin lagta jahan bachche nahin hote wo ghar achchha nahin lagta

ek khilauna jogi se kho gaya tha bachpan mein dhundhta phira us ko wo nagar nagar tanha

kaun kahe masum hamara bachpan tha khel mein bhi to aadha aadha aangan tha

ye zindagi kuchh bhi ho magar apne liye to kuchh bhi nahin bachchon ki shararat ke alawa

jis ke liye bachcha roya tha aur ponchhe the aansu baba ne wo bachcha ab bhi zinda hai wo mahnga khilauna tut gaya

ek hathi ek raja ek rani ke baghair nind bachchon ko nahin aati kahani ke baghair

khilaunon ki dukano rasta do mere bachche guzarna chahte hain

apne bachchon ko main baaton mein laga leta hun jab bhi aawaz lagata hai khilaune wala

saton aalam sar karne ke ba'd ek din ki chhutti le kar ghar mein chidiyon ke gane par bachchon ki hairani dekho

mohalle wale mere kar-e-be-masraf pe hanste hain main bachchon ke liye galiyon mein ghubbare banata hun