kaun sa steshan hai?
daasana hai saahib-jee
aap ko utarana hai?
“jee nahin, nahin”, lekin
daasana to tha hee vo
mere saath ‘qaisar’ thee
ye badee badee aankhen
ik talaash mein khoyee
raat bhar nahin soyee
jab main usako pahunchaane
is ujaad bastee mein
saath le ke aaya tha
mainne unase phir poochha
aap mustaqil shaayad
daasana mein rahate hain?
“jee yahaan pe kuchh meree
soot kee dukaanen hain
kuchh taaam-khaane hain”
main suna kiya baitha
bolata raha vo shakhs-
“kuchh zameenadaaree hai
mere baap-daada ne
kuchh makaan chhode the
unako bechakar mainne
kaarobaar khola hai,
is haqeer bastee mein
kaun aa ke rahata tha
lekin ab yahee bastee
bambee hai, dillee hai
qeematen zameenon kee
itanee badh gaeen saahib
ik zameen hee kya hai
khaane-peene kee cheezen
aam jeene kee cheezen
bhaav das gune hain ab”
bolata raha vo shakhs
“is qadar giraanee hai
aag lag gaee jaise
aasamaan had hai bas”
mainne chaunkakar poochha-
aasamaan mahal tha ik
sayyadon kee bastee mein?
“aasamaan nahin saahib
ab mahal kahaan hoga!”
hans pada ye kahakar vo
mere zehan mein usakee
baat pay-ba-pay goonjee
“ab mahal kahaan hoga!”
is dayaar mein shaayad
‘qaisar’ ab nahin rahatee
vo badee-badee aankhen
ab na dekh paoonga
mulk ka ye batavaara
le gaya kahaan usako
devadhee ka sannaata
aur hamaaree saragoshee
“mujh se kitane chhote ho”
mainne kuchh kaha tha phir
usane kuchh kaha tha phir
hai raqam kahaan vo sab
dard kee giraanjaanee
meree shola-afshaanee
us kee jalva-saamaanee
hai raqam kahaan vo ab
karb-e-zeest sab mera
guftugoo ka dhab mera
usaka haath haathon mein
le ke jab main kahata tha
ab chhudao to jaanoon
rasm-e-bevafaee ko
aaj motabar maanoon
usako le ke baahon mein
jhuk ke us ke chehare par
bhench kar kaha tha ye
bolo kaise nikalogee
meree dastaras se tum
mere is qafas se tum
bhoore baadalon ka dal
door udata jaata hai
ped par kaheen baitha
ik parind gaata hai
‘chil-chil’ ik gilaharee kee
kaan mein khatakatee hai
rel chalane lagatee hai
raah ke darakhton kee
chhaanv dhalane lagatee hai
“mujh se kitane chhote ho”
aur miree giraan-goshee
devadhee ka sannaata
aur hamaaree saragoshee
hai raqam kahaan vo sab?
door us parinde ne
apana geet doharaaya
“aaj ham ne apana dil
khoon kiya hua dekha
gum kiya hua paaya!”