jee, yahee mera ghar hai
aur shaayad yahee vah patthar jis par sir rakhakar soee thee
vah pahalee kulhaadee
jisane pahale vriksh ka shikaar kiya tha
is patthar se aaj bhee
ek paseene kee gandh aatee hai
jo shaayad us pahale lakadahaare ke shareer kee
gandh hai–
jisase khuraak milatee hai
mere parisar kee saaree aadhunikata ko
is ghar se sate hue
bahut-se ghar hain
jaise ek patthar se sate hue bahut-se patthar
aur dhoop ho kee varsha yahaan niyam yah
ki har ghar apane mein band
apane mein khula
par bagal ke ghar mein agar pakata hai bhaat
to usakee khushaboo ghus aatee hai
mere kichan mein
meree chuppee udhar ke phooladaanon tak
saaf sunaee padatee hai
aur sachchaee yah hai ki ham sabakee smrtiyaan
apane-apane hisse kee baarish se dhulakar
itanee svachchh aur aisee paaradarshee
ki yahaan kisee ka nambar
kisee ko yaad nahin!
vidvaanon kee is bastee mein jahaan phool bhee ek savaal hai
aur bichchhoo bhee ek savaal
mainne ek din dekha ek adhed-sa aadamee
jisake kandhe par angauchha tha
aur haath mein ek gatharee
‘angauchha’- is shabd se
lambe samay baad mere milana hua
aur vah bhee j.n.u. mein!
vah pareshaan-sa aadamee
shaayad kisee ghar ka nambar khoj raha tha
aur mujhe laga-kaee daravaazon ko khatakhata chukane ke baad
vah ho gaya tha niraash
aur laut raha tha dheere-dheere
gyaan kee is nagaree mein
usaka is tarah jaana mujhe aisa laga
jaise meree peeth par kuchh gir raha ho sapaasap
kuchh der mainne usaka saamana kiya
aur jab raha na gaya chillaaya phootakar–
‘vidvaan logo! daravaaza kholo
vah ja raha hai
kuchh poochhana chaahata tha
kuchh jaanana chaahata tha vah
roko.. us angauchhe vaale aadamee ko roko…
aur yah to baad mein mainne jaana
usake chale jaane ke kaafee der baad
ki jis samay main chilla raha tha
asal mein main chup tha
jaise sab chup the
aur meree jagah yah meree hindee thee
jo mere parisar mein akele chilla rahee thee.
j.n.u. mein hindee