A Personal Tribute to Salil Chaudary

                    - Pradeep Dubey

zindagi ki paheli ne kai baar mujhe pareshaan kiya hai.
hansaaya hai, rulaaya hai, meethi uljhanon ne.
kabhi to ye dil kahin mil nahin paate
kabhi to nikal aaye janmon ke naate.

kuchh aisaa hi naata rahaa hai tumse.
apne andheron ko ujaale hote dekha hai tumhaare sur
se satrange sapnon mein.

kabhi dekha chhotaa sa ghar baadlon ki chhaon mein to
kabhi neele ambar ko jhoomate dekha aur barkha bahaar
aa gayi, chham chaam naachati hui.
barkha ki rimjhim geeton mein jhingur ki aawaj suni:
chiki-miki-chiki-miki.

jab himaalay ki oonchaayiyon se gangotri ko nikalate dekhaa
to lagaa tum poochh rahe ho: gangaa aaye kahaan se,
gangaa jaaye kahan re.

kabhi gwaalon ki titkaariyon se safar suhaana ho gaya
to kabhi haseen mausam hariyaala sawan ban dhol bajaata chalaa aaya.
kali khili, baagiyaa mahki aur intezaar hone laga bhanwanre kaa.
sar se chunariyaan sarakane lageen tumhaari taan par.
paaon mein bandhane lagi paayal waayal nayi nayi.

itna hi nahin, mammi ka dulaara munna jab doodh bhaat ke saath
saath naani ki kahaani poochhne laga to use hamne morni ki
chori ki kahaani bhi tumhaare hi sur mein sunaayi.

dheere dheere neel gagan ke deewaane ke saath
dil ki dor bandhane lagi.  tasweer dil mein basaaye hum
ghoomne lage sapnon ki mahfilon mein.
din guzarte gaye kisiki yaadon mein.
todne lage dilon ki doori aur saath hi saath
tootne lagi man ke seema rekha.

jab kabhi aankhon mein neend na hoti aur aansoo hi tairate rahte,
tab tumheene sikhaya, sapnen dekhana, kaha:
mitwaa, mere yaar, tu bhi seekh le, sapne dekhna.

aur sapne dekhte gaye khoye khoye nain.
kuchh pata nahin tha, sach honge ya nahin.
raaton ke ghane saaye jab bhi dil par bojh bane,
tumne vishvas dilaya is anuragi man ko
... phir bhi na dar agar bujhe diye ... sahar to hai tere liye.

bas hausale dil mein javaan ho gaye, labon pe muskuraahat chun
ham intezaar karne lage bahaar ki aahaton ka.

lekin kal raat mere sapne ke rang saat nahin the.
sirf ek rang tha: kaala.  aaj subah ne jab aawaj lagaayi:
jaago ... jaago ... mohan pyaare.  uski aankhen band rahin.
kal tak navyug jiske charan choomata tha aaj ek yug
nat mastak khada tha uske saamne.

diwaani aasha ki bansuri bajaane wala mohan, kaanha,
aaj bilkul khaamosh tha.  laakh koshish kee par:
kaanha bole na ... poonchhoo baar baar ...
ban ke jyot man mein jhaanke
yun nayan nayan dole aake
maanoon barse soorajwa jamuna ki dhaar
pyaasa man bhi pyaasa rah jaaye
dekhe naahin naina priya khole naa
kaanha bole na ...

mere sapnon ka saarathi, sangeet ka sipaahi lagaa kahin
door chalaa ja rahaa tha aur hum poochhte rah gaye:
jaanewaale sipahi se poochho, wo kahaan ja raha hai ...

chhoti chhoti baaton ki badi badi yaaden, anbujhi pyaas
ban jalaane lagi antarman ko.  maanaspatal par chalne lagi
gham ki aandhi.  tabhi gungunaahat suni:

tum agar jaao kabhi, jaao kahin
waqt se kahana zara vo thahar jaaye yahin
... zindagi tere bina haay bhaaye na na
jiya laage ... tere bina mera kahin jiya laage na ...

Pradeep