BADMINTON

During my Kindergarten days I used to play badminton with my elder sister. And her condition was straight and simple, "Whichever side the shuttle-cork falls you’ll have to pick it up!" Since helplessness gives you a new God, I always gave in.

But when I recollect those moments now I realize there is such a big lesson in it. Consider this: If the game has to continue one of the two will have to pick up the shuttle-cork.

If you know what I am talking about…

By: NovoneeL ChakrabortY

Tomorrow - Today - Yesterday

I believe (a personal one!) the way one laughs changes over time. And that the change is proportional to the experiences of life.

Last Sunday one of my uncles visited me. Though I was meeting him after a long time but he didn’t seem to have changed at all. My uncle always laughed like a child; without any inhibitions and straight from his heart. The surprise? He still laughs like that. If I tell you about his life then your definition of ‘bad luck’ would certainly be pushed. But I won’t do that as it will dilute the intention of this particular post.

All I want to share is what he told me when I asked him how he still manages to smile in his life-is-beautiful manner. This is what he said, “Even if Tomorrow is the most gorgeous woman on earth I don’t fantasize about her. If Today is the girl I love the most but I know I can’t get her I still live it to the full and not stop mid-way. And if Yesterday is the first crush of my life I, at best, remember her but never miss her.”

God bless him!

By: NovoneeL ChakrabortY

Awaazein

Dum lu bhi toh kaise,
Khwabo mein aana ab tumhe manzoor nahi.
Tumahri aawazo ki sui si chubhan zinda rakhti hai mujhe.
Bechani meri suhagan hai,
Sukoon meri vidhwa.

Haqeqat se jannat ki dooriyon ko
Zindagi kaha karte the kabhi.
Unki aawaz ki gaaliche main let kar
Sadiyaan paar kar lete the kabhi.

Bachpan mein khilono ke tootne se
Hum ro liya karte the kabhi
Ab khilone tootte hai bhi toh kya?
Bahano ke bazaar se waqt milta hi nahi.

Rok nahi sakta mann ke darwazon se
Beete waqt ki roshni ko, magar.
Aaj aur kal ke ek room ke flat mein
Andhera kayam rehta hai abhi.

Bhool jau bhi toh kaise,
Zindagi ka sweater chota lagta hai abhi.
Tumhari awaazo ki rui se dabkar
Neend aa jati hai kabhi.


By: NovoneeL ChakrabortY

Mobile Phone

Last week one of my cousins bought a suave new mobile phone. And Jesus, was she hyper about it? All through the week she kept exploring its features to the maximum (postponing her dinner at times!). But this week she didn’t seem as interested and excited as she was when she just bought it. When I inquired she said, “Oh, I already know all about it.” So that’s it, I thought. I’ll probably see her hyper-self again when she lays her hand on another set.


I think there is a latent lesson in relationship here. And the more I thought about it the more the answers to what makes a relationship click or bleak grew on me.

By: NovoneeL ChakrabortY

Fault

A young boy, walking – quite rightly – on the footpath was transformed into pulp in a matter of seconds by a car driven by an alcoholic out-of-control rich brat.

It was a normal newspaper report I came across recently. This boy paid the price because someone else was drunk driving.

When I lay on bed that night I thought how many times it has happened to me. I did things the way they should have been done and yet paid the price because some alcoholic out-of-control brat (God?) rammed his car (destiny??) onto me squashing my hopes and will into pulp. I mean what else the boy could have done if not walk on the footpath?

And the question – whose fault was it – continues to remain unanswered in my mind.

By: NovoneeL ChakrabortY

Yun Hi...

Bheed-Bhaad ke pahado mein,

Khamoshi ban ke ghoomta hoon.

Takrata hoon beetein palon se,

Aur,

Ek gehri saans ban ke barasta hoon.

Dil ek Qabr hai.

Samjhote ki mitti se,

Jahan Dafan hai laashe;

Uski, meri aur humari…

Dosto ki mehfil mein,

Tanhai se mulakaat hoti hain, aksar.

Hum bhaitte hain ghanto

Aur,

Dard ka shagun baatte hain.

Dil ek Kahani hai.

Haseen shabdo ke beech,

Jahan chippi hai kayi Kashmir jaise lamhe;

Uski, meri aur humari.

Hassi ke pardon ke peechein,

Jab waqt fizool nikalta hai,

Tum mujhe sulana chahti ho?

Aur jab wohi waqt ek barf ban jata hai,

Tum mujhe rulana chahti ho?

Khushiyon ke oonche buildingo ke beech,

Ek kharab si lift ban ke rah gaya hoon.

Na upar jane ki taakat baki hai,

Aur,

Na neeche jane ka koi maksad.

Dil ek bebas Jism hai.

Har kone mein jiske giraft hai,

Intezaar ki ek Mahek;

Uski, meri aur humari.

By: NovoneeL ChakrabortY

Yaad Aayen

Zindagi ek gale ki kharash,

Aur tum, adrak ki chai.

Bukhaar ke dino main,

Mathe par bheege rumal ka rakhna...

Jeena jaise ghanton ki bhuk,

Aur tum, ma ke haath ka khana.

Umeed ek chori ka samaan,

Aur tum, Diwali ki mithai.

School ke dino main,

Har din hajri dene ka mazhab...

Honsla ek ad-jali si mombatti,

Aur tum, sukoon ki neend.

Pareshaani ek daravni si parchayi,

Aur tum, shaadi ki shennai.

Ruksat ke dino main,

Gehri neend se achanak jag uthna...

Mann ek thaka hua musafir,

Aur tum, hawai jahaz ka udna.

Maut shaam ki ek local train,

Aur tum, baagiche main khelte bachche.

Mulaqat ke dino main,

Waqt ka bewajah fanaa hona...

Main sirf ek guzarta hua lamha,

Aur tum…barso ki yaari.

By: NovoneeL ChakrabortY