Sunday, November 8, 2009

Pondering Yama

Yama Bhaisahib bhi mazedaar hain.
Batakar nahin aate hain.
Kabhi toh darvaaze par khatkaaye bina hi ghus jaate hain,
Aur apna kam karke, moochen ponchte huey
Tahal jaate hain.
Aur kabhi toh itla de kar bhi
Itna waqt laga dete hain
Ki intezaar karte karte lagta hai
Ki yon hi dum nikal jaayega.
Kabhi toh aate hain, phir keh dete hain
“Abhi toh mein bahut vyast hoon,
phir aaoonga.”
Aur baithe rah jaate hain unke chahne waale,
joh kahte hain ki kitna aur bhugtaoge, mere dost?
Miyan , tum dost ho ki nahin ho?
Tum hamein samajh min nahin aaye.
Tumhaari samay saarani bhi toh ajeeb hai.
Kabhi ek nanhi si jaan ko le jaate ho
Kabhi bade buzurgon ko tadpate ho
Kabhi ikatthe hi poore ke poore gaon aur shahar
Havai jahaaz ya rail,kuch bhi utha le jaate ho.
Kabhi aspataal mein aankh micholi khelte ho
Kabhi kabhi doctor logon ko thodi der ke liye jeet jaane dete ho
Ajeeb ho tum, Miyan .
Phir bhi tum mere pyaare dost ho-
Ek na ek din tum aaoge zaroor.

Cochin, 11th December 2000

This post by Eve's Lungs reminded me of this old poem, written a few days before my mother-in-law passed away.

Edited to add the Devnaagri version. Thanks, Starry, for reminding me of the Hindi font!

यम भाइसाहिब भी मजेदार हैं,
बता कर नहीं आते हैं।
कभी तो दरवाज़े पर खटकाये बिना ही घुस जाते हैं,
और अपना काम करके, मूछ्चें पोंछते हुए
टहल जाते हैं।
और कभी तो इतला दे कर भी
इतना वक्त लगा देते हैं
कि इंतज़ार करते करते लगता है
कि यों ही दम निकल जाएगा।
कभी तो आते हैं, फिर कह देते हैं
" अभी तो में बहुत व्यस्त हूँ
फिर आऊंगा।"
और बैठे रह जाते हैं उनके चाहने वाले,
जो कहते हैं कि कितना और भुग्ताओगे, मेरे दोस्त?
मियां, तुम दोस्त हो कि नहीं हो?
तुम हमें समझ में नहीं आए।
तुम्हारी समय सारणी भी तो अजीब है।
कभी एक नन्ही सी जान को ले जाते हो
कभी बड़े बुजुर्गों को तड़पाते हो
कभी इकट्ठे ही पूरे के पूरे गाँव और शहर
हवाई जहाज़ या रेल, कुच्छ भी उठा ले जाते हो।
कभी अस्पताल में आँख मिचोली खेलते हो
कभी कभी डॉक्टर लोगों को थोड़ी देर के लिए जीत जाने देते हो
अजीब हो तुम, मियां।
फिर भी तुम मेरे प्यारे दोस्त हो -
एक एक दिन आओगे ज़रूर।

12 comments:

uttara said...

wonderfully written, the rhythm is great

dipali said...

@uttara: Thank you.

Phoenixritu said...

Profound true and immensely readable

D said...

So accurate.

starry eyed said...

wow, dipali, this was amazing!

Maybe you could post in in Hindi script too...I think Blogger has that option.

dipali said...

@phoenixritu, D: Thanks!
@starry eyed: Thank you- I did the needful, as we desis often say!

Tasneem R said...

Hi..really your waiting for him to come ?? Lol! By the way very well written ..its amusing ! Thanks :)

Monika said...

Very well written.

Nat said...

presenting death with humour - and did a great job at that. so simple but hit right home.
i just checked out your old snaps too - what a time it seemed like...you're so bloody cute in them. that sofa snap is priceless.

i find too that somewhere in the back of my mind and everyday life, worrying about seemingly no-way can-that-happen has seeped into me. the riots, the disregard for human life and morals everywhere. the latest is this whole marathi-thackeray inspired thing. its mind bogglingly stupid. I mean the very fact that it can happen and is happening is stupefying. I constantly have crazy scenes unfolding in my head too. What if this happened, what if that happened etc etc.
But like one of my friends says, there is definitely more good than bad in this world and we HAVE to believe that.

Sue said...

He's no friend of mine just yet. No doubt he's an acquired taste for when you're older.

dipali said...

@Tasneem R: Not exactly waiting for him, but knowing that he will definitely come some day!
@Monika.Ansh: Thank you.
@nat: Thank you for the several compliments!
Yes, we have to continually train ourselves to remain optimistic in an increasingly, foolishly violent world, because it is otherwise difficult to function with any degree of sanity
@Sue: He is the one invincible reality in this world. He does seem to be horribly unfair, so much of the time.
Some favourite lines from Kabir:
saans saans par naam le,
vyatha saans mat khoi,
na jaane is saans ka
aavan hoye na hoye

Sue said...

Thanks. That sums up my personal philosophy perfectly!