एक खण्डित वृक्ष

मुझको तुम क्या मारोगे,
भस्म तुम्हें मैं कर दूँगा ।
    मूक हूं असहाय नहीं,
    यह फूटा कपाल,
    ये खण्डित अंग,
    ये मोती सम बहते अश्रु,
    मेरे पीड़ित होने का संकेत नहीं,
    अपितु,
     तुम्हारे निर्दयी, राक्षसी प्रवृत्ति
     के प्रमाण हैं ये।
जब जीवन रस बहता था मुझमें,
तुमको तप्ती धूप से औ,
वृष्टि धार से बचा लिया,
अपने अन्तः स्थल में छुपा लिया,
ठंडी पवन के झोंके दे कर,
अपने वक्षस्थल में सुला लिया।
      मन मौजी था मैं,
      कभी कर लेता था,
      अठखेलियाँ मैं।
      ना कुछ मांगा तुझसे,
      ना उलाहना के बोला बोल,
      मैं तो था एक हरा भरा,
      फूलता हुआ गुलमोहर।
आज रोष से भरा है मेरा मन,
तो ले कह देता हूँ,
श्राप नहीं दूँगा कभी,
क्यूंकि यह नहीं प्रकृति मेरी,
पर हाँ यह जान ले,
जीवन रस से मुक्त हो कर,
अब मैं अधिक बलवान हुआ,
यह शुष्क अंग, यह शुष्क देह,
अब प्रतिशोध की ज्वाला में जलते हैं।
      जब तुमने मुझको काटा था,
      यह प्रण किया था मैंने,
      सब प्राणी और प्रकृति से,
      प्रतिषोध तुम्हारा मैं लूंगा।
      प्रतिषोध तुम्हारा मैं लूंगा।
मन की पीड़ा की ज्वाला,
शांत तभी अब होगी,
जब उन कलरव करते पक्षियों की,
जिनकी हृदय भेदी रुदन का,
प्रतिशोध मैं तुमसे ले लूँगा।
      अब देख तू मेरे क्रोध की ज्वाला,
      भस्म तुम्हें मैं कर दूँगा.
      अरे तू क्या मुझे जालायेगा,
      ओ असहाय, निर्लज्ज मनुष्य,
       भस्म तुम्हें में कर दूँगा,
पुनः तुम्हें अपने आगोश में ले कर,
चिर निद्रा में  सुला दूँगा तुम्हें ।
मूक सही असहाय नहीं,
मैं भस्म तुम्हें ही कर दूँगा,
भस्म तुम्हें ही कर दूँगा ।

एक खण्डित वृक्ष। 

Logs Tied With Cord

Two logs of exceptional qualities,

Tied together by somebody intelligent,

With a thick strong cord,

Logs wondered why?

They took it as their destiny,

To be together without wanting to know why?

They were merry pair together,

Floating with time,

In their sorrows and joy,
Together fighting the mighty waves,
Which wanted to break them apart,

Sweep them away from each other.

Time passed,

The cord started weathering,

Losing the strength to hold them firmly together,

This started friction between the logs,

They knew not why and what,

Is causing the discomfort.

Yet remained tied together,
Made merry with each other despite of the friction,

Unknowingly and unintentionally,

Causing deep wound to each other.

For they knew they cannot go against their destiny,

They knew not the strength of bond,

The strings of cord started weakening day by day,

Thread by thread it started wearing off,

But yet the logs did not realize,

It is their destiny which was changing.

They knew not,

The change which was to follow.

One fine day they realized they are no longer tied together,

The last string on cord had snapped.

They wondered,

Oh! What have we not done to strengthen the bond?

They wondered!

Now when the only string holding us has broken,

Even when we drift away,

What is holding us?

Why can’t we get away from each other?

They did not realize,

It was the fluid wave,

Just a wave which was holding them together,

They were always at two ends of the same wave,

And

When one swayed away,
Far away,

The same wave would bring the other near.

How fragile the relation between them had become,

That the ever changing,

Thin fluid wave was the only cause for them to be together.

The wood of logs started to rot,

Due to might of water, air and time,

They started rotting, from outer surface to the inner core,

The rotting bark stretched towards each other like two hands,

But alas! It was too late,

They were so thin and fragile,

That could not hold together without strings attached,

They drifted away to the oblivion,

Wishing they were tied with strong emotions and love,

For it would have not perished with time.

Do not let you be tied to anybody with strings attached,

Do not let people decide your fate,

Be together for love and respect,

Be so strong in your relationship that,

Neither time nor money,

Ego and pride,

Bring you apart.

Have a strong reason to be together,

Do not just allow yourself to be tied together till you rot.

Have courage to snap the cord,

Before it starts becoming weak,

And cause irreparable damage.

Or yet better find a way to strengthen it,

Because relationships are like fragile clay pot,

More it is heated it on the fire,

Of love respect and devotion,

Stronger they become.

Remember you are not a piece of log,

But a living intelligent being,

Take your own decisions and never regret them.

Learn Oh! Humans

Easter day it was,

Upside down I was hanging,

But so were the children on the other tree,

It was a game for them,

Not for me.

They were awaiting a feast I was not,

They were bathed in perfumed water with perfumed soap,

I was made to wallow in my own urine (Ugh!),

They had eyes closed,

They were dreaming of the day ahead,

My eyes were open wide,

I was also dreaming,

Of the day ahead.

Their dreams and mine varied,

because

I was the provider.

I never begged to them for mercy,

Fear was not known to me,

I waited for my destiny,

I had seen my parents do the same.

Then came the dagger with shiny blade,

Slit my throat,

I was happy I died,

For the happiness of others.

For,

Is it not true that,

One should live for cause of others,

Die for the cause of others.

Learn oh! Human, learn from me,

Even if I am a humble sheep.                                        

The Young Lady And My Palash Tree

I Am The Rising Phoenix 

Survivor

Nature calms my agitated mind, plants give me company in my solitude.  When I try to compare humans to plants around me I am intrigued by what I see. 

There are some striking similarities despite of glaring dissimilarities. Specially the similarity between resilience of trees/plants and human is astounding. Yes ofcourse both survive and thrive if they are fittest.

Difference? Apart from resilience human require to be fittest not only physically but also strong mentally with great willpower.

Butea Monosperma also known as Palash or Tesu (At least I know it's two names only) is my tree of inspiration and so is this bubbly, smiling young lady whom I compare with my Palash tree. Hope the reader finds comparison justified. 

It was bright afternoon. Pleasant weather, and clear sky was the prediction. No warning or sign of oncoming storm.

Well that day I realised that when  storm comes unannounced it either destroys us or gets destroyed by our resilience.

There were two of these trees standing majestically near our govt bungalow in DIAT. Their dark green foliage and bright red /orange flowers used to cheer up every passer by. They were thriving, growing high as if sky was the limit. Flowering copiously every season.

We all were cheerful and enjoying with our guests. Suddenly loud rumbling sound, frightening all of us, came from outside.

There at my doorstep was this unpredictable storm with dark clouds and lightening.

Lightening stuck my Palash tree. Cleaving it to half from middle, right from top to bottom. One half was, standing stout, other half lying prone on the ground, it's branches pointing to the standing half as if saying "pick me up". Both bleeding from fresh wound. 

We thought this is the end of our bright flowering tree. 

Months passed, the standing part kept growing, it's wound healing slowly, but the fallen half?
No it did not perish only it's the branches withered. It had strong willpower to survive. 

To our delight we noticed it growing little green offshoots and before we realised these offshoots had already become branches ready to flower. The Phoenix was rising from ashes. 
Now why almost after ten years of leaving govt bungalow I suddenly remembered that beautiful Palash tree?

Well to be truthful I did not remember, but was reminded of it by an old picture of a beautiful, cheerful, girl with odd hair cut . She and my Palash tree have so much in common. 

Yes you guessed it right. She is a fighter, gritty survivor telling the world like my Palash tree that "if one is determined nothing and nobody can defeat you".

She was a bubbly young girl when lightning struck her out of blue. Yes I say out of blue because there were no signs, no indication that she is suffering form of blood cancer. Like my Palash tree she was emotionally wounded.

I was pained to see my Palash tree stuck by lightening, her parents and sibling were hurt and scared beyond imagination. 

Defeat was not in the lexicon of that young girl, her parents and not to mention her dotting brother. Determination to win against all odds and resilience made huge difference. 

It left her physically emotionally and medically drained. But she like my Palash tree said "Defeat? What is that?. I have not read that word in lexicon of my life".

She braved all storms of harsh medical treatments, but came at the top in her class and life. ALWAYS.

She always espoused positivity in thought and action. Else getting out of chemotherapy and going straight to exam is not easy. 
There was no place and time for negativity in her life.

Her parents and sibling were her support, but she became their pillar of strength.

Do you think my Palash tree braved all adversities to spring into life after fall? Well think of her. She must have braved so many internal and external storms. She must have encountered endless demons (fear, anxiety, helplessness,..) but did not let them defeat her.

Today after almost 15 yrs of defeating cancer that bubbly girl has become a beautiful young lady who is a dance exponent, superb baker, successful software engineer, but best a great wife and doting mother to equally talented boy.

In nature it is not only my Palash tree which survives. Have you seen grass. Every form of life walks over it yet its instinct of survival, it's resilience makes it rise from ashes again and again.

When a donkey asked grass "you are trampled the whole day by all forms of life yet why you look so happy every morning?" 
The grass replied " because I know I am being useful to others. I give comfort to the foot which fall on me,
I fill the stomach of hungry animals. 

Despite of hard ground and all the trampling I grow and look happy because I know how to fight odds with positivity.

My dear young lady did you take inspiration from nature? Or nature took inspiration from you? 

Debatable isn't it?

Surely now not only my Palash tree, but you and him both are my inspiration. All those who read this I hope understand that there is much more to life than self pity and negativity. 

It is difficult, very difficult but not impossible to remain positive and say "I can do it, I (my spirit) is undefeatable".

I have not expressed my feeling when my Palash tree fell, and not written much about parents and sibling of the young lady.

May be in future their struggle and rock solid support will be inked.
Till then
Be positive
Take stock of your life and fight all odds and say " I can do it".

*The article is based on true incidents both of Palash tree and the Young lady. Identity of the young lady is not revealed for privacy reason.

वृक्ष और मूल का संवाद

वृक्ष और मूल का संवाद 

सोचा था मिल बैठेंगे

कुछ कहेंगे,

कुछ सुनेंगे,

कभी अपने आंचल से,

दुनिया की जिस तपती धूप से,

ठंडी छाँव में रखा था कभी,

आज उस धूप और छांव की,

कुछ खट्टी, कुछ मीठी,

रसीले किस्से कहानी सुनेंगे सुनाएंगे ।

उत्साह और उन्माद से भरा था मन

भूल गई थी,

वृक्ष जब बड़ा होता है,

दुनिया को छाँव देता है,

किन्तु उसका मूल आधार,

समय के काल चक्र के साथ,

अंधकार मे भी,

सुख की खोज में,

धरती की गोद मे,

ना जाने कितने दुःख,

कितनी आशाएं,

अपने अन्तःकरण छुपाये,

लुप्त हो जाता है,

सदा के लिए।

तब मूल ने निनाद किया

इस अंधेरे मे अकेले दम घुटता है,

मेरी सुध कब लोगे।

वृक्ष बोला

तुम तो मेरी आधार शिला हो,

तुम्हें नहीं है डगमगाना,

तुम जितनी गहराई मे जाती हो,

मैं उतना ही ऊंचा उठता हूं,

मुझे अपार शिखर को छूने दो।

वह चुप रही

सहनशीलता की मूरत बन कर,

धरती की गोद में समा गई,

आधार शिला ही बन कर रह गई।

आधार शिला ही बन कर रह गई।

मन की पीड़ा

वह अश्रु धार, 

वह रक्त धार, 

वह असह्य पीड़ा से भरे नेत्र, 

भूल नहीं पाऊँगी कभी।

वह गगन भेदी चीख तुम्हारी, 

फिर शून्य का जैसा सन्नाटा, 

वह सिसकी से भरी श्वास तुम्हारी, 

वह मासूम,
प्रश्न चिन्ह से अंकित चेहरा, 

भूल नहीं पाऊँगी कभी।

भयभीत सी रहती थी सदा, 

कहीं चूक ना फिर से हो जाये, 

इस पूर्णिमा के चांँद से मुख पर, 

राहू ना कोई नजर डाले, 

केतु ना कोई छाया डाले, 

उस ग्रहण समय को, 

जब चाँद सा मुखड़ा, 

अश्रु सिंचित था, 

भूल नहीं पाऊँगी कभी।

क्षमा याचना करती हूँ, 

ईश्वर से, 

जो तुम्हारे, 

अन्तः करण में बसता है। 

हाथ जोड़ माँगू ईश्वर से 

तुम 

अपनी किलकारी से, 

उनमुक्त खिलखिलाहट से, 

उन्मादित करदो मेरा अन्तर मन।

उन्मादित करदो मेरा अन्तर मन ।

तुम्हारी दादी।

Who Are You

Who are you? I asked.

He gave no reply,

Why do I have such love,

And longing for you?

He kept quiet,

Or was he really quiet?

Was it the figment,

Of my imagination,

Because,

I have not met him,

Never seen him,

Oh have not even been,

Anywhere near him.

It was indeed my imagination,

A dream most pleasant.

Yes I was dreaming,

I am with him,

Hugging him,

Kissing him,

Cuddling him,

His smile bringing sunshine,

In the eve of my life.

Then the babbling wakes me up,

My daydreaming comes to an end,

He is near me,

My love of my life

Lying on mat,

Next to me.

I look at him,

And am rewarded by,

Most beautiful toothless smile.

My heart melts,

I get my answers,

I hug him,

Take him with me,

To the dream world of mine.

Listening to gurgling sound,

Endless chattering.

I forget that I have to return back,

From dream world.

My reverie is broken,

By a loud scream,

Reminding me,

It is feeding time,

Oh my baby you give me,

such beautiful looks,

My elf,

My Ajay,

You are love of my life.

You are my sunshine.