dayar-e-hind tha gahvara yaad hai hamdam
bahut zamana hua kis ke kis ke bachpan ka
isi zamin pe khela hai ‘ram’ ka bachpan
isi zamin pe un nanhe nanhe hathon ne
kisi samay men dhanush-ban ko sambhala tha
isi dayar ne dekhi hai ‘krishn’ ki liila
yahin gharondon men siita sulochana radha
kisi zamane men gudiyon se khelti hongi
yahi zamin yahi dariya pahad jangal baagh
yahi havaen yahi subh-o-sham suraj chand
yahi ghataen yahi barq-o-raad o qaus-e-quzah
yahin ke giit rivayat mausamon ke julus
hua zamana ki ‘siddharth’ ke the gahvare
inhi nazaron men bachpan kata tha ‘vikram’ ka
suna hai ‘bhartarhari’ bhi inhin se khela tha
‘bharat’ agastya’ ‘kapil’ ‘vyas’ ‘pashi’ ‘kautilya’
‘janak’ vashishth’ ‘manu’ ‘valmik’ vishvamitr
‘kanad’ ‘gautam’ o ramanuj ‘kumaril-bhatt’
mohanjodaro hadappa ke aur ajanta ke
banane vaale yahin ballamon se khele the
isi hindole men ‘bhavabhut’ o ‘kalidas’ kabhi
humak humak ke jo tutla ke gungunae the
sarasvati ne zabanon ko un ki chuma tha
yahin ke chand va suraj khilaune the un ke
inhin fazaon men bachpan pala tha ‘khusrav’ ka
isi zamin se uthe ‘tansen’ aur ‘akbar’
‘rahim’ ‘nanak’ o ‘chaitanya’ aur ‘chishti’ ne
inhin fazaon men bachpan ke din guzare the
isi zamin pe kabhi shazada-e-‘khurram’
zara si dil-shikani par jo ro diya hoga
bhar aaya tha dil-e-nazuk to kya ajab is men
in ansuon men jhalak taaj ki bhi dekhi ho
‘ahalyabai’ ‘daman’ ‘padmini’ o ‘raziya’ ne
yahin ke pedon ki shakhon men daale the jhule
isi faza men badhai thi peng bachpan ki
inhi nazaron men savan ke giit gaae the
isi zamin pe ghutnon ke bal chale honge
‘malik-mohammad’ o ‘raskhan’ aur ‘tulsi-das’
inhin fazaon men gunji thi totli boli
‘kabir-das’ ‘tukaram’ ‘sur’ o ‘mira’ ki
isi hindole men ‘viddypati’ ka kanth khula
isi zamin ke the laal ‘mir’ o ‘ghalib’ bhi
thumak thumak ke chale the gharon ke angan men
‘anis’ o ‘hali’ o ‘iqbal’ aur ‘varis-shah’
yahin ki khaak se ubhre the ‘premchand’ o ‘tagore’
yahin se utthe the tahzib-e-hind ke meamar
isi zamin ne dekha tha bal-pan in ka
yahin dikhai thiin in sab ne bal-lilaen
yahin har ek ke bachpan ne tarbiyat paai
yahin har ek ke jivan ka balkand khula
yahin se uthte bagulon ke saath daude hain
yahin ki mast ghataon ke saath jhume hain
yahin ki madh-bhari barsat men nahae hain
lipat ke kichad o paani se bachpane un ke
isi zamin se utthe vo desh ke savant
uda diya tha jinhen company ne topon se
isi zamin se uthi hain an-ginat naslen
pale hain hind hindole men an-ginat bachche
mujh aise kitne hi gumnam bachche khele hain
isi zamin se isi men supurd-e-khak hue
zamin-e-hind ab aram-gah hai un ki
is arz-e-pak se utthin bahut si tahziben
yahin tulu huiin aur yahin ghurub huiin
isi zamin se ubhre kai ulum-o-funun
faraz-e-koh-e-himala ye daur-e-gang-o-jaman
aur in ki god men parvarda karvanon ne
yahin rumuz-e-khiram-e-sukun-numa sikhe
nasim-e-subh-e-tamaddun ne bhairvin chhedi
yahin vatan ke taranon ki vo paven phuten
vo be-qarar sukun-za tarannum-e-sahari
vo kapkapate hue soz-o-saz ke shoale
inhi fazaon men angdaiyan jo le ke uthe
lavon se jin ke charaghan hui thi bazm-e-hayat
jinhon ne hind ki tahzib ko zamana hua
bahut se zaviyon se aina dikhaya tha
isi zamin pe dhali hai miri hayat ki shaam
isi zamin pe vo subh muskurai hai
tamam shoala o shabnam miri hayat ki subh
sunaun aaj kahani main apne bachpan ki
dil-o-dimagh ki kaliyan abhi na chatki thiin
hamesha khelta rahta tha bhaai bahnon men
hamare saath mohalle ki ladkiyan ladke
machae rakhte the balak udham har ek ghadi
lahu tarang uchhal-phand ka ye aalam tha
mohalla sar pe uthae phire jidhar guzre
hamare chahchahe aur shor gunjte rahte
chahar-samt mohalle ke goshe goshe men
faza men aaj bhi la-raib gunjte honge
agarche dusre bachchon ki tarah tha main bhi
ba-zahir auron ke bachpan sa tha mira bachpan
ye sab sahi mire bachpan ki shakhsiyat bhi thi ek
vo shakhsiyat ki bahut shokh jis ke the khad-o-khal
ada ada men koi shan-e-infiradi thi
gharaz kuchh aur hi lachchhan the mere bachpan ke
mujhe tha chhote badon se bahut shadid lagav
har ek par main chhidakta tha apni nannhi si jaan
dil umda aata tha aisa ki ji ye chahta tha
utha ke rakh luun kaleje men apni duniya ko
mujhe hai yaad abhi tak ki khel-kud men bhi
kuchh aise vaqfe pur-asrar aa hi jaate the
ki jin men sochne lagta tha kuchh mira bachpan
kai maani-e-be-lafz chhune lagte the
butun-e-ghaib se mere shuur-e-asghar ko
har ek manzar-e-manus ghar ka har gosha
kisi tarah ki ho ghar men saji hui har chiiz
mire mohalle ki galiyan makan dar-o-divar
chabutre kuen kuchh ped jhadiyan belen
vo pheri vaale kai un ke bhant bhant ke bol
vo jaane bujhe manazir vo asman o zamin
badalte vaqt ka aina garmi-o-khunki
ghurub-e-mahr men rangon ka jagta jaadu
shafaq ke shish-mahal men gudaz-e-pinhan se
javahron ki chatanen si kuchh pighalti huiin
shajar hajar ki vo kuchh sochti hui duniya
suhani raat ki manus ramaziyat ka fusun
alassabah ufuq ki vo thartharati bhaven
kisi ka jhankna ahista phutti pau se
vo dopahar ka samay darja-e-tapish ka chadhav
thaki thaki si faza men vo zindagi ka utaar
hua ki bansiyan bansvadiyon men bajti huiin
vo din ke badhte hue saae sah-pahar ka sukun
sukut shaam ka jab donon vaqt milte hain
gharaz jhalakte hue sarsari manazir par
mujhe guman paristaniyat ka hota tha
har ek chiiz ki vo khvab-nak asliyyat
mire shuur ki chilman se jhankta tha koi
liye rububiyat-e-kaenat ka ehsas
har ek jalve men ghaib o shuhud ka vo milap
har ik nazara ik aina-khana-e-hairat
har ek manzar-e-manus ek hairat-zar
kahin rahun kahin khelon kahin padhun likhun
mire shuur pe mandlate the manazir-e-dahr
main akasr un ke tasavvur men duub jaata tha
vafur-e-jazba se ho jaati thi mizha pur-nam
mujhe yaqin hai in unsuri manazir se
ki aam bachchon se leta tha main ziyada asar
kisi samay miri tifli rahi na be-parva
na chhu saki miri tifli ko ghaflat-e-tifli
ye khel-kud ke lamhon men hota tha ehsas
duaen deta ho jaise mujhe sukut-e-davam
ki jaise haath abad rakh de dosh-e-tifli par
har ek lamha ke rakhnon se jhankti sadiyan
kahaniyan jo sunun un men duub jaata tha
ki aadmi ke liye aadmi ki jag-biti
se badh ke kaun si shai aur ho hi sakti hai
inhi fasanon men pinhan the zindagi ke rumuz
inhi fasanon men khulte the raz-ha-e-hayat
unhen fasanon men milti thiin ziist ki qadren
rumuz-e-besh-baha theth admiyat ke
kahaniyan thiin ki sad-dars-gah-e-riqqat-e-qalb
har ik kahani men shaistagi-e-gham ka sabaq
vo unsur ansuon ka dastan-e-insan men
vo nal-daman ki katha sarguzasht-e-savitri
‘shakuntla’ ki kahani ‘bharat’ ki qurbani
vo marg-e-bhishm-pitamah vo sej tiron ki
vo pan.cho pandav ki sovarg-yatra ki katha
vatan se rukhsat-e-‘siddharth’ ‘ram’ ka ban-bas
vafa ke baad bhi ‘sita’ ki vo jala-vatani
vo raton-rat ‘siri-krishn’ ko uthae hue
bala ki qaid se ‘basdev’ ka nikal jaana
vo andhkar vo barish, badhi hui jamuna
gham-e-afrin kahani vo ‘hir’ ‘ranjha’ ki
shuur-e-hind ke bachpan ki yadgar-e-azim
ki aise vaise takhayyul ki saans ukhad jaae
kai muhayyur-e-idrak dev-malayen
hitopdesh ke qisse katha sarat-sagar
karodon sinon men vo gunjta hua aalha
main puchhta huun kisi aur malak valon se
kahaniyon ki ye daulat ye be-baha daulat
fasane dekh lo in ke nazar bhi aati hai
main puchhta huun ki gahvare aur qaumon ke
base hue hain kahin aisi dastanon se
kahaniyan jo main sunta tha apne bachpan men
mire liye vo na thiin mahz bais-e-tafrih
fasanon se mire bachpan ne sochna sikha
fasanon se mujhe sanjidgi ke dars mile
fasanon men nazar aati thi mujh ko ye duniya
gham o khushi men rachi pyaar men basai hui
fasanon se mire dil ne ghulavaten pain
yahi nahin ki mashahir hi ke afsane
zara si umr men karte hon mujh ko mutaassir
mohalle tole ke gumnam adamiyyon ke
kuchh aise sunne men aate the vaqiat-e-hayat
jon yuun to hote the farsuda aur maamuli
magar the aine ikhlas aur sharafat ke
ye chand aai gai baten aisi baten thiin
ki jin ki ot chamakta tha dard-e-insani
ye vardat nahin razmiyye hayat ke the
gharaz ki ye hain mire bachpane ki tasviren
nadim aur bhi kuchh khatt-o-khal hain un ke
ye meri maan ka hai kahna ki jab main bachcha tha
main aise aadmi ki god men na jaata tha
jo bad-qimar ho aibi ho ya ho bad-surat
mujhe bhi yaad hai nau das baras hi ka main tha
to mujh pe karta tha jaadu sa husn-e-insani
kuchh aisa hota tha mahsus jab main dekhta tha
shagufta rang tar-o-taza ruup valon ka
ki un ki aanch miri haddiyan gala degi
ik azmaish-e-jan thi ki tha shuur-e-jamal
aur us ki nashtariyyat us ki ustukhan-sozi
gham o nashat lagavat mohabbat o nafrat
ik intishar-e-sakun iztirab pyaar itaab
vo be-panah zaki-ul-hisi vo hilm o ghurur
kabhi kabhi vo bhare ghar men hiss-e-tanhai
vo vahshaten miri mahaul-e-khush-gavar men bhi
miri sarisht men ziddain ke kai jode
shurua hi se the maujud ab-o-tab ke saath
mire mizaj men pinhan thi ek jadaliyyat
ragon men chhutte rahte the be-shumar anaar
nadim ye hain mire bal-pan ke kuchh asar
vafur o shiddat-e-jazbat ka ye aalam tha
ki kaunde jast karen dil ke abgine men
vo bachpana jise bardasht apni mushkil ho
vo bachpana jo khud apni hi tevriyan si chadhae
nadim zikr-e-javani se kaanp jaata huun
javani aai dabe paanv aur yuun aai
ki us ke aate hi bigda bana-banaya khel
vo khvahishat ke jazbat ke umadte hue
vo honkte hue be-nam aag ke tufan
vo phutta hua jvala-mukhi javani ka
ragon men uthti hui andhiyon ke vo jhatke
ki jo tavazun-e-hasti jhinjhod ke rakh den
vo zalzale ki pahadon ke pair ukhad jaaen
bulughiyat ki vo tisen vo karb-e-nashv-o-numa
aur aise men mujhe byaha gaya bhala kis se
jo ho na sakti thi hargiz miri sharik-e-hayat
ham ek dusre ke vaste bane hi na the
siyah ho gai duniya miri nigahon men
vo jis ko kahte hain shadi-e-khana-abadi
mire liye vo bani bevgi javani ki
luta suhag miri zindagi ka mando men
nadim kha gai mujh ko nazar javani ki
bala-e-jan mujhe ho gaya shuur-e-jamal
talash-e-shola-e-ulfat se ye hua hasil
ki nafraton ka agan-kund ban gai hasti
vo halq o siina o rag rag men be-panah chubha
nadim jaise nigal li ho main ne nag-phani
z ishq-zadam o ishqam kamusht zar-o-daregh
khabar na burd ba-rustam kase ki sohrabam
na puchh alam-e-kam-o-dahan nadim mire
samar hayat ka jab raakh bin gaya munh men
main chalti-phirti chita ban gaya javani ki
main kandha deta raha apne jiite murde ko
ye sochta tha ki ab kya karun kahan jaun
bahut se aur masaib bhi mujh pe tuut pade
main dhundhne laga har samt sachchi jhuti panah
talash-e-husn men sher-o-adab men dosti men
rundhi sada se mohabbat ki bhiik mangi hai
nae sire se samajhna pada hai duniya ko
bade jatan se sambhala hai khud ko main ne nadim
mujhe sambhalne men to chalis saal guzre hain
meri hayat to vish-pan ki katha hai nadim
main zahr pi ke zamane ko de saka amrit
na puchh main ne jo zahraba-e-hayat piya
magar huun dil se main is ke liye sipas-guzar
larazte hathon se daman khulus ka na chhata
bacha ke rakkhi thi main ne amanat-e-tifli
ise na chhin saki mujh se dast-burd-e-shabab
ba-qaul shaer-e-mulk-e-farang har bachcha
khud apne ahd-e-javani ka baap hota hai
ye kam nahin hai ki tifli-e-rafta chhod gai
dil-e-hazin men kai chhote chhote naqsh-e-qadam
miri ana ki ragon men pade hue hain abhi
na jaane kitne bahut narm ungliyon ke nishan
hanuz vaqt ke be-dard haath kar na sake
hayat-e-rafta ki zinda nishaniyon ko fana
zamana chhin sakega na meri fitrat se
miri safa mire tahtush-shuur ki ismat
takhaiyyulat ki doshizgi ka radd-e-amal
javan ho ke bhi be-laus tifl-vash jazbat
syana hone pe bhi ye jibillaten meri
ye sarkhushi o gham be-riya ye qalb-gudaz
baghair bair ke an-ban gharaz se paak tapak
gharaz se paak ye aansu gharaz se paak hansi
ye dasht-e-dahr men hamdardiyon ka sar-chashma
qubuliyat ka ye jazba ye kaenat o hayat
is arz-e-pak par iman ye ham-ahangi
har aadmi se har ik khvab o ziist se ye lagav
ye maan ki god ka ehsas sab manazir men
qarib o duur zamin men ye bu-e-vataniyyat
nizam-e-shams-o-qamar men payam-e-hifz-e-hayat
ba-chashm-e-sham-o-sahar mamta ki shabnam si
ye saaz o dil men mire naghma-e-analkaunain
har iztirab men ruh-e-sukun-e-be-payan
zamana-e-guzaran men davam ka sargam
ye bazm-e-jashn-e-hayat-o-mamat sajti hui
kisi ki yaad ki shahnaiyan si bajti hui
ye ramaziyat ke anasir shuur-e-pukhta men
falak pe vajd men laati hai jo farishton ko
vo shaeri bhi bulugh-e-mizaj-e-tifli hai
ye nashtariyyat-e-hasti ye is ki sheriyat
ye patti patti pe gulzar-e-zindagi ke kisi
latif nuur ki parchhaiyan si padti hui
baham ye hairat o manusiyat ki sargoshi
bashar ki zaat ki mahr-e-uluhiyat ba-jabin
abad ke dil men jaden marta hua sabza
gham-e-jahan mujhe ankhen dikha nahin sakta
ki ankhen dekhe hue huun main ne apne bachpan ki
mire lahu men abhi tak sunai deti hain
sukut-e-huzn men bhi ghunghruon ki jhankaren
ye aur baat ki main is pe kaan de na sakun
isi vadiat-e-tifli ka ab sahara hai
yahi hain marham-e-kafur dil ke zakhmon par
unhi ko rakhna hai mahfuz ta-dam-e-akhir
zamin-e-hind hai gahvara aaj bhi hamdam
agar hisab karen das karod bachchon ka
ye bachche hind ki sab se badi amanat hain
har ek bachche men hain sad-jahan-e-imkanat
magar vatan ka hal-o-aqd jin ke haath men hai
nizam-e-zindagi-e-hind jin ke bas men hai
ravayya dekh ke un ka ye kahna padta hai
kise padi hai ki samjhe vo is amanat ko
kise padi hai ki bachchon ki zindagi ko bachae
kharab hone se talne se suukh jaane se
bachae kaun in azurda honharon ko
vo zindagi jise ye de rahe hain bharat ko
karodon bachchon ke mitne ka ik alamiyya hai
churae jaate hain bachche abhi gharon se yahan
ki jism tod diye jaaen un ke taaki mile
churane valon ko khairat magh-mele ki
jo is azaab se bach jaaen to gale pad jaaen
vo laanten ki hamare karodon bachchon ki
nadim khair se mitti kharab ho jaae
vo muflisi ki khushi chhin le vo be-bargi
udasiyon se bhari zindagi ki be-rangi
vo yasiyat na jis ko chhue shua-e-umid
vo ankhen dekhti hain har taraf jo be-nuri
vo tuktuki ki jo pathra ke rah gai ho nadim
vo be-dili ki hansi chhin le jo honton se
vo dukh ki jis se sitaron ki aankh bhar aae
vo gandagi vo kasafat maraz-zada paikar
vo bachche chhin gae hon jin se bachpane un ke
hamin ne ghont diya jis ke bachpane ka gala
jo khate-pite gharon ke hain bachche un ko bhi kya
samaj phulne-phalne ke de saka sadhan
vo saans lete hain tahzib-kush fazaon men
ham un ko dete hain be-jan aur ghalat taalim
milega ilm-e-jihalat-numa se kya un ko
nikal ke madrason aur universitiyyon se
ye bad-nasib na ghar ke na ghaat ke honge
main puchhta huun ye taalim hai ki makkari
karodon zindagiyon se ye be-panah dagha
nisab aisa ki mehnat karen agar is par
bajae ilm jahalat ka iktisab karen
ye ulta dars-e-adab ye sadi hui taalim
dimagh ki ho ghiza ya ghiza-e-jismani
har ik tarah ki ghiza men yahan milavat hai
vo jis ko bachchon ki taalim kah ke dete hain
vo dars ulti chhuri hai gale pe bachpan ke
zamin-e-hind hindola nahin hai bachchon ka
karodon bachchon ka ye des ab janaza hai
ham inqalab ke khatron se khuub vaqif hain
kuchh aur roz yahi rah gae jo lail-o-nahar
to mol lena padega hamen ye khatra bhi
ki bachche qaum ki sab se badi amanat hain
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