The Yellow Rabbit

I made up this story for my niece instantaneously. I think I had to allure her for something. Was it a kiss or a hug or some promise? Well, I don't remember. I allure her so much for so many things. This time I allured her with a story. This is a story which she likes, remembers and asks me to tell it to her from time to time.

The Yellow Rabbit

Once there was a very big forest. There used to live a yellow rabbit in that forest. The rabbit was very beautiful and was of a shining bright yellow color. He roamed around the jungle by himself. He used to eat carrots from the garden of a very old lady who used to live alone. He went there everyday, would pluck out fresh carrots and would eat them. He found the taste of fresh sweet carrots simply heavenly. He never told  about this garden to anyone else. He thought if more people knew, he would get lesser carrots.

One day the old lady was working in the garden. She noticed that though she hadn't picked out any carrots from the ground, some carrots were missing. She had seen them yesterday and had planned to pick them the next day. She had observed their leaves and she knew that they were ready to be taken out of the ground. She thought of making carrot soup with them. But now to her dismay, there were no carrots at that place. She wondered and said to herself "where have the carrots gone?" She didn't remember plucking them out at all. She feared that someone might be stealing from her field. Now how would she figure out who was the thief.

She was a clever lady. She had been living on her own for quite some time now. She knew how to fight the world alone. She made a plan. She thought she would sit by the window and wait for the one who came to steal from her field. She was sure that if someone had stolen carrots from her garden, he or she would come for more. She was confident about the sweet taste of her carrots. After all she had taken such good care of them. So right from the next day, she started sitting by the side of her window facing the garden,  hidden behind the curtain. With a cup of tea in her hand, she sat from the morning till night in hope to catch the one who had been stealing from her field. Those carrots were dear to her. She had spent time caressing them. From the time she sowed them, to the point she took them out, then cooked them or ate them raw, it was all a joy to her. Not much was left in her life now apart from this garden of hers. This garden was a little more dear to her as she and her husband had build it together.

The rabbit was unaware of whats going on. It was just like any other day to him. He got up a little late. He had slept a lot and was feeling fresh and hungry. He thought to himself while brushing his teeth that he would straight away go to the garden and eat some fresh carrots. That would be the best way to start his day. He did the same. He came out of his home singing songs and was cheerful and was jumping. He reached the garden, went inside and plucked a ripe carrot and started munching it. The carrot had a bright red color. The old lady was sitting beside the window hidden behind the curtain.  She saw the rabbit reaching the garden and then plucking out the carrot. She thought that she would go out and catch the rabbit there and then. If she could catch the rabbit still in action he would not dare to do this again. With these thoughts in her mind, she stood up and started to walk out of her house into the garden.

She was walking very swiftly so that she may not startle the rabbit. She was so surprised to see the yellow rabbit. She had never seen a yellow rabbit before. She was amazed by the beauty of the rabbit. The yellow rabbit was shining in the bright sun. But what could she do. She had to catch him and stop him from stealing from her field. As she walked in the grass, the rabbit heard something. He heard the hustling of the grass. Oh god! He saw the old lady walking towards him. He had seen her working in the filed a number of times. He was clever and didn't think much and started running. He ran fast and just disappeared from the field. He ran towards his house. He ran fast and didn't look behind. The old lady was standing there as she saw him running. She couldn't do anything but was happy to have scared off the yellow rabbit. She worked for a bit in the garden and went inside.

The rabbit reached home. He was hungry and anxious. He was not sure what he would do next. People would come to know of his secret if he would not eat for a few days from the field. The secret that no one knew till now. He had been able to keep it a secret for a while. A few days passed by, but he could not gather the courage to pass by the field of the old lady. One day when the rabbit was sitting outside his house, his neighbor, the chatty monkey was passing by. The monkey turned towards him and wished him good morning. The rabbit acknowledged and wished him back. Then it happened. It was something the rabbit feared the most. The monkey said that the rabbit was looking a little sick and he looked all faded out. The curious monkey asked the rabbit what was wrong. The rabbit avoided looking into his eyes and said he was down with fever. The monkey went on, wishing that he may get better soon.

Rabbit had to think of a plan and so did he. I told you, he was no regular rabbit. He was clever and had a secret. The secret was, that his bright yellow color started fading out when he did not eat the carrots from that old lady's farm. He had tried other farms and had eaten their carrots but nothing changed. Maybe it was somehow related to the fact that his parents used to live in the shed behind the old lady's house and all while he was inside her mother, she ate the old lady farm's carrots. So now he had to continuously eat carrots from her field, to keep his bright yellow color intact.

He made a plan.

He built an underground tunnel from a nearby oak's tree to the old lady's farm. He used his teeth, hands and legs to do all the digging. Day by day he worked and finally he completed it. He had to test this. He was unsure if he would be caught. He started from beneath the oak tree and crawled inside the tunnel slowly. He reached the end of the tunnel. The tunnel ended right in the middle of the garden where the carrots were growing. The tunnel was a little below the level of carrots. As he reached the end, he dug upwards. He got hold of a carrot and pulled it inside with force. It took him a few minutes but looked like his plan was working. There it was, a bright red carrot with leafs. He then used the soil which had fallen inside the tunnel, to cover the gap made by pulling the carrot. He sat there and ate the carrot very fast. He was very hungry and was missing the sweet taste of these carrots. His mother had left him long back but the taste of these carrots always reminded him of her. After all he grew up inside her eating them. His plan had worked. The old lady wouldn't be able to catch him even if she knew the carrots were being stolen. The carrots were so dense that it was very difficult to notice the leaves of one carrot disappearing from behind that window or from inside the house. He knew the timings when the old lady worked in the field and had never visited the field during those times. He was very happy. He went back through the tunnel to his house.

Next day as he was sitting outside his house the chatty monkey passed again. This time he wished the rabbit good afternoon and asked him how come he looked so happy and bright.The rabbit giggled and replied that its all because of the good food he had been eating.

This is one of the favorite stories of my niece. Obviously the version I tell is shorter and not so descriptive. 

रुखसत

जब  भी मैं देखती हूँ खुद को आईने में,

ऐसा क्यूँ लगता है कि कुछ अधूरा है,

क्या है कुछ समझ नहीं आता,

प्रतिबिम्ब भी मेरा कुछ नहीं बतलाता 

दूर तुमने किया है,

समझाया भी है बहोत मुझे,

काश तुम समझ पाते,

ऐसे नहीं समझायी जाती ये बातें 

रुखसत किया जो जीवन से एक बार,

तो चली तो गयी मैं हमेशा के लिए,

महसूस हुआ पर ऐसे,

कि दिल कदमो तले रख कर कुचला है किसी ने 

प्यार करने में  देरी हुई या जल्दबाजी, ये पता नहीं,

तुम नहीं हो मेरे काबिल ये जरूर समझी मैं,

शर्ते लगायी तुमने इतनी कि हैरान थी मेरी तन्हाई भी,

क्या ये शख्स है वही, जिसके लिए हमने घंटो इतनी बातें कि  

जब क्युकि लेकिन किन्तु परन्तु हो इतने,

नहीं चल पाती दिल कि बात,

जगह ही न बचे जहा मासूम जज्बातो कि ,

क्या है औकात ऐसी इश्कबाजी कि

जाओ तुम, आजाद करती हूँ मैं,

मेरे लिए तुम थे ही नहि,

पूछना चाहती हूँ बस उनसे एक बार,

दिए क्यों ऐसे एहसास, जो ठन्डे ही सही, पर अंगारे बन कर दहकते है अब भी अंदर ही

हिमांशु गर्ग

लिखती हूँ आज तुम्हारी खिदमत में मैं कुछ 
होंसला तो किया है 
ऐसे व्यक्तित्व को कागज पर उतारना आंसा नहीं 
सो भूल कुछ हो जाये तो मेरी कोई खता नहीं 

तुमसे मिली थी पहली बार
कॉफ़ी की उस दुकान पर
मिलाया था उस दोस्त ने 
जिसकी मैं आज भी हूँ शुक्रगुजार 
बात तो की तुमने मुझसे 
बस नजरें थी तुम्हारी कही ओर
और मुख पर था शर्मीलेपन का नकाब

प्यार आता है तबसे तुम पर
बात या कई बार बिना बात
मिलना जुलना अक्सर होता रहा फिर
मुलाकातों के बाद और कई हुई मुलाकात
दोस्ती गहराती गयी
और हाथ पकड़ कर चलने लगे हम एक दूसरे के साथ

मोड़ आये कुछ ऐसे, की छोड़ दिए हमने वो हाथ
भाई बनाया था तुम्हे
पर निभा ना पायी वो जजबात
आज भी शर्मिंदा हूँ,
की काश उन पलो को वापस जी लू, हो के तुम्हारे साथ
याद किया बहोत उस वक़्त भी
बहा कर आंसुओ में अपने हालात

वक़्त निकलता गया
तुम अपने रास्ते चले और मैं अपने
तुम्हारे भी कदम बढे
और मेरे भी सजे कुछ सपने'
खबरे तो मिलती रही तुम्हारी
और मेरी पहोचती रही तुम तक
यही था जरिया बस
दोस्ती निभती रही शायद फिर भी

मिले हम रास्ते पर फिर से एक बार
इस बार बढ़ कर पकड़ लिया तुमने मेरा हाथ
और लिपट गयी मैं भी
खुशियों से हो कर सरोबार
साथ बिताये काफी लम्हे
की खूब मस्तिया भी
समझ आ गया हमें
की इस दोस्ती की अब परवाह नहीं
प्यार है इतना की आंधियो से भी ये मिटे नहीं

तुम और तुम्हारी बातें अक्सर याद आती है
आंखें ढूंढती है उन्हें जो हर वक़्त मुस्कुराते है
कोई ऐसी बात नहीं जो हमने कही ना हो
कोई ऐसा सवाल नहीं जो तुम्हारे सामने बेवजह गया हो
तुम्हारे प्यार दिखाने के तरीके अलग है
आज भी याद अगर करूँ तो गुदगुदा पड़ती हूँ

कहते हो तुम की तुम्हारा प्रतिबिम्ब मुझमे दिखता है
तुम्हारे प्रतिबिम्ब के सामने मेरा अस्तित्व ऐसा है
जैसे सूरज के सामने एक दीपक
जैसे समुद्र के सामने वो एक बूँद
जैसे पर्वतो के सामने एक टीला
जैसे तूफां के सामने एक झोका'
जैसे तू हवा महल और मैं झरोखा

तुम मुस्कुरा दो तो फूल खिलखिला पडे
तुम चल पड़ो तो हवाएं मुड जाये
तुम ठान लो तो शिखर भी सर झुकाए
तुम कह दो तो कोयल भी खिलखिलाए
तुम रुख करो तो बादल भी बरसाए

प्यार के स्रोत हो तुम
साधारण जीवन की मिसाल
मचलते समुद्र का किनारा
और ठंडक ऐसी जैसे वर्षा की पहली फुहार
माटी से जो मीठी खुशबू आती है ना
वो वातावरण ले कर चलते हो तुम अपने साथ
मुश्किलों में होंसला हो
दोस्तों में दोस्त
और मेरे जीवन की बहार 

Words

You are just words.

Then what is it that makes me so happy when I pour you out?

Doesn't matter if you are in a story or a poem.

I hold you together and mold you upside down

I define your existence

You are my creation

You are my thoughts

and yet you express me

You bring out the poet in me

that I did not know existed even layers beneath

एक घर

घर बसाना चाहती हूँ एक तुम्हारे साथ

छोटा सा, दूर उस नदी के पार

क्यारियों में लाल गुलाब लगायेगे

उस नीम के पेड़ पर झूला दल्वायेगे

दीवारों पर तुम्हारी मेरी तस्वीरें लगायेगे

तस्वीरो से झांकती हुई हंसी में खिल्खिलायेगे

चिड़िया मैना के लिए एक छोटी सी मटकी टान्गेगे

बच्चे जब निकलेगे उनके, उन्हें फुर फुर उड़ायेंगे

सर्दियों में धूप सेंकेंगे आँगन में बैठ कर

दिन ढलेगा जब, तब अन्दर आ जायेगे

चाय पीयेगे बैठ कर घर की देहलीज पर

दुनिया को देखेगे बस दूर से ही सहज कर

बसंत में बागीचे के पेड़ पर फूल जब आयेगे

गुलदस्ता उनका बना कर कमरे में सजायेगे

बारिशे जब होगी और हवा चलेगी तेज खूब

खिड़की दरवाजें बंद कर घर में दुबक जायेगे

ऐसा नहीं है की डर लगता है तूफाँ से मुझे

तूफाँ तो देख चुकी हूँ बहोत मैं

महफूज लगता है पर करीब तुम्हारे

जितना नहीं लगता किसी भी और किनारे

एक बार काश तुम कहते 

भले झूठ ही सही 

पर मेरा दिल तो बहलाते 

की आ जाओगे सब छोड़ कर मेरे लिए

समेट लोगे मुझे बाहों में अपनी 

उससे ज्यादा कुछ और मुझे चाहिए भी तो नहीं

यूँ तो मैं लड़ सकती हूँ सबसे

पर जब बात आती है तुम्हारी

खुद के ही आगे कमज़ोर पड़ जाती हूँ 

हकीकत के झरोको से सपनो में झांकती हूँ

तुम्हारे साथ एहसास जो इतने जुडे है

अलग करती हूँ उन्हें तो वो चीख पड़ते है

पर तुम चिंता ना करना

भुझा दूगी उन सपनो के दिए मैं 

दबा दूगी उन एहसासों को माटी तले मैं 

जो परेशां करते है तुम्हे

और जिन्हें पूरा करने के लिए शायद दूसरा जन्म हमें लेना पड़े

Smiling back at me..

There are times when people refer to themselves as we,

I guess I shall feel alone then.

But all I do is close my eyes

and in the infinite darkness of this world

I can see your face.

I can see you are smiling back at me. No matter what.

एहसास

तेरी खुश्बु है आती अभि तक मेरी रूह से
तेरे स्पर्ष का है एहसास बाकि अभि
तेरे हाथों की गर्मी को महसूस करति हू मै
तेरे हाथों की नर्मी क एहसास भी गया नहीं
बालों मे हर संसनाहट का तु हि जिम्मेदार है
होठो के कपकपाने कि वजह भी है तु हि
उन सुन्हरी सुबहो मे साथ तु था जब
मुस्कुरआती हुइ आती थि किरने भी
शामो का तो पूछना हि क्या
ऐसी चाँदनी तो कभी रातों मे घुली हि नहीं
ठण्डी हवा और वो बारिश कि बूँदे
भीगे हुये हम एक दूसरे के नशे मे
मअदहोशी क एक अलग हि समा था
होश कहाँ था किसी को क्या पता था
रातो मे करवट लू  तो लगता है काष बाहों मे भर सक्ती तुम्हे अभि
नींद जब आती नहीं तो लगता है बातें कर सक्ति तुम्से युही
कोन कह्ता है मै याद करति हू तुम्हे
मै तो कोशिश करति हू बस तिनका भर भूल्ने की