Until that day...

(Photo credits- policytimes.com)



And here we are today.

Today we celebrate.

Today we remember and pay respect.

Today we remember her journey. 

It was hard, it still is. 

She sacrificed everything. 

The struggle was real,

it still is.

The day she took a quill in her hand

and wrote her first letter; 

They gasped in disappointment, 

said it’s against the law of nature. 

When she stepped out, 

they robbed her existence. 

When she expressed herself,

even her breathing met with a resistance. 

And then one day, she picked up a sword; 

A lightning pierced through the dark sky.

Surpassed over centuries,

her whimpers became war cry.

There was no looking back. 

Jumping off a cliff, she kept marching ahead.

Died in a battle, over and over again. 

On her burial ground, civilisations were made.

And here we are today.

Times have changed, so are battles. 

But today we celebrate.

Today we remember and pay respect.

Today, for those who ask why?

It is for all those who came before us,

it is for all those who made our journey easy.

It is for her who still struggles and have to justify.

It is for her who still bleeds with thousand judging eyes.

Beyond our wall of privilege,

it is for her who is still fighting, for her basic right. 

Today we don’t just celebrate,

today we take a pledge to change. 

Today we hope, that humanity will mature some day. 

Hope that one day, 

world will not need a ‘Women’s Day’.

Until that day…

Did we find Him?

In the rubbles of destroyed lives,

Dried up tears in the little ones’ eyes,

When those legs ran towards thorny fences,

In the welcoming open arms, but mostly undecided faces,

In the guarded oval offices of self proclaimed peace keepers, 

Through the apathy of bystanders and the rage of avengers. 

Did we find Him?

Within the walls of the sacred structures,

In the colour of hoisted banners and tall sculptures,

Through the sermons of so called His believers, 

The code keepers and makers, 

In the act of those symbol protectors, 

Did we find Him?

Are we even looking for Him or is that just a pretence? 

An elaborate fable built for our own power games. 

Did we find anything when we searched within?

Through the arrogance of our cosmic criticality, 

If not Him, did we at least find our misplaced identity? 

Oh, HE may have found us but, may be just a glimpse of us.

In those extended hands to save drawing civilisation.

In the yellow bus carrying children to save future nation.

In those healing hands working at remote abodes.

Through the tall light houses built to guide ships home.

Our soul was humming cautiously in those songs of harmony. 

He may have found pieces of us, in the socks of hope hung by the chimney. 

Do you think may be, HE is  also searching for us?

Do you also wonder, how has been His journey? 

Tu Sufi wala pyaar...

(Photo Credits: Thank you Hussain for being there at the right moment to capture this frame)

तू रुमी कि गझल है शायद, या शायरी गुलझार की

मेहफिल का कदरदार है या, इबादत कलाकार की.

तू बचपन के होटो पे सजी मासूम सी मुस्कान,

या है तू मिठी नींद के ख्वाबो का मेहमान.

किताबो मे ना लिख पायी वो किरदार है तू, शायद.

तुझे समझने  की  करी है इन लफ्झो ने इनायत. 

तू खूबसूरत, पर गेहरा सा कोई एक फसाना.

मेरा नही तू, शायद ,किसी और ही कवी की कल्पना.   

इस नाचिज की जुर्रत, या चहात सुफी वाले प्यार की.

तू रुमी कि गझल है शायद, या शायरी गुलझार की.

No complaints. No demands.

                               Photo credit: Dailyhunt.in

And still they held hands,

just for a while long.

Universe that day knew,

how strong is their bond. 

They knew at the end of the road, 

they will choose different lane.

At the end of this day, 

they will not meet again.

He was so wrong for her

and she was not right either. 
Even on their favourite song,

they never danced together. 

But still they held hands,

just for a while long.

They were always friends.

Nothing more, nothing less.

They will always be.

No complaints. No demands.

Just one promise,

‘I will be there for you’.

And when they held hands,

it felt like being at home.

Strong coffee after rough day,

delightful company of known.

A well deserved vacation,

felt like peace in every way. 

Alas, they parted ways,
never to speak of it again.
But in defining life moments, 
silently spoke of other's name.

At the end of it all,

they will meet at the sea.

A ship from the fantasy, 

ready for a journey so long.

Footsteps on the sand,

disappearing in the time.

On the deck they will sit,

With whisky and their song. 

They will talk about the journey.

About life and life partners.

There is that only moment,

there is no time after. 

And then they will hold hands,

just for a while long.

Universe will be reminded,

how strong was their bond.

They were always friends,

nothing more, nothing less.

No complaints. No demands. 

Just a promise that was kept.

“I am here for you.”