MASKS

 Every face has a thousand masks
That is the way the master crafts

The same face -is first a babe
Then it is a genetic incarnate

Days gradually pass
And so do the masks.

Moments come and go away,
Time waits and knocks
and walks away.

The masked face! !
when it opens the door
Finds no one!
and its desires soar.Looks left and right
and then walks out.

The casket with masks it keeps aside,
Wears one and breaks into a stride
It dances of love and sings of fun
And plays about with all inhibitions shunned


The eyes then rest on another mask
Put it on and meet a curse
Which says you are a grown up now.
    You have forgone the right to smile
Sit down and count these miseries mine
They come with me where ever I go
You chose to wear me and thus my woes.

The face tries to tear it away
But the grownup mask is there to stay.
The face prays and begs
"oh please go away
pray let me stray"

The mask is NOT relentless!!!!
it budges a bit
and grants a wish
" YOU MAY CHOOSE ANOTHER 

  From that basket that's kept yonder."
 
  "That basket tha'ts kept yonder
You too know has masks asunder
take one. NO not of your choice
But one that I give ,
Now rejoice."

"I give to you my own siblings
They too have miseries to mine akin
be with them ,
Try them on one by one,
Let your life go on,with the moon and sun.
Each mask will make you do a deed
Befitting you and your hour of need
The rest will then shelter you
And save you from from failures due;
And also from sadness
That may follow suite.

These masks are to be worn always
By men and women
 All through their living days.

      

My first award

                                                              
                                                                                                                                 





When I got a comment from Indu ji in one of my blogs that a surprise was awaiting me at JEETE RAHO  I rushed to the page full of excitement and was surprised to see my name included in her list of bloggers for the LIEBSTER  award  ---it dId send a flutter down my spine because I never thought my name would be included in any such list and that too by someone of the caliber of Indu Chhibber.

Thankyou so much Indu ji(indu chhibber) -----I am sorry I am very late in posting my blog  but it happened because it is one thing writing a blog and quite another responding to something as serious and important as this ---it requires so much concentration and seriousness which I could not devote because November- and December  share 5 birthdays parties 4 anniversary parties and then add to the list Diwali and New Year celebrations and  again 9th January ( b'day party of yours truly)---so all this prevented me from devoting my best in earnest to answering the questions; ,forming questions and then listing 11 names --which was more difficult for me due to my  being new to the site .I hope you will understand and forgive my laxity.

and now to as you have said ---earning the title


The rules of the game are:
Post 11 facts about yourself.
Answer the 11 questions the tagger asked you.
Tag 11 more bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
Make 11 questions for those you have tagged.
Tell the people that you tagged them & no tagging back.

11 facts about myself

1- born on 9th january

2 -started school at the age of 5

3- finished my school at the age 15 (proves I was intelligent )

4- graduation at the age of 19

5 -post graduation when 21

6- married  on 14th december

7- have 2 daughters

8- dropped my career to bring up kids

9 -took up career again after kids grew up

10- was a university level hockey player,stage and radio artist

11 -am a good cook 


phew.........11 facts enough to blow my own trumpet which was done only because it is the requirement of the blog 

11 questions for them who I have tagged

1.Your favorite flower?

2.Which period of Indian History do you like the most?

3.Your favorite woman Politician Indian or International/?

4.   Favorite Indian singer?

5   Favorite Indian sports person

5 .Favorite food item

6.  Favorite book

7 What do you prefer to listen to  violin or sitar

8. Favorite gazal singer

9  Do you have stage fright?

10 Do you prefer reading the news paper  to watching  news on Television?

11.Do you think blogging is very helpful in stress management ?





My answers to Induji's questions:

1-Your favorite color?
  any light shade ---yellow ruling at the moment

2-Your favorite movie?
   kagaz ke phool and chupke chupke

3-Your favorite music genre? 
 everything pleasing to the ear specially hindustani 

4-Your favorite actor?
    there are so many but I think Naseeruddin Shah is more talented than many

5-Your favorite actress?
    Nutan 

6-Your favorite hobby?
   lazing around but I never get to indulge in it 

7-Your favorite blog?(some help from me---jeeteraho?)
   yes actually --It Is Jeete raho

8-Your pet hate?-------
   that I cant't hate anything 

9-Your dream vocation?-
    women and child welfare


10-Your dream vacation?
      any forest reserve with a typical  rest house ---the old world British  kinds

11-Your ambition in life?
      make everyone around me HAPPY 


and Now to the  list of bloggers I have tagged .in alphabetical order 




Deepak Kripalhttp://theoriginalpoetry.blogspot.in/
Ekta khetanhttp://ektakhetan.blogspot.in/
Fizah ---meapoetess.blogspot.inhttp:/
jahid akhtarhttp://jahidakhtar.blogspot.in/
jessysjohn.blogspot.in
Meenakshi Malhotrahttp://beyondwoman.blogspot.in/
Pattu raj------http://gardenerat60.wordpress.com/

saurabh chawlahttp://www.saurabhchawla.com/

Titlihttp://titli15081977.blogspot.in/

varsha dutta -----crazyweekdays.blogspot.com

Vallihttp://poetrymyfeelings.blogspot.in

Ps ---I have just been to  Meenakshi Malhotraand deepak kripal blogs and find my name in their lists but since I had already included their names in my list I don't think I am tagging them back  nor are they  as I had not posted this blog till now  .have had the pleasant surprise of seeing my name in the nomination lists of Ashishand   jahid too

I will now rush to the respective winners and let them know about my having tagged them .
thanks a lot INDU JI  indu chhibber)      Meenakshi Malhotra ,    deepak kripal,    jahidandAshish    for bestowing  me with  the honour .

message to terrorists

 A poem written after the 26/11 episode but relevent  again today
डर इक गुनाह है 
जिसकी सज़ा है शिक़स्त 
डर इक खता है 
खुदा  की निगाह में 


क्या यकीं नहीं था आपको 
उसके प्यार पर 
क्या थामी नहीं थी उंगलिया आपकी 
उसने
 कभी कड़ी धुप में ???

डर कर आप बन गए है खतावार क्यों 
क्या कह दिया है आपसे उन मौका परस्तो  ने ?
क़त्ल कर रहे है आप 
अपने ही खून का 
था भाई  आपका भी एक 
उन बदनसीबो में 
खोया है जिसने उस दिन अपने किसी करीब को 

क्या गुनाह था 
उस नन्हे से मासूम बच्चे का 
खो दिया जिसने साया अपने सरपरस्तो का ?
क्या ?? आह !!लगेगी नहीं उसकी आपको 
क्या ये नहीं पूछते आप 
अपने उन आकाओं से 
जो कर रहे है आपको गुमराह 
ये कह कर के कि 
जिहाद है ये 


ऐसा नहीं है 
खून हो जैसे हमारा पानी 
अब हो चूका है खाफी खिलवाड़ आपका 
करवटे   बदल रहा है 
हर दिल हिंदुस्तानी 
कही ऐसा न हो 
क़ैद हो जायें आप अपने ही जाल  में 

तारीक़ है गवाह 
शिक़स्त पाई है हर बार आप ने 
बहुत हो चूका 
दे दिया आपको खेलने का मौका 
सोचते है आ जाये हम भी मैदाने जंग में 

हम तो नहीं करते छुप छुप के कभी वार 
बस देर है थोड़ी करना है इक ऐलान 
कह दीजिये माओ से ,बहनों से , बीबियो से बच्चो से 
रोक ले वो तबाही से अपने रह नुमाओ को 

आ जायेंगे जब हम तो 
मच जायेगा कहर 
वो रात अँधेरी होगी 
देखेगी न फिर सहर 

     Darr ek gunah hai 

                                   jiski sazaa hai 'shiqast'

                                     Darr ek khataa hai 

                                    Khuda ki nigaah mein

                                Kya yakeen nahi thhaa aapko 

                                    USKE pyar par ??

                               Kya  thhami nahi thhi ungliya  aapki

                                             USNE 

                               kabhi  kadi  Dhoop mein???

                                   Darr kar aap ban gaye hai

                                     Khataawaar kyouu??

                                       Kya kah diya hai aapse

                                         un  mauqa--paraston   ney ?

                                      

                                     Qatl  kar rahe hai aap

                                        apne hi khoon ka.

                                     thha  bhai  aapka   bhi ek

                                        un badnaseebo mein

                                       khoya hai jisne us din 

                                          apne kisi  kareeb ko 

                                          Kya gunah thhaa us

                                  nanhe se masoom  bachche ka

                                         kho diya jisne saya

                                     apne sarparaston ka?

                                        kya   ?? AAH

                                      lagegi nahi uski aapko??

                                     kya yeh nahi poochhte aap 

                                       apne un aakaaon sey ?

                               jo kar rahe hai aapko gumraah 

                                kah   kar   ki   JEHAD   hai  yeh?

                                         aisa nahi hai 

                                 khoon ho jaise humara pani

                                      ab ho chuka kafi 

                                   hai khilwaad aapka

                                      karwatein badal rahaa hai 

                                           har dil hindustani

                                      

                                        kahien  aisa na ho 

                                          qaid ho jaayein 

                                    aap apne hi jaal mein.

   

                                    Tareekh hai gawah 

                            Shiqast har baar payee hai aapne.

                              Bahut ho chuka !! de diya aapko 

                                   khelne ka mauka---

                             sochte hain  aa jayein  hum bhi 

                                   maidane jung mein .

                                   Humtoh  nahi karte 

                              chhup chhup ke kabhi waar

                                   bas der hai thodi 

                                 karna  hai   ik  Ailaan 

                                         kah dijiye  

                                    biwiyon se; ,bahno se,;

                                    maao se-- bachcho se

                                   rok lein woh tabahi sey 

                                     apne rahnumaao ko 

                                   Ayenge jab hum, toh

                                   mach jayega kahar

                                   woh raat andheri hogi

                                   dekhegi na phir sahar.

suadagar----the roadside vendor----some thoughts

shahar ke beech
har mod pe
har rah pe
roshni jagmagaa rahi thi
jaise sitare siyah raat mein

lag rahaa thaa jaise mela thaa
logo ka aisa  rela thaa
muskurahtein bhi thi
pareshaniya bhi .
sikko ki khankhanahat bhi
aur bachcho ki zid bhi

maine sir jhukaya
bachcho ki zid ke aage
aur woh muskuraya
bachcho ki zid ke aage.

tum toh muskuaraoge hi
saudagar jo thahre
tumhe kya
hamein hi lagane honge  pahre.

dekha usne kuchh is tarah se mujhko
jaise kah rahaa ho
kyo ho aise
kyo itne tuchh ho??

apne nanhe ki muskurahat
kya tumhe pasand nahi aayee??
batata hoon ek baat
sun lo mere bhai
sach hai kahaa tumne
ki main ek saudagar hoon

haan mai ek saudagar hoon
sapne bechta hoon
khushiya bechta hoon

ik pal ki khushi jab tum pate ho
mun mera jhoom ke gata hai
sapno ki sunahri duniya mein
ik indradhanush ug ata hai

kyoki

hain tumko khushiya bechi maine
evaz chandi ke sikko ke
haq mera unpe thaa hi nahi
jo ab teri godi mein padey

main toh bas ek jariya thaa
tum tak unko pahuchaane ka

aur shayad tum ek jariya ho
merey bachcho ki roti ka
jo aaj un tak pahuchayee hai
terey chandi ke sikko ne

mai ik saidagar hoon
khushiya bechta hoon
aansoo ponchhta hoon
terey bhi aur apne bhi

main ik saudagar hoon
haan ik saudagar hoon

                            शहर के बीच
                             हर मोड़
                             हर राह पे
                             रौशनी जगमगा रही थी
                            जैसे सितारे सियाह रात में
                         लग रहा था जैसे मेला था
                         लोगो का ऐसा रेला था

                             मुस्कुराहटें   भी थी
                             परेशानिया भी
                                     सिक्को  की खनखनाहट  भी
                              बच्चों की जिद भी

                              मैंने सर झुकाया बच्चों की जिद के आगे
                                                                                                     और वो मुस्कुराया बच्चों की जिद के आगे

                           तुम तो मुस्कुराओगे
                              सौदागर जो ठहरे
                               तुम्हे क्या ?
                              हमें ही लगाने होंगे  पहरे

                              देखा उसने कुछ इस तरह से मुझको
                              जैसे कह रहा हो
                             क्यों हो ऐसे क्यों इतने तुच्छ हो ?

                             अपने नन्हे की मुस्कराहट
                           क्या तुमको पसंद नहीं आयी
                            बताता हूँ एक बात
                            आओ सुन लो मेरे भाई

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      सौदागरहूँ  हूँ  
 मैहूँ  सौदागर हूँ

                        


मैं इक सौदागर हूँ
सपने बेचता हूँ
खुशिया बेचता हूँ

इक पल की ख़ुशी जब तुम पाते हो
मन मेरा झूम के गाता है
सपनो की सुनहरी दुनिया में
फिर इन्द्रधनुष उग आता है ii

क्योकि

हैं तुमको खुशिया बेचीं मैंने
एवज़ चाँदी के सिक्को के
हक मेरा उनपे था ही नहीं
जो अब तेरी गोदी में पड़े

मैं तो बस इक जरिया  था
तुझ तक उनको पहुचाने का
और शायद तुम इक जरिया हो
मेरे बच्चो की रोटी का

जो आज उनतक पहुचाई  है
तेरे चाँदी के सिक्को ने .

मैं इक सौदागर हूँ 
खुशिया बेचता हूँ 
आँसू पोंछता हूँ 
तेरे भी और अपने भी

हाँ मैं सौदागर हूँ
इक सौदागर हूँ

Naari----no woman no cry

नारी

कोई वस्तु नहीं

कोई अजूबा  नहीं

कोई पहेली नहीं

इंसान है

मनुष्य है

रगो मे खून है

दिल मे धड्कन

धड्कन मे सांस

और साँसों मे आस

इश्वर अर्धनारीश्वर है

पिता पति बेटा और भाई

माता पत्नी बेटी  और  बहन

ये रिश्ते है

श्रीष्टि के लिए अनिवार्य

क्या इन्के बिना चल सक्ता है ये संसार ?

कोई भी रिश्ता अपने आप मे सम्पूर्ण नही

कोई भी व्यक्ति अपने आप मे  पूर्ण नही

जब रचैता हि अर्ध्नारिश्वर है

तो रचना कैसे एकाकी हो ?

पुरुष और नारी एक दूसरे के पूरक है

विश्व रूपी श्रीष्टि के

रक्षक  और पालक है

पुरुष बलवान और नारी सुकोमल

एक कडी धूप  दूजा छाया शीतल

फिर क्यू पुरुष 

अपने बाहु बल के अहंकार मे मदमस्त होकर 

नारी को अबला करार देता है

अपनी मतलबी सहुलियत के लिए

कभी पूजनीय

कभी तिरिस्क्रित खिताब देता है ?

स्त्री को न तो पूजा चाहिए

और न चाहिए उसे तिरस्कार

न तो वो पुरुष से हीन है

न है वो श्रेष्ठ

वो सक्षम है

अपनी रक्षा के लिए

रक्षक बने भक्षक

कि नही उसे दरकार

सदियो से चली आई

कुछ परमपराओ को

वक्त के साथ् बदलना होगा

नारी तू खुद के लिए हथियार  उठा

तुझे इस राह पे चल्ना होगा

नही देता कोई दुसरा सहारा कभी

तुझ्को अपनी तकदीर से लड़ना होगा

five blind men

As the story goes
there were 5 blind men
 and they  came across an Elephant '
The one who caught hold of the trunk
said the elephant is  like a snake  slightly drunk ..

The  other got entangled in the tail
and said "I agree it is , a snake it is a snake".

The third when he felt both the ears
thought that the elephant  was a winnowing plate
which cleaned enough  grains to last enough years .
and thought  he should buy one for him and his mate.

The 4th sat on the elephant,s back
and wondered if it was a biiiig tarmac?
 with slippery edges accident prone
as he slipped down with a groan.

the 5th wondered out aloud
as if he had uncovered a hidden shroud
"its a tree-its a tree
this is one and there are more three"


So friends this is the story of every land
you perceive 'IT' to be
as to you IT seems
to some its heaven
to some its nil
to some  its a land
where his ancestors lived

Home is where the hearth is
and country is where the Heart is .

some say its my   motherland
For some it is their father
some say they are for it concerned
some find much left to desire.

But ultimately
everyone compares
and hopes it to excel
so that they they may be proud to say
this is where they and theirs had  dwelt.

the bonds of blood ,are thicker than water
 the presence  of the genes so strong.
every word ---.anger,concern, love and respect
say that this is where they still belong.

His DNA will bring him home, however far may one run away.
at dusk he wants to find a way ,to come back to his roots
and breathe the air of his land,before he breathes his last
 and his soul fly's away on the wings of a big curlew.

WHAT I WANT TO GIFT MY MOTHERLAND ?

.     

                 

WHAT I WANT TO GIFT MY MOTHERLAND ?


Just one thing

A PROMISE.


A promise to be worthy of being called a HUMAN BEING.

Because that is the one attribute which we have lost--the trait of humanity.'the traits of being human'.


Ugh! I am so ashamed of myself to have stooped so low that I can't face GOD ---what right have I to live in HIS world.

 He who is omnipresent.

His eyes follow me --HE smiles at me a sad beseeching smile --a pleading smile-------and I look away .

He asks me ---"I called you my greatest creation!!!
Did I fail in some way in giving you love and affection?
Did I fail in coming up to your expectations as a parent?"

"Tell me my child and I will rectify my mistakes --ask me for that which I denied you -and I will fulfill your desires--Please forgive me for my failures.

"But please live up to your reputation DON'T please  DON'T let my other creations ridicule me"


The agony the shame in GOD's pleadings is so obvious.
Can we deny any one of these charges?
NO.

So I pledge to my motherland that I will now become a human in deeds----and not a two legged beast.

My country needs peace ,harmony.happiness and this can be achieved only by HUMANITARIAN behavior  no amount of literacy will bring peace until  their is empathy in the feelings until our conscience can empathize with the miseries of our fellow Humans.

We have to forego this attitude of ours the OSTRICH syndrome.
We have to realize that All is not well with the world.
Materialism will not bring us riches.
Money is not everything---Let us recall that fable,the story of MIDAS Did he get Happiness??

Its for us to realize that everything comes full circle If we spread unhappiness, greed, selfishness then we are not going to be spared them .A time will come when we will have to pay for our misdeeds.
MIDAS in his greed asked God for the gift of the miracle-touch.When he touched his daughter AND she turned into gold he realized that happiness for him was his daughter not a golden statue. He of course was just a character in a story and God gave him back his daughter on seeing his repentance.

BUT we will not be that lucky.

We are mere mortals who will be punished for our deeds---History has already shared with us many stories and anecdotes for us learn our lessons from .Now no more .

History wants to add new chapters to its books what they will be, is for us to decide.

Is it going to be GOLDEN HISTORY OF INDIA.
OR Will the book be titled INDIA BACK TO THE DARK AGES.

ITS high time we woke up .Woke up to the needs of the poor.
woke up to the needs of our fellow countrymen and women. Like I said the ostrich syndrome is not the answer , we should not wait for our own children to turn into golden statues and then pray to GOD for the water of salvation, WE should stop that situation from arising.

Its time we realized that the words ' THE WHOLE WORLD IS A FAMILY' is not just a slogan the whole world is actually a family sooner or later everything does boomerang whether it be a smile or it be a frown. Every thing does have its repercussions its effects both bad and good on all the members of the family.

My motherland ; has reached that pathetic stage where she has become a helpless mother who is unable to control her prodigal children .

Those children who she once thought would be her strength are fighting among themselves in the name of religion ,language, property and have no apprehensions about killing their own flesh and blood they are not ashamed of aborting the girl child they are not ashamed of burning brides their greed has killed their conscience .They are killing the innocent just for a few pieces of gold .

I am not Santa Claus had I been one I would have gifted my motherland and also this world the gift of tolerance, of love, of gratitude ,of understanding OF HUMANITY .

But being a daughter of this my motherland I can only ask her to forgive me and my fellow human beings the misdeeds committed by us .

AND I promise to her that I together with my other fellow countrymen will one day give her back the days of her glory and make her proud of her children .

MAY GOD BLESS US AND GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO FULFILL THIS OUR PROMISE.