'वो मुलाक़ात'

वो जगह नई थी 

वो माहौल ही था अलग 

और मेरे चारो तरफ था अनजाना अनजाना सा सब 

एक किसी अपने की तलाश थी बस 

नज़र घुमाई तो एक मायूसी सी छाई

फिर नाजाने वो कहाँ से मेरे सामने आई

उसको देख के बस दिल ने दिमाग से बार बार पुछा

तू है एक हकीकत या फिर बस मेरा एक सपना

उसको देखा तो ऐसा लगा सारा वक्त थम गया

और ऐसे ही मेरा सारा वक्त गुज़र गया

क्या था उसमे मैं पहचान नहीं पाया

एक न जाने अजीब सा मुझ में जूनून आया

और ज़िन्दगी जीने का एक पागलपन छाया

उसको देख के ऐसा लगा मुझे दुनिया मिल गयी है 

और  ज़िन्दगी  क्यूँ  जीनी  है  इन   सवालों  के  जैसे  जवाब  मिल  गये  है

उसको देख के ऐसा लगा मेरी ज़िन्दगी बदल गयी है

और ज़िन्दगी वास्तव में है हसीन इस्सकी जैसे तसल्ली मिल गयी है

जानता तो नहीं था उसे

फिर  भी  ऐसा  लगा  मुझे  कहना  है  बहुत  कुछ  उसे 

दिल  से  निकली  बात   पर  होठों  पे  आके  थम  गयी 

ऐसा लगा मेरी धड़कने और साँसें वही रुक गयी 

फिरसे उसे बात करने की हिम्मत दिखाई 

पर  जैसे  ही  नज़र  मिलाई  एक  अजीब  सी  हीच  किचाहत  सी  आई 

क्या थी वो मैं आज तक नहीं समझ पाया 

कौन   थी  वो  मैं  आज  तक  नहीं  जान  पाया 

उन चन्द पलों को

उन चन्द घड़ियों को 

उन बेताबियों के हसीन लम्हों को 

उस पहली और आखरी मुलाक़ात को 

मैं आज तक नहीं भुला पाया 

मैं आज तक नहीं भुला पाया 

- अवनीश गुप्ता 

‘तनहा रास्तें’  

उन रास्तों पे एक बार चल के देखो 

तुम्हे अपने होने पे यकीन हो जायेगा 

उन रास्तों को एक बार चुनके देखो 

चडेगा जो जूनून उससे तुम्हे प्यार हो जायेगा 

उन रास्तों पे एक बार कदम बढ़ाके देखो 

अपने मकसत से वास्ता क्या 

अपने आप से तुम्हारा रूबरू हो जायेगा 

उन रास्तों को एक बार आजमा के देखो

इस दुनिया की दुश्वारी  

और कढ़वी हकीकत से तुम्हारा सामना हो जायेगा 

उन रास्तों पे एक बार जाके देखो 

गिर कर खड़े होने का तुम्हारा हौसला बुलंद हो जायेगा 

उन रास्तों को एक बार मुकम्मल करके देखो 

बेशख सब भूल जाओगे पर वो सफ़र याद रह जायेगा 

अरे कभी तो उन सुनसान रास्तों पे चलने का तजुर्बा करो 

जो यहाँ से गुज़र चुके तुम्हे उनका एहसास ही हो जायेगा 

बेशख नहीं  मिले  तुम्हे अपनी मंजिल 

पर कभी चले थे इन रास्तों पर तुम भी 

दुनियावाले क्या तुम्हे खुद पे गर्व हो जायेगा 

 

-अवनीश गुप्ता 

AT THE PETROL STATION

Petrol prices are soaring high. In fact this is the new thing on the block these days .The newspapers, the news channels, the dharnas, the morchas, the bharat bandhs are all about it. To be honest the situation is alarming and it is getting very difficult for Indian middle class like you and me. But I am not writing this post to blabber about this same old stuff as you can read and hear about it anywhere and anytime.

Today I was getting my car refueled at the petrol station nearby my residence and there was a heavy volume of vehicles coming in for the same. Since it took quite a long time to get my turn I was just observing in general ‘what’s going on around me’. Now this thought came to my mind and to be honest it does every time I go to a petrol station. I was observing each and every person whose turn it was to get the refueling done. There’s one thing I observed common in 90% of the people and felt strange about it, so want to ask you also is that why does one need to get off the car and stand besides the employee to see each and every thing. Alright the petrol prices are touching skies and the petrol has really become very precious and valuable but you don’t need to get so fidgety and apprehensive about it. Is it the excessive lack of trust on the petrol pump employee and the fear that he is going to run away with 10 drops of the petrol for which you are paying? 

All you need to do is check the ‘ZERO’, if the desired balance entered is correct (both of which 99%of the times are absolutely correct) and for the curious ones how the litres you are getting for the same money is decreasing day by day and believe me all this is visible comfortably while sitting in the car from your window. Well if you are so interested in getting off your car and be a part of this whole process yourself I think you should in fact go to self service petrol stations which finally are being introduced in India. 

The automobile industry is always trying hard to provide more comfort to its customers and as a result of which several features like the push buttons to open your fuel gauge are being provided in your vehicles nowadays so that you don’t have to get off your vehicle but no we will get off and stand on the head of the employee plus waste time in getting off then getting back in your vehicle adjusting yourself again and on the whole wasting time of everyone else(at least the 10% of those who don’t have this strange habit) . I would really love to hear about the intent and the psychology behind this habit.

           WHY SATYAMEV JAYATE

Satyamev Jayate, yes the Hindu mantra from ancient scripture which was adopted as the national motto of India after independence. But I am talking here about the famous Indian TV talk show named after the motto which has suddenly rose to the top spot in terms of popularity. The show premiered recently only on star network and doordarshan and is currently being hosted by famous bollywood star ‘The perfectionist’ Aamir Khan. Well going by the statistics of the shows which even beat IPL season-5 in terms of TRP ratings I don’t think I need to give much of an introduction about the show but still for those who aren’t aware of it, the show brings to the limelight very important social issues in India. In its episodes so far dowry, female foeticide, honour killing in the name of love marriage, medical malpractice and child sexual abuse where some of the matters that were taken up to spread general awareness among the common people of India.

The show is really a good initiative to let people know what is happening in the country, what are the devils that our society is currently being haunted by, what is it that is not allowing our country to grow more rapidly as a community and as a society. Much has been talked about the concept of the show that it is very unique and that first time someone has been brave enough to stand up bring such sensitive issues in front of general public so openly. People have been going crazy about the show, in fact I have been hearing too much appreciation from people around me. But whenever I do hear or read something about the show being extra-ordinary just one question comes to my mind “ Why Satyamev Jayate only?”  

Well I don’t think the concept, the issues being discussed and the whole show itself is something very unique. If you observe carefully a show called ‘Crime Patrol’ on Sony channel which is currently is in its 4^th season is absolutely on the same concept. This show also takes up various real life cases on such social issues. Then there is one talk show ‘Zindagi Live’ on IBN7 which is on the same lines. These are just a couple of  examples. Infact there are and there were many reality talk shows which have been trying to enlighten the public of India on such social issues, then why is it that only ‘Satyamev Jayate’ is being talked about. Although Rakhi Sawant’s claim that the concept was stolen from her show ‘Rakhi ka insaaf’, well that surely is an insult to this show and the team of ‘Satyamev Jayate’. 

But just because the show host is a big shot bollywood star Aamir Khan and the show has been given a prime time slot that is of 11am every Sunday it doesn’t mean that we give ‘Satyamev Jayate’ what I believe it does not deserve i.e. the tag of being ‘Unique’ and ‘Extra-ordinary’.

By calling this show a unique venture in terms of its concept something being done first time in the history of Indian television  I think the efforts of other people who are behind various other such similar shows is not being acknowledged and given the appreciation deserved. Also I don’t think that the society is not at all unaware of these social problems because we all are a part of this system only. The government of India and various states has been trying hard to curb these problems , so some people have also mistaken the motive of this show by targeting the government for not being active. So to clear this I want to quote something said by Aamir Khan himself “Through this we understand the problem of the people, we are not here to make a change. I am no one to change anything. I don’t think I am in the position to change anything else. I feel understanding a problem and feeling it or holding one’s hand or hugging is also important. I may not have the solution, but at least I can hear and understand.” 

For people who are under any type of confusion with me being against the show in terms what it is trying to convey or rather me being against Aamir Khan I would like to say this is not at all the case. First of all the I really appreciate the efforts of the entire team of ‘Satyamev Jayate’ for bringing out such a show as it will only help our country grow .It can do good and only good to our society. Secondly Aamir khan is one of my personal favorites as he is one of those actors with great skills who has been known for highlighting unusual issue in his movies  like as in ‘3 idiots’ or for that matter ‘Taare zameen par’. He has always been known as the master of marketing and I really appreciate the way in which this talk show is being promoted.  Infact when celebrities come up and join such ventures it only helps as they are public figures and I think it is their duty to give something back to the society.

P.S:- I really liked the theme song of the show as it does give you a feel of being proud that you are an Indian.