Aarzu Ke Musafir

jaane kis ki talash un ki aankhon mein thi

aarzu ke musafir

bhaTakte rahe

jitna bhi wo chale

itne hi bichh gae

rah mein fasle

KHwab manzil the

aur manzilen KHwab thin

raston se nikalte rahe raste

jaane kis waste

aarzu ke musafir bhaTakte rahe

jin pe sab chalte hain

aise sab raste chhoD ke

ek anjaan pagDanDi ki ungli thame hue

ek sitare se

ummid bandhe hue samt ki

har guman ko yaqin man ke

apne dil se

koi dhoka khate hue jaan ke

sahra sahra

samundar ko wo DhunDte

kuchh sarabon ki jaanib

rahe gamzan

yun nahin tha

ki un ko KHabar hi na thi

ye samundar nahin

lekin un ko kahin

shayad ehsas tha

ye fareb

un ko mahw-e-safar rakkhega

ye sabab tha

ki tha aur koi sabab

jo liye un ko phirta raha

manzilon manzilon

raste raste

jaane kis waste

aarzu ke musafir bhaTakte rahe

aksar aisa hua

shahr-dar-shahr

aur basti basti

kisi bhi dariche mein

koi charagh-e-mohabbat na tha

be-ruKHi se bhari

sari galiyon mein

sare makanon ke

darwaze yun band the

jaise ek sard

KHamosh lahje mein

wo kah rahe hon

murawwat ka aur mehrbani ka maskan

kahin aur hoga

yahan to nahin hai

yahi ek manzar sameTe the

shahron ke pathrile sab raste

jaane kis waste

aarzu ke musafir bhaTakte rahe

aur kabhi yun hua

aarzu ke musafir the

jalti sulagti hui dhup mein

kuchh daraKHton ne sae bichhae magar

un ko aisa laga

sae mein jo sukun

aur aaram hai

manzilon tak pahunchne na dega unhen

aur yun bhi hua

mahki kaliyon ne KHushbu ke paigham bheje unhen

un ko aisa laga

chand kaliyon pe kaise qanaat karen

un ko to DhunDhna hai

wo gulshan ki jis ko

kisi ne abhi tak hai dekha nahin

jaane kyun tha unhen is ka pura yaqin

der ho ya sawer un ko lekin kahin

aise gulshan ke mil jaenge raste

jaane kis waste

aarzu ke musafir bhaTakte rahe

dhup Dhalne lagi

bas zara der mein raat ho jaegi

aarzu ke musafir jo hain

un ke qadmon tale

jo bhi ek rah hai

wo bhi shayad andhere mein kho jaegi

aarzu ke musafir bhi

apne thake-haare be-jaan pairon pe

kuchh der tak laDkhaDaenge

aur gir ke so jaenge

sirf sannaTa sochega ye raat bhar

manzilen to unhen jaane kitni milin

ye magar

manzilon ko samajhte rahe jaane kyun raste

jaane kis waste

aarzu ke musafir bhaTakte rahe

aur phir ek sawere ki ujli kiran

tirgi chir ke

jagmaga degi

jab an-ginat rahguzaron pe bikhre hue

un ke naqsh-e-qadam

aafiyat-gahon mein rahne wale

ye hairat se majbur ho ke kahenge

ye naqsh-e-qadam sirf naqsh-e-qadam hi nahin

ye to daryaft hain

ye to ijad hain

ye to afkar hain

ye to ashaar hain

ye koi raqs hain

ye koi rag hain

in se hi to hain aarasta

sari tahzib o tariKH ke

waqt ke

zindagi ke sabhi raste

wo musafir magar

jaante-bujhte bhi rahe be-KHabar

jis ko chhu len qadam

wo to bas rah thi

un ki manzil digar thi

alag chah thi

jo nahin mil sake us ki thi aarzu

jo nahin hai kahin us ki thi justuju

shayad is waste

aarzu ke musafir bhaTakte rahe