Kachchi Basti
galiyan
aur galiyon mein galiyan
chhoTe ghar
niche darwaze
TaT ke parde
maili bad-rangi diwaren
diwaron se sar Takraati
koi gali
galiyon ke sine par bahti
gandi nali
galiyon ke mathe par bahta
aawazon ka ganda nala
aawazon ki bhiD bahut hai
insanon ki bhiD bahut hai
kaDwe aur kasile chehre
bad-hali ke zahr se hain zahrile chehre
bimari se pile chehre
marte chehre
haare chehre
be-bas aur bechaare chehre
sare chehre
ek pahaDi kachre ki
aur us par phirte
aawara kutton se bachche
apna bachpan DhunD rahe hain
din Dhalta hai
is basti mein rahne wale
auron ki jannat ko apni mehnat de kar
apne jahannam ki jaanib
ab thake hue
jhunjhlae hue se
lauT rahe hain
ek gali mein
zang lage pipe rakkhe hain
kachchi daru mahak rahi hai
aaj sawere se
basti mein
qatl-o-KHun ka
chaqu-zani ka
koi qissa nahin hua hai
KHair
abhi to sham hai
puri raat paDi hai
yun lagta hai
sari basti
jaise ek dukhta phoDa hai
yun lagta hai
sari basti
jaise hai ek jalta kaDhaw
yun lagta hai
jaise KHuda nukkaD par baiTha
TuTe-phuTe insan
aune-paune damon
bech raha hai!
Javed Akhtar 
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