Wo Kamra Yaad Aata Hai

main jab bhi

zindagi ki chilchilati dhup mein tap kar

main jab bhi

dusron ke aur apne jhuT se thak kar

main sab se laD ke KHud se haar ke

jab bhi us ek kamre mein jata tha

wo halke aur gahre katthai rangon ka ek kamra

wo behad mehrban kamra

jo apni narm muTThi mein mujhe aise chhupa leta tha

jaise koi man

bachche ko aanchal mein chhupa le

pyar se DanTe

ye kya aadat hai

jalti dopahar mein mare mare ghumte ho tum

wo kamra yaad aata hai

dabiz aur KHasa bhaari

kuchh zara mushkil se khulne wala wo shisham ka darwaza

ki jaise koi akkhaD bap

apne khurdure sine mein

shafqat ke samundar ko chhupae ho

wo kursi

aur us ke sath wo juDwan bahan us ki

wo donon

dost thin meri

wo ek gustaKH munh-phaT aaina

jo dil ka achchha tha

wo be-hangam si almari

jo kone mein khaDi

ek buDhi anna ki tarah

aaine ko tambih karti thi

wo ek gul-dan

nanha sa

bahut shaitan

un dinon pe hansta tha

daricha

ya zehanat se bhari ek muskurahaT

aur dariche par jhuki wo bel

koi sabz sargoshi

kitaben

taq mein aur shelf par

sanjida ustani bani baiThin

magar sab muntazir is baat ki

main un se kuchh puchhun

sirhane

nind ka sathi

thakan ka chaara-gar

wo narm-dil takiya

main jis ki god mein sar rakh ke

chhat ko dekhta tha

chhat ki kaDiyon mein

na jaane kitne afsanon ki kaDiyan thin

wo chhoTi mez par

aur samne diwar par

aawezan taswiren

mujhe apnaiyat se aur yaqin se dekhti thin

muskuraati thin

unhen shak bhi nahin tha

ek din

main un ko aise chhoD jaunga

main ek din yun bhi jaunga

ki phir wapas na aaunga

main ab jis ghar mein rahta hun

bahut hi KHub-surat hai

magar aksar yahan KHamosh baiTha yaad karta hun

wo kamra baat karta tha