Ek Mulaqat

This one cameout jsut like that one drizzling evening.

Ek Mulaqat

Yaad achanak aayi aaj,
Ek badi purani si mulaqat.
Umra shayad bees ki hogi meri,
Shayad ikkis.

Der raat mein ghar laut raha tha,
Shyam ki bearish ne maindaanon ko jaise zindaa kar diya tha.
Jhingur mendakon se jugalbandi kar rahe the,
Nami se bojhal hawa thaki saanson si chal rahi thi,
Chaand guzarte baadalon ki ot se ruk ruk ke jhank raha tha.

Bas teesre hi mod pe ghar meri raah dekh raha tha.
Mein kuch bemaani khayalon mein gum,
Haath mein kankad uchaale chala ja raha tha.

Achanak nukkad pe ek ahat si hui,
Aur mein ruk gaya.
Khayalon se bahar jhanka to dekha-
Roshni ke neeche ik nazm khadi thi.

Us massom se chehre ke peeche na jaane kitne sawal jhalak rahe the,
Aur un chanchal ankhon mein na jane kitne jawab.
Fir wo nazren meri nazron pea aa rukin
Kadam ek oar mud gaye.

Mein bhi na jaane kyon,
Belagam un kadmon pe chal pada.
Raste bhar shabd ek ek kar zehen mein aate rahe
Main un kadmon se apne kadam milate gaya,
Alfaz zehen mein aate gaye.

Ab galiyaan pehchani si lagne lagin,
Aur wo shabd ek duje se judne lage.
Samne dekha to,
Mere hi gahr ka darwaza tha.
Aur wo alfaaz ek mukammal nazm ban chuke the.

Achanak khud ko akela mehsoos kiya,
Nazar har taraf daudaayi,
Magar wo ja chuki thi.

Muddaton baad aaj un shabdon ko kagaz pe utara hai.
Ajeeb sa sukoon mehsoos kar raha hoon,
Ek ajeeb si shanti.

Is ki wajah samajh nahin pa raha hoon.

Fir ek hawa ke jhonke ne kagaz ko palat diya
Wajah…
Ab mere samne thi.

Shabdon ne apni jagah khoob dhoondi thi,
Wo nazm maine tumhari tasveer ke peeche likhi thi.