धर्म…

#दिलसे #DilSe

तिरंगा..

सड़कों पर आज देख तिरंगा बिकता,
वतन फिर हमको याद आया है।

#दिलसे

सरज़मीं..

वतन पर हम मिट जाया करते हैं
ज़ुबाँ से इक आह भी नहीं करते,
सरज़मीं से इश्क़ क्या बला है
समझाते हैं दुश्मन को लड़ते-लड़ते।

आग..

शहर रात भर आग में जलता रहा,
सियासतदानों का जश्न चलता रहा।

वतन..

वतन पर मर मिटने की बात करते हो,
सड़क की ख़ाक कभी छानकर देखो।
निकलो बाहर अब मकानों से अपने,
धूल को भी तो कभी फांक कर देखो।
लिखकर जताना देश से प्यार आसां है,
सियासतदानों से दो हाथ कर कभी देखो।
जताने और निभाने में फासला है काफी,
खुद को ज़मीं पर कभी आजमाकर देखो।

फिर याद आया है..

ऐ देश तू आज फिर याद आया है,
हर हाथ में तिरंगा लहराया है।
साल भर जो सोते रहे लम्बी ताने,
देश-प्रेम के गाते फिर रहे हैं गाने।
भगत सिंह-राजगुरु-सुखदेव की चर्चा हर ओर,
देशभक्ति सबकी रगों में आज रही है दौड़।
हर बात से यहाँ की जिन्हे रही नफरत,
देश से आज वो भी जतला रहे मुहब्बत।
विदेशी ब्रांड ही सिर्फ जिन्हे हैं भाती,
दिखला रहे दुनिया को पहनकर आज वो खादी।
सोच ना कि प्यार उमड़ आया है,
ये तो बस दिखावा है जो सबने अपनाया है।

(समर्पित उस देश प्रेम को, जो हमे 15/अगस्त और 26/जनवरी को ही याद आता है)

Gold? Clean bowled…

“Raghu, where are you?”

“In kitchen, washing vegetables Pandit Ji*” said Raghu.

“Come here, I have something important to tell you”

“Tell me Pandit ji” said Raghu as he went inside priest Janardhan’s room in the temple.

“Raghu, today early in the morning I saw a strange dream. Lord Kuber* appeared in my dream and told me that there’s tons of gold buried below ground in front of temple’s main porch.”

Raghu grinned his teeth and said “Pandit Ji, dreams are only dreams. Most of our dreams are weird, how do we trust those? Do you really believe in dreams?”

“This was very different, Lord Kuber held my hand and walked around the entire ground. He showed me the spots where gold is buried. It’s spread all across the ground below, and was buried by family of King Rudra who ruled this region 700 years ago”

By this time Raghu got curious and said “So what to do? Entire ground is full of big rocks, we can not our self dig the ground. Even if entire village tries, it’s not possible.”

“You are right Raghu, but imagine such a big amount of gold can be used for our village and country’s progress. Let me think what should we do, and do not share this with anyone yet” said the priest. But he knew this news will now spread like a fire in the entire village and around.

And that turned out true, by evening people started gathering outside temple and talking in hush voices. Sometime later, village head approached Priest and asked him that he heard about gold being buried in the temple ground. Priest explained his dream, and village head believed all of that as priest Janardhan was respected in the entire region and whatever he said in the past had turned out to be true. So, village head said he will speak with local MLA* to make arrangements to dig the ground.

By next day, MLA along with local politicians were camping at the temple and had reached out to the Chief Minister of state. Who took the decision to send out boulder removing machines, cranes and other heavy equipment to dig the ground. Media was there to capture the entire event, and overnight “Bindupur” became a known name across country as news of tons of gold found was headline of every news channel and newspapers. Everyone was waiting to see the gold that too in tons, which they hoped will change fortunes of the country and “Bindupur”. But 2 days passed without even 1 gram of gold being found. On Day 3 few pots and broken bronze utensils were found.

When nothing was found till Day 5, and excitement was slowly dying Raghu asked priest “Pandit ji, what are you seeing in the ground and smiling? I can’t see anything, only stones and sand is being digged out for past 5 days. The ground has become so flat”

“Raghu, poor children had no place to play in the entire village and around because of the rocky terrain. They walk long distances to play. Even after so many requests to local authorities and politicians, no one cared to do something for a need of playground here.”

“So, where you don’t see anything I can see a huge playground for village children. And dreams are only dreams” said priest smiling……

##########################################
*Pandit Ji – Priest
*Kuber – God of wealth in Hindu mythology.
*MLA – Member of Legislative Assembly

To Sir with….

Dear Sir, by now you must have read news about a young boy from Khandva scoring century on his debut for India against England. “Prithvi Patil” is his name, every newspaper has his photograph on the front page and all news channels are talking only about him for past 1 day.

This name sounds familiar. Right?

No?

That’s me Sir!!!! Prithvi, how can you forget me?

Ok, so let me help you to remember who is this “Prithvi Patil”. Like you I am also born and brought up in Khandva, and have spent most of my life there only. But unlike you, I had a dream to make it big in life and was mad about cricket ever since I remember. Cricket was my only passion and you got a taste of it when you were appointed our class teacher in 7th grade. I was already part of our district’s Under-14 team, and as coach used to say “most promising all-rounder” in the entire state.

I just needed to skip few days of school every month to play my matches & practice with team, but with the promise that I will cover up the syllabus and clear all my exams. You wanted me to be in school every day, come what may. You failed to realize my potential and didn’t agreed to my schedule. Finally my father and coach met with the school Principal to take approval for the same, which he readily granted looking at my past records. It hurt your ego sir, how could a student defeat you? You punished me a lot of times unnecessarily and used to say “Don’t waste your time on sports. It will not do any good for you, only education will help you to earn money and live a decent life”. I didn’t understand it then being a kid, but now I fail to understand how can a teacher do this? You ensured that I don’t pass my exams next year. I was upset & cried a lot for days and finally was left with no option except for enrolling in Open School. My parents hired a tutor to ensure I don’t miss on the education. I continued playing for local clubs, got selected in state team and now finally representing country. Isn’t this a proud moment? Probably not for you! I am famous and have made entire Khandva known in the world, and you are not even known in entire Khandva 🙂

Like a lot of other students, I would have loved to thank my teachers & write this letter with gratitude but you made me to write with “attitude“. Sorry!

Yours Sincerely…..

हमारे नेता

कहीं बु्र्के की चर्चा,
कहीं निक्करों का जिक्र है।
इस देश की यारों,
इन को कहाँ फिक्र है।
रेम्बो, डम्बो की चर्चाऔं में दिनो रहे ये खोए,
जब देश के जवान रात रात भर ना सोए।
हिंदुत्व, राष्टृवादी, समाजवादी और ना जाने क्या क्या,
ये सब मिलकर दे रहे हैं देश को दगा।
आज भी दम तोड़ते बच्चों की फिक्र कहाँ,
सियासत की सिर्फ ये सेक रहे हैं रोटियाँ।
लड़ रहे जो आज,
कल एक दूजे की बाहों में नज़र आएंगे।
इन के बस में जो हो,
तो देश बेचकर खा जाऐंगे।