Footprints on Zero Line Read online

  ihys ihys Qwy rqe dks [+okc esa dPps f[kyk;s Fks

  ogha bd jkLrk Fkk ^Vgfy;ksa* dk] ftlis ehyksa rd iM+k djrs Fks

  >wys lkSa/ks lkou ds

  mlh dh lkSa/kh [+kw'kcw ls] esgd mBrh gSa vk¡[ksa

  tc dHkh bl [+okc ls xqt+:a

  rqEgsa jgrkl dk pyrk dqWavk Hkh rks fn[kk;k Fkk

  fd+ys esa cUn jgrk Fkk tks fnu Hkj] jkr dks xkWao esa

  vk tkrk Fkk dgrs gSa---

  rqqEgsa dkyk ls dkyoky rd ysdj mM+k gw¡ eSa

  rqEgsa nj;k;s tgye ij vtc eUt+j fn[kk;s Fks

  tgka rcZwt+ ij ysVs gq;s rSjkd yM+ds cgrs jgrs Fks

  tgka rxM+s ls bd ljnkj dh ixM+h idM+ dj eSa

  ugkrk] Mwcfd;ka ysrk] exj tc x+kSrk vk tkrk rks esjh uhan [kqy tkrh

  exj ;s flQ+Z [+okcksa gh esa eqfEdu gS

  ogka tkus esa vc nq'okfj;ka gSa dqN fl;klr dh

  oru vc Hkh ogh gS] ij ugha gS eqyd vc esjk

  ogk tkuk gks vc rks nks nks ljdkjksa ds nl;ksa nQ+rjksa ls

  'kdy ij] yxok ds eqgjsa] [+okc lkfcr djus iM+rs gSa!

  A Knock

  A dream knocked on my door early one morning

  Some guests had come from across the border

  Familiar to my eyes

  Their faces known and read.

  I helped wash their hands and feet

  Laid out seats in the courtyard

  Baked makki-roti in the tandoor for them

  My guests had brought as gifts

  Gur from past harvests

  I woke up to find no one in the house

  I touched the tandoor and found it was still warm

  And my lips still sticky with the sweet gur

  It was a dream perhaps!

  Yes, it must have been a dream!

  Last night there was shelling at the border, I hear

  Last night, some dreams were killed at the border!

  nLrd

  lqcg lqcg bd [+okc dh nLrd ij njokt+k [kksyk] ns[kk

  ljgn ds ml ikj ls dqN esgeku vk, gSa

  vk¡[kksa ls ekuwl Fks lkjs

  psgjs lkjs lqus lquk,

  ikWao /kks,] gkFk /kqyk,

  vkaxu esa vklu yxok,

  vkSj rUuwj is eDdbZ dh dqN eksVs eksVs jksV idk,

  iksVyh esa esgeku esjs

  fiNys lkyksa dh Q+lyksa dk xqM+ yk, Fks

  vk¡[k [kqyh rks ns[kk ?kj esa dksbZ ugha Fkk

  gkFk yxk dj ns[kk rks rUuwj vHkh rd cq>k ugha Fkk

  vkSj gksaVksa ij ehBs xqM+ dk t+k;d+k vc rd fpid jgk Fkk

  [+okc Fkk 'kk;n!

  [+okc gh gksxk!

  ljgn ij dy jkr] lquk gS] pyh Fkh xksyh

  ljgn ij dy jkr] lquk gS

  dqN [+okcksa dk [+kwu gqvk Fkk!

  Bhameri*

  We were all running

  We were refugees

  Mother had worn all the jewellery she possessed

  My Chhoti, six years of age,

  Had been fed fully and given milk

  I had my bhameri and a top

  Tucked in my pajamas

  We were fleeing from our village in the night

  We were refugees.

  We had crossed a shrieking jungle of fire and smoke,

  Running through burning vistas

  Our hands tore through the intestines of a storm

  Its jaws open wide, its eyes barking

  Mother had vomited blood as she ran.

  God knows when Chhoti’s hand slipped from mine

  There, that day, I discarded my childhood

  But in the hush of the deserts at the border, I have often seen

  A bhameri still dancing

  And a top still spinning.

  Hkesjh

  ge lc Hkkx jgs Fks

  jsQ+;wth Fks

  ek¡ us ftrus t+soj Fks] lc isgu fy;s Fks

  ckU/k fy;s Fks—

  NksVh eq>s ls—N lkyksa dh

  nw/k fiyk ds] [+kwc f[kyk ds] lkFk fy;k Fkk

  eSaus viuh ,d ^Hkesjh* vkSj bd ^ykVw*

  iktkes esa mM+l fy;k Fkk

  jkr dh jkr ge xkao NksM+ dj Hkkx jgs Fks

  jsQ+;wth Fks—

  vkx /kw;sa vkSj ph[+k iqdkj ds taxy ls xqt+js Fks lkjs

  ge lc ds lc ?kksj /kw;sa esa Hkkx jgs Fks

  gkFk fdlh vkU/kh dh vkarsa QkM+ jgs Fks

  vk¡[ksa vius tcM+s [kksys HkkSad jgh Fkh

  ek¡ us nkSM+rs nkSM+rs [+kwu dh d+S dj nh Fkh

  tkus dc NksVh dk eq> ls NwVk gkFk

  ogha mlh fnu Qsad vk;k Fkk viuk cpiu—

  ysfdu eSaus ljgn ds lUukVksa ds lgjkvksa esa vDlj

  ns[kk gS

  ,d ^Hkesjh* vc Hkh ukpk djrh gS

  vkSj ,d ^ykVw* vc Hkh ?kwek djrk gS—!

  Bullet

  The bullet wove its way through the turban

  And the blood splattered on the wall

  as though someone had spat a mouthful of paan

  A shower of fire and gunpowder fell

  Heads, torsos, hands flew in all directions, bursting

  Like kernels of corn in a kiln

  Reduced to ashes, a trail of firecrackers.

  A stunned silence stood for a while

  Someone could be heard whimpering

  Standing quietly in one corner of the house

  An oil-lamp kept quivering!

  lkQ+s dks lj ls ijksrh gqbZ xqt+jh xksyh

  lkQ+s dks lj ls ijksrh gqbZ xqt+jh xksyh

  vkSj nhokj is ;wa [+kwu fxjk] tSls dksbZ iku dk dqYyk dj ns!

  ,d ckSNkj lh fQj vkfr'k&o&ck:n dh cjlh

  lj] /kM+] gkFk] fxjs pkjksa rjQ+ QVrs gq;s

  HkV~Vh esa tSls pVdrs gq;s dqN eDdh ds nkus

  lc ds lc Hkwus x;s ,d iVk[+kksa dh yM+h ls!

  ,d lUukVk lk dqN nsj [kM+k lqurk jgk

  dksbZ vkokt+ flLdus dh lqukbZ nh Fkh

  ?kj ds bd dksus esa pqi pki [kM+k

  bd fn;k dkai jgk Fkk!

  A Scene

  The wind was cold, it was the 26th of January!

  There was mist all around in Lahore –

  The Raavi flowed past –

  The court was closed and the British flag fluttered on the roof

  The three of them stood leaning against the wall, motionless

  The dawn could be heard breathing from a distance

  They had to climb the roof and bring down the British flag that night

  They were determined to change the attire of Hindustan

  Zafar was on the flagpole when the bullet burst into his head

  Drops of blood splashed all over the country.

  The wind is cold and it is the 26th of January

  There is mist all around

  Floats parade on Rajpath, Delhi

  And the Raavi flows in Lahore.

  eUT+kj

  cM+h BUMh gok Fkh] vkSj NCchl tuojh Fkh!

  fQ+t+k esa dqgjk Fkk] ykgksj Fkk---

  nj;k;s jkoh cg jgk Fkk---

  dpgjh cUn Fkh] vkSj Nr is vaxzst+ksa dk >UMk Fkk

  oks rhuksa ne&c[+kqn nhokj ls yx ds [kM+s Fks

  lqcg dh nwj ls lkalsa lqukbZ ns jgh Fkh

  mUgsa ml jkr Nr is p<+ ds vaxszt+ksa dk oks ipZe fxjkuk Fkk

  oks rhuksa lksp dj vk;s Fks fgUnwlrku dh iks'kkd cnysaxs!

  ^t+Q+j* cYye is Fkk] tc lj esa ;wa tkdj QVh xksyh fd

  iwjs eqyd esa NhaVs iM+s mM+ dj---!

  cM+h BUMh gok gS] vkSj NCchl tuojh gS

  fQ+t+k esa dqgjk gS]

  fnYyh esa ^>kadh* py jgh gS

  ykgksj esa nj;k;s jkoh cg jgk gS!

  Karachi

  Kites hover over corpses in your city

  In much the same way they do

  In my city, on its crossroads.

  When bodies fall

  Prey to police firing

  The vultures begin to descend

  In this, our two countries

  So much is common among the common people.

  djkph!

  rsjs 'kgj esa Hkh rks physa

  mlh rjg yk'kksa ds m$ij eaMykrh gSa

  tSls esjs 'kgj ds pkSjkgksa ij

  cUnkscLr dh xksfy;ka [kkdj---


  yksxksa dh yk'ksa tc fxjrh gSa

  vkLeku ij eaMykrs fx/k uhps mrj vkrs gSa

  ge nksuksa ds] nks eqYdksa esa

  vke vkneh fdrus feyrs tqyrs gSa!

  Toba Tek Singh

  I have to meet Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan at Wagah

  He still stands there on swollen feet

  where Manto had left him mumbling:

  ‘Ooper di gurh-gurh di moong di daal di laltain.’

  I have to search for that madman

  Who would climb a high branch and proclaim

  That he was God

  And only he could decide which village would go to which side.

  When will he descend from his branch?

  I have to tell him

  That the job of dividing and cutting is still in progress

  That partition was the first one

  Some more partitions remain!

  I have to meet Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan at Wagah

  And tell him about his friend Afzal,

  And Lahan Singh, Wadhwa Singh, Amrit behen –

  All of whom came this side after they were killed

  Their heads were looted with their belongings on the way

  It’s time to sacrifice Bhuri

  No one will come for her now

  And that girl who grew a finger’s length every twelve months

  Now shrinks by part of a finger year by year

  I have to tell him

  That not all lunatics have reached their destinations

  There are many who still roam around on both sides

  Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan often calls me to Wagah, saying,

  ‘Ooper di gurh-gurh di moong di daal di laltain

  Di Hindustan te Pakistan di durr phite munh.’*

  Vksck Vsd flag!

  eq>s ok?kk is ^Vksck Vsd flag* okys ^fc'ku* ls tkds feyuk gS

  lquk gS oks vHkh rd lwts iSjksa ij [kM+k gS ftl txg eUVks us NksM+k Fkk

  oks vc rd cM+cM+krk gS

  ^mij nh xqM+ xqM+ eax nh nky nh ykyVsu*

  irk ysuk gS ml ikxy dk

  m$Waph Mky ij p<+ dj tks dgrk Fkk

  [+kqnk gS oks

  mlh dks Q+Slyk djuk gS fdl dk xkWao fdl fgLls esa tk;sxk

  oks dc mrjsxk viuh Mky ls

  ml dks crkuk gS

  vHkh dqN vkSj Hkh ny gSa

  fd ftu dks ckWaVus dk] dkVus dk dke tkjh gS

  oks cVokjk rks igyk Fkk

  vHkh dqN vkSj cVokjk Hkh] ckd+h gSa!

  eq>s ok?kk is Vksck Vsd flag okys fc'ku ls tkds feyuk gS

  [+kcj nsuh gS mlds nksLr ^vQ+t+y* dh

  oks ^ygu flag*] ok/kok flag] oks ^HkSu ve`r*

  tks lkjs d+ry gksdj bl rjQ+ vk;s Fks

  mudh xnZusa lkeku gh esa

  yqV xbZa ihNs

  t+cg djns oks ^Hkwjh* vc dksbZ ysus u vk;sxk!

  oks yM+dh ,d maxyh tks cM+h gksrh Fkh gj ckjg eghuksa esa

  oks vc gj bd cjl bd iksVk iksVk ?kVrh jgrh gS

  crkuk gS fd lc ikxy vHkh igaqps ugha vius fBdkuksa ij

  cgqr ls bl rjQ+ gSa] vkSj cgqr ls ml rjQ+ Hkh gSa

  eq>s ok?kk is Vksck Vsd flag okys fc'ku vDlj ;gh dg ds cqykrk gS

  ^mij nh xqM+ xqM+ eqax nh nky nh ykyVsu---

  nh fgUnwLrku rs ikfdLrku nh nqj QVs eqag*!

  Silence at the Border

  Why is everything so still at the border?

  I am scared of this frozen silence.

  This stork-like silence is very cunning

  While standing on one leg

  Meditating with one eye closed

  It keeps the other open.

  Cactuses of thorny voices sprout

  At the slightest stir

  On either side of the border.

  In the deserts along the border

  Even the wind moves holding its breath

  And the sand blows rubbing its neck against the ground.

  A stillness has descended on the border

  I am scared of this icy silence along the border.

  ljgn ij ;s ldrk D;ksa gS

  ljgn ij ;s ldrk D;ksa gS

  bl cQ+kZc lh [+kkeks'kh ls Mj yxrk gS!

  cxys tSlh [+kkeks'kh eDdkj cgqr gS

  ,d Vkax ij [kM+s [kM+s Hkh

  ,d vkWa[k ls /;ku yxk;s]

  nwth vkWa[k [kqyh j[krh gSA

  tc Hkh dksbZ gypy gks rks

  ljgn dh nkuksa tkfuc gh

  dkaVsnkj vkokt+ksa ds dqN dsdV~l mxus yxrs gSa!

  ljgn ds jsfxLrkuksa esa

  lkal nck dj pyrh gS [+kkeks'k gqvk

  jsr] t+eha ls xnZu f?kl dj mM+rh gS

  ljgn ij ldrk rkjh gS

  ljgn dh cQ+kZc lh bl [+kkeks'kh ls vc Mj yxrk gS!

  Neighbour

  As long as there is light in the house opposite mine

  Shadows from that house walk about

  On the wall of my room.

  There is a wheelchair

  It keeps getting pushed left or right

  Two pet birds flying in that house crash against

  my wall

  A cage hanging there becomes a cage in my house.

  God knows which window with bars closes

  And creates a prison door on my wall

  All the passers-by look like prisoners.

  When the naked bulb moves and swings

  People start floating in the air

  A circus begins

  And chaos reigns for a while.

  Then the barred window opens

  Another light is switched on

  Two swaying shadows, clasped in an embrace, come to stand in the balcony

  Perhaps they are looking at my house.

  Sometimes it so happens

  That smoke from that house casts shadows

  on my wall

  And then it seems

  As though both houses are on fire!

  iM+kslh

  tc rd esjs lkeus okys ?kj esa jkS'kuh tyrh gS

  esjs dejs dh nhokj is

  ml ?kj dh iNkZb;ka pyrh jgrh gSa

  bd ^Oghy pSj* gS

  /kDdk [kk ds nk,sa ck,sa ?kwerh jgrh gS

  ml ?kj dh nks ikyrw fpfM+;ka mM+rh gSa rks esjh bl nhokj ls Vdjk tkrh gSa

  ml ?kj esa yVdk bd fiatjk] esjs ?kj dk fiatjk yxrk gS

  tkus dkSu lh f[kM+dh cUn gksrh gS] ftldh tkyh ls

  nhokj is tsy dk njokt+k cu tkrk gS

  vkrs tkrs yksx lHkh d+Snh yxrs gSa

  uaxk yVdk cYc dHkh fgy tk, rks

  yksx gok esa mM+us yxrs gSa

  bd ldZl yx tkrh gS

  dqN nsj x+nj ep tkrk gS

  fQj oks f[kM+dh [kqy tkrh gS

  vkSj dksbZ cRrh tyrh gS

  nks >wwers lk,s fyiVs fyiVs] ckyduh esa] vkds [kM+s gks tkrs gSa

  'kk;n esjs ?kj dh tkfuc ns[k jgs gSa

  dHkh dHkh ;wa Hkh gksrk gS

  ml ?kj ds /kw,sa dh iNkZbZa] esjh nhokj is iM+rh gS

  rc yxrk gS---

  nksuksa ?kjksa esa vkx yxh gS!

  Compatriot

  (For Ahmad Faraz)

  At long last, the sun’s hue has changed

  At long last, you have smiled again.

  Suppressing my hiccups for half a century

  I have been waiting for you to look at me

  And, perhaps, read what the parched tears have to say

  For, the pain of separation is no less for me.

  Every day, I have bowed my head towards your land

  Every night, I have kissed your sky

  The moon and stars you see lying on your roof

  Are the same that bathe my courtyard.

  The moon you have autographed time and again

  And set afloat in the sky, night after night

  I read your signature on it even today.

  When the breeze wafts towards you

  I tie a thousand gajras to its wrist

  When clouds travel in that direction, I tell them

  To soften their thunder and shower with respect.

  You love your country, I know

  I love it too, believe me.

  There’s a small differ
ence, though, if only you understand

  You are there, and I belong there.

  ge oru

  ¼vgen Q+jkt+ ds fy;s½

  cgqr fnuksa esa lgh] jax /kwi dk cnyk

  cgqr fnuksa esa lgh] fQj ls eqLdjk, rqe

  ipkl lky ls eSa fgpfd;kWa nck, gq,

  bl bUrst+kj esa Fkk] vk¡[k mBk ds ns[kks rqe

  rks [+kq'kd v'kdksa dh rgjhj i<+ ldks 'kk;n

  fd esjk nnZ tqnkbZ dk rqe ls de rks u Fkk

  gj ,d jkst+ rqEgkjh t+eha dks ltnk fd;k

  gj ,d jkr rqEgkjs Q+yd dks pwek gS

  fd esjs pk¡n flrkjs rks vkt Hkh gSa ogh

  tks Nr is ysVs gq, jkst+ ns[krs gks rqe

  fd pk¡n vkt Hkh i<+rk gw¡ eSa mlh #[+k ls

  oks ftl is rqe us dbZ ckj nLr[+r dj ds

  Q+yd is NksM+ fn;k] jkr jkr mM+rk jgs

  gok xbZ tks dHkh >wy dj rqEgkjh rjQ+

  gt+kj xtjs dykbZ is ckWa/k dj Hkstk

  x, tks vcj dHkh ml rjQ+] dgk mu ls

  oks ysgtk ueZ j[ksa vkSj vnc ls cjlk djsa

  rqEgsa vt+ht+ gS viuk oru] eSa tkurk gw¡

  eq>s Hkh ml ls eqgCcr gS] rqe ;d+ha dj yks

  t+jk lk Q+d+Z gS xj rqe le> ldks bldks

  fd rqe ogha ds gks vkSj eSa ogha ls gw¡!

  Zindanama*

  Ambling across the alleys of Lahore one night, the moon

  Climbed the high ramparts of the prison

  And like a ‘commando’ jumped into the cell, soundlessly.

  The guards remained oblivious.

  It had gone to meet Faiz

  To ask him to write new verses.

  The pulse of time has stopped

  Say something

  To make the pulse of time throb again.

  ft+Unka ukek

  pk¡n ykgksj dh xfy;ksa ls xqt+j ds bd 'kc

  tsy dh m$Waph Q+lhysa p<+ ds

  ;wa ^dekUMks* dh rjg dwn x;k Fkk ^lsy* esa]

  dksbZ vkgV u gqbZ

  isgjsnkjksa dks irk gh u pyk

  Q+St+ ls feyus x;k Fkk] ;s lquk gS

  Q+St+ ls dgus] dksbZ uT+e dgks]

  oD+r dh uCt+ #dh gS

  dqN dgks

  oD+r dh uCt+ pys!

  Eyes Don’t Need a Visa

  Eyes don’t need a visa

  Dreams have no borders

  Eyes closed, I cross the border every day

  To meet Mehdi Hasan!

  I have heard that his voice is injured

  And the ghazal sits in front of him, mute