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