Parinda

Achanak se bijli chali gayi
Sab ne ghar khali kar diya
Kuch saathi saath rehna chahte the
Par humne unhe bhi azaad kar diya

Phir ek parinda aaya
Khidki ke ek khule siray se
Humne kaha, “Tum chale jao yahan se”
Abhi yahan andhera sa hai

Par usne saath rehne ki zidd ki
Humne kaha, “Intezaar mat karo humara
Tumhe der ho jayegi,
Kahin koi intezaar kar raha hai tumhara
Shayad bahut ummeed laga rakkhi hai tumse”

Woh parinda zidd pe ad gaya
Woh humara sabse pyaara dost ban gaya
Hum dil ko sambhale baithe the
Dil ke tootne ke gham se waaqif the

Usse shayad pata tha
Humare haale dil ka
Jo hum iss andhere mein
Bakhubi chhupa rahe the

Hum samaj rahe the
Koi humein padh nahi sakta
Par hairaan kar diya uss parindey ne humein
Humari haansi ke peeche ka gham padh liya
Aankhon se usse beh jaane ko
Majboor kar diya

Hum kehte rahe, “Tum udd jao sab ki tarah”
Par woh phir bhi rukne ki zidd pe adaa raha
Bas ab yeh parinda hi hai jo humara
Sabse pyaara dost ban gaya

Woh roz subah ‘chnew chnew’ karta aata
Aur shaam dhalte dobara se ‘chnew chnew’ karne lagta
Woh beparwah apna haq jatata hua
Kisi bhi pehar khidki se andar-bahar
Apni marzi se aata chala jaata

Andar-bahar udne ke chakkar mein
Puri khidki khul chuki hai
Suraj ki kirno se ab yeh kamra
Itni khoobsurti se jagmagaata hai

Raat ke andhere mein bhi ab
Chandrama aur taaron ki timtimahat se
Kamra jhilmilaata hai

Itni roshni woh le aaya apne sang
Is dosti ko samajhna mushkil hai
Hum bhi kabhi issi tarah
Sabke dost hua karte the

Zabardasti apna pyaar sab par
Nyochhawar kar dete the

Kya pata tha, bijli ke jaane ke baad
Apne jaisa hi koi parinda
Hum par apni gehri dosti ka chaap chhod jaayega
Zabardasti se apna pyaar hum par lutaa jaayega

Zindagi bhi ajeeb khel khelti hai
Jab humne maangna chhod diya
Tab achanak se sab kuch
Kadmon pe laakar chhod diya

Neeta Devadiga