8 verses · ~1 min
कल मैंने कविता को लिखा नहीं कल मैंने कविता को जिया
बहुत दिनों बाद लौटकर घर आए बच्चों के साथ बैट-बाल खेला, पहेलियाँ बूझीं कहानियाँ सुनीं-सुनाई चाट खाई
वह सब तो ठीक था और अपनी जगह ठीक-ठाक रहा लेकिन यह ख़याल कि इस तरह मैंने कविता को जिया, अपनी कविता जी को कुछ ख़ास पसंद नहीं आया।
मुँह फुलाकर वे जा बैठीं पुरानी पत्रिकाओं के ग़ट्ठर में जिन्हें मैंने दो-छत्ती में धर दिया था ताकि बच्चों की उछल-कूद के लिए घर में तनिक जगह तो निकले।
बीते अनुभव से जानता हूँ- छुट्टियाँ ख़त्म होंगी बच्चे वापस चले जाएँगे घोंसले में फैले तिनके समेटने के लिए हमें छोड़कर
कैरम की गोटें स्क्रैबिल के अक्षर देने-पावने के ब्यौरे क्रेन की बैटरी जिन्हें हम सहेजेंगे ज़रूर
पर दो-छत्ती में रखी पुरानी पत्रिकाएँ तो शायद हमेशा के लिए वहीं की वहीं रह जाएँगी
रूठी हुई कविता जी मनुहार के बाद या उसके बावजूद क्या पता? आएँ कि न आएँ!
इति
The Poet
अजित कुमार
Ajit Kumar
1933 · 2017
Ajit Kumar occupied a remarkably unique space in modern Hindi literature, serving simultaneously as a brilliant creator and a devoted custodian of the literary tradition. Born in 1933 in Lucknow, he became a highly respected poet, memoirist, and editor associated with the Nayi Kavita movement. He was one of the closest confidants of Harivansh Rai Bachchan, taking on the monumental task of editing the complete works of the legendary poet and ensuring that a vast literary heritage was preserved for future generations. In his own writing, Kumar possessed a gentle, conversational lyricism that completely avoided heavy academic pretension. Through memoirs like Door Van Mein and travelogues like Safri Jhole Mein, he mapped both geographical landscapes and the intricate emotional terrains of human friendship. Passing away in 2017, he left behind a legacy defined by profound intellectual generosity. He was a writer who understood that celebrating the greatness of others only expands one's own literary soul.
Paired Painting
A Dry Feast
Hemendranath Mazumdar was universally celebrated for his breathtaking mastery of academic realism, particularly his ability to capture light, texture, and delicate human and animal forms with startling lifelike precision. In this delightful and intimate interior scene, the artist turns his discerning eye away from his usual portraits of royal ladies to observe the playful antics of mischievous kittens inside an artist studio. Pouncing around paintbrushes, a discarded palette, and an unpainted canvas, the young felines discover a strange feast of dried fish, turning the quiet, contemplative space of artistic creation into a moment of chaotic, endearing life. Mazumdar infuses the scene with tenderness and humor, celebrating the simple joys of observation that underpin all great art.
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