4 verses · ~1 min
शहर के बीचोबीच जो एक बड़ा-सा फ़व्वारा है जिसके इर्द-गिर्द खूबसूरत बाग़ीचा है वहाँ-वहाँ बिछी हैं आरामदेह बेंचें
आराम भी करो नज़ारा भी देखो- संगीत की लय पर आर्केस्ट्रा के संग उछलती-कूदती रंगीन रोशनियाँ शीतल जल की फुहारें
इंद्रजाल में सबके सब मुग्ध-मोहित से फँसे थे
तभी सरपत के वन में पिंडली तक लथ-पथ कीचड़ से कास के फूल चुनता एक नन्हा शैतान खिलखिलाता नज़र आया।
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
Benares
This evocative painting by the Scottish artist Roderick Dempster Mackenzie captures a luminous, deeply spiritual moment of daily life on the sacred ghats of Benares, now known as Varanasi. Created in 1898 during Mackenzie's extensive travels through India, the work reflects the profound European fascination with the spiritual heart of the subcontinent. Rather than presenting a mere exoticized spectacle, Mackenzie treats the subject with a sensitive, quiet reverence. The soft, golden-grey haze that hangs over the Ganges captures the transition of morning light, a sacred atmosphere where the boundaries between water, air, and stone seem to dissolve. The daring leap of a young diver, suspended mid-air against the pale sky, adds a sudden, joyful energy to the silent, repetitive rhythms of ritual bathing, celebrating the timeless relationship between the people and their sacred river.
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