6 verses · ~1 min
तेरे रंग डूबी, मैं तो मैं ना रही!
एक तेरा नाम, और सारे नाम झूठे, ना रही परवाह जग रूठे तो रूठे सुख ना चाहूँ तो से, ना रे, ना रे ना, नहीं!
एक तु ही जाने और जाने न कोई, जाने कौन अँखियाँ जो छिप-छिप रोईं एक तू ही को तो, मन और का चही!
बीते जुग सूरत भुलाय गई रे, तेरी अनुहार मैं ही पाय गई रे . पल-छिन मैं तेरे ही ध्यान में बही!
एक खुशी पाई तोसे पिरीतिया गहन, तू ना मिला, मिटी कहाँ जी की जरन, तेरे बिन जनम, बिन अगन मैं दही!
कि मैं झूठी, कि ये वचन झूठा, जा पे सनेह सच, मिले सही क्या रीत नहीं जानूँ, बस जानूँ जो कही!
इति
The Poet
प्रतिभा सक्सेना
Pratibha Saxena
Dr. Pratibha Saxena holds a distinct and vital place in contemporary Hindi literature. Her work connects the rigorous intellectual demands of academia with the sensitive realities of human relationships. Born on February 9, 1938, in Madhya Pradesh, her life path took her from the lecture halls of Kanpur, where she worked as an educator, to a diasporic existence in the United States. This geographical shift is highly visible in her diverse literary output, which includes poetry, short stories, and satire. In collections like Uttar Katha and Seema Ke Bandhan, she examines the modern domestic sphere. She highlights the subtle constraints placed upon women and the shifting dynamics of family life with deep psychological insight. Her language carries a quiet and confident thoughtfulness that never shouts but still commands complete attention. Saxena has spent decades enriching Hindi literature, demonstrating that a writer can remain deeply rooted in their native culture while living far from home.
Paired Painting
A Woman Playing a Tanpura
In the late eighteenth century, as the imperial center of Delhi faded, the flourishing court of Awadh in Lucknow emerged as a glorious sanctuary for artists, poets, and virtuoso musicians. This poignant painting evokes the soul of that golden era, capturing a refined female musician in a state of quiet contemplation. Her delicate fingers rest upon the wooden neck and green body of a tanpura, a drone instrument whose resonance grounds the intricate melodies of Indian classical music. Adorned in a vibrant saffron turban strung with pearls and precious rubies, she embodies the sophisticated aesthetic of courtly performers who were respected custodians of musical heritage. Her downcast, soul-searching eyes reveal that music for her is not merely performance, but a sacred pilgrimage of the spirit.
Open the viewer →