Canvas
Game of Pachisi

HasyaBeginner

हल्का-फुल्का

Halka-Phulka

Pratibha Saxena
2 min read 1 versesSunlightChildhood

1 verses · ~2 min

निकल आओ कमरे से बाहर ज़रा , इस खुली अगहनी धूप में बैठ लें! खींच लें प्लास्टिकी कुर्सियाँ ,इस तरफ़ साथ चलती सड़क का किनारा मिले! खिड़कियाँ कुछ खुली हैं घरों की अभी , झाँकती लड़कियों का नज़ारा मिले! दूध के दाँत आगे के टूटे हुये झर रही हैं हँसी की फुहारें बिखर , फूलवाली नई फ़्राक पहने हुये एक बच्ची चली आ रही है इधर! हाथ पकड़े हुये भाई थोड़ा बड़ा , दूसरे हाथ से है सम्हाले हुये पेट से खिसक आता पजामा ज़रा! वाह, ठेले पे ,कैसी हरी औ' भरी ताज़ी टूटी हुई वो मटर की फली! हींग-ज़ीरा हरी मिर्च से छौंककर , साथ में शाम की चाय अदरक डली! आओ , छीलें मटर भी यहीं बैठ कर और छिलके उधर डाल दें गाय को! कोई पूछे कि क्या हो रहा है, कहें , 'देख ले आप ही ,पूछता काय को?' धूप जब तक इधर से उधर तक चले हम भी अपनी वहीं कुर्सियाँ खींच लें! आज टालो नहाना ,जरूरी नहीं , एक दिन ताश की गड्डियाँ फेंट लें!

इति

Pratibha Saxena

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.

Game of Pachisi

Paired Painting

Game of Pachisi

In this evocative watercolor, William Carpenter invites us into a quiet moment of camaraderie and shared focus, as four men gather on the floor to play the ancient Indian cross and circle board game of Pachisi. The artist observed Indian life with profound empathy and acute technical skill, rendering not merely figures in local attire, but the rich texture of human connection found in traditional pastimes. Pachisi, often considered the national game of India and the ancestor of modern Ludo, brings people together across social barriers, creating a space of friendly rivalry and deep contemplation. The gentle washes of earthy tones and the careful play of light across turbans and bare shoulders breathe life into a scene that has echoed across generations of Indian homes.

Open the viewer →