4 verses · ~2 min
धरे हथेली गाल पर सोच रहा हूँ कल की बातें- गए वर्ष की कुछ तस्वीरें झूल रहीं दीवाल पर! धरे हथेली गाल पर...!
हवा खिड़कियों के परदों पर छिटके गंध बबूल की । रोशनदान घुट रहे सारे- कई दिनों से गुलदस्तों पर- पर्त जमी है धूल की। बिस्तर पर सिलवटें, सिलवटों पर सिगरेट की छाई हाथ उठाऊँ, इसके पहले ठमक गई है- दीठ किसी के- नाम कढ़े रुमाल पर। धरे हथेली गाल पर...।
गए क्षणों की पगध्वनियों को झेल रहा है कुहरा मैं आवाज़ लगाने को हूँ- दिया सांझ का मना कर रहा- कहता ठहर, न गुहरा! देख कि कल तक घुटनों के बल चलने वाला चाँद आज बाँटने स्वप्न रुपहले-क्षितिजों के झुरमुट से उभरा ठण्डी हँसी उछालकर। धरे हथेली गाल पर...।
थम-सा गया आज कल मन का दूर-दूर तक जाना। बहुत भला लगता है अब तो- उकड़ूँ बैठे हरी घास पर- अपने को दुहराना । काश कि कोई आकर मुझसे फिर न कभी कुछ कहता नन्हा तिनका लिए हाथ में- यों ही जीने की तबियत करती है पूरे साल भर। धरे हथेली गाल पर...।
इति
The Poet
शलभ श्रीराम सिंह
Shalabh Shriram Singh
1939 · 1960s
Shalabh Shriram Singh was a bohemian visionary who deliberately rejected the comfortable illusions of mainstream literature to forge an entirely new path. Born in 1938 in the Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh, he became the driving force behind the Yuyutsawad movement in Hindi poetry during the late 1960s. He refused to be categorized by traditional literary epochs, writing with a rebellious spirit that sought a total transformation of society. His iconic poem Nafas Nafas Kadam Kadam became a revolutionary anthem, echoing through protests and progressive circles long after it was written. Singh possessed a remarkable ability to bridge the lyrical traditions of the Urdu ghazal with the grounded realities of modern Hindi verse. He wrote not for applause, but to confront the deep social inequalities and religious hypocrisies that plagued the nation. Passing away in 2000, he left behind a legacy that continues to inspire young writers. He remains a fearless poet of the marginalized, proving that true literature must possess the courage to make the comfortable feel intensely uncomfortable.
Paired Painting
Domestic Scene with Man Smoking Hookah and Woman Sewing
This intimate portrait captures a quiet, rhythmic moment of domestic life in early twentieth century India. An elderly man, draped in traditional attire, finds a moment of stillness while drawing from his hookah, the curling smoke suggesting a pause in time. Meanwhile, a younger woman sits nearby, entirely focused on her needlework. The painting evokes the simple, profound dignity of rural existence during this era, where the hum of everyday labor and the scent of smoldering coals defined the sanctuary of the home. M. Muranjan masterfully portrays the texture of their quiet companionship, inviting us to witness the peace found in the shared silence of a household.
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