DIWAN E SUKHAN
Explore more on Diwan E Sukhan

Rajinder Manchanda Bani

1932 (Multan) – 1981 (Delhi) • The Abstract Thinker

"A highly original modernist poet based in Delhi, Bani completely departed from typical ghazal tropes involving the 'saqi' and the 'tavern'. Instead, he developed an abstract, philosophical style, using highly original metaphors and a complex, Hindi-inflected vocabulary to explore themes of modern existence."

Mashhoor Ash'aar

wo tootte hue rishton ka husn-e-aakhir tha ki chup si lag gayi donon ko baat karte hue...
ai dost main khamosh kisi dar se nahin tha qail hi tiri baat ka andar se nahin tha...
os se pyaas kahan bujhti hai moosla-dhaar baras meri jaan...
wo ek aks ki pal bhar nazar mein thahra tha tamam umr ka ab silsila hai mere liye...
koi bhi ghar mein samajhta na tha mire dukh sukh ek ajnabi ki tarah main khud apne ghar mein tha...
bani zara sambhal ke mohabbat ka mod kaat ik hadsa bhi taak mein hoga yahin kahin...
dhalegi shaam jahan kuchh nazar na aayega phir is ke baad bahut yaad ghar ki aayegi...
zara chhua tha ki bas ped aa gira mujh par kahan khabar thi ki andar se khokhla hai bahut...
udaas shaam ki yaadon bhari sulagti hawa hamein phir aaj purane dayar le aayi...
aaj kya lautte lamhaat mayassar aaye yaad tum apni inayat se badh kar aaye...
din ko daftar mein akela shab bhare ghar mein akela main ki aks-e-muntashir ek ek manzar mein akela...
is qadar khaali hua baitha hoon apni zaat mein koi jhonka aayega jaane kidhar le jayega...
ajeeb tajraba tha bheed se guzarne ka use bahana mila mujh se baat karne ka...
jaane wo kaun tha aur kis ko sada deta tha us se bichhda hai koi itna pata deta tha...
main chup khada tha taalluq mein ikhtisar jo tha usi ne baat banayi wo hoshiyar jo tha...
tu koi gham hai to dil mein jagah bana apni tu ik sada hai to ehsaas ki kaman se nikal...
mire banaye hue but mein rooh phoonk de ab na ek umr ki mehnat miri akarat kar...
na jaane kal hon kahan saath ab hawa ke hain ki ham parinde maqamat-e-gum-shuda ke hain...
mohabbatein na rahin us ke dil mein mere liye magar wo milta tha hans kar ki waza-dar jo tha...
maazi se ubhrin wo zinda tasveerein utar gaya sab nashsha naye purane ka...
is andhere mein na ik gaam bhi rukna yaaro ab to ik doosre ki aahatein kaam aayengi...
bagoole us ke sar par cheekhte the magar wo aadmi chup zaat ka tha...
wo hanste khelte ik lafz kah gaya bani magar mire liye daftar khula maani ka...
hari sunahri khaak udane wala main shafaq shajar tasveer banane wala main...
koi bhooli hui shai taaq-e-har-manzar pe rakkhi thi sitare chhat pe rakkhe the shikan bistar pe rakkhi thi...
is tamashe mein taassur koi laane ke liye qatl bani jise hona tha wo kirdar tha main...
wahi ik mausam-e-saffak tha andar bhi baahar bhi ajab sazish lahoo ki thi ajab fitna hawa ka tha...
raah aasan dekh kar sab khush the phir main ne kaha soch leeje ek andaz-e-nazar mera bhi hai...
chalo ki jazba-e-izhaar cheekh mein to dhala kisi tarah ise aakhir ada bhi hona tha...
mire waste jaane kya layegi gayi hai hawa ik khandar ki taraf...
ud chala wo ik juda khaaka liye sar mein akela subh ka pahla parinda aasman bhar mein akela...
yaad tiri jaise ki sar-e-shaam dhund utar jaaye paani mein...
thi paanv mein koi zanjeer bach gaye warna ram-e-hawa ka tamasha yahan raha hai bahut...
shamil hoon qaafile mein magar sar mein dhund hai shayad hai koi raah juda bhi mire liye...
koi gosha khwab ka sa dhoond hi lete the ham shahr apna shahr bani be-aman aisa na tha...
kisi ke lautne ki jab sada suni to khula ki mere saath koi aur bhi safar mein tha...
paiham mauj-e-imkani mein agla paanv naye paani mein...
bain karti hui samton se na darna bani aisi aawazein to is raah mein aam aayengi...
wo log jo kabhi baahar na ghar se jhaankte the ye shab unhein bhi sar-e-rahguzar le aayi...
qadam zameen pe na the raah ham badalte kya hawa bandhi thi yahan peeth par sambhalte kya...
damak raha tha bahut yun to pairahan us ka zara se lams ne raushan kiya badan us ka...
phailti jayegi charon samt ik khush-raunaqi ek mausam mere andar se nikalta jayega...
silsila raushan tajassus ka udhar mera bhi hai ai sitaro us khala mein ik safar mera bhi hai...
kisi maqam se koi khabar na aane ki koi jahaz zameen par na ab utarne ka...
safar mein tanha qadam uthana mushkil hai saath tumhaare kabhi na thakne wala main...
Explore more on Diwan E Sukhan