ग़ालिब की किताब हो क्या (Are you a book of Ghalib?)

 Almost two decades....alas, it's year 2020, I have known you for such a long period and still I ask, where are you? I am here, still waiting, waiting for that one moment, moment of completeness, moment of happiness, moment of being with you, moment of taking the final nap, Moment of purpose ,moment of love.

Purposelessness is lifelessness..."

Where were you when I sip my coffee alone? Where were you when I tell the tales of my day? Where were you when I recited love poems, as I lay? Where were you?

To be honest, I would say, "You are exactly where you need to be and me, I also am precisely where I need to be.....but I still ask, Where were you?"

Location: At home (this is year 2020), Image courtesy: Junior

"वजह बेवजह अक्सर

जो भी मिलता है मुझसे

वही पूछ लेता है

कहाँ हो तुम ?

ढूंढती रहती हूँ

शायद मिल जाओ कभी

फ़कीर की दुआओं में तुम

दरगाहों पर बंधे 

धागों में तुम

मंदिर के शंखनाद में तुम

बचपन की मासूमियत में तुम

अब कहाँ ढूँढ़ूँ तुम्हें

बताओ ना

कहाँ हो तुम?

कभी ढूँढा तुम्हें

चाय की चुस्कियों में

और कभी

कविता की हर कल्पना में

पर मिले नहीं कहीं तुम

बताओ ना

कहाँ हो तुम?

कभी पढ़ नहीं पाती तुम्हें

समझ भी नहीं आते तुम

कोई ग़ालिब की किताब हो क्या?

पूरा नहीं होता जो कभी

वो अधूरा सा ख्वाब हो क्या?

बताओ ना...."

 

Translation:

 

"For reasons or needless often

whoever meets me

asks me often about you

where are you?

I look for you

Hoping to meet someday

may be in prayers of hermit

or may be in red threads

tied around shrines

In sound of conch shells

or may be in innocence of childhood

Where all shall I search for you?

Tell me,

Where were you?

I looked for you

In a cup of tea

And sometimes

in the imagination of my poems

But couldn't find you

Tell me

Where were you?

I couldn't ever read you

You are beyond understanding too

Are you a book of Ghalib?

Are you like a dream

which never fulfills?

Tell me...."