धूप के साथ बारिश का स्पर्श
कुछ इस तरह
प्रतीत होता है
जैसे सूखती
यादों
को
कोई फिर से
जीवित कर दिया हो
कुछ क्षण के लिए ही
पर जिसे सुखने में वक्त लगेगा।

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जरूरी नही हर वक्त सुंदर लगो तुम।
तुम्हारी वास्तविकता से भी मुझे कोई ऐतराज नहीं।।

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On Growing Up!

As you grow up, you realise that the complexities associated with you grows at the same pace. Earlier, the problems was confined to self and hence, the solution too. Only a firm determination, some time and you're on the other side. But now, it doesn't belong to you. You're related to it somehow and it's affecting you. You're caught in it. You can't escape it. Whosoever the solution lies with, they aren't ready to accept it, thus, making the situation more complex. You know that it's affecting several lives but you can't do anything. You try to intervene but nobody is ready to listen you. You're also afraid to leave it on time cause you fear that it'll detoriate it further. Not everything heals with time. Still, you're willing to take that risk. You can't pull the strings further. It might break.

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"On Travel"
Wanderlust. Nomads. Travel freak. Hodophiles. Adventurer. And several vbloggers, youtubers and instagrammer luring towards an adventure or some unexplored places. They won't tell you that travelling isn't easy as it seems and it's not economical. Adventure is not always about packing your bags, venturing into desolate realm and doing stuffs risking your life. Nature has reserved certain places for a reason. Meddling with it unnecessarily is just not right. You can travel for 60 out of 360 days but those 300 days, you've to live the usual life. It's just not possible to plan a trip every time you feel stressed, looking for escape. Moreover, you've to return to the same space. Instead, what I believe is that we all should try generating adventure/joy in our normal life. Trips are necessary but not indispensable. The real adventure isn't in far off places and dangerous activities. It's inside us.

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घर जाने की कोई तारीख नहीं होती पर अगर कोई त्योहार हो तो खुद ही खींचे चले जाते है। खासकर जब आप लंबे अरसे बाद जा रहे हों। शाम 7 बजे की ट्रेन और 4 बजे से ही बेचैनी, और लाख कोशिशों के बावजूद स्टेशन के कुछ दूर होने पर भी 5:30 पर वहां जा के बैठ जाना, दौड़ते- टहलते लोगों को देखना, ट्रेन की रफ्तार तेज से धीमा होना और वापिस वही गति पकड़ लेना, उसके भिन्न किस्म के डब्बे, उसमे एकत्रित हुए जगह जगह से लोग और उनकी भिन्न भाषाएं, पहनावे, रीति रिवाज आदि। कितना सजीव चित्रण है जीवन का। मानो जैसे कोई चलचित्र हो। जैसे कोई मेला लगा हो एवम लोग अपने सुविधा अनुसार आवागमन कर रहे है। हमेशा की तरह मैं टाइम पर और ट्रेन लेट। इसी बीच कुछ और पात्र जुड़ गए इस चलचित्र में। मैं भी इसका हिस्सा हूं। कुछ देर में ट्रेन का भी हो जाऊंगा। फिर से जिंदगी रफ्तार पकड़ लेगी। कुछ देर जरूर रूकूंगा पर केवल फिर से चलने के लिए। उसी बीच इंतजार भी कर लूंगा। कुछ यात्रियों का। सगे- संबंधियों का। तुम्हारा!!

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Farewell night. Clouds trying to eclipse the stars constantly. Beneath the vast stretches of sky, she was counting the stars and I, the number of days left together. Breaking her reverie, she asked in a muffled tone, "Shashank, what do you fear the most?", expecting a subtle reply.

"To be caught in between. Where I can neither love the person nor hate them", I replied, realising we've only 3 days together.

"I will never ever let you in that situation", she said, embracing me and knuckling my hands in her.

A month later, I found myself battling against my only fear.

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The Secret Chocolate Giver
ACT I

A bar of chocolate is found with a note on the desk where Aadhya usualy sits. The note was congratulatory in nature, addressed to her and applauding her on her recent accomplishment. No mention of the addresser. Aadhya is pondering about whereabouts of the chocolate giver. She asks her juniors about the same, who, later joins her in finding the chocolate giver. Aadhya should be sitting in the centre whereas the other students will stand, semicircling her in such a way that she should be clearly visible to the audience.

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You hurt people. Over petty things. Due to your own apprehension. Insecurities. Due to others influencing your thoughts. Over- analysing. To the person who was nice throughout. Trustworthy. Supported you in times of need. Simple-pure hearted. You take them for granted. You say things that shouldn't have been said. You condescend. Sometimes you realise your mistake. Sometimes you don't. You apologize. It's late. You want them to behave as they were. Even after a period of time, things do become normal. But then it happens again. You again want them to behave naturally. How can they? Can you return their sufferings? Put yourself in their shoes. Think. Period.

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अत्यधिक गर्जन के पश्चात भी बारिश का ना आना
मेरे उस मनोस्थिति को दर्शाता है
जैसे तुमने मिलने का वादा कर
आखिरी वक्त पर मंसूख कर दिया हो।

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मैं अक्सर सोचता हूं
कि
इंसान क्यों लिखता है?
बीते हुए पलों को भूला देने के लिए
या उसे याद रखने के लिए?

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