Transformation, not just change

The age growing bigger in number
Life and lifestyle turning faster than thunder
With dreams seeming to go deep in slumber
Those wide open eyes with excitement all over
Turning around and closing into the corner
The 20 year old with rush and rebel in the heart
The vision to change the world 
Break rules and age old traditions apart
The new mature self at 30 thinks more, does less
Fights less, and lesser it takes the road not taken,
Lost somewhere in the worldly affairs,
To be a part of the world, lost its original self. 

Is it good ? Is it bad ?
Is it not fast but not too slow?
Does choosing your battles make you less
Or choosing yourself make you more
What is less and what is more?
Does fighting all battles strengthen your rebels
Or fighting one at a time, 
Transforms, not just changes,
Even winning one at a time
Maybe losing but for better
Choosing good chaos over bad systems
Or choosing to fix some sad systems
Choosing to solve external chaos
Without allowing it to hit the inner self
Choosing peace over activism
Or I would say doing mature activism
But still rebel by heart
Trying to change the norms
Of society, fighting traditions that need a storm
Changing the old unreasonable rules
Or finding the reason in these old rules
To understand how they worked, and how will they not, now,
Change is the rule of nature
Deep rooted discriminations
Need to go away
But slowly and gradually, one at a time
Because now this 30 year old knows
How to change the world, for better
Taking everyone together
Not leaving people behind 
Changing things, but gradually, 
Influencing positively,
Slower but much more resilient,
That doesn’t fall back 
With just another generation 
That knows how to evolve
With time, 
So that this is a transformation, 
Not just a change that becomes yet another 
Deep rooted tradition.

That flight accident!

तक़दीर ने ऐसा खेल जो खेला

ज़मीन पे उतरने से रोक दिया उनको

और जो थे ज़मीन पर भी छीन लिया उनको 

रूह काँप जाती है सोचकर

कि मृत्यु कितनी नज़दीक है हम सबके

और हम जीवन में कितनी दूर की सोचते

कोई फ़र्क़ नहीं हम में और उनमें 

जो कल थे , आज नहीं हैं 

सुनकर ऐसा लगा मानो मौत बस छू के निकली हो हमसे

उनकी जगह कोई भी हो सकता हम में से

एहसास इतना गहरा दिला गया यह हादसा

आँखें नम कर दहला दिया दिल, ले गया सारी आस्था,

इतना तो सबको समझा गई यह दास्तान, 

कि जो है बस आज ही है

आओ जी लेते हैं ज़िंदगी

कर लेते हैं दुश्मनों से दोस्ती

जो है बस आज ही है

भर देते हैं इस दुनिया में मुस्कुराहट और ख़ुशी 

जो काम अधूरे हैं पूरे कर लिए जाये

बातें जो रह गई सारी पूरी कर ली जाये

यह जो पल है अभी , जो हम सब साथ हैं जिनके 

एक दूसरे के साथ यादें बुन ली जाये 

जो है बस आज ही है

आइए इस धरती पर 

अपने देश के लिए, अपने लोगों के लिए 

अपनी छाप छोड़ जायें 

इंसानियत की, मिसाल, बनाने की कोशिश की जाए 

जितना हो पाये, उतना दूसरो के लिए 

अच्छे काम करके जायें !

She goes into her room, to be herself!

She goes into her room

To be herself

coz when she is around people

she is masked in the relationships,

Of so many roles, so many identities,

all spread over herself, her own identity,

her hands jumbling chores

of household work

that could've been writing books

Or typing presentations

Just like the other gender does

She goes into her room

To be herself

To laugh, cry, be happy or sad,

To dance, sing, write or be mad,

Coz when she is out,

she is unable to be herself.

Her feet running around the house,

Doing stuff for all others around her

That could’ve been travelling the world

Exploring places, cultures and people 

Learning new things

For herself with not being called selfish

Just like the other gender does

She could choose to be a homemaker, a mother,

A full time enabler for family,

But by her own choice, not by restrain,

And be respected for same,

Be an equal partner, an equal family member, not less.

her face wet with sweat

in the heat of stove

that could've been smiling with confidence

when she would go to work

or to build her own business

or to perform an art

or become a sportsperson

where she believes in herself

Just like the other gender does

her heart full of fear of perception 

of others for her

that could've been filled with love

for herself and others,

A woman, when believed in by her loved ones,

Not bound by any limits and traditions

when surrounded by respect and treated equally,

can do wonders to this world.

her lips talking about her kids and husband

and parents and in laws and families

those lips could've been giving speeches around the world 

of words to change the society , and make a difference 

With her revolutionary thoughts and work

Her eyes filled with tears of patriarchy, inequality and discrimination

can flow to become an ocean of emotions, to rebel, for change,

where humanity will drown, taking along deep rooted traditions,

This ocean will eat up all who want women to follow old conventions

When these eyes will dry and bring their own wide sparkle

The world shall see, the power of women, 

and a change where respect and equality flourishes

Where a human doesn't need to be bound 

for being a woman

who could be herself not only in her room,

but in her home, society, this world,

with her own identity, doing what she really wants. 

Just like the other gender does. 

Oh! You AI!

Artificial intelligence!

Human intelligence ?

Super intelligence!

Emotional quotient? 

Deep neural networks!

Real nervous systems?

Large language models teaching everything!

How about small words of kindness and care

From a real human?

AI,

No longer words,

But a way of life,

Standing still,

Looking around,

Things moving faster than a blink,

No time to fill and drink,

Water just flowing from tap to sink,

Overwhelmed, with so much content,

Gadgets, pictures and words,

Underwhelmed, with my own self,

My abilities, brain and heart,

My creativity and logic,

I doubt if I’m really smart !

I’m the same, as I was before,

Smart enough, intelligent enough,

To face the world, move ahead and get go,

Then all these AIs came up,

Oh ! You world! You full of silicon cells!

Why you don’t let me be myself,

And let me believe I’m enough, 

I’m still smart and confident,

And can function on my own ! 

I can write emails on my own!

I can cook new recipes

Write new poems on my own!

I can do my stuff and learn and grow on my own!

Yeah you maybe able to help sometimes

Assist in some redundant stuff

But you will never master over my brain

My creativity and logic, my body is mine to train!

A machine learning on its own!

Or A child learning on its own!

Asking questions, cheerful emotions,

What is more fun to watch!

Which is more creative and smart !

Cognitive growth playing with mud and water

The feel of curious eyes, 

and the light of innocent smile,

Running around us, talking all the while,

Wondering will that all be gone !

If they were around artificial voice AI,

A robot saying thank you and sorry ,

That doesn’t really understand,

Doesn’t fight or cry, just pretends,

And doesn’t prepare the kid to face the real world,

Hope we go back to living with humans,

Talking to and listening to real humans,

And cherish the wonders of nature - ourselves !

तस्वीरें

पहले की तस्वीरें कुछ ऐसी थी

जो कभी भी बिन बताए, बिन मांगे,

बिना ढूँढे ही सामने आ जाती थी,

और खोल देती थी मन के उलझे तार,

याद आ जाते पुराने पल, और उनमें भरा सारा प्यार ।

पहले की तस्वीरें कुछ ऐसी थी,

कभी पर्स में, कभी कोई दराज़ में सामान ढूँढते हुए,

कुछ किताबों के पन्नो के बीच में ,

कुछ छिपी हुई अलमारी में कपड़ों के नीचे,

यादों की बारात लेकर,

मन को मुस्कुराहट दे जाती थी,

अचानक से आकर दिन बना जाती थी । 

नई तस्वीरें कुछ अलग है,

हैं पर काली स्क्रीन के पीछे छिपी हैं,

जो बस ढूँढने पर मिलती हैं,

उन्हें देखने के लिए तारीख़ ढूँढनी पड़ती है,

उन्हें छूकर महसूस नहीं कर पाते,

नई तस्वीरें अपने आसान होने का गर्व बड़ा जताती हैं,

उनको शेयर करने की apps हमारे मन को बड़ा सताती हैं,

हमारे कितने सारे पल बस तस्वीरें लेने में गुज़र से जाते हैं,

और यह नई तस्वीरें ,

फिर से कभी खोलकर देखना भी मुश्किल सा हो जाता है ।

पहले की तस्वीरें कुछ ऐसी थी, बहुत ख़ास थी,

कुछ अटैची में बिखरी हुई,

या फिर एल्बम में सजी हुई,

एक बचपन का पिटारा बना कर रखी होती थी,

की छुट्टियों में सब साथ बैठकर देखेंगे,

पहले की तस्वीरें कुछ खास थी,

कुछ तस्वीरें सामने दीवारों पर लगी फ्रेम्स में,

या कुछ बिस्तर की साइड टेबल पर,

यह वह हैं जो हमेशा हमारे सामने रहती हैं,

अकेले ना होने का एहसास करती हैं,

पुरानी यादें और खुशियों में नई जान ले आती हैं, 

मन करते ही बस ठहर के उन्हें निहार लो,

खुश हो जाएगा, मन जैसा भी हो,

पुरानी तस्वीरें खास थी, 

सबके मन के बहुत पास थी,

सबको जोड़ने वाली, यादों को पिरोने वाली उनमें बात थी, 

पहले की तस्वीरें कुछ ऐसी थी ।

Signals!

The heart

Beats fast enough

The stomach

Growls loud enough

The eyes 

Sparkle wide enough

The face

Shines and glows enough

The rush in our blood is evident enough,

When we take a step to follow our dreams

Doesn’t matter, tiny or big, just a step is enough

When we are about to make a decision

Or about to voice our opinions

Or create an art, pursue a hobby

Or do something for any of our hidden passions

To do what feels right,

The body gives enough signs

Never ignore any of these signals

Because its the voice from the inside

No matter how it’s perceived from the outside,

Just smile wide 

And move ahead

If the inner self feels bright,

The path is always right !

I am you, You are me

I am you

You are me

We are one and the same

Do you see?

Do you really see?

We are all together

In this world forever

Just different souls and bodies

But all creating the same stories

Of life, nature and this earth

Working to make this a better place to live

For humanity

Not for just the self, or one

But really, for all of us.

What one does,

Affects the other,

And is also affected by the actions of other,

We all are parts of the same system

Just different pieces of a big puzzle

With every piece having its purpose

And incomplete without any other.

So I ask now,

Why treat anyone else 

Differently than ourselves 

Homo sapiens we all are

Equal and the same we all are

So why even think color, race, gender or any bias

Rich or poor, fat or thin, tall or short, 

Why matter,

Why talk about superficial things,

Bring in judgements and make lives complex,

Because deep inside, we all are just human beings,

When it’s as simple 

As being and treating everyone just equal.

So let’s live responsibly,

With humility, respectfully,

Conscious about our actions,

Because it impacts all of us.