TRUTH OF A SOLDIER’ FAMILY

You remain away from home for months together

Leaving behind old parents, young life-partner, growing kids,

Friends, relatives and their affection, caring and warm touch.

To feel the truth of the members of a soldier’s family,

We need to grace a visit his native at the time of a war,

To witness how confidence and proud overpower anxiety and fear.

Old and ailing parents praying for the safe return of their dear,

Eyeing on the television screen, keeping close to ear the radio set,

For their blink-free eyes, days pass like months, months like years.

Feel the invisible pain of his newlywed wife, his soul mate,

Who silently weeps, but carries out rituals of karwachauth,

With merrymaking neighboring women in the absence of her man.

Watch how his tiny daughter without seeing him for months together,

Rushes to the ringing cellphone uttering “papa, papa”,

Gives smile of contentment getting a good-morning-kiss from her father.

Think what might be her mental state,

When she witnesses other kids in festival gatherings roaming gladly,

Enjoying ice cream and buying balloons holding the fingers of their fathers.

His sister waits anxiously for the last train of the day,

Expecting him to come home in Raksha Bandhan as per his words,

Without seeing him, she throws away the rakhi and sinks dejected in her bed.

Imagine of the mental condition of a soldier,

Whose leaves stand cancelled due to some emergency,

Arise out of a natural calamity that we face or a cross border conflict.

I salute the womb that sheltered, kiss the soil that nurtured,

The chevalier of the nation, my beloved soldier,

Whom we all should owe our life, pleasure and existence.

SACRIFICE OF A SOLDIER

When the Sun of youth rises on the blue of your life,

And the flower of conjugal journey blossom with colorful dreams,

You bury yourself in the burden of responsibility of safeguarding the nation.

The age in which human mind wishes to have wings,

And fly in the wildness of unguarded merrymaking,

You confine yourself to strict disciplines, stipulated guidelines, code of conduct.

It establishes that you are makeup of a different soil,

Or the essence of patriotism plunge into your soul,

Polishing and shaping your mindset to live and die for your nation.

When we enjoy social functions in the tenderness of our relatives,

You remain confined to only some community entertainments,

From the day, you take the oath as a soldier, as a fighter, as a winner.

The day you lend your soul to the mother nation,

Duty, discipline and alertness become your being,

Rest other aspects of a normal human life become insignificant.

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How silly of those who regard reel-life workers as their heroes of life,

Whereas our soldiers deserve true appreciations, recognition, respect,

As real-life heroes, leading gallant and factual life without retake.

I bow hundred times and extend my support, sympathy and respect,

To these true saviors, honest sons of the soil, proud of my heart,

Wish and pray all happiness and pleasure for them and their family.

THE INDIAN ARMY

Pradipta bows his head in deep respect to those pious feet,

Of soldiers whose life, youth, ambitions, desire, aspiration,

Are sacrificed on the altar of patriotism and philanthropy.

I salute those humble hearts of our army men,

That blaze in the hardship of duty, discipline and devotion of the nation

To make us live in the light of comfort, peace and tranquility.

Leaving behind your family, relationships, native, sweet memories,

Setting aside the golden period of your youth and enjoyable days,

You work hard at minus temperatures of the Himalayan heights,

Beast infested terrains and humidity of coastal areas,

Amidst heavy cross border shelling and continuous threat to your life,

But never repent, complaint or protest rather work as an iron shield,

Just in order to protect your beloved motherland and fellow compatriots.

In the times of natural calamities, social unrest and terror attacks,

When a situation of civilian concern goes beyond control,

The nation needs gallant and great hearts to respond,

Your compatriots stretch their hands with much expectation,

You extend yours happily and with all your sincerity, honesty,

Endangering yourself without hesitation in rendering services.

We sleep peacefully in the safety of our warm rooms,

And dream of a nice, prosperous and secured tomorrow,

Because you are awoken and vigilant in those cold terrains,

Lifting huge loads of rations, arms and ammunition.

Hence, when you achieve martyrdom serving the nation,

It is our job to respect and care your grieving parents, widow,

And deserving proud offspring as our own kith and kin.

Koh-i-noor

                             The world possesses one Kohinoor,

               Values it for its material and physical worth as a diamond.

                  For them Kohinoor is nothing but a carbon element,

              Hence, they will not hesitate to cash for their pleasure pursuits.

                   I proudly own on my crown the second Kohinoor, my pooja;

                          My solitary pursuit, lifetime achievement, love,

                     As I don’t see the material or physical aspect of her being,

                     I will never part with her at any cost any day until I exist.

                              They heavily guard it in an iron chest,

                              For the fear of larceny or displacement,

                              Block its glow by keeping it under cover,

                              And make it just a name and nothing more.

                             My trust on my Kohinoor is her guard

                              As she is safe in the safe of my heart,

                              Rapped in the silken cloth of my love,

                   Polished continuously with affectionate words to glow.

                   That Kohinoor took a blood bath on every coronation,

                   And represents the arrogance of imperialism, colonialism.

                      Example of greed and egoism of human character,

                A knick-knack worthy of use, amuses and display of power.

                    My Kohinoor is a unique instance of splendid emotions,

                     An example of the most subtle quality of human nature

                She is the Muse, patron, encouragement, elation, elevation

              Adoration, devotion and satisfaction of a poor but fortunate man.

TRUST

Trust is a bridge walking over which two souls reach a point,

And consolidate into a single inseparable, indispensable unit,

Then whatsoever is heard from, shown or delivered by the one,

 Stays final and accepted in its original form by the other.

It is a rope that ties forever two different minds,

With mutual consent, understanding and deep respect.

Then Opinion may differ, but individual ego never appears,

Emotions and sentiments of the one get proper care from the other.

It is a hut that pleasantly shelters two loving hearts,

With its doors closed permanently from inside.

And no noise heard, or visual seen from outside is believed,

As no time or mind stays spare or open for any outsider. 

THE FIRE

                                                       I burn a fire in a brazier,

                                                   To keep at bay the cool air,

                                       Suffocation, dullness of the atmosphere,

                                         And to add into my life light and color.

                                          The cracking and burning of the firewood,

                                      Is producing a sweet hissing and tickling sound,

                                      That makes my breath move faster, budge hazy,

                                     Drives me insane, makes me intoxicating drowsy.

                                               The warm air emitting out of it,

                                         Is creating a undulation inside my heart,

                                           I am feeling my image did disappear,

                                In the smokes and possessive character of the fire.

                                            The flames of the flamboyant fire,

                                 Is encroaching into my heavily guarded barrier,

                                  Threatening to swallow my vows, entity, ethics,

                           I hesitatingly protest and willingly surrender to its tricks. 

                                         My cheeks get scarlet with my titter,

                            Bosom vibrates because of the charm as well as fear,

                                  I whisper or one can say confess in seclusion,

                     To myself that I am lost in love of the one who has born to burn.

मासूम परिंदा

कब तक रोएगा मन को मार कर,
हकीक़त से भाग कर, खयालों में जी कर,
एक बार अपने घोंसले से छलांग लगा कर तो देख।

खुदा ने तुझे ही क्यूं पंछी बनाया,
खुले आसमान मैं उड़ने कि काबिल बनाया,
एक बार अपने हुनर को आजमा कर  तो देख। 

मत कर किसी और पर भरोसा,
तू अनुपम है, कोई नहीं है तेरे जैसा,
एक बार खुद को "हाँ " बोल कर तो देख। 

कब तक इस डर से बैठे रहोगे,
कि गिर जाओगे,मर जाओगे, लोग हसेंगे ताने कसेंगे,
एक बार डर क़ो पछाड़ कर तो देख। 

दुनिया की ये रीत है, डर के आगे जीत है,
फिर तू क्यूं इतना भयभीत है,
एक बार उड़ने की हिम्मत कर के तो देख। 

जो डर गया उसे तू मर गया मान,
मुर्दों का कैसा अरमान? कौन सी उड़ान?    
एक बार जिंदादिल बन कर तो देख।

वो देखो अम्बर में उड़ते परिंदे,
वे भी तो कभी थे तुझसे छोटे बंदे,
एक बार तू भी आसमान पर हक़ जताकर तो देख। 

आंख खुली तो रोशनी है, चल पड़े तो रास्ते है,
सारी धरती, सारे आसमान तेरे वास्ते हें,
एक बार मंजिल की ओर कदम बढाकर तो देख।