बेक़सूर दिल

कभी इधर, कभी उधर,
भटकातीं है मन मेरा,
सब गलतियां करती हैं हूर,
दिल का मेरे क्या कसूर।

खुद ने दिया इतना प्यार,
बाँट बाँट के थका हूँ मैं,
पर ख़त्म नहीं होता सुरूर,
दिल का मेरे क्या कसूर।

दुनिया ने किया बदनाम मुझे,
तितलियाँ पकड़ता तो बचपन से था,
ठरकी थोड़ा मैं था ज़रूर,
दिल का मेरे क्या कसूर।

आँखों से खिची चली आयीं,
इशारों तक बात नहीं आयी,
पर कभी मैंने न किया गुरूर,
दिल का मेरे क्या कसूर।

चाह नहीं, ठहराव नहीं,
रुका नहीं मैं किसके लिए,
अपनी धुन में रहता मगरूर,
दिल का मेरे क्या कसूर।

मैखाने के पैमाने से,
कुछ कसर नहीं रखी बाकी,
आखिर कुछ तो बहकेगा,
इसमें दिल का मेरे क्या है कसूर।।

जब मिली थी तुम पहली बार

न भूला मैं वो आखों का दीदार,
सकपकाहट औ सकुचाहट वो,
दबी सी हँसी, सीने पे वार,
जब मिली थी तुम पहली बार।

न भूला मैं वो उड़ती जुल्फें,
पलछिन करती सी पलकें,
सारी रात रहा बेकरार,
जब मिली थी तुम पहली बार।

न भूला मैं वो अंगुलियां,
दबोचे थे बाल जिससे मेरे,
हाथ ना आये, खाली वार,
जब मिली थी तुम पहली बार।

न भूला मैं वो लाली,
जो लबों पे छायी थी तेरे,
उसी पल गया था दिल को हार,
जब मिली थी तुम पहली बार।

न भूला मैं वो नयन तेरे,
कजरारे से, शरमाते से,
तपस्या मेरी करी तार-तार,
जब मिली थी तुम पहली बार।

न भूला मैं वो बातें तेरी,
जो मुझसे कर न पाती थी,
रहा है मुझे तबसे इंतज़ार,
जब मिली थी तुम पहली बार।

न भूला मैं वो इठलाना तेरा,
जो मन मेरा मचला जाता था,
हारा मैं मती, बन गया गवार,
जब मिली थी तुम पहली बार।

ऐसा ही रहे, न भूलूँ मैं,
तेरा एहसास, तेरी हर सांस,
जब देखूं तुझे, लगे मुझे ऐसा,
कि मिली हो तुम पहली बार।।

Worship Oneself: 330 million Gods

330 million. The number of Gods in Hindu mythology. It has always intrigued me. Who came up with this number? Why it is not 340 million or 350 million? Why is has to be 330 million?

I have been doing a bit of reading on this of late. I have not really understood the rationale behind this number. The only interpretation is that it represents infinity (a very large number). It is said that we do not have 330 million Gods, but 330 million gods. There is only one God, the unison of Holy Trinity, Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva. All other are demi-gods, who themselves worship God.

This very large number is used to represent that Hinduism believe everything is created by God and thus is divine. So everything we see (living/non-living) is divine. We worship all. Thus there is no concept of devil in Hinduism. As devil himself would have to be created by God and would thus be divine. In fact you will find that Shiva never differentiated between even good and bad people. Anyone who did tapasaya was granted avar. It led to even Shiva being threatened once, when he gave an Asura power to kill anybody and that Asuratried to kill Shiva himself.

Hence there is freedom in Hinduism to worship anything and anyone. We worship cows, sun, moon, flowers, stone, water etc. The list is endless. Thus all the egoists, who worship themselves, do nothing wrong. We are created by God and are ourselves divine. Self-worshipping not only takes less time buy also saves money.

Sachin’s Jersey No. 10

I have seen re-runs of last moments of Mumbai Test a dozen times already. Sachin’s farewell speech, weeping stadium, lap of honor, Sachin taking pitch’s blessing. It has all been a bit surreal. Unfortunately like million others, I couldn’t procure the tickets to the stadium, and I am sure it will haunt me for lifetime.

What is it that takes Sachin head and shoulders above the rest? Why we say that there can be no other Sachin? Well it originates from being a one man army. Before Sachin, Indians just watched cricket. With the advent of Sachin, Indians watched cricket to win. Sachin’s popularity stems from knocks like Sandstorm, Chennai Test, Hero Cup last over and innumerable others. Sachin had already earned eternal space even before 2000’s.

Yes, it was the 90’s that made Sachin God. When the inept teammates used to abjectly surrender, Sachin was there to steer through to win. When major players around him were selling matches, Sachin was the one who took it upon himself to see India won. 2000’s was when India started reaping benefits of what Tendulkar sowed. A generation of cricketers came who has seen Sachin’s bravery and was modeled upon him. Since 2000 there have been many who did match Sachin but were all “after the fact”. None had the originality, charisma or longevity of Sachin.

Legends are born out of adversity. But for 17/5, would Kapil Dev’s knock be the same? But for fixing scandal and all time low for Indian cricket, would Ganguly’s captaincy be equally revered? But for knack of losing finals, would Dhoni’s calmness that won us number of series, be so much talked about?

Since balance needs to be maintained. Sometimes I think, But for inept teammates of 90’s, would Sachin be the same? I think, 10 on Sachin’s jersey stood for the 10 teammates whom Sachin had to carry on his back to take India to victory.

Sachin’s Fan(atic)’s

The unique thing about Sachin is that everyone has an opinion about him. Such has been his presence that no one is left untouched. Maybe be that’s why he is regarded to be God. Though Sachin himself has said, “I am no God. God don’t make mistakes. I do“.

There is a common thing about highly revered personalities. It is the barrage of fans. Be it Gandhi, Mandela, Bradman earlier, Or Obama, Modi, Sachin in today’s times. Each one have/had huge number of people who followed them and revered them.

We don’t realize when this fan-hood turns into devotion which turns into fanaticism. Just try saying anything against Gandhi, Modi, Sachin and you would understand what I mean. You would be ganged upon and berated and made to wish that God wouldn’t have given you a tongue in the first place.

Fans are earned by hard work. And such fanatic fans are earned by hard work over a long period of time. Sometime these fans tend to go overboard. They end up giving bad names to their Hero. Modi fans demanding scalp of anyone and everyone who say anything against him, are doing bad for his image. They just don’t get it. So are Sachin fans.

I remember a conversation with a Belgian who had read a lot about Gandhi and was a great fan. We started discussing about Gandhi’s personal life. I told him few things that I didn’t like in Gandhi’s personal life. This guy felt offended and saw a devil in me for saying so. He ended up saying few things to me which I am sure Gandhi would have never said himself.

Sachin is/was always open to criticism. This is what makes him a Hero. His fans on the other hand are not open to any criticism. It takes away some sheen off Sachin and reflects badly on him. Sachin himself hasn’t spoken ill of anybody. His fans should follow the same if they are his real fans.