Aarasii V

[Mukhtalif]

The park I frequent is not big. In fact it is about the size of two
large traffic islands you see in New Delhi; like the one at Janpath
and Akbar road crossing or one near Udhyog Bhavan. Its shape is like
a loose rubber band, uneven oblong. It mostly has fragile Rain trees
along the periphery. Their grip of earth is very weak therefore often
uproot in stormy rains. Rain trees normally form nice round dome like
canopy but here they are in competition with tall buildings for
sunlight therefore take vertical route for growth. The result is; the
park looks like bottom of an irregular shaped high walled vessel.
There is a raised walking track along the perimeter just enough wide
for three people to walk abreast. A circular pagoda like shed at one
end of the park is used mostly by smug but stern looking wise women/
men imparting wisdom to lesser mortals. Inside of walking tracks on
the lush green are concrete benches for people to relax.

I generally take a few rounds of brisk walking then settle down on one
of the empty benches, spend time observing people. To each his
idiosyncrasies!

[I find the word 'Khatoon' really offensive to represent a woman. It's
sound is completely off sync with the sensibility women evoke
therefore I will use neutral word 'aurat' for them...]

aarasii V
[aik aur pahlu]

us roz bhi har roz ki tarah ghaas ka musalsal phailaav auratoN ke
groups se TukRe Tukre ho rahaa thaa. unke paas hi bachche maano nihaaN
dhaagoN se baNdhe khel rahe the. biich biich meN koi aurat '...... mat
karo!' hukm zaari kar deti. mere paas ke group meN aik aurat bikul hi
alhada nazar aa rahi thi. woh shayad 'South Indian' auratoN ka group
tha. gahre saaNwale jism ki woh aurat kuch be-khabar si thi, ghuft-ghu
meN uski zara bhi dilchaspi nahiiN thi. usmeN aik khaas qism ka
'attraction' thaa. nahiiN 'sex appeal' nahiiN, bal.ke aik qism ki
'famine vulnerability'ki kashish jo mardoN ko aage baRh unki har
qeemat par hifaazat karne ko uksaati hai. yakayak woh tashaddud se
harkat meN aa gai......

maine dekha aik darawana sa shakhs mere paas ki fence par khaRa us ki
oar bohat dhiimiiN magar dil ko dahlane waali awaaz se kuch kah rahaa
tha, yaqeenan dhamka raha thaa. fence ki wajeh se uska uupari jism hi
dikhaai paR rahaa thaa. aurat uski taraf dekh apni zabaan meN zor zor
se hathoN se ishaare karti, tez raftaar meN bolne lagi. uske jazbaat
har lamha 'kaleidoscope' ke maniNd pighal rahe the....abhi minnat,
abhi dhamkane ki koshish phir bilakh kar ronaa. fence par khaRaa
shakhs lagaataar use uksaa rahaa tha.....

group men shaamil sabhi auarteN ab uth kaRi huii aur hakkibakki sii
uski taraf dekh rahii thi. mujhe hairaani huii ke koi bhi us shakhs se
lohaa lene ko taiyaar nahiiN thaa. mere saath bench par baitha buzurg
phusphusaayaa
'ye aurat schizophrenic hai!"
'kyaa? aap ko woh aadmi nazar nahiiN aa raha hai?'
'kaun sa aadmi?' woh hairan sa mujhe dekhne lagaa.

maine to wohi dekhaa jo woh aurat dekh rahi thi. mere paas bhi wahi
aaina tha jo uske paas tha.

* * *

[Vijay]

Liked it, Anil sahib.

Vijay

[Mukhtalif]

Shukriya Vijay Saahib. kyaa app ko narrative meN 'Tense' (past/
present) ka conflict nazar aayaa?

[Vijay]

nahiiN Anil sahib.

aik baat aur ki go aap ka likhne kaa aNdaaz yakta hai, mujhe is baar
nisbatan aap kii is kahaani kaa mazmuun ziaadah behtar laga.

I didn't know where you were going with the narrative and was very
impressed the way you ended it.

likhte raheN!


Best,

Vijay

[Mukhtalif]

yaqeen nahiiN hota. mujhe to email mili ke ye bakwaas kab baNd hogi!
(is group se nahiiN) Khair! kyaa aarasii/aaina par
ash'aar qi killat hai? aik bhi bhi faraham nahiiN kiyaa.........

[Mukhtalif]

correction
qillat