The Owl that tried flying in the day

Sitting in my study today noon, I noticed the watchman crossing several times and then some ruckus. As I looked in that direction, there flew a large bird towards my porch. I thought that these watchmen are chasing and harassing some poor bird and ran outside barefoot. 

Indeed, there was a barn owl that was being chased, not for a sinister reason though. The watchmen were afraid that this (probably) injured owl, blinded by day-light will fall prey to a stray dog or cat. 

Slightly confused, more concerned, I snatched a curtain and gave it to the watchmen for catching the owl and leave it in a safe place. And they did that swiftly and softly enough. 

Within less than a minute, we were trying to put the owl on a branch high enough to keep it safe. The poor soul couldn't even hold the branch properly. Anyhow, it fell into the safe zone beyond iron grills and tried moving for few second blindingly.

I checked on it till late evening and it was sitting there peacefully. The eyes were opening better as the darkness dawned. However, the pic below was the last one that I clicked, as I was sure the wise owl was already tired and scared enough of his human interaction today.

P.S. - Just checked for it now at 10 pm. The owl is not there... hopefully it has flew away and having a happy dinner with family :)

मुझको फिर से गलत कहेंगे वो...

Since I abandoned my poetry blog some years ago, I never shared my poems on any other forum. 

However, last month I shared a ghazal through a Facebook note. Sharing the same here again: 

दौरे-हाज़िर में रह रहा हूँ मैं

किस कदर ज़ुल्म सह रहा हूँ मैं।

अपनी आवाज़ भूल जाता हूँ

कितना खामोश रह रहा हूँ मैं।

इक समन्दर है मेरे भीतर ही

और चुपचाप बह रहा हूँ मैं।

कभी उठा था आस्माँ की तरह

अब तो टुकड़ों में ढह रहा हूँ मैं।

ये जहाँ मात चाहता था सदा

और हमेशा ही शह रहा हूँ मैं।

जब वो यह चाहते थे वो था मैं

चाहिये वो तो यह रहा हूँ मैं।

मुझको फिर से गलत कहेंगे वो

फिर से कुछ उनसे कह रहा हूँ मैं।

Anniversaries

Today, it's been 8 years since I arrived back at home after leaving IRMA. Between the day and night of the day eons ago, my whole life changed. About a week back, I was with one of my FPM batchmates and I happily reminded her that it was 7 years since our very first class at IIMA.

In 3 days' time, it will be 2 years of a great back-stab and in 9 days' time, of another. 3 weeks to the 8th anniversary of the day, when I decided to end this life and second anniversary to the time, when life went for another full toss.

Well, if you are wondering what is so special about this month of June, there is nothing. June has been one of the more happening months of my life but so is the case with November, March, October, May, December, April, August, and 4 more months.

In a month, it will be almost a full 2 years, when we talked for the first time. And in exactly a month, it will be full two years, when talked for the last time. In essence, every day of the year has a memory associated with it - seeing you or not seeing you, missing you or missing you completely, finding you completely or losing myself completely....

Sometimes I wonder - how many anniversaries can I remember? How many anniversaries should I remember? There have been ups and downs and special occasions in my professional life and more so in my personal life. Both have affected me for good and for bad but every time any such date crosses the calender, it crosses my mind too. And as I live those memories over and over again, I get sometimes nostalgic, sometimes poetic, sometimes idiotic.

But now, I think it is been too much for too long for too many memories... they have run their course...they are faded... they are too far back in past... the persons do not matter any more... the events are beyond impact... the past is dead... I better forget it now, for now is the time...!!!

मैं ये हर शाम कहता हूँ 

कि तुमको भूल जाऊँगा 

मगर जब सुबह होती है

भुलाना भूल जाता हूँ