उस मन में किसका ध्यान था ...

Aaj Karwa Chauth hai. The day of fasting for the long life of love (or, at least the life partner, as the two need not be are not the same often)! 

A friend from Lucknow has been constantly posting for 2-3 days now about his experience around the festival. Frantic, frequent, festive details. Fumbling, flabbergasting, funny details. Factual, fanciful, factitious details. 

And what do I do? What else can I do but reminisce? After all, nostalgia is my destiny, remembering is my curse.

I remember the time when someone wanted to fast for me. It felt awkward. The same awkwardness, when someone touches my feet. I feel humbled by the burden of greatness thrust upon me by the act of touching the feet. Same way, I felt humbled by the tinge of divinity seen in me. What did I do? 

Well, whatever I did, I wrote about it, albeit long after. 

You know, I imagined, if she still fasts for someone else! What if she fasts for someone else but, while fasting and praying, thinks of someone else? Well, maybe, that is how I live on despite no such intentions!

याद के जंगल में अब 

कोई नया साया नहीं, 

बाद उसके इन नज़ारों 

को कोई भाया नहीं ।  

तीज पर या चौथ पर 

उस मन में किसका ध्यान था ? 

उम्र बढ़ी बोलो किसकी 

जब उसने कुछ खाया नहीं ।  

उसकी कुछ बातें नयी 

तुम ही सुनाओ ऐ रक़ीब, 

बस पुरानी बात है 

मैं और कुछ लाया नहीं ।