Symbols and symbolism

At the pinnacle of Mayawati's Raj in UP,something innovative really took place with the idol-worshiping of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar in Indian politics.Literally,with tens of hundreds of his statues coming in UP,he was one of the few leaders from that era challenging Mahatma Gandhi's stature as a statue.A journalist commented in one of those very few esteemed weekly that the power and pole of Ambedkar in drawing votes in our times is even greater than Mahatma or Nehru.
Hero-worshiping in India is not a new trend.Historical evidence suggest that rulers have issued coins bearing their pictures.Just a blatant display of authority,you will say.The fact is they wanted people to relate with their rulers.Everything they sold or bought was due to blessing of crown.Loyalty to the empire and emperor came foremost in their lives.It was too necessary for the development and wellness of state.On the other hand,the king prospered if and only if his people prospered.Why will the people fight the king from some other state if they do not feel close to their ruler.Every thing in the kingdom was his own and he did not felt any personal greed but only tried to improve the situation of his state.There in lied his safety too.One must love his land for doing any betterment to his state.
But what do the leaders from modern 21st century democratic country want to signify when they spend just millions in making of statues of their living self.Taking lessons from history and ensuring the loyalty of their subject is an easy way out.But they miss one important check point.They are in no way kings of their state but just public servants.At least this is what they boost of doing.Spending money from state exchequer to glorify oneself is not the idle way in democracy.For all the good senses prevailing,one does not need much loyalty for the state in a nation-state.Your political opponent is the one who takes your share of loyalty if you loose in a election.The sole way to win should be your work and your connection with the subject.Statues do keep people in your eyes and earn respect in hearts but does not necessary converts into votes.Actually,people in no way need to be loyal to their leaders since their livelihood and welfare is not the ordeal of the king but the duty of the state machinery.Even if the leader looses his popularity,it in no way affects the state or subject,some more efficient person takes the space.Then why are all the streets and cities being renamed?Just a heart melting gesture.Or something evil indeed.People get trapped under illusion of the ancient glory of Patliputra while Patna goes on under sinister hands(some politicians,never a public,demanded change of Patna's name into Patliputra).
I may be far-fetched in supporting the hypothesis but its true the general public stand by such leaders.Certainly satisfies their own ego.This ego is not for knowledge,money or power in the literal senses of the word,but just to show-off.Showing off has been afterall,the genre of Kings and Emperors.What is wrong if the public too gets to get a little bask of enjoyment and authority under the idol of their chosen and beloved-own-backyard leader?Little peek in the politics suggest that battles have been won or lost over skull-caps,blood has flowed through streets for creating new states and linguistic divisions.Welfare,education,health policies,defense deterrence never cause such public uproars.The recent Anna Hazare movement against corruption was one of the golden linings of upheaval directly linking itself to the perpetual phenomenon of corruption.The golden lining was painted a few moments with black,when people from few backward communities protested against any changes in the law created by Ambedkar.I was aghast since my little knowledge never allowed me to understand how a doctorate from a reputed foreign university has given permission to the numerous corrupt politicians to loot the county.The man who stood so firmly for social justice had never wished the money meant for the poorer section to be hoarded in Swiss Banks.But idol-worship certainly knows no limit and has no scope for just thinking.God is above discussion.
One of my many complaints against democratic governments is they never construct something grand.How will our times go under the pages of history?May be,as a highly monotonous morbid creatures of creativity implying lines of concrete.No building of historical worth has been constructed even in the sixth decade of our independence.Nehru in his great work Discovery of India wrote about the Indus Valley Civilization wrote extensively about the beautiful and comfortable public buildings.Money was spent on public and best efforts were employed only for their service unlike in Egypt or Greek Civilization of the same era with their iconic tombs and palaces.What he did not foresee was the naming of hundreds of public welfare policies under his or his families name.The man with such a brilliant and lucid idea over symbolism has been left being just a symbol by his own people and nation.Ambedkar must have felt the same hook which Gandhi feels when every note bearing his picture is used to bribe the leader of free India he intensely struggled to achieve,the pain that the money spent on his statue was not used to fund the study of another brilliant but poor lawyer in making.

कुछ तेरे लिये

पायल पैरों में तेरी छनकती है
मानो दिल पे बिजली सी गिरती है
मुस्कुरा के जब तुम जाते हो
सारी क़ायनात को रुला जाते हो

समझ नहीं आता इंक़लाब करुँ या सत्याग्रह

या लगा दुँ उम्र भर नज़रों का पहरा
जुल्फों की बदलियाँ चेहरे से सरकाओ
दीदार-ऐ-हुस्न से अब न तरसाओ

इन होंठों से बहती है जो  धारा
सारे सावन से भी लगता है प्यारा
जब दांतों से काटती हो उन्हें
जी में आता है रोक लुँ तुम्हें

मगरूर होती पलकों को ज़रा उठाओ
चाहने वाले की पलकों से तो मिलाओ
फिर भले झुका लेना नजाकत से
और लिपट जाना मोहब्बत से

क्या कुछ सब पीछे छूट गया
याद का सहारा भी टूट गया
जो कभी माँगी थी दुआ हर दर में
ख़ुदा ने सब भर दिया तेरे मन में

खुद में ही सिमटती हो जब
बड़ी प्यारी लगती हो तब
रंगीन जो आँचल है तेरा
हर खुशी छिपाए है मेरा

फिर ये रात आये न आए 
सितारे सेज बिछाए न बिछाए
आँखों से तो जाम खूब पिए
अब सिमट जाओ बाँहों में प्यार लिए

हाल ना पूछ दीवानों का

हाल ना पूछ दीवानों का

ना शमां जला परवानों का
बिखरी हैं मोतियाँ मोहब्बत की
है हाल बुरा राजकुमारों का

हाल ना पूछ हवाओं का
ना बही पुरवैया मौसम का
बिखरी है मंझदार में नाव 

है हाल बुरा किनारों का 

हाल ना पूछ मतवालों का
ना छलका मदिरा प्यालों का
बिखरी है झंकार पायलिया की
है हाल बुरा मयखाने का

हाल ना पूछ नजारों का
ना फूल खिला बहारों का
बिखरी है कलियाँ चमन की
है हाल बुरा फिजाओं का

हाल ना पूछ अपनों का
ना लाज रखा कसमों का
बिखरी है यादें फिजाओं की
है हाल बुरा आशिकों का

हाल ना पूछ कवि का
ना प्यार मिला महफ़िल का
बिखरी है लारियां लफ़्ज़ों की
है हाल बुरा कवितओं का

Over-population:Root of all problems

A variety of problems play hide-seek with the great Indian dream of being in the proud club of developed countries by 2020.What will the consequences,exactly put benefits,of being in the elite club,I don't know.A lot is being discussed upon the tag.What will future India look like,the challenges it faces and the distinction it will make for itself is as yet unknown.We had strange mathematical calculation on poverty levels and life expectancy.The year 2020 seems to hold in itself all the solutions to our infinite list of drawbacks from education to infant mortality rate.This belief in dream India,its wrong to suggest completely unfounded,but as yet far fetched.The crisis are just too many to be solved by the limited scope of economic welfare.We may create a huge wealth for ourselves,yet the distribution will always be within scope of questioning.Lets admit the simple fact.Its near impossible to create infrastructure for nearly 1.35 billion people.So much job requirement can not be matched even if we go on to become fastest growing economy.Of course,huge population will make a huge market thereby increasing industries.But what about the basic necessity of food and water.Already the limited fertile land has been exploited too much by the use of chemicals to produce as much as possible.Now,the fertility is decreasing and cost of production shooting up.Feeding 1.35 billion stomachs will be impossible.Real estate business seems to be growing despite all boon and bane in the economic circles.But a reality check is we are not able to get any land for living in even tier-2 cities let alone metropolitan,where getting even flat is a daunting task.Our education centers are in shambles.Government has not gone any extra mile to facilitate higher education and most of the private players are simply making money out of it.Providing quality education even to the worthy and ready-to-pay is also becoming a rarity.Medical facilities in country is just wonderful.Humans are given treatment as per the animals.They are forced to sleep on floors and specialist doctors have really become God counting by the time they make an appearance.Simply put,the hospitals and medical colleges established while Independence were not sufficient for the then population of 40 crores.Now,the population may have gone up by three hundred percent,the infrastructure growth has not kept pace.No matter how much we try,we will never be able to win the race for development crediting to the population density.No leader,except Sanjay Gandhi,during the dark days of emergency(though its much controversial),has even paid a small heed to this matter of prime importance.The story is particularly slack in Northern India,they seem to be taking pride in the growing number pf parliamentary constituencies in their state.Immediate steps are needed to arrest this growth.Rather than giving classy hindi slogans,they must put in proper law.The problem is particularly evident in poor and working classes.And the tragedy is that its pushing them more under the jaws of poverty.Its simple to feed one or two child for them,they can even save.But,feeding half a dozen erodes all possibility of improvement in situation.Government should start special initiative for them and if need be so use clutches of law.After all its for their own good.

बसे तो युँ बसे

किसी की चंचल शोख़ अदाओं में

मुस्कराहट बन हम ही बसे 

किसी की तिरछी नजरों के जादू में 

क़यामत बन भी हम ही बसे 

किसी की तरसती लरजती बाहों में 

चाहत बन हम ही बसे 

किसी की शामों-सुबह के पूजा में 

दुआ बन भी हम ही बसे 

किसी की सरकती रंगीन आँचल में 

हया बन हम ही बसे 

किसी की लचकती कमर के घेरे में  

फंदा बन भी हम ही बसे 

किसी की महकती गोरी बदन में 

खुसबू बन हम ही बसे 

किसी की हसीं रातों के नींद में 

ख्वाब बन भी हम ही बसे 

किसी की हलचल भरे दिल में 

प्यार बन हम ही बसे 

किसी की सुनहरे भवीष्य के कामना में 

मोहाब्बत बन भी हम ही बसे  

किसी की बेशुमार बहती अश्रुओं में 

दर्द बन हम ही बसे 

किसी की धुंधली यादों के साये में 

कसक बन भी हम ही बसे 

बसे तो किसी में युँ बसे 

कि बस प्राण हो बसे 

फिर जो बिछरे तो युँ बिछरे 

ना हम बसे ना वो बसे 

तरन्नुम के गीत

प्रिये आज दिल बड़ा अकेला है
हर तरफ़ अँधेरा ही अँधेरा है
सुनी है शहर की गलियाँ
मौसम भी उमस भरा है

मधुर चाँदनी बिखरी पड़ी है
मानो आसमां पे दिया जलाता है
पर दिल इतना वीरां क्यों है
मानो बादलों को तरसता है

भिगने का अब भी वही बचपना है
पर आँखों से बरसात बरसता है
धुंधली पलकों को उठाता है
और हँस कर आहें भरता है

सुनी मेरी दिल की ढ्होरी है
और मर्माहत मेरा ये मन है
बस्ती ये चार दिन की है
फिर कहाँ तुम और कहाँ हम है

हर चेहरे पे मुस्कान बिखरी है
हर कोई खुद मे मगन जीता है
पर ये दिल बग़ावत करता है
तुम बिन ये न हँसता है

बिन फुल भी कभी भ्रमर गाता है
ऐसा तो किसी बाग़ में ना होता है
ये मेरा मन नहीं तुम्हारे यादों का खजाना है
तभी तो तुम्हारे तरन्नुम मे आज भी गाता है