Bambai

sabz-o-shadab sahil

ret ke aur pani ke git

muskuraate samundar ka sayyal chehra

chand suraj ke TukDe

lakhon aaine maujon mein bikhre hue

kashtiyan baadbanon ke aanchal mein apne saron ko chhupae hue

jal nile samundar mein Dube hue

KHak par sukhti machhliyan

ghaTnen pattharon ki wo tarshi hui muraten

elephanta ke ghaaron se jo raqs karti nikal aai hain

raaten aankhon mein jadu ka kajal lagae hue

shamen nili hawa ki nami mein nahai hui

subhen shabnam ke barik malbus pahne hue

KHwab-alud kohsar ke silsile

jangalon ke ghane sae

miTTi ki KHushbu

mahakti hui konplen

pattharon ki chaTTanen

apni banhon ko bahr-e-arab mein sameTe hue

wo chaTanon pe rakkhe hue unche unche mahl

chikni diwaron par

qatl, ghaarat-gari, buzdili, nafa-KHori ki parchhaiyan

reshmi sariyan

maKHmalin jism, zahrile naKHunon ki billiyan

KHun ki pyas khadi ke pairahanon mein

jagmagate hue qumqume, park, baghat aur museum

sang-e-marmar ke but, dhat ke aadmi

sard o sangin azmat ke paikar

aankhen be-nur, lab be-sada, hath be-jaan

hind ki bebasi aur mahkumi ki yaadgaren

saikDon sal ke garm aatish-kade

zar o sandal ki aag

ud-o-ambar ke shole

chaalen iflas ki gard, tarikiyan

gandagi aur ufunat

ghure saDte hue

rahguzaron pe sote hue aadmi

TaT par, aur kaghaz ke TukDon pe phaile hue jism, sukhe hue hath

zaKHm ki aastinon se nikli hui haDDiyan

koDhiyon ke hujum

kholiyan jaise andhe kuen

garm sinon, mohabbat ki godon se mahrum bachche

bakriyon ki tarah rassiyon se bandhe

un ki maen abhi kar-KHanon se wapas nahin aai hain

chimniyan bhutniyon ki tarah baal khole hue

kar-KHane garajte hue

KHun ki aur pasine ki bu mein sharabor

KHun sarmaya-dari ke nalon mein bahta hua

bhaTTiyon mein ubalta hua

sard sikkon ki surat mein jamta hua

sone chandi mein tabdil hota hua

bank ki khiDkiyon mein charaghan

saDken din raat chalti hui

sans leti hui

aadmi KHwahishon ke andhere nashebon mein sailab ki tarah bahte hue

chor-bazar, saTTa, juari

race ke ghoDe, sarkar ke mantari

cinema, laDkiyan, actor, masKHare

ek ek chiz bikti hui

gajaren, muliyan, kakDiyan

jism aur zehn aur shaeri

ilm, hikmat, siyasat

ankhDiyon aur honTon ke nilam-ghar

aarizon ki dukanen

bazuon aur sinon ke bazar

pinDliyon aur ranon ke godam

desh-bhagti ke dalal khadi ke byopari

aql, insaf, pakizgi, aur sadaqat ke tajir

ye hai hindostan ki urusul-bilad

sar-zamin-e-dakan ki dulhan bambai

ek jannat jahannam ki aaghosh mein

ya ise yun kahun

ek dozaKH hai firdaus ki god mein

ye mera shahr hai

go mera jism is KHak-dan se nahin

meri miTTi yahan se bahut dur ganga ke pani se gundhi gai hai

mere dil mein himala ke phulon ki KHushbu basi hai

phir bhi ai bambai tu mera shahr hai

tere baghat mein meri yaadon ke kitne hi ram-KHurda aahu

main ne tere pahaDon ki ThanDi hawa khai hai

teri shaffaf jhilon ka pani piya hai

tere sahil ki hansti hui sipiyan mujh ko pahchanti hain

nariyal ke daraKHton ki lambi qataren

tere nile samundar ke tufan aur qahqahe

tere dilkash mazafat ke sabza-zaron ki KHamoshiyan

rangaten, nikhaten, sab mujhe jaanti hain

is jagah mere KHwabon ko aankhen milin

aur meri mohabbat ke boson ne apne hasin honT hasil kiye

bambai

tere sine mein sarmae ka zahr bhi

inqalab aur baghawat ka tiryaq bhi

tere pahlu mein faulad ka qalb hai

teri nabzon mein mazdur o mallah ka KHun hai

teri aaghosh mein kar-KHanon ki duniya basi hai

sewri, lal-bagh aur parel

aur yahan tere beTe teri beTiyan

in ki dikhti hui ungliyan

sut ke ek ek tar se

mulk ke qatilon ka kafan bun rahi hain