IMPRINTS

 PINK CITY ************ Tall buildings Pink City Lush green abundantly Blend of unique colours My Pink City Children coming out of school Their cheeks are pink A pair of eyes Peeping through spectacles Their lips are pink Look at fingers of Grandma and maternal grandma Pink precious stones are Shining  Tender plants in flower-beds Are rich with pink flowers Peep outside gatehouse Carrying *Teej -Sawari Moving with ornamentation Their turbans are pink Decorated pitcher for that great oblation Is being carried on head by sister-in-law In moments of trance  Her glory is pink Her carrot-like well developed arms And her lips are pink Dame ornamented with pearls and henna Her palms are pink Greenery prevails in every abode Decorated buildings are pink Goddess Lakshmi arrives from North South East  West And settles in city On  Lotus Its colour is pink! *Teej -Sawari:  During Teej Festival in Rajasthan, Idol of Teej Mata is carried in procession 

  APATHETIC ************ Scattered  All-around is Extremism But there is no Public protest No surgency No contemplation Regarding chaos This one That one Everyone is self-centered They are never moved by Any news of Death of humanity Why?  Why so?  Our thought process is Turning dumb and neutral In every situation Impotent is Manliness Coward and timid I getting surrounded by  Smoky and vague  paths Ten Commandants of Bible  Preaching  of Quran Quarderains of  Tulsidas Religious preaching Holy books Morality and noble thoughts Should illumine always Diffusing light of wisdom In all directions In every heart A sparkle should arise Let there be surgency Let there be churning of thoughts Exclamation of conscience Discrimination between right and wrong Something should prevail In your heart.

 STILL..... SO MUCH IS PENDING ******************************* So much is pending Still So much.....is pending. Just recently has landed Glow of dawn in this life Everything ..has acquired Reddish hue of dawn..... And horizon is extending Surrounding me are doors of possibilities Waiting for my flight is Wide open sky "So much is pending" No.....still so much is pending I have stretched my wings I take a flight On reaching my destination I  survey,,, around me I won't leave.. any efforts Because.......! So much is pending till. Gazeboes of history Apertures, domes, funerary  monuments, corridors Pigeons cooing....and Sparrows hopping in courtyard Who own feathers I have to approach them too Those petty birds.....innocent What do they want? What are they saying? My this calling from heavens And... efforts in hand Invoke me ..... " Fly" To all the winged creatures Sitting on gazeboes...apertures Domes....funerary monuments .. courtyard Keen on taking flight Let me...

  YOU ****** A nameless  Relation exists Between heart to heart It is aromatic with fragrance of reveries Mingled in Jingling of laughter Takes sometimes to Heights of heavans And.... Takes sometimes to Depths of Netherworld Overcomes blankness And... Hangs it to void I think I should give a name  To this relation now And free myself From all shackles.

 BASKET ********* An innocent girl I am doll of my grandmother My grandmother is the best in whole universe Around broad hem of her saree I often noticed  A basket Grandmother would place it up Cleaning, wiping and placing it up  On a loft Empty  Observed it every morning and evening I grew up a bit On a fateful day Grandmother handed over that basket To my mother And my mother Watched it with a longing Always putting something in it Toys...handcrafted by her Recipes... prepared by her Garland of beads of wisdom And plenty of narratives of experience Whatever she learnt, filled the basket with it Neither let it remain empty Nor did she use it While departing from threshold of father And moving to threshold of husband My mother handed over the basket to me I fetched with me the basket of grandmother Filled that basket But did not place on loft like my mother ''I'' I utilized countless bounties In the basket enriched with Narratives of experience Enchanting art I kept ...

 LOVE ******* Love is Dawn Light on Horizon Gleam Brightness Morning Ecstatic Never sets Never hides In the galaxy of stars Murmuring Tinkling Echoing In the lip folds Throbbing It is chord Ringing like Celestial music Surrounds you silently It is introspection It is scherzo It is sensation Like waves in river It is aim It is question It is answer To silent question, It is kindred It is cool It is resentment It is jeremiad It is web It is tide It is attraction It is dedication Of our life But!! It is not corporeal It is beyond physical embodiment It is lord of this universe And free in the other realm It can not be confined  Behind bars of this body It is dedicated to Divine It is gist of self-identity, It is prayer for seeking God. It is meditation for emancipation. It is weary of burden. It is sozzled with caprice. It is tradition It is a policy..... Eternal..... It is unending love. Love exists in faith Life-long in aspiration In unquenched thirst In heart-beats of  fo...

  GOLDEN SPARROW She is asleep Whether knowingly  Or unknowingly She is asleep At abode of father Learning lessons of obedience She is asleep At abode of husband Personification of adornment She is asleep Patting infants, lulling to sleep, awaking Persuading them She is asleep Accomplishing all worldly liabilities  Bringing light to home She is asleep She is a wonder She awakes everyone "And" She is asleep We are putting efforts  Since last four centuries  To awake her But, she is asleep Tied to stakes of Religion, ideals, rule, policies Modesty and love She is asleep She lits earthen lamp In evening In morning She offers water to the Sun Waters Tulsi Observes fast of Karwa-Chouth  Opening entrance of courtyard She is asleep When will she awaken O,That!..... " She is asleep".

   A deep meditation on the nature and meaning of living  Rooh Ko Panah: Originally composed in Hindi by Dr. Anju Dua Gemini Haven to Soul : English Transversion by Rajni Chhabra Haven to Soul opens up vistas. Doors of perceptions. Into other realities. Dimensions…of living, experiencing, feeling, cognizing, articulating. Saying things that are elusive, non-manifest for ordinary mind…but glimpsed fleetingly by a soul, half-mystic, half lyrical…in trance! It is a collection of some simple, yet profound poetry. Poetry that aspires to higher truth. Poetry as the gateway to another realm of living, being alive to the possibilities of a dialogue with a transcendental being…of spiritual connections with the cosmos; a cosmos that is within and without; of the dialectics of Prakriti and Purush . And the way, it shapes up humans and consciousness. To find an entire universe within requires advanced level of awareness, an exalted state, empathy, recognition ...

  लोकतंत्र एक निर्वाचित सदस्य ने दूसरे से पूछा ," तुम्हे कितने वोट मिले ? दूसरे ने फट से जवाब दिया ," मुझे वोट मिलते नहीं , मैं तो वोट ले लेता हूँ , वोट मांगना मैं हराम समझता हूँ" / यह कहता कहता , वह हँस रहा था / मालूम नहीं किस पर.वोटरों पर ? चुनाव पर ? लोकतंत्र पर ? राजस्थानी लोक कथा लेखक:श्री लक्ष्मी नारायण रंगा DEMOCRACY An elected member asked another, " How much votes did you get?" The other one promptly replied, " I don't get votes; I manage to grab votes. Pleading for votes--I deem it as forbidden." Saying so, he was laughing at ---God knows on whom, on voters? Elections? Democracy? English Version: Rajni Chhabra

A   *इंडिया नेटबुक्स और बीपीए फाउंडेशन द्वारा वार्षिक समारोह का आयोजन* --------------------------------------- *चित्रा मुद्गल को वेदव्यास सम्मान और प्रताप सहगल वागीश्वरी सम्मान” ---------------------------- *देश-विदेश के कुल 52 साहित्यकार-पत्रकार सम्मानित हुए* ----------------------------- आज इंडिया नेट बुक्स, बीपीए फाउंडेशन और अनुस्वार पत्रिका द्वारा दिल्ली के मयूर विहार स्थित क्राउन प्लाजा होटल में अपने ०वार्षिक साहित्यकार सम्मान उत्सव” का आयोजन किया गया जिसमें देश-विदेश के कुल 52 वरिष्ठ, युवा और बाल साहित्यकारों सहित जाने-माने पत्रकारों को भी सम्मानित किया गया। कार्यक्रम की शुरुआत गणेश वंदना से हुई। डॉ संजीव कुमार द्वारा रचित सरस्वती वंदना का गायन भी सीमा चड्डा द्वारा किया गया। इसके उपरांत डॉ मनोरमा कुमार एवं कामिनी मिश्रा द्वारा विशिष्ट अतिथियों का स्वागत किया। मंचस्थ विद्वानों में श्रीमती चित्रा मुद्गल,जनसत्ता के प्रधान संपादक मुकेश भारद्वाज, डा बीना शर्मा,निदेशक केंद्रीय हिंदी संस्थान, व्यंग्य यात्रा के संपादक प्रेम जनमेजय ,जयपुर से फारूक अफ़रीदी एवं राजेन्द्र मोहन शर्मा, ...

 

 BETTER OPTION **************** Summer was causing havoc on earth. The man grudged  and slept switching on A.C. Then, after a few days rains poured in and with full intensity and entered his home. The man started draining away roaring water with broom and throwing bucketsful of water, outside home, constantly. Next day, rain came to an end; then he started cursing  humidity. A few days passed and mild winter stepped in his life. He started expressing his joy by versifying in glory of winter. After a few days passed, winter assumed  its full intensity and cold wave followed. Shivering with biting cold, with chattering teeth, he indulged in taking one cup of tea after another whole day. "Oh, God! put an end to this." A  few more days passed and weather became normal again.  Now uplifting his face towards azure, he started shouting--- " It is better to die; death is a better option." Thrusting his head on his knees, he started crying intensely. Original Hindi ...

 MEDIOCRE ************ "Hello, Meena", What news is this I am coming across? Your son.....! Is this true?" " What to tell ? I am ill-fated. Left  me all alone. He has made me a living corpse now," Meena sobbed on phone " But, what happened exactly? Did you say anything pinching to him...? "No, Reena. Why will I say anything to hurt him? He was my only child, but not a spoiled one.  My husband and myself were very close to him. We always treated him friendly." "Then...Is it that anybody made him consume drugs?'' " No. no , not at all. He was very good at studies. But in this term -exams, he secured one and half %less than 90%, means eighty eight and half % only. This pinched his heart very much." "Oh! But he could have improved in finals, putting more efforts." " I fail to say anything now. When misfortune follows, wisdom turns blank. Due to securing lesser marks, school administration was going to shift him t...

 VACCUM ********* Husband instructed his wife-- "Pack up all the luggage, leaving this mohalla, we are shifting to our new flat in a society. This locality is not worth living for us now. It is utter hell! Here people indulge in fight even on petty issues. I feel suffocated here . The lady winded up and they started living in a fabulous flat in society. No dearth of air, sunlight and water. Only forest and forest adjoining. No society surrounded at all. The man felt very proud of his fate. '' Everything is available here, no yelling and shouting." The day could not utter a single word. She started staring at vacuum. In the inner cores of her heart, she wished that he peeps in her eyes once to feel the loneliness that was gloriously enthroned, snatching away kingdom of liveliness. English Version: Rajni Chhabra Shunay Bodh: Dr. Anju Dua Gemini

 MATURE THINKING ******************** Through a raid, in a factory, police managed to liberate plenty of child-labourers. Inspector Sahib asked a  kid " Now where will you move? Will you go back to your parents in your native village?" " Saab, what will we do after getting back to village? Our parents only had sent us here for earning bread. We will search for some other job; we have to make provisions for family, Saab? You--you will manage to get some petty job for us? Saab, please respond." Childhood demanded in tone of an adult, from police Inspector. The man in uniform failed to respond. English Version: Rajni Chhabra

   PRELUSION REFUGE TO SOUL After soulful thanks to Almighty for His choicest blessings for successful completion of 'Haven to Soul', my trans-verted Poetry Book from Hindi into English, I would like to extend my heartiest thanks to global readers for constantly devouring my all literary works. I have been treading literary corridors since several years and I have made my humble contribution to literature, composing poems in English, Hindi and Punjabi. Besides, I have trans-verted 15 books so far from Hindi, Rajasthani and Punjabi into English as target language.  Translation helps literature to travel. It is a means through which writers can speak across generations and culture. Translation is perceived as communication between two languages; it acts as a bridge. It is necessary for spreading new information, knowledge and ideas across the world. Just as composing verses or fiction require meticulous efforts on the part of creator to make it presentable, translation ...

  Rajni    Chhabra (July 3,1955) Nationality: Indian Retired Lecturer in English, multi lingual poetess, polyglot, blogger, reviewer, International Director 20 at W.U.P. and in Editorial Team of Ruminations and Glimpses    (two Bi lingual U.G.C. Journals), Global Ambassador For Human Rights and Peace ( I H R A C), Global Ambassador of World Poetry,  C. E. O. & Founder @  www.numeropath.com Published Works:  Mortgaged, maiden Poetry Book in English, available in Rajasthani and Bengali translation too; Hone Se Na Hone Tak, Pighlate Himkhand in Hindi, both translated into Punjabi and Maithilee,  Aas kee koonchee Se and Baat Sirf Itni Si.  13 Books on Numerology, both in Hindi and English. Translated Books:  Fathoming Thy Heart, Vent Your Voice, Language Fused In Blood, Purnmidam,  In the Art Gallery of My Heart, Across the Border,  Sky is the Limit translated from Rajasthani, Reveries from Punjabi and Aspirations, Initiat...

  TO FALL IN LOVE ***************** It is not a big issue To fall in love Big issue is To get entrapped, laugh and cry In love, And to be  In love  And continue to be in love Flowing  And keep flowing Really, this is a big issue.

   इस खुशबू का नाम  ‘ घर ’  ही होना चाहिए मीलों फैले उस पार्क के एक कोने में लेटे उन दोनों पर ऊँचे-ऊँचे पेड़ जैसे आशीर्वाद की मुद्रा में हाथ झुकाए खड़े हैं। यह अतीत है जो पीले सूखे पत्ते बन निशिता के नीचे बिछा हुआ है और हल्की दूरी बनाए, हरी घास पर लेटा अभिजित, भविष्य जैसा लग रहा है। चार घंटों की बातचीत के बाद अन्दर पिघले, निरन्तर बहते उस अहसास की शक्ल कुछ-कुछ नज़र आने लगी है जिसे घर के अहसास ही खोज कहते हैं... वर्तमान का यह क्षण बहुत वायवी है। उसे पकड़ना पड़ेगा... ताकि घर के उस अहसास को अमली जामा पहनाया जा सके। आखिर निशिता ने कह ही दिया,  ‘ मैं एक घर बसाना चाहती हूँ। ’ This aroma should be named as 'Home' only In that park stretching till miles, on both of them, tall trees were standing as if bending hands in the gesture of Blessings. This is past that is lying like withered pale leaves beneath Nishita, and maintaining a little distance, lying on lush green grass, Abhijeet seems to be like present. After conversation of four hours, that sensation melting , flowi...

 CRAZY ******** Like a puzzle Love is dominating my head I keep on wandering all the time Turning rebel against whole world Like an ascetic I have lost my senses Inebriate, I dance Giving birth to raw mango!

 TIGHTLY ********* When I meet you I feel  To set myself Free from you, When I set myself free I feel like Now tightly  Merging in you!

 AMAZING *********** Whether or not  You believe in cycle of birth We met unexpectedly There is something latent, Our meeting is not An abrupt co-incidence  You have mingled in my heart-beats astonishingly There is something latent!

 THROUGHOUT *************** Craving arose For a cup of tea Without you Every morning is hollow, Getting addicted I swear upon every night Without you Each * pahar is desolate! *Pahar : traditional unit of time, a period of three hours

 SANCTITY ************ In * Havan -kund As long as  You keep on putting Offering of love, With chanting  Sanctity of relations Will persist  Till then! *havan kund : fire pit   in Hindu dharma. People usually made their offerings to this sacred havan kund

 HILARITY *********** A score and three years ago The love That had been buried Today again, You trickled my ear With a straw, hilariously In prostration to you Infidel has returned.

 SILENT  BELOVED ****************** Rustling of Withered leaves Scrunching of  Dreary physique, Nervousness of Emotions-deprived hearts Smile of Silent beloved!

NIGHT OF SEPARATION **********************  Had heard a lot About night of separation Co-incidentally,  faced What happened that moment?  Soft delicate shower And torrential rain at times River filled to brim Moving towards ocean now!

 WICK ******** Earthen lamp on crossroad Untouched wick Lonely and light-deprived Has turned my life, Myself oil Poured in earthen lamp Flame kindled Light diffused!

 Miss Rajni chhabra  It cannot be said enough thank you for the work you do so many benefit from your endeavors it's obvious you are a believer in all people of the world are brothers and sisters my thanks to you and all those who strive to unite all cultures JUD.BOWNESS. U.S.

 MINGLED-UNMINGLED *********************** Away from crowd She moved away People vainly kept searching for needle In heap of chaff, I conversed today limitlessly with you Mingled-unmingled Several untouched!

 ATTAINMENT ************** While grinding mint  For making *chutney Muller attacks Slab remains silent, By beating and thrashing Inflicting mental tortures You can never attain True love! *Chutney : a sauce made by grinding herbs, leafy vegetables

 EMPTY  TUMBLER Allowed to drink Not allowed to divagate Allowed to divagate Not allowed to fall, In expectation of Permission Life of a woman Remained like empty tumbler!

O! GOD *********  Getting annoyed and flattered Those days are gone by, dear Drinking-eating and be merry Those days are gone by, dear, Treasure of breaths  Is getting empty every moment Days of birthday celebrations  Are gone now, dear!

 RAPIDLY ********** In your fist I am * Sonchiraiya You don't let me fly Making show-off  of love, Occasionally You let the first open Clinch it again tightly You tease me in this way!  *Sonchiraiya: a bird, great Indian Bustard found in Chambal; it is also deemed as symbolic of spiritual love

 SEED ****** When affinity  With female  Is not irrigated by male With intensity, Then, within female Sprouts a seed And margo tree  Develops unintended!

 IN FRAGMENTS **************** Divided is In many fragments Life of a woman Throughout the life, On every fragment is Inscribed name-plate of a relation And she is confined to Sheer lores!

 VIEWPOINT ************ A persons  Seems bad When you view it From viewpoint of  mind, Whole Universe seems Immersed in love When you view it From viewpoint of heart!

 CHEATING *********** His main job is abrading Snatching, gobbling How can one close eyes Even after seeing own devastation, Deception, bad intention, falsehood And tricky moves How to learn from him And revert his moves!

 BELOVED ******** Entrapped in mirage Heart is wandering restlessly Surrounded by misconceptions What is the way to attain peace, Multiple pathways create obstacles Variety of pathways have to be explored In this unending journey Heart could not attain beloved!

 PEN ***** Pen is very precious Very carefully We put it in use Meagerly, The day, when it was Urgently needed Ink had dried up We just kept on scratching pen!

 LONELY ********* God knows, why he is in quest of A nymph from Heaven Tied relation with many Lost glow of his countenance,  In this quest Moved away very far Remained empty-handed At last, absolutely lonely!

 ANYONE ********** If there is scope of rectifying It will do But, if intention is of getting more spoiled It won't work. Male is okay With any female But, this tendency of male Won't be acceptable to female!

 CELEBRATING ANGUISH ************************* Half population is at liberty To growl throughout the night On  stray streets To consume and serve liquor, The other half population too Has liberty to shout But in closed homes To celebrate anguish!

 ANGUISH AND PRAYERS ************************* I plead forgiveness for my sins Shelter for my soul No more of Anguish and prayers, Commencing with you Culminating on you Now no more of Journey of breaths!

 TRADER ********* He used to bluff a lot Countenance was neat and clean Supporter of oppressed Apparently seemed bold, But proved tactful trader Ignoring all the ties of relations He was a  gutter of foul smell Exploiting under pretention of help.

 PONDER ********* Store-house of consummation Novice body Tell bluntly What do you want, Requisition of desires Bargain of shyness Ponder over What did you attain?

 INCESSANTLY *************** Yearning river Does not get any sea She feels suffocated Don't fill pitcher, If you want to Flow incessantly You will have to be empty Again and again, plentifully!

 ALONE ******** Nobody gives company Even for two steps I shed tears a lot While moving alone, Even in that crying I attained huge satisfaction I kept sleeping and awaking  Throughout the night, with you!

 VIGILANCE ************ Curtailed to step out of home Curtains on gazebo Restraint on wearing western outfits Vigilance on thoughts, Fragrance scared within Trust on assurance Still robbed Are breaths to be restricted too?

 LEARN ******* O, Dame! You are fond of Singing with high pitch Roaming about in streets And laughing heartily, You should not be even a bit Afraid of this world Learn all the tactics This is time to raise sword!

 SMELL ******** Landing in body of woman He forgets All the sorrows of world And merged unlimited, Then brushing away his body Stands erect again And reaching home, in wife Sniffs smell of other woman!

 HOUSEWIFE ************* This house has appearance always Like that of deep ocean, enfolding pearls Birds twitter here throughout the day In dusk hours, comes to stand-still, Roof is solid, firm walls  Deaf and dumb patience is standing firmly Housewife sings and cooks Flowers bloom and desert sheds fragrance!

 SHREWD ********** When justice was to be fetched For trodden bud Shrewd was far ahead of others Cladding himself with cover of decency, Crushed buds every night Spotless character in morning O, Innocent fellows! Beware of him Devil is excused from hundred murders!

LOUD LAMENTATION **********************  In circle of  pitch darkness When * Damini got trapped Her modesty was shattered That night screamed, All-around a noise of great lamentation When she heaved her last breath The whole world awakened, the earth shuddered In such a way that young girl roared! * Damini: name of a gang-rape victim

 RUINED ********* Crushing blossoms Locust swarms In disguise of relations Are  roaming  in all streets, Will be utterly ruined The whole civilization very soon  If a fire is not kindled On hearing screams of womb!

 COMMUNAL BATHHOUSE ************************* Pleadings of a screaming girl  Are ignored by society turned deaf Indulged in celebrations Absorbed in masculinity, Nude in communal bathhouse Creating rowdy noise Are pulling *rakhis Inside water! * Rakhi: sacred thread tied by sister on wrist of brother, seeking protection.

 CONSEQUENTLY ****************** On opening my fist, viewed All my savings were lost Lines of my destiny got extinct My heart patiently tolerated, Obliterating purpose of life Swaying in your arms Was erected palace of selfishness And, it consequently collapsed!

LOVE AND  LIFE  **************** Don't turn me back blank Because, I have  Placed my heart In that tiny jar, Whenever, you return  That red-capped  tiny jar Fill it with Love and life!

ALOOFNESS ************ God knows Where and when How and who Abruptly comes across you , Moves from home To reach you Hanging aloofness  On cliff-hanger!

 THE UNIVERSE **************** If I ever  Move away from you Restlessness poured Utterly baffled, If I  Merge in you Whole creation quivered Diffused!

 INDECENCY ************* What lapse  Was committed under shelter What rebel was initiated  By enormity, You dragged me With one mean step of mine Then, what indecency was Committed by my embrace!