Woh intezaar nahi asaan, khatm jo na ho paye...

तुमसे दूर इस शक़्स का, ना पूछो क्या हाल है;
दर्द है, तड़प है, और हज़ारों सवाल है। 

कुछ ऐसे सवाल है, जिनके दर्दभरे जवाब है;
आरज़ू है तुम्हारी, पर हासिल सिर्फ ख़्वाब है।  

कल के चाँद से पूछो, हम रात भर जागते रहे;
तुम गहरी नींद में थे, पर हम तड़पते रहे। 

हाँ, पता है, सुबह होते, तुम इंतज़ार करोगे;
मेरे ना होने पर, परेशान से रहोगे। 

पर उस रात का क्या, जब दिल तरसते रह जायेगा,
तुम्हारा इंतज़ार करते, शायद थक भी जायेगा। 

वो इंतज़ार नहीं आसान, ख़त्म जो न हो पाए; 
वो इश्क़ नहीं आसान,मुमकिन जो न हो पाए।  


हाँ, पता है, सुबह होते, तुम इंतज़ार करोगे;
मेरे ना होने पर, परेशान से रहोगे। 

पर उस सुबह का क्या, जब तुम तलाशते रहो,
मगर पिछली रात ही, ये दिल धड़कना छोड़ दे?...

~ Ruu ~ 
17 November 2017

Main Jogan...

Main jogan ban chali, Tere Khumaar mein;
Main fasaana ban chali, Tere qaraar mein...


Ishraaq se shab tak, tasawwur se lab tak;
Main nagmaa ban chali, Teri chaah mein...


Na chaahe fursat, bass ek muhobbat;
Main deewani ban chali, Teri talaash mein...


Phir na ho furqat, rahe sirf barqat;
Main zeba ban chali,  Teri widaad mein...


Akhaaz se abb tak, aur qazaa tak;
Main ibaadat ban chali, Teri muraad mein...



Ruu
12 October 2017
Sometimes we find our true selves, in "Me-time"!


*Khumaar: intoxication
*Qaraar: Satisfaction
*Isharaaq: Dawn
*Tasawwur: imagination
*Furqat: Separation
*Barqat: Abundance
*Zeba: Beautiful
*Widaad: Affection
*Akhaaz: The beginning 
*Qazaa: The lapse/death
*Ibaadat: Prayer
*Muraad: Desire

Rahey hum ajnabi, Sirf ajnabi.

Thes pahunchane waley toh, humesha mere apne hi they,

Ab sochte hai, buss gairon se hi, Hoti Rahe mulaqaatey.

Ajnabi Rahey ajnabi, Na pehchaan agey badhey,
Dil ke Kareeb, Na hum bulaye, Na wo pahunchey. 

Na baatein ho zindagi ki, buss khamosh Rahe,
zakhm-e-zindagj, us khamoshi mein dafn Rahe.

Buss ho muskuraahate, jashn mein us pal ke.
Gham agar aana bhi chahe, to laut jaye palat ke. 

Baad is mulaqaat ke, tanhaai me laut aye.
Ek chaadar aisi odhe, ki sote rahe, buss sote Rahe. 

Ruu.
19 November 2016

Connect… a true “Connect”!

You belong to this world, we all do!

You find people, just people all around.

From morning to evening to starry nights through dawn.

…Family, relatives, neighbors, acquaintances, strangers, friends, a date….

But all that matters in the end is one true “Connect”

When you find someone you truly “connect” with, you’ll just know it.

True “Connect” needs no words, no conversations.

No masks, no best behavior, no justifications.

Sometimes, not even familiarity, or congeniality!

But, when you find someone you truly “connect” with, you’ll just know it.

It’s not about being in love, or attachment, or attraction.

In fact, a “Connect” may be totally without any relationship.

When nothing matters & when you really don’t need a “Sign” …

Attachment, detachment, proximity, distances… doesn’t matter,

When you find someone you truly “connect” with, you’ll just know it.

Just a deep eye contact, just one simple conversation,

Just one sip of tea, or a glass of wine,

Just a handshake or a warm hug,

When you find someone you truly “connect” with, you’ll just know it.

A long lost friend, you reconnected with,

Your first love – failed, but not really forgotten,

Or a perfect stranger you ended up chatting with,

When you find someone you truly “connect” with, you’ll just know it.

Stay in contact or choose not to,

Fall in love, or choose not to,

Be happy ever after with, or choose to let go,

But, when you find someone you truly “connect” with, you’ll just know it.

@RuuOnGo

17 November 2016

Bangalore

My dear imperfections!

Why did I despise them, all this while?

They’re a part of me, of who I really am!

Today I call out to them, accept & love them.

They’re a part of me, of who I really am –

-       My imperfections!

My blemished skin, my greying hair.

My unsettling waistline, my dawning wrinkles.

My vanity-free looks, my rebellious fashion-choice.

My tomboyish self, my headstrong decisions.

My unconventional paths, my over-ambitious plans.

My emotional goof-ups, my hidden introvertism,

My craving for solitude, my need for travel.

My temper tantrums, & ridiculous PMSisms.

Today I call out to them, accept & love them.

They’re a part of me, of who I really am –

-       My imperfections!

I love my C-Section Scar, a reminder of my beautiful bundle of joy!

I love my dark circles, an after-effect of a long night, but for a cause!

I, surprisingly, love being without lipstick, to kiss my baby 1000 times!

I love my messy hair, that’s my little one’s evergreen favorite toy!

I’m ok with the chaos around me; it beats my belief of being a superhuman.

I’m ok with the piling laundry; I steal that time for something more important.

My home is exact opposite of a typical “model-flat”, but it’s still a home to us.

My baking skills are questionable, but still I can fix a decent meal. I think.

Today I call out to them, accept & love them.

They’re a part of me, of who I really am –

-       My imperfections!

I’m a mother, a wife, a Daughter in law, but not to perfection!

I’m an aspiring businesswoman, but not at all to perfection!

I carry my baby to my biz-place & I get my biz-work at home!

I work hard on Weekdays & sometime much harder on Weekends.

I care less for the judgments passed everyday.

I laugh off the claims of ‘ideal-so & so’, pretty shamelessly!

I don’t associate with ‘game-buddies’ or latest TV soaps.

I’m guilty of escaping group-chats & other virtual “social” norms!

Call me boring, call me workaholic,

Call me old or call me old-fashioned.

But I can’t assure that I’d care.

So, Today I call out to them, accept & love them.

They’re a part of me, of who I really am –

-       My imperfections!

Today, I choose to break-free from my long-lived inhibitions.

Today, I rise above my guilt around my imperfections.

I’m at ease now, with my real self!

I’m at peace with my imperfect self!

After all, it’s known that nobody is perfect.

But we try! And we strive perfection.  Including me!

I won’t stop trying to fix them, correct them.

But yes, now, I won’t despise them!

Today I call out to them, accept & love them.

They’re a part of me, of who I really am –

-       My imperfections!  

...My dear imperfections!

~ Rupa Patil

An imperfect, but happy soul.

22 August 2015, Bangalore

Rupa@WeekendNuts.com

At ease with myself & my imperfections!

A Gerbera-Morning!!!

A Gerbera-Morning!!!

Though I woke up late, I felt pretty fresh -
*As fresh as a dew drop* Well... as always!

I felt the cold breeze caressing my hair,
while laying on bed With open window near!

Soon after I woke up - "OH WOW!" I said...
I found my favorite Gerbera -in both - Yellow & Red!

"Gud Morning" said we^ gently to each other
& we knew this day Wasn't just another !!!

^We: Me & My Gerberas :)

~ Ruu ~ 20th March 2008 ~ A Morning with Gerberas !!!

Princess for the day!

I chose my best outfit that evening,
To couple his smart style;
And to complement his funny frown,
I wore a bright & shiny smile!

A poolside table awaited us,
So did the best service in town;
& shortly, it was just two of us,
So elated we felt, when we found!

Chosen music & special cocktail
‘Especially’ picked for us;
Exquisite pasta to casually munch,
And Ah! That was delicious!

Chauffeur driven car at night,
Breezing thru enticing city lights;
He opened the door, holding my hand,
to a luxury lounge across the sand!

We talked, laughed & danced all night,
Hand-in-hand till the daybreak sight;
He, the ‘charming’ – as now, I say –
Made me feel like a princess for the day!!!

~ Rups ~ February 23^rd 2008, Mumbai

So, that’s how ‘pampering’ works?
Or should I think beyond?

The Color of Valentine!

Don’t ask “what’s the color of Valentine?”
For it’s always Red …
Don’t recheck if I’d love you…
The answer is “Yes”, till I’m dead!

The music may be loud around,
But I’m still in your ‘sigh’,
The smoke may cloud around,
But your aura on me is still high!

People around me don’t matter,
They’d come & they’d go;
But even if I won’t disclose
“You” are the only one I wanna know!!

Don’t ask “what’s the color of Valentine?”
For it’s always Red …
Don’t recheck if I’d love you…
The answer is “Yes”, till I’m dead!

~ Rups ~ 14^th February 2008,
Fusion Lounge, Bangalore

Are we still "Ruled"…?

“He came, he saw, he conquered…”
…If this seems like a thing of past to you, think again! Also, you may try replacing ‘He’ in the above statement to ‘she’…Does something click?

Every single soul, in this whole wide world, at some point of time, is either ‘ruled’ by some person or takes charge as a ‘ruler’. The only difference is neither the ‘ruling’ nor the ‘ruled-over’ symptoms are made explicitly apparent to others. Still, it does exist.

Take a simple case of someone in love – true love (?) – His/her world virtually revolves around a single person – most of the times. Right from the first instance when we miss a beat, to the last drop of tear (or a silent sob) – everything is triggered by a single person; who rules us! If you are in love, or had been in love; you might’ve experienced this by now in some or the other form. If not, you probably belong to the ruling partyJ which by the way is not a permanent state!

So, is the probability of we getting ruled by someone limited to ‘Lovey-Dovey’ phase of our lives? Well, I won’t suggest that. Even as kids, we are controlled, if not ruled, by our parents. Now, okay, that is something which takes care of us until we grow; and thus, may sound a ‘must-have’. But in western countries, isn’t the degree of ‘parental control’ much milder than what we see in India? India – where some kids refuse to grow up, even at 20-something; and their parent’s tag this behavior as ‘Obedience/Respect’ etc! In such cases, marital knot brings in yet another ‘soul-to-be-controlled’ for the ruling parents! And guess what? – The ‘kid’ in question serves his/her entire life as an eye-witness with hardly any say or intention to improve the situation.

If you didn’t felt controlled during your childhood, welcome to college life! Esp. while doing professional courses, like Engineering/Medical/IIT/IIM, it’s the set of highly experienced rulers, named ‘Professors/Lecturers/Principals/Hostel Wardens/Lab assistants’ who rule us. This bunch is God-gifted with various creative techniques of torturing/controlling the sinful lot, named ‘The Students’! The smarter set of ‘students’ who manage to bypass the wrath of faculty, have higher chance of encountering it by their final exams and/or campus interviews.

Later and much larger stage of our lives – as professionals, how can one deny the highly controlling species called ‘The Boss’? If you have been lucky – throughout your childhood AND college days, you are bound to face the music in your professional lives! Of late, I heard one of my close friend (& a pretty successful manager) say, “It’s not a ‘Company’, nor it’s your ‘Team’; U work for your boss – whether you like it or not – that’s the fact!”. I must say, that statement irritated me to the core; but later I realized ‘every bitter truth sucks’! So, if you don’t want to surrender to a ‘Boss-cum-Ruler’, try being your own boss (And rule your employees) J Yeah, good idea, be an entrepreneur – just to discover a huge list of ‘Rulers’ like: Customer, Market Share, competition, Stability, Finances, Growth, labor laws, Brand building & the list goes on…

Even in a life of most simple, passive, subtle, submissive, laid-back person, there are a host of ‘rulers’ that controls their lives! Rulers like – Happiness, Sadness, Money, Solitude, Addictions, Phobias, Beauty, Health, Wealth, Poverty, Relationships, Dreams, Spirituality, Nirvana, Death, … still makes way to rule us!

Amidst of all these Worldly Rulers, sometimes, we rebel; sometimes, we fight; sometimes we loose; sometimes we win… And sometimes, we choose to surrender, for a long term benefit (for example: for being together forever with your loved ones, we tend to surrender!)…

So, is getting ‘RULED’ a part of our lives? OR is it practically possible to achieve a true sense of ‘Freedom’, or at least believe in some such thing while we are still ruled?

~ Rups~ 26th August 2007

... Aaj-Kal ...

Jhaankey mere absaar^ me; garr koi ek pal

Ishtiyaaq^ milega, mere usee qaatil ka aaj kal...

Jis daaman ko woh chookar bhi thaam na saka –

Humney aab-e-chashm^ se, usko bheegoya aajkal...

Usee befikra ka taalib^ bann chuka yeh dill

Jisne isi bebas ko wahshat^ mey dhakela aajkal…

Uski judaai par, usssey gila kar na sakey

Toh apni hi qazaa^ ko gunehgaar kahaa aajkal…

Dhadkane tez karkey, woh thukra gaya humey

Usei thokar ko talkh^ dawaa banayaa aajkal...

Khaak ho jaaye hasti, 'usiki' muraad me

Kabhi maut ki, kabhi “Uski” talab^ hai aajkal….

~ Rups ~ 7th November 2006, Bangalore

Meanings of a few Urdu words in this Ghazal:

^Absaar: Eyes
^Ishtiyaaq: Longing/Craving/Desire
^Aab-e-chashm: Tears
^Taalib: seeker/enquirer/lover/candidate
^Wahshat: solitude/grief/fear/sadness/loneliness
^Qazaa: fate/destiny/jurisdiction/judgement
^Talkh: Bitter
^Talab: Search/Wish/Demand