Thank You One Frame Stories!

Some blessings knock on your life’s door when you least expect them. ‘One-Frame-Stories’ is one of them, especially for me. I don’t know when my Fridays turned into Frame day.

Last year Heyyomedia started an initiative, According to #OFS, on every Friday it displays a Frame/Photo on site (www.oneframestories.com) You just have to pick a thought and weave your most beautiful story or poetry under 99 words. That’s the only condition just 99 words or less. And submit your creativity within a week, till Thursday 12 midnight.

I don’t know what will you get or learn from this but frankly speaking, I learnt how to write, under a given condition. It improved my reading habit, I never let go a single word now without knowing it.

Don’t dare to think it’s a writer thing or why should I devote my precious time. Writing is essential for every person who wants to feel alive.. Give it a chance and it will become an addiction, a fabulous one!

Meanwhile, I received few delicate pieces from OneFrameStories. YAY! These are much close to me than those school trophies!

A. I put it beside my bed. It’s a genuine reason to smile, 24*7!

B. I was a serious pen collector during school days. And suddenly that habit vanished somewhere. And after getting this gorgeous as a writing-reward, I don’t desire for more. 

Info: 

A. Here you will find a new frame on every Friday.

OFS Frame Link: http://oneframestories.com/frames/

B. You will get updates and few beautiful people here! (Monathais and Cattybriggs, Yes I’m talking about you. *close-up-smile*) 
OFS Twitter Handle: https://twitter.com/OneFrameStories

P.s - Thank You OneFrameStories and Heyyomedia for All Happiness! 

लौट कर आना तेरा

Photo Credit - Google

लौट कर आना तेरा

मुमकिन नहीं अगर

इन वादों की रसीदें

तू साथ लेता जा..

ये निगाह-ए-तन्हाई औ’

खामोशियों के सुर

रूठा हुआ दिल-ए-साज़ भी

तू साथ लेता जा..

आँखों में ठहरी नमी

हथेली पर आ ज़मी

लकीरों में उगते उफ़ूक भी

तू साथ लेता जा..

माना के तेरे चर्चे

तेरी शोहरत सर-ए-जहां

गुजरी तेरे बगैर

ये मेरी ज़िदगी निहां..

सांसों में आ उलझा है

इक आखिरी अरमां

बेमाने इस वज़ूद से

निज़ात देता जा..

लौट कर आना तेरा

मुमकिन नहीं अगर

इन वादों की रसीदें
तू साथ लेता जा.. 

- Ankita Chauhan 

Uljhan (Raat Pashmine Ki)

उलझन

एक पशेमानी रहती है

उलझन और ग़िरानी भी

आओ फिर से लड़कर देखें

शायद इससे बेहतर कोई

और सबब मिल जाए हमको

फिर से अलग हो जाने का..

प्रयास : मातृत्व विशेष

मेरे इस छोटे से ‘प्रयास’ को मधुरिमा (मातृत्व विशेषांक 6 मई 2015) में जगह देने के लिए दैनिक भास्कर और रचना संमदर जी (संपादक) को ढेर सारा शुक्रिया।   

Madhurima : Dainik Bhaskar

प्रयास

अतीत की स्मृतियों में खो जाना और धीमे-धीमे मुस्कुराना, अक्सर माँ को ऐसे ही देखा था मैंने। आज अपने पुराने बक्सों में समायी यादों को टटोलते देखा तो उनके पास जा बैठी मैं। माँ अक्सर कहा करती थी ये कपड़े नही तुम्हारा बचपन है मेरे जीवन की सबसे खूबसूरत यादें। एक दिन जब तुम इस घर से विदा हो जाओगी तब भी ये यादें मेरे पास रहेंगी।

आज माँ उन्ही कपड़ों को तत्परता से एक बैग में डाल रही थी। पूछा मैंने “ क्या इस खजाने को बैंक लॉकर में रखवाने का इरादा है?”  

माँ की आँखों में नमी थी, मेरे बालों में अपनी हथेली फेरती हुए कहा - “ठंड तेज़ है, क्लॉस में पढ़ाते वक़्त, जब मैं स्वेटर और एक शॉल लपेटकर भी क़ंपकपी महसूस करती हूँ तो उन ग्रामीण किसानों के बच्चे झीने-से कपड़ों में होते हैं। वही किसान जो इंसानी वजूद का सबसे महत्वपूर्ण हिस्सा है। उनके नन्हों का जीवन इतना सर्द क्यूं हो? यह मेरा छोटा-सा प्रयास उनके आज में रंग भर सकता है। यादों का क्या है, और बन जाऐगीं।“  

        

  -  अंकिता चौहान 

OF SOUL : A Short Story

“A favorite image mostly captured on the dusky horizon.” He whispered while trying to frame that girl who was dancing on sounding waves, feeling silken zephyrs on her bare skin, as a bird that got her wings back after ages. Though she was enchanting some blissful tunes yet spilling pain from her heavenly voice. It seemed that cloudy sky and endless sea were compelling her to loosen the entire storm, she might be dragging since decades.

All of a sudden, that lovely silhouette evaporated and I was left with a blinking message “After 42 years, she finally at peace...”  

P.s - Dedicated To "Aruna Shanbaug". 

An Apt Pawn : A Short Story

She seemed a relic of ancient-era. Her wrinkled skin bore the traces of insipid life.  When traffic clogged streets, her eyes so often enquired moving regular shadows. As if staring with blank expression was her only elixir of life.

She had a decent life once but drug’s addiction snatched her only son, almighty bestowed upon her.

“How much longer she supposed to suffer.” asked benefactor and she heard clinks of few coins into her earthen tumbler. She fondly raised her frail hand and meticulously mumbled into some device “Hello NCB, Saaar! It’s Cocaine, three Men and the location is…” 

P.s - After writing 25 stories, at last my story got placed at the TOP. Can't Thank You enough to @OneFrameStories #OFSLife

KRYPTONITE

In the flickering light

Almost a shadow

Playing a reminiscence of past

And lilting solitude

patiently moving to his arms

His nimble fingers

Wavering on the chords of guitar

With a silent promise of life

Just like a hummingbird

As, if he stopped

he would engulfed by his own rhythm.

Every time his crafted voice floats

he discovers himself

at the edge of partition in 1947

he was rooted out

from his very lullabies then.

Now He plays whenever

his inner child urges to sleep

And the echoes of

his sinking pulse reverberate

as world’s Kryptonite.

राजकुमार केसवानी : नौशाद साहब विशेष (अंश)

कभी-कभी सोचती हूँ, मेरा रविवार(Sunday) इतना खुशगवार ना होता अगर दैनिक भास्कर का रसरंग, (ऑल्मोस्ट साहित्य विशेषांक) पढ़ने को ना मिलता! थोड़ा सा मैं bias  हो जाऊं तो यकीन मानिए, राजकुमार केसवानी जी के क़ॉलम का हर हफ्ते बेसब्री से इंतज़ार करती हूँ, Sunday खत्म भी नहीं होने पाता कि उनके लिखे लफ्ज़ो की cutting मेरे छोटे से फॉल्डर में अपनी जगह तय कर लेती है।

Naushad Sahab (Photo Credit - Google)

नौशाद जी को कौन नहीं जानता, एक जाने-पहचाने music director  थे। जिनका बचपन लखनऊ में बीता। उनके संगीतबद्ध किए नगमे आज भी हमारे ज़हन पर छाए रहते हैं। आज पुरानी राहों से, अफसाना लिख रही हूँ, मेरे महबूब तुझे मेरी मोहब्बत की कसम, आज पुरानी राहों से, मधुबन में राधिका.. याद है?   

गत सप्ताह “नौशाद साहब विशेष” में केसवानी जी ने कुछ ऐसा किस्सा साझा किया, कि खुद को नहीं रोक सकी और अपनी इस छोटी सी दुनिया में आप सबके साथ केसवानी जी के कॉलम से लिया गया वही अंश share कर रही हूँ।

राजकुमार केसवानी जी : नौशाद साहब विशेष

Rajkumar Keswani Ji ( Photo Credit : Google)

जाते-जाते एक बड़ी नाजुक सी बात कह देना चाहता हूँ। कामयाबी के चांद-तारों जो छूने को मचलते इंसानो के लिए एक बात। दुनियावी कामयाबी कभी इतनी बड़ी कामयाबी नहीं बन पाई है के इंसानी रिश्तों और मोहब्ब्तों से बड़कर कामयाब हो सके। किशोर कुमार आखिरी दिनों में खंडवा लौटने को बैताब थे तो नौशाद साहब भी कम बैचेन नहीं थे। अपने उरूज़ के दौर में ही नौशाद ने अपनी नानी को एक खत लिखा था, जिसका लब्बो-लुबाब वही था कि “ ये दौलत भी ले लो य़े शौहरत भी ले लो..!”

“आपका खत प्यार भरा मिला। पढ़कर सबकी बहुत ही याद आई। फिर एक बार बचपन आँखों के सामने घूम गया। खुदा आपको सलामत रखे। हमारी नानी का घर सलामत रहे। कई बार ऐसा ख्याल आता है कि एक बार सब बच्चों को लाऊँ और आपके पास ठहरूं और मस्ज़िद की छत से फिर पतंग उड़ाऊं और नानी की आवाज़ सुनूं कि- अरे कमबख्तों! मस्ज़िद की छत से उतरो गुनाह पड़ेगा। फिर वो तकिए वाले पीर साहब की मज़ार पर जाऊं। और वो हमारा.. इमली का पेड़, उससे लिपट्कर खूब जी भरकर रो लूँ।“ 

     

Silent Dew : A Poem

Photo Credit : Google

My day starts with your birdie voice

And ends with your shining smile...

When sadness fills in my heart

You lean on my shoulder and sprinkle your touch..

In my high times and in my deep fears

You always been my inner strength

No matter what I bear..

Words are less and you know,

My love is immeasurable for you

I know I can’t always be with you

One day you will liberate from my Don’ts and Do

But I wish every time you wake up

Nature bestow smiles on you

Everytime you will look at sister leaves

You will find me there as silent dew..!

- Ankita Chauhan 

Book Review : The House That BJ Built by Anuja Chauhan

Title: The House That BJ Built

Author: Anuja Chauhan

Publisher: Westland Ltd.

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 410

Source: Flipkart Review Program  

Rating: 5/5

In this present scenario when couple of books has been releasing every day. It is hard for readers to pick the right one, of course time worthy. Personally I avoid over-flowing-love fiction as most Indian authors writing these days. But when I read first book of Anuja Chauhan ‘ Zoya’s factor’, I found her as cause for celebration. And with next read ‘Those Pricey Thakur Girls’ she became a most promising Indian author of literary fiction especially for me.

And now ‘The House That BJ Built by Anuja Chauhan’ has already occupied the reading floor. It’s time to meet our favorite characters again (YaY Moment), those beautiful (but troublesome) alphabetically named daughters of Justice Laxmi Narayan Thakur. Actually this book is a sequel of “Those Pricey Thakur Girls” but Anuja interlaced the characters so well that you found it more refreshing and delectable.

As, 

“I’ll make my sisters squirm like well-salted earthworms.

 I won’t sell. Even my jutti won’t sell.

 And if I die na, then even my ghost won’t sell.” 

“She has no hissa. If you open your mouth we’ll borrow next-door-ka-pistol and sambhar vada  you both. Imagine!”  

“Take your Time. Think it out. I’m not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever.”

“The House That BJ Built” is basically a story of a girl, Bonu singh Rajawat who runs a workshop, set up on the first floor of BJ’s (Her Grandfather) house. The workshop is Bonu’s pride and joy.  

“Bonu is a girl who doesn’t respect any rules, who picks locks and rips off designers and order nasbandis without worrying at all about right or wrong.” That what’s Samar thought.

Samar?  Samar is Bonu’s childhood crush, a step-cousin and a young director who arrived back after ages at BJ’s House (Hailey Road. Delhi). Somehow the story takes turn and BJ (Their Grandfather) left the world with a promise that Samar would sell the Bj’s property and distribute the Hissas in all alphabetical aunts equally. and then comes the interesting part, varieties of obstacles esp. an extended family (a philanderer uncle) and mystery behind her great grandmother’s death. Meanwhile Samar falls for Bonu The Chhamchham unexpectedly.

Here a great applause for Anuja chauhan, she managed to render the characters in an impressive way that you hooked with the story till the end, It took me less than two days to complete it. [Note: Those who don’t want to lose their jobs please read it on weekend because it’s really hard to put it down once you started]

And those who were thinking that love ka the end of Eshwari and ‘Steesh’ in “Pricey Thakur Girls”. There is a vibrant surprise for you. Hope you would like to find it by yourself.

These light hearted still relatable dialogues filled with colloquial nuances, make you realize that you’re dealing with an intellectual writer on the other side I have no words to describe Anuja’s sense of humor. She will give you the “pet-pakdo-laugh” for sure. She will make you giggle with tangy romance between Bonu and Samar.

If, you have been waiting for profound yet entertaining read, Hey Jack, Anuja is back!

Flipkart Link : The House That BJ Built By Anuja Chauhan

You Tube Link : The House That BJ Built By Anuja Chauhan

Twitter Handle of an Author is  @anujachauhan .

An Intention

                                                         An Intention :

“What do you think of yourself? You’re just six years old. At the age of wiping your nose, you’re playing with electricity?” 

And a sudden slap imprinted on his right cheek, he trembled but his eyes were still clinging on that wire, which was connected with a lighted bulb.

When his mother threw herself on cot with sombre expression, he resettled that wire, near that window which opened into her friend’s home. He knew “It has been raining outside and his friend was not able to read under road-light today.”

Now smile found its way on his teary-lips.