Humne to jindagi batayi thi .. log kavitaye samajh ke padhne lage…
Probably that’s what happened when Javed Akhtar shared his journey we call “Life” through his book called “Quiver”.
“When people write about themselves the very first thing they mention is the city they belong to. Which city do I call own?... I was born in Gwaliar, reared in Lucknow, grew up in Aligarh, played truant in Bhopal and turned wise in Bombay. So why don’t I just go into small flashback, it will be easier for you to read and for me to write my story”
And there begins his journey in getting enveloped into carefully chosen words that we call poetry. A very beautiful fact that he repeats in the introduction paragraph of the book is that at various stands of life, the city kept on changing colors and so did the various characters, but the only thing remained unchanged was “I” (He).
As you accompany Javed on his journey expressed through poems and gazals, you will realise that he hasn’t even taken an effort in writing. He has penned the thoughts that occupied his mind at different situations of his and others’ life.
++Bachpan (Childhood)
“Chhaach fuke ki apne bachpan mai dudh se kis tarah jale hai hum”
(Blow on the froth; that how we learn’t, In childhood lips by milk get burnt)
“Tu to mat keh hamein bura duniya, tune dhala aur dhale hai hum”
(Dear world!, be kind. We are not to blame. You fashioned us that’s how we came)
“Hum to bachpan se hi akele the, sirf dil ki gali mai khele the ..
Khudkushi kya dukho ka haal banti Maut ke aapne sau jhamele the!!”
(In my childhood I was lonely everyday, The alley of my heart is where I used to play,
Could suicide provide the means of easing pain? In death so many pitfalls and dilemmas lay)
Javed seems happy to share his childhood when he stayed at his granny’s place. . He has many loving memories of where he stayed, how his room looked and other details
He begins with his childhood and then reminisces his youth, love, lust, society, hunger, anger, hatred, victory, defeat and all the possible topics. You wonder at various instances whether he is talking about his experience or yours and that makes you cherish the book even more.
++Youth (Yauvan)
“Hamare Shaukh ki yeh Inteha thi, Kadam rakkha ki manjil raasta thi”
(The extent of my desires was plain to see; My goal turned out to be road to me)
Mai khud bhi sochta hu yeh kya mera haal hai, jiska zawab chahiye woh kya sawaal hai!
(I also wonder how I feel and what I do. What is the question that I need an answer too)
Meri Jindagi meri manzile mujhe kurb mai nahi dur de, Mujhe tu dikha wahi raasta, jo safar ke baad gurur de
(Oh Life ! give me those distant goals that take me far and wide, Show me a road, a winding path, which will afford me pride.)
The poems and gazals make you smile, cry, react, accept, imagine and confess the pending thoughts that you have been carrying for long. They appear so realistic that you are able to relate to them well. At few places I could feel the letters getting blurred.
“Aksar woh kehte hai woh bas mere hai, aksar kyu kehte hai hairat hoti hai,
Tab hum dono waqt chura kar laate the, abb milte hai jab bhi fursat hoti hai
Ek kashti mai ek kadam hi rakhte hai, kuch logon ki aise aadat hoti hai”
(She often says that she belongs to me. But why so often? That I cannot see.
We used to steal time we had for pleasure, But now we meet when we can find the leisure
One step in one boat, that’s all they place. They act like that, some people of our race.)
Tumhe bhi yaad nahi aur mai bhi bhul gaya, wo lamha kitna haseen tha magar fizul gaya
(Even you do not recall, and even I forget. How wonderful that moment, wasted for us yet)
Aagahi se mili hai tanhayi, aa meri jaan mujhko dhoka de!
From knowing you I suffered loneliness, So come, my dear! Time to deceive me now.
And if you take a dip neck-deep into these lines, you might start turning the chapters of your life. And a strong urge to mend and rework on long pending relationships, forgotten affairs and yearning to get back those old memories get over you.
“Humse dilchasp kabhi sachche nahi hote hai, achche lagte hai magar achche nahi hote hai. Koi manjil ho bahut dur hi hoti hai magar, Raaste wapasi ke lambe nahi hote hai”
(They might sound interesting but they aren’t truthful, you see! They might look better but you will realize they are not better than me. It may take endless time to reach a distant goal, But slipping back does not take time at all.)
Aao aur na socho, soch ke kya paoge! Jitna bhi samjhe ho utna pachtaye ho, Jitna bhi samjhoge utna pachtaoge. Aao abb kuch jeene ka saaman kare hum, Sach ke hathon humne jo mushkil payi hai jhooth ke hathon who mushkil aasaan kare hum.Tum meri aankhon mai aakhen daal ke dekho, phir mai tumse saari jhoothi kasme khau, phir tum who saare jhooti batein dohrao. Jo sabko achchi lagti hai, wafa karne ki batein, Jeene ki marne ki batein…. Jitne din yeh mail rahega dekho achcha khel rahega… aur kabhi dil bhar jaye to keh dena tum, Beet gaya milne ka mausam… aao aur na socho.
It felt that I am standing on that lone beach waiting to be swept by that tidal wave and it did not disappoint me at all, it came and swept me with its current and went back to its destination. Such was the effect of the book that I still find myself rooted to the spot, drenched and wondering what got onto me. Was it something real or just a figment of my
Imagination? How did Javed knew the exact words to portray the feelings running in my mind?
Another realization hits me that this is book written by a “plain human” and meant to be read by a “plain human”. For all it takes is a sensitive heart and a compassionate mind to understand his penning’s. Just when you feel that he is getting a bit too romantic , he surprises you with realism and practicality. The poems carry one and only message which bangs on loud and clear
“Life is not about emotions and feelings, it’s a lot more than that”
Jaane yeh kaisa daur hai jisme yeh jurrat bhi mushkil hai
Din nahin likhun kya main din ko,raat ko kyu na raat likhun
(In this age why is so difficult to put down what is right,
Why can’t I dare to call a day as day and a night as night)/
