Mandeep Singh Sajwan

आज है होली रंग तुम्हीं हो, सांसों में हरपल संग तुम्हीं हो। खिलता कैसे फूल बाग में, मिट्टी पानी धूप तुम्हीं हो।। आज है होली रंग तुम्हीं हो, मेरे मन की उमंग तुम्हीं हो। भीगा जो वो अंग तुम्हीं हो आज है होली रंग तुम्हीं हो।। सूनी थी जो कल तक दुनिया, उभरी उसमें तरंग तुम्हीं हो। जीने का हर ढंग तुम्हीं हो, मेरे दिल की जंग तुम्हीं हो। तुमसे ही है उत्सव सारा, होली के हुड़दंग तुम्हीं हो। आज है होली रंग तुम्हीं हो, सांसों में हरपल संग तुम्हीं हो। नील गगन की विस्तृति तुम्हीं हो, बहती नदिया, पर तृप्ति तुम्हीं हो। झूम रही जो वन में डाली, छिपी कहीं अनुरक्ति तुम्हीं हो। पर्वत का वह मौन तुम्हीं हो, झरनों का कल-कल गान तुम्हीं हो। ऋतुराज का जो है जादू, सृष्टि का वो प्राण तुम्हीं हो। आज है होली रंग तुम्हीं हो, सांसों में हरपल संग तुम्हीं हो।

The mountains rise in a silent hymn, Where the ancient light begins to dim. I trace the map of your stony face, Searching for a holy, hidden place. The rhododendron bleeds a crimson stain, A cooling balm for all my earthly pain. The Alaknanda carves a path of gold, Through stories that the Deodar have told. The mist arrives to wear a ghostly hat, Resting where the tired pilgrims once sat. But beneath the pine, appears a hollow sound, Where concrete giants tear the sacred ground. The river weeps behind a wall of stone, While the simple hills are left to ache alone. A kurta, a topi, a shawl, a politician's smile, Hiding miles of greed and bitter guile. They trade the forest for a heavy purse, Turning devbhoomi from blessing to a curse. The land is sold in pieces, bit by bit, While the lords of power in their mansions sit. Yet, beloved Uttarakhand, your soul is never dead, Despite the lies the hungry wolves have fed. You are the eagle’s cry, the leopar...

Tonight the moon hangs like a forgotten promise, above the silent roofs of our separate cities. The wind moves between us, as if it remembers the shape of your shoulders better than I do. We were not small, you and I. We were tidal, I guess. When you touched my hand the earth shifted its weight toward summer, and the hours melted like wax at the altar of your breathing. Your name was not a word it was a country of warm rain, a field of trembling wheat at dusk. I entered it barefoot, and every step burned with joy. Do you remember? The night carried our laughter like a lantern through dark water. Your hair spilled over my chest like midnight pouring its ink into a willing sky. We were reckless with eternity. We said always as though it were a fruit we could split open and eat without consequence. But always is a difficult season. The trains began to speak in iron tongues. Letters thinned into silence. The world, with its careful hands, closed its fist around us and calle...