✨ Khoobsurat Jhoot:✨

Arz kiya hai…

Kisi mujhse kaha, tum zara ek khoobsurat jhoot bol do,
Aur maine halka sa muskura kar keh diya, haan… mai bilkul theek hoon, tum fikar mat karo.

Dil to andar bichha hua tha, tootay alfaazon ka ghar,
Magar chehra tha bilkul saabit, jaise na guzra ho koi dard-e-safar.

Raat bhar neendon ki dukaan band, khwaab saare bay-mouqa,
Har pal ek khamoshi ka zakham, jo khud hi lagta aur khud hi roka.

Tum ne pucha tha—“Dil me kya chhupa rakha hai?”
Kaise bataata ke dard ke saath hi to ab saans chal rahi hai, aur tanhaayi ne mujhko hi apna rakha hai.

Ye jhoot bhi ajeeb hote hain—pal bhar ke musafir,
Sach agar keh deta to shayad tum aur door ho jaate, issi liye jhoot bana mera humsafar.

Kabhi kabhie sochta hoon, kaash koi ho jo dil ke hisaab se pooche,
Chehre ko na dekhe, sadkon pe bikri muskurahat ko na samjhe— andar ka toofan bilkul nanga ho ke pooche.

Mere alfaaz bhi ab thak gaye, sach chhupa chhupa ke,
Har jhoot ek nayi patthar ki tarah girta hai, dil ke upar tapta hua dhaal ke.

Tum ne kaha tha “khud ko akela mat mehsoos karo”,
Par yaadon ka imtehaan aisa— ek bhi pal akelapan ko jaane nahi deta, bilkul hi behroopiya sa lagta ho.

Dil ne phir kaha: “Zinda rehne ke liye kabhie ek khoobsurat jhoot zaroori hai…”
Sach to dard badha deta, jhoot kam se kam saans lene ki ijazat deta— yeh baat bhi kitni majboori hai.

Isliye maine phir wahi jhoot bol diya—
“Mai theek hoon…”
Magar us waqt dil ke kone me ek aur sach mar gaya, chup-chaap, awaaz ke bina.

Aur tum sochti rahi hogi ke shayad mai waqai theek hoon,
Par mera dard bhi meri tarah sharif nikla— kabhi kisi ko dikhne nahi diya, bas chup rehta hoon.

⸻

✨ Maqta ✨

Mai bhi ajeeb aadmi hu, dard se dosti nibhaata hu,
Jhoot bol kar bhi sach ke saath, roz ek naya imtihān uthhaata hu.