थोड़ा सा बेवफ़ा

बहुत इतराया तू भीड़ में चंद लोगों का साथ पा कर
मगर मालूम है मुझे कि तेरी असलियत क्या है !
तू कतरा कतरा डूबा हर एक मेहबूब के इश्क़ में
तुझे पता है कि तेरी शख्शियत क्या है !
हर मोड़ पर छोड़ देता है तू अपना आशिक मिज़ाज़
यही मुहब्बत है तो इसमें कैफ़ियत क्या है
तोड़े तूने बेगुनाह दिल हज़ारों दफा
शरम कर जो पूछता है की वहशियत क्या है!
कल शाम से तू मेरी गली से गुजरने लगा है
अरे सच सच बता की तेरी नीयत क्या है !
टूटा है इस दफा दिल तेरा भी या छुपा कोई राज़ है
कुछ तो बता की तेरी तबियत क्या है !!
कभी पिछली गली से तेरी आवाज़ भी आ जाती थी
तो खुद पर गुरूर होने लगता था !
आज तू गले भी लगा ले तो धड़कनों पर असर नहीं होता
कैसे कहूँ की तेरे इश्क़ की अब एहमियत क्या है!!

कैफ़ियत = ज़ुस्तज़ू

- कमल पनेरू 

तुम और मैं

कसम खुदा की कि हम  टूट कर चाहेंगे तुम्हें 

बस शर्त इतनी है कि हमें टूटने मत देना!

सुनो, जब भी तुम्हें होने लगे शक हमारी मुहब्बत पर 

बस तुम हमारे नाम की मेहंदी रचा कर आज़मा लेना!

सुनो, बड़ी अजीब मुहब्बत करते हो तुम 

यूँ तो हमें साँसों में बसा कर रखा हुआ है 

मगर सरे आम गले लगाने से डरते हो तुम 

हर दफा तुम वही मगर लहज़ा नया ले आते हो 

क्युँ ये सितम भला करते हो तुम 

मैंने तो तुमसे सुकूं के चार पल ही मांगे हैं 

सुना है बाकी वक़्त किसी और की गुफ्तगू करते हो तुम 

तुम्हारी कमीज पे ये किसी के बाल कैसे?

बताओ तो सही  किससे मिला करते हो तुम?

हमने तो तुम्हारे लिए साँसे भी बिछा दी 

क्या ऐसे ही मुझ पर मरते हो तुम?

तुम्हारे लब कुछ और आँखें कुछ और कहती हैं 

सच बताओ क्या मुझसे मुहब्बत करते हो तुम ?

सुनो, अकेले रहना अच्छा लगता है क्या?

मुझसे कोई रिश्ता पुराना लगता है क्या?

बेशक तुम रहो खुद के करीब सन्नाटों के मानिंद 

सच कहो दिल जलाना अच्छा लगता है क्या?

मैंने तो तुम्हें मांग लिया खुदा से हर दुआ में लेकिन 

दुआ क़ुबूल नहीं करवाना अच्छा लगता है क्या?

मेरे ख्वाबों को कभी ताबीर तो दिया करो 

मेरी आँखों को कभी अपनी तस्वीर तो दिया करो 

मुझसे दूर जाना अच्छा लगता है क्या?

तेरे काँधे का तिल अब भी मेरी नज़रें टटोलती हैं 

तू चुप रहे तो क्या, अब तेरी आँखें बोलती हैं 

तुम्हें ये सब बहाना लगता है क्या?

- कमल पनेरू 

Reviews on 'Nemesis of Kalinga'

Review Point: 4 out of 5
Author: Shreyas Bhave
Publisher: Platinum Press, Imprint of leadstart publishing
Genre: Historical
ISBN: 978-93-52010-62-2
Edition: First, 2019
Page Count: 329

About the Book

It is last book in the series The Asoka Trilogy by author Shreyas Bhave. Earlier two books are The Prince of Patliputra and Storm from Taxila. The series is about Mauryan dynasty during 250 B.C.

Platform

Categorised in the multiple sections with characters including Devdatta, Asoka, Kanakdatta, Hardeo, Chanakya and Radhagupta, this book is about exploring Kalinga with the guidance of one and only highly appreciated historical person Chanakya. He does not consider Kalinga a kingdom but a Mahajanpada. It shows how insecure Asoka feels in the absence of his prime minister and what values Devi, his late wife, holds for him though he had new wife Asandhi. Later, Chanakya also suggests Asoka to change his wife to get children. Story tells about the preparation in Patliputra to attack Kalinga because it was not about winning the war but to add the territory. How Asoka regained his strength? What sacrifices Radhagupta made in this continuation? What role General Bheema played throughout the war? What curse Asoka faced about Kalinga? What role Devi, along with Kanakdatta, played after being dead for Asoka? What Kanakdatta did with Shiva, Asoka's friend from South War? Were both Kanakdatta and Shiva loyal to Samrat? To know the answers of all these, go and grab the copy of Nemesis of Kalinga.

Strength of the Book

Amazingly amazing way of presentation. A perfect blend of writing skills, depicting emotions and connecting the dots between chapters and characters. Author has done perfect justification with each character in the story. Fictional characters Kanakdatta, Hardeo and Shiva and knit in such a way that we are living the story. There was no such gap where one reader can say that these characters do not enhance the narration. Also, other characters  including General Bheema and General Navin are given proper shape with the flow of story. Author has also shown the emotions between two close friends Shiva and Kanakdatta when they meet in the absence of Samrat. Moreover to this, Chanakya's character has strengthen the story. He is presented the same way as all have heard from different historical texts and evidences. 

Few catchy lines from the book:

General Bheema is unpredictable. In my life I have learnt that the most dangerous enemy is not the one who is most powerful but the one whose next move you cannot predict (p.151).

Another man shall not assist you to breathe, eat, and cover yourself (p. 67).

The fact that I did not say yes to him means we want something more (p. 224).

You are just starting out, my friend. Do you imagine I learnt archery in one day? These things take time (p. 62).

Weakness of the Book.

Beginning is very slow. Though Chanakya character is served well but at few places with Chanakya, it seems story going fictional since seemed played with historical facts. In chapter 18, Kanakdatta has given much emphasis for the upcoming fate of Kalinga, but with fictional character, such description does not seem appropriate. However, chapter wrapped well with Shiva's act there. Giving time period before starting each chapter creates confusion sometimes. Defining after-effects of Kalinga war in more prominent way could be more fruitful. 

Conclusion

Overall, this book is catchy read. Author Shreyas Bhave has unique ways of presenting things from history. Whether it is first book of the series or the last, he has kept pace throughout and page by page as story matures has given perfection justification to the narration and the presence of each character. Another best thing is one can read every book solely where one does not need to go through the previous book to know what happened in earlier books. To make it more clearly, author has given a long list of all the characters defined in the book. Author has done great job with this series and this trilogy safely makes haven for itself in the bookshelves of the readers.

One can read review of first book of the series here: http://kamalpaneru.blogspot.com/2016/03/reviews-on-prince-of-patliputra.html  

Review By:

- Kamal Paneru

follow Kamal Paneru at

facebook twitter