Saturday, April 5, 2008
कभी कभी
के जिंदगी तेरे जुल्फों की नर्म छाओं में
गुजरने पाती तो शादाब हो भी सकती थी
ये तीरगी जो मेरी जीस्त का मुक़द्दर है
तेरी नज़रों की शुवाओं में खो भी सकती थी
अजब ना था के मैं बेगाना-ऐ-आलम होकर
जमाल की रानाईयों में खो रहता
तेरा गुदाज़ बदन तेरी नीम-बार आंखें
इन्ही हसीं फसानों में माहो रहता
पुकारती मुझे जब तल्खियां ज़माने
तेरे लबों से हलावात के घूँट पी लेता
हयात चीखती फिरती बरहना-सर,
और मैं घनेरी जुल्फों के साए में छुप के जी लेता
मगर यह हो न सका और अब यह आलम है
के तू नहीं, तेरा गम, तेरी जुस्तजू भी नहीं
गुज़र रही है कुछ इस तरह से ज़िंदगी जैसे
इसे किसी के सहारे की आरजू भी नहीं
न कोई जादा न मंजिल न रौशनी का सुराग
भटक रही है खलाओं में ज़िंदगी मेरी
इन्ही खलाओं में रह जाऊँगा कभी खो कर
मैं यह जानता हूँ मेरी हम्नाफास, मगर यूँ ही
कभी कभी मेरे दिल में ख्याल आता है....
साहिर के यह अशार शायद किसी महबूबा की जुदाई के लिए लिखे गए हों....फ़िल्म में तो खैर उसी कैफियत के मानिंद था...लेकिन यह नज्म किसी बिछदी हुई महबूबा के नाकाम आशिक के दिल का हाल भर नही है। हर टूटे सपने के बिखरे टुकडों की आवाज़ है यह नज्म....और यह नज्म तब तक गूंजती है जब तक एक नया सपना, एक नई ख्वाहिश फिर से नही पनपती उन्ही टुकडों के बीच से...फिर से टूटने के लिए...फिर से इस नज्म को गुनगुनाने के लिए....
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Solitude
जिंदगी यूं हुई बसर तन्हा ,काफिला साथ और सफर तन्हा
अपने साए से चौंक जाते हैं, उम्र गुज़री हैं इस कदर तन्हा
रात भर बोलते हैं सन्नाटे, रात काटे कोई किधर तन्हा
दिन गुज़रता नहीं है लोंगों में, रात होती नहीं बसर तन्हा
हमने दरवाजे तक तो देखा था, फिर न जाने गए किधर तन्हा
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Solace
हफ्तों पहले, यारों के बीच बैठकर एहसास हुआ...दिल ढूँढता है फिर वही फुरसत के रात दिन, बैठे हुए तस्सवुर-ऐ-जानां किए हुए... बस फिर क्या था, गालिब के इस ख़याल को मुक्कम्मल करने की तमन्ना से निकाल लिया अपना कारवां। इरादा यह की दीन-ओ-दुनिया से दूर होकर ख़ुद के करीब आ सकें...और इसके लिए देवभूमि ऋषिकेश से बेहतर पड़ाव नहीं सूझा। एक मजमा ज़िंदगी की दौड़ में बेतहाशा भागते जंग्जुओं का...दो दिनों का युध्ह विराम मनाने पहुंचे गंगा किनारे...जहाँ पहली बार गंगा पहाडों और छत्तों से लड़कर मैदानों के आगोश में आकर साँस लेती है। ख़ैर, दिन का काम ख़त्म कर, पिछले जुम्मे के दिन यह कारवां रवाना हुआ...सुबह जल्दी उठने के खौफ से शायद कोई रात को ठीक से सफ़र में सो भी नहीं पाया...जैसे तैसे, पौ फटने से पहले, हरिद्वार उतर कर भागे, आगे की सवारी लेने। मुह अंधेरे शीशम झाडी गेस्ट हाउस पहुँच कर लगा, जैसे रामसे बंधुओं की फिल्म सेट पर पहुँच गए हों...रात का सन्नाटा चीरती हुई सनसनाती हवा...कमी तो सिर्फ़ सफ़ेद साडी ओड़कर एकलालटेन हाथ में पकड़कर गाती हुई प्रेतात्मा की!
मगर जब आंखों से खुमारी गयी तो एहसास हुआ उस वादी की खुबसूरती का जिसके आगोश में अपने आपको पा रहे थे। कमरे से झाँका तो लगा पहाडियाँ अपनी बाहें पसारे न्यौता दे रहीं है, वहीं खो जाने को। खैर इस खूबसूरती को आंखों में बसा कर...गंगा की सतह पर बहने से अच्छा और कोई जरिया नही पूरे एहसास को अपने रगों मी उतार लेने का। फिर कारवां चला नागिन सी बलखाती सड़कों से होते हुए उस मुकाम पर जहाँ एक बिन पतवार की कश्ती इंतज़ार कर रही अपने माझीयों काअपने। अपने चप्पू हाथों में ले कमर आधा दर्जन माझी, गंगा की अरदास लगा कर रवाना कर दिए अपनी कश्ती को...पहाडियों के बीच से गुज़रते हुए..एक ऐसी नदी का दामन पकड़ कर बह रहे थे जिसने अपने किनारे दुनिया के सबसे पुरानी तहजीब को पनपते और फलते फूलते देखा और शायद गवाह भी रहेगी इसके नेस्तोनाबूद होने की। लेकिन कुदरत के इन नज़ारों के बीच से गुज़रते हुए सिर्फ़ ख़ुद को खुशकिस्मत ही महसूस कर रहे थे...फूलते हुए दम और चड्ती हुई साँसों को सिर्फ़ यह नजारे ही तो मायने दे रहे थे। इसी गंगा के किनारे देखा...मुल्क और तह्ज़ीबों की बंदिश से परे, साधना करते हुए कुछ मलंग योगी...घाट पर एक कुटिया बना कर और एक चट्टान पर धुनी रमाये एक साधू...ज़हन के किसी कोने में एक टीस जगा गया...शायद कभी ऐसी हिम्मत कर पाएं के जिनके इर्द गिर्द ज़िंदगी का ताना बाना बुना है, उससे अलग हो, ऐसी ही किसी पहाड़ की चोटी पर ख़ुद में ही खो सकें। ऋषिकेश के घाटों के किनारे किनारे आखिरकार अपनी मंजिल पहुँच गए...अधूरी नींद ने थकावट को दुगना कर दिया था और मुहीम शुरू हुई भूख मिटने की...पर देवभूमि में आकर इससे बेहतर क्या होता, के सुदामा के दोस्त के घर पर ही हमें भी तृप्ति मिले।
शाम को सोचा चलें गंगा आरती देखी जाए...लेकिन हमारी किस्मत में नही थी गंगा की इबादत में शरीक होना...तो राम झूला पर कर के गंगा किनारे एक घाट पर डेरा लगाया...सन्नाटे की जुम्बिश को महसूस किया...अँधेरा गहराया तो वापिस हो लिए...बाकि की शाम पैमाने में डुबोने के लिए। जब महफिल सजी तो एहसास नही था के गुलज़ार के एक पुखराज से अनगिनत मोती निकले जायेंगे...मै से ज़्यादा नशा तो अशारों में था...हर एक नज्म जैसी किसी न किसी की ज़िंदगी के कुछ लम्हों, कुछ एहसासों को रवां कर गयी। बात चली और जैसे जैसे अंधेरे के साथ सुरूर गहराया...परतें खुली और मौका मिला एक दूसरे दिल में झाकने का। कुछ दूसरों की सुनायी और अपनी बहुत कही...नशे की आड़ में दिल की कौन कौन सी गाँठें खुली, इसका हिसाब नही रख पाया...लेकिन एक ख्याल अभी तक साथ में है...तेरे मेरे नाम नए हैं, यह दर्द पुराना है...
अगले दिन सुबह, भरी सिर लेकर पहुंचे मालिश कराने...पिच्च्ली रात दिल के दर्द निकले थे, अब जिस्म की बारी थी। मालिश कर कर नाहर आए तो पता चला की यारों का गंगा स्नान तो हो गया, और फिर से तैय्यारी है माधव के मन्दिर जाने की...जैसे तैसे कूदते फांदते गंगा के किनारे पहुंचे, एक फक्त डुबकी के लिए...काम तो बन गया लेकिन दिल को सुकून नही आया...सोचा इसके लिए जाकर गिरिधर के अनजान में ही पनाह लेनी पड़ेगी...लेकिन जब किस्मत ही साथ न दे तो क्या किया जाए...पहुचते पहुँचते मनोहर ने अपने किवाड़ बंद कर लिए थे। थोडी देर वहीं ध्यान लगाकर खुदा से आस और मांगकर...एकादशी का भोग लगाया। उसके बाद कवायद शुरू हुई वापिस अपनी दुनिया में लौटने की...उसी जद्दो-जहद में, जिससे दूर आए थे सुकून की तलाश में...और सुकून मिला भी...इतना की एक वादा कर के आए, के इस सुकून की तलाश में यह कारवां फिर से आएगा...
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Lead(Act)or!!!
Looking back over the events of last two days...meant essentially to sharpen our skills as business presenters/leaders...and recalling its similarities with our dramam classes, from some recess of mind flashed the following quote:
...All the world's a stage
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts...
Monday, February 4, 2008
Re(a)putation anyone...
Apart from the demonstrable indicators of a reputation like proficiency in a particular skill set or domain knowledge, there are myriad subtle and emphatic means of establishing and perpetuating one's reputation. Another interesting thing about reputation is that it is hardly dynamic and here perception almost becomes the reality. It is a trap that any self-conscious and even mildly politically aware organism within an organisation should be wary of. It is all very fine to be able to say "I give a damn"...but no one is an island, neither in professional set-up nor in personal lives. It is however much easier to build and maintain one's professional reputation without being viewed through the prisms of various stereotypes that are generally used by society at large.
Though maintaing certain reputation is important for every member of the organisation, it becomes mission critical for the leaders within the organisation. Through the chain of command these leaders have the formal authority to influence the decisions and working of the organisation, any adverse perception (which is as good as reality, especially in their case) can severely erode this ability, thereby creating a conflicting environment, jeoperdising the overall organisational objectives and invariably creating opportunities for politically vicious activities to germinate.
When the positions of leadership within an organisation gets filled by people through a genuine meritocratic process, the reputation of the individual concerned just needs to be maintained, which though is not a stupendous task, requires only attention and not any significant incremental effort...but there is always a grave risk of losing one's reputation if adequate attention is not given. However, for leaders who are inducted from outside the organisation...and it happens in many cases when an incumbent leader leaves without an indentified successor or a new business line needs to be developed...the leader has to work that much extra to build the reputation and maintain it subsequently. Unless, a careful cultivation of one's reputation is carried out, the leader loses the ability to influence people within the organisational network and subsequently compromise the authority that goes with the position.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Rishta
अक्सर तुझको देखा है कि ताना बुनते
जहाँ कोई तागा टूट गया या ख़त्म हुआ
फिर से बांध के
और सिरा कोई जोड़ के उसमे
आगे बुनने लगते हो
तेरे इस ताने में लेकिन
इक भी गाँठ गिरह बुनतर कि
देख नही सकता कोई
मैंने तो इक बार बुना था एक ही रिश्ता
लेकिन उसकी सारी गिरहें
साफ नज़र आती हैं मेरे यार जुलाहे
गुलज़ार के इन अशारों को जिए जाते हैं...
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Vijay Perth!!
This victory did not come about due to precociuosness of the prodigal son, who attempted the first breach nearly two decades ago, nor did it come from the single minded resolve of the Wall...neither from the silken stroke of the God of Off-side nor from the guile of Jumbo or any Very Very Special Innings. This victory emphasised the fact that cricket, too is a team game...it needs eleven to tango.
How many times have a test match been won, without a single century or a pfeiffer, that too against the well entrenched opposition, playing to the opponent's strength.
Given what happenned on and off the circket field in last fortnight, it wouldn't have been out of place if Kumble exhorted his troops on the eve of the Perth Test using the following words of the Bard of Avon...
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Time Well Spent...
Kutub Quizzers, a motley group of people including a practising Army Doctor, a Management Consultant on sabbatical, one of the country's quizzing dinosaurs, an academic and couple of graduate engineers, keep organising open quizzes...sometimes oriented around a theme. Their last session at IIT-D, lived up to the expectations of high quality quizzing and trivia hunting ...Sample this:
- Rohan Wijeweera started which radical organisation in late 60's, which got financial and logitical support from countries across the ideological spectrum?
- Which Central Asian country's capital is a distortation of Sanskrit word for "two days after Saturday"?
- What is the state motto of NY state, which in Latin means "High or Super"
- Which brand of lingerie, started by Vivien Westwood's son, means a troublemaker in French?
- Which word comes into the English language from the joisting competitions of the medieval ages?
And there were connects, meta connects and mega connects...It was indeed time well spent and it didn't hurt that I was paired with a तोडू quizzer, which helped us nose ahead of the team of veteran quizzers to win this round.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
How the Poli (really) tics at Workplace?!
It is not necessary that one needs to get involved in a political process, constructive or otherwise and at the workplace there would be people who would be keeping themselves inert from all these. Like it happens in every case, there is a spectrum, where at one end there are people who are politically inert, those who either don't have the inclination nor do they find it important to actively participate in such a process. At the other extreme lie politically vicious people who would like to perpetuate and propagate a political environment by manipulating people and situations for self-aggrandisement at the cost of organisational goals. In between these two extremes lie the politically aware, who get involved in this political process by exhibiting an ability to influence the actions of the individuals in the web of organisational relationships, in a manner, which enables the individuals involved to achieve their goals in tandem with the organisational goals.
This ability to influence can create a constructive and positive political environment only when the practitioners have the following:
- Competence: The ability to carry out the tasks assumed or allocated efficiently and effectively, which may arise through functional expertise or experience or both. Without competence no one is taken seriously at the workplace
- Confidence: It is not only important to know the task and carry it out well but the consciousness and self-belief that the work can be carried out, which is necessary to assert one's competence at the workplace
- Credibility: This is the currency of the politically aware practitioner. Without credibility the ability to influence does not arise and this credibility gets established not only with competence and confidence but through myriad inter-personal interactions with other individuals involved in this political web of the organisation
- Trust: Finally, competence, confidence and credibility establishes trust
Without the above, the politically aware can't practice the art of constructive politics at the workplace or worse would end up at the politically vicious end of the spectrum.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
B - Schools & Man Management
Apropos to 'Poli-tics' (a thought - would 'Poli-toxic' been a better headline ?).
I discovered this article randomly surfing Rediff and would like to share, its the eternal paradox that one can find one's self to be and we are no different in our (in)signifcant ways.
"Goals, strategy, mission, numbers, methods, profits, so on and so forth -- B-school education teaches you a lot about these and other business jargons.
Of course, it is good to impart management education through a systematic and syllabi-led approach -- based on the learning and experiences of many management thinkers and practitioners.
This obviously manifests into a better understanding of the business environment and the situations you may encounter while shouldering responsibilities in a real environment.
Having said that, have you ever wondered why good leaders are always able to handle complex situations involving far complex people, creating a win-win situation, balancing all the coordinates?
The essence of running a business -- large, medium or small -- is actually being able to drive the most valuable resource, that is, its people, in a cohesive and synergistic manner for the growth of the organisation and also the individuals that make the organisation.
This is something that can never be taught in any B-school -- since managing people will never have time-tested, fixed and structured formulae as against most of the other business issues.
The issue of managing people percolates right from within the organisation to the multitude of external stakeholders. It is crucial to establish the right relationships necessary for any business to survive and foster, having to deal with many constituents such as customers, investors, bankers, government and society among others.
The role of relationships can never be ruled out in any corporate environment, be it internal or external. Growth of any organisation is directly proportional to the ability to forge and manage suitable relationships by the personnel at the helm in the organisation.
And this is something that B-schools may not be able to teach through their curricula, however, rigorous and thought out they are. I believe it can be achieved by a lot of practice, keen observation and understanding of people, and one's ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.
Beyond the good groundwork, grooming and grilling of an individual to make a successful business manager by any B-school, factors such as gaining continuous insights into the human mind and striking a right chord on the relationship front plays a major role in creating leaders."
(R N Iyer graduated from IIM, Ahmedabad, in 1991.)
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Why Poli-tics in Office !!
We encounter politics everywhere...the society we live in, the workplace and even in immediate and extended familial relationships. Remember as children when we used to squeal about our sibling to our parents, so as to make ourselves good in their eyes...what's this if not politics. Perhaps, that's the reason, why we look at politics through a Machiavellian prism (though it isn't as negative as it meant out to be...but that's for another blog) oriented towards pursuit of power through crass manipulation. But this is only one aspect of it and we tend to lose our perspective over this because this is what get projected through formal and informal media of communications. The truth is that wherever humans interact, a political phenomenon exist...the workplace being no different...and so does a choice, whether to remain inert or be pro-active by participating in a constructive political process.
Now, how does one define a constructive process?...not an easy answer but simple nonetheless. A process which facilitates the alignment of individual goals towards effective and efficient achievement of organisations goals..(phew!!).
Next logical question is what does it take to partake in this process? Simply put, the following:
- an understanding of the web of professional and inter-personal relationships existing at the workplace, which to a large extent is driven by the formal hierarchical structures, but also gets developed through innumerable non-professional interactions amongst various individuals
- identification of symbiotic (as opposed to synergistic) relationships, which one can develop with each individual in this web of relationships.
Finally, what is the outcome of this process (well, the alignment of individual & organisational goal being at its place...) or rather what does this process entail...
- Networking across departments, divisions, geographies to create these symbiotic relationships
- Reinforcement of one's own capabilities and worth without attempting to blow one's own trumpet...be confident not arrogant
- Being professional... a seemingly vague expression, but then certain things are better understood than explained
- गीता का सार - कर्म कर फल कि चिंता मत कर (as opposed to इच्छा) This is a critical aspect...offering any support, advice, help or favour may not get returned in the same coin, but it creates goodwill and credibility, the currency of this process
How to work through these process and the things to keep in mind...well that would need a series of such blogs...