Banaras

bhaTakti hui waqt ki aatmaen
tere ghaT ke pattharon ki zaban se

yugon ki sadaon ki surat ubhar kar
ghuli ja rahi hai bujhe paniyon mein

teri sans ki shah-rahon par phuTi
wahi tang galiyan, wo galiyon mein galiyan!

ki jaise ragon ka bune jal koi
jahan lakh bhaTko, na koi safar ho

safar fasla hai, safar marhala hai
yahin par hayat aur yahin par fana hai

isi marhale se isi, fasle se
ek imkan ban kar jo bahta hai pani

sabhi apni apni qadamat ke aasar
dhire se us mein bahane lage hain

sabhi apni falak-bos tanhai
tere ufuq par sajaane lage hain

koi rag KHamosh gane lage hain
muqaddas bayaban, jismon ke markaz!

teri ruh ke be-karan sard, kone mein
sadiyan ghalazat kiye ja rahi hain

banaras teri sab mujarrad adaen
hasin maut pa kar jiye ja rahi hai!