Mess ka khaana

Wrote this poem during IIT days for hostel magazine. Incidents during last few days reminded me of it again :)


Hamaari mess ka khaana hai itna laajawab,
Dekhkar hi jise ho jaye tabiyat kharab.
Hum par kiye jaate hain experiments ye samajhkar,
Hum hain jaise koi choohe aur bandar.

Sookhi rotiyan nigalni padit hai pee-peekar paani,
Mithai khaakar hi yaad aa jaati hai naani.
Sabzi ke baare mein to kya kehna,
Kacchi-pakki khaakar hi guzaara hota hai apna.

Chaawal ki quality hai itni uttam,
Gaanthein hi milti hai usmein hardam.
Dinner time pe dost kehte hain suicide karne jaa rahe hain,
Wo to hum hi kisi tarah unhein samjhaate hain.

Ek din pata chala ki milega aaj gala dinner ,
Humne socha chalo aakhir hamari bhi li kisi ne khabar.
Poore hostel mein aag ki tarah fail gayi baat,
Aur time hote hi mess ki taraf hum nikle sabke saath.

Lekin wahan jaate hi aankhein fati ki fati reh gayi,
Hamaara BP badh gaya aur sans gale mein hi atak gayi.
Mila di gayi thi pichhle hafte ki bachi saari sabji,
Aur us dish ko naam de diya – paav bhaaji.

Socha chalo kuch chinese hi khaa lete hain,
Gala dinner ka kuch to fayda uthaate hain.
Lekin bhaari pad gayi hamein ye soch,
Jab chowmein mein se akad ke nikla ek cockroach.

Iske baad decide kar liya ki kisi jhaanse mein nahin aayenge,
Dinner gala ho ya kala, bus patli gali se khisak jayenge.
Tabhi kisi ne dinner ki kharab quality ka asli reason de maara,
Arre bhai, accha hoga to workers ko banaana padega kitna saara.

Ab to bas jab ye hostel chhodkar jaayenge,
Agli baar tabhi mess ke darshan kar aayenge.
Phir bhi yahan se jaate hue aankhein nam ho jayengi,
Jab bhi bura khaana milega, yahi mess yaad aayegi.