The Stranger

Ever felt like a stranger to your own emotions? Imagine coming across a reflection of yours, your lips curved into a smile… and you feel like you are looking at a picture a person who seems just vaguely familiar… or a tear flowing down your cheek goes unchecked because you didn’t even realize you were crying…

Ever felt like a stranger to your emotions because deep within, you feel so numb that nothing seems to affect you… ever felt the feeling of not feeling something?
When I was going through one such moments of reflection, I came across this ghazal written by Firaq Ghorakhpuri which seemed to resonate with my thoughts completely…

I have penned down the ghazal and my interpretation…

ye to nahii.n ke Gam nahii.n
haa.N merii aa.Nkh nam nahii.n
Sadness engulfs me, I don’t deny
And yet, my eyes remain dry

tum bhii to tum nahii.n ho aaj
ham bhii to aaj ham nahii.n
You are no longer yourself
Nor have I remained as I

ab na Khushii kii hai Khushii
Gam kaa bhii ab to Gam nahii.n
No pleasure makes me glad now
And no sorrow makes me cry

maut agarche maut hai
maut se ziist kam nahii.n
Although there is no void like death
Life itself makes me wish I die