Skip to main content

Tribute to Nandigram Protest

Most of the readers of my blog, I am sure, are aware of the gruesome killings of protesting peasants and farmers by the West Bengal state in India that happened almost a month before. It has got considerable media coverage and some good in-depth analyses are readily available on net. As a mark of respect (I hate to 'sympathise' with a good cause) I wrote few words:

Pukaar

Aur, is aasmaan ke saaye mein
Ye zameen jo door talak dikhti hai,
Lahoo ke rang mein zinda hokar
Khoye kadmon ke nishaan doondhti hai,

Lab jo sil gaye the bebasi mein
Ek "Pukaar" jo sulagti thi khamoshi mein,
Sathon (surface) ko chirkar jo nikla wo
Wo maut hi tha jo zindagi mein utra wo,

Kuch mitt gaye, kuch mita gaye
Ek aag dilon mein laga gaye,
Takht-e-siyaasat to na palat sake, par
Takht-e-umraan wo hila gaye.

This time to "aid" my readers, I have also done an English version (and NOT a translation). I think I am seriously incapable to do a translation of the above; so the following is just an impression:

A Call

Beyond the line
Till the horizon
Where the grief impales our vision,
The traces of life in which are fading
That world, seemingly is changing,

For years, we remained mute,
Alive but not astute
Nonetheless, we nurtured a speechless agony
One that haunted our lives incessantly,

We hoped, we tried
We perished in our cry,
No, we didn't succeed,
Or did we? let the future decide.

Comments

Indigo Nyx said…
its a brilliant piece of work Nitin.... i'm touched
Indigo Nyx said…
dis is specially ver intense!

Takht-e-siyaasat to na palat sake, par
Takht-e-umraan wo hila gaye.


bahut khoob!
Sadia said…
The poem is nice. and like psycho I like the takht-e-siyasat part the most :)
It should be Ek pukaar jo sulagti thi khamoshi mein. there's a little gender problem there :)
Nitin Sinha said…
Ashu: That line came all of a sudden to my mind, and then that was it. Nothing would have better explained the dilemma which I wanted to capture: the dilemma of a failed but useful initiative.

Sadia: corrections done. Thanks for pointing it out. :)
Anonymous said…
nice piece..gud choice of words for a post like this..
inspiring !!
Nitin Sinha said…
Thanks Rashi. :)

Popular posts from this blog

The doomed diva

The doomed diva Har ek mod pe bas do hi naam milte hain Maut keh lo – jo muhabbat na kehne paao (There are only two names on each pathways (of life) Call it death, if you can’t call it love) I am sorry for even trying my hands at translating these beautiful verses portraying intense suffering, tragedy and clamour of an individual. Are there any guesses who penned these lines? I am sure very few of us would rightfully identify this poetess-in-oblivion who wrote many such verses and couplets as a personal way of registering, recording and dealing with her grief-stricken short life of forty odd years. She was born on 1st August 1932 in Mumbai to Ali Baksh and Iqbal Begum (renamed from Prabhawati Devi). Her father was an actor in Parsi theatre and also dabbled in Urdu poetry and occasionally gave music direction in Hindi movies. This girl, Mahjabeen Bano, was the youngest of her siblings and in the family mired in financial hardships she was literally forced to work in films. Her career st...

Amateur clicks

Teri Yaad

Teri Yaad: Teri yaad aati hai Un lamhon ki khushboo se Jo humne churayee thi Sulgi hui saanson se Un behki hui baaton ko Jo humne sunayee thi Dheeme si dhadkanon ko, Palkon pe yun sajakar Aankhon se jo tumne kaha tha Baarish ki narm boondein, Pehluwon mein lapete Tumne jo mujhko chuwa tha Ye dil bhool na paaye Wo baatein, wo raatein... Saanson ka tum pagalpan ye dekho ki thamte nahi Dekho na, dekho na, Lafzon mein jo sil gaye hain, aankhon mein jo khul gaye hain Un khwabon ko doondho zara doondho na, doondho na, Dil ki ye kashish tum jaga ke so gaye Teri yaad.. Here it goes: Something which was keepin me busy from last few weeks. Nothing great, but who knows..;)This wouldn't have become possible without the help of my sweet friend, Suga, better known as Sugri:) Click on the link below or on the Teri Yaad Video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gaa5kPTwB9s