Peeda: A response to our apathy

The idea of this poem has been with me for a while, but what really triggered it was the re-reading of the following lines

Vichaar lo ki martya ho na mrityu se daro kabhi,

Maro parantu yon maro ki yaad jo kare sabhi,

Hui na yun so mrityu toh vritha mare vritha jiye,

Mara nahi wahi ki jo jiya na aap ke liye,

Yahi pashu pravritti hai ki aap aap hi chare ,

Wahi Manushya hai jo Manushya ke liye mare.

- Manushyata, Maithalisharan Gupt

This poem is a response to our apathy, not as men/women, educated/uneducated; patriotic or otherwise, but just as human beings, who I am not sure, how much longer we will remain. I wish I could have written it in English for a wider audience, however I was thinking in Hindi here, so wrote it in Hindi. I have not used the devnagiri script, as I feel writing it in English will make it easier for us to read.

Peeda

Sardi ki ek kohri raat ko, sadak pe biche adhmare shareeron ke caaravan main

Maine ek tithurte huey baccche ki sisakti saason ko dekha hai

Yun toh saara aasman uska hai, aur woh dharti ki god main soya hai

Lekin kabhi uske andar dare sahmey huey khali kal ko dekha hai ?

Kya kabhi uski peeda to dekha hai ?

Tapti dopahar main paththar todte, apne talvon ko jhulsaate huey

Maine mazdoor ke mastak par shikan ki rekhaaon ko dekha hai

Yun toh wah apni taqdeer khud hi likh raha hai, apne sapne swayam hi sanjo raha hai

Par kabhi usse apna hak maangte huey kisi ke saamne nat mastak hote huey dekha hai?

Kya kabhi uski peeda ko dekha hai?

Kone main dubak kar baithi hui, apne chehre ko ek udaseenta ki parat se dhakti hui

Maine ek ladki ko poori tarah se khoya dekha hai

Aayi thi woh apna aashiyana banane, apne guno se apna aangan mehakane

Par kabhi uske gaal par ankit ungliyon ke nishaanon ko, use pratadit hote huey dekha hai ?

Kya kabhi uski peeda ko dekha hai ?

Ek chote se kasbe main, apne androoni jwalamukhion ko shaant karte huey,

Maine ek yatharth se haare huey yuvak ko dekha hai

Kahan toh woh is desh ki umeed hai, kahan toh woh pragati ki reedh hai

Lekin kya kabhi usse apne andar ke raavan ka dahan karte huey dekha hai ?

Kya kabhi uski peeda ko dekha hai ?

Ek andhere kamre main, ek ”apavitra ladki ko”, apne ghaavon par malham lagate huey

Maine ek astitva khatam hote huey dekha hai

Gussa toh tumhe bhi shayad aaya hoga, do chaar apshabd toh tumne bhi kahe honge

Lekin kya kabhi bhibhitsa ras se sarabor uski aankhon main gusse ko ufante dekha hai ?

Kya kabhi uski peeda ko dekha hai ?

Ek paglai hui, margdarshan kho chuki, bhatkayi gayi, baurai hui bheed ko aakrosh main

Maine ek masoom ki hatya karte huey dekha hai

Gussa toh tumhe bhi shayad aaya hoga, do chaar apshabd toh tumne bhi kahe honge

Lekin manushya ke vidhvans ke us khaufnaak chehre ko us masoom ki maa ki kahrati aankhon main dekha hai ?

Kya kabhi uski peeda ko dekha hai ?

Lekin

Kaun hoon main, jisne itna kuch dekha hai ?

Vichlit na ho, main koi bhi nahi hoon

Main toh bas wahin hoon jo bas har baar lagatar rekha ke us taraf hai jahan se sab door dikhata hai

Yun toh khud ko itna pragatisheel kehte ho

Do baar in atyachaar ke baare main sochkar apni marmikata ki kahaniyan kaste ho

Lekin jab sacchai cheerti hui indriyon ko jhakjhorte huey saamne aati hai

Toh tumne apne aap ko sheeshay main aankhen moondte huey dekha hai

Toh tumne apne aap ko muh ferate huey dekha hai

Toh tumne apne aap ko rann chodte huey dekha hai

Toh tumne apne aap ko yudh ki guhar se kaanpte huey dekha hai

Toh tumne apne aap ko apne hi mann main haarte huey dekha hai

Jab jeevan main kal sankat aayega, jab apne armanon ko kuchalta hua dekhoge,

Jab aisa lagega ki tumhara astitva hi nakar diya gaya hai

Tab

Bhool kar bhi ek baar mat kehana

Kya kabhi meri peeda ko dekha hai