ANNE' NA RAHO (DON'T REMAIN BLIND) (POEM IN PUNJABI)

ਹਜ਼ਾਰਾਂ ਅਨ੍ਨੇਯਾਂ ਤੋ ਬਾਦ ਪੈਦਾ ਹੋਯਾ ਅੰਨਾ ਹਜਾਰੇ,

ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਦੇ ਨੋਟ ਉਸਤੇ ਵਾਰੇ,

ਅਤੇ ਕਹਿਯਾ, "ਜੰਗ ਕਰੋ ਅੰਨਾ ਅਸੀਂ ਤੁਆਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਹਾਂ."

ਮੈਂ ਕੇਹਨ ਲਗਾ, "ਤੁਸੀਂ ਅੰਨੇ ਹੋ ਸਾਰੇ."

"ਜਿਦਾਂ ਦੇ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਹੋ, ਓਦਾਂ ਦੀ ਹੈ ਤੁਆਡੀ ਸਰਕਾਰ,

ਵੋਟਿੰਗ ਲਈ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਹਰਦਮ ਰਹੰਦੇ ਹੋ ਤੈਯ੍ਯਾਰ,

ਪਰ ਐਸੇ ਬਦਮਾਸ਼ਾਂ ਔਰ ਮੂਰਖਾਂ ਨੂ,

ਕ੍ਯੂਂ ਵੋਟ ਦਿੰਦੇ ਹੋ ਬਾਰ ਬਾਰ?"

"ਲੋਕਪਾਲ ਬਿਲ ਨਾਲ ਕੋਈ ਫ਼ਰਕ ਨਹੀਂ ਪੈਨ੍ਹਾ,

ਇਹ ਬੋਝ ਥੁਆਨੁ ਅਤੇ ਮੈਨੂ ਹੈ ਸੇਹਨਾ,

ਜੇ ਇਦਾਂ ਹੀ ਅਸੀਂ ਅੰਨੇ ਬਣੇ ਰਹੇ,

ਤਾਂ ਇਕ ਅੰਨਾ ਅੰਨਾ ਹਜ਼ਾਰੇ ਨੇ ਕੀ ਹੈ ਕਰ ਲੈਣਾ?"

"ਲੋਕਪਾਲ ਨੂ ਛਡ ਕੇ ਲੋਕ ਸ਼ਕਤੀ ਕਰੋ use

ਸਾਰੇ ਲੀਡਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਬੁਲਬ ਕਰੋ fuse

 ਰਿਸ਼ਵਤ ਮੰਗਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਨੋ ਖੋਲ ਕੇ ਮਾਰੋ ਛਿੱਤਰ,

ਤਾ ਕੇ corruption ਦਾ ਰਹ ਜਾਏ ਨਾ ਕੋਈ excuse."

ਜਿਸ ਮੁਲਕ ਦੇ ਲੋਗ ਹੋ ਜਾਣ ਚੰਗੇ,

ਉਥੇ ਭਰਿਸ਼ਟ leader ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਹੋਣਗੇ ਨੰਗੇ,

ਸੋ ਅਗਲੀ ਬਾਰ ਉਸਨੁ ਕਦੀ ਦਾਨਾ ਨਾ ਪਾਯੋ,

ਜੇਹੜਾ ਕਰਮਚਾਰੀ underhand ਪੈਸਾ ਮੰਗੇ.

 

Hazaran anneyaan to baad paida hoya Anna Hazare,

Lokan ne hazaar hazaar de note uste waare,

Ate keheya, "Jang karo Anna, asin tere naal haan."
Main kehan laga, "Tussin anne ho saare."

"Jidan de tussi ho, odan di hai thuadi sarkar,

Voting layi tussin hardam rehnde ho taiyyar,
Per aise badmashan nu ate moorkhan nu,
Kyun vote dinde ho tussi baar baar?"

"Lokpal Bill naal koi ferk nahin paihna,
Eh bojh thuanu ate mainu hai saihna.
Je iddan hi asin anne bane rahe,
Te ik Anna Hazare ne ki hai ker laina?"

"Lokpal nu chhad ke Lok shakti karo use,
Saare leadran de bulb karo fuse,
Rishwat mangan waale no khol ke maro chhittar,
Ta ke corruption da reh na jaaye excuse."

"Jis mulk de log ho jaan change',
Uthe bhrisht leader aape hi honge nange.
So agli baar us nu kadi daana na payo,
Jehda karamchari underhand paise mange."

JAI HIND

Reproduction of a poem I wrote in May 1999 when Pakistan perpetrated the most heinous infiltration into Kargil, the Indian side of Line of Control (LOC):

Jaana hai tumko aaj ik farz nibhane ki khatir,
Is desh ki mitti ka karz nibhane ki khatir,
Utho ai jawaano sar pe bandh lo kafan,
Shahidon mein apna naam darz karane ki khatir.

Dushman ne ik baar, phir tumhen lalkara,
Dosti ke naam pe hai phir tamacha maara,
Kya bhool gaya vo ik musalmaan kavi ka kehna:
"Saare jahan se achha hindostan hamaara"?

Vijay ho tumhaari ye desh ki hai kaamna,
Karna veerta se tum dushmano ka saamna,
Dekho bach ke paaye na ab yeh ghuspathiye,
Saara jahan karega tumhari veerta ki sarahana.

Is desh ke liye mit jaayenge mar jayenge hum,
Ik inch bhi apni zameen ka hone na denge hum,
Suno Nawaz, suno Musharraf, suno ai Sartaz,
Seene yahan faulad ke aur baazuyon mein hai dum.

Ab kabhi is taraf na daalo nazrein buri,
Ik taraf Lahore Yaatra, aur bagal mein ho chhuri,
Is baar chhod denge apne pe kaabu karke,
Agli baar LOC paar na karne ki, shayad na ho majboori.

Jai Hind hamaara naara hai, Hind hamaari shaan hai,
Khoon ka her tipka Hind ke liye qurbaan hai,
Tumne soye sher ko jaga daala hai moorkh,
Dushman, ab tu chand dino ka mehmaan hai.

 

IF ONLY

Sometimes I feel life is blasé
An alluring mirage that I chase.
Sounds of fun and laughter are
Like gunshots
Piercing through my heart.

Sometimes I feel I lost you long ago
You were near and yet so far;
Knowing that I needed you
But imagining that I’d live without you.
"Let me, then, throw another dart.”

The last time, our last time, when we talked,
I found you far, very far.
I wanted this, I wanted that,
I wanted nothing;
And you had nothing to give me, on your part.

I could hear many voices,
I could see many sneering faces,
And you sitting with them,
Laughing and chatting,
Your cunning perfected to an art.

If only….

If only, I could sit with you
And talk to you
And look into your eyes
And find me there.
As the only one in your heart.

If only…

If only, I could die.
And mingle with the breeze
And touch you anywhere, anytime;
And caress you within and without
Without seeing you apart.

If only….

They'd destroy the world,
Leaving just the two of us alive.
If only, God Himself would command
You and I
To be a new world's start.

ADMIRAL AND MANTRI JI

Now that our Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister), Shri AK Antony, has, like all politicians before him and probably after him, shown aversion to talk to his service chiefs we need to examine why is it so. Even our bureaucrats are used to putting the uniformed personnel in their place. We have reached a situation in our country when the collective neglect, indifference and aversion of the government, administrative and police towards the armed forces has made this honourable profession one of the least attractive of all professions in India for the youth of the country. One would think that the countrymen, at large, would hold the armed forces personnel, resplendent in their uniforms, in awe and esteem. Yes they do. But, eligible men don't want to join the forces and eligible women don't want to marry faujis. When I was in the school, there was a popular Punjabi song whose words were: "O, fauji nu bayaah de babula, chaahe boot saane lat maare." (O Father, I want to get married to a soldier even if he kicks me with his boots). In contrast, a decade back, a survey done amongst eligible brides showed that they ranked armed forces personnel as the tenth choice for marriage.

It is really not understandable because Indian Armed Forces rank amongst the finest in the world in achievements, training, calibre and efficiency of their personnel. In comparison, the Indian politicians, bureaucrats and police personnel, who might just have begun from the same stock in schools and villages, are ranked amongst the worst in the world. And yet, an Indian Police Officer, for example, reaches the rank of a DIG in about 12 to 14 years of service but his armed forces equivalent requires twice as much service.

Could it be that in India that is increasingly become materialistic and dumbed down, money, power and status, together with stability of posting near one's home place, are considered more important than honour and dignity that comes with having a President's Commission? Also, since the levels of commitment, rectitude and training in the armed forces viz-a-viz their civilian counterparts are extremely high, the latter feel that the former and their impractical fauji ways should be kept at several arms' lengths.

The awe is obvious when civilians - used to their environment of filth, chaos, casual dresses and chalta hai (couldn't care less) attitude - are suddenly exposed to order, discipline, efficiency, shining uniforms and professionalism of the armed forces.

A Raksha Mantri, many years ago, was visiting the Indian Flagship Vikrant (an aircraft carrier; now a museum ship). After the forenoon's intenese flying operations, as he came to the wardroom for drinks and lunch, he had the Master Chief Petty Officer Steward, looking smart in his tunic and pants (worn for the ceremonial occasion) serving him small-eats from a tray. The RM looked at the MCPO Steward and decided that he must be a very senior officer (most of them have no idea of ranks in the armed forces, let alone in the Navy). So he took the tray from the non-plussed MCPO and offered to him the delicacies in return by saying, "Pehle aap" (You first). The senior sailor nearly died of mortification.

I am also reminded of two boys who grew up in the same town and studied in the same school. The politician's son hated the other who wanted to join the navy. Their hatred and aversion continued till well after they finished their schooling.

 Many years later, the politician's son had himself become a politician of some fame - nay notoriety; whereas, the other had become an Admiral. One day the Netaji (politician) or Mantriji (Minister) saw the Admiral, resplendent in his uniform in the lobby of a hotel. Mantriji recognised the latter straightway when the latter wasn't looking and with the power that came with his post, wanted to show down the Admiral. So he called him thus, "Bell boy, please get me a taxi."

The Admiral turned around and confronted his boyhood bete noire, saw the shabby attire and the belly that many Indian politicians have, which looked like that of a pregnant lady, and responded, "Certainly ma'am; but, in your condition should you be travelling?"

WHY READ WHEN YOU CAN 'LIKE'?

God, do me a great favour
Offering to you I will hike,
Let people read the stuff I put up,
And not just press the 'Like'.

Also, God, this is straight from heart,
With no offences meant,
Why don't you goad them on sometimes,
To press the button called 'Comment'?

There are others who don't even 'Like' God,
So, those who do are better;
But, whilst I like their spirit God,
I also want to see their letter.

If we are not careful, God,
We'll soon reach a time,
When people will press buttons at random,
With no real reason or rhyme.

So, let everyone who likes this post,
Tell us his own valued point;
So that rather than being one-sided,
This effort will be joint.

Who knows, while doing so,
We may actually discover the gold;
That is hidden somewhere in the heart,
But is patiently waiting to be told?

Lets have one day of the week,
When we shall actually share our thought,
And simply not press the button 'Like',
And hope to convey all we've got.