बुधवार, 24 नवंबर 2010

POEMS : FOR A BETTER WORLD --- POET : Dr. MAHENDRA BHATNAGAR

POEMS : FOR A BETTER WORLD

-------------------------------------------

POET :

Dr. MAHENDRA BHATNAGAR

-------------------------------------------

CONTENTS

Hope Turning Pearls :

The Vision of New and Better World in the Poetry of

Mahendra Bhatnagar

— Dr. Shaleen Kumar Singh

-------------------------------------------

POEMS

1 TRANSLATION : A CONJUNCTION

2 IN THE CIRCLIP OF TERROR

3 THE BIGOTS

4 WISHFULNESS

5 IN 1986 A.D.

6 INVOKING MODERN MEN

7 THE OTHER AGE

8 THE DESTITUTES

9 ATMOSPHERE

10 CONFIDENT OF VICTORY

11 DICTUM

12 FASCINATION

13 IMPERCEPTIBLE / UNTOUCHED

14 UNREQUITED BESTOWAL

15 ONE SUNDAY

16 GRATEFULNESS

17 INCOMPLETE

18 VICTOR LUDORUM

19 TERROR STRUCK

20 SOMEONE UNKNOWN

21 TO THE HAWKER

22 SELF-DESTRUCTION

23 PEOPLE

24 EMERGENC

25 REMAIN WATCHFUL

26 WHOLE WORLD A FAMILY

27 CORRUPTION

28 UNMASKED

29 THE MACABRE LEECHES AND TICKS

30 TOMFOOLERY

31 TRICKERY OF VOTES

32 SUDDENLY

33 WELCOME

34 BEFORE THE RAINS

35 ASPIRATION : SUN

36 A TRUTH

37 TERROR AND ANXIETY

38 ATTENTION

39 GREETINGS

40 REALISTIC IDEAL

41 DETERMINED

42 SPRING AIR

43 FOGGY SKY

44 YOU

45 CHARMING FLOWERS

46 ACTUALLY

47 A FACT

48 WELCOME TWENTY FIRST CENCURY

49 A WELCOME MOMENT

50 THE PLEASURE OF TRIUMPH

-------------------------------------------

Hope Turning Pearls :

The Vision of New and Better World in the Poetry of

Mahendra Bhatnagar

— Dr. Shaleen Kumar Singh

-------------------------------------------

Mahendra Bhatnagar, a well-established name of optimistic and humanistic poetry, with his mammoth published works has emerged before us as an icon of protest and sensitive poetry which not only infuses an understanding and an eye of glancing the reality of things but also motivates us to stand affront and speak against such eccentricities and leads us to think and rethink over it time and again. Neither has he wished us to be Messiah, nor God incarnate nor anyone castigating the masses. He regards 'Poetry as the vehicle for locating a man in the matrix of existence in the society' which is largely woven with the warp and woof mainly political social absurdities of time. Mahendra Bhatnagar is a realist essentially and favours simple and unpretentious style, though his poetry is conversational sometimes in tone, implying all its gazettes, is a dialogue and his (previous collections) in Hindi mostly which are written in metre and rhyme, yet the present collection in unmetrical and unrhymed verse, points towards his profound understanding of burning questions of contemporary time.

The present collection is a portrayal of the tragedies of modern times where he sometimes considers translations as a bridge between two minds' for making a stranger familiar, sometimes castigates the 'so-called saviors of the nation'; the leaders, bureaucrats and contractors and sometimes with his brimming optimism appears to be singing the welcome song of 21st century as well as praying for the global unity, harmony and peace. His poems are not only philosophical, realistic, spontaneous, romantic, optimist- ice, natural and mystic but also depict the most essential theme of modern times; the theme of global peace which now appears to be in peril because the monsters of terrorism have slain the We feeling among the mankind and put a more detestable picture of the world. In the first poem of the collection 'Translation : A Conjunction', the poet feels that translation of literature should be encouraged so that we may bridge the gaps of cultural, ethical and linguistic diversities. He says :

Translation is

A celestial body of

Human sagacity

Distinguished and significant. (p. 17)

But do we ever think why the poet took such themes as the main subject of his poetry. It is certainly the complex and paradoxical scenario of the present in which we boast of our achievement of reaching to the moon but fail to reach to the heart of the proletariat and the common man. The hearts are broken, panic-stricken and even painful. Our advancement in science and technology has gratified us with the innumerable boons of Computer, Electricity, Air-Plains, and Rockets and so on, yet it has also given birth to the lethal concepts of capitalism, existentialism, utilitarianism and individualism on the other. The more we have broadened our limits of thinking, the more we have shrunk in our attitude. The degeneration, hoarding, shooting graph of crimes, socio political dilemmas mental conflicts, injustice, inequalities and corruption of all kinds can hardly afford the poet in Bhatnagar to be quiet and agape. In the poem 'Vasudhev Kutumbkm', 'Whole World A Family' begins with the castigation of a man who creates a wedge between man and man :

In today's progressive and civilized world

Segregation man from man

On the basis of

Castes, households, creeds or wealth;

Calling one the low

And the other high

Calling one our own

Another one other's

Is a serious crime

An unpardonable crime. (p. 85)

Man has been shattered absolutely. He is in the grip of terror, dumb or helpless and is controlling his emotions. A horrible image of terror can be seen here :

Extreme constrictions

Has palsied lips

Hands and feet have been immobilized

Angst reigns

Humanity seethes with anger

Holocaust looms large everywhere.

(p. 111)

A large number of the poems of the collection deal with the social problems of Modern Indian society like 'The Bigots' on communalism, 'In 1996 A.D.' on Linguism, 'The Destitute' on Poetry, 'Atmosphere', 'Trickery of Votes' on Political hollowness, 'One Sunday' on boredom, 'Terror-struck' on Terrorism, 'Self-Destruction' on Dehumanization and 'Corruption' on Corruption. Rest of other poems are either an urge to rebuild our society or to revive our ancient morals or to re-communicate with modern man so that our progeny may dream for a happy social set-up and enhance our mental, ethical, moral and cultural status to an optimum level. Many poems of the collection inspire man to act and to live life in all its totality without panic and hesitation and advises the man not to be fatalist, frustrated and dismay. Anita Myles recognizes this trait of the poet and observes :

'' He does not believe in destiny and that man is mere a puppet in the power and ever tightening grip of destiny yet he encourages one to live on with grief, fortitude and determination.''1

He considers Man as Man and limitations of man as well. He says :

Man

Is human

And not an animal. (p. 21)

But he suggests further :

Endow him with wisdom

He will understand,

Amend himself

And shall stand altered. (ibid)

And invokes the Modern Man and Thinkers in 'Invoking Modern Man' to make their own societies by saying :

Modern thinkers

Come, draw near us

And for the sake of humanity

Let us create our society. (Ibid)

This dreamy society of the poet will be : 'having no religion and no caste' or 'geographical boundaries of the nation.' At a place the poet is so perplex that he questions in the beginning of the poem 'The Other Age' :

When will that age come

When a human

Will simply be called the human? (p.33)

Now the man is identified with his links to castes, sub-castes, languages, dialects, colour and race despite his oneness in attributes, needs, births, deaths, values and morals. The primeval face of human being is neglected by he modern society and it is the only cause of the rebel of Bhatnagar's poetry. His efforts in his poetry are 'For those / who are not able to make both ends meet' and 'life is not a bed of roses or a pleasant.' The poet is with the destitute and the helpless and writes :

For those who

Do not have leave

For leisure

Dance drama and literature

And all the exhibitions

And Television

Are just ironic. (p. 37)

He, at times, seems to be the spokesman of the masses as well the pioneers of the reformers who are firm in their determination to 'infuse confidence' and 'diffuse all misgivings of mankind'. Admitting his duties in present times he asserts :

We are determined

To elude deep rooted

Despondency and dejection

From every melancholy heart

And to rejuvenate it

With optimism (p. 121)

In the poem 'Realistic Ideal' his awareness and sense of objectivity mingled with sense of duty can be marked out :

We have delineated life and the living

Only objectively in letter and spirit.

Equality of man

Has always been our guiding principle,

Our dreams to see every man

Thriving excellently. (p. 117)

In the poem 'Attention' the poet commences with a sheer expressing the horrible image of the time when 'darkness and despondency', 'intense melancholy and utter Hopelessness' has ceased the entire universe. The poet invokes us and invites by saying :

Come

Let us sing songs of hope

To blight the blues

And snuff out gloom.

Surely darkness will die. (p. 113)

Though the mode of Bhatnagar is ironic, yet it is also that looks plain repertoire and at the same time unfolds lyres of suggestions and innuendos. The bulk of his poetry is political and protestial in nature. Like Borges, he narrates the national scene in true and sincere words, depicting the political, social, moral and artistic shortcomings of the age. Using irony as his weapon and paradoxes, imagery and parody as his tools, he expresses the predicament of the common man. 'Tomfoolery' exhibits the plight of a common man who is betrayed by the so called leaders to proclaim wrongly as architect of India's destiny :

See the coin phrase : secularism —

And the other of

Social justice.

Not only these

There are other cliches like

National integration

And constitutional propriety. (p. 95)

Politics has now become synonyms with dream pedlary and the poet is grieved to see the hollowness and vast — chasm between the promise and performance of a politician When such gang of swindlers who are the traitors of the nation are caught red handed, a picture of amazement stands straight before us :

But all have been nabbed

And brought to book :

The monks, the politicians

Cunning ministers, the preceptors et. al.

Amazement en masse!

A furry and not a fairy!

The masks have been shed

The true faces are revealed! (p. 91)

In such a Filthy atmosphere, the birth of a rebel voice is natural and the awakening makes the swindlers away :

Ah!

Whose catcall is it?

Eh

The public has awakened!

Let us buzz off! (p. 41)

The poet's own motivation to rebel is notable because he also believes in the unity of minds and ideals. His call to break the shackles of boundaries and the differences of language, dialect, colour, caste and creed is justified when he asks :

How long will he then

Continue to be differentiated?

After all how long will he

Bear hundreds of stings

Of the savage minds? (p. 33)

At another place he is determined to pluck the 'blood sucking, greedy, hungry and countless leeches' and ticks that are clinging to the body politic of the new born nation. He says :

Come let us pluck, twitch

And consign them to the blazing fire!

Let us, forth with, hold their

Eager, swollen lust

From diffusing abroad,

Lest it should consume everything!

(p. 93)

One more striking feature of Bhatnagar is his blend rebellious and gloomy ideas in his delineation of nature. The poems 'Imperceptible', 'Gratefulness', 'Fascination', 'Untouched', 'One Sunday', 'Terror-struck', 'Emergency', 'Remain Watchful', 'Suddenly', 'Before the Rains', 'Inspiration : Son', 'Attention', 'Foggy Sky' and 'Charming Flowers' are fine instances of poet's artistic and meticulous approach to the dealing of Nature with a slight infusion of his gloom and rebellious ideas.

However the melody lying deeper in the entire social structure and in the human mind and the idiosyncrasies, desperation, hostility, cynicism, moral bankruptcy and intellectual depravity of man make the poet more and more theist and optimistic. His heart is always brimming with the gratitude and love. In the poem, 'Victory Ludorum', creating a paradox he shows the indifferent attitude of man towards the 'Dumb and Helpless' in the age of terror and moaning. In 'This Age' the poet ironically says :

The Guru-God, Allah's devotee

Celebrates

In the prayer house. (p. 69)

And on the other hand, in the poem 'Gratefulness' he feels extreme gratefulness of the Lord and says :

O, God!

I am grateful to you

Extremely

Grateful! (p. 65)

Actually, the philosophy of Bhatnagar is steeped in Indian soil. He is a man, truly humanist and lover of humanity at large. Dr. B.C.Dwivedi while writing on 'The New Horizon of Indian Humanism' selects two poets of Indian English Poetry, namely Mahendra Bhatnagar and D.C.Chambial whose poetry is an exhibition of Indian humanism. He says :

''Examples may be given of Indian Literature under the sway of modern poets like Mahendra Bhatnagar and D.C.Chambial whose poetry exhibits facets of Indian humanism from its core. In their vision and experience it is all the way a journey from the mundane to the cosmic with the sense of primacy of man changing its meaning in course of time.''2

On account of being ingrained and fostered and nourished in Indian School of Philosophy, Mahendra Bhatnagar is essentially hopeful, bright and optimistic in his poems. In the poem 'Actually',

he acknowledges the short span of man's life when he says :

Life has been spent

Learning life.

Vocal scares were lost

At soprano pitch

In learning the art of music. (p. 133)

Similarly in the poem, 'A Fact' Bhatnagar speaks the truth of life which is its transitoriness and ephemeral quality. In a jiffy every thing ceases to exist but the outlook of the poet is different when he says :

But wait

Light will come

It will gush in

A new morrow. (p. 135)

This optimistic quality when widens its wings from nation to the globe, a collection called Poems : for a Better World takes birth from the mighty pen of the poets like Mahendra Bhatnagar. As long as the decadence in ethics, morals, principles, human values and Self-respect will continue, the poets like Mahendra Bhatnagar will never resist and nor bow down against such demons but will fight with his mighty pen and will be the true leaders, reformer and torch-bearers of the civilization. His poetry will soar and the sing hymns of the Non-violence, human values of Love, Peace, Truth, Righteousness and nonviolence in new millennium and establish new horizons in our Literature.

References :

1 Anita Myles, 'Mahendra Bhatnagar : A Poet of Optimism and Certitude', Points of View. Ed. K.K.Sharma, Vol. xii, No. 2, winter 2005, p. 151.

2 B.C.Dwivedi, 'New Horizon in Indian humanism ; A comment', Poetcrit. July 2005, p. 40

-------------------------------------------

(1) TRANSLATION A CONJUNCTION

-------------------------------------------

Translation

is not merely a change of language,

it is bridge :

between two minds

for making strangers familiar,

for stringing and tightening

the weak links of relationships

among the world's men.

It is a means of

cementing a firm friendship

in mutual interest.

Translation is a way of

surmounting the deep canyons

built among men

of distant nations;

of sitting together

with confidence

without any dilemma.

Translation is a means of communications

among millions of mankind.

Translation is not

a mere change of language

but is a successful conversion

into brilliant light of

deep darkness rife in and outside

the alien lands of living beings;

it is a means of

changing the unfamiliar into

a cohesive oneness

and of coming out from

narrow confines.

Translation expounds

civilization and tendencies;

it is a perfect symbol of

linguistic consciousness

and delineation of learning

in an explanatory form.

Translation is

a celestial body of

human sagacity

distinguished and significant.

Translation is not

merely a change of language,

it is a conjunction.

-------------------------------------------

(2) IN THE CIRCLIP OF TERROR

-------------------------------------------

Our country is in the grip of

a deep - rooted full of conspiracy.

It's caught

in the snares of

clever and cunning gangs;

is stuck in the quagmire of

vile bigotry and despicable caste-ism.

It is grappling with

a menacing savagery.

A country

which cultivated interpersonal relations

and friends,

indulged in dreams and aspirations

is now enmeshed in

horrible terror.

Engaged in

cultivating newish culture vultures,

devoted to

peace and nonviolence,

this country is now

caught in tough mortification

and tortuous troubles.

-------------------------------------------

(3) THE BIGOTS

-------------------------------------------

In the modern world

what is this obsession

in the name of religion?

In the civilized states

gruesome

brutality prevails,

there is manslaughter

everywhere!

Rational men

hope for the best

and face the bigots.

Perverted religions

should be boldly ridiculed

(even in the likelihood of

widespread devastation.)

Man

is human

and not an animal.

Endow him with wisdom

he will understand,

amend himself

and shall stand altered.

-------------------------------------------

(4) WISHFULNESS

-------------------------------------------

How nice would it be

when

this world

would be inhabited by

only agnostics

but loving people!

There would then be

no temples

no mosques

no gurudwaras

no churches!

How astonishing would that be!

Who will kill whom?

Who will hate?

There would then be

only love

and diffidence!

All perfidious persons

would then belong to one brotherhood.

-------------------------------------------

(5) IN 1986 A.D.

-------------------------------------------

This man

shot dead

that one

with a bullet,

because

he

spoke

a different

Language!

-------------------------------------------

(6) INVOKING MODERN MEN

-------------------------------------------

First

we think about

our house, our family,

then about our religion,

our caste, our state,

our language and our script.

Faiths : narrow

Convictions : circumscribed!

We,

for upholding

our such thinking

shed copious human blood,

riddle with bullets our neighbours;

we become savage, more fiendish

than the man eater carnivores;

we attain

extremely horrifying stature

because we assume that,

that is the only channel for

becoming great and

for attaining martyrdom.

Generation after generation

this thought process

has become a part of our consciousness

and we can't be weaned away from it.

Again and again

our God incites us

to kill other's God

to destroy the symbols of their faiths

and thus feel that

paradise

is secure only for us.

History testifies

that we ignore our country

and the concept of world community

does not appeal to us.

On this earth

only we will live.

The followers of our religion,

people of our caste,

citizens of our state

those who speak our language

and know our script only

constitute our country

and form our universe.

Who will undo this brand name

and annihilate this polluted world?

Modern thinkers

come, draw near us

and for the sake of humanity

let us create our society

having no religion and no caste,

and eradicate geographical boundaries of nations,

consider different languages and scripts

as the accomplishments

of human intellect.

Modern men

now don't remain mute

and fence sitters!

-------------------------------------------

(7) THE OTHER AGE

-------------------------------------------

When will that age come

when a human

will simply be called the human?

How long will his identity

remain linked to a country, a religion

a caste and a sub-caste,

a language and a dialect,

colour and race?

When will the primeval face of the human

be presented graphically?

When will the human be addressed

as a human being?

His world is one,

his species is one,

his attributes are the same,

his needs are the same

his birth is the same,

his end is the same.

How long will he then

continue to be differentiated?

After all how long will he

bear hundreds of stings

of the savage mind?

Break

the artificial boundaries of the nations.

Break

The irrelevant, superficial, and orthodox

faiths.

Break

the divisive regimes

of castes and sub-castes,

the differences of

languages and dialects

are acquired,

but nature oriented

are the physical features,

colours and races

of various humans.

All these should not impede

coming together

of human beings

and should not become

wedges to hold them apart.

May a new seraph, a new prophet,

a new archangel

incarnate in the twenty first century

and establish

a sublime human religion!

Before reaching other worlds

Human identity

should become confirmative!

-------------------------------------------

(8) THE DESTITUTES

-------------------------------------------

For those who

are not able to make both ends meet

life is not a bed of roses

or a pleasant dream.

For them life is just a struggle,

a day and night drudgery,

a treadmill that grinds life

till its end.

For those bereft of fine potentials

of what significance

and use are culture and art?

Everything is worthless

for those lacking in skill.

Despite

ceaseless, life long toil

they remain despondent and melancholic.

For those who

do not have leave

for leisure,

dance, drama, literature

and all the exhibitions

and television

are just ironic.

They are mere foils

to our hollow and mean ego!

They first need

deliverance from abuse,

and then

gracious dignity,

respectful two meals a day,

security and education.

They need no

kindness, pity or alms

Neither from the State

nor from an individual.

-------------------------------------------

(9) ATMOSPHERE

-------------------------------------------

The so-called saviours of the nation :

the leaders, bureaucrats and contractors;

the grabbers of nation's wealth,

the standard bearer patriots!

Their stratagems galore

render the administration helpless

and the common man hapless.

These notorious swindlers

are wicked crooks

the condemnable rogues!

Ah!

Whose catcall is it?

Eh

The public has awakened!

Let us buzz of !

-------------------------------------------

(10) CONFIDENT OF VICTORY

-------------------------------------------

Our strife

will not lie in limbo,

it will not stop midway.

The struggle of

the diligent, able, fearless fighter

called the labourer,

will not stop

till the ultimate victory.

It will be fiercer

more predominant

in the world.

It will continue to spread

continuously.

It will never be crushed

by demonic suppression.

It will neither weaken nor slow down.

We are confident that

this battle against maltreatment

will not be impeded.

Eradicating every obstruction

our struggle will continue

ceaseless,

without fear,

without a halt.

-------------------------------------------

(11) DICTUM

-------------------------------------------

May equality

among humans

be set up,

the equality wanted and wished for

since ages!

May this world be cleansed of

sub-caste, castes, sects and religions!

There should be

no discrimination in and obstruction

to the unity among people.

Human recognition

should not be due to

the states and nations,

languages and dresses.

The human being

should only be known by his

body and mid,

sagacity bred of

experience and deep thinking.

May love germinate

among human beings,

the opiate, infectious, loyal love!

Destroy

blind orthodoxy,

brutality of man towards man.

O, man

don't go astray now.

don't get bogged down in

imaginary deals of destiny,

and don't brook impediments!

Folly, mere folly,

ignorance profound!

Set free

life and man from it;

mankind be saved from

the wicked, spiteful

religious zealots!

May the hiatus

vanish once for all!

Let invincible and rare aptitude

be endowed upon

the oppressed!

Among the mankind

let there be prosperity,

economic equality,

all round permeable social equity!

-------------------------------------------

(12) FASCINATION

-------------------------------------------

At the outset os spring

Honeybunch

do not be pompous!

Don't trust so much

the fascinating spring;

do not zoom

with song-cycle

from earth to the welkin blue.

The duration of its melody

is of a short span

and its pleasure is transient.

Don't remain so complacent

by trusting its fragrance

o, my mind!

Don't be carried away

by the strong waves of emotions

dear me!

This brief season will soon end

and you will not be able

to hold it for long.

This charming fragrance

of spring, is a thing

rippling,

soaring sky high

indolent and spoony,

twin ally of

languid, cool breeze!

It is a deep riddle insoluble,

try not to know it.

Be not enticed or mesmerized

by it unconsciously, even by mistake.

Don't get infatuated

or become loyal

just with the mere touch

of the spring month,

or its loving

sweet scent!

-------------------------------------------

(13) IMPERCEPTIBLE / UNTOUCHED

-------------------------------------------

O,

rollicking, soporific

winds of spring

don't touch me like that

touch me not!

Full with fondness

the Saawan's serenades echo;

neither stop nor pass this way

you winds of spring.

Rambling dazing winds of spring

don't swamp me

in the swelling, brimming

wells and pools

of emotional strains;

in the wells and pools of

sweet, carnal passions

don't touch me like that

touch me not!

O, winds of spring

you exciting, cheerful winds of spring

come not towards

this cursed area

out of bounds

since ever.

This helpless,

quiet and arid mind

is given over

since ever;

don't come this side

you winds of spring

o, fragrant, rustling winds of spring

don't touch me,

like that

touch me not!

in the lustful, pining wells and pools

don't soak me

like that

soak me not.

In these unrestrained limbed

lasciviously longing since ages,

wells and pools

don't thus

soak me,

soak me not!

O, winds of spring

you fidgety, profuse winds of spring

don't touch me

like that

touch me not!

This area

is imperceptible, out of sight, untouched

since ever.

Don't come this side,

this is neglected, unseen, unknown

since ever!

-------------------------------------------

(14) UNREQUITED BESTOWAL

-------------------------------------------

Now,

what can I give you

except a carved

stationary statue;

except dispersed dust?

Whatever I am,

I have become

been cast.

Have used up

many a breath

from the assigned stock;

have attained fruition.

It is not possible now

to indulge in

experimental hewing, carving

what would be left incomplete,

the rest will remain unexpressed.

At the present stage of life

and its fag end

me, a rising and setting

sun,

what can I give you except

the warmth

of a known

cuddly feeling!

You are like

the deep sea on high tide;

your burning, sizzling

lusts are like

the infinite sky,

what can I give you

o, passion incarnate

except intense fancies and

an unassuaged excitement!

-------------------------------------------

(15) ONE SUNDAY

-------------------------------------------

The whole day

passed away in waiting,

waiting for all sorts of men.

No one unexpected came,

none unwanted too encountered.

The whole day passed away

moment by moment

this Sunday.

None brought any tiding

good or bad,

interesting or disheartening.

The whole day passed away

in cogitation,

in desiring to see

one or the other,

strolling to and fro

in the rooms.

Early in the morning

only

came the newspaper,

the milk vendor

rang the door bell

rang the door bell

in the morning and the evening

as his wont.

Otherwise

not a leaf rustled,

even a bird did not fly

over the sky

around me.

the whole day passed away

as a long wait

in mute helplessness!

-------------------------------------------

(16) GRATEFULNESS

-------------------------------------------

O, my mind

quit

this place!

Whom to wait for here

more now,

o, my mind!

The day has declined,

it is evening,

Deep darkness

is surrounding

on four sides!

My mind

accept wholeheartedly

this solitariness

with pleasure,

O, my mind!

O, God!

I am grateful to you

extremely

grateful!

-------------------------------------------

(17) INCOMPLETE

-------------------------------------------

Something remains

un-said!

Shall I add an appendix

or hold back?

Something unendurable

persists!

-------------------------------------------

(18) VICTOR LUDORUM

-------------------------------------------

Terror : mourning

riddled / blood soaked

dead bodies of the innocent

are lying on the heath and the fields;

mutilated bodies

lie scattered

on the roads.

Hapless

mother, wife, sisters, daughters

father, brothers, friends, neighbours

controlling emotions

holding anger

stand downcast

dumb and helpless.

The Guru - God, Allah's devotee

celebrates

in the prayer house.

-------------------------------------------

(19) TERROR STRUCK

-------------------------------------------

Panic : profound silence.

stillness all around!

Terrified dogs,

frightened birds

are all mute.

It seems

the brutal barbarians

have again killed innocent people

rapaciously,

have mercilessly done to death

nightly.

Deafening the silence

the religious slogan has again

echoed!

Danger,

deadly danger prevails!

By the end of night

horrified dogs will howl

terrified birds will shriek!

But we

bearing the ache of brutalized age

will haul the debris of history.

-------------------------------------------

(20) SOMEONE UNKNOWN

-------------------------------------------

One man, hunched, gloomy

wreathing in pain,

leading a devastated life,

has passed away.

One man, hunchbacked, distressed,

injured and blood smeared,

crying seeking shelter

has just now passed away.

-------------------------------------------

(21) TO THE HAWKER

-------------------------------------------

Ah, what

day after day

you deliver

blood smeared newspaper

at my door!

Saturated with

horrid happenings

in every column

the marks of indiscriminate firing

appear apparent

on every page.

Awe strikes

while touching, reading

the newspaper

emitting flames

exuding malevolence

it seems stinging!

Although I go to bed

every night after hearing the news

that nothing untoward has happened,

the situation is tense

but is under control.

-------------------------------------------

(22) SELF DESTRUCTION

-------------------------------------------

We ourselves

are undoing ourselves.

How strange

that we do not feel the pain

because

a parochial, uncivil, barbaric

mania of religion

controls

our heart and mind.

We are bursting hand grenades on ourselves.

in a fit of madness

we are mining our own houses

and igniting them

to maim our own people.

We ourselves

are discarding human attributes,

have dehumanized ourselves

and roar

to annihilate

our own clan!

-------------------------------------------

(23) PEOPLE

-------------------------------------------

People are following

their flock,

They know not

their aim,

are ignorant,

completely deprived.

They rove or

move around

their hovels!

The noise

that rumbles

here, there :

has any man-eater

arrived?

There is apprehension

in the jungles of pine today!

-------------------------------------------

(24) EMERGENCY

-------------------------------------------

The storm

has not yet subsided,

much havoc

has been wrought,

destruction is still continuing.

The ominous night

is not yet over.

Be vigilant

about every footfall.

Remain alert!

One cannot be sure

when somebody might knock

at the door to seek refuge!

0

Throwing out venom

snarling

like a stricken snake

the hurricane

will die down ultimately.

Consuming every thing

the dense dark night

will also vanish.

Every moment

awaits a fine morning

for existence!

-------------------------------------------

(25) REMAIN WATCHFUL

-------------------------------------------

Remain awake

till it is morning the world over!

Fear frowns everywhere,

hurt humanity is wailing,

bear the brunt

till organized protests ensue!

Let every man be free from confinement,

contend against the tide,

till the flaring up of

the victory war of masses.

Fight death, feel not tired,

march unto the end, stop not

till the tormenters cower and crumble!

-------------------------------------------

(26) WHOLE WORLD A FAMILY

-------------------------------------------

In today's progressive and civilized new world

segregating man from man

on the basis of

castes, households, creed or wealth;

calling one the low

and the other high

calling one our own

another one other's

is a serious crime

an unpardonable crime.

Such individual or a society

who believe in creating a wedge

between man and man

or

want to perpetuate poverty

will have to be annihilated.

The end result of

the centuries old struggle

and common thinking

is that :

we will have one caste - human

our family is one - human love

descending from Manu-Shraddhaa

our creed is one - humanity

our community is one - toil.

The difference of colour and features

is variegated nature's versatility.

We are amazed at it.

We are proud of it.

Long ago in the hoary past

distances and the lack of communications

made us speak in different tongues

and have different alphabetical sings.

But today

with the grace of science

we have changed these distances

into neighbourhoods. The restraints of language and letters

have been eliminated

with mutual interaction.

The sanguine spate of desire for love

has broken the barriers and bars

which divide us

in different castes, families, creed and sects.

-------------------------------------------

(27) CORRUPTION

-------------------------------------------

Corruption is rampant

and is rife like weeds

overgrown everywhere.

It has bedraggled

and drowned the country every moment

in the deep depths of depravity.

It has given

a cruel and crude treatment

to the precious lives of

millions of people.

It is a forbidden

and an ignoble deed

a blemished

and a fraudulent conduct.

-------------------------------------------

(28) UNMASKED

-------------------------------------------

A gang of swindlers

is having

a wild spree.

May you prosper

in air conditioned mansions!

Singing songs of triumph

raving with abandon ride

a Ferris wheel!

May you succeed in life,

every tangle be resolved!

Wealth is everything,

it is omnipotence;

the thugs appreciate the lustre of riches,

they know the unlimited and

incomprehensible significance

of wealth.

But all have been nabbed

and brought to book :

The monks, the politicians

cunning ministers, the preceptors et.al.

Amazement en masse!

A Fury and not a Fairy!

The masks have been shed

the true faces are revealed!

-------------------------------------------

(29) THE MACABRE LEECHES AND TICKS

-------------------------------------------

The blood sucking, greedy,

hungry, countless leeches and ticks

are clinging to

the body politic of the new born nation.

Come, let us pluck, twitch

and consign them to the blazing fire!

Let us, forthwith, hold their

eager, swollen lust

from diffusing abroad,

lest it should consume everything!

The country's new fabric

should not disintegrate.

The selfish parasites

might not gulp down

the developing nation's opulence!

-------------------------------------------

(30) TOMFOOLERY

-------------------------------------------

You too

served banalities to us.

Alas!

We have been taken for a ride this time also!

for instance,

see the coined phrase : secularism -

and the other of

Social justice.

Not only these

there are other cliché like

national integration / and constitutional propriety

which this time too

you flaunted like the

tantrums of a clown

and made away!

Being the proclaimed

architect of India's destiny,

we had expected from you

some value added fruitage

but what a mess you have made!

What a tomfoolery

and a gloomy mishmash!

What sort of democratic rigmarole is it?

It is an affront and a rebuff

to the public!

-------------------------------------------

(31) TRICKERY OF VOTES

-------------------------------------------

Meandering through

the lanes and alleys,

ghettos and slums

of the down trodden

treading on the pock-marked, uneven,

raising loud and sky rending slogans,

a grand procession of the oppressed

is advancing.

They are not chartered,

aping, throat croaking sloganeers.

They are real, all factual,

corpulent, robust,

paunchy, roly poly,

sand boy intimidators

donning expensive sloughs.

All are watching the pranks

of the raggle-taggle, tonsured

dark, black urchins

of the Dalits wearing

soiled and torn

briefs and vests.

And standing outside their shanties

the veiled women

of the oppressed

make a striking scene.

Single-minded they are watching

the gradually advancing

grand procession of the oppressed.

Saviour of the poor

promoting their concerns

and hailing them,

shooting photos, gulping juice

the procession proceeds.

Tomorrow the public will watch

on the T.V. monitors

the same, the very same

fine procession of the Dalits.

But it is regretted

that not a single soul

of the Dalits is among them

and none of them expresses

the voice of the underdogs!

-------------------------------------------

(32) SUDDENLY

-------------------------------------------

Your memory flashed up today

and titillated my mind,

after ages,

many years.

Your company

was a palpable fact,

your hand a handy armour.

Every thing is lost in the past

frequent infatuation persists.

Ages have gone by

slowly, gradually,

nursing dreams every night,

but those sweet kaleidoscopic pictures

have been the inspiration of life.

-------------------------------------------

(33) WELCOME

-------------------------------------------

The blooming orchid in my yard

strews a multi-shaded grandeur sweet.

Her soft and silky tangled tresses

have a perfect shiny gloss.

She has snugness in her arms

and an insight in her eyes.

Naively she squeaks like a sparrow

and warbles dulcet notes.

Lanky and fresh

as if dangling from a tree twig

she feels bestowed upon the riches divine

and seems gloating over all her lot.

She appears thoroughly satisfied

adorned as she s with trinkets fine.

The orchid is blooming

the beauteous blossom in my yard.

(To my grand-daughter baby Ira)

-------------------------------------------

(34) BEFORE THE RAINS

-------------------------------------------

A dense black cloud,

a sable cloud

has overcast the sky today.

After months of heat

intense, searing, ceaseless heat,

lulled by air

the humid tortuous weather

has turned pleasant.

Some one, it seems

has laid on the human body

the silky sheet of gray cloud.

Its lustre lures.

The cloud enamours

the black cloud

enchants!

-------------------------------------------

(35) ASPIRATION : SUN

(1)

May every person be a sun

full of energy

and pure as heat!

May every person blaze like the sun,

be a flame

impartial and unblemished!

(2)

May every person be like the sun

bright,

punctual and

a plume of light!

Wherever he may go

let every particle shine,

uproot dilemma and gloom

from the room!

(3)

May every person be like the sun

radiant,

full of warmth,

and resplendent!

May every person seem

shining like the sun!

-------------------------------------------

(36) A TRUTH

-------------------------------------------

Bondage

flares up as a challenge,

as an unwelcome,

undesirable yoke,

continuously incites

rebellion, use of force, a resistance,

conflagration and anger.

Bondage

develops as consummation of love,

attachment,

and induces

fondness, lasting commitment,

a willing submission,

alacrity and an urge.

-------------------------------------------

(37) TERROR AND ANXIETY

-------------------------------------------

Extreme constriction

has palsied lips,

hands and feet have been immobilized,

angst reigns,

humanity seethes with anger.

Holocaust haunts around,

Terrorism looms large everywhere.

This callous climate has to be changed.

To save mankind

every one has to be alert.

The inflammation is immense

the heat is rigorous.

Every horizon is obscure

and is shrouded with smoke.

The fire is intense,

its flames are flaring,

rippling sky high.

It must be doused.

-------------------------------------------

(38) ATTENTION

-------------------------------------------

Darkness and despondency pervade!

Intense melancholy!

Utter hopelessness

has seized the entire universe,

and bogged it down

completely ..

But don't be alarmed!

Overwhelmed, don't be diffident

even for a moment.

Do not relax

for it is certain

festoons

light will prevail.

Come

let us sing songs of hope

to blight the blues

and snuff out gloom.

Surely darkness will die!

-------------------------------------------

(39) GREETINGS

-------------------------------------------

May the ultimate year of this bloody century

be the year of the worship of Shakti

(the goddess of gallantry)

of devotion and prayer!

May the coming century

be the period of mankind's certain triumph

over savagery!

May the flush of accomplishments

be flashed on every face!

May the human race

be weaned away from wickedness,

animalism, ferocity and tyranny!

May the arrogance vanish,

and the milk of human kindness

suffuse the human heart!

May every person discard vileness,

have mutual love and fellow feelings

and be an intellectualist!

May pure human consciousness

be the main aim of every soul!

May the new year be full of

graces great!

-------------------------------------------

(40) REALISTIC IDEAL

-------------------------------------------

We have delineated life and the living

only objectively in letter and spirit.

Equality of man

has always been our guiding principle,

our dream to see every man

thriving excellently.

We are resolved to rid society of abuse.

We are determined to transform

the world into a paradise.

We have modern bent of mind

to create history,

to make the new age most developed

and superb all over.

-------------------------------------------

(41) DETERMINE

-------------------------------------------

Shiny, glowing

torches we are.

Lofty

glowing lights are we.

We are the lighthouses

flashing permeative glares.

We are the lodestars.

Calm and composed,

firmly resolved

we are :

to shatter

the intense, painful

all pervading gloom and

to scatter

over whelming lustrous brilliance

all over, everywhere.

Our radiant aura

infuses confidence

and defuses

all misgivings of mankind

lock, stock and barrel,

eliminates every nagging doubt,

and in a jiffy

suffuses pleasure all around,

removing all hurdles.

We are determined

to elute deep rooted

despondency and dejection

from every melancholy heart

and to rejuvenate it

with optimism.

-------------------------------------------

(42) SPRING AIR

-------------------------------------------

Smooching my body

blew the sensuous,

capriciously cuddly breeze.

Never I had felt it

so pleasing ever before.

Blowing my mind

blew the indolent air

captivatingly.

Never I had felt it

so pleasing ever before.

Fully familial

pulsating with love

the beguiler got beguiled.

Clinging and clasping,

rocking on the arms,

swinging and swaying,

elated,

swished the clothes

ruffled the hair,

tingled the limbs

and God knows

how flippantly

hallucinating it had been!

-------------------------------------------

(43) FOGGY SKY

-------------------------------------------

Foggy and smoggy

lies the sky!

It is late in the day

yet the sky is lolling lazily,

simply snoozy

it betrays no stimulus.

Feigning excessive cold

it drools like a dunce!

Warm midday now holds sway

but the sky seems dusky.

Far off in the horizon

even the smog seems sulky

festoons it will wane!

-------------------------------------------

(44) YOU

-------------------------------------------

Whenever you smile

you look more pleasing!

Why do you smile

over trifles?

Whenever you face the mirror

beau ideal

for make up

to put a bright moony dot

between your bow like eye-brows

on your hair free bright brow

you gloat

and look more pleasing!

Far away from the town then

lost in the memory of some one

when you float the lamps in the river

you look more pleasing,

gracile enchantress

you look more pleasing!

Time and again

when you hum

dulcet poignant tunes

of lovelorn songs

or sing sweet hymns,

you look more pleasing!

-------------------------------------------

(45) CHARMING FLOWERS

-------------------------------------------

These flowers have perfumed

my entire dwelling thoroughly

and have suddenly taken away

the loneliness of a listless life.

Let these flowers bloom

and sway on their stalks

and imbue my frail body

and dismal mind emotionally.

These flowers

have permeated the whole world

with a sweet smell

and have made it resplendent

with their spectral hues.

Let these flowers bloom

and rock on their stalks

to have a pleasant crush

with the world's people

hilariously, clingingly.

These flowers have made

this terrified terra firma

delightful,

yes, have filled it

with romances galore.

Let these flowers bloom

from hill to hill, over all deserts,

in all jungles

myriad habitats,

every home

everywhere.

-------------------------------------------

(46) ACTUALLY

-------------------------------------------

While observing caution

Time flew fast.

Every thing tidied

went awry.

All that was in hand

slipped away suddenly

at every cautious step.

Every strand tore away

while sorting out

or got twisted tediously.

Every thread

became taut in the process

gradually at every step

of seeking solution.

Life has been spent

learning life.

Vocal scores were lost

at soprano pitch

in learning the art of music.

-------------------------------------------

(47) A Fact

-------------------------------------------

As life began

the end followed,

just when it dawned

darkness prevailed.

In the sky

with ceaseless diffusion

the rays vanished,

so that far and wide

an endless stream

of bright light

was visible no more.

Here, there, everywhere

there was a loud noise.

Till every limit of the horizon a

crimson morning had shone.

The lyric, the song

the love, the beloved,

had all ceased to exist.

But wait

light will come

it will gush in

a new morrow.

-------------------------------------------

(48) WELCOME :

-------------------------------------------

TWENTY FIRST CENTURY

May the coming century

imbue

the human mind

with the fresh rays of

tutelary genius!

Rising above

the blind faiths,

trite beliefs;

renouncing fanatic,

puerile and primitive creeds

may every man

be the ardent follower of

a nouvelle culture!

May the whole world

be well versed in a

thoroughly propounded

universal religion!

May it discard

hollow traditional ideology,

rotten slough, fatal,

decaying fungivorous dungaree

so that only truth

may shine!

During the ensuing hundred years

may kindness, affection and compassion

rule the roost!

May the sanctified, refined and

cooling waters of piety douse

the mind and body of

the mankind inflicted by intense

hatred and violence.

May the earth be

suffused with

lofty feelings, fine emotions

and be managed

under standardized and judicious plans!

May barbarism

cruelty, rancour, and restlessness

be vanished!

All may become

good and tolerant

and become Godlike protectors.

-------------------------------------------

(49) A WELCOME MOMENT

-------------------------------------------

Waving the benign pennant,

the gracious emblem

of pious intentions

the new century

the twenty first century

has begun

on the earth.

Very graceful,

flying like a fairy

flaunting white remains

of a new era,

for establishing

peace and prosperity,

promising beatitude,

has set in

the new century

the twenty first century.

To materialize

man's long cherished

dreams on the earth;

to imprint

his greatest creations

on humanity

the new century

the twenty first century

has arrived.

We welcome it

with dedication

whole heartily!

-------------------------------------------

(50) THE PLEASURE OF TRIUMPH

-------------------------------------------

I had wished

to flourish

till the beginning of

the new century!

I had wished

the throbbing pulse

not to stop

till the beginning of

the gay and glorious

new century!

Fulfillment of

this wish is

astonishing.

Human faith

is indeed

very efficacious

and wondrously potent.

I had wished

to live till

the advent of the new century.

At last

it has come

the reveling new century.

In fact

the rollicking new century

has set in!

Death stands vanquished.

Life is triumphant.

My penance is fruitful

and my soul will now

don the new raiment

at its own convenience!

-------------------------------------------

Contact :

Dr. MAHENDRA BHATNAGAR

110 BalwantNagar, Gandhi Road,

Gwalior — 474 002 (M.P.) INDIA

Phone : 0751-4092908

E-Mail : drmahendrabh@rediffmail.com

-------------------------------------------

कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:

एक टिप्पणी भेजें