MOTI LAL SAQI'S GREAT POEM ON EXILE

                                       

MOTI  LAL SAQI ( ( 1936-1999)

'Dagh" or Pain is a great poem of Kashmiri poet  Moti Lal Saqi. I love the subject , style and sentiments of  this poem . The poem is a spontaneous  overflow of powerful emotions of an exile.  I post some select lines which have also been rendered to English by me   .                   

              

  “  Bub , Budya-Bub,Jadha-Budya-Bub,  

Saari yeti thanna peymit

 Yethi metchi shrepmiet

Khaah Khal timavai thaevmit sheerith

Kolla kajji timvaai  neela-vath cheerith

Nonn Kodd timavai ‘ Sharada Peeth '

Yath metchi munz Bengaashi amaanat

Yeti chhu Ali Joo yeim lalla-novus

Az chha bhaiy meyi kalla thodh tulnas

Az chhus baeyi  az-vaai abhyaagath

Kaenn assi thov na parihaasporas

Martand pal nakha kam kam tulei

Harwanas kam athha palzeimit

Vyath baethi kaem kor taarakh zool

Chhakrith  Kaayi me paan teil dagh chham

Nari chham rajasthaan me taapas 

Zang chham aassus manz rata hooneun

Vaeni chham sath dakhi chhum Dasgeer"

( Moti Lal S’aqi )

( Pain )

My father . 

My grandfather ,

My great-grandfather,

All of them , 

were born in this land 

and sleep in the dust of this land only.

These fields ,

This  stock ,

Tell the tale of their protective care . 

These  rivulets and streams ,

Were born after they tore apart the rocks and the boulders .

This "Sharda Peeth " of ours, 

They made known the world over .

In the soil over here   , 

sleeps Bengashi , 

my mother .

Ali Joo ,

Who poured his affection upon me ,

 also sleeps in the soil of this land .

 Then tell me one thing ,

Tell me why I fear to tread on this soil?

Tell me why am I afraid to raise my head?

Tell me why do I feel  helpless ?

Tell me why  have  I been rendered unlucky ?

Didn’t we ;

Lay the foundation of Parihaaspora ,

Carry huge boulders on our shoulders

for the  Martanda ( Sun Temple ) ,

Build  Harwan's ancient Buddhist  monastery with our hands ,

And  illuminate River  Vitasta's  banks on her birthday .

Alas !

 Now , our  body lies scattered ,

Our arms face the heat of Rajasthan.

Our legs  are  held by bloodthirsty  dogs in their jaws ,

 Yet ,

 till this day , 

This abiding faith remains with us that 

" Revered Dastgeer will stand by us  ." 

(Avtar Mota)

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