Rakht-e-dil baandh lo, Dil figaaron chalo
Phir hum hi qatl ho aaye yaaro, chalo
Aaj Bazaar mein, pa bajolaan chalo
– Faiz Ahmed Faiz
A few days ago, Manan recounted that Faiz thought of this poem when he was being taken to a medical appointment from prison in a tonga. He was handcuffed. People recognised him and started walking alongside him. The poem hits differently in the wake of Fr Stan Swamy’s death.
Let’s make no mistakes. The state murdered him in cold blood. It is crucial to put the onus where it lies. With his death, the hope for justice has died one more time, the promise of democracy further weakened, and the already dim lights of resistance further extinguished.
Wrote a few lines in rage today.
जरुरी नहीं कि जीते जी हमारे इन्किलाब आए
पर आए तो इन्क़िलाबों का सैलाब आए
इशारा है हुक्मरानों को और रहबरों को भी
सुननी मौत हो अगर तो सामने बेनकाब आए
गिराये जायेंगे लाशों पर बने तेरे सभी महल
कयामत आए तो तेरे गुनाहों का हिसाब आए
मेरे बाद भी लिखेंगे कैद ख्वाबों कि दास्तान
बस मेरे सांसों के नाम एक इंतेसाब आए
– कौस्तुभ
