A Father's Tender Love: Nagarjun's Poem, Gulabi Choodiyan
This week in Daak:
1. A Father's Tender Love: Nagarjun's Poem, Gulabi Choodiyan
2. A Fragrance for Every Season
3. Daak Recommends
1. A Father's Tender Love: Nagarjun's Poem, Gulabi Choodiyan
Nagarjun, born Vaidyanath Mishra (1911-1998), was a prominent Hindi and Maithili poet known as Janakavi or the People's Poet. His work, spanning poetry, novels, and essays, focused on politics, social issues, and the plight of the marginalized. Influenced by Buddhism and Marxism, his writings combined humour, satire, and realism. A wanderer by nature (his first pen name was Yatri), he spent a considerable amount of time traveling the length and breadth of the country. However, he remained deeply connected to his native Bihar and wrote extensively about its culture and struggles.
This week we’ve chosen a more personal poem by Nagarjun which delves into a father’s tender love for his child. The beauty of the poem lies in its reminder to pay attention to the small, seemingly insignificant artefacts and stories all around us. Like the narrator, all we need to do is ask.
Private bus ka driver hai toh kya hua
Saat saal ki bachchi ka pitah toh hai!
Saamne gear ke upar
Haq se latka rakhi hai
Kaanch ki chaar choodiyan gulabi
Bas ke raftaar ke mutabik
Hilti rehti hain...
Jhuk kar maine pooch liya
Kha gaya mano jhatka
Adhedh umr ka mucchhad raubila chehra
Aahiste se bola : haan saab
Laakh kehta hoon, nahi maanti hai muniya
Tange hue hain kayi dino se
Apni amanat
Yahan abba ki nazron ke saamne
Main bhi sochta hoon
Kya bigaadti hain choodiyan
Kis jurm pe hata doon inko yahan se
Aur driver ne ek nazar mujhe dekha
Aur maine ek nazar use dekha
Chalak raha tha doodhiya vatsalya badi badi aankhon mein
Taralta haavi thi seedhe saadhe prashn par
Aur ab ve nigahein fir se ho gayin sadak ki or
Aur maine jhuk kar kaha —
Haan bahi, main bhi pitah hoon
Wo toh bas yoon hi pooch liya aapse
Varna ye kisko nahi bhaayengi
Nanhi kaliyon ki gulabi choodiyan!
//
So what if he’s the driver of a private bus
He’s also the father of a seven year old girl!
In front of him and above the gear
Are rightfully hung
Four pink glass bangles
According to the pace of the bus
They sway…
When I bent forward and asked him
It gave him a shock
His middle-aged, moustachioed face
Quietly replied: yes sir
I tell her thousands of times but my little girl doesn’t listen
She has left them here since many days
For safekeeping
Here in front of her father’s eyes
Even I think
For what crime should I take them down
And the driver glanced at me
And I looked at him
The love for his family glimmering in his big eyes
A restlessness at my question
And he turned his gaze towards the road again
And I bent and replied —
Yes brother, I am also a father
I just asked out of curiosity
Otherwise, how could they not please
These pink bangles for tender wrists!
Translation by Daak2. A Fragrance for Every Season
Have you seen our collection of seasonal itr made in the ancient city of Kannauj? Get your favourites and carry a whiff of the season you love the most!
3. Daak Recommends
Listen to Ravish Kumar’s powerful recitation of Nagarjun’s most provocative poem, Mantra Kavita, and read this article to understand the poem and it's context a bit better.