A Search for Courage and Yearning: Paash’s Poem, Sabse Khatarnaak

This week in Daak:

1. A Search for Courage and Yearning: Paash’s Poem, Sabse Khatarnaak

2. The Perfect Notebook for Writers

3. Daak Recommends

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1. A Search for Courage and Yearning: Paash’s Poem, Sabse Khatarnaak

To our own surprise, we have not yet covered the poetry of Avtar Singh Sandhu or Paash, as he is more commonly known. A revolutionary poet of the Naxalite movement in the Punjabi literature of the 1970s, Paash paid a heavy price for his words. He was killed by Khalistani extremists in 1988, but his hard-hitting words of courage and revolution have lived on.

If you’re starting out the new year with a resolve to break the dull monotony of your days and aspire for something greater, Paash’s poem “Sabse Khatarnaak” (The Most Dangerous Thing) will jolt you out of complacency. Read an excerpt below:

mehnat ki loot sabse khatarnaak nahi hoti
police ki maar sabse khatanaak nahi hoti
gaddari aur lobh ki mutthi sabse khatarnaak nahi hoti
baithe-bithaye pakde jaana bura toh hai
sahmi si chup me jakde jaana bura toh hai
sabse khatarnaak nahi hota
kapat ke shor me sahi hote hue bhi dab jaana bura toh hai
jugnuon ki lau me padhna
mutthiyan bheenchkar bas waqt nikal lena bura toh hai
sabse khatarnaak nahi hota

sabse khatarnaak hota hai murda shanti se bhar jaana
tadap ka na hona
sab kuch sahan kar jaana 
ghar se nikalna kaam par
aur kaam se lautkar ghar aana
sabse khatarnaak hota hai
hamare sapno ka mar jaana
sabse khatanaak wo ghadi hoti hai
aapki kalai par chalti hui bhi jo
aapki nazar me ruki hoti hai 

//

Being robbed of one's labour is not the most dangerous thing
Nor is a beating by the police
The fist of betrayal and greed is not the most dangerous thing
Nor is being caught unawares
To be gripped by a submissive silence is undoubtedly terrible
But not the most dangerous thing 
To be subdued in the noise of corruption is undoubtedly terrible
Studying in the dim light of fireflies 
Balling up one’s fists and killing time is undoubtedly terrible
But not the most dangerous thing. 

The most dangerous thing is to be filled with a deathly silence
To not yearn for anything
And bear everything
To leave home for work
And to return home from work
The most dangerous thing 
Is the death of our dreams
The most dangerous thing is the watch
Which runs on your wrist
But stands still in your eyes 

Translation by Daak

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2. The Perfect Notebook for Writers

Give life and space to the writer in you by immersing yourself in an exercise gently guided by our favourite South Asian poets.

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3. Daak Recommends

Listen to this beautiful recitation of the full poem “Sabse Khatarnaak”.