RAKHI

THE TIE

Bhai mere, badha to aage apni kalayee
Dekh, main tere liye kitni pyari rakhi layee
Aa ja mere paas- tere maathe par teeka laga doon
Tera munh meetha karoon- tujhe mithaiyaan khilaoon

Kis baat par tu rootha hai? Kyon kar rahaa hai hath?
Dekh main hun teri didi - aaja - peechhee mat palat
Shayad tu jaan gaya hai teri didi ki sachaai
Logon ne chugliyaan ki hain- tumse ki hai meri buraai

Par tu to mera bhai hai naa? Kya mujhse mukh modegaa?
Main jo hun who kyon hun- ise nahin kya samjhega?
Haan- ham mein sambandh nahin hai- kaum alag hai, jati alag hai
Par rishta majboot hai- kyonki dil se judaa hai aur pawan hai

Jis din uthi thi hinsak laptein-jalaa gayeen thi sara shahar
Main dehshat se dekh rahi thi- ghar ko banta murdaghar
Laptein aakhir shaant hui-khushiyon ka antim shradhh hua
Main vikchhipt bhataktee phiree-tabhi kahin tu rota milaa

Maine pehchaan liyaa- tera hatyaron se rishtaa tha
Par us wakt tu bhi bebas tha- tere ghar bhi maut ka dera tha
Bahut buraa tha wakt- magar ishwar ne hi tab raah dikhayee
Teri bholi surat ni dho daali man ki kadwaahat, kadwi yaadein bisrayee

Mujhko jeene ki wajah milee- beeti baatein mai bhool gayee
Tu mera nanhaa bhai bana- main teri pyaari behan bani
Par nafrat ki aag par roti sinkti hai jinki
Kaise sah sakte the we - aankhein laal hui unki

Mujhse to we khair aankhein milaa sakte nahin
Par mujhe dar hai ki tu nadaan- dig naa jaaye kahin
Kahenge we- hamara khoon alag hai- ham kaise rishtedar banein?
Darte hain- yedi ham mil jaayein- unki siyasat kaise chale?

Bas, tu kumjor na padna
Main teri didi hun-unhe bataana- jara na darna
Apne pyar ki agni-prikchha hai yeh
Rakhi se bandha atoot rishta hai yeh

My brother, give me your hand to tie this rakhi (band put on brother's hand
by sister). Come near me- let me put a tilak (dot) on your forehead and feed
you sweets.
Why do you hesitate? Dear brother, do you have doubts about your sister?
Perhaps people have talked and poisoned your innocent mind.
But, being a very dear brother, I am sure you will understand me.
Yes- we are not related by blood- but we are tied together in a far greater
bond- that of love.
I remember the day violence had rocked our city. I was terror-stricken- a
mute witness to butchering of my family by a frenzied mob. When at last the
mayhem stopped- I was homeless, hopeless and wandered around in a daze.
At this moment of despair I found you-crying alone in the debris of your
house.
I recognized you belonged to the people who had ruined my world- but at that
moment you were also a mere victim of senseless killing-small, defenseless
and all alone.
Perhaps it was God's desire that we should meet and support each other to
regain our sanity. I got a reason to live for. Your sweet face swept away
all the rankling feelings, the bitter memories.
But those whose purpose it is to keep the flame of anger and hatred burning
do not look at our love with favor.
They object- how dare we, with different bloods in our veins, claim kinship?
Actually, they are afraid- our example will weaken the roots of their tree
of hatred.
I am not afraid of these wicked people. But I do fear how your innocent,
immature mind will react.
I entreat you, dear brother, not fall prey to their empty words. Be
courageous and tell the world that you are indeed my brother and that we
will stick together come what may. This rakhi is the symbol of our
unbreakable bond


~Jayanti Sinha~

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