मधुशाला
धर्मग्रन्थ सब जला चुकी है, जिसके अंतर की ज्वाला,
मंदिर, मसजिद, गिरिजे, सब को तोड़ चुका जो मतवाला,
पंडित, मोमिन, पादिरयों के फंदों को जो काट चुका,
कर सकती है आज उसी का स्वागत मेरी मधुशाला।।१७।
I came across the audio cd of Shri. Harivansh Rai Bachchan's selected Rubaaiaa from "Madhushala"- probably his masterpiece. Altogether twenty of these stanzas were sung by Manna Dey, and the music was composed by Jaidev. I've become addicted to it ever after listening to it for the first time just few days ago. For the English translations of some parts of the poem- click here. For just the twenty stanzas, click here.
मधुशाला
मृदु भावों के अंगूरों की आज बना लाया हाला,
प्रियतम, अपने ही हाथों से आज पिलाऊँगा प्याला,
पहले भोग लगा लूँ तेरा फिर प्रसाद जग पाएगा,
सबसे पहले तेरा स्वागत करती मेरी मधुशाला।।१।
प्यास तुझे तो, विश्व तपाकर पूर्ण निकालूँगा हाला,
एक पाँव से साकी बनकर नाचूँगा लेकर प्याला,
जीवन की मधुता तो तेरे ऊपर कब का वार चुका,
आज निछावर कर दूँगा मैं तुझ पर जग की मधुशाला।।२।
प्रियतम, तू मेरी हाला है, मैं तेरा प्यासा प्याला,
अपने को मुझमें भरकर तू बनता है पीनेवाला,
मैं तुझको छक छलका करता, मस्त मुझे पी तू होता,
एक दूसरे की हम दोनों आज परस्पर मधुशाला।।३।
भावुकता अंगूर लता से खींच कल्पना की हाला,
कवि साकी बनकर आया है भरकर कविता का प्याला,
कभी न कण-भर खाली होगा लाख पिएँ, दो लाख पिएँ!
पाठकगण हैं पीनेवाले, पुस्तक मेरी मधुशाला।।४।
मधुर भावनाओं की सुमधुर नित्य बनाता हूँ हाला,
भरता हूँ इस मधु से अपने अंतर का प्यासा प्याला,
उठा कल्पना के हाथों से स्वयं उसे पी जाता हूँ,
अपने ही में हूँ मैं साकी, पीनेवाला, मधुशाला।।५।
मदिरालय जाने को घर से चलता है पीनेवला,
'किस पथ से जाऊँ?' असमंजस में है वह भोलाभाला,
अलग-अलग पथ बतलाते सब पर मैं यह बतलाता हूँ -
'राह पकड़ तू एक चला चल, पा जाएगा मधुशाला।'। ६।
चलने ही चलने में कितना जीवन, हाय, बिता डाला!
'दूर अभी है', पर, कहता है हर पथ बतलानेवाला,
हिम्मत है न बढूँ आगे को साहस है न फिरुँ पीछे,
किंकर्तव्यविमूढ़ मुझे कर दूर खड़ी है मधुशाला।।७।
मुख से तू अविरत कहता जा मधु, मदिरा, मादक हाला,
हाथों में अनुभव करता जा एक ललित कल्पित प्याला,
ध्यान किए जा मन में सुमधुर सुखकर, सुंदर साकी का,
और बढ़ा चल, पथिक, न तुझको दूर लगेगी मधुशाला।।८।
मदिरा पीने की अभिलाषा ही बन जाए जब हाला,
अधरों की आतुरता में ही जब आभासित हो प्याला,
बने ध्यान ही करते-करते जब साकी साकार, सखे,
रहे न हाला, प्याला, साकी, तुझे मिलेगी मधुशाला।।९।
सुन, कलकल़ , छलछल़ मधुघट से गिरती प्यालों में हाला,
सुन, रूनझुन रूनझुन चल वितरण करती मधु साकीबाला,
बस आ पहुंचे, दुर नहीं कुछ, चार कदम अब चलना है,
चहक रहे, सुन, पीनेवाले, महक रही, ले, मधुशाला।।१०।
जलतरंग बजता, जब चुंबन करता प्याले को प्याला,
वीणा झंकृत होती, चलती जब रूनझुन साकीबाला,
डाँट डपट मधुविक्रेता की ध्वनित पखावज करती है,
मधुरव से मधु की मादकता और बढ़ाती मधुशाला।।११।
मेंहदी रंजित मृदुल हथेली पर माणिक मधु का प्याला,
अंगूरी अवगुंठन डाले स्वर्ण वर्ण साकीबाला,
पाग बैंजनी, जामा नीला डाट डटे पीनेवाले,
इन्द्रधनुष से होड़ लगाती आज रंगीली मधुशाला।।१२।
हाथों में आने से पहले नाज़ दिखाएगा प्याला,
अधरों पर आने से पहले अदा दिखाएगी हाला,
बहुतेरे इनकार करेगा साकी आने से पहले,
पथिक, न घबरा जाना, पहले मान करेगी मधुशाला।।१३।
लाल सुरा की धार लपट सी कह न इसे देना ज्वाला,
फेनिल मदिरा है, मत इसको कह देना उर का छाला,
दर्द नशा है इस मदिरा का विगत स्मृतियाँ साकी हैं,
पीड़ा में आनंद जिसे हो, आए मेरी मधुशाला।।१४।
जगती की शीतल हाला सी पथिक, नहीं मेरी हाला,
जगती के ठंडे प्याले सा पथिक, नहीं मेरा प्याला,
ज्वाल सुरा जलते प्याले में दग्ध हृदय की कविता है,
जलने से भयभीत न जो हो, आए मेरी मधुशाला।।१५।
बहती हाला देखी, देखो लपट उठाती अब हाला,
देखो प्याला अब छूते ही होंठ जला देनेवाला,
'होंठ नहीं, सब देह दहे, पर पीने को दो बूंद मिले'
ऐसे मधु के दीवानों को आज बुलाती मधुशाला।।१६।
धर्मग्रन्थ सब जला चुकी है, जिसके अंतर की ज्वाला,
मंदिर, मसजिद, गिरिजे, सब को तोड़ चुका जो मतवाला,
पंडित, मोमिन, पादिरयों के फंदों को जो काट चुका,
कर सकती है आज उसी का स्वागत मेरी मधुशाला।।१७।
लालायित अधरों से जिसने, हाय, नहीं चूमी हाला,
हर्ष-विकंपित कर से जिसने, हा, न छुआ मधु का प्याला,
हाथ पकड़ लज्जित साकी को पास नहीं जिसने खींचा,
व्यर्थ सुखा डाली जीवन की उसने मधुमय मधुशाला।।१८।
बने पुजारी प्रेमी साकी, गंगाजल पावन हाला,
रहे फेरता अविरत गति से मधु के प्यालों की माला'
'और लिये जा, और पीये जा', इसी मंत्र का जाप करे'
मैं शिव की प्रतिमा बन बैठूं, मंदिर हो यह मधुशाला।।१९।
बजी न मंदिर में घड़ियाली, चढ़ी न प्रतिमा पर माला,
बैठा अपने भवन मुअज्ज़िन देकर मस्जिद में ताला,
लुटे ख़जाने नरपितयों के गिरीं गढ़ों की दीवारें,
रहें मुबारक पीनेवाले, खुली रहे यह मधुशाला।।२०।
बड़े बड़े पिरवार मिटें यों, एक न हो रोनेवाला,
हो जाएँ सुनसान महल वे, जहाँ थिरकतीं सुरबाला,
राज्य उलट जाएँ, भूपों की भाग्य सुलक्ष्मी सो जाए,
जमे रहेंगे पीनेवाले, जगा करेगी मधुशाला।।२१।
सब मिट जाएँ, बना रहेगा सुन्दर साकी, यम काला,
सूखें सब रस, बने रहेंगे, किन्तु, हलाहल औ' हाला,
धूमधाम औ' चहल पहल के स्थान सभी सुनसान बनें,
झगा करेगा अविरत मरघट, जगा करेगी मधुशाला।।२२।
भुरा सदा कहलायेगा जग में बाँका, मदचंचल प्याला,
छैल छबीला, रसिया साकी, अलबेला पीनेवाला,
पटे कहाँ से, मधु औ' जग की जोड़ी ठीक नहीं,
जग जर्जर प्रतिदन, प्रतिक्षण, पर नित्य नवेली मधुशाला।।२३।
बिना पिये जो मधुशाला को बुरा कहे, वह मतवाला,
पी लेने पर तो उसके मुह पर पड़ जाएगा ताला,
दास द्रोहियों दोनों में है जीत सुरा की, प्याले की,
विश्वविजयिनी बनकर जग में आई मेरी मधुशाला।।२४।
हरा भरा रहता मदिरालय, जग पर पड़ जाए पाला,
वहाँ मुहर्रम का तम छाए, यहाँ होलिका की ज्वाला,
स्वर्ग लोक से सीधी उतरी वसुधा पर, दुख क्या जाने,
पढ़े मर्सिया दुनिया सारी, ईद मनाती मधुशाला।।२५।
एक बरस में, एक बार ही जगती होली की ज्वाला,
एक बार ही लगती बाज़ी, जलती दीपों की माला,
दुनियावालों, किन्तु, किसी दिन आ मदिरालय में देखो,
दिन को होली, रात दिवाली, रोज़ मनाती मधुशाला।।२६।
नहीं जानता कौन, मनुज आया बनकर पीनेवाला,
कौन अपिरिचत उस साकी से, जिसने दूध पिला पाला,
जीवन पाकर मानव पीकर मस्त रहे, इस कारण ही,
जग में आकर सबसे पहले पाई उसने मधुशाला।।२७।
बनी रहें अंगूर लताएँ जिनसे मिलती है हाला,
बनी रहे वह मिटटी जिससे बनता है मधु का प्याला,
बनी रहे वह मदिर पिपासा तृप्त न जो होना जाने,
बनें रहें ये पीने वाले, बनी रहे यह मधुशाला।।२८।
सकुशल समझो मुझको, सकुशल रहती यदि साकीबाला,
मंगल और अमंगल समझे मस्ती में क्या मतवाला,
मित्रों, मेरी क्षेम न पूछो आकर, पर मधुशाला की,
कहा करो 'जय राम' न मिलकर, कहा करो 'जय मधुशाला'।।२९।
सूर्य बने मधु का विक्रेता, सिंधु बने घट, जल, हाला,
बादल बन-बन आए साकी, भूमि बने मधु का प्याला,
झड़ी लगाकर बरसे मदिरा रिमझिम, रिमझिम, रिमझिम कर,
बेलि, विटप, तृण बन मैं पीऊँ, वर्षा ऋतु हो मधुशाला।।३०।
तारक मणियों से सज्जित नभ बन जाए मधु का प्याला,
सीधा करके भर दी जाए उसमें सागरजल हाला,
मज्ञल्तऌा समीरण साकी बनकर अधरों पर छलका जाए,
फैले हों जो सागर तट से विश्व बने यह मधुशाला।।३१।
अधरों पर हो कोई भी रस जिहवा पर लगती हाला,
भाजन हो कोई हाथों में लगता रक्खा है प्याला,
हर सूरत साकी की सूरत में परिवर्तित हो जाती,
आँखों के आगे हो कुछ भी, आँखों में है मधुशाला।।३२।
पौधे आज बने हैं साकी ले ले फूलों का प्याला,
भरी हुई है जिसके अंदर पिरमल-मधु-सुरिभत हाला,
माँग माँगकर भ्रमरों के दल रस की मदिरा पीते हैं,
झूम झपक मद-झंपित होते, उपवन क्या है मधुशाला!।३३।
प्रति रसाल तरू साकी सा है, प्रति मंजरिका है प्याला,
छलक रही है जिसके बाहर मादक सौरभ की हाला,
छक जिसको मतवाली कोयल कूक रही डाली डाली
हर मधुऋतु में अमराई में जग उठती है मधुशाला।।३४।
मंद झकोरों के प्यालों में मधुऋतु सौरभ की हाला
भर भरकर है अनिल पिलाता बनकर मधु-मद-मतवाला,
हरे हरे नव पल्लव, तरूगण, नूतन डालें, वल्लरियाँ,
छक छक, झुक झुक झूम रही हैं, मधुबन में है मधुशाला।।३५।
साकी बन आती है प्रातः जब अरुणा ऊषा बाला,
तारक-मणि-मंडित चादर दे मोल धरा लेती हाला,
अगणित कर-किरणों से जिसको पी, खग पागल हो गाते,
प्रति प्रभात में पूर्ण प्रकृति में मुखिरत होती मधुशाला।।३६।
उतर नशा जब उसका जाता, आती है संध्या बाला,
बड़ी पुरानी, बड़ी नशीली नित्य ढला जाती हाला,
जीवन के संताप शोक सब इसको पीकर मिट जाते
सुरा-सुप्त होते मद-लोभी जागृत रहती मधुशाला।।३७।
अंधकार है मधुविक्रेता, सुन्दर साकी शशिबाला
किरण किरण में जो छलकाती जाम जुम्हाई का हाला,
पीकर जिसको चेतनता खो लेने लगते हैं झपकी
तारकदल से पीनेवाले, रात नहीं है, मधुशाला।।३८।
किसी ओर मैं आँखें फेरूँ, दिखलाई देती हाला
किसी ओर मैं आँखें फेरूँ, दिखलाई देता प्याला,
किसी ओर मैं देखूं, मुझको दिखलाई देता साकी
किसी ओर देखूं, दिखलाई पड़ती मुझको मधुशाला।।३९।
साकी बन मुरली आई साथ लिए कर में प्याला,
जिनमें वह छलकाती लाई अधर-सुधा-रस की हाला,
योगिराज कर संगत उसकी नटवर नागर कहलाए,
देखो कैसों-कैसों को है नाच नचाती मधुशाला।।४०।
वादक बन मधु का विक्रेता लाया सुर-सुमधुर-हाला,
रागिनियाँ बन साकी आई भरकर तारों का प्याला,
विक्रेता के संकेतों पर दौड़ लयों, आलापों में,
पान कराती श्रोतागण को, झंकृत वीणा मधुशाला।।४१।
चित्रकार बन साकी आता लेकर तूली का प्याला,
जिसमें भरकर पान कराता वह बहु रस-रंगी हाला,
मन के चित्र जिसे पी-पीकर रंग-बिरंगे हो जाते,
चित्रपटी पर नाच रही है एक मनोहर मधुशाला।।४२।
घन श्यामल अंगूर लता से खिंच खिंच यह आती हाला,
अरूण-कमल-कोमल कलियों की प्याली, फूलों का प्याला,
लोल हिलोरें साकी बन बन माणिक मधु से भर जातीं,
हंस मज्ञल्तऌा होते पी पीकर मानसरोवर मधुशाला।।४३।
हिम श्रेणी अंगूर लता-सी फैली, हिम जल है हाला,
चंचल नदियाँ साकी बनकर, भरकर लहरों का प्याला,
कोमल कूर-करों में अपने छलकाती निशिदिन चलतीं,
पीकर खेत खड़े लहराते, भारत पावन मधुशाला।।४४।
धीर सुतों के हृदय रक्त की आज बना रक्तिम हाला,
वीर सुतों के वर शीशों का हाथों में लेकर प्याला,
अति उदार दानी साकी है आज बनी भारतमाता,
स्वतंत्रता है तृषित कालिका बलिवेदी है मधुशाला।।४५।
दुतकारा मस्जिद ने मुझको कहकर है पीनेवाला,
ठुकराया ठाकुरद्वारे ने देख हथेली पर प्याला,
कहाँ ठिकाना मिलता जग में भला अभागे काफिर को?
शरणस्थल बनकर न मुझे यदि अपना लेती मधुशाला।।४६।
पथिक बना मैं घूम रहा हूँ, सभी जगह मिलती हाला,
सभी जगह मिल जाता साकी, सभी जगह मिलता प्याला,
मुझे ठहरने का, हे मित्रों, कष्ट नहीं कुछ भी होता,
मिले न मंदिर, मिले न मस्जिद, मिल जाती है मधुशाला।।४७।
सजें न मस्जिद और नमाज़ी कहता है अल्लाताला,
सजधजकर, पर, साकी आता, बन ठनकर, पीनेवाला,
शेख, कहाँ तुलना हो सकती मस्जिद की मदिरालय से
चिर विधवा है मस्जिद तेरी, सदा सुहागिन मधुशाला।।४८।
बजी नफ़ीरी और नमाज़ी भूल गया अल्लाताला,
गाज गिरी, पर ध्यान सुरा में मग्न रहा पीनेवाला,
शेख, बुरा मत मानो इसको, साफ़ कहूँ तो मस्जिद को
अभी युगों तक सिखलाएगी ध्यान लगाना मधुशाला!।४९।
मुसलमान औ' हिन्दू है दो, एक, मगर, उनका प्याला,
एक, मगर, उनका मदिरालय, एक, मगर, उनकी हाला,
दोनों रहते एक न जब तक मस्जिद मन्दिर में जाते,
बैर बढ़ाते मस्जिद मन्दिर मेल कराती मधुशाला!।५०।
कोई भी हो शेख नमाज़ी या पंडित जपता माला,
बैर भाव चाहे जितना हो मदिरा से रखनेवाला,
एक बार बस मधुशाला के आगे से होकर निकले,
देखूँ कैसे थाम न लेती दामन उसका मधुशाला!।५१।
और रसों में स्वाद तभी तक, दूर जभी तक है हाला,
इतरा लें सब पात्र न जब तक, आगे आता है प्याला,
कर लें पूजा शेख, पुजारी तब तक मस्जिद मन्दिर में
घूँघट का पट खोल न जब तक झाँक रही है मधुशाला।।५२।
आज करे परहेज़ जगत, पर, कल पीनी होगी हाला,
आज करे इन्कार जगत पर कल पीना होगा प्याला,
होने दो पैदा मद का महमूद जगत में कोई, फिर
जहाँ अभी हैं मन्िदर मस्जिद वहाँ बनेगी मधुशाला।।५३।
यज्ञ अग्नि सी धधक रही है मधु की भटठी की ज्वाला,
ऋषि सा ध्यान लगा बैठा है हर मदिरा पीने वाला,
मुनि कन्याओं सी मधुघट ले फिरतीं साकीबालाएँ,
किसी तपोवन से क्या कम है मेरी पावन मधुशाला।।५४।
सोम सुरा पुरखे पीते थे, हम कहते उसको हाला,
द्रोणकलश जिसको कहते थे, आज वही मधुघट आला,
वेदिवहित यह रस्म न छोड़ो वेदों के ठेकेदारों,
युग युग से है पुजती आई नई नहीं है मधुशाला।।५५।
वही वारूणी जो थी सागर मथकर निकली अब हाला,
रंभा की संतान जगत में कहलाती 'साकीबाला',
देव अदेव जिसे ले आए, संत महंत मिटा देंगे!
किसमें कितना दम खम, इसको खूब समझती मधुशाला।।५६।
कभी न सुन पड़ता, 'इसने, हा, छू दी मेरी हाला',
कभी न कोई कहता, 'उसने जूठा कर डाला प्याला',
सभी जाति के लोग यहाँ पर साथ बैठकर पीते हैं,
सौ सुधारकों का करती है काम अकेले मधुशाला।।५७।
श्रम, संकट, संताप, सभी तुम भूला करते पी हाला,
सबक बड़ा तुम सीख चुके यदि सीखा रहना मतवाला,
व्यर्थ बने जाते हो हिरजन, तुम तो मधुजन ही अच्छे,
ठुकराते हिर मंिदरवाले, पलक बिछाती मधुशाला।।५८।
एक तरह से सबका स्वागत करती है साकीबाला,
अज्ञ विज्ञ में है क्या अंतर हो जाने पर मतवाला,
रंक राव में भेद हुआ है कभी नहीं मदिरालय में,
साम्यवाद की प्रथम प्रचारक है यह मेरी मधुशाला।।५९।
बार बार मैंने आगे बढ़ आज नहीं माँगी हाला,
समझ न लेना इससे मुझको साधारण पीने वाला,
हो तो लेने दो ऐ साकी दूर प्रथम संकोचों को,
मेरे ही स्वर से फिर सारी गूँज उठेगी मधुशाला।।६०।
कल? कल पर विश्वास किया कब करता है पीनेवाला
हो सकते कल कर जड़ जिनसे फिर फिर आज उठा प्याला,
आज हाथ में था, वह खोया, कल का कौन भरोसा है,
कल की हो न मुझे मधुशाला काल कुटिल की मधुशाला।।६१।
आज मिला अवसर, तब फिर क्यों मैं न छकूँ जी-भर हाला
आज मिला मौका, तब फिर क्यों ढाल न लूँ जी-भर प्याला,
छेड़छाड़ अपने साकी से आज न क्यों जी-भर कर लूँ,
एक बार ही तो मिलनी है जीवन की यह मधुशाला।।६२।
आज सजीव बना लो, प्रेयसी, अपने अधरों का प्याला,
भर लो, भर लो, भर लो इसमें, यौवन मधुरस की हाला,
और लगा मेरे होठों से भूल हटाना तुम जाओ,
अथक बनू मैं पीनेवाला, खुले प्रणय की मधुशाला।।६३।
सुमुखी तुम्हारा, सुन्दर मुख ही, मुझको कन्चन का प्याला
छलक रही है जिसमंे माणिक रूप मधुर मादक हाला,
मैं ही साकी बनता, मैं ही पीने वाला बनता हूँ
जहाँ कहीं मिल बैठे हम तुम़ वहीं गयी हो मधुशाला।।६४।
दो दिन ही मधु मुझे पिलाकर ऊब उठी साकीबाला,
भरकर अब खिसका देती है वह मेरे आगे प्याला,
नाज़, अदा, अंदाजों से अब, हाय पिलाना दूर हुआ,
अब तो कर देती है केवल फ़र्ज़ -अदाई मधुशाला।।६५।
छोटे-से जीवन में कितना प्यार करुँ, पी लूँ हाला,
आने के ही साथ जगत में कहलाया 'जानेवाला',
स्वागत के ही साथ विदा की होती देखी तैयारी,
बंद लगी होने खुलते ही मेरी जीवन-मधुशाला।।६६।
क्या पीना, निर्द्वन्द न जब तक ढाला प्यालों पर प्याला,
क्या जीना, निरंिचत न जब तक साथ रहे साकीबाला,
खोने का भय, हाय, लगा है पाने के सुख के पीछे,
मिलने का आनंद न देती मिलकर के भी मधुशाला।।६७।
मुझे पिलाने को लाए हो इतनी थोड़ी-सी हाला!
मुझे दिखाने को लाए हो एक यही छिछला प्याला!
इतनी पी जीने से अच्छा सागर की ले प्यास मरुँ,
सिंधँु-तृषा दी किसने रचकर बिंदु-बराबर मधुशाला।।६८।
क्या कहता है, रह न गई अब तेरे भाजन में हाला,
क्या कहता है, अब न चलेगी मादक प्यालों की माला,
थोड़ी पीकर प्यास बढ़ी तो शेष नहीं कुछ पीने को,
प्यास बुझाने को बुलवाकर प्यास बढ़ाती मधुशाला।।६९।
लिखी भाग्य में जितनी बस उतनी ही पाएगा हाला,
लिखा भाग्य में जैसा बस वैसा ही पाएगा प्याला,
लाख पटक तू हाथ पाँव, पर इससे कब कुछ होने का,
लिखी भाग्य में जो तेरे बस वही मिलेगी मधुशाला।।७०।
कर ले, कर ले कंजूसी तू मुझको देने में हाला,
दे ले, दे ले तू मुझको बस यह टूटा फूटा प्याला,
मैं तो सब्र इसी पर करता, तू पीछे पछताएगी,
जब न रहूँगा मैं, तब मेरी याद करेगी मधुशाला।।७१।
ध्यान मान का, अपमानों का छोड़ दिया जब पी हाला,
गौरव भूला, आया कर में जब से मिट्टी का प्याला,
साकी की अंदाज़ भरी झिड़की में क्या अपमान धरा,
दुनिया भर की ठोकर खाकर पाई मैंने मधुशाला।।७२।
क्षीण, क्षुद्र, क्षणभंगुर, दुर्बल मानव मिटटी का प्याला,
भरी हुई है जिसके अंदर कटु-मधु जीवन की हाला,
मृत्यु बनी है निर्दय साकी अपने शत-शत कर फैला,
काल प्रबल है पीनेवाला, संसृति है यह मधुशाला।।७३।
प्याले सा गढ़ हमें किसी ने भर दी जीवन की हाला,
नशा न भाया, ढाला हमने ले लेकर मधु का प्याला,
जब जीवन का दर्द उभरता उसे दबाते प्याले से,
जगती के पहले साकी से जूझ रही है मधुशाला।।७४।
अपने अंगूरों से तन में हमने भर ली है हाला,
क्या कहते हो, शेख, नरक में हमें तपाएगी ज्वाला,
तब तो मदिरा खूब खिंचेगी और पिएगा भी कोई,
हमें नमक की ज्वाला में भी दीख पड़ेगी मधुशाला।।७५।
यम आएगा लेने जब, तब खूब चलूँगा पी हाला,
पीड़ा, संकट, कष्ट नरक के क्या समझेगा मतवाला,
क्रूर, कठोर, कुटिल, कुविचारी, अन्यायी यमराजों के
डंडों की जब मार पड़ेगी, आड़ करेगी मधुशाला।।७६।
यदि इन अधरों से दो बातें प्रेम भरी करती हाला,
यदि इन खाली हाथों का जी पल भर बहलाता प्याला,
हानि बता, जग, तेरी क्या है, व्यर्थ मुझे बदनाम न कर,
मेरे टूटे दिल का है बस एक खिलौना मधुशाला।।७७।
याद न आए दूखमय जीवन इससे पी लेता हाला,
जग चिंताओं से रहने को मुक्त, उठा लेता प्याला,
शौक, साध के और स्वाद के हेतु पिया जग करता है,
पर मै वह रोगी हूँ जिसकी एक दवा है मधुशाला।।७८।
गिरती जाती है दिन प्रतिदन प्रणयनी प्राणों की हाला
भग्न हुआ जाता दिन प्रतिदन सुभगे मेरा तन प्याला,
रूठ रहा है मुझसे रूपसी, दिन दिन यौवन का साकी
सूख रही है दिन दिन सुन्दरी, मेरी जीवन मधुशाला।।७९।
यम आयेगा साकी बनकर साथ लिए काली हाला,
पी न होश में फिर आएगा सुरा-विसुध यह मतवाला,
यह अंितम बेहोशी, अंतिम साकी, अंतिम प्याला है,
पथिक, प्यार से पीना इसको फिर न मिलेगी मधुशाला।८०।
ढलक रही है तन के घट से, संगिनी जब जीवन हाला
पत्र गरल का ले जब अंतिम साकी है आनेवाला,
हाथ स्पर्श भूले प्याले का, स्वाद सुरा जीव्हा भूले
कानो में तुम कहती रहना, मधु का प्याला मधुशाला।।८१।
मेरे अधरों पर हो अंितम वस्तु न तुलसीदल प्याला
मेरी जीव्हा पर हो अंतिम वस्तु न गंगाजल हाला,
मेरे शव के पीछे चलने वालों याद इसे रखना
राम नाम है सत्य न कहना, कहना सच्ची मधुशाला।।८२।
मेरे शव पर वह रोये, हो जिसके आंसू में हाला
आह भरे वो, जो हो सुरिभत मदिरा पी कर मतवाला,
दे मुझको वो कान्धा जिनके पग मद डगमग होते हों
और जलूं उस ठौर जहां पर कभी रही हो मधुशाला।।८३।
और चिता पर जाये उंढेला पत्र न घ्रित का, पर प्याला
कंठ बंधे अंगूर लता में मध्य न जल हो, पर हाला,
प्राण प्रिये यदि श्राध करो तुम मेरा तो ऐसे करना
पीने वालांे को बुलवा कऱ खुलवा देना मधुशाला।।८४।
नाम अगर कोई पूछे तो, कहना बस पीनेवाला
काम ढालना, और ढालना सबको मदिरा का प्याला,
जाति प्रिये, पूछे यदि कोई कह देना दीवानों की
धर्म बताना प्यालों की ले माला जपना मधुशाला।।८५।
ज्ञात हुआ यम आने को है ले अपनी काली हाला,
पंिडत अपनी पोथी भूला, साधू भूल गया माला,
और पुजारी भूला पूजा, ज्ञान सभी ज्ञानी भूला,
किन्तु न भूला मरकर के भी पीनेवाला मधुशाला।।८६।
यम ले चलता है मुझको तो, चलने दे लेकर हाला,
चलने दे साकी को मेरे साथ लिए कर में प्याला,
स्वर्ग, नरक या जहाँ कहीं भी तेरा जी हो लेकर चल,
ठौर सभी हैं एक तरह के साथ रहे यदि मधुशाला।।८७।
पाप अगर पीना, समदोषी तो तीनों - साकी बाला,
नित्य पिलानेवाला प्याला, पी जानेवाली हाला,
साथ इन्हें भी ले चल मेरे न्याय यही बतलाता है,
कैद जहाँ मैं हूँ, की जाए कैद वहीं पर मधुशाला।।८८।
शांत सकी हो अब तक, साकी, पीकर किस उर की ज्वाला,
'और, और' की रटन लगाता जाता हर पीनेवाला,
कितनी इच्छाएँ हर जानेवाला छोड़ यहाँ जाता!
कितने अरमानों की बनकर कब्र खड़ी है मधुशाला।।८९।
जो हाला मैं चाह रहा था, वह न मिली मुझको हाला,
जो प्याला मैं माँग रहा था, वह न मिला मुझको प्याला,
जिस साकी के पीछे मैं था दीवाना, न मिला साकी,
जिसके पीछे था मैं पागल, हा न मिली वह मधुशाला!।९०।
देख रहा हूँ अपने आगे कब से माणिक-सी हाला,
देख रहा हूँ अपने आगे कब से कंचन का प्याला,
'बस अब पाया!'- कह-कह कब से दौड़ रहा इसके पीछे,
किंतु रही है दूर क्षितिज-सी मुझसे मेरी मधुशाला।।९१।
कभी निराशा का तम घिरता, छिप जाता मधु का प्याला,
छिप जाती मदिरा की आभा, छिप जाती साकीबाला,
कभी उजाला आशा करके प्याला फिर चमका जाती,
आँखिमचौली खेल रही है मुझसे मेरी मधुशाला।।९२।
'आ आगे' कहकर कर पीछे कर लेती साकीबाला,
होंठ लगाने को कहकर हर बार हटा लेती प्याला,
नहीं मुझे मालूम कहाँ तक यह मुझको ले जाएगी,
बढ़ा बढ़ाकर मुझको आगे, पीछे हटती मधुशाला।।९३।
हाथों में आने-आने में, हाय, फिसल जाता प्याला,
अधरों पर आने-आने में हाय, ढुलक जाती हाला,
दुनियावालो, आकर मेरी किस्मत की ख़ूबी देखो,
रह-रह जाती है बस मुझको मिलते-िमलते मधुशाला।।९४।
प्राप्य नही है तो, हो जाती लुप्त नहीं फिर क्यों हाला,
प्राप्य नही है तो, हो जाता लुप्त नहीं फिर क्यों प्याला,
दूर न इतनी हिम्मत हारुँ, पास न इतनी पा जाऊँ,
व्यर्थ मुझे दौड़ाती मरु में मृगजल बनकर मधुशाला।।९५।
मिले न, पर, ललचा ललचा क्यों आकुल करती है हाला,
मिले न, पर, तरसा तरसाकर क्यों तड़पाता है प्याला,
हाय, नियति की विषम लेखनी मस्तक पर यह खोद गई
'दूर रहेगी मधु की धारा, पास रहेगी मधुशाला!'।९६।
मदिरालय में कब से बैठा, पी न सका अब तक हाला,
यत्न सहित भरता हूँ, कोई किंतु उलट देता प्याला,
मानव-बल के आगे निर्बल भाग्य, सुना विद्यालय में,
'भाग्य प्रबल, मानव निर्बल' का पाठ पढ़ाती मधुशाला।।९७।
किस्मत में था खाली खप्पर, खोज रहा था मैं प्याला,
ढूँढ़ रहा था मैं मृगनयनी, किस्मत में थी मृगछाला,
किसने अपना भाग्य समझने में मुझसा धोखा खाया,
किस्मत में था अवघट मरघट, ढूँढ़ रहा था मधुशाला।।९८।
उस प्याले से प्यार मुझे जो दूर हथेली से प्याला,
उस हाला से चाव मुझे जो दूर अधर से है हाला,
प्यार नहीं पा जाने में है, पाने के अरमानों में!
पा जाता तब, हाय, न इतनी प्यारी लगती मधुशाला।।९९।
साकी के पास है तिनक सी श्री, सुख, संपित की हाला,
सब जग है पीने को आतुर ले ले किस्मत का प्याला,
रेल ठेल कुछ आगे बढ़ते, बहुतेरे दबकर मरते,
जीवन का संघर्ष नहीं है, भीड़ भरी है मधुशाला।।१००।
साकी, जब है पास तुम्हारे इतनी थोड़ी सी हाला,
क्यों पीने की अभिलषा से, करते सबको मतवाला,
हम पिस पिसकर मरते हैं, तुम छिप छिपकर मुसकाते हो,
हाय, हमारी पीड़ा से है क्रीड़ा करती मधुशाला।।१०१।
साकी, मर खपकर यदि कोई आगे कर पाया प्याला,
पी पाया केवल दो बूंदों से न अधिक तेरी हाला,
जीवन भर का, हाय, पिरश्रम लूट लिया दो बूंदों ने,
भोले मानव को ठगने के हेतु बनी है मधुशाला।।१०२।
जिसने मुझको प्यासा रक्खा बनी रहे वह भी हाला,
जिसने जीवन भर दौड़ाया बना रहे वह भी प्याला,
मतवालों की जिहवा से हैं कभी निकलते शाप नहीं,
दुखी बनाय जिसने मुझको सुखी रहे वह मधुशाला!।१०३।
नहीं चाहता, आगे बढ़कर छीनूँ औरों की हाला,
नहीं चाहता, धक्के देकर, छीनूँ औरों का प्याला,
साकी, मेरी ओर न देखो मुझको तिनक मलाल नहीं,
इतना ही क्या कम आँखों से देख रहा हूँ मधुशाला।।१०४।
मद, मदिरा, मधु, हाला सुन-सुन कर ही जब हूँ मतवाला,
क्या गति होगी अधरों के जब नीचे आएगा प्याला,
साकी, मेरे पास न आना मैं पागल हो जाऊँगा,
प्यासा ही मैं मस्त, मुबारक हो तुमको ही मधुशाला।।१०५।
क्या मुझको आवश्यकता है साकी से माँगूँ हाला,
क्या मुझको आवश्यकता है साकी से चाहूँ प्याला,
पीकर मदिरा मस्त हुआ तो प्यार किया क्या मदिरा से!
मैं तो पागल हो उठता हूँ सुन लेता यदि मधुशाला।।१०६।
देने को जो मुझे कहा था दे न सकी मुझको हाला,
देने को जो मुझे कहा था दे न सका मुझको प्याला,
समझ मनुज की दुर्बलता मैं कहा नहीं कुछ भी करता,
किन्तु स्वयं ही देख मुझे अब शरमा जाती मधुशाला।।१०७।
एक समय संतुष्ट बहुत था पा मैं थोड़ी-सी हाला,
भोला-सा था मेरा साकी, छोटा-सा मेरा प्याला,
छोटे-से इस जग की मेरे स्वर्ग बलाएँ लेता था,
विस्तृत जग में, हाय, गई खो मेरी नन्ही मधुशाला!।१०८।
बहुतेरे मदिरालय देखे, बहुतेरी देखी हाला,
भाँित भाँित का आया मेरे हाथों में मधु का प्याला,
एक एक से बढ़कर, सुन्दर साकी ने सत्कार किया,
जँची न आँखों में, पर, कोई पहली जैसी मधुशाला।।१०९।
एक समय छलका करती थी मेरे अधरों पर हाला,
एक समय झूमा करता था मेरे हाथों पर प्याला,
एक समय पीनेवाले, साकी आलिंगन करते थे,
आज बनी हूँ निर्जन मरघट, एक समय थी मधुशाला।।११०।
जला हृदय की भट्टी खींची मैंने आँसू की हाला,
छलछल छलका करता इससे पल पल पलकों का प्याला,
आँखें आज बनी हैं साकी, गाल गुलाबी पी होते,
कहो न विरही मुझको, मैं हूँ चलती फिरती मधुशाला!।१११।
कितनी जल्दी रंग बदलती है अपना चंचल हाला,
कितनी जल्दी घिसने लगता हाथों में आकर प्याला,
कितनी जल्दी साकी का आकर्षण घटने लगता है,
प्रात नहीं थी वैसी, जैसी रात लगी थी मधुशाला।।११२।
बूँद बूँद के हेतु कभी तुझको तरसाएगी हाला,
कभी हाथ से छिन जाएगा तेरा यह मादक प्याला,
पीनेवाले, साकी की मीठी बातों में मत आना,
मेरे भी गुण यों ही गाती एक दिवस थी मधुशाला।।११३।
छोड़ा मैंने पथ मतों को तब कहलाया मतवाला,
चली सुरा मेरा पग धोने तोड़ा जब मैंने प्याला,
अब मानी मधुशाला मेरे पीछे पीछे फिरती है,
क्या कारण? अब छोड़ दिया है मैंने जाना मधुशाला।।११४।
यह न समझना, पिया हलाहल मैंने, जब न मिली हाला,
तब मैंने खप्पर अपनाया ले सकता था जब प्याला,
जले हृदय को और जलाना सूझा, मैंने मरघट को
अपनाया जब इन चरणों में लोट रही थी मधुशाला।।११५।
कितनी आई और गई पी इस मदिरालय में हाला,
टूट चुकी अब तक कितने ही मादक प्यालों की माला,
कितने साकी अपना अपना काम खतम कर दूर गए,
कितने पीनेवाले आए, किन्तु वही है मधुशाला।।११६।
कितने होठों को रक्खेगी याद भला मादक हाला,
कितने हाथों को रक्खेगा याद भला पागल प्याला,
कितनी शक्लों को रक्खेगा याद भला भोला साकी,
कितने पीनेवालों में है एक अकेली मधुशाला।।११७।
दर दर घूम रहा था जब मैं चिल्लाता - हाला! हाला!
मुझे न मिलता था मदिरालय, मुझे न मिलता था प्याला,
मिलन हुआ, पर नहीं मिलनसुख लिखा हुआ था किस्मत में,
मैं अब जमकर बैठ गया हँू, घूम रही है मधुशाला।।११८।
मैं मदिरालय के अंदर हूँ, मेरे हाथों में प्याला,
प्याले में मदिरालय बिंिबत करनेवाली है हाला,
इस उधेड़-बुन में ही मेरा सारा जीवन बीत गया -
मैं मधुशाला के अंदर या मेरे अंदर मधुशाला!।११९।
किसे नहीं पीने से नाता, किसे नहीं भाता प्याला,
इस जगती के मदिरालय में तरह-तरह की है हाला,
अपनी-अपनी इच्छा के अनुसार सभी पी मदमाते,
एक सभी का मादक साकी, एक सभी की मधुशाला।।१२०।
वह हाला, कर शांत सके जो मेरे अंतर की ज्वाला,
जिसमें मैं बिंिबत-प्रतिबंिबत प्रतिपल, वह मेरा प्याला,
मधुशाला वह नहीं जहाँ पर मदिरा बेची जाती है,
भेंट जहाँ मस्ती की मिलती मेरी तो वह मधुशाला।।१२१।
मतवालापन हाला से ले मैंने तज दी है हाला,
पागलपन लेकर प्याले से, मैंने त्याग दिया प्याला,
साकी से मिल, साकी में मिल अपनापन मैं भूल गया,
मिल मधुशाला की मधुता में भूल गया मैं मधुशाला।।१२२।
मदिरालय के द्वार ठोंकता किस्मत का छंछा प्याला,
गहरी, ठंडी सांसें भर भर कहता था हर मतवाला,
कितनी थोड़ी सी यौवन की हाला, हा, मैं पी पाया!
बंद हो गई कितनी जल्दी मेरी जीवन मधुशाला।।१२३।
कहाँ गया वह स्वर्गिक साकी, कहाँ गयी सुरिभत हाला,
कहँा गया स्वपिनल मदिरालय, कहाँ गया स्वर्णिम प्याला!
पीनेवालों ने मदिरा का मूल्य, हाय, कब पहचाना?
फूट चुका जब मधु का प्याला, टूट चुकी जब मधुशाला।।१२४।
अपने युग में सबको अनुपम ज्ञात हुई अपनी हाला,
अपने युग में सबको अदभुत ज्ञात हुआ अपना प्याला,
फिर भी वृद्धों से जब पूछा एक यही उज्ञल्तऌार पाया -
अब न रहे वे पीनेवाले, अब न रही वह मधुशाला!।१२५।
'मय' को करके शुद्ध दिया अब नाम गया उसको, 'हाला'
'मीना' को 'मधुपात्र' दिया 'सागर' को नाम गया 'प्याला',
क्यों न मौलवी चौंकें, बिचकें तिलक-त्रिपुंडी पंिडत जी
'मय-महिफल' अब अपना ली है मैंने करके 'मधुशाला'।।१२६।
कितने मर्म जता जाती है बार-बार आकर हाला,
कितने भेद बता जाता है बार-बार आकर प्याला,
कितने अर्थों को संकेतों से बतला जाता साकी,
फिर भी पीनेवालों को है एक पहेली मधुशाला।।१२७।
जितनी दिल की गहराई हो उतना गहरा है प्याला,
जितनी मन की मादकता हो उतनी मादक है हाला,
जितनी उर की भावुकता हो उतना सुन्दर साकी है,
जितना ही जो रिसक, उसे है उतनी रसमय मधुशाला।।१२८।
जिन अधरों को छुए, बना दे मस्त उन्हें मेरी हाला,
जिस कर को छूू दे, कर दे विक्षिप्त उसे मेरा प्याला,
आँख चार हों जिसकी मेरे साकी से दीवाना हो,
पागल बनकर नाचे वह जो आए मेरी मधुशाला।।१२९।
हर जिहवा पर देखी जाएगी मेरी मादक हाला
हर कर में देखा जाएगा मेरे साकी का प्याला
हर घर में चर्चा अब होगी मेरे मधुविक्रेता की
हर आंगन में गमक उठेगी मेरी सुरिभत मधुशाला।।१३०।
मेरी हाला में सबने पाई अपनी-अपनी हाला,
मेरे प्याले में सबने पाया अपना-अपना प्याला,
मेरे साकी में सबने अपना प्यारा साकी देखा,
जिसकी जैसी रुिच थी उसने वैसी देखी मधुशाला।।१३१।
यह मदिरालय के आँसू हैं, नहीं-नहीं मादक हाला,
यह मदिरालय की आँखें हैं, नहीं-नहीं मधु का प्याला,
किसी समय की सुखदस्मृति है साकी बनकर नाच रही,
नहीं-नहीं किव का हृदयांगण, यह विरहाकुल मधुशाला।।१३२।
कुचल हसरतें कितनी अपनी, हाय, बना पाया हाला,
कितने अरमानों को करके ख़ाक बना पाया प्याला!
पी पीनेवाले चल देंगे, हाय, न कोई जानेगा,
कितने मन के महल ढहे तब खड़ी हुई यह मधुशाला!।१३३।
विश्व तुम्हारे विषमय जीवन में ला पाएगी हाला
यदि थोड़ी-सी भी यह मेरी मदमाती साकीबाला,
शून्य तुम्हारी घड़ियाँ कुछ भी यदि यह गुंजित कर पाई,
जन्म सफल समझेगी जग में अपना मेरी मधुशाला।।१३४।
बड़े-बड़े नाज़ों से मैंने पाली है साकीबाला,
किलत कल्पना का ही इसने सदा उठाया है प्याला,
मान-दुलारों से ही रखना इस मेरी सुकुमारी को,
विश्व, तुम्हारे हाथों में अब सौंप रहा हूँ मधुशाला।।१३५।
पिरिशष्ट से
स्वयं नहीं पीता, औरों को, किन्तु पिला देता हाला,
स्वयं नहीं छूता, औरों को, पर पकड़ा देता प्याला,
पर उपदेश कुशल बहुतेरों से मैंने यह सीखा है,
स्वयं नहीं जाता, औरों को पहुंचा देता मधुशाला।
मैं कायस्थ कुलोदभव मेरे पुरखों ने इतना ढ़ाला,
मेरे तन के लोहू में है पचहज्ञल्तऌार प्रतिशत हाला,
पुश्तैनी अधिकार मुझे है मदिरालय के आँगन पर,
मेरे दादों परदादों के हाथ बिकी थी मधुशाला।
बहुतों के सिर चार दिनों तक चढ़कर उतर गई हाला,
बहुतों के हाथों में दो दिन छलक झलक रीता प्याला,
पर बढ़ती तासीर सुरा की साथ समय के, इससे ही
और पुरानी होकर मेरी और नशीली मधुशाला।
पित्र पक्ष में पुत्र उठाना अर्ध्य न कर में, पर प्याला
बैठ कहीं पर जाना, गंगा सागर में भरकर हाला
किसी जगह की मिटटी भीगे, तृप्ति मुझे मिल जाएगी
तर्पण अर्पण करना मुझको, पढ़ पढ़ कर के मधुशाला।
- बच्चन
Source: Manaskriti
May 29, 2007
Madhushala: Rising Against Theism
May 28, 2007
Bhutanese Refugees Rejuvenate Efforts to Repatriation | Some Choose Resettlement
© ClownsWithoutBorders.Org
Bhutanese refugees have started to make headlines again- but this time it's not going to fade away in few days time. There has been two deaths in two days' time, while the efforts of the Bhutanese refugees to either seek repatriation or third-country settlement is gaining momentum.
A large number of the Bhutanese refugees staged demonstrations in the eastern Nepali district of Jhapa today. The efforts of the refugees to enter their country through India were disrupted by the Indian paramilitary guard present at the border across the bridge over the Mechi river which acts a natural Indo-Nepal border-line. The Bhutanese refugees have been demanding that India should allow them to return to their country through Indian land since they had come to Nepal via the same route more than one and half a decade ago. But the Indian government doesn't seem in mood to allow the refugees to use its land to get into Bhutan which will surely harm its national interests in the country.
The BBC Nepali Service reporter, Tanka Khanal reported from the site that Indian security personnel, Seema Surakshya Bal (SSB), were deployed at the border area stretching some 5 km at the left and right side of the bridge over Mechi river at Kakarbhitta, Jhapa. The Bhutanese refugees poured out from all the seven refugees camps with the support of Eight-Party of Nepal and some Indian Member of Parliament (MPs), Khanal reported. But the Indian officers informed that the 'high-level' command has gave them strict orders to stop the refugees from entering the country. The refugees chanted slogans- "Indian Government Give Us Way, Give us Way" while the "Long March" organized by National Front for Democracry (NDF) has got maximum support from all the Bhutanese political parties in the country. This repatriation drive came at a time when elections widely dubbed as the 'Model Election' were being held in Bhutanese kingdom starting today.Meanwhile, one of the civic society leaders, Gopal Basnet of Bhutan Support Group, said that the civic society of Nepal was also lending support to the repatriation drive. The refugees' leaders vowed to break the Indian security personnel's ranks during the march. One of the refugees' leader said that the movement was peaceful and the Indian government has no reason to stop them from returning back into their own country.
At the same time, the local administration was forced to clamp indefinite curfew since 11: 45 am after fights between different groups of refugees in Beldangi camp ensued again this morning. One 20-year-old Purna Bahadur Tamang of Beldangi -II camp was killed in police firing when the police tried to disperse mob and bring the situation under control.
The fight ensued between two groups of refugees of whom one supported the third country settlement solution for the refugees and another group supported the repatriation of the refugees in their own country. Hari Bagale Adhikari, the secretary of the camp, had allegedly given controversial remarks to the BBC Nepali Service on favor of a third-country resettlement of the Bhutanese refugees on Saturday.
According to media reports, some eleven to fourteen policemen have received injuries after the tensions soared with the death of Tamang in the clash with the police. Around fifteen Bhutanese refugees were also injured in today's clash. Earlier, one Nara Pati Dhungel, 17, succumbed to bullet injuries in similar clash after the security personnel opened fire in 'self-defense' on Sunday.
Today, a seven member committee on the leadership of Murari Raj Sharma after talks between the two groups including Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representatives, government officials and members of civic society were held in the camp to sort out the differences. The committee has demanded proper compensation to the victims’ families and necessary treatment to the injured.
Meanwhile, UNHCR has expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the camps and said that it could hinder the humanitarian operation of the body and also of the supply of basic food materials in the camps by the UN World Food Programme.
Over 107,000 Bhutanese refugees have been living in Nepal in seven refugees camps in Jhapa and Morang districts in eastern Nepal.
Read more on BBC.
May 27, 2007
Forced to Exile
Are You Also Going Abroad?
I still remember when I was then back in school, we were always taught that we should live within our country no matter whatsoever the difficulties be hounding our lives. We were taught that the smell and taste of fresh water pouring from the Great Himalayas were far better than the 'bitter' water of plains (abroad). It was then, we used to think about moving abroad as a crime- a sin that we should never commit.
I was with four of my friends. We were on our way back home after attending on-going ECAN (Educational Consultants Association of Nepal) function at Birendra International Convention Center, Kathmandu. A lot of prospective students were there inquiring about the foreign universities and courses. One of my friends narrated one online chat which he had with a Nepali who was working in Qatar two years back.
"I asked him why he left the country... No, I rather told him that he did a wrong thing by leaving for a foreign land," he said.
"He asked me my age-and told me that I was still a child," he continued, "One day, I will come of age, and then I'll realize why he left the country- he said."
"But I told him that I would never leave my country- I wanted to do something for my people here," he said in a pale tone, "But now I understand. He had said before going offline that one day probably after four or five years if we were ever to meet then he would surely ask me- What I did for my country in all these years?"
"And today, I'm also looking forward to go abroad. Education isn't my first priority- I know our businesses are making lesser and lesser profit with each passing year. If I don't do something now, then the future would be disastrous," he confessed to me now that he felt that there is nothing wrong in chasing the American dream.
As we came out of the convention center, we were welcomed by black whirls of smoke rising away from the tires burnt in middle of the crossroad at Baneshor. I went to enquire about the matter. I asked a boy standing at on side if he knew anything- "No". But a street hawker told me that some teachers were holding 'demonstration' that way. I shoot the video in my cell phone- and a voice from behind my back seemed to ask- "Is this new Nepal?"
My younger brother is enjoying 'holidays'. The teachers have shut down all schools in protest to pressure the government to fulfill their demands. We had almost forgotten that when we were in schools, such strikes and shut downs were so common. But the last year saw little of such shut downs. Perhaps, it's the sign of 'democracy' which has been restored by our Eight-Party government including CPN-Maoists in our country.
Now, I'm not running away from my responsibilities. I know I should ask myself what I can do for my country rather than what it has done to me. I do want to help my people live in peace and prosperity- but before that should I not make myself capable of doing so? I want to study Web Interactive Media and promote citizen journalism in Nepal- but where can I find that stream in Nepal? I want to pursue the undergraduate degree in the PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) faculty so that I can better understand and lead my country. But where can I pursue that stream in my home country? Here our students do politics in streets- they don't have to learn that.
Last Thursday, we were waiting for Mass Communication and Journalism professor in college. He was coming to check our assignments as part of our examinations. But he just flipped the pages of few of our works, and started to give lecture about his own experience. He advised us to write diary- and I interrupted him- "Sir, I think we should write e-diary (blog)." He said that a picture is worth a thousand words- and I interrupted again- "Sir, and a movie is worth a million of words." Later, I found out that the same professor would be teaching us at one of the reputed campuses where I was also advised to join. But I'd better study on my own.
My friends couldn't understand why "I was trying to teach the professor". We are taught since our first day in school that what our teacher tells is always correct- and we should write down each and every of their words. One of my friends is studying in one of the most reputed engineering campuses in South Asia, and he has the same problem. Yesterday, he just endured another such incident. One of the most reputed and recognized professor of his campus taught the students how to solve a Maths problem in a wrong way. But all the students were quiet besides him. He came to home, and indulged in deep study- he found the same problem solved in entirely different manner in a book. He has borrowed my hat a number of times during his examinations when he had to meet those professors to take viva examinations. The logic and reasonable reason is that his long mane would cast a negative impression. In one of such viva exams, he had to lose few numbers for just not speaking in Newari language even after being Newar! This is the story of what happens in "one of the most reputed engineering campuses in South Asia"- should I tell you more of what happens in other ordinary colleges, campuses and universities in Nepal.
Today, most of the Nepali youth have come of age. We hope that the political system of the country will take another five or ten years to settle down in stable way. The academic sector would improve only after that. It's not right time to study in Nepal- for people who have newer ideas and ambitions. I've felt myself an 'outcaste' a number of times in my school and my college due to my simple, ordinary language of social liberation and empowerment of citizens- for my effort to tell my teachers that they can be sometimes wrong too.
I'll be only useful to my country, if I become useful to myself- I know this. Yes, I'm chasing that same dream that has captured the imaginations of the youth of Third World Countries. It's not that my life would be better there in some alien lands than it is here now in my own country- but I'll at least learn how to become somebody. I've discovered this novel truth from my experience and not from those old books or long years of studies in school or my college- Going abroad is not a sin, the sin is not to return back home to serve one's own country.
May 18, 2007
Hisila Yami: New “Villain” in Town Indeed
World’s Second Richest Country in Water Resources! And, water-starved Kathmandu.
"Melamchi, Melamchi bhanda bhandai marne ho ki kya ho, Babu..."
("Son, I'd probably die without drinking water of Melamchi.")
This is an old-but bitter- joke about that we used to churn out a few years aback. A dying grandmother tells her desire to drink water from Melamchi to her grandson- and it shows how Melamchi Drinking Water Project has captured our imaginations.
All Kathmandu denizens have one dream in common. Although, it is an urgent need of all Kathmanduties rather than just a fancy dream- the circumstances have forced us to think that the widely-dubbed drinking water project- Melamchi drinking water project- will never arrive. Thanks to the Maoists attacks in past years, the frequent workers' strikes and the withdrawal of help from major donors, the much talked about 'savior' of water-starved Kathmanduties, Melamchi, the major project was already running one or two year/s back. But now, as most people have already guessed, due to the stubbornness of our Maoists minister Hisila Yami- one of the most important donors of Nepal- Asian Development Bank (ADB) has decided to pull out of the major drinking water project which could have solved the acute problem of scarcity of water in the valley.
Who is going to suffer? Not the minister herself, but we will. Her government will pay her expenses and of her family. Who will pay the cost of our expenses in which water is the new extra-essential 'commodity' in every household today? We already have to buy water from retailers- the water-selling business has boosted this year since the government's pipes have long ceased to supply drinking water regularly. There was not scarcity of water of this kind in past years in Kathmandu valley. Almost every valley resident would have heard about Melamchi- and we're living in dire circumstances but in distant hope that one day we'll finally get water from the Melamchi River. It is not beyond anyone's imagination what difficult life in Nepal's capital is when one finds out that the government is able to provide just 90 million liters of drinking water each day while the capital requires about 240 million liters of water each day.
We don't sleep at nights when we're supposed to wait for water. If you wake late, or fall asleep, or your electrical pump fails to perform- then you won't even see a drop of water. Ironically, the Nepal Drinking Water Corporation is supplying water to the Royal Narayanhiti Palace in new-separate thick pipes since King Gyanendra’s coup in February, 2005. Most of the times, it is possible that your neighbours’ tap would be running dry. The Maoists' leader has spent the last eleven years of her life in rural parts of the world's second richest country in water resources- where the water is rarely scarce? When she entered the valley, she entered as a wife of Maoists second-in-command, Baburam Acharya, and, now a Minister for Physical Planning and Works- so, obviously, she didn't get chance to go through what we ordinary Kathmanduties have been going through for the last few years. So do we suppose her to know our real problem? At least, we all hoped so. Now, those hopes have turned into pessimism and anger. It is the same activities of the Maoists that have been responsible for the cause of a number of delays in the major drinking water project in past and also in present. Only in 2005, two major donor countries, Norway and Denmark, had withdrawn from the project citing royal takeover by King Gyanendra, delays in construction and insecurity as reasons.
Speculations were already rife when she started giving speeches as a minister in public condemning foreign investment in Nepal some weeks ago. It has been learnt that she telephoned ADB officials to say "No" to the contract which was supposed to be signed with a British firm, Severn Trents Plc. The earlier government had already decided to award the contract to the firm as per the demand of ADB.
Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat told BBC Nepali Service that he has received a letter from the ADB headquarters located in Philippines in which the later revealed about its differences and expressed its decision to withdrew funding of the multi-million-dollar project lest the government complies with the earlier understanding reached between both of the parties. The 340 million dollars project owes 140 million dollars to ADB alone, and it is obvious that its pull out will virtually stop the project which started six years ago. Although, minister Yami wants to give the project a shape of national venture funded by Nepalis alone- as she said to BBC, one wonders if she is, but, playing with the sentiments of Kathmanduties.
Although the Finance Minister Mahat expressed optimism that the government will stick to the old contract, the mood of Hisila Yami and her reservations about the foreign funding is well-known. Her party's standing on this issue has put the future of the project in jeopardy. While Dr Mahat said that if the government fails to comply with the earlier contracts and understanding, it will lose trust and support of its own major donors in the global arena- and it could have far more repercussions to other projects being funded by them as well. But Yami seems to remain ignorant- and told BBC that she will find another alternative to ADB and she wanted to give it a face of public-private venture.
The government was supposed to award the contract to the firm on Monday. The project was supposed to supply 170 million liters of water to the three major cities in the Kathmandu Valley- Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.
May 15, 2007
Want To Make Your Own Blog?
Here's a short video guide to those who are completely new to Blogger platform but wants to make a blog of their own in Blogger platform.
You can also visit anyone of the links given below to know more about blogging, find blogging resources as well as templates and become able to choose and compare between different blogging platforms which a lot of our readers have asked me in recent times.
About: Web Logs
Blog- Wikipedia
Comparing and Choosing a Blog Platform
Blog Designs & Development
The Blog Resource
Blogging Help
Collection of Blog Templates for most popular blogging platforms
Blogspot versus Wordpress
Of course, write to me, I'd love to help you start your own blog.
Child Labour (Child Addicts) In Nepal
Kathmandu Diary
Photograph © Salik ShahWe were talking about the drama all our way until he insisted that we eat something at a small restaurant near Pipalbot, Dillibazar. We couldn’t keep quiet, since the drama had such a profound effect which could be labeled as hilarious and perhaps, serious at the same time. Since he was not so familiar with Ibsen or what he did, the drama couldn’t have that ‘desired’ effect on him. Sorry, dear director but most of the Nepali audiences only understood those English notes and liked your play of lights and colors.
But what these things have to do today, you might wonder. I’m about to reveal. After eating, my dear friend asked the owner of the restaurant, “Ani Sauji! K ho kaam garne keta haru bhayena ki kaso?” Then their long conversation began, after it has settled down. I asked how he knew that the owner sought for ketaharu. “Look there,” he showed me the small advertisement that read loud and clear something like-“Boys needed to work here…”
By ‘ketaharu’ or boys, the owner surely meant for minors and not others. I was shocked to see such an advertisement. It is illegal to hire minors, but the courage of this owner should be praised! For he dared to sought such boys so openly, and I think he had no fear or knowledge of any laws existing in the country which forbids child labour.
According to International Labour organization’s International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPECL) data that I accessed through the internet, about 42,000 children transport goods and construction materials on rugged cross-country trails, while another 3,900 carry goods in many urban market centres and bus parks. Some 55,000 children under 18-years work as domestic servants in the country. Of them 22,000 is estimated to be working in Kathmandu valley alone.
There are about 4000 rag-pickers who ‘eke out a living’ by collecting rags, plastics, metal and glass bottles from dump-sites, street corners and riverbanks. These children are so prone to severe illness, drug addiction and HIV/AIDS infection. Similarly, “an estimated 17000 Nepalese children born into the Kamaiya system of bonded labour are employed at farms, hotels, small tea establishments, brick kilns, stone quarries, the carpet industry and domestic service. Half of these children still work under slave-like conditions, even though bonded labour was banned in July 2000 by the government off Nepal.”
It also said that an estimated 12,000 young girls below 18-years are ‘removed from their families, homes and workplaces through force, coercion or deception, and involuntarily transported into urban centres and across the Indian border.’ There they are forced into labour, most often in the sex industry. As many as 150,000 to 200,000 Nepalese girls are now exploited in Indian brothels.
Photograph © Sajan RanaRecently, I was shocked to see the small kids sniffing a chemical product-‘Dendrite’ to satisfy themselves at New Road, below Peanuts House opposite to Bhugol Park. I have heard much about such child addicts, but I hadn’t really seen them myself. These young, misled and often ‘obstinate’ children are regularly molested, often involved in illegal activities like shoplifting, drug-trafficking and pick-pocketing.
Nepal does not lack laws but the necessary political will and effective implementation of the already formulated laws and plans for such children’s welfare and rehabilitation. In 1959, the government prohibited the employment of child labour in hazardous circumstances. Nepal has even ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and International Labour Organisation’s Minimum Age Employment Convention (ILO Convention No 138). Nepal has adopted the Labour Act 1991 and Children's Act 1992 on the basis of these conventions, and has clearly declared that employing children under the age of 14 is illegal. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990 also clearly states that human-trafficking, slavery and serfdom or forced labour in any form is prohibited and punishable by law. The by-laws of the Children's Act 1992 have also provided special rights to the children to be protected from harm and exploitation, including child labour exploitation.
But everybody knows that Nepalese leaders and rebels are busy with their political dogmas and dictums. Our students’ leaders are devoting all zeal to chase their utopian ‘republic’. While the international and national communities, organizations as well as individuals and media condemn Maoists’ recent kidnappings and recruitment of school-going children, it seems like they are playing ‘music’ before these wild-buffaloes i.e. bhaisiko agadi bin bajaunu.
Yes, there are far more serious cases of child exploitation to be dealt within Nepal than that of something like Kumari-tradition. It seems that we, writers, raise such issues and few (notable) organizations do ‘few’ things to provide ‘education and necessary facilities’ to other ‘few selected’ children. If not so, then perhaps, there is a serious trend of increment in the number and population of domestic-servants, children employed in hazardous areas like carpet-industry and rag-picking and self, forced and bonded labour in Nepal.
Many organizations working for children and child rights have urged the need of co-operational and strong networking of educated and aware people at social and cultural levels to stop child labour of all sorts. We know that such a challenging job of eliminating all sorts and worst forms of child labour need community level efforts and effective implementation of the existing laws. In many cases, the responsibility solely lies in the ‘effective implementation’ of the existing laws in favour of children in Nepal.
Photograph © Samrat/JhapaHowever, the main reason for the appalling and increasing population of child labour in our country lies in the 11-years Maoists insurgency, the careless and stupid act of infrastructural destruction and economic downfall. Now, even if the country and the political forces would like to do really something to benefit such children and the society as a whole, then peace must prevail at any cost. Maoist would not have had intensified their ‘recruitment drives’ if they were not doubtful of the peace-accord and the political parties. What is clear for now is the fact that there would be child labour and exploitation lest Maoist become really sincere to what they say, and we work hard for them to find the means to rehabilitate them.
Why do we force children to rallies and roads just to show a large ‘mass’ of people ? Should we think that the actual ‘base’ of those political parties lies on the foundation of brainwashed, kidnapped and misled teenagers, school-children and country hicks ? These ‘power-shows’ are so awkward.
Sadly, the state of child rights and social welfare of such child labour are associated with the political development in the country. The efforts of various organizations and individuals would bring radical improvements in the situation only if there is sustainable peace and economic progress in the country. All the Nepali people wish for peace, and the Maoists hope to lobby as much as possible for themselves due to this ‘weakness’ of its own people. Maoists must realize if it happens to gain power and authority to rule the state someday, then the most challenging of its prior duties would be their own acts that has led to destabilization of the society and increment of violation of human rights and child labour, destruction of schools and other necessary infrastructures and even corruption.
Our people seem ignorant about the future of so many children whom they have been misusing or exploiting to meet their own self-interests at present. If they are to be rehabilitated in the society, what kind of jobs or skill do we plan to offer them in coming days ? ‘A child employed is a future destroyed’. Now, its our turn to become either the saviour of the children for the ‘future-Nepal’ or a ‘curse’ in the pages of her history.
Photograph © New York Times(Also Published in The Kathmandu Post)
May 14, 2007
Taking Madhesi Movement to New Heights
I was asking Santosh dai how he felt after a week’s long stay in his hometown Hariyon- which is a small town in the Southern plain of the country with inhabitants comprising almost equally from both Pahade and Madheshi communities. He then introduced me to the next man sitting beside him- a Madhesi himself of Pahade ethnicity.
“So, you’re from Pidari,” the semi-bald man, who looked just like other Pahade-origin Madhesi people living in Madhesh due to his accent and sun-burned appearance, acknowledged after knowing where I originally hailed from adding, “The stronghold of Forum.”
“Oh, but I didn’t knew there was Forum in my village as well,” I was surprised. My people have been living in Kathmandu ever after my birth, and naturally, only occasionally we visit our village only once in a year or two. But during my visit last year, there was not a sign of any kind of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum or other groups besides Maoists.
“You didn’t know? Forum is everywhere in the districts neighboring India. They get support from Indian people- and have strong influence in those places. So, we’ve formed Bhabar-Chure group as well,” he continued as I listened to him in surprise. Naturally, the relationship between Madhesi people and Indians living in neighboring border areas is deep and unique. Due to their same kind of living and profession, culture and traditions, cross-border marriages are certainly not a recent phenomenon.
‘Bhabar’ was mentioned in one of the earliest books written on Nepal-The Land of Gurkhas by Major W.Brook Northey who was first K.G.O. of Gurkha Rifles that recruited Gurkhas for the East India Company in the Raj era. He wrote: “This tract (Madhesh) of country, which nowhere exceeds thirty miles in breadth and averages about ten, can be divided into two very distinct portions; the open ground under cultivation to which the name Terai, in its strictest sense, should be restricted, and the primeval jungle, known as Bhabar. This last varies in character, but consists for the most part of dense forests… In places, this jungle is absolutely impenetrable, so thick is the undergrowth and so dense the tangle of giant creepers which swing from tree to tree.”
“Some members of Forum started to threaten Nepalis- and mistreat our women. Our girls and women were feeling unsecured due to those elements,” he said adding, “One man can’t fight against an organized powerful group- so we also formed a group of our own to defend ourselves. Now, we can pull even Madhesis in our rallies- and they’ve to come. They have no choice…”
“They call themselves “Nepalis”- this has been the rule of Khas (Nepali) language in our country. Only Pahade people consider themselves as Nepalis while others are categorized by their ethnicity like Newars or Madhesis.
“Do you think that Forum is actually fighting for us now- they have already registered as a political party and all they’re doing is politicking?” I asked in my naivety, “I don’t think your group is doing anything different, you’re breaking Nepal into pieces again.”
Although he found it difficult to agree in the beginning, we continued our conversation which had already taken a different course as I was interested in listening what was actually happening in my motherland.
Just a few days ago, a minister of the current Eight-party government fueled the communal sentiment by his threatening remarks about the Madhesi people of Pahade origin. A terai-based party’s (Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi)) leader and commerce minister Rajendra Mahato warned that the hilly people who migrated and inhabitated Terai in last few years (decades) might be forced to leave Madhesh if they didn’t accept rule of Madhesis in the region. It was no surprise that his remarks sparked protests led by the activists of the Chure-Bhawar Pradesh Ekta Samaj in old Nepali tradition of showing angst- by blocking highway, burning effigies and holding rallies in Terai. Students also staged demonstrations in Kathmandu so as to prevent any misunderstanding- the message was clear. “If you want to treat us in ill manner, we’ll not sit and watch- we’ll fight back.” This communal sentiment has been already engulfing people of both ethnicities.
Meanwhile, those who claim themselves to be fighting for the rights of Madhesi people are themselves busy fighting with each other. A splinter of CPN (Maoist) party- Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha has two groups- and both are sworn enemies. Just two days ago, a Rautahat district chairman of Jwala Singh faction of JTMM-J was shot dead by cadres of Jay Krishna Goit-led faction of the JTMM-G. Such news is so common nowadays. Both groups, along with another new group called Madhesi Tigers, are responsible for the increasing number of cases of kidnapping, extortion and timber smuggling in recent times. Killings seem just a part of their ‘liberation’ movement. Sadly, even Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, which claims itself to be leading the Madhesi Andolan (Movement) in non-violent manner, has been keeping a low-profile after Gaur Massacre which left about four dozens people dead in a fight with a Maoists-led Madhesi group. Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament (MPs) of Madhesi-origin have been disrupting and boycotting parliamentary sessions demanding the revision of the demarcation of the electoral constituencies so as to pave way for ‘real’ proportional representation of Madhesi people and to put pressure on the government to address Madhesi movement. But it seems the government is not heeding to their demands- and let the crisis continue.
Even one can hear and feel the sense of isolation and increasing distance between the two communities which has remained like brothers and sisters for so long in the region. Mistrust and feeling of insecurity is their perception of each other today. But it should be realized that Madhesi movement is not directed against the Pahade communities, not directed towards eliminating Pahade Madhesis from Terai. It is a movement to free Madhesis and ensure their rights. The marginalized Madhesi communities have been also completely excluded from all kinds of political process and civil service based on their ethnicity or language to a large extent.
Now, they are asking for their rightful place- and the old masters are finding it difficult to see those they ruled till now- coming in equal terms and level to them. Today, the voice of Madhesis can’t be suppressed- and it is but natural for people to see that the on-going Madhesi Uprising is not like a rally organized to protest a cause and then everyone goes back to their own businesses. It’s happening everyday, in different palpable and subtle forms and in every part of Terai. Whereas, the Madhesi movement is having psychological effects- it’s going on in subtle ways in minds and hearts of Madhesi-origin people living in mountains and hills as well. We can sense the disaster awaiting us if the old masters of the country- the Eight-Party including so-called people’s party CPN-Maoists- do nothing to address the genuine demands of Madhesi people.
Today, one can easily foresee the disastrous route that Nepal can take if the old masters fail to address the demands of various marginalized and dissatisfied ethnic communities and restore peace and order in the country. If the government fails to address Madhesi movement in time (they’re already late), we already know how difficult and brutal the movement can be. The Maoists movement was directed against one person-the king- it didn’t want to isolate people and create groups. But Madhesi movement has been faced criticism from the people living just in their neighbourhoods. The sentiments of Madhesi people has been of not much importance to a majority of Pahade-origin Madhesis- like PM Girija Prasad Koirala himself who famously said that his three generations have born in Madhesh and lives there, “Am I not a Madhesi then?” But the feeling of Pahade-origin Madhesis should be also understood- the differences should be eliminated.
The nature of Madhesi movement should be to unite all Madhesi people- not divide them. Even Pahade-origin Madhesis have been facing almost the same kind of problems that another people of the region face. The demand of proportional representation in the government and their rightful place in the political as well as civil system of the country is not a wrong one. But if the old-ignorant leaders, raised in the same atmosphere in which Madhesi people were always considered Madhesis- Indians or dhotis- and not Nepalis, fail to understand the sentiment of Madhesh, then it is but certain that the on-going movements in Terai will be far more complex, prolonged and bloodied than any other revolutions that this country has ever seen.
May 11, 2007
Apologies for My 'golden' Silence
I've a terrible cold,
And everyone knows how terrible colds
Alter the whole system of the universe,
Set us against life,
And make even metaphysics sneeze.
I have wasted the whole day blowing my nose.
My head is aching vaguely.
Sad condition for a minor poet!
Today I am really and truly a minor poet.
What I was in the old days was a wish; it's gone.
Good bye forever, queen of fairies!
Your wings were made of sun, and i am walking here.
I shan't get well unless I go and lie down on my bed.
I never was well except lying down on the universe.
Exceesezunpey...what a terrible cold!...it's physical!
I need truth and the aspirin.
Words of Caution:
Don't use cable or landlines phone or internet connections during lightening!
A scary night with lots of thunderbolts- and, down here, I was busy downloading music. I reminded myself of a telephone set which was blown by the excessive current overcharged during one of such thunderbolts. Not to take risk, I decided that I should shut down my computer. Lazily, I clicked on the 'Hibernate' button that I'd put on my desktop. And my computer had just begun to go into hibernation mode- an ear-piercing lightening struck just above my house! And, I saw a fling of light coming from behind 'Evolution'- pet name of my pc. Next moment- my dear was gone.
It's been about ten-twelve days, and now I've caught cold. And I remember a poem this moment by Jonathan Griffin, I've A Terrible Cold!
Still having few problems- but seems if it was indeed time for a clean XP installation loaded with Vista Transformation Pack. Must thank those guys at World Link- their customer service is really GREAT! And they do rock.
Looking Inwards: Interview With John O'Donohue
With inputs from the excerpts of interview of Irish poet and philosopher John O'Donohue taken by Diane Covington and published in April 2007: Issue 376 of The Sun, this write up examines the value of recognizing one's own real self and the role of spirituality in our lives, among other things like cultural communication between the West and the East and dissecting religion from refined perspective of a former-priest.
"Religious fundamentalists, who claim to speak for God yet would not be able to distinguish God from a cucumber, are allowed full access to the public, and nobody comes along and questions their vacuousness. We need the renowned academics to step up and say, "The Emperor has no clothes."
Author Covington composed two conversations that took place at two retreats: one in Ireland in May, and one in the U.S. held by O'Donohue. Author of books, Beauty: The Invisible Embrace and Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong, and two volumes of poetry, Echoes of Memory and Conamara Blues, O'Donohue lives in a cottage in the west of Ireland- an unspoiled, rustic region of the country- and lectures and teaches around the world. He left priesthood after he felt as if "the oxygen had become too scarce"- which is one important aspect of his personality that appeals to me.
Covington raises a question that there has been so much conflict in the name of religion down through the ages- so much war and killings and hatred. "What do you, as a deeply religious person, say about that to people who aren't religious?" the author asks him.
Today, I'm writing about spirituality not by sheer intuition but because two nice girls, who according to my younger brother belonged to the same school he was attending, come to our door "to spread the message of peace and Christianity." We should be against forceful conversion, and I'd have asked them what they say about the religion which is in heart of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even said so, I really appreciate that those young girls still in ninth and seventh grades are working to make people aware about the value of peace and spirituality- perhaps, that will help to make world a better place. But I strongly feel that they should be deployed to work in Europe and America than in our country, because the need to understand one's own religion in its pure form is more urgent and crucial to the Westerners than even before.
I don't believe in God, and when some Nepali Christians come to my door preaching their religion and the greatness of their God, I feel very sad and angry at the same moment. It's not that I hate Christianity, I possess a pocket-Bible and one or two voluminous books on Christianity- and I've gone through them a number of times. But I don't like the idea of Nepali people who even didn't bother to read Gita but tell me about the teachings of Christ from Bible. I've read Bible, and also the English translations of excerpts of Koran. I believe, we are free to convert religion, and only if our inner side directs us but not from compulsion, pressure and attraction perpetuated by these 'agents'. Perhaps, it was due to this strong sense of rejection and disapproval of God, my order for a sample issue of The Sun arrived all the way from U.S. today- which I'd thought would never arrive. Since I'd already become hopeless few weeks ago after receiving a subscription letter without the magazine. God's existence is sheer encounter with such occasional events in my life.
To read O'Donohue's interview was in many ways looking at god and religion from new, refined perspective. Assuming that "true thought is full of feeling, and redefined feeling is luminous with thought." The interview follows:
"I think it's true that religion has been used to funnel political hostility, racial hatred, and all kinds of awful violence. But I would suggest that this is not the fault of religion but of people who use it this way. In Northern Ireland we had a conflict said to be between Protestant and Catholic, but that conflict had nothing to do with the heart of Protestantism or the heart of Catholicism. Similarly with Islam nowadays, we in the West are often working with a mere caricature of that faith. But there is a beautiful and mystical theology at the heart of Islam. It's ironic that one of the most widely read poets in the U.S. today is Rumi, who comes out of the thirteen-century Islamic tradition.
One of the great problems in postmodern culture is the lack of true conversation. What we have is more a series of intersecting monologues. There has been no real conversation between the West and Islam. We need one badly, for it is conversation that breaks down caricature and allows bridges to be built.
The tragedy of the West at the moment is that all interaction seems to take place across on bridge: economics. China is the next big superpower, and if we look at it through economic lenses, as a field for profitable investments, the consequences will be disastrous. I was in China for six weeks and talked to a lot of people there. Even though they use Western tools for economic development, their mentality and sensibility are so different from ours. Whereas our starting point is the individual, theirs is the group. Their perception and language have such a different subtlety and structuring; economic bridges will never help us reach toward each other. Without a true cultural conversation, no real relationship will occur.
The conflict in Northern Ireland has proven beyond a doubt that, sooner or later, you come to the table. And it is wiser to come to the table sooner, rather than after thirty years of murder, grief, and personal tragedy."
What follow are O’Donohue’s answers against my own experience! True, I could resonate myself in totality to what he has to say: "When someone is talking, try to listen to the silence between the words. This is what a good therapist does. She is listening for what your words are saying, and she is also listening between the words for the things that your unconscious wants to say, but which your conscious mind does not know about or is not yet ready to make heard. To be a great listener is to be a listener on that level.”
With this dark colored shining with impressions of white letters, the strokes of keyboard often break the rhythm of the fan running inside my 'dream warez!’ The emptiness within me, this solitude- I always tried to run away from myself. I know how self-destructive I could be, and the courage to face myself in all its natural state, in all its wilderness was always lacking. The idea of solitude in all its stillness meant to me- the dreadful encounter with myself- my ugly side, the violent and submerged one, the largely ignored and suppressed one- and the forceful volcanic eruption which might reveal the reality of my difficult life, and my constant struggle to be engaged so that I could forget my real self- to be Happy.
"Solitude is the sense of space as nourishing. What usually happens with solitude is that people equate it with loneliness, which frightens them. But I don't know anyone who has a good friendship or love relationship in which there are long periods of solitude. There is a way in which we treat our relationships almost like a colonial expedition: we want to colonize the space, all the territory in between, until there is no wilderness left. Most couples who have deadened in each other's presence have colonized their space this way. They have domesticated each other beyond recognition. Sometimes you see a beautiful woman who quickens your heart. Then you meet her again years later, and she has become a domesticated relic of who she once was, and you think, Where is the dangerous vision that I saw in her? The same happens to men."
I never tried to reach her, and I know how happy I was to notice her stealing my glimpses from the thin space in between her fingers that she pretended to be holding tightly against her face- against me? I wonder why I never talked with her the way I talk to every other woman who quickens my heart. I don't have a clue if she ever thought of me like I did thought of her. But I still remember this conversation with one of her friends-
"Can I tell you one thing?" she asked me.
"Sure," I replied with my same kind of shyness which I used to have as a teenager boy (and I still have).
"Promise first that you won't get angry," she said this time adding,” It’s about a girl you know."
And I was quick to make a guess. I presumed she would tell me about one of the girls who had just befriended me in that entire wild manner!
"No, I won't mind. Come on,“ I insisted, ”Tell me."
"I think she loves you," yeah, she took her name that I can't take at the moment. And what I wished to hear all those years!
She was my puppy love. Yet, I could talk to hundreds of girls but not her. All this synergy you find in these letters, in all my write ups was useless. I never tried to get her as much as I loved her. I feared that once I get her, I'd lose interest and this fascination. I wanted to see her in all her wilderness- the way she seemed to be uncomfortable in my presence hit hard at my heart. Then I decided to watch her quietly, from a distance- only to create this limitless distance between us. Now, it doesn't matter if I ever loved her or if she ever loved me- I've become ignorant to her existence, to the existence of my own self. It was in this attempt to forget my past that I've started to forget details, about my own life and about your perception.
Now it doesn't matter how I live, what I wear, or leave my hair. I don't mind looking too old for someone of my age. I feel guilty, and if there is anything that can excite me besides usual readings! I've drowned down in the books, yet I fail to reach its depth. Why? I've tried to lose myself in the noise of crowded market-place, music and friends. I don't want to be silent anymore- they say that lovers can understand the language of eyes. At least, I don't believe this- or tend to believe that it was all Greek to her. Silence is suffering. Silence is often holding your breathes in dark against the beatings of your heart and exploding eyes. Silence is seeing your girl passing by, and to pretend as if you saw nothing or anything while your heart is already tearing apart. Words, my friend, is more powerful today when people have almost forgotten to listen between the words for things that your unconscious wants to say, but which your conscious mind does not know about or is not yet ready to make heard.
"Silence depends on stillness and solitude. If you do not have solitude and know what wilderness is, and you do not have stillness and know what tranquility is, then you are not able to listen with that sort of refinement and subtlety. Bring a rhythm to your life that has a share of solitude, stillness, and silence in it, and you will gradually come home. That is what spirituality is: the art of homecoming."
Home- that is. Home- with all that is me. As I think about my negativity, I wish if she could only see the budding rose she tended while there were no thorns. She left before I could bloom fully, my rose buried deep within my heart- and all this time a single thought of someone exploring the unexplored, still unknown frontiers of my heart excites me. Have I adulterated my roots, as I suppose to pretend I don't have any negative traits or thoughts?
"The negative is one of the closest friends of your destiny. Negativity is a precious force. No movement of consciousness goes forward on its journey without the motor of the negative driving it.
Most of us live in cultures that have become soft; we have unlearned the wisdom that hardships brings. But in Ireland we were raised to see difficulties, obstacles, and barriers as precious. We were taught that the thing you pushed against helped to define you.
I remember when I was studying German in Berlin, I used to smuggle books over to East Berlin, to a lovely girl there who was eager to read. I'd be walking along with novels by Thomas Mann, Günter Grass, Hermann Hesse, and maybe some poems by Sarah Kirsh concealed inside my overcoat, feeling as if I were an international criminal. One day, while I was waiting for the girl in a pub, an East German man asked me to pass the ashtray. He knew immediately by the way I answered that I was not German, so he asked me where I was from and what I did. I said I was an Irish priest. He told me he didn't believe a word of my religion, but he'd raised his six children as Catholics. "What would you do that for?" I asked. And he said it was because he wanted them to develop their spiritual awareness through interaction with a great tradition; to shape their questions against the push of that tradition. When they were seventeen or eighteen, he said, they could leave it behind forever, but at least they would be well schooled in the ultimate questions through engagement with the great tradition.
Frequently the most fecund time in a relationship is when you run into the "otherness" of your beloved, an otherness that you cannot calm or accommodate by means of your affection, love, or understanding. This otherness is actually set against you. But when you exercise patience and develop hospitality toward this otherness, something deeper gradually emerges between you.
The challenge is similar in the writing life. I believe that a writer has to develop skill and craft first, then go to the biggest barrel of darkness or silence he or she can find and wait for something to come up. You must have craft so the quality of your writing will be proportionate to the importance of what will arrive on your table. But craft alone isn't enough. You can develop a great ability as a writer, but if you write about insignificant matters, your work will interest nobody.
Sadly, many people view darkness as the enemy rather than the threshold, the invitation to become something more. In Beauty I write about sculpting a block of stone being akin to shaping yourself: your calling in the world is to keep refining yourself until you find the secret form inside you. We should consider life primarily as an invitation to become who we are. Most of the time, when we think of becoming something, we have a plan to better ourselves: “I want to lose this sense of inferiority" or "I want to make my life easier" or "I want to call off my inner Dobermans, who are chewing up my insides." We all have these problems we want to get over, but that is so bloody limited. So what if your childhood has its quota of damage? Wouldn't it be healthier to say, "OK, my wounds deserve to be recognized and healed, but they also need to be placed in a more dignified context?"? We should ask for the strength to push forward into deeper graciousness and sophistication. One way to do that is to recognize respectfully the places where your negativity appears. They are great clues to the location of the treasure troves in the deep inner caves."
Today, more than any other time in my living have I ever analyzed myself. Today, I've this strong sense of responsibility to you to give a voice to your long silence. Kathmandu Speaks like never before, and request you to listen your real self. Perhaps, you got your answers, I did. But how should I be?
"There are many ways of coming at it. Self-examination in the U.S. seems to involve lengthy visitations to the laboratory of feelings. Feelings are analyzed backwards and forwards, upwards and downwards. I would not start there at all. I would look at thinking. A simple thing to do is to realize, as I said earlier, that everything we see, understand, know, and feel is filtered through the lens of thought. Picture it as a pair of glasses: if you put on spectacles with little squares all over them, then everything you see will have squares on it.
A simple exercise is to ask yourself, "What are the seven thoughts that guide my being and frame what I call 'meaning' in my life?" Once you've identified them, leave them alone for a while. And then, at some later date, say, "What are some other ways in which I could think but, through my constant attention to these seven ways of thinking, I never do?" Soon you will be on an adventure at the heart of your being. True thought is full of feeling, and redefined feeling is luminous with thought.
True creative, critical thought cuts away the undergrowth, helps you recognize being, and lets you realize how magical and strange and mysterious and full of potential life is. Being is the mystery and the adventure."
Read excerpt from the original interview here.
May 6, 2007
"Thank You, Allah."
"My mother taught me the golden rule, but kept me away from organized religion. I pictured God as an old man in robes with a long white beard, to whom other people prayed when they wanted help with something, like passing a geometry test.
When I was twelve, I saw a TV program about Islam and learned that in some parts of the world people prayed to Allah. I liked the sound of "Allah". I could say that name over and over and could not get tired of it. Because there were no images of Allah, you could imagine him any way you wished. I decided that I would pray to Allah.
I knew intuitively that Allah was not the type of God you prayed to for help or material things, like a new bike. My prayers to Allah would all be prayers of thanks. Whenever I saw a rainbow or a hawk soaring in the sky, I would silently pray, "Thank you, Allah." When I saw an animal lying dead along the road, I would visualize Allah laying himself over this poor creature's twisted body to protect what remained of its spirit.
I never revealed my prayers to anyone, thinking that perhaps when I married, I might share them with my husband or my children. I married a lapsed Catholic who believed in God but wanted nothing to do it organized religion. We prayed silently together each night, but I never told him I was praying to Allah, because I was afraid he would laugh at me.
Soon after we married, the Gulf War began. Suddenly there was increased awareness about the differences between Christianity and Islam. Some Christians considered Muslims to be infidels, I learned. I decided never to reveal my secret."
Name Withheld,
from 'Readers Write' on topic- Praying, April 2007, Issue 376 of The Sun, published from Chapel Hill, NC, U.S.A. .
Still from here.
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