कविता — अँधेरा बहुत गहरा था
(Poem — It was all very dark)
This poem was inspired by a particular night when I passed through an area. However, that night was dark, and the haunting image remained etched in my mind. I wondered about things that are often intentionally overlooked in our state of euphoria, whether it be genuine or merely a facade of our vanity.
The tavern in the poem can be interpreted as a metaphor for vanity and our obliviousness to the pain of others. The shining bar and the call of blind travelers symbolize the allure of materialistic pursuits and the distractions we often indulge in. It also reflects on the possibility of the darkness of the night, both literal and metaphorical. This poem was originally written in Hindi, however I have included an English translation (by me) below which hopefully captures the essence with which it was written.
चांदनी भी थी…
कुछ सितारे भी थे,
पर ना जाने क्यू, अँधेरा बहुत गहरा था ।
मधुशाला दमक रही थी, अँधे मुसाफिरों की पुकार में, पर आवाज़ में प्रेम नहीं था बस थी दो पल के सुख की दुहाई…
सूट बूट वाले भी आ रहे और गिर-पड़ के जा रहे थे।
कुछ मोटर पे ऐ थे, उसी पर चले गए….
अंधे थे सब शायद या रोशनी ने अँधेरे को छुपा दिया था….क्योंकि, मैंने देखा था,
अंधेरा बहुत गहरा था।
मधुशाला के दीवार के पार एक बच्ची रो रही थी, वो जिंदगी की भीख मांग रही थी ।
ना जाने उसने कौन सा दुख देखा था, उसकी आँखी लाल और मन भारी सा लग रहा था।
ना वो मतवाले देख पाए ना हम मदहोश सुन पाए उसकी पुकार क्यूकी….
अँधेरा बहुत गहरा था।
दो मतवालो उसे पैसे दे चले..पर क्या वो उसका गुजारा था ?
क्योंकि सोच के देखिये अंधेरी रात ,मधुशाला के पार वो बच्ची अकेली थी
वो मधुशाला अभी भी खड़ी है शायद , हमारे दिलो में ।
शायद हमने उसका बचपन चीना, शायद वो अँधेरा उसके दुख को छिपा रहा था ।
वो रात बहुत काली थी, हवा मतवाली थी,
उस रात और आने वाली रात अँधेरा बहुत गहरा था ।
Here is a Translated version -
There was moonlight…
There were also some stars
But don’t know why, it was all very dark.
The bar was shining, in the call of blind travelers,
but there was no love in the voice,
It was just a cry for happiness of two moments…
Those with the riches were also coming and falling down.
Some were on the bike, and left on it
Maybe all were blind or did the light hide the darkness?
Because I saw,
It was all very dark.
A girl was crying across the wall of the tavern,
she was begging for life.
Don’t know what sorrow she had seen, her eyes were red and
heart was heavy.
Neither those drunkards could see nor we could hear her call
because…
It was all very dark.
Two of them gave her some money..
but was that all she needed?
Think about the dark night, that girl was alone across the bar,
That tavern is still standing probably, in our hearts.
Maybe we ruined her childhood, maybe that darkness was hiding her sorrow.
It was a dark night, the wind was intoxicating,
It was all very dark that night and the following night.
It was all very dark.
