Is Baar Nahin!!!

We have reading reports of public angst against the politicians and the system after the Mumbai attacks. Nothing sums this up better than Prasoon Joshi, who has penned a poem titled 'Is Baar Nahin', which if transalted in English means 'Not this time'. I don't think it could have captured the essence and the mood of the entire country better than it did.
It says that not another time, will we pretend to be okay when we are not. Not another time will we tell someone to look away. This time we will let the pain reside so that we are constantly reminded.

Absolutely beautiful. Read on..

Is baar jab woh choti si bachchi mere paas apni kharonch le kar aayegi
Main usey phoo phoo kar nahin behlaoonga
Panapney doonga uski tees ko
Is baar nahin
Is baar jab main chehron par dard likha dekhoonga
Nahin gaoonga geet peeda bhula dene wale
Dard ko risney doonga,utarney doonga andar gehrey
Is baar nahin

Is baar main na marham lagaoonga
Na hi uthaoonga rui ke phahey
Aur na hi kahoonga ki tum aankein band karlo,gardan udhar kar lo main dawa lagata hoon
Dekhney doonga sabko hum sabko khuley nangey ghaav
Is baar nahin
Is baar jab uljhaney dekhoonga,chatpatahat dekhoonga
Nahin daudoonga uljhee door lapetney
Uljhaney doonga jab tak ulajh sake
Is baar nahin

Is baar karm ka hawala de kar nahin uthaoonga auzaar
Nahin karoonga phir se ek nayee shuruaat
Nahin banoonga misaal ek karmyogi ki
Nahin aaney doonga zindagi ko aasani se patri par
Utarney doonga usey keechad main,tedhey medhey raston pe
Nahin sookhney doonga deewaron par laga khoon
Halka nahin padney doonga uska rang
Is baar nahin banney doonga usey itna laachaar
Ki paan ki peek aur khoon ka fark hi khatm ho jaye
Is baar nahin

Is baar ghawon ko dekhna hai
Gaur se
Thoda lambe waqt tak
Kuch faisley
Aur uskey baad hausley
Kahin toh shuruat karni hi hogi
Is baar yahi tay kiya hai
... Prasoon Joshi

The English Translation:

This time when that little girl comes to me with her bruises,
I will not blow gently at her wound, nor distract her,
I will let her pain grow.
Not this time.
This time when I see pain on faces
I will not sing the song that eases pain
I will let the pain seep in, deep.
Not this time.

This time I won't apply any balm
Nor will I ask you to shut your eyes and turn your head
While I gingerly apply medicine
I will let everyone see the open, naked wounds
Not this time.
This time when I see difficulty, uneasiness
I will not run to solve the problems
I will let them become complicated
Not this time.

This time I won't pick up my tools as a matter of duty
I will not make a new beginning
Nor will I stand as an example of one dedicated to my job
I will not let life easily return to normalcy
I will let it descend into muck, on the twisting paths
I will not let the blood on the walls dry out
Nor will I let its colour fade away
This time I won't let it become so helpless
That you can't tell blood from paan-spit
Not this time.

This time the wounds need to be watched
Carefully
For a long time
Some decisions are needed
And then some brave moves to be made
We have to begin somewhere
This time this is what I have resolved


I might not have been able to do full justice to the poet's thought in the translation but I think he has done justice. He has done justice to all those of us who get ready every morning to go to work no matter what. No matter how much we are hurt, we look away and wipe our tears. We will not pretend to be strong. In effect, we will not let our strength become our weakness in the eyes of those who sit in their chambers wearing the cloak of our leaders. We will not.

Content Courtesy : Prasoon Joshi and rediff