Bhikhi Prasad Beerendra’
I have come to a restaurant today, built on a township
and stand on its entrance that opens into a beautiful park.
Bottles of foreign liquor are arrayed on drink-shelves;
in the menu, there is no snack that costs less than 95;
tea and coffee, however are worth only 25.
In place of Indianness, here in India
brewing fast is a foreign culture—that too sixty years after
independence.
After these six decades, in one hand rises an untellable prosperity
while on the other, deeper grows the hiatus of poverty.
People are dying of hunger.
Who is to be thanked, and who to blame?
India is changing.
In place of small shops, huge complexes are rising
every stuff is dispensed underneath the same roof in an air-conditioned
mall,
from cereals to garments; electronic goods and all
huge hoarding boards lurk in the mid-town
‘The cheapest and the best…’
Claims of discount—20 to 30 percent—is luring the mass!
A crowd rushes; in the crowd is the entire town.
Gone are the days of petty retailers;
most are doomed to be servants
a few will become their masters.
Jana-gana-mana Adhinayaka Bharata Bhagyavidata!
The town is changing; so are people’s tastes
or, changes are being induced tactfully
people are hankering after enjoyment;
they have started cherishing amorous dances
and a song that tickles the mind, arouses senses.
People love to get strayed;
The heart is like water: moving downhill.
The age is changing.
The talks of olden values have become archaic in the changing age.
The new value today is : Enjoy!!
Sing: Pyaar kiya to darna kya!
Sing: Hum tum ek kamare me bandh ho aur chabi kho jaye!
Think: If ever this happened…
and flow together with this thought.
The town is changing.
This is all that’s happening today in the name of culture.
This is the norm of the time; speak not in opposition
no one will pay ear to your words.
The town is changing/ changing is the country/changing is our age;
a new age is rising/welcome the new ear.
Welcome, New Age!
Little kids are taking part in competitions.
They sing so well/they outwit even the adults.
They are singing: “Ye gore gore gaal.”
Everyone else is rocking in the beats of the song, praising;
They are all congratulating the kids.
Even the kids have started comprehending
the meaning of “Gore gore gaal.”
A little girl is singing, “Pyar to hona hi tha.”
Those seated on juries’ chair are rocking; they are frenzied.
Everyone present there is enchanted/everything is changing
Town…people….we…our value system…our aesthetics
everything!
(Translated from Hindi by Mahesh Paudyal)
[Bhikhi Prasad ‘Beerendra’ (b. 1938) is an Indian poet, storywriter and essayist. Chahata Hoon Behad Mein Tumhe, Kucch Aur Devayani, Roshani ke Ped, Patni Mahima, Khad Ud Rahe Hai and To Speak the Truth are his collection of poems. He also has a novel and a travel account to his credit. He is also a good translator working between Hindi and Bengali languages.]