My Child, A Radical Human Being (Trans.)

Neither you will be a Hindu nor a Muslim will you be

A gift of this new era, a radical human being you will be


A bundle of joy you are, sans a given name

Disconnected from religions, that’s your gain


Religious texts have only divided humanity

My child! So far they couldn’t attack your sanity


Hence the clarion call for the revolution, will you be

A gift of this new era, a radical human being you will be


Mother Nature warmly nurtured us as human beings

Alas! we forced our children into Hindus and Muslims


One small world was all that we were bestowed

Bigots among us created India and Iran instead


Destroyer of barriers, of this unjust world order, will you be

A gift of this new era, a radical human being you will be


Religions preach hate—they are not designed for you

And they practice hostilities—not even an option for you


No good is this Quran since it excludes the Hindu temples

You disown the Geeta that mentions not the Islam shrines


Symbol of world peace, fighter for social justice you will be

A gift of this new era, a radical human being you will be


In garb of patriotism, these nationalists are daylight killers

Even they trade coffins meant for their warring soldiers


These rich capitalists adorned in power and fame

They barter the peoples’ peace for communal shame


Shudder them with deaths, a revolutionary you will be

A gift of this new era, a radical human being you will be


--Saswat Pattanayak, Peoples’ Poet, 2006 (Trans.)




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"Tu Hindu banega na Mussalman banega

Insaan ki aulad hai insaan banega


Accha hai abhi tak tera kuchh naam nahni hai

Tujh ko kisi mazhab se koi kaam nahni hai


Jis ilm ne insaan ko taqseem kiya hai

Is ilm ka tujh par koi ilzam nahni hai


Tu badle huye waqt ki pehchaan banega

Insaan ki aulad hai insaan banega


Malik ne har insaan ko insaan banaya

Humne use Hindoo ya Mussalman banaya


Kudrat ne to bakshi thi hamein ek hi dharti

Hum ne kahni Bharat kahni Iran banaya


Jo tod de har bandh woh toofan banega

Insaan ki aulad hai insaan banega


Nafrat jo sikhaye woh dharm tera nahni hai

Insaan ko jo rounde woh kadm tera nahni hai


Quran na ho jis mein woh Mandir nahni tera

Geeta na ho jis mein woh Haram tera nahni hai


Tu amn aur sulha ka armaan banega

Insaan ki aulad hai insaan banega


Yeh din ke taajir, yeh watan bechne wale

Insaanoen ki laashoen ke kafn bechne wale


Yeh mehloen mein baithe huye qaatil ye lootere

Kantoen ke awaj roohe-chaman bechne wale


Tu inke liye maut ka elaan banega

Insaan ki aulad hai insaan banega"

(by Sahir Ludhianvi)

CopyLeft: Saswat Pattanayak 2003-2008