In honour of the untold thousands who have served in silence
Poem I · English
I, The Unsung
In honour of the untold thousands, who through the decades have been martyred or maimed in the course of their duty, at times in the course beyond their duty, but have remained largely unknown, unrecognized, unrewarded...
Soaring high in the skies, it's me;
Deep down in the oceans, it's I.
In the times of the greatest misfortunes,
You'll find me standing nearby.I brave the merciless, chilling colds;
Alike blazing sun, or blistering heat.
I practice indifference to extreme winds and sounds...
Still keep myself ever upbeat.I measure the density of barren woods;
I scale the lofty, God-forsaken mountain.
Or sometimes tread the lifeless, arid desert, where,
A little stored water, is my only fountain.I am there in unforgiving floods,
In tsunamis, in earthquakes, in cyclones...
Dangers and tragedies that cowards flee,
Give a kick to my thirsty hormones!I am in the remotest villages,
And also in the heart of the city...
WHEN TIME TESTS MY LOVE FOR THEE, O MOTHER,
I LAY MYSELF DOWN FOREVER, IN ANONYMITY.I don't protest, I never rebel.
I am the meekest of the meek.
I eat like a glutton when fortune offers,
Where reserves are sparse, I fast for a week.I wake when you sleep;
I slog when you rest.
I am on duty when you are too,
And so too when you're on fest.I am your eternal friend,
Your guard, your sentry.
I strive to ever ensure, no unwelcome traitor,
Makes in my motherland a backdoor entry.Sunday, Monday or holiday:
Eid, Diwali, or "working" day –
I can hardly tell the difference...
Nor is it all for the modest pay.I have my petty amusements;
With unflattering facilities am I content.
I ask for little: for a few hours of sleep,
A nice room would be good; so too an old, rusty tent.I roam like a gypsy,
Going hither and yon.
Till I'm familiar with the whole country,
And feel everywhere "I am at home"I give all I have:
My time, my energy, my health, my heart,
I PLEDGE MY LOVE TO MY NATION,
"TILL DEATH DO US PART."Some naysayers belittle me still;
I utter not a word.
I know what I do and what I'm worth,
I feel no need by the ignorant to be heard.You see me in many colours –
I remain ever your faithful brother –
Donning the olive green, royal blue, pure white...
I AM THE UNSUNG INDIAN SOLDIER!
Poem II · Hindi
स्वतंत्रता का परित्याग
कहीं ऐश्वर्य की चम चम है, कहीं आजीवन ज़हरीले नाग।
कहीं अधिकारों की मांग है, कहीं उनका स्वेच्छापूर्वक त्याग।।कहीं करवटें हैं देर सवेर, कहीं अर्धरात्रि से ही तेज़ बाघ।
कहीं मखमली कंबलों में लिपटी रातें, कहीं सर्द हवाएं ही सुहाग।।कहीं घर की शीतलता है, कहीं झुलसाती भीषण आग।
कहीं मस्ती के गीत हैं, कहीं घर जाने का एक राग।।कहीं सुविधाऐं प्रमाण है, कहीं वर्दी पे गंदा दाग।
आंखें खोल के देख तो मित्र, तू जाग सके तो जाग।।दौलत, शौहरत, नाम या पद, ऊंचे से ऊंचा विभाग।
इन सब से कहीं ऊंचा है, वतन पे स्वतंत्रता का परित्याग।
Poem III · Hindi
मैं कौन हूं?
छप्पन इंच का सीना तो नहीं,
गर्व से फटती मेरी छाती है।
दुश्मन की दुश्मनी से अव्वल,
मुझे मित्रता निभानी आती है।।मैं वो हूं जिसकी भीषण भुजाएं,
तुम्हें कभी नहीं ठुकराती हैं।
हर विपदा में सरकारें अंत में,
मेरे पास ही आती हैं।मैं क्या जानू रंग-रूप, ऊंच-नीच,
क्या कुल, क्या धर्म, क्या जाति है?
सभी वर्गों से मुझे, हे भारत मां,
तेरी मिट्टी की खुशबू आती है।।स्त्री, न मदिरा, न पद, न औधा,
न दौलत मुझे लुभाती है।
केवल भारत मां की चिंता,
हर दम मुझे सताती है।।बर्फीले उच्च हिमालय पर,
जहां जीव-जंतु-मनुज कंपकंपाते हैं।
वहीं कपटी दुश्मन के गोले,
निद्रा से मुझे जगाते हैं।।ये दिवाली के छुट-मुट पटाखों की ध्वनि,
कब मुझे तनिक भी डराती है?
मैं वो हूं जिसको, घुटनो बल,
स्वयं चट्टानें राह दिखाती हैं।।मैं वो हूं जिसे जीवन-उपरांत,
मृत्यु भी नहीं मिटाती है।
छलनी-छलनी होने पर भी,
मेरी देह अमर कहलाती है।।
Poem IV · English
I Donned the Golden Stars
Some striving persons aim for the distant moon;
Businessmen and scientists now clamour for planet Mars.
I aspire for none of these lesser celestial bodies;
On these unworthy shoulders, I donned the golden stars.With this little, immature finger,
I unleashed many a devastating round.
Even when I missed the target by a foot,
I nevertheless made an intimidating sound.With these untrained nostrils,
I smelled the rising, holy black smoke.
With these horrified ears I heard the crackling sound,
When a would-be officer's bone painfully broke.My uncomplaining back I laid on beds of stones,
Or in nallahs, or where dangerous insects reside.
Shaming, too, the wrath of the sun,
Discomforts all, taken into my stride.With this unmelodious tongue I chanted sometimes,
Hymns of courage, or the glories of my paltan.
Through the outer rudiments of my bones and muscles,
I knew what it is to be in excruciating pain, often.Through these lustful eyes I daily drank,
The sweet nectar of the gentle swaying of my beloved Tricolour.
As my mind dwelt on the countless thousands,
Whom history counts embodiments of valour.With these humble hands I saluted a hundred times,
The emblems and depictions of honour.
These vagabond legs took me many, many times,
To the country's remotest corner.My undeserving flesh I wrapped in olive greens,
Sometimes with fearless combats, or rugged jungle boots.
At others, with sparkling whites, or tantalizing blue robes,
Or at times with sober, gentlemanly, dark lounge suits.I've drunk deep of the fount of joy,
Quenched forever are my patriotic thirsts of agonizing ages past.
Thee whom I've worshipped, my dear Tricolour –
Thee I salute always – first, middle, and last!It was always thine undefined love;
That first brought me to Thee, humbly, on my knees,
That had me consign my life to unnamed perils –
To be tested at all times, by mountains and deserts, and lands and the seas.I crave not now for ephemeral luxuries,
I never revelled in passing dreams of wealth.
Backbreaking military training taught me enough,
To acquire long-lasting, excellent health.My self-esteem knew no limiting bounds;
My pride-swelled head always was high.
My 6/6 vision is not so clear today,
A teardrop twinkles in my eye.My flared-up ego got irretrievably shattered,
So did a vain, faulty attitude.
Pains and fears, now things of the past,
This sorrowful heart knows only gratitude.For where does one see in this world,
So full of greed and lust and avarice;
Passionately guarded, dear ideals high – courage, boldness, sacrifice,
Loyalty, pride and selfless service?A word resounds in my mind,
As I stare at my old uniform (in my heart, forever new)...
So here I say with all the force of my soul:
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!