New Seven Wonders: Ex-cop writes poem on Taj

Bhopal, June 30: Even as voting for the world's New Seven Wonders seems to be reaching fever pitch with the July 7 deadline fast approaching, a retired Madhya Pradesh Police officer and poet has pitched in by penning a poem on Agra's monument of immortal love.

''Friends urged me to write on the Taj Mahal. I am basically a satirist. In my view the Taj is supreme but I expressed my sentiments through satire,'' Mr Hari Vitthal Dubey 'Dhoomketu' -- a recipient of the Pt Shivkaran Shivrani Puraskar -- told UNI.

His poetry collections include 'Kavita Kotwali mein', 'Kaanch ka Rajkumar' and 'Lashey Khilkhilati hain', the last of which mostly contains poems on the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

The poem, in which the Taj is synonymous with the nation's pride: ''Taj toh Taj hai, sar dhoond kar bhi le aao Sar shahidana ho, toh Taj bhi bach jayega.

(India's prestige is the Taj -- crown -- which must have a suitable head to rest on, A head that is willing to be martyred, not one that is submissive.) Taj ke vaste, peedi ko khapa dala miyan Jaam se tauba ho, toh Taj bhi bach jayega.

(The generation of Mahatma Gandhi, Lokmanya Tilak and Veer Savarkar devoted their lives to the country, But later generations indulged in every vice including liquor.) Taj ki fikr, jooti ka nahin kuch bhi khyal Jooti damdar ho, toh Taj bhi bach jayega.

(If prowess is a characteristic, Then freedom will not be endangered.) Taj par Taj, bhikari pe katora bhi nahin Bhikari sar pe ho, toh Taj bhi bach jayega.

(The capitalist's son gets richer, the political leader's son succeeds his sire, But the beggar does not even have a proper vessel to collect alms.) Taj ka zikr ho, dunia mein kuch aisa karo Khud hi sharminda ho, toh Taj bhi bach jayega.

(We have polluted and sinned, But are not ashamed.) Jab se gayab hua hai Taj, adbi dunia se Dhongi benaqab ho, toh Taj bhi bach jayega.'' (Poets have used the Taj as a symbol for their beloved, But now, it has been used in songs with double entendre.)

A much more serious issue that inspires Dhoomketu is the Kargil conflict, the 50-day epic struggle whose anniversary is observed every July 26. The memory of Indian Army officers -- such as Capt Vikram Batra (13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles), Capt Anuj Nayyar (17 Jat) and Lt Vijayant Thapar (2 Rajputana Rifles) -- tugs at the poet's heartstrings.

Recalling his mindset during the conflict, the poet says, ''it seemed as if an abysmal treachery was perpetrated against India.

''On the one hand, we were releasing pigeons for peace while on the other the enemy was infiltrating our territory. There was tremendous public anger during Operation Vijay. However, our Government seems to have forgotten Indian martyrs. All the soldiers were gods in my view. Poetess Madhumita Shukla, who is no more, even recited verses in forward areas,'' he adds.

As guns blazed along the cold heights, Dubey penned 'Kargil ke Veeron ko Naman', which goes, ''Balidani yagna mein huey havan Tirange ka jinko mila kafan Ma ke anchal mein huey dafan Un veeron ko shat shat naman.

(The martyrs merged with a sacrificial fire The Tricolour became their shroud They became one with India's spirit, A thousand salutations to those bravehearts.) The poem became part of his collection 'Dekh Aayo Bholenath'.

Dhoomketu recalls the Akhil Bharatiya Kavi Sammelan held on the conflict's first anniversary at the 3 EME Centre on the city's outskirts as the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers had also sent officers and men to Kargil.

At that gathering, Agra-based Som Thakur -- who is Uttar Pradesh Hindi Academy Chairman -- paid tributes to the soldiers by describing them as 'descendants' of powerful rays slicing through a dark night.

''Tum samay ke shank par, Jaighosh ke ujle prahar ho, Kaatti hai raat ko jo, Us kiran ke vanshdhar ho.''

UNI

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