When Munawwar Rana fought communalism with poetry

Brut India

He never shied away to share his thoughts through poetry. Here’s what renowned poet Munawwar Rana said about communalism back in 2012…

Transcript

00:00When I was 15-16 years old, I didn't know what a Hindu-Muslim was.

00:04Seeing this, even the kites were amazed.

00:07Now even the rooftops have become Hindu-Muslim.

00:22I started reciting poetry after reading Muzaffar Hanafi Sahib.

00:26Even today, I claim that the more poems I remember of Dr. Muzaffar,

00:31the less he remembers of his poems.

00:34Dr. Muzaffar is a great personality.

00:38He lives a very simple life.

00:41It is obvious that he is like a teacher to us, like an elder brother to us.

00:46So, you have a long history of fighting against communalism.

00:49You believe me, Samina,

00:51that I didn't even know, I was 15-16 years old,

00:56that I didn't know what a Hindu-Muslim was.

00:58In our childhood, all the rooftops in our rivalry,

01:03they weren't of a Hindu or a Muslim,

01:06they were of my aunts or my aunt's.

01:09After my father's death, when a wedding procession was coming to our neighbourhood,

01:14they said,

01:17don't play the baja here, we have an ancestor here,

01:21Anwar Rana has passed away.

01:23They said, he was a Muslim, so what?

01:26Our elders have learnt to say Ras-e-Ram from their ancestors.

01:31So, you see, we are from that country,

01:34we are from that city, I cannot tolerate it.

01:38I said, seeing this, even the kites have become astonished.

01:42Now, even the rooftops have become Hindu-Muslim.

01:44I have a lot of respect that I don't make bangles, nor do I make bangles.

01:50I don't make bangles, nor do I make bangles.

01:53In Ghazal, I make the past, the world.

01:56And Ghazal is that delicate class,

01:59which is made a lover of its companion, I make a daughter of it.

02:03Very good.

02:05Ghazal is that delicate class, which is made a lover of its companion, I make a daughter of it.

02:11The buds of my courtyard are the desires of the princes,

02:16The buds of my courtyard are the desires of the princes,

02:19but my problem is that I make a bindi.

02:23The couplet in this is that I, this city's,

02:26Samina sister, in your reference, the one who listens to Rajtaba TV,

02:31all the daughters and sisters have this couplet.

02:34All the girls of this city greet me.

02:39All the girls of this city greet me.

02:43I make a rakhi for the wrists of the children.

02:47Very good.

02:47All the girls of this city greet me.

02:51I make a rakhi for the wrists of the children.

02:54The couplet is that,

02:56every reward of the government is on gun making.

03:00How will I get it? I make a baisakhi.

Category

Transcript

Recommended