I am a fully grown
life-enhancing
air purifying
fruit bearing
wood providing
shade giving
200-year-old tree
With my roots buried deep
in the soil of Delhi
But alas, there are powerful enemies
not of my species
just waiting for the opportunity
to murder me.
They call themselves human. Though there is nothing humane about them.
Their God is money, power and greed. And they achieve their aims over my dead body.
For more than two centuries, my brothers and I on our land, on our soil
Housed generations of animals and birds in our branches.
We purified the polluted and toxic air
which these humans bring along with them, wherever they go.
And the rest of nature is supposed to go on with the flow, to go on with their poisonous flow.
It took 150 years for me to grow to full maturity.
It takes four seconds for a greedy fat cat’s pen stroke
to give the order to murder me.
पक्के बेअकल, बेशक बदशक्ल
ना काम के ना काज के, दुश्मन समाज के
पर जब हर शाख पे बेईमान उल्लू बैठा है
और रक्षक बन गए तक्षक भक्षक
अंजाम गुलिस्तां क्या होगा
तक्क धिन्न धिन्न तक्क धिन्न धिन्न धिन्न धिन्न
चंद सिक्कों की छिन्न छिन्न छिन्न
इनके आ गए अच्छे दिन
पर मेरा तो हो गया ना, बेड़ा गर्क
पर इनको क्या पडे़गा फर्क
दिल्ली बने ज़हरीला नर्क
तो बने तो बने
और उसपे उमड़ रहें हैं
फोग स्मोग की घटा घनघोर
और मौत के बादल घने
इन्होने तो कमा लिया अपना धन
तक्क धिन्न धिन्न तक्क धन धन्ना धन
If I was not
just a tree
rooted to this spot
in South Delhi
I would gather my children
unto me
and flee
to a place of safety
But alas, I can only wait
till the order is given
to murder my brothers and me
this order has been put off till July 3
My human brothers of Delhi
to take out a candle procession
over my dead body
at India Gate
in the memory of
your dead friend, your life-giver, your lungs,
your food provider, your shade provider
A tree.
I am dead and gone, you are the next to follow me.
you will die choking for air, in despair
in a politician and pollution-ridden atmosphere.
And all you will do is take a selfie, beside my dead body.
बकरे की माँ कब तक खैर मनावेगी
हमें तो लग गयी है नज़र
अब आप करो अपना जीने का बंदोबस्त
वैसे आपके ही बन्दों ने तो आपको मारने के लिए
कोई कसर
नहीं छोड़ी.
They say they are going to plant more like me, someday, soon, tomorrow.
So they kill me, a fully grown tree, so that they may probably plant a little baby tree
But have they ever done so? I will have to say, sorry, no, to my great sorrow.
But I laugh, ha ha ha, in order not to weep.
Promises made by humans are not something they will ever keep.
Wake up, humans. Spread the word.
If I am not… how can YOU be?
For you to keep alive, you have to save me.
I am a tree.