Petals and flowers, moon and stars lend themselves to poetry. Not so brutalities of man, the cruelties imposed in the name of religion and region, ideals and ideology. Blood and tears, fear and grief are all for prose, poetry is all about tulips and roses. Well, not always. Why should all poetry be about feeling good, looking great? In sadness often resides the reality of life. As noted Urdu poet Shakeel Badayuni said more than 50 years ago, a heart that has experienced no sorrow, knows no love. Dnyaneshwar Mulay, a noted career bureaucrat, who has seldom allowed his writing skills to take a backseat amidst all policy deliberations, recently came up with a book of poetry. More appropriately, Hindi kavitayen in a Hindi book suitably titled “Shanti ki Afwahein”. The poems rankle, provoke, even hurt, but in the end force the reader to do some introspection about the times we live in, about the crimes we commit.
Often, it is said, the cover of the book is misleading. It certainly holds no water here as the very title makes it clear that there can be whispers, even rumours of peace, but not peace itself. After all, we are living in the age of terror and trauma, an age when Baghdad's illustrious history is all forgotten as Iraq struggles to get rid of ISIS and the cruelties inflicted in the name of religion. Here, Mulay makes sure to do justice to Baghdad's doctors who were often caught in the crossfire as the country reeled under the aftermath of terrorism and fight with terrorism. In a poem titled “Aspatalo se Bhagte Doctor” he brings home the pathos of the doctors who are often blamed for a patient's death. The doctor may be hailed as deities in Hindi poetry, here though they are portrayed as helpless victims, doomed if they save a patient, doomed if they fail.
In the poem “Shanti ke Afwahein,” the poet leaves a lot unsaid but not unexpressed. His few lines take a dig at the electoral process in the strife-torn Palestine; it is the matter between the lines that conveys what is vital. Locating his poem in present day events while drawing richly from the past, Mulay writes, “Chal rahi hai kya hawa kuchh nai si/Ab shanti ki afwahein phael rahin hain/Kuchh toh chal raha hai/Ek chunao hone ja raha hai/ek naya mahaul banta ja raha hai/bade-bade posters lage hain/Gaza ke char hazaar niwasi/ kahin aur chale jayenge/ Aur Hamas ki bandooke chup ho jayengi/kuchh samay ke liye....” Without pointing fingers as Israel or Palestine, the poet proves everything to be done according to political expedience.
In yet another poem, “Bandhak hai Kavita”, he expresses the anguish of the poet in modern day. The times we live in, the age characterised by bombs and suicide bombers, terrorism of the individual and the State, do not lend themselves to
poetry; the medium is itself struggling to breath. As Mulay says it all succinctly, “Thhak kar soi hai kavita/Ya behosh ho gayi hai/kehna mushkil hai/Ye har din ki wardaatein/aatmghaati bamo ka visfot/Ye hinsa ki khabrein/Sehna mushkil hai/So gayi hai kavita/Ya kho gayi hai/Kehna mushkil hai”. He takes a dig at things, crassly commerical in modern timnes. It includes too news being sponsored today in a poem “Saanse Ho Jayengi Prayojit”. It is a kavita that will lend itself to easy reading for many generations. Without being profound, he goes beyond the surface to say a few things that need need to be said.
Interestingly, Mulay takes a few liberties with the language here, preferring to use everything language and vocabulary rather than pure Hindi. For instance, he uses a word like 'posters' rather than 'poster' or 'vighyapan'. Similarly, he uses a word like 'jannatein' rather than 'swarg'. All these liberties though lend greater value to the book. And tells the reader that Mulay is no prisoner of the language. Hardly, a surprise considering this career diplomat calls Marathi his mother tongue, and write with relish in English as well. “Shanti ki Afwahein” has come not a day too late. Or too soon. It is timed just right.
