IG Sahab Aaj DON raat 8 baje Press Club of India me aayegaa!!, kisi book launch per!! Before you guess “ME” is again on rampage, I clarify- the “DON” here is the corporate communication head of a reputed PSU, I am chasing for an appointment since months, IG Sahab is “ME” and my informer is a well wisher from the industry. A Golden opportunity! Managed to get an invitation for myself and cancel all my appointments after 7! Made it on time at the Press Club, opposite Rail Bhawan!!
But alas the DON has ditched me again, he is no where to be seen, the gentleman is wise because soon I discovered this is the launch of a poetry assemble “Muse of Murmur” and the invitees, hosts, great crashers are all of poetic background!! Sensing the obvious threat, the DON chose to keep away, but I was already trapped in the front row, eye to eye with the stalwart poets! Tarannum Riaz, Kailash Vajpayee, Rakhsit Puri, Keshav Mallik, Subroto Bandhopadyay, all numero-uno of Indian poetic society. And as Subroto is such a close one-walking down the exit sitting in the front row does not seem to be a safe (and sane) idea!
I had already cancelled my meetings and my mood was spoilt so I surrendered to all the “eager to recite their work” poets!! And what followed was something beyond the capacity of a do or die business hungry “ME”-
“You can’t be the highest; because the sky is still high
You can’t be the lowest; because the crust is still beneath”
“Those who can see sun so bright in the sky of midnight
Can only see in my eyes and say we welcome your thoughts…..
Jallaluddin Roomie!!”
“Aye meri waadi tere jakhmo per marham kaun lagaaye”
“Vishwaas Bhagwaan; Shankaa Shaitaan
Ye dono toh tere munn me hi hain!!”
One after another they shared the thoughts, bound to be taken as words from Mars beyond the walls of Press Club!!
The proceedings also made me wonder that in our efforts to keep pace with the life, poem, poetry is unconsciously deleted from our lives and here are a motley sum 100 odd people, trying their best to keep a part of our art and culture alive. Perhaps these are last lap players in the relay race of contemporary Indian Poem- just before the finishing line!! All of them were in their last lap of life too!! Some young poets were also given chance to share the dais but their “Mahakavya”, Meri Aatma Katha” tall titles, but could not make any impression on mind!! So I was yet more than sure that perhaps poem for soul and poetry from soul is in life’s last lap!!
Session over, and at the refreshment corner I can see the lack of funds clear and bright, only poor pakodaas accompanying tea!! One of the known organizer was happy seeing me cause neither a poet, nor an organizer I was there till the end, I did see many among the audience without caring about courtesy and grace, simply walked towards exit in the mid of session! Answering their Mobile Phones!!
When it comes to giving art, culture and people associated with it their due respect and share Delhi pays back the brutal way!! The only place which catches the undivided attention of an average Delhitte is the “thekaa” along the roadside with “tanduri chicken” and lots of “maa” “bahen” farts discussing dead issues!! And if it’s family outing- there’s always a “Punjabi by Nature” round the corner or a Multiplex of their choice but no, nay, never, not even in their wildest dream, a visit to theater or an art center!! My thought process was curtailed by the plea of that organizer “Alok ji baakio ko toh nahi kah saktaa but you have to buy a book for sure!! Kya karien funds hi nahi hain (poishakouri neyi!!) he quipped in bengali!!” I bought 5 but I know the amount I paid can’t save this endangered specy- poetry!!