Sunday, April 30, 2006

Jeevan Deti Madhushala

Manna Dey's rendering of Pt. Harivansh Rai Bachchan's Madhushala has a method of taking a teatotaller to the proverbial madhushala and beg for those elusive drops. The following couplet forced yours truly to pay homage to the creative brilliance and sheer audacity of the poet given his times and the then dictums of Hindi poetry.

Dard nasha hai is madira ka
Vigat smritiyan saki hain
Peeda mein anand jise ho
Aaye meri madhushala

My two pence (All Disclamiers)-

Shabdon ki madira behti hai
Beeti par hasti roti hai
Gar jeena ho khud par hanskar
Aao meri madhushala

Jwala ko kya bhasm karoge
Antar ko kya shant karoge
Chingari ko surkh karati
Pavan meri madhushala

Hothon par rakhkar ek pyala
Jap le jeevan ki too mala
Yahi dharm hai, yahi karm hai
Kurukshetra yeh madhushala

Yaad agar aa jaye koi
Madira se kuch keh lena
Yahi sakha hai yahi saheli
Dard bantati madhushala

Kehne ko to char deewarein
Kuch botal kuch bheege pyale
Peenewalon se tum poocho
Mandir hai ya madhushala

Aankhon mein jab bhar laati hai
Chalak chalak jab tarsati hai
Us saki ke kayi pujari
Mook badhir yeh madhushala

Prem kaho ya peeda usko
Hriday wahi hai, bhav wahi
Ek bar mein ek ghoont hi
Jeevan deti madhushala