Human jackals
Poetry
Dilli Darshan:
The Killing Fields of Delhi
SARBPREET SINGH
This is the first in a series of poems and essays by Sarbpreet Singh, commemorating the 30th year since India's 1984 pogroms, which became a nation-wide phenomenon after the initial conflagration in the country's capital, New Delhi, on November 1 - 3, 1984.
My brother, Dilli bound
Asks me - what should I see?
I have heard tales, and songs too
Written to this great city of kings
City of green gardens
And sylvan pools
Towering edifices
Broad ramparts
Fluttering flags
Filled with sounds and sights
And spirits from the glorious past
Veer, I say
That is not your Dilli
Or mine
That is the city
Of Bharat's history books
Its lights made brighter
By dubious musty tales
Polished and painted
Embellished with lies
And half truths
Yes, the drums beat
And the cymbals clash
As the mighty stride
The broad leafy streets
But wait! Listen closely
There are other sounds too
I hear the hiss and crackle
Of living burning uncut kes
I hear wet heavy bubbles
As living flesh erupts
I hear the calm measured swish
Of the muscled executioner's sword
I hear the howling
Of human jackals as they stalk their prey
I hear the sobs of gentle women
As they mourn the ones torn away
I hear frustrated impotent teeth
Gnashing the air in vain
For vengeance or justice?
Perhaps a little of both
This is my Dilli, Veer
And yours too
October 24, 2013
Conversation about this article
1: Kaala (Punjab), October 24, 2013, 11:56 AM.
Sometimes I wonder ... what did they gain by these crimes, what did we lose? Yes, we still remember our brothers and sisters who went through this terrible ordeal and that was our great loss. However, a lot of myths were dispelled. Remember the "flesh-and-blood" mythology?
2: Inni Kaur (Fairfield, Connecticut, USA), October 24, 2013, 6:30 PM.
Very powerful!
3: Kaala (Punjab), October 26, 2013, 11:55 AM.
They can kill us, they can attack our religious places, but they cannot wipe us out, they cannot crush our spirit ... that is beyond their capability. Sikhi will always prosper. We have successfully faced much bigger existential threats. They did try, though!
4: Kaala (Punjab), November 03, 2013, 1:00 AM.
Let us find ways to increase our population and then let them send their mobs, even if the ratio is 1:10, we will see who wins and we saw that in Nov 84. Sikhs should not live in isolated spots, but should stick together. State sponsored mobs have become their standard tactic, we need to find ways to defeat the mob.