Mrityunjay vs Mrityu

This was originally a play (rather a dance-drama) ideated by me and written by my friend Chitra with my inputs. I thought of sharing it, as I find the idea still brilliant. Lovely lines by Chitra, and she holds the copyright for it:

I.

Birth of Mrityunjay (the non-smoker)

Seen ever the life-giving seed?
Where comes it? From a withering flower
Loved ever the bliss of the morn?
The dark night is its father!
Loveliest is the blue sea after the black storm!
With life to end and life to begin
From darkness to light, from weakness to might
From sorrow to joy, from never to ever!
This my child, is the promise of life
And life alone!


Birth of Mrityu (the smoker)

Seen ever the life-taking 'friend'?
Where comes it? From the blossoming doom
Loved ever the sear of the light?
The glow at the end is its father
Deadliest is the white roll after the first whiff!
With life to end, now and again
From light to darkness, from might to weakness
From joy to sorrow, from ever to never!
This, my victim, is the promise of death
And death alone!


II.

Youth of Mrityunjay (the non-smoker)

Brilliance is the light about you
Leading you to the green of the tree and the blue of the sea
The melody in your ears alive
With the laugh of a brook and the sigh of a chime
The flavour of the first shower
Tingling delicately on your tongue
A whiff of breath bringing to you
The perfume of flowers and the fragrance of the earth
The feel of the air divine, living every part of you!
This beloved one, is the gift of life, the gift of joy!


Youth of Mrityu (the smoker)

Brilliant is the lighter in your hands
Leading you to the glow of the tip and the dark of the dungeon
The melody in your voice gone!
With the fumes of tobacco and the sigh of a friend
The flavour of the first brand
Burning strongly your tongue
A whiff of breath bringing to you
The catch in you life and the noose of death
The feel of the air deadly, killing every part of you!
This beloved one, is the gift of smoke, the gift of death!


III.

Death of Mrityunjay (the non-smoker)

O my friend dear!
I drink in the beauty around
I touch the fragrance around
I see the air warm
I taste the song in the breeze from the tree
I live this life lovely!
From the fair mountains to the green seas
From the deepest earth to the highest skies
Your energy, your blood, your life! Is but my life!
Come friend, dance with me! I am but your child!


Death of Mrityu (the smoker)

O my friend dear!
I drink the blood in you
I burn your lips delicate
I sear your pockets bare
I taste the song in your voice dying
I kill this life lovely!
From the first whiff to the last breath
From the deepest hell to the unattainable heavens
Your energy, your blood, your life! Is but my lfe!
Come friend, die with me! I am but your death!

Samay

Samay - time is an interesting concept. There have been some incredible literature on this concept: "Paradise Lost" and "The Time Machine" are the two examples that come to my mind again and again. I'm especially intrigued by some lines from Paradise Lost - they are simply incredible!

This poem in Hindi is a modest attempt to express the way I feel about time, which i once read out in front of my friends during a farewell party:

Samay ek paheli si hai
Ek kinaron pe chalne wala saya sa hai
Mere yah samajhne se pehlehi ki 
Mai hi use karta hu majhboor
Bar bar chalne pe mere sath sath
Usne bola: ek minute thehar ja;
hamesha tu ujale ki Khoj me bhatakta hai!
Ae burbak ... Khirki khol de, hath me diya lekar khadi hai Teri piya!

Yah kya gazab ho Gaya
Mai to majak samajh raha tha
Palak japaktehi majak majak me aapke yeha pahuch Gaya! 
Ek anhoni si yah kahani honi honisi kaise ho gayi
Ek anjani si rah yunhi jani pehchani si ban gayi
Maine socha tha mujhe pattharon se pyaar hai
Aapke saath chalte chalte yah pattharon ka bagicha
Gulista si ban gayi

Yaha aisehi din gujarta hai, yaha aisehi hoti hai raat
Kuch thakehare kuch manchale aksar aate hai yaha
Aur sitaaron ko dekhte dekhte gujaarte hai raat!
Main to ek ghayal tha,
Shabd ne zabd kiya tha mera din
Shabd ke kaid me thi meri raat
Din aur raat ke isi uljhan me aapne kaha: 
Shabdon se daro mat, use istemaal karon
Tabse se lekar aajtak, din se leke raat tak
Maine ek shabdo ka jaal buna hai
Uss jaal ke har ek kone se 
abhi mujhe kuch sitaare dikhte hai
Unhi sitaaron ke chamak me mujhe
Ab har waqt har jagah aapki chhabi dikhti hai

Samay ek paheli si hai
Kinaron pe chalne wala ek saya sa hai
Main aur mere saaye ki is nirantar bhraman me 
Kabhi agar mujhe rukna pada to mud ke dekhunga zaroor!
Kuch yaadon ke sahare, kuch shabdon ke bandhan se Maine Jo jaal buna hai
Usme phir se jhankne ke liye mudke dekhunga zaroor!
Isi liye alvida nahi kahoonga doston!
Bas ek pal ke liye chalte rahunga doston!

The proposal: a new age folk tale

You: do you love me?

Me: I do

You: how much?

Me: I love you a lot.

You: what is your definition of 'a lot'?

Me: a lot cannot be measured. Can you count out the stars tonight?

You: let me see... No I cannot. There are too many of them.

Me: my love for you is beyond what can be measured.

You: you are so lovely...so romantic.

Me: will you marry me?

You: yes I will, but I need a gift every morning before I wake up!

Me: I'll write a poem for you every morning. Now will you marry me?

You: that's such a lovely gift! Yes, I'll marry you.

He enters the scene

You: what is this? You are dressed up so nicely. Very smart!

He: will you come for dinner?

You: where are you taking me for dinner?

He: wherever you wish. I can even take you to the moon

You: I'm flattered, but the moon is only partially beautiful!

He: ok, then I'll take you to the Taz.

You: great, I'm so happy!

Over the dinner...

He: this is the ring I always wanted to give you. It'll look beautiful on your beautiful hand!

You: wow! I can't believe this! Is it real!

He: will you marry me, I'll gift you a diamond every morning.

I could not witness the end of this story. I only hear now people saying that 'He' and 'You' lived happily ever after.

Moral of the story: be positive and practical in life. Don't fantacise, but be active!

A poem on sadness

Sadness can be loved, sadness can be enjoyed! Sadness can be beautiful, yet unfathomable! Sadness may not always reflect your usual self, but yet you may enjoy it as the antithesis of happiness. Being sad is a curious state of mind, which has always fascinated me; may be because oftentimes i cannot understand it. That mystery behind sadness inspired me to write this Assamese poem (a simpler English translation is also provided). You will throughout feel that i have repeatedly tried to find the beauty behind the melancholy:

Dukh
Akou jadi tor sate hoy dekha
Kono nadir parot
Othoba kono paharar saat
Othoba jonake tuponi kadhi niya
Kono rati duporat
Mor bhoga pajar uoli joa berar aarat

Jadi toi aho
Kono bifal sitrakarar tulikar pahir bhajat
Othoba siyonri siyonri noikhanak dharxita kara
Kono naoriyar bothar kobat
Lothonga gasar nangoth daalat binoa sarair maatat

Jodihe toi aho axar botora loi
Otodine gupute rakha
Juktir pisar ojuktire bhora
Aru niraxar mer bandhi jobda kora
Eta dighal kobita sunaam tok

Hobo pare mor kobitar xaribor ekabeka
Patharar bokar dare sopsopia bhaxa
Tathapitu mok xunaboloi dibi
Tor sannidhar lunia smritire
Gadhi tola mor dukhar kabita
Ebar matho xunaboloi dibi

Part translation:

O sadness
If i ever see you again
Near the mighty rock where the stream stops for a while
Or along the path shadowed by the hillock

If you sneak through the broken walls
Of my ancient cottage
During some silly night when the moon steals my dreams

If you come through the sigh of a failed painter
That percolates through the petals he strikes
Or with the shouts of the river
When the boatman strides on her

If you come with a message of hope
Which the faraway bird sings
Over the naked branches of that old tree
I shall tell you the story
That i have kept secret
That i have filled with
The irrational behind the rational
And the words between the words

If you ever come, o sadness
I shall tell you my story of sadness!