The Best Songs and Poems of Kabir Kala Manch

Advocate Kamayani Bali Mahabal, a lawyer and activist selects the five best of Kabir Kala Manch's songs and poems:


1. Sheetal Sathe sings about her mother in MAJHI MAYE. Before she starts to sing, she says: 'Everyone wants women to join protests against discrimination, but they dont want their own wives to'.

Watch the song on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7JRWE64CEw

2. Deepak Dengle writes his his poem KISS KISS KO KAID KAROGEY. This heart-wrenching poem was penned in the jail.

जेल से कविता: किस किस को कैद करोगे?

किस किस को कैद करोगे?
लाखों हैं मुक्ति के पंछी, कैद करोगे किसको
लेकर पिंजरा उड़ जाएंगे खबर न होगी तुझको
इस पिंजरे की सलाखों का लोहा हमने ही निकाला है
ये लोहा पिघलाने हमने अपना खून उबाला है
लोहा लोहे को पहचानेगा, फिर क्या होगा समझो
लेकर पिंजरा उड़ जाएंगे खबर न होगी तुझको
इस पिंजरे की दीवारों में हमने पसीना बहाया है
ईंट बनाने, सीमेंट बनाने मिट्टी को भी भिगोया है
मिट्टी कभी गद्दार न होगी, क्या बतलायें तुझको
लेकर पिंजरा उड़ जाएंगे खबर न होगी तुझको
इस पिंजरे के पुर्जे पुर्जे हमें बताते अपने किस्से
कितने मज़दूर दफन हुए हैं इस पिंजरे के नींव के नीचे
वो मज़दूर हैं साथ हमारे, कौन रोकेगा हमको
लेकर पिंजरा उड़ जाएंगे खबर न होगी तुझको
कैद में डालो, फांसी लगा दो, हंटर से चमड़ी भी निकालो
न्याय के रस्ते चल पड़े हैं, बाँध लगा लो, कांटे बिछा लो
कितना ज़ुल्म करेगा ज़ालिम, थक जाना है तुझको
लेकर पिंजरा उड़ जाएंगे खबर न होगी तुझको

3. Sheetal Sathe sings a song penned by her-EK MAITRA RAANGADYA. Another Sheetal Sathe song which gives me goose bumps has been translated by Ashutosh, a member of the Kabir Kala Manch.

Nausea served in the plate , the untouchable nausea
The disgust grows in the belly, the untouchable disgust
It's there in the flower buds, it's there in sweet songs
That a man should drink another man's blood ,
This is the land where this happens
This is the land of hellish nausea

Listen to the song: http://soundcloud.com/kractivist/ek-maitra-rangdya-singer-and

4. Another KKM song which I find stirring; in true Ambedkar form is:

We are sweeping aside the temples,
We are sweeping them aside
My Bhima has reaffirmed the Buddha
The legion of 330 millon gods
Cant find a single one, we find it a bit odd
In short that's what Bhima has found

5. Finally there is VAAT PAHWAA says Deepak Dengle. It is a song of hope and struggle. Below is the Marathi poem by him from jail, which echos the same sentiments. The English translation is by Umesh Soman

Wait and watch, I come!
I shall come because there's justice...
Sans justice can this world exist?
I am coming, my time has to come ...

The song of the downtrodden has to be sung!
My coming has a meaning...
Its the selfishness of sharing a morsel with those who starve...
I shall come... But not alone...
My intention is not small...
Wait and watch!

Wait and watch
It is small paths that turn into roads...
Thousands of trickling streams,
Turn into a powerful river!
My coming will neither be simple nor tame...
A stormy wind or thunder it shall be!
Like the waves of a tumultous sea with my arms spread;
That love of yours like a mighty mountain;
I want to embrace...
You just wait and watch!

Here are two journalistic articles about Kabir Kala Manch; and why two members are in prison.

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main53.asp?filename=hub010912LOST.asp

http://www.theatreforum.in/m/e-rang/

Petition for Kabir Kala Manch: http://www.change.org/petitions/release-kabir-kala-manch-members

Click here to read about the press conference and the release of Kabir Kala Manch's music CD.

Kamyani Bali Mahabal is a lawyer-activist and a member of the Kabir Kala Manch Defence Committee.