Death, sadly has become a common affair since the surge of the virus and the cries and helplessness of every Indian citizen have somehow been ignored by the authorities.    

But we found an old video of Journalist Ravish Kumar reciting a poem by writer Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena which is called Desh Kaagaz Par Bana Naksha Nahin Hota and every word of this poem gave us goosebumps. Even though this poem was written in 1948 in the wake of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, Saxena’s words are seeming more relevant especially now when the entire country is bleeding. 

The poem compares one’s house on fire with our own country and questions how can one calmly be praying to god when there is death everywhere. 

Yadi tumhare ghar ke ek kamre mein aag lagi ho,
Toh kya tum dusre kamre mein so sakte ho? 
Yadi tumhare ghar ke ek kamre mein laashe sad rahi ho,
Toh kya tum dusre kamre mein prarthna kar sakte ho?

He further says how our country is not just a map on the paper, it is made up of all the souls that exist in it.  

Desh kaagaz par bana naksha nahin hota,
Ki ek hisse ke phat jaane par
Baaki hisse ushi tarah saboot bane rahe

He calls human lives the most important thing in the world and no knowledge, politics or god can ever take the place of a life lost. 

Iss duniya mein aadmi ki jaan se bada kuch bhi nahi hai
Na Ishwar
Na Gyaan
Na Chunaav

He further recites how any life lost whether it’s of a child, a woman or a man is the decay not only of a regime but of the whole nation.        

Yaad rakho,
Ek bachhe ki hatya
Ek aurat ki maut
Ek aadmi ka goliyon se chithada tan
Kisi shasan ka hi nahin
Pure rashtra ka hai patan

In the end, he asks every single person to not forget and forgive anyone who was the killer of these lifeless bodies. No matter if he was a friend or self-appointed democracy’s defender.            

Kisi hathyare ko kabhi mat karo maaf,
Chahe ho woh tumhara yaar
Dharam ka thekedaar,
Chahe loktantra ka swanamdhanya pehredaar 

If this poem dosen’t boil your blood given the current circumstances then don’t know what will. 

Watch the entire video here : 

All images are screenshots from the video unless specified otherwise.