My Marathi Poem...... English Translation by L S Deshpande TUKARAM I knew not his sirname, indeed, like all others. Well ! I knew not his caste till last, The city sowed in me softly the sagacity to identity the cast on the basis of the name. The moment I called out Tukaram, I recollected everybody from the village- Nana, Aba, Tatya and Bhau, along with chairman Bapu and the big boss. Their predecessors were no pilgrims. Even Tukaram himself was no disciple. But there were, in the entire village, a host of people, visible and invisible who bore the name TUKARAM. Tukaram met me, all of a sudden, in the city, in the midst of the bungalows, with his figure thin, complexion dark, and cheeks withdrawn. Spectacled, he wore a banian with sleeves, and a towel, at times, wound his waist. He spoke with a stress on every syllable, ran fast and worked at high speed. Tukaram, sweep the floor, unroll the carpet, bring the mike, arrange the chairs and tables and bring the flowers. Where’s the photograph? Have the guest arrived? Tukaram moved at a pace Like that of an abhang. And then started the learned lecture at a pace Like that of an elongated keertan. There were times, when tukaram was held responsible for the carpet for the mike and for the lecture, too. Tukaram heard of pains and pangs- their meaningful interpretation. Tukaram knew of the bottled wines and their prices. With the mention of Tukaram’s name commenced every programme and, likewise, ended. He had passed through sun and shower. These stood the stone-walled echfice around. People came, left, and acquired eminence and participated in the debates on copper juge and jars and returned home from Amerika and dubai. Tukaram was present to roll out the red carpet for them. It was learnt that Tukaram was admitted to a hospital in a critical state with no money, no medicine and got stuck up in the mire around. It was said that his spouse had come crying, asking for the salary due, but the master said : Let him resume the duties. You’d better go and sweep the hall. For the last twenty years, Tukaram had been slaving at the same wages and spared no pains In doing the household chores. Tukaram passed away with no money in his pocket, with no medical relief, with no grains in granary. Tukaram passed away; yet the institution betrayed no sign of pity. PRITHVIRAJ TAUR
Posted on: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 05:19:13 +0000
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