[Reader-list] Osip Mandelstam and Varun Gandhi: a clear contrast

[Inder Salim]

The name ‘The Pale of Settlement’ in Russia was given to a region in
which Jews were allowed, and beyond which Jewish settlement was
generally prohibited. Osip Mandelstam was born to such a Jewish family
in 1891, But this is why he got himself killed in 1938:

Stalin Epigram
We live, but we do not feel the land beneath us,
Ten steps away and our words cannot be heard,
And when there are just enough people for half a dialogue,
Then they remember the Kremlin Highlander.
His fat fingers are slimy like slugs,
And his words are absolute, like grocers' weights.
His cockroach whiskers are laughing,
And his boot tops shine.
And around him the rabble of narrow-necked chiefs –
He plays with the services of half-men.
Who warble, or miaow, or moan.
He alone pushes and prods.
Decree after decree he hammers them out like horseshoes,
In the groin, in the forehead, in the brows, or in the eye.
When he has an execution it's a special treat,
And the Ossetian chest swells.

Amazing, in his poem ‘ Black Sun’ which he wrote about Palestine
issue, I see his poems on  all the subject. Even in Translation his
words dance.

Mandelstam's own prophecy was fulfilled: "Only in Russia is poetry
respected – it gets people killed. Is there anywhere else where poetry
is so common a motive for murder?"
Here, I remember, Abdul Sattar Ranjoor, the poet/activist in Kashmir
who was killed by extreme Right wing forces in 1990. Hazrat Sarmad,
the great poet saint too was killed by King Aurangzeb for similar
political reasons. Right now, 90 year old MF Husain, is facing death
threats from same Right winged politics. There is a strange history
behind great poets, particularly those who spoke against the
establishment.  The moment you defy the order, the powerful, the
ruler, the convention, the superstition, you give birth n enemy,
irrational but strangely potent. Meera was poisoned for defying the
Royal order and for her expression of Poet’s choice. Lal Ded too was
thrown out by her Orthodox-Brahmin in-laws for her poetic utterances
and wisdom of being. There must be no. of cases when wise  and
sensible people had to face the wrath of rulers.
Strange, that we had to listen to Varun Gandhi, whom I remember,
published his first book of poems few years ago. I guess, after
demolition of Babri Mosque, former PM Mr. Vajpayee jee too published
his book of poems. Some Artists added brush strokes to his verses and
exhibited at Lalit Kala Academy, even.
Strange that, this brand of poets dont write about their truer
intentions directly, as we see in how poets who get themselves killed
or exiled. So we have ambitious poets who can provoke people to kill
each other, and in turn get rewarded even.  Strange, we have musicians
and poets, these days, who are delighted to get rewarded by the same
state who sings songs for their erstwhile politicians as and when
election times are nearing. These days, on National TV, we often hear
Jai Ho, how Nehru ji brought industrial revolution, Jai Ho, how Indira
Ji brought Green Revolution, Jia ho, How Rajiv Ji brought IT
revolution, Jia Ho, So vote for Congress, and if you don’t like this
party, then vote Varun Gandhi, their own cousin, on the other side of
the fence.

With love and regards
Inder salim



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