WOMAN’S CHALLENGE: bilingual poem

WOMAN’S CHALLENGE


Man ought to respect woman,
Else he loses respect.
Disrespect to womanhood
Renders manhood suspect.

Why shout at me or hit me?
You need not all this try.
Come and be a man indeed,
Look at me in the eye.

Tell me what upsets you so?
What foul deed have I done?
Why cork off a bottle and
Call names in drunken fun?

Woman I better remain,
It’s better I be veiled.
God forbid if against you
I be fully revealed.

If I come in the open,
And assume Chandi shape,
You will rue your life that day;
Hell fire will be your fate.



* Written in abcb 7-6-7-6 format.

* "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned/ Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned. William Congreve in his play “The Mourning Bride”. [This quote is often, wrongly, attributed to William Shakespeare]

* This is a translation of my original ghazal in Hindi, given below in both Hindi and Roman script. For learning more about ghazal, see "WHAT IS A GHAZAL AND HOW TO WRITE IT?" .

* Chandi--- A Hindu goddess, who is the embodiment of power, especially woman power. She personifies invincible womanhood. She, in different forms, is also known as Parvati, Uma, Durga, Kali, Jagadamba etc.

* Initially posted as item 760528, substituted on 12 April 2005 by entry no. 340853 in the book "BILINGUAL POETRY BOOK" . The current static item was posted on 9 April 2007.


M C Gupta
17 April 2003


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२०. औरत का सवाल

भला इंसान के क्यों नाम को बेकार करते हो
खुला हव्वा की बेटी का यहाँ व्यापार करते हो

अगर हो मर्द तो आँखें मिलाओ आज तुम मुझसे
तमाशा इस तरह तुम क्यों सरेबाज़ार करते हो

किया क्या है ज़रा ये तो बताओ, पूछती हूँ मैं
चढ़ा बोतल नशीली गालियों का वार करते हो

मैं हूँ औरत मुझे औरत ही रहने दो अरे मर्दो
मेरे पर्दे में रहने को बहुत दुश्वार करते हो

धरूँ मैं रूप चंडी का, निकल आऊँ मैं पर्दे से
मुझे इस बात पर तुम क्यों ख़लिश लाचार करते हो.

महेश गुप्त ख़लिश
१७ अप्रेल २००३



AURAT KA SAWAAL

Tum aadam jaat ke kyon naam ko bekaar karte ho
Yahaan havvaa ki betii ka khulaa vyaapaar karte ho

agar ho mard to aankhen milaao aaj tum mujh se
Tamaashaa is tarah tum kyon sare baazaar karte ho.

Kiaa kyaa hai jaraa mujh ko bataao, poochhati huun main,
Chadhaa botal nasheelee gaaliyon kaa vaar karte ho.

Main hoon aurat mujhe aurat hi rahane do are mardo,
mere parde mein rahane ko bahut dushwaar karte ho.

Dharoon main roop Chandii kaa nikal aauun main parde se
Mujhe is baat par tum kyon Khalish laachaar karte ho


M C Gupta ‘Khalish’
17 April 2003