Sukumaran C.V.
(I wrote this poem three years ago and discarded it as it is too revolutionary in spirit to be published. In the backdrop of the heinous murder of the Aadivasi youth in Attappady by the 'civilised' hooligans of the so called most developed state in India, I am publishing the poem in my blog.)
Dronacharya was arrogantly proud of Arjuna.
Nobody could surpass Arjuna in archery,
The Acharya believed, and nobody surpassed Arjuna
Until Ekalavya the tribal youth appeared.
Even when Ekalavya displayed the preface of his skills,
Arjuna was changed into a toddler in the art.
Drona’s pride wounded, Arjuna’s ego hurt.
Ekalavya thought the meritorious would be praised.
Ekalavya knew not 'civilised truth' has hidden faces and,
Those faces are uglier than the ugliest things in the forests:
Only the ‘civilised’ can be the meritorious;
And praise and prize are meant for them;
And praise and prize are reserved for them.
Himself Ekalavya learnt the art of archery,
If skill is the criteria for praise and prize ,
Double praise and prize Ekalavya’s skill deserved.
He didn’t see the hidden faces of ‘merit’.
He didn’t see the hidden faces-
Of birth and caste and social status.
Ekalavya won in the art and skill but,
Ekalavya failed in the ‘status’and caste.
Ekalavy’s skill hurt the guru’s pride.
Ekalavy’s skill hurt the ego of the ‘civilized’.
Ekalavya’s skill challenged the status quo.
Status quo will use silent violence to throttle,
Those who are genuinely skilled to challenge it.
And it will claim non-violence as its essence!
Pride and ego of the privileged can’t be hurt.
If you hurt the ego and pride of the privileged,
Status quo will make you pay Gurudhakshina,
As Ekalavya was forced to pay his thumb.
Ekalavyas follow a sustainable way of life,
And preserve Mother Earth who sustains Life.
But the civilised remove the thumbs of Ekalavyas,
And devastate Mother Nature and her flora and fauna.
Still Ekalavyas win in the arts and skills but lose their thumbs.
Modern Acharyas not only claim their thumbs but their
Habitats, their forests, their mountains and their gods too.
The hapless Aadivasi and the savage non-aadivasi
(I wrote this poem three years ago and discarded it as it is too revolutionary in spirit to be published. In the backdrop of the heinous murder of the Aadivasi youth in Attappady by the 'civilised' hooligans of the so called most developed state in India, I am publishing the poem in my blog.)
Dronacharya was arrogantly proud of Arjuna.
Nobody could surpass Arjuna in archery,
The Acharya believed, and nobody surpassed Arjuna
Until Ekalavya the tribal youth appeared.
Even when Ekalavya displayed the preface of his skills,
Arjuna was changed into a toddler in the art.
Drona’s pride wounded, Arjuna’s ego hurt.
Ekalavya thought the meritorious would be praised.
Ekalavya knew not 'civilised truth' has hidden faces and,
Those faces are uglier than the ugliest things in the forests:
Only the ‘civilised’ can be the meritorious;
And praise and prize are meant for them;
And praise and prize are reserved for them.
Himself Ekalavya learnt the art of archery,
If skill is the criteria for praise and prize ,
Double praise and prize Ekalavya’s skill deserved.
He didn’t see the hidden faces of ‘merit’.
He didn’t see the hidden faces-
Of birth and caste and social status.
Ekalavya won in the art and skill but,
Ekalavya failed in the ‘status’and caste.
Ekalavy’s skill hurt the guru’s pride.
Ekalavy’s skill hurt the ego of the ‘civilized’.
Ekalavya’s skill challenged the status quo.
Status quo will use silent violence to throttle,
Those who are genuinely skilled to challenge it.
And it will claim non-violence as its essence!
Pride and ego of the privileged can’t be hurt.
If you hurt the ego and pride of the privileged,
Status quo will make you pay Gurudhakshina,
As Ekalavya was forced to pay his thumb.
Ekalavyas follow a sustainable way of life,
And preserve Mother Earth who sustains Life.
But the civilised remove the thumbs of Ekalavyas,
And devastate Mother Nature and her flora and fauna.
Still Ekalavyas win in the arts and skills but lose their thumbs.
Modern Acharyas not only claim their thumbs but their
Habitats, their forests, their mountains and their gods too.
