Hum-safar: Fellow Traveller a poem by Javed Akhtar. Watch video – ht weekend

Strolling barefoot, On the scorching-searing street

Melting within the warmth of the solar, Carrying their bundle of starvation and thirst

Each have set out from the Massive Metropolis, To return to their small home of their small village

The home, That’s far, far past. The energy of their toes, And the resolve of their coronary heart

Who is aware of how far-off? When the gates of the manufacturing unit

Have been shut of their faces, When the contractor

Threw them out of a partly constructed constructing.

Who was there to take care of them? There was no hope on any path

The town was abandoned, Each constructing appeared as if a stranger

All the homes and retailers, Had their eyes closed

And in that metropolis, The place that they had toiled for years

These two, Have been aliens. Even the Homes of all of the Gods have been locked, The place may one go to beg?

Solely a silence echoed throughout, Even these loudspeakers have been silent now

That might inform them until yesterday, Who they have been

And what their true and full identification was, Hearken to us, they’d say, and perceive:

They’re the sons of Babur, And you’re the son of a Maharana

Your historical past is completely different from theirs, Your values are completely different from theirs

Your religion is completely different from theirs, And people loudspeakers too have been silent now

That used to say: They’re the worshippers of idols

And you’re the troopers of Ghazni, You’re the steadfast walkers on the true path

Your perception is completely different from theirs, Your hopes are completely different from theirs

Even your vacation spot is completely different from theirs, Your paths, too, are completely different

All of the loudspeakers dishing out such knowledge and information

Are silent now, And the 2 of them can see

Their path is identical, Strolling barefoot

On the scorching-searing street, Melting within the warmth of the solar

Carrying their bundle of starvation and thirst, They’ve been strolling like this for hundreds of years

Each burning alive from the fire of their bellies, Now, each have realised

There are solely two castes on this planet: Wealthy and poor

All else are lies.

Javed Akhtar has written the scripts of a number of well-loved Hindi movies, penned lyrics which have received him 5 Nationwide Awards and is a former Member of the Rajya Sabha. He acquired the Padma Bhushan in 2007.

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