Culture
Second Exile

(The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court is scheduled to announce its verdict on the Ayodhya title suit on 24 September, 2010. In anticipation of the verdict going against their claim, the Sangh brigade has already begun attempts to reignite the communal fire over Ayodhya. We appeal to people to rebuff any attempt by communal forces to whip up communal frenzy over the verdict. As the verdict approaches, Kaifi Azmi's poem 'Doosra Vanvas' serves to remind us of the horror of communal fascist frenzy symbolised by the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6 1992.)

When Lord Ram returned home from exile in the forest

He missed the forest very much as he entered the city

Seeing the crazed dance in his courtyard

On 6 December he must have wondered

How did so many crazed followers enter my home?

The pathways where Ram's footprints had once shone

Where thousands of stars of love once stretched out

Those same pathways now took a turn towards hate


What is their religion, what caste, who knows?

If it were not for the burning house, who could identify them?

You who entered my house with burning torches

Your sword, my friend, is vegetarian

Your stones were all flung at Babar

No doubt it's the fault of my head that, instead, it bleeds


Ram hadn't even washed his feet in the Sarju

When he saw there deep blood spots

Without washing his feet he got up from the Sarju shore

Ram turned away from his own doors, saying

I'm saddened by the air of my own capital city

On 6 December, I've been condemned to a second exile

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