Khata - e - Ishq
- Kabir
Haqiqat ka kuch aisa afsana hai,
pehchaan ab zulm ka bahana hai.
Ek aisi dastaan iss jahan ko sunani hai,
gaur karna, yeh mere sach ki kahani hai.
Har mod pe aake mein atak gaya tha,
jo rasta na chuna uspe bhatak gaya tha.
Aaine mein jo nazar utha ke dekhi toh
saamne khada shakhs mujhe khatak gaya tha.
Uss gair-kanooni chaahat mein thi meri raazi,
jo uske naam ka geet gaane laga tha.
Iss rafaqat se meine karli thi dagabaazi,
jo uss hum jinsia ko bhaane laga tha.
Par mujhe kya hi thi khabar ki zindagi ka rukh woh iss tarah mod jayegi.
Jiski bhanak mujhe nah thi woh darwaze khol jayegi.
Yeh pehchaan jaise seher ka noor, iska anjaam nafrat-e-fitoor.
Kitne khwaab musht-e-khak kar jayegi,
mohabbat hui ya maut iss sawal ke saath mujhe chodd jayegi.
Translation
The case of reality is such that
one’s identity is enough for them to be wronged.
I am here to tell the world a story,
pay heed for it’s the story of my truth.
I paused at every turn,
lost on a path I did not choose.
And when I looked up, at the mirror,
I was bothered by who I saw.
I was satiated in my criminal desire,
since I was singing his tunes.
I had betrayed the society,
since I was loved by someone of the same sex.
How could I have ever known how it would change the direction of my life,
how it would open doors that I had no clue existed.
This identity felt like the light of dawn, but its repercussions reeked of passionate
hatred.
How many dreams it would turn to a handful of dust,
how it would leave me wondering if I just died or fell in love.
- Kabir
Kabir (he/they) is a freshman at Ashoka University, with his major as undecided as his favourite Kishore Kumar song. He was born and brought up in Kolkata, nurturing a curiosity for the city and its culture around him. He enjoys engaging in various sports, public speaking events, and forms of performing arts. One can often find him looking odd on campus, trying to click pictures of birds, flowers or the sky.
