Speaking about the intersection of love and the revolution, Ishq Mein Inquilab Hona is a nazm of late stage capitalism that masks heartache with humour and alerts you about the fuckbois one meets politcally and romantically.
Art: Rohini Kejriwal
Bade dino se chah rahi hoon,
Kranti,
Tum se,
Sarkar se,
Naukri se,
Badhte vazan se,
Ghatte patience se
Ishq mein Inquilab
Inquilab mein Ishq
Khojne ki pehel jaari hai
Chronology samajhiye
Ye sab Right swipe
karne ka nateeja hai
Premi ki chuppi se lagta hai
Ki woh Modi ka bhateeja hai
Ishq mein Inquilab
Inquilab mein Ishq
Khojne ki pehel jaari hai
Thama tha unka haath
Maan kar unko saathi
Kya bataye woh toh nikle
Sardiyo mein dilli police ki laathi
Ishq mein Inquilab
Inquilab mein Ishq
Khojne ki pehel jaari hai
Na jaane kya soch kar
Humne unko dil diya
Jab dekho who pooche
Tumne apna sense of self
Aadhar se link kar liya?
Ishq mein Inquilab
Inquilab mein Ishq
Khojne ki pehel jaari hai
Maanga than unse gulaab
Le aaye woh kamal ka phool
Unke ambiguous vaado ko maana
Readers, ye meri thi bhool
Ishq mein Inquilab
Inquilab mein Ishq
Khojne ki pehel jaari hai
Red flags ka kambal odh
GDP unhone di hila
Dil mera todd ke kehte hai
Desh seva ka mauka toh mila!
Ishq mein Inquilab
Inquilab mein Ishq
Khojne ki pehel jaari hai
Na horoscope na birth certificate
Na kundali milana hai
Suniye boomer chacha
Humko kagaz nahi dikhana hai
Ishq mein Inquilab
Inquilab mein Ishq
Khojne ki pehel jaari hai
Aaiye janab main aapko ek tippani doon
Ashiq desh ke ho ya hamare
Sirf ek cheez makes you shine
Public mein sansani phailane ko
56 inch ki chaati nahi
Sirf kaam ayega aapka spine
Ishq mein Inquilab
Inquilab mein Ishq
Khojne ki pehel jaari hai
Chaliye
Isse pehle ki aap mujhko
Aur chot do
Bazaar mein na chale aise
Khote note do
Guzaarish hai aapse dear reader,
Iss February, AAP zaroor vote do
Ishq mein Inquilab
Inquilab mein Ishq
Khojne ki pehel jaari hai
Translation by Prerna Subramaniam:
I am waiting on revolution, on freedom
From you.
From the state.
From work.
From my increasing weight,
From my waning patience to wait.
Still trying to find
Love in the times of revolution,
And a revolution in love.
Do you get the chronology?
This is what a right swipe leads to.
Lover’s silence makes them
look like Modi’s nephew.
Still trying to find
Love in the times of revolution,
And a revolution in love.
Hands were held,
In hopes of being their soulmate,
They held me like the Delhi police holds
Their batons in the winters,
That my friend, is a lover’s fate.
Still trying to find
Love in the times of revolution,
And a revolution in love.
Thoughtless, I gave them my heart.
Only to be asked by them
If I had linked my sense of self to
Aadhar?
Still trying to find
Love in the times of revolution,
And a revolution in love.
I asked them for roses
They handed me a lotus
Got swayed by their ambiguous promises
Readers, this is how a mistake flourishes!
Still trying to find
Love in the times of revolution,
And a revolution in love.
They came wrapped in red-flags
And snapped at the G-D-P
Broke my heart and had the nerve,
To say they got a chance to serve the country!
Still trying to find
Love in the times of revolution,
And a revolution in love.
No horoscope, no birth certificate to be found,
No kundalis to match
Listen, Mr Boomer Uncle
We will not show the papers-no, there is no catch!
Still trying to find
Love in the times of revolution,
And a revolution in love.
Listen, let me
Give you an advice
They may be a lover of the state or be beloved of mine,
What makes you shine,
Is not a 56 inch chest
But a goddarned spine.
Still trying to find
Love in the times of revolution,
And a revolution in love.
Well,
Before there is more hurt to me
Or on the economy
for you to mount,
This is my request, dear reader
Come February, go make your vote count.
Still trying to find
Love in the times of revolution,
And a revolution in love.
Pragya Lal is a Bangalore based marketer, writer, lyricist and floral print enthusiast.
P.S. If anybody is willing to translate the poem to English, please write in to thealiporepost@gmail.com