Remembering Makhanlal Chaturvedi ji

Remembering one of my favorites Pandit Makhanlal Chaturvedi ji on his death anniversary. He was a famous Indian Poet, Writer, Essayist and a journalist, he participated in the India’s National Struggle for Independence.

Sharing the translation of one of his famous poem titled 'Pushpa Ki Abhilasha'. In this poem the poet is trying to express in clear words all the wishes of a flower (Phushp). He is saying that the flower loves its motherland to such an extent that it doesn’t want anything but to fall on its motherland. 

पुष्प की अभिलाषा

चाह नहीं मैं सुरबाला के, गहनों में गूँथा जाऊँ

चाह नहीं, प्रेमी-माला में, बिंध प्यारी को ललचाऊँ

चाह नहीं, सम्राटों के शव पर हे हरि, डाला जाऊँ

चाह नहीं, देवों के सिर पर, चढ़ूँ भाग्य पर इठलाऊँ

मुझे तोड़ लेना वनमाली, उस पथ पर देना तुम फेंक

मातृभूमि पर शीश चढ़ाने, जिस पर जावें वीर अनेक ।।

English Translation

I don't desire to be part of the maiden's Jewellery or weaved in lover’s garland to tempt the beloved.

I don't desire to be placed on the mortal remains of monarchs or to be placed at the crown of Gods and take pride in my luck.

Rather, I would request the gardener to pluck me and strew me on that path, on which our brave soldiers tread to sacrifice their lives for the motherland.

In the last stanza the flower reveals what it actually wants. The flower says it just wants to be plucked and thrown on the ground, the ground on which the brave soldiers sacrificed their lives and that ground which is the motherland. So it’s basically saying that this land matters more than anything to that flower that it wants to sacrifice itself just for the land and nothing else. It is paying tribute to all those soldiers who gave up their lives just for this land and so it wants to do the same.

-K Himaanshu Shuklaa..