As we end the Hindu Heritage Month, Poems by Punya Upadhyaya of HfHR
Hindu Human Rights Poems by Punya Upadhyaya
Hindus for Human Rights has been observing the Hindu Heritage Month throughout October by sharing our vision of a progressive and inclusive Hinduism, which speaks for diversity and pluralism as an essential condition for peace and harmony among communities. Our voice comes amidst escalating violence and bigotry in the name of all Hindus, which we must challenge to reclaim our faith.
On this last our day of the Hindu Heritage Month, we are pleased to bring you devotional Hindu human rights poems by HfHR board member, Punya Upadhyaya, who comfortably inhabits the intersection of devotion and human rights for all.
Punya lives in Taos, New Mexico in Baba Neem Karoli’s Ashram and Hanuman Temple. The poems are recited by our own Deepak Gupta, also a board member of HfHR, who lives in New Jersey and is an author and activist.
“Hey Bhagvan, Hamare dil toda hai; hamari saanse churai gayi hai - koi to nuksan samhalega?”
Dear Lord, Our heart is broken; our breath has been stolen; is there anyone there to heal the hurt?
“Aap dahado - aur hawa saaf ho jaye, log saans le sake…”
If you WILL it Baba - let the air become clean, let people breathe, let peace come upon the funerary pyres and the burial grounds, let our eyes and our hearts become one again.
“Arrey Ram Bhaiyya, Ayodhya mein akele baitkar, bhool gaye ki pyaar kya hai?”
Hey Ram, sitting alone in Ayodhya, have you forgotten what love is? What affection is? Memories of brotherly/sisterly love erased?
“Arrrey Bajarangbali, aapke naam mein beghuno ko maara, athyachar kiya, khoon kiya, jooth bola.”
In your name, are the innocent being attacked; atrocities being perpetrated; murders too, not to speak of lies being told. But everyone makes mistakes.
“WhataApp Gita to aapne padhi hogi? Sab galti us marey hue baccchey ki hai!?”
Surely, you must have read the WhatsApp version of the Gita? The one that says that all that all that is wrong is the fault of those dead little children.
An episode from the Mahabharat, narrated by Deepak Gupta of HfHR