Remember Ameer Khusrau? Yes, the 13th century Sufi poet who was honoured as ‘Tuti-e-Hind’. The man who gave us everything from khayal to tarana, from tabla to sitar, from ghazal to qawwali. He mastered so many arts that listing them out would fill an entire library, not just this little piece. So, we wondered, what if Khusrau were sitting in Delhi-NCR today? Perhaps the breeze drifting in would carry a few messages his way. And perhaps, just perhaps, this is what he would say…
1
When sleep is lost, the voice begins to quiver,
The heart goes dhak-dhak, the eyes are aflutter.
“O Sakhi, is it love’s fever you bear?”
“No Sakhi, it’s just pollution in the air.”
2
Was it the face or the moon so bright?
Heart uneasy, breath not quite right.
“O Sakhi, is it the veil?”
“No Sakhi, just wearing the mask without fail!”
3
Target was a thousand, crossed eleven hundred,
Overnight, became a global sensation.
“O Sakhi, so the GDP is high?”
“No Sakhi, it’s the AQI.”
4
Thunder in the sky, fat-fataak-dham-dham,
Rallies and slogans have all gone numb.
“O Sakhi, what’s this hue and cry?”
“Arey Sakhi, the climate is on deep-fry!”
5
Parliament in session, ministers in sight,
Reporters in chorus, MPs in fight
‘We’ll change the nation overnight!’
“O Sakhi, the Delhi of love and flair?”
“No Sakhi, it’s Delhi gasping for air.”
