While returning from Gujarat,
I met with a Gujarati;
Going to Kochi for business
“What’s your good name?” He asked
“Ramakrishnan”.. I replied
“Ram Kishan! Ram Kishan! Ram Ram”
Coming closer to me
By appreciating me
“Are you a non-vegetarian?” He asked
“Not like that”..I answered
“And you?” I asked
“We, the Vaishnav people are pure vegetarians”
He said with a glint of pride
“What about some of grass-eaters
Among you
Have eaten a fetus
Ripping out a womb?
And its mother?” I blurted out abruptly.
Metamorphosed into a beast,
Showing his canine teeth,
Squinting his eyebrows ,
He growled:
“Kya?” (What?)
This poem is written by R. Ramakrishna Panikkar (22 March 1935 – 31 March 2008), popularly known as Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan or Kadammanitta, an Indian poet,who was born in Kadammanitta province of Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. His childhood experiences, especially the Padayani songs, imparted strong influence in his literary work. With his powerful and mind provoking poems he became one of the rebellious voices in modern Malayalam literature. More than anything, it was his style of reciting his own poems in a powerful and efficient manner that made him darling of many progressives. He was awarded the Kerala Sahitya Academy award in 1982.
This poetry is translated by Hishamul Wahab P from Malayalam to English
