Devesh

Poem and Text

Pratishtha Pandya

Editor

Shreya Katyayini

Illustration

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Sarkar Bahadur had named him Annadata, and now he had gotten trapped inside his name. When Sarkar Bahadur would say, ‘sprinkle seeds,’ he would sprinkle them in the fields. When Sarkar Bahadur would say, ‘put manure,’ he would feed the soil. When the crop was ready, he would sell it at a price fixed by Sarkar Bahadur, who would then proudly tom-tom the productivity of his soil in the world, while the Annadata would buy from the markets the same food that he grew to fill his stomach. This was the pattern throughout the year, and he had no option. One day while following this path he found himself mired in debt. The land under his feet caved in and the cage in which he was trapped, only grew bigger. He thought that he would find a way out of this prison. But his soul too was a slave of Sarkar Bahadur. And his existence had been buried, a long time ago, under the shining shillings that were allotted under the Samman Nidhi scheme.

Translated from Hindi by Pratishtha Pandya If you are suicidal or know some in distress please call Kiran, the national helpline, on 1800-599-0019 (24/7 toll free), or any of these <a href="http://www.aasra.info/helpline.html">helplines </a>near you. For information on mental health professionals and services to reach out, please visit <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xk1HtACKhNgWW3rTZUYhlKa1VAiPirhSsaX6_YBBc1Q/edit#gid=2117105398">SPIF’s mental health directory </a>.

Annadata and Sarkar Bahadur

اَنّ داتا اور سرکار بہادر

అన్నదాత, సర్కార్ బహదూర్

அன்னமிடுபவரும் அரசாங்க அதிகாரியும்

ਅੰਨਦਾਤਾ ਤੇ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਬਹਾਦੁਰ

ଅନ୍ନଦାତା ଓ ସରକାର ବାହାଦୂର

अन्नदाता आणि सरकार बहादुर

അന്നദാതാവും സർക്കാർ ബഹാദൂറും

ಅನ್ನದಾತ ಮತ್ತು ಸರ್ಕಾರ್‌ ಬಹಾದ್ದೂರ್

અન્નદાતા અને સરકાર બહાદુર

अन्नदाता अऊ सरकार बहादुर

अन्नदाता आउर सरकार बहादुर

অন্নদাতা ও সরকার বাহাদুর

অন্নদাতা আৰু চৰকাৰ বাহাদুৰ

अन्नदाता और सरकार बहादुर

Mumbai

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Annadata and Sarkar Bahadur

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