क्यों इस राशन के युग में,
पानी बेकार बहाऊँ मैं?[In this era of extreme scarcity
Why must I let water run out?]Quite serious an issue! Yes, water wastage is, but is it really what the poet is harping on? Here is the whole truth: these two lines are from the Hindi poem titled नहाऊँ मैं! (Must I take a bath!) written by our poet this week — Gopal prasad Vyas. With harsh truths and half truths this poet hits us with his verse with humour sprinkled over even the harshest of situations.
Fortunately, humans have evolved a sense of humour, otherwise amid all that is going on there is enough and more to keep us worryingly up, worrying every night of our lifetime! The good old saying that 'laughter is the best medicine' has even found acceptance in the scientific world. And what wouldn’t we do for a good laugh! We pay, we prank even our dearest ones and some of us take things to the extreme of feeling schadenfreude.
For a good laugh, often, is the case that we have to seek out external sources, and we needn't always be satisfied from all the sources we reach out to. Here at O, we can recommend the poems of Gopal prasad Vyas, as a dependable source. His body of work and contribution to Hindi literature was recognised by the Indian government in 1965 and he was awarded with the fourth highest civilian award, Padma Shri. His death at the age of 90 in May 2005, likely, after a life well lived, was mourned by lovers of his work.
You can listen to Vyas' poem आराम करो (Aaraam Karo) read by Errol Rodrigues on O's podcast.