Pyaasa (प्यासा)

THE THIRSTY ONE

These smiling flowers

These fragrant gardens

These paths dipped in colour and light

Drinking the nectar of flowers, the bees sway

What can I give to you, O splendid nature?

All that I have is a few tears, a few sighs

I told you to keep the papers in order

Has a ghost stolen that manuscript?

- Did you hear something? - He wished you good morning

Fool'. Where is that manuscript?

Have you looked at my things?

Wings?

God forbid! This is a publishing house, not a birdhouse!

Things. Have you read the poems I left?

I have

You'll publish them?

Why? Am I crazy?

Call that poetry? It's a crusade against hunger and unemployment

Sir, poetry deals with gracefulness

Write poems about flowers and songbirds

You're incomparable, sir!

Write about wine and the carafe...

...the delicate neck of the carafe, the curve of a woman's eyebrow

Be quiet! Are you a poet or a barber?

Have you studied poets like Mir and Momin?

Josh and Faiz, too. Beyond your comprehension

Return my poems

They must be somewhere. We'll find them later

You're making a mess of my papers. Are you mad?

So that's where my poems were. Who are you to throw them away?

Should I make a paper hat of them?

Don't insult them by wearing them on a hollow head

So my head is hollow?

How about yours? If you're a poet, I'm a donkey!

Obviously, but it's nice to hear you admit it

Are you weighing vegetables or gold? Add another eggplant

Grandma, there's Uncle Vijay

I've caught Uncle

I'm not your enemy. Why run from your mother?

Son, where have you been all these days?

You lost your father. I can't bear to see you suffer

I'm well, mother

Of course! Just look at the state you're in

Come home. I've hidden away some special food for you

You've found him?

Vijay had such a promising future. Look at him now

I hear poetry has obsessed him

So your poet is back'?

Every literate donkey thinks he's a poet

Where else can he go? Who will feed him?

Take no notice of them. Eat

See, brother? We earn and mother feeds delicacies to her darling son

His lack of shame amazes me

If he had any self-respect he'd starve rather than eat here

Shut up, you two! I won't hear a word said against him

He's back after so long, thirsty and hungry, and you begrudge him

He's hale and hearty. Why doesn't he earn his keep? Depending on us

He's your brother. After father died you should look after him

It wasn't our wish that our parents produced such a good-for-nothing

That I should have to hear this

It was my misfortune to give birth to you two

You won't let me work as a maid, because of your "prestige"

I would do that to feed my son

Sister-in-law, where are my poems?

Address me, not the women

I sold them as waste paper for ten annas

Ten annas? You sold my poems as waste paper?

Uncouth fools like you know no better

You call me uncouth? Did you hear that, brother?

How dare you? I got rid of your papers, now I'll get rid of you!

Where will you go on an empty stomach? Who will look after you?

Take me with you. I don't want to stay in this house another minute

Don't worry, mother. I'll do my best

I'll take you away from here as soon as I can

Vijay, let me get on with my work instead of searching waste paper

There was an important file among that waste paper

A file? Handwritten papers?

- Where are they? - A woman bought them

They caught her eye, she read some, then she took them away

Who is she? Where does she live?

How do I know? She wasn't a local person

Vijay, if she comes again, I'll ask

Come in. Were your brothers as affectionate as ever?

Hungry? You'll end up starving to death

As for me, I got 200 rupees from a rich man today

He ran over an old woman's leg, but I gave false witness for him

Shyam, remember how you found a lamed sparrow as a kid?

You cared for it until it was better

I was only a kid then

But you're still the kid

Do not complain if I look at you with impudence

There!

You looked at me again with such longing

I say...

Who knows what you said?

Who knows what I heard?

Something stirred in my heart

I heard a ringing sound

I felt a tingling sensation

Slumbering dreams reawakened

Something stirred in my heart

My lowered eyes looked up again

My faltering feet are steady now

There is new life in my step

Something stirred in my heart

My hair floats around my shoulders...

...filled with sweet fragrance

Secret longings unravel

Something stirred in my heart

- Listen - Yes?

- That song you were singing... - Did you like it?

Where did you get it?

It's mine

- It isn't yours - Then why ask, if you know?

Because I want...

What do you want?

The file with that song in it

Is that all?

I don't like absurd jokes

Do you like me?

No

Then why are you following me?

If you have that file, it's precious to me. Whenever I have money...

You've followed me empty-handed? You think this is your family home?

I only want that file. It's very important

Get out!

Must I kick you out?

Stop shouting, silly. Your new customer will run away

A pauper! I lured him here, but he hasn't a penny

Juhi, it was him

Gulabo, what's come over you? Where are you running?

I must apologize to him. I treated him very badly

Stop talking in riddles. Speak in plain language

What's all this about?

The man who followed me is a poet

The poet whose poems I bought as waste paper

Look: the same writing, the same paperF

And I threw him out as a pauper

He is a pauper

If you hadn't thrown him out, would you prefer hugging him?

Our profession has its standards

Let's go back upstairs

Vijay, have you written any poems in the holidays?

A few

Create something eXtempore, then we'll consider you a poet

Shall I?

Shall I? On what subject?

Who is she?

Who cares? There's your subject: a poem about her

When I walk, even my shadow lags behind

When you walk...

...the earth and the sky keep pace

When I stop, a lonely evening falls upon me

When you stop, spring and moonlight stop too

Life may present us with many trials, but we will never part

Never break our vow of love, even if Judgement Day is upon us

2We leave the world behind, advancing step by step

Who knows how long we will travel together as carefree as we are?

I want a coolie!

At your service

God! What has the world come to? Educated people working as coolies

Have you brought money today?

No credit

It's counterfeit

I suppose you've got nothing else?

So that's your game!

Who'll pay for the food you've eaten?

Pay up, or I'll have your shirt

Take the plate away

Put it back

Take your money

Keep the change; go to a barber.

He'll make you look more like a human

Why don't you eat?

- I'm not hungry - Yes, you are

You've no right to pity me

I'm sorry... don't let my anger offend you

You have every right to be angry

I treated you very badly the other day

I've nothing against you

Then please eat... for my sake

For your sake?

You hardly know me

I know you very well

Through your poems and songs

I know your thoughts and feelings

What else is there?

I can't understand you

The other day, Miss...

Why do you address me so politely? It seems strange

Until today, I have only heard people rebuke me

Their crude remarks...

...their taunts...

...their abuse, their dirty jokes

But you show me so much respect

Massage, oil massage, head massage

If your head reels with pain, or your heart sinks in gloom

Don't fret, leave it to me, I'll make things right soon

The oil I use has perfume, curing baldness and dandruff