A Sick Society

There has been great angst against the molestation in Delhi Bus and rightly so. In a way, this incident is the tip of the iceberg. I am personally of the opinion that this is a crime not only against women but against humankind. And women and children are exploited on multiple levels in our society. This exploitation is sexual, physical, mental and even moral. The exploitation is not done only by men. The whole society is a part of it – men and women. As an artist and as a privileged human being, I feel responsible for these happenings in the very society which I am a part of. I make songs, not only for entertainment but for making this society a better place.

A few years ago I wrote and composed this song for a film called It’s Breaking News. This song is dedicated to victims – victims of our society. Victims of rape, marital rape, child abuse, dowry deaths, one-sided love (if it can be called that), domestic violence, mental and sexual harassment at workplace – and finally us – we have been the victims of our own negligence.

The song has been sung by Hamsika Iyer.

हक़ीक़त ने ऐसा पकडा गिरेबाँ
और पड गईं सिलवटें ख़्वाब पर
ज़ुबाँ सिल गई है, बदन छिल गया है
और रूह रोती रही रातभर

दिन की रातें, रातों के दिन
जुग जुग लागे पल पल छिन छिन
मरते यहाँ हैं अरमाँ कमसिन
अंधेरों से गहरा नाता जुड़ा है
लेकिन उजालों से लगता है डर

© Kaushal S. Inamdar, 2012