Madhushaalaa - An inspiration to move ahead

It's kind of a spell or an enchantment that's placed over me, which I can't seem to ward off, how much I try to restrain myself from humming or swaying whenever i listen to "Madhushaalaa", I can't do it.

A poem by Mr. Hariwansh Rai Bachan which, I read first read around 12 years back and since then I have developed a love for verses written bt Mr. Bachan.
I ain't a poet who understands the technical details of poetry and it's intricacies. So, I won't be able to pass any judgment on how the verses have been framed.
Whether they have been stringed lyrically or not. Whether the tones are appropriate or not. I ain't a judge or critic.

After having said that, I still have my "freedom of expression" which has been granted to me by my country's constitution under fundamental rights. So, using this freedom of expression, I am going to put forth what I feel about this piece of work sparing the technicalities involved in writing a poem.

i would have read 100 odd poems and their lucid descriptions or explanations while I was in my high school, out of all those 100 odd poems, there is only one I can clearly recall. "Madhushaalaa", This poem conveys a message which always urges me to look ahead, to move on, to begin afresh, not to lament upon what is lost. Mr. Bachan has brilliantly used "Madhushaalaa" (Bar) as metaphor to convey, life is always led by the attitude one has about life. One has to be a optimist and has to look forward and let go off the past. His creativity is commendable, considering the fact that he used liquor as the stick to inspire people. True, he faced criticism for using liquor but then time tells a different tale, his creation is still alive and is immortal. Contrary to the argument put up by many critics about the poem when it was first narrated that it could lead people into habitual drinking, this poem has done the opposite. I love every verse this poem. I have few favorite stanzas below these stanzas were chosen for the audio cassette by Manna Dey in which the first one was sung by Harivansh Rai himself.

Complete composition can be read at the following link.
http://manaskriti.com/kaavyaalaya/mdhshla.stm

Amitabh Bachan his son has recited few verses which can be found at link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO_2Ypeq6KM&feature=related

Stanzas:

madiraalay jaane ko ghar se, chaltaa hae peene waalaa
kis path se jaaoon asamanjas, mein hae woh bholaabhaalaa
alag alag path batalaate sab, par maen yeh batalaataa
hun raah pakad tu eka chalaachal, paa jaa aega madhushaalaa

sun kalkal chhalchhal, madhughat se girti, praanon mein haalaa
sun runjhun runjhun jal vitaran, karti madhusati baalaa
bas aa ponhche door nahin kutchh, chaar kadam ab chalna
hae behak rahe sun peene waale, mehak rahi le madhushaalaa

lal sura si dhaar lapatetee, keh na ise dena jwalaa
Yeh nil madira hae mat isko, keh dena ur ka chhaalaa
dard nashaa hae is madira ka, vigat smrutiyan saaqi hein
peeda mein aanand jise ho, aaey meri MADHUSHAALAA

dharm granth sab jalaa chuki hein, jiske bheetar ki jwalaa
mandir, masjid, girje sab kuchh, toade chuka jo matwaalaa
pandit, momin, padariyon ke, phandon ko jo kaat chuka
kar sakti hae aaj usi ka, swaagat meri MADHUSHAALAA

Laalaa in adharon se jisne, haay nahein choomi haalaa
harshit kampit kar se jisne, haay na chhuwaa madhu ka pyaalaa
haath pakad lajjit saaqi ka, paas nahein jisne kheenchaa
vyarth sukhaa daali jeevan ki, usne madhumaya MADHUSHAALAA.

bane pujaari premi saaqi, gangaajal pawan haalaa
rahe pherata avirat gati se, madhu ke pyaalon ki maalaa
aur liye jaa, aur piye jaa, isi mantra ka jaap kare
maen Shiv ki pratimaa ban baethun, mandir ho yeh MADHUSHAALAA.

aek baras mein aek baar hi jalti holi ki jwaalaa
aek bar hi lagti baazi, jagti deepon ki maalaa
duniya waalo kintu kisi din, aa madiraalaya mein dekho
din ko holi raat diwali, roze manati MADHUSHAALAA.

adharon par ho koee bhi ras, jiwha par lagti haalaa
han jag ho koee haathon mein, lagta rakkha hae pyaalaa
har surat saaqi ki surat, mein parivartit ho jaati
aankhon ke aage ho kuchh bhi, aankhon mein hae MADHUSHAALAA.

sumukhi tumhara sundar mukh hi, mujh ko kanchan kaa pyaalaa
chhalak rahi hae, jisme, maNik roop madhur maadak haalaa
maen hi saaqi banta maen hi, peene waala banta hun
jahan kahin mil baethe ham tum, vahin gaee ho MADHUSHAALAA

do din hee madhu mujhe pilaa kar, oob uthi saaqi baalaa
bhar kar ab khiska daetee hae, woh merae aage pyaalaa
naaz-o-adaa andaazon se ab, haae pilaanaa door huwaa
ab to kar detee hae kewal, farz-adaaee MADHUSHAALAA

chhote se jeevan mein kitnaa, pyaar karoon, pee loon haalaa
aane ke hi saath jagat mein, kahlaayaa jaane waalaa
swaagat ke hi saath bidaa ki, hoatee dekhee tayyaari
band lagee hone khulate hi, maeri jeevan MADHUSHAALAA.

shaant saki ho kab tak saaqi, pee kar kis ur ki jwaalaa
aur aur ki raTan lagaataa, jaataa har peene waalaa
kitni ichchhaaen, har jaane waalaa chhod yahan jaataa
kitne armaanon ki ban kar, qabra khadee hae MADHUSHAALAA.

Yam aaegaa saaqi ban kar, saath liye kaali haalaa
pee na hoash mein phir aaegaa, sura visudh yah matwaalaa
yah antim behoashi, antim saaqi, antim pyaala hae
pathik pyaar se peena isko, phir na milaegi MADHUSHAALAA.

girti jaati hae din prati-din, praNayani praNon ki haalaa
bhagna huwa jaata din prati-din, shubhage mera tan pyaala
rooTh raha hae mujhse roopasi, din din yauwan ka saaqi
sookh rahi hae din din sundari, meri jeevan MADHUSHAALAA.

maere adharon par ho antim, vastu na tulsidal pyaalaa
maeri jiwha par ho antim, vastu na gangaajal haalaa
maere shav ke peechhe chalne waalo, yaad ise rakhnaa
Ram naam hae satya na kehnaa, kehnaa sachchee MADHUSHAALAA

maere shav par vah roae ho, jiske aansoo mein haalaa
aah bhare voh ho jo surbhit, madiraa pee kar matwaalaa
daen mujhko ve kandha jinke, pag-mag-dag-mag hoate hoan
aur jaloon us Thaor jahan par, kabhi rahi ho MADHUSHAALAA