The Volatile Seventies: A Memoir of the Naxalbari Uprising in Calcutta and the Bangladesh War

Abstract

My steps falter, my head swims, walls on walls, cornices on cornices,Pavements change at midnight,On my way home, houses within houses, feet within feet, heart within heartNothing more – (so much more?) – but well before thatMy steps falter, my head swims, walls on walls, cornices on cornices,Pavements change at midnightOn my way home, houses within houses, feet within feet, heart within heartNothing more.“Hands up” – put up your hands – till someone picks you upBlack cars within black cars, and another black car inside.Rows of windows, doors. Graveyards – skeletons topsy-turvyWhite worms within bones, life within worms, death within life – hence Death within deathNothing more.“Hands up” – put up your hands – till someone picks you up andFlings you out of the car, but inside a different car,Where someone always waits – like a banyan sapling clings to the plasterSomeone or the other, someone you do not knowLies in wait, like a firm bud lurks behind leavesWith traps of golden cobwebs, ready to garland you–You’ll be wedded at midnight, when pavements change –Steps falter, head swimsWalls in walls, cornices in cornices.Imagine, the train still, stations rushing by, stars shining beside dimming light domesImagine, shoes walking, feet still – this, that, any poppycockImagine children carrying corpse-bearing palanquins to Nimtola –And beyond,The old lined up for a wedding dance –No time for cheers, not a happy time this.Just then,My steps falter, my head swims, walls on walls, cornices on cornices,Pavements change at midnightOn my way home, houses within houses, feet within feet, heart within heartNothing more.Shakti Chattopadhyay, translated by Nandini Gupta1 My steps falter, my head swims, walls on walls, cornices on cornices, Pavements change at midnight, On my way home, houses within houses, feet within feet, heart within heart Nothing more – (so much more?) – but well before that My steps falter, my head swims, walls on walls, cornices on cornices, Pavements change at midnight On my way home, houses within houses, feet within feet, heart within heart Nothing more. “Hands up” – put up your hands – till someone picks you up Black cars within black cars, and another black car inside. Rows of windows, doors. Graveyards – skeletons topsy-turvy White worms within bones, life within worms, death within life – hence Death within death Nothing more. “Hands up” – put up your hands – till someone picks you up and Flings you out of the car, but inside a different car, Where someone always waits – like a banyan sapling clings to the plaster Someone or the other, someone you do not know Lies in wait, like a firm bud lurks behind leaves With traps of golden cobwebs, ready to garland you– You’ll be wedded at midnight, when pavements change – Steps falter, head swims Walls in walls, cornices in cornices. Imagine, the train still, stations rushing by, stars shining beside dimming light domes Imagine, shoes walking, feet still – this, that, any poppycock Imagine children carrying corpse-bearing palanquins to Nimtola – And beyond, The old lined up for a wedding dance – No time for cheers, not a happy time this. Just then, My steps falter, my head swims, walls on walls, cornices on cornices, Pavements change at midnight On my way home, houses within houses, feet within feet, heart within heart Nothing more. Shakti Chattopadhyay, translated by Nandini Gupta1