The Yamuna In Rage Poem by Madathil Rajendran Nair

(Written in December 2012 when Nirbhaya, the unfortunate gang-rape victim, was breathing her last on a Singapore hospital bed and public anger in New Delhi and elsewhere was at boiling point)

You have given me hope
My veiled and unveiled sisters
Muslim and Hindu
Belonging to every faith
Marching towards the historic India Gate
Defying the might
Of the overbearing insolent State

Demanding justice for women
Justice for Indian womanhood
Fighting death on a hospital bed
With its last insecure breath
A weak palpitating heart

You have taught me
India is one
It shall ever remain so
For ever for eons to come
Veiled or unveiled
No matter what faith inspires it

We have one common goal
Justice for the downtrodden
The unfortunate oppressed
And victimized
Irrespective of religion

Let your voice be heard
And reverberate
On the corridors of power
We have reached the Armageddon
The Kurukshetra of our times

Let the adamance
And insolence
Of the impudent power-brokers shudder
Let them take notice
No more foolery is allowed
And take to their trembling feet and flee

Let new blood flow
In your veins
Brothers and sisters
Like the beloved Yamuna in rage
Let us compose the tune
For a new India to sing
Vande Mataram again

In grand solemn salute
To oppressed Indian womanhood
All that is weak
And taken for granted
Callously trespassed

So that the weakening breaths
And ebbing pulse
Of Indian womanhood
On a distant hospital bed
Are not wasted
And washed away
In the waters of uncaring time
To indifferent oblivion

Let the Yamuna be in rage
Let the Yamuna be afire
Rise sisters and brothers
You have reached your Armageddon
At a New India Gate
Awaiting history to be made