The Stage Had Been For The Qawwali Poem by Bijay Kant Dubey

The stage had been set for the qawwali
And the qawwals had been on
Longer tirades
With their decorative and ornamental language
The lead singer with his lead voice
But supported by back choric singers
And the dholak, the table,
The harmonium and the banjo
Against the backdrop of a burkhawalli
Whose photograph overshadowing it all,
Whose smile who will steal,
For whom is she really?

Generally, longer and pitching high
Harsh and lyrical, lyrical and harsh
But lively and full of dialogues,
Narratives and anecdotes,
Memories and recollections
About love and love lost,
Describing the bindings upon,
Taboos and ghettos
Felt upon to dispense with psychically,
The stress and pressure of harnessed society
Flirting with the ban with the image of Laila.