Nari: Ripu ya saheli?

This poem is dedicated to all lovely ladies. Written in Hindi, this poems asks and answers some of the questions that women need to fight and stand for. 

For the love we have, the gifts we have inherited and the joy resides in us, we have to use them as shield and not weakness. In no way, we are less than any other person in the world. 

Ae naari, tu khud ki dushman ban jaati hai, 
Teraa pyaar teri mamta, raaste kaa rodaa ban jaati hai, 
Kyun tune sahnaa seekhaa? Kyun tune ronaa seekhaa? 
Andhere mein teri parchchaayi bhi saath chhod jaati hai… 

Sita se lekar Draupadi tak… 
Aam ladki se lekar jaani-maani hasti tak… 
Teraa sangharsh kabhi thamataa nahin… isse koyi rokataa nahin 
Ab to uth aur kah, “Sahun main aakhir kab tak?” 

Har cheez tujhe hi samajhani hai… 
Dukhon mein bhi meethi vaani bolni hai… 
Galat to tu hi hogi… jo zaraa saa kuchh sahi bolegi… 
Phir tu bol, dikhaa de apni shaan, apni pahchaan. 

Har shetraa mein teraa hi tiraskaar hogaa 
Kyaa ab isskaa koyi ant naa hogaa? 
Dil mein tere to bahut sapne hain… 
Ab tujhe unhen puraa karnaa hogaa… 

Mat bano apni saheli/bahu/bahan/nanad/saas ki dushman 
Ab haath badhaao aur milaao mann se mann 
Ekjut ho kar to dekho saheliyon, 
Chattaane hilaa dene ka hai hum mein dum 

Aansu jo gire, usse sambhaal lo, 
Ab to naari shakti ki taaqat pahchaan lo, 
Jo lage tumhen sahi  ussipe kadam badhaaye jaa 
Har raah hai aasaan tu sapne sajaaye jaa! 

-Nikita Dudani