Scene: A hard-fought, electrifying, marathon litigation bout with drummers playing to the full volume to add to the drama.  The drummers stop when mediation begins. The litigators too are disappointed.

And well, a request: When ‘tak da gidh da, tak da gidh da’ comes in the poem, please don’t skip it; sing it.

The drums are beating aloud

Oh! See them pronounce:

That the two litigators are about

To argue a much awaited bout.

Tak da Gidh da Tak da Gidh da (2).

(The drums’ sound).

The two shake hands and smile a lot.

Like two pehelwans testing the

Strength of the arms and the jaws

Of the nervous compatriot.

Tak da gidh dha tak da gid dha (2).

The argument begins

The judge signals- his gavel smacks!

Another smile- Ah! The tension

Of the lips about to attack.

Tak da gidh dha tak da gid dha (2).

Ah! It is a great sight-

Alpha males- their horns strike.

Sparks. Harks. Darts. And Marks.

Like a river the words flow, flow

The words of spite, of might.

Words mean, very mean.

A counsel is wounded

And with envy green.

Tak da gid dha, tak da gid dha (2).

He groans! He gets up

Charges and hits (with words)

Arggh! The other budges, badly struck.

Oh! No! Cries the judge.

Tak da gid dha tak da gid dha (2).

People are watching, eyes wide,

Mouths open, awed and surprised.

Their heads move like in a tennis match,

Following arguments like tennis balls

Being ferociously dispatched

Tak da gid dha tak da gid dha (2).

Judging is difficult, the battle is gory,

The two rams, fighting for victory,

Forgetting the law, they hurl abuses.

The fight goes on for decades,

Newspapers cover it now and again,

The ink won’t dry, the words won’t stop.

Gains. Disdain. Pain. And Vain.

(What a taint that brothers are slayed).

Tak da gid dha tak da gid dha (2).

[Change of music]

The two Rams have fought for victory

Fought hard, and then a sorry.

“Let us mediate over chai and kachori”

(Though its boring, tastes bad and is staid)

(Litigation is red Mirchi, Teekhi and well paid).

Tak da gid...doom. doom. doom.

The drum membrane isn’t tight

A non playing drum, it ends the fight,

It doesn’t make a sound (somebody will mend),

By then the spectacle comes to an end.

And till the drums can become alive again

Alas! The rams don’t get their prize

Mark the disdain, in that voice.

------------------------------end---------------------------------

[Mediation Begins]

No one to see the mediation match.

Its a lonely affair, so sad.

Not exciting as tennis, but still clad

In a short skirt and t-shirt which reads

“Dispose the case. Do hell with justice”.

PS- I was recently researching on Lok Adalat. The finding was this: while Lok Adalats lead to quick disposal of cases, they hardly do justice. With rigorous fact finding etc missing, Lok Adalats are incapable of justice and run on a judge’s whims and fancies.

And hence this last para.