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.