BH CORRESPONDENT, Kolkata: Would you say that the crisis brought on by the coronavirus pandemic has brought to life humanity? Nachiketa Chakraborty surely seems to believe so.
The singer who has enthralled Bengali audiences over the decades with songs like Nilame Uthchhe Desh, Briddhashram and Nilanjana has now penned a poem on how the crisis has brought people closer.
Through it, he asks the virus to go but keep the fear it instilled behind as “The fear is cleaning the air and creating a united nation, bringing people together.”
He says that because of the situation “No one’s face is being seen, be it Allah or Ram as everyone’s face is covered by masks and foreheads covered with sweat,” nor is anyone asking for proof of citizenship anymore, referring to the controversial CAA that the central government is trying to implement.
Then he delves into more profound issues by stating that, “Death does not recognize countries and passes through barbed wire. If the city remains, then only its citizens remain, but who will save the city?”
Finally, a strong political message rears its head when he compares politicians to a class of corrupt priests. “Everyday we are taught to chant mantras of resentment against others by a priesthood whose name is politics. Corona, your fear has stopped the chanting of those mantras and made people realize that they don’t need those priests,” he says.
Nachiketa is known for speaking his mind and he has definitely not stepped back from doing so. While his poem was hard-hitting, Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana also penned a poem but on a much lighter theme.