Awadhi Poems by Rafiq Shadani
यक रिक्शा वाले से पूछेन, इस्टेसन लै चलिहौं ?
हमरी सूरत देख ले बोला, तुम, भाड़ा दे पईहौं ?
फस्ट क्लास कै दस रुपिया हैं, सेकंड के लेबै चार,
थर्ड क्लास के दुइ रुपिया हैं, ई है रेट हमार !
हम कहा भइया रिक्शा वाले, हमका तनिक बताओ,
यक रिक्शा मा तिन-तिन दर्जा, ऊ कइसे समझाओ,
कहिस की दस मा एस लै चलबै जैसे हेलीकाप्टर,
चार जो दैहौं बिरिग न लेबै, गड्ढा पड़े या ठोकर,
औ दुइ रुपिया जो हमका देइहौं, रहै मामिला उल्टा,
हम रिक्शा पर बैठि के चलबै, आप चलईहौं रिक्शा।
Yak rickshaw waale se poochhen, istesan lai chalihaun ?
Humri soorat dekh ke bola, tum, bhada de paihaun ?
First class kedas rupiyaa hain, second ke lebai chaar,
third class ke dui rupiyaa hain, ee hai rate humaar !
Hum kaha bhaiya rickshaw waale, humka tanik batao,
Yak rickshaw ma tin tin darja, oo kaise samjhao,
Kahin ki das maa es lai chalbai jaise helicopter,
char jo deihaun birig na lebai, gaddha pade ya thokar,
Au dui rupiyaa jo humka deihaun, rahai maamila ulta,
Hum rickshaw pe baith ke chalbai, aap chalihaun rickshaw !
English translation:
I asked a rickshaw puller, would you drop me to railway station ?
He looked at my face and asked, If even I will be able to pay him the fare ?
He then explained, that he would charge Rupees 10 for first class, rupees 4 for second and Rs 2 for third class.
Shocked I asked him to explain, how does one rickshaw have three different classes ?
He explained, that in first class he would drive the rickshaw like a helicopter, and If I pay him Rs 4 then he would not apply break no matter how the condition of the road is, and If I pay him Rs 2 (third class), then the case would be other way round, he would sit on the backseat and I would have to drive the rickshaw !
Short biography about Mr Rafiq Shadani:
This is Awadhi short poem is comic in nature and was written by Late Mr Rafiq Shadani ji. He was born in Burma but his parents hailed from Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh. It is said that Mr Rafiq did't know how to write as he didn't go to school but the poems that he composed are still recited by people even today. He was very popular for his comic and politically satirical styled poems. We are glad to have such an legendary personality to belong to our Awadh region.
