BIJALI KE JHATKE

When inconsistencies gain a place and authority in life and society, when ironies, despite being visible, remain undetected, when injustices begin to form traditions, when suffering is deprived of its own means of resistance, when the system becomes established in its own distorted form, then satire is born. ...Satire has a large readership, a huge market. But this is where its real problem begins. This is where market-oriented deviations begin to appear in satire, and the result is that the satirical text becomes, by and large, an entertaining write-up; its purpose remains the same, its limits remain the same. ...I have experienced that satire is an unexpected and unwanted situation of time, place, and life, which can be of any kind, expressed in any kind of language. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: it will neither be a mere humorous work nor a mere playful piece. ...Since my greater creative involvement has been with poetry, it naturally happened that satire is found in my poems, ghazals, and other forms. These were given a more regular place. And whenever an experience or subject inspired and aroused me for a long time, I wrote in prose as well. These are collected together here. Their nature is also formed in my own nature. Their language, craft, and style are also in keeping with my practices. (From Authors Statement).