Gauri Lankesh, the fearless and formidable journalist who was shot dead outside her home in September 2017 was known for her never backing down. Which is why her friends, family and supporters refused to back down despite harassment from authorities, and demanded a thorough investigation into her death. “I am Gauri” became the new battle cry for those demanding Justice for Gauri. In this poem, her sister Kavita recalls how people came together after Gauri’s death to honour a journalist who always lived her life on her own terms and with her head held high. We are publishing this to commemorate Gauri’s Birth Anniversary today.
Cheers Gauri!
You must be so proud of me!!
Happy in heaven
or knowing you
you probably prefer hell
You brought me down to
the streets and that I was arrested!!
First time!!
Cheers!!
Finally maybe I am worth being called your sister!
It’s been three months
And our voices For the government has turned
Anti government…
Cheers!!
That’s what you and appa always stood for!
Anti government..
I finally know
How a mongrel feels
When stray dogs are abound
In the neighbourhood
Watching, biting and mating
They are caught and left in another locality
We were like that yesterday..
A harassment to the general public
And the government
They took us for a ride on a BTs bus
And left us in another area
Hoping we will stop
The battle.
They don’t know the war is still on..
Cheers!!
Your comrades shouted slogans and
Shook their fists
I simply looked at them
My eyes brimmed with tears,
My voice choked and I was mute ,
My hands lay limp by my side..
Impotent and dead..
But the voices of protest resonated
Again and again
Maybe I am still alive??
I have fought many a battle
But nothing that required e me to
Raise my voice ..
Or raise my fists
unless I wanted to slap a wandering hand..
But this was beyond all that
How can one stop the voice that’s echoing
‘We are gauri”
“I am Gauri”?
The shouts fill me-
Down ! Down! The Killers are free!!
The innocents are arrested!
My very being is filled
with a sense of pride !!
Countless times I had asked
Who will come to you if you are sick?
Who will come to you if you are broke?
Who will come when you …
Are dead and silent?
Such a fool I was
As if we were the only ones…
Cheers!
Seems like I am a non entity
Compared to your
dear and near ones…
who are holding you up
shouting and screaming
Just like you cannot be silenced
They cannot be too!!
I hope I cannot be silenced too!
Cheers!!
-KavitaLankesh