Daily Poetry — July 30, 2026

कैदी और कोकिला (The Prisoner and the Cuckoo)

Composed by माखनलाल चतुर्वेदी (Makhanlal Chaturvedi)

Original Hindi

क्या गाती हो? क्यों रह-रह जाती हो? कोकिल बोलो तो! क्या लाती हो? संदेशा किसका है? कोकिल बोलो तो! ऊँची काली दीवारों के घेरे में, डाकू, चोरों, बटमारों के डेरे में। जीने को देते नहीं पेट भर खाना, मरने भी देते नहीं, तड़प रह जाना। जीवन पर अब दिन-रात कड़ा पहरा है, शासन है, या तम का प्रभाव गहरा है? हिमकर निराश कर चला रात भी काली, इस समय कालिमामयी जगी क्यों आली?

English Translation

What are you singing? Why do you stop repeatedly? Cuckoo, tell me! What have you brought? Whose message is it? Cuckoo, tell me! Within the confines of high, dark walls, In the abode of dacoits, thieves, and highwaymen. They don't give enough food to live, Nor do they let us die, leaving us to writhe. Life is now under strict guard day and night, Is it governance, or the deep effect of darkness? The moon has departed in despair, the night is still dark, At this time, why have you awakened, O dark-hued friend?

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

किस व्यथा से भर आया तेरा कंठ, कोकिल? इस कारा के दुख में तू भी क्या शामिल? क्या देख रही, क्रूरता का यह कैसा जाल, अंधेरी रात में भी कैसा यह जंजाल? चुपचाप अँधेरा भेदकर क्यों रो रही, अमृत की बूंदें अपनी क्यों खो रही? क्रांति की ज्वाला क्या मन में जलती है, या स्वतंत्रता की राह पर तू चलती है? आओ, सुनाओ कुछ, मन का भेद खोलो, अंधेरी रात में एक उम्मीद का गीत बोलो। इस बंधन से मुक्ति का मार्ग दिखाओ, कोकिल, अब तो कोई आशा जगाओ।

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

What sorrow has filled your throat, cuckoo? Are you too a part of this prison's grief? What do you see, this cruel web, What a torment even in this dark night? Why do you weep silently piercing the darkness, Why do you lose your drops of nectar? Does the flame of revolution burn in your heart, Or do you walk on the path of freedom? Come, tell me something, open your heart's secret, Sing a song of hope in this dark night. Show the way to liberation from this bondage, Cuckoo, now awaken some hope.

Literary & Historical Context

“कैदी और कोकिला” (The Prisoner and the Cuckoo) is a poignant and powerful patriotic poem by Makhanlal Chaturvedi, a prominent poet of the Chhayavaad (Romanticism) era in Hindi literature, though often categorized for his nationalistic and revolutionary fervor. Written during his imprisonment by the British for his participation in the independence movement, the poem captures the emotional turmoil and defiance of a political prisoner. The poet, confined in the dark cells of a jail, addresses a cuckoo bird, using its melodious, yet sorrowful, cries as a metaphor for the collective anguish and suppressed desire for freedom. He questions the bird's presence and its message in such a desolate place, contrasting the bird's freedom with his own captivity and the harsh realities of colonial rule. The poem is a strong critique of British oppression, highlighting the physical and psychological torture inflicted upon Indian freedom fighters. It uses symbolism (darkness, cuckoo's song, prison walls) to convey a deep sense of despair, resistance, and an underlying hope for revolution and liberation. It is celebrated for its evocative imagery, emotional depth, and its significant role in arousing nationalistic sentiments during India's struggle for independence.

← Prev Poem Browse All Poems Next Poem →

Feedback | Was this useful?