Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s Hunkar was not merely a poem……. it was a thunderclap against submission, a fire lit in the hearts of the oppressed. In its echo resounded the cries of freedom, dignity, and righteous defiance. This poem, inspired by its spirit, does not seek to translate but to rekindle the fury, the resolve, and the moral grandeur that Hunkar embodied…. a roar not of a man, but of a people remembering their worth. There comes a moment in the life of a people when silence is no longer a virtue, when endurance turns to betrayal, and patience becomes complicity. This is the moment of the roar….. the primal cry of those who have tasted dust long enough, who no longer bow, and who rise not just to resist but to reclaim. This poem is that roar…. stripped of pretence, bare with truth, and blazing with the fury of a dignity long denied.
We were the dust beneath their stride,
The silence choking wounded pride,
But in our veins, the embers stirred…..
A thunder they shall feel, not heard.
We bore their chains, we kissed the rod,
We stitched our wounds, we smiled and nod…..
No more. The fire now has breath.
No more. We rise, we march through death.
We are the storm they dared forget,
The sun they thought would never set.
The hands once tied now seize the sky,
The voice once hushed now dares defy.
We’ve seen their flags, their boots, their lies……
We’ve learned the truth that never dies:
That dignity is not a gift,
But something seized, through blood and rift.
Not theirs to grant, not theirs to break,
Not ours to beg, not ours to fake.
We are the wrath that won’t be still,
We are the will beyond their will.
Enough of silence dressed as peace,
Enough of slow, obedient knees.
We come with storms, with scars unbound,
With justice screaming underground.
We do not plead. We do not crawl.
We rise with fire, we burn, we brawl.
Let tyrants tremble in their keep…..
For even stones will wake from sleep.
No sword can pierce what truth defends,
No crown shall rule where hunger ends.
The time has come. The sky will shake.
We are the roar no power can break.
Hunkar is not a relic….. it is a mirror held to every age where silence masks injustice. This poem, echoing its flame, is a reminder: when the people rise, they do not whisper. They roar….. with dignity, with fury, with the power of truth tempered in pain. This is not the voice of rebellion……. it is the sound of remembrance. A reminder that beneath the weight of oppression, a soul still stirs. A nation still breathes. And when the final silence is torn, when the last patience breaks, what rises is not just anger….. it is history correcting its course. The roar has come…… not as an echo of the past, but as the reckoning of now.
RAMDHARI SINGH DINKAR
Ramdhari Singh Dinkar was a distinguished Indian poet, scholar, and freedom fighter, born on September 23, 1908, in Bihar. His literary journey unfolded during a tumultuous period in Indian history — the era of British colonial rule, when the nation was on the brink of independence. His works reflect the spirit of resistance and national pride, making him one of the foremost voices of Hindi literature.
Dinkar’s poetry was deeply influenced by the socio-political climate of his time, especially the ongoing struggle for freedom. He used his literary prowess to stir the masses into action, urging them to rise against oppression. One of his most famous works, Hunkar (The Roar), embodies this spirit of defiance. The poem calls for an awakening, urging the people of India to shake off the shackles of colonialism and rise with strength and unity. It portrays the roar of revolution as a powerful, unstoppable force, symbolizing the collective fight against British rule.
His other significant works, such as Rashmirathi (The Charioteer of the Sun) and Bharat-Bharti, delve into themes of heroism, nationalism, and social justice. In Rashmirathi, he explores the heroic figure of Karna from the Mahabharata, drawing parallels to the struggle for freedom and righteousness. Dinkar’s poetry was not just about rebellion but about awakening the soul of the nation, reminding the oppressed that even under the weight of tyranny, hope and courage remain.
Through Hunkar and his other compositions, Dinkar became a beacon of patriotism, inspiring generations to fight for their rights and reminding them that history was on their side. His legacy as a poet who used words as weapons against injustice continues to inspire and resonate in India today.
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