A Lesson From Zaheer, Our Fishmonger

Shamik Banerjee

All things are measurable, son: the food

You have, the sprawling mains, for man has power

Over the world; He deems what's bad or good;

Determines if a plant should wilt or flower.

But ordeals measure us—we take the test

Of mercy when affliction's cavalry

Threatens to loot the kindness off one's chest

As in the massacre of '83,

When every lane had reeked of Muslim blood,

My Abba Jaan had fallen to the sword

Held by your neighbours; trembling on the mud,

He mumbled, "What's my sin? My faith? O' Lord,

Don't charge them for their deeds." Love was his wish

That lives through me, for I still feed them fish.

The incident described by our fishmonger is the Nelli Massacre, which took place in central Assam (an Indian state) during a six-hour period on February 18, 1983. The massacre claimed the lives of 1,600–2,000 people. The victims were all Muslims.

Abba Jaan: affectionate term for one's 'father' (used by Muslims)

Shamik Banerjee is a poet from India.