Khushwant Singh, Sardarji Poem by Bijay Kant Dubey

Khushwant Singh,
Sardarji,
Your columns, This Above All,
With Malice Towards One and All,
I have not forgotten,
Have not forgotten them,
Your sour and sweet things,
Paani in milk, milk in paani
And the Indian milkman mixing
The roadside pond water
And you noting for pidgin-Indian English,
Your tandori roti and tadaka
At some Punjabi dhaba,
Love of Punjabi Bhangra,
Folk songs and dances
During the harvest season of Punjab,
Love of thumri, ghazal and quawwali
And Hindustani,
By taking to the streets of Lahore,
Karachi and Sindh,
A lover of shayaris
Yours was a shayaraa andaz and adda
A lover of the bottle
Telling of the taste
In a colourful mood of own,
Beer, brandy, rum and whisky
Had been the choice of yours
And took you
Without caring for anyone
Whoever be he
The president or the premier,
A criticizer of all,
Serving the dish with chutney
And sauce,
Flavouring with a pinch of salt,
Irony and humour
As for the zest of living.