Everyone wonders, "What's Lalon faith?"
Lalon says, "I've never 'seen' the face
of Faith with these eyes of mine!"

Circumcision marks a Muslim man,
what then marks a Muslim woman?
A Brahmin I recognize by the Holy thread;
how do I recognize a Brahmin-woman?

Everyone wonders, "What's Lalon faith?"

Some wear a garland and some the tasbi,
that's what marks the Faiths apart.
But what marks them apart when
one is born or at the time of death?

Everyone wonders, "What's Lalon faith?"

The whole world talks about Faith,
everyone displaying their pride!
Lalon says, "My Faith has capsized
in this Market of Desire...."

Everyone wonders, "What's Lalon faith?"

Translated by Sudipto Chatterjee. Sudipto Chatterjee is an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies, University of California at Berkeley... (more)

Illustrated by Nilanjana Basu. Nilanjana has been regularly illustrating for Parabaas. She is currently based in California.

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