Madhushala - Rubaiya 19

बने पुजारी प्रेमी साकी,
bane pujari premee saakee,
गंगाजल पावन हाला,
gangaajal paawan haalaa,
रहे फेरता अविरल गति से
rahe faerta aviral gati se
मधु के प्यालों की माला,
madhu ke pyaalon kee maalaa,
'और लिए जा, और पिए जा" -
'aur liye jaa, aur piye jaa' -
इसी मंत्र का जाप करे,
isee mantr kaa jaap kare,
मैं शिव की प्रतिमा बन बैठूं.
main shiv kee pratima ban baithoon.
मंदिर हो यह मधुशाला
mandir ho yeh madhushaalaa


To some, this would be a blasphemous verse. Bachchan not only commits the "sin" of comparing the tavern to a temple, he also compares the drinker to the idol!


However, if you truly think about it, what happens to the idol in the temple is precisely what happens to the drinker in the tavern. The bar-girl serves you with reverence, while her true motive for being there is the pay, just like that of a priest in the temple. The offerings flow continuously in the temple as the taps do in the tavern!!


The chants and hymns are as repetitive - except that the refrain is "have some more (wine)"!!


Bachchan seems to ask, "if in the madhushala you are the idol, then why bother going to the temple, where you are not?" It's a thought-provoking verse!