Murder Of A Dancing Girl Poem by Asit Kumar Sanyal

On a icy cold winter night
of January 2009
A 25 year old dancer
dragged out of her home
by Taliban men
pulled her …
by her long black hair
through the town
with her wailing mother
running after them
Battered with rifle butts
And shot at point-blank range.

They left her bullet-ridden body
at Green square of the town
Now Khooni Chowk*
It was a warning from Taliban
To the people of Banr Bazar
where dance and music
Was part of daily life for centuries.

The incident made ghunghroos silent
put a cap to cultural tradition
and diversity
in archeological city Mingora
That was the hallmark of
picturesque Swat
the most beautiful valley in Pakistan.

Later military pushed back talibans
but protection not given to performers
authorities yielded taliban's demands
dignity of artists turned into shame
as connoisseurs of art became customers
and the sound of music replaced by
jackboots in the streets.
*Bloody square