Malay Roychoudhury's poems - Translated by Uttaran Das Gupta
Poems of Malay Roychoudhury translated by Uttaran Das Gupta
Rebellion is in the air again. From the streets of Cairo to the
boulevards of Boston, and closer home in Bangladesh, young men and women
are willing to pay with their lives to stop the onward march of Moloch,
representing all kinds of regressive forces that do not want the status
quo to be challenged, who insist on giving us laughter in lieu of
happiness, and whose sole aim is to strangle and starve to death all
that is holy, and flows and lives.
A decade like this occurred before in history half-a-century ago and it
tied the Indian and American literary traditions even more strongly than
before. It is known that Transcendentalism was influenced by Hindu
scriptures like the Gita. Allen Ginsberg, a leader of the Beat movement
which created a space for an alternative political and social order in
America, also looked to India for inspiration, like his
Transcendentalist literary father Walt Whitman.
His travels in India brought him in touch with a group of artistes driven by similar ideals of reconstructing society through their art, which eschewed any bourgeoisie inhibitions, attacked the Establishment and took pride in its vulnerability.
Like Ginsberg, the leader of the Hungryalists Malay Roy Choudhuri also underwent an obscenity trial for his poem Stark Electric Jesus, an event that was noticed around the world. We had reprinted the poem earlier and you may look it up.
We believe that the Hungryalists and the Beats did not fail in their aims. It was the society at large which did. We think that there is much in their poetry that can help keep the spirit of rebellion alive all over the world, for the task is far from done yet.
Towards this end, we have a small contribution to make. Starting today, we will be publishing a poem per day for the next five days by Malay Roy Choudhury, translated by Uttaran Das Gupta, a journalist and poet from Calcutta who now lives in New Delhi. The poems cover varied themes, tackling notions of the self and nationhood among others. Some of the more personal poems provide a striking account of the ignominy suffered by the Hungryalist poets at the hands of an insensitive state and callous society and sadly, even fellow writers and editors who far from expressing solidarity seem to have reveled in their misfortunes.
 |
| A Painting by Hungryalist Painter Anil Karanjai Source: Facebook Page (with permission from his wife Juliet Reynolds) |
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻĻā§āĻļ
āĻŽāĻ˛ā§ āĻ°āĻžā§āĻā§āĻ§ā§āĻ°ā§
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻā§āĻˇā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻāĻŦ āĻ¨ā§ āĻ¯ā§ āĻāĻĻāĻŋāĻŦāĻžā§āĻŋ āĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻ°āĻĒāĻžā§āĻž āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĻā§āĻļ āĻ¨ā§
āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻā§āĻāĻžā§ āĻ āĻĒāĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻŋāĻ¤āĻĻā§āĻ° āĻā§āĻ āĻā§āĻŦāĻ˛āĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻ˛āĻžāĻļ āĻā§āĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻ¸ā§
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻā§āĻˇā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻāĻŦ āĻ¨ā§ āĻ¯ā§ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ¸āĻŋāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻšāĻŋāĻ°āĻŋāĻā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĻā§āĻļ āĻ¨ā§
āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻĒāĻžāĻļā§āĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻŋ āĻĒāĻžā§āĻžā§ āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻ¤āĻŋāĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻ¤ā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻŋāĻļā§āĻ°ā§āĻĻā§āĻ° āĻŦā§āĻāĻ§ā§ āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻž āĻšā§
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻā§āĻˇā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻāĻŦ āĻ¨ā§ āĻ¯ā§ āĻŽāĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻŦāĻžā§āĻŋ āĻĒāĻžāĻŖāĻŋāĻšāĻžāĻāĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĻā§āĻļ āĻ¨ā§
āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻĒāĻžā§āĻžā§ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻā§āĻĒā§āĻ°ā§ āĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ°āĻž āĻšā§ā§āĻā§
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻā§āĻˇā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻāĻŦ āĻ¨ā§ āĻ¯ā§ āĻļā§āĻļāĻŦā§āĻ° āĻā§āĻ¨ā§āĻ¨ā§āĻāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĻā§āĻļ āĻ¨ā§
āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻĻāĻŋā§ā§ āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻ˛āĻž āĻā§āĻā§ āĻŽāĻžāĻ°āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒāĻžāĻ āĻžā§
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻā§āĻˇā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻāĻŦ āĻ¨ā§ āĻ¯ā§ āĻ¯ā§āĻŦāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻāĻ˛āĻāĻžāĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĻā§āĻļ āĻ¨ā§
āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻŦā§āĻŽāĻž āĻŽāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻŦāĻžāĻ¸ā§-āĻā§āĻ°āĻžāĻŽā§ āĻāĻā§āĻ¨ āĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻžā§
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻā§āĻˇā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻāĻŦ āĻ¨ā§ āĻ¯ā§ āĻĒāĻļā§āĻāĻŋāĻŽāĻŦāĻā§āĻ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĻā§āĻļ āĻ¨ā§
āĻāĻĻā§āĻļā§āĻ° āĻ˛āĻāĻāĻĒā§ āĻĒāĻŋāĻā§āĻ¨āĻŋ āĻā§ā§ā§ āĻĨā§āĻāĻ¤āĻ˛ā§ āĻŽāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§
āĻāĻĻā§āĻļā§āĻ° āĻāĻž-āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻ¨āĻž āĻā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻĒā§ā§ā§ āĻĻā§āĻŋāĻĻāĻā§āĻāĻž āĻšāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§
āĻāĻĻā§āĻļā§āĻ° āĻāĻāĻāĻ˛ā§ āĻāĻ˛āĻžā§ āĻĻā§āĻŋ āĻĻāĻŋā§ā§ āĻā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§
āĻāĻĻā§āĻļā§āĻ° āĻĻāĻ˛āĻā§āĻŖā§āĻĄāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻĒā§āĻāĻ¤āĻž āĻŽāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ° āĻ¤āĻ˛āĻžā§ āĻšāĻžā§ āĻšāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§
āĻāĻĻā§āĻļā§āĻ° āĻ§āĻ¨ā§āĻĻā§āĻ° āĻĢāĻžāĻāĻĻā§ āĻĢā§āĻāĻ¸ā§ āĻ¸āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ¤ āĻšāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§
āĻāĻĻā§āĻļā§āĻ° āĻļāĻžāĻ¸āĻāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ§āĻž āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻā§āĻĒā§āĻ˛āĻžāĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻŽā§āĻā§ āĻŦā§āĻŦāĻž āĻĨāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§
āĻāĻĻā§āĻļā§āĻ° āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻĢā§āĻāĻĒāĻ°āĻž āĻŦāĻā§āĻ¤ā§āĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻŽāĻ¨ā§āĻĻ āĻļā§āĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§
āĻāĻĻā§āĻļā§āĻ° āĻ āĻŦāĻ°ā§āĻ§āĻāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻĻā§āĻ° āĻāĻāĻāĻžāĻ¨ā§ āĻĒāĻĨā§ āĻšāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻāĻĢā§āĻ˛ āĻāĻ°āĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻ§āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻā§
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻĒāĻā§āĻˇā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻž āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻāĻŦ āĻ¨ā§ āĻ¯ā§ āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻ˛āĻžāĻāĻžāĻˇāĻž āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻĻā§āĻļ āĻ¨ā§
Homeland
Malay Roychoudhury |Translation: Uttaran Das Gupta
Canât say my Uttarpara ancestral home isnât my homeland,
I know unidentified bodies, their eyes plucked out, float by in the Ganga.
Canât say my auntâs Ahiritola isnât my homeland,
I know abducted girls are bound and gagged in Sonagachi nearby.
Canât say my uncleâs at Panihati isnât my homeland,
I know who was killed, and where, in broad daylight.
Canât say my adolescent Konnagar isnât my homeland,
I know who was sent to cut whose throat.
Canât say my youthâs Calcutta isnât my homeland,
I know who threw bombs, set fire on buses, trams.
Canât say West Bengal isnât my homeland,
Iâve the right to be tortured to death in its lock-ups,
Iâve the right to starve and have rickets in its tea gardens,
Iâve the right to hang myself at its handloom mills,
Iâve the right to become bones buried by its party lumpen,
Iâve the right to have my mouth taped, silenced,
Iâve the right to hear the leaders sprout gibberish, abuse,
Iâve the right to a heart attack on its streets blocked by protestors,
Canât say Bengali isnât my homeland.
 |
| Photo : Gb |
āĻ¸ā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŋ āĻ¨ā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻĒāĻāĻŋāĻ¨
āĻŽāĻ˛ā§ āĻ°āĻžā§āĻā§āĻ§ā§āĻ°ā§
āĻāĻžāĻ˛ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻ¸āĻž āĻāĻ āĻŽā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ° āĻŽāĻ¤ā§, āĻ¯āĻžāĻ°
āĻ¸ā§āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻž āĻŦāĻ¨ā§āĻ§ āĻšā§ā§ āĻā§āĻ˛ ; āĻŽāĻžāĻ¸ā§
āĻ¸āĻžā§ā§ āĻ¤āĻŋāĻ¨ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻĒā§ā§ āĻļā§āĻāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻžāĻ¸
āĻŦā§āĻāĻ§ā§, āĻĒāĻ°ā§ āĻĨāĻžāĻāĻ¤ā§ āĻšāĻŦā§ ; āĻŦāĻ°ā§āĻˇāĻžā§
āĻāĻžāĻ¸ āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¸āĻŦā§āĻ, āĻ¤āĻāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻĒā§ā§ āĻāĻžāĻ
āĻŽā§ā§ā§, āĻ°āĻā§āĻ¤ āĻļā§āĻˇā§ āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻŦāĻžāĻ° āĻ¤āĻ°āĻāĻŋāĻŦā§
āĻā§āĻĒāĻāĻžāĻĒ āĻŦāĻāĻšā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻāĻž āĻŦāĻ¸ā§ āĻĨāĻžāĻāĻž āĨ¤
Sanitary Napkin
Malay Roychoudhury | Translation: Uttaran Das Gupta
Love is like that girl, who
had to drop out of school;
Three-and-a-half days each month,
Must wear dry grass tied in cloth;
In monsoon, the grass is green,
So, ash wrapped in cloth,
to soak up the blood,
seated quietly, alone, book-less.
 |
| Source: http://www.freeimages.com/ |
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻžāĻā§āĻŽāĻžāĻā§ āĻ¯ā§āĻ¨ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻŦā§āĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻž
āĻŽāĻ˛ā§ āĻ°āĻžā§āĻā§āĻ§ā§āĻ°ā§
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžā§ āĻĒāĻāĻ¨ā§āĻĻ āĻāĻ°āĻ¤ā§ āĻŦāĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ°ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨
āĻāĻĒāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻĒāĻāĻ¨ā§āĻĻ āĻāĻ°āĻā§āĻ¨, āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻž ?
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻāĻ āĻļā§āĻā§āĻžāĻĒā§āĻāĻžāĻ āĻžāĻļāĻž āĻāĻļāĻžāĻ¨āĻŽā§āĻā§ āĻāĻŋā§āĻ¸āĻžāĻāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻĻāĻŋāĻ
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻĒāĻā§āĻāĻžāĻļ āĻŦāĻāĻ° āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤āĻž āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻ¨āĻŋ
āĻāĻĒāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻāĻā§āĻ¨, āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻž ?
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻāĻ āĻāĻ˛ā§āĻ° āĻĻāĻļ-āĻĒāĻž āĻāĻā§āĻ°ā§ āĻĻāĻžāĻā§āĻŋāĻ āĻŦāĻ°āĻĢā§āĻ° āĻ˛āĻžāĻ āĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻžāĻ
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ¸āĻžāĻŦāĻā§āĻĄāĻŋāĻ¸ āĻŽāĻžāĻŽāĻ˛āĻžā§ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻā§ā§ āĻ˛āĻŋāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨
āĻāĻĒāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻ āĻšā§ā§ āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻž āĻāĻžāĻāĻā§āĻ¨, āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻž ?
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻāĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻŽā§āĻāĻĄ āĻĒā§āĻāĻā§āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻ° āĻāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻŋāĻ° āĻĒāĻ°ā§āĻāĻž āĻā§āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻžāĻ˛ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻ¸āĻŋ
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤āĻžāĻ° āĻŦāĻā§ā§āĻ° āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻāĻžāĻļāĻ āĻšā§ā§āĻ āĻ¸ā§āĻŦā§āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°ā§āĻ¨āĻ¨āĻŋ
āĻāĻĒāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻ¸ā§āĻŦā§āĻāĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ°āĻā§āĻ¨, āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻž ?
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻāĻ āĻĻā§āĻĒā§āĻ° āĻā§āĻ°āĻ¸ā§āĻšā§āĻ° āĻšāĻžāĻ-āĻŽā§āĻā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻāĻĻāĻŋā§ā§ āĻĢā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻŽāĻŋāĻ˛āĻŋāĻĒā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ āĻšāĻžāĻ āĻ¤ā§āĻ˛āĻŋ
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻā§āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻŖ āĻāĻ°āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻžāĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻž
āĻāĻĒāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻ¤āĻ°ā§āĻŖāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻ°āĻā§āĻ¨, āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻž ?
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ°āĻā§āĻ¤āĻā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻ˛ā§ āĻāĻžāĻāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻ¸āĻā§āĻā§ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻĄā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĻā§ āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻāĻžāĻ
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻŦāĻ˛ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻŽāĻ§ā§āĻ¯ā§ āĻ¸āĻ¤ā§āĻ¯āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻ° āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻā§āĻ° āĻā§āĻ¨ā§ āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻĒāĻžāĻ° āĻ¨ā§āĻ
āĻāĻĒāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻ°āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻā§, āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻž ?
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻāĻŽāĻ˛āĻŋāĻ¤āĻ˛āĻžā§ āĻāĻžāĻ¨āĻ¤ā§āĻŽ āĻāĻžāĻ āĻā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻāĻžā§āĻž āĻāĻāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻĒā§ā§āĻžā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻžāĻĻ āĻšā§ āĻ¨āĻž
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻŦāĻ˛ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻā§āĻ¨ā§ āĻā§āĻ°āĻŋā§ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻ
āĻāĻĒāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻ°āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻā§, āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻž ?
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ āĻ¨ā§āĻ¤āĻ¤ āĻĒāĻžāĻāĻ āĻšāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻā§āĻāĻŋ āĻāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ° āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻ āĻĒā§ā§āĻŋā§ā§ āĻŽā§āĻžāĻ° āĻāĻ¨ā§āĻ§ āĻĒā§ā§ā§āĻāĻŋ
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻŦāĻ˛ā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ° āĻĻā§āĻŦāĻžāĻ°āĻž āĻā§āĻ¨ā§āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤āĻž āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻž āĻšāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž
āĻāĻĒāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻ°āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻšā§ā§āĻā§, āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻž ?
āĻāĻŽāĻŋ āĻ ā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻŽāĻ¸ā§āĻāĻžāĻ°āĻĄāĻŽā§āĻ° āĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻĒāĻžā§ā§ āĻĻāĻžāĻā§āĻŋā§ā§ āĻšāĻžāĻāĻāĻ°āĻž āĻŦā§ā§ā§āĻĻā§āĻ° āĻ˛āĻŋāĻ°āĻŋāĻ āĻļā§āĻ¨ā§āĻāĻŋ
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻ¸ā§āĻ¸āĻŽā§ā§ āĻĻā§āĻāĻ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻāĻ° āĻ°āĻžāĻ āĻĨā§āĻā§ āĻŦāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻˇā§āĻŖāĻžā§ āĻāĻ ā§āĻā§āĻ¨
āĻāĻĒāĻ¨āĻŋ āĻāĻ¤ āĻāĻĻāĻžāĻ° āĻā§āĻ¨, āĻ¨ā§āĻ°āĻž ?
āĻāĻŽāĻžāĻ° āĻ āĻžāĻā§āĻŽāĻžāĻā§ āĻ¯ā§āĻ¨ āĻĒā§āĻ˛āĻŋāĻ āĻŦāĻ˛āĻŦā§āĻ¨ āĻ¨āĻž āĨ¤
â
Please Donât Tell My Grandmother
Malay Roychoudhury | Translation: Uttaran Das Gupta
He asked you not to like me,
So why did you, Neera?
Even now, I perform breaststrokes in caterpillar-stuffed north eastern clouds
He didnât ask me for any poems for 50 years,
So why are you asking now, Neera?
Even now, standing in 10-foot-deep water, I wield icy rods
He wrote an editorial on my sub-judice case,
Turning an editor, why are you asking for my writing, Neera?
Even now, I love flatbreads stuffed with smoked penguin fat
He did not confess to being my anthologyâs publisher
Why did you confess, Neera?
Even now, I have family-pack yawns in the face of families,
He didnât like pronouncing my name
So why are you telling it to youths, Neera?
Even now, in bloody waters, I join the Bollywood chorus of tiger sharks
He had said I have nothing of a true writer
So why do you think I do, Neera?
At Imlitala, I knew rat roasts donât taste too good without charcoal smoke
He said I have nothing creative in me
So why do you think I do, Neera?
Having burnt bank notes worth Rs 5,000 crore, I smelt death
He said Iâll never write poetry
So why do you think I have, Neera?
On the banks of Amsterdamâs canals I have heard doddering old men sing limericks
He transcended from sorrow to anger and anger to hate
Why are you so generous Neera?
Please donât tell my grandmother.
 |
| Homage to Picasso by Hungryalist Painter Anil Karanjai Source: Facebook Page (with permission from his wife Juliet Reynolds) |
āĻāĻŽā§āĻĄāĻŋ āĻšāĻ˛ āĻā§āĻ°ā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻā§āĻĄāĻŋāĻ° āĻĒāĻ°āĻāĻžāĻāĻž
āĻŽāĻ˛ā§ āĻ°āĻžā§āĻā§āĻ§ā§āĻ°ā§
āĻā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ¯ā§āĻ¨ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻā§āĻ° ? 'āĻāĻ¨āĻ¤āĻž' āĻĒāĻ¤ā§āĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ°? ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§§ āĻ¸āĻžāĻ˛ā§
āĻ˛āĻŋāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨, 'āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž', āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻĨāĻŽ āĻĒāĻžāĻ¤āĻžā§!
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ? āĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻŦā§āĻ§āĻšā§ āĻŽā§āĻāĻžāĻŽā§āĻŦā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĨ¤
āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻĒāĻ°ā§ ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§¨, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Š, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Ē, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Ģ, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Ŧ
āĻā§ āĻ¯ā§āĻ¨ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻŦā§āĻāĻā§āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻāĻž, āĻ˛āĻŋāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻĻā§āĻ¨āĻŋāĻā§
'āĻāĻ, āĻ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻ¤ā§ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž', āĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻ¯ āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻā§
āĻā§ āĻ¯ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻŋ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ, āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻ¯ā§, āĻ¸āĻĒā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻĄā§, āĻŦā§āĻāĻ¸ā§āĻāĻ˛ā§
āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻĒā§āĻā§ āĻ¨āĻž ? āĻā§āĻĨāĻžā§ āĻā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ, āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻ¯ā§!
āĻāĻžāĻŦāĻĻāĻžāĻāĻ¤āĻ° āĻāĻ āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻ˛ āĻŽā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§ āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨â
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ ? āĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻŦā§āĻ§āĻšā§ āĻĄāĻā§āĻāĻ° āĻĄāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĨ¤
āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻĒāĻ°ā§ ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Ž, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§¯, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ļ, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§§, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§¨
āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻ¸āĻā§ āĻ¨āĻž ? āĻā§āĻā§ āĻāĻļāĻŽāĻž, āĻšāĻ¨ āĻšāĻ¨ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ āĻāĻžāĻāĻŋā§ā§â
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ ? āĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻŦā§āĻ§āĻšā§ āĻāĻŦā§āĻŦāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŋāĻ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĨ¤
āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻ¯āĻž āĻĒāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻ¨āĻž āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ¤ā§ āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻĒāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤ āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ ;
āĻĒāĻā§āĻāĻžāĻļ āĻŦāĻāĻ°ā§āĻ āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ ? āĻā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻā§āĻĨāĻžā§ āĻāĻāĻ°āĻž !
āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻ¯ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻĸā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻĒā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ āĻāĻžāĻāĻāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦā§āĻļāĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻ ?
āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻ āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻ°ā§, 'āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž' !
āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻĒāĻ°ā§ ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Š, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ē, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ģ, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ŧ, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ž, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§¯
ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ļ, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§§, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§¨, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Š, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ē, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ģ
ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ŧ, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ž, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§¯, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ļ, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§§, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§¨
ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Š, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ē, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ģ, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ŧ, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ž, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§¯
ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ļ, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§§, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§¨, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Š, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ē, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ģ, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ŧ, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§
ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ž, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§¯, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Ļ, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§§, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§¨, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Š, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Ē
āĻā§ ? āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻĒā§āĻā§ āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻ ! āĻ āĻĻā§āĻā§āĻ¤ āĻ˛ā§āĻ āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻŋ !
āĻ āĻ¤ā§āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻ āĻāĻŦāĻŋ āĻĒāĻ āĻĒāĻ āĻāĻ°ā§
āĻ˛āĻŋāĻā§ āĻā§āĻ˛, 'āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻŦā§āĻļāĻŋāĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž
āĻļāĻŋāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ°āĻ āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻŦā§ āĻ˛ā§āĻā§ āĨ¤' āĻ āĻĨāĻ āĻ¤āĻžāĻĻā§āĻ°āĻ āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ
āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻ¤ā§ āĻšāĻŋāĻŽāĻ¸āĻŋāĻŽ ? āĻ¤āĻŦā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ āĻšā§āĻ āĨ¤
āĻŽā§āĻāĻžāĻŽā§āĻŦā§ āĻĄāĻā§āĻāĻ° āĻĄāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻŦā§āĻŦāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŋāĻāĻš āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽā§
āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻ¤āĻŋāĻšāĻžāĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻ¤ā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻ°ā§āĻā§ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ āĨ¤
Comedy is Tragedyâs Parasite
Malay Roychoudhury |Translation: Uttaran Das Gupta
What was the name of that editor of Janata? 1961:
On the front page, he wrote: âWonât last, wonât last!â
Him? Maybe he is called Mogambo.
Then 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966
Who was that short man, wrote in the daily literary supplement
âThat? How long will that last? Wonât last.â
What was his name? That man, at the Esplanade book stall
Canât remember? Where did he go, that man?
In a famous little magazine he wroteâ
Him? Maybe he is called Dr Dang
Then 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972
Canât recall? Thick glasses, a swift strideâ
Him? Maybe he is called Gabbar Singh
Why canât you remember the names their fathers gave them?
Forgotten in just 50 years? Where did they go?
And that fellow who wore loose trousers and a bush shirt
And wrote so many times: âWonât last, wonât last.â
Then 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979,
1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985,
1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992,
1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007,
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
What? Canât remember yet? What a strange fellow you are!
So many writers, editors, poets repeatedly
Wrote: âWonât last, wonât last, wonât last too long
People will forget soon.â And yet you struggle
To recall their names? Then let it be!
Let Mogambo, Dr Dang and Gabbar Singh
Be their names in the history of Bengalis.
āĻŽāĻ˛ā§ āĻ°āĻžā§āĻā§āĻ§ā§āĻ°ā§
āĻā§ āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ¯ā§āĻ¨ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻā§āĻ° ? 'āĻāĻ¨āĻ¤āĻž' āĻĒāĻ¤ā§āĻ°āĻŋāĻāĻžāĻ°? ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§§ āĻ¸āĻžāĻ˛ā§
āĻ˛āĻŋāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨, 'āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž', āĻĒā§āĻ°āĻĨāĻŽ āĻĒāĻžāĻ¤āĻžā§!
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ? āĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻŦā§āĻ§āĻšā§ āĻŽā§āĻāĻžāĻŽā§āĻŦā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĨ¤
āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻĒāĻ°ā§ ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§¨, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Š, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Ē, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Ģ, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Ŧ
āĻā§ āĻ¯ā§āĻ¨ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻŦā§āĻāĻā§āĻāĻžāĻā§ āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻāĻž, āĻ˛āĻŋāĻā§āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻĻā§āĻ¨āĻŋāĻā§
'āĻāĻ, āĻ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻ¤ā§ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž', āĻ¸āĻžāĻšāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻ¯ āĻŦāĻŋāĻāĻžāĻā§
āĻā§ āĻ¯ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻŋ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛ āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ, āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻ¯ā§, āĻ¸āĻĒā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻĄā§, āĻŦā§āĻāĻ¸ā§āĻāĻ˛ā§
āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻĒā§āĻā§ āĻ¨āĻž ? āĻā§āĻĨāĻžā§ āĻā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ, āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻ¯ā§!
āĻāĻžāĻŦāĻĻāĻžāĻāĻ¤āĻ° āĻāĻ āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻ˛ āĻŽā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻāĻžāĻāĻŋāĻ¨ā§ āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨â
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ ? āĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻŦā§āĻ§āĻšā§ āĻĄāĻā§āĻāĻ° āĻĄāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĨ¤
āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻĒāĻ°ā§ ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§Ž, ā§§ā§¯ā§Ŧā§¯, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ļ, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§§, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§¨
āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻ¸āĻā§ āĻ¨āĻž ? āĻā§āĻā§ āĻāĻļāĻŽāĻž, āĻšāĻ¨ āĻšāĻ¨ āĻĒāĻžāĻļ āĻāĻžāĻāĻŋā§ā§â
āĻāĻ¨āĻŋ ? āĻšā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ, āĻŦā§āĻ§āĻšā§ āĻāĻŦā§āĻŦāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŋāĻ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻ° āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ āĨ¤
āĻā§āĻ¨ āĻ¯āĻž āĻĒāĻžāĻ°ā§ āĻ¨āĻž āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ¤ā§ āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻĒāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻĻāĻ¤ā§āĻ¤ āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ ;
āĻĒāĻā§āĻāĻžāĻļ āĻŦāĻāĻ°ā§āĻ āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ ? āĻā§āĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻā§āĻĨāĻžā§ āĻāĻāĻ°āĻž !
āĻāĻ°ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻ¯ā§ āĻ¸ā§āĻ āĻĸā§āĻ˛āĻž āĻĒā§āĻ¯āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ āĻāĻžāĻāĻāĻžāĻāĻž āĻŦā§āĻļāĻļāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻ ?
āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻ˛ā§āĻ¨ āĻ āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻ°ā§, 'āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž' !
āĻ¤āĻžāĻ°āĻĒāĻ°ā§ ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Š, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ē, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ģ, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ŧ, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§Ž, ā§§ā§¯ā§ā§¯
ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ļ, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§§, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§¨, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Š, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ē, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ģ
ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ŧ, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§Ž, ā§§ā§¯ā§Žā§¯, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ļ, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§§, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§¨
ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Š, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ē, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ģ, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ŧ, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§Ž, ā§§ā§¯ā§¯ā§¯
ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ļ, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§§, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§¨, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Š, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ē, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ģ, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ŧ, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§
ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§Ž, ā§¨ā§Ļā§Ļā§¯, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Ļ, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§§, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§¨, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Š, ā§¨ā§Ļā§§ā§Ē
āĻā§ ? āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻĒā§āĻā§ āĻ¨āĻž āĻāĻāĻ¨āĻ ! āĻ āĻĻā§āĻā§āĻ¤ āĻ˛ā§āĻ āĻ¤ā§ āĻ¤ā§āĻŽāĻŋ !
āĻ āĻ¤ā§āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻ āĻ¸āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻ āĻāĻŦāĻŋ āĻĒāĻ āĻĒāĻ āĻāĻ°ā§
āĻ˛āĻŋāĻā§ āĻā§āĻ˛, 'āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž, āĻŦā§āĻļāĻŋāĻĻāĻŋāĻ¨ āĻāĻŋāĻāĻŦā§ āĻ¨āĻž
āĻļāĻŋāĻāĻāĻŋāĻ°āĻ āĻā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻ¯āĻžāĻŦā§ āĻ˛ā§āĻā§ āĨ¤' āĻ āĻĨāĻ āĻ¤āĻžāĻĻā§āĻ°āĻ āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽ
āĻŽāĻ¨ā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻ¤ā§ āĻāĻ¤ā§ āĻšāĻŋāĻŽāĻ¸āĻŋāĻŽ ? āĻ¤āĻŦā§ āĻ¤āĻžāĻ āĻšā§āĻ āĨ¤
āĻŽā§āĻāĻžāĻŽā§āĻŦā§ āĻĄāĻā§āĻāĻ° āĻĄāĻžāĻ āĻāĻ° āĻāĻŦā§āĻŦāĻ° āĻ¸āĻŋāĻāĻš āĻ¨āĻžāĻŽā§
āĻŦāĻžāĻāĻžāĻ˛āĻŋāĻ° āĻāĻ¤āĻŋāĻšāĻžāĻ¸ā§ āĻāĻ¨āĻžāĻĻā§āĻ° āĻ¤ā§āĻ˛ā§ āĻ°ā§āĻā§ āĻĻāĻŋāĻ āĨ¤
Comedy is Tragedyâs Parasite
Malay Roychoudhury |Translation: Uttaran Das Gupta
What was the name of that editor of Janata? 1961:
On the front page, he wrote: âWonât last, wonât last!â
Him? Maybe he is called Mogambo.
Then 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966
Who was that short man, wrote in the daily literary supplement
âThat? How long will that last? Wonât last.â
What was his name? That man, at the Esplanade book stall
Canât remember? Where did he go, that man?
In a famous little magazine he wroteâ
Him? Maybe he is called Dr Dang
Then 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972
Canât recall? Thick glasses, a swift strideâ
Him? Maybe he is called Gabbar Singh
Why canât you remember the names their fathers gave them?
Forgotten in just 50 years? Where did they go?
And that fellow who wore loose trousers and a bush shirt
And wrote so many times: âWonât last, wonât last.â
Then 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979,
1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985,
1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992,
1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007,
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
What? Canât remember yet? What a strange fellow you are!
So many writers, editors, poets repeatedly
Wrote: âWonât last, wonât last, wonât last too long
People will forget soon.â And yet you struggle
To recall their names? Then let it be!
Let Mogambo, Dr Dang and Gabbar Singh
Be their names in the history of Bengalis.
āĻāĻ¨āĻ¸āĻŽāĻ¨āĻŋā§āĻž
āĻŽāĻ˛ā§ āĻ°āĻžā§āĻā§āĻ§ā§āĻ°ā§
āĻ˛ā§āĻāĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻ˛āĻŋāĻāĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻāĻŋāĻĻā§ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻāĻžāĻ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻĒā§āĻ°ā§āĻŽ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻā§āĻŦāĻžāĻ˛āĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻā§āĻŦāĻ˛āĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻ¨ā§āĻļāĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻāĻŋāĻ˛āĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻšāĻžāĻ¸āĻŋ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻšāĻžāĻ¸āĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻā§āĻā§āĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻā§āĻāĻ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻĻā§āĻāĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻĻā§āĻāĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻ°āĻžāĻ¨ā§āĻ¨āĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻ°āĻžāĻāĻ§āĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻĨā§āĻ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻĒā§āĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻĒā§āĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻļā§ā§āĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻļā§āĻ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻšāĻŋāĻ¸āĻŋ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻŽā§āĻ¤āĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻšāĻžāĻ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻ¤ā§āĻ˛āĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻā§āĻŖāĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻāĻ°āĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻšāĻžāĻāĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻšāĻžāĻāĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻšāĻžāĻāĻāĻŋ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻšāĻžāĻāĻāĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻŦā§āĻ¯āĻĨāĻž āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻāĻžāĻāĻĻāĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻĒāĻžāĻĻ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻĒāĻžāĻĻāĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻ¨āĻžāĻ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻ¨āĻžāĻāĻŋ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻāĻžāĻ¨ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻāĻžāĻ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻļā§āĻŦāĻžāĻ¸ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĨ¤ āĻšāĻ āĨ¤āĨ¤
āĻā§āĻŽ āĻĒāĻžā§ āĻ¨āĻž āĨ¤
āĻ¸ā§āĻŦāĻĒā§āĻ¨ āĻšā§ āĻ¨āĻž āĨ¤āĨ¤
Insomnia
Malay Roychoudhury |Translation: Uttaran Das Gupta
Feel like writing; write
Feel hungry; eat
Feel love; do
Feel inflamed; burn
Feel addicted; drink
Feel funny; laugh
Feel like touching; touch
Feel like looking; look
Feel like cooking; cook
Feel like giving; donate
Feel like reading; read
Feel like laying; lay
Feel like pissing; piss
Feel like yawning; yawn
Feel hate; hate
Feel like shitting; shit
Feel like sneezing; sneeze
Feel hurt; cry
Feel like farting; fart
Feel like dancing; dance
Feel like singing; sing
Feel like breathing; am
No sleep
No dreams
Comments
Post a Comment