The Maggots

At sunset, on the river ban, Krishna
Loved her for the last time and left...
That night in her husband's arms, Radha felt
So dead that he asked, What is wrong,
Do you mind my kisses, love? And she said,
No, not at all, but thought, What is
It to the corpse if the maggots nip?

Kamala Das

On Meeting The Beloved

I close my eyes and you are there
I open my eyes and you are there
Oh Beloved! You are such a tease
Tell me where are you closer?

Ana Gupta

Jan 2010

Happy Janamashtmi!

I danced before my Giridhara.
Again and again I dance
To please that discerning critic,
And put His former love to the test.
I put on the anklets
Of the love of Shyam,
And behold! My Mohan stays true.
Worldly shame and family custom
I have cast to the winds.
I do not forget the beauty of the Beloved
Even for an instant.
Mira is dyed deeply in the dye of Hari

-Mirabai

Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da

Hello! I am bringing to you another translation of a superhit Punjabi song. It is Dupatta Tera Sat Rang Da by Surjit Bindrakhiya. The lyricist is Shemsher Sandhu (and hence the reference in the last stanza) . The song has a very rustic feel to it with traditional Punjabi lyrics. You will find conventional style of poetry (danna danna danna and taiyaan taiyaan taiyaan).

Also I have not translated the word Dupatta. If you don't know what that means (gasp!), then well let this whole song be a puzzle for you to solve. And yes also, the word Heer. First, I thought I should translate it as Juliet, but decided against it for once again I expect everyone to know who Heer was. (Hint - Her boyfriend was called Ranjha) If you want to hear the song click here If you want to watch the video (which I recommend) click here

Modhe ton tilkda jave
Sataraa wal khave
Dupatta tera satrang da,
Sohniye
Dupatta tera satrang da,
Mundeyan nu barda tardpave
Seene agh lave
Dupatta tera satrang da

Heeriye

It keeps slipping away from your shoulder
Twisting itself 17 times
Your Dupatta of seven colours
O gorgeous
Your Dupatta of seven colours
It stirs up the boys
Igniting their bosoms with passion
Your Dupatta of seven colours
O Heer

Oh sakhiyan che rehaniyan tu rani ban ke
Oh sath wich lange patrani ban ke
Peeng ambharaan de wich ehe pave
Ni jadon leherave
Dupatta tera satrang da

You behave like a queen with your girlfriends
With me, you walk past like some hotshot
Forms a swing in the skies
When it flutters
Your Dupatta of seven colours

Kehande he jawani hundi pukhi pyaar di
Taang ehnu rahe sada dildar di
Taiyan taiyan taiyan
Dupatte utte morniyan
Dus kede shownk nu paiyan
Sajana noo piya eh bulave
Na bhora sharmave
Dupatta tera satrang da

They say youth is hungry for love
Always yearning for a beloved
Taiyan Taiyan taiyan
These peacocks on the duppata
Were embroidered out of what inspiration
Saying sweet nothings
Without a trace of bashfulness
Your Dupatta of seven Colours

Mirgan ne tor hey udhari tethon mangi
Mitran dee jaan ni toon
sooli utte tangi
Danna, danna, danna
Dupateyah sach das ve,
Mein kehrde pind muklave jana?
Kittey chan na koi nava hee chadave
Kasoota jabh pave
Dupatta tera satrang da

The deer have borrowed their gait from you
The life of your suitors you have hanged on the gallows
Danna Daana Daana
Tell me the truth oh Dupatta
Which village will my husband be from
Hope it does not do any new mischief
Creating trouble
Your Dupatta of seven colours

Sandhu dekh hoya nee shudayee phirda
Photo teri batuey che payee phirda
Geet teri hee dupatte de oh gave
Nee man lalchave,
Dupatta tera sat rang da

Look! Sandhu has gone crazy
Roams around with your picture in his wallet
Sings now only of your dupatta
Tempting his heart
Your Dupatta of seven colours

Ah!

July 03


One of my most loved poets is Jelal-ud-din Muhammad Rumi. A 13th century Persian sufi poet, he has written the most beautiful potry. He wrote his poems for his Guruji - Shamsuddin Muhammad of Tabriz. Since I can not read persian, I have to settle for the English translations by Coleman Barks. Below is a small poem which sometimes comes to me when I think of Guruji.



"I am so small I can barely be seen.
How can this great love be inside me?
Look at your eyes.
They are small, but they see enormous things."

Gur Nalo Ishq Mitha

July 02

A PUNJABI SONG INTO ENGLISH

I often feel that many non Punjabi people love Punjabi music . Yet they cannot sustain their interest for the lack of understanding of Punjabi lyrics. And there is another group of people who feel Punjabi music is all just some Balle Balle chants and random noise and nothing more. Both these things pain me a lot. And thus, I have decided to translate Punjabi songs into English in here for the benefit of both these groups and everybody else too.

The first one I am doing is Gur Nalo Ishq Mitha by Malkit Singh .

It was made popular in the 90’s with the music of Bally Sagoo and the faces ( and the bodies?) of Jas Arora and Mallika Arora.
Click here to hear it. Click here to see it as well.

Punjabi Lyrics
English Lyrics
Chorus:
Gur nalo ishq mitha O ho
Gur nalo ishq mitha Ai hai
O rabba lag na kise nu jaave
Gur nalo ishq mitha

Chorus:
Love is sweeter than jaggery
”
O God, let is strike no one
This love, sweeter than jaggery
Meri pave jind kad le O ho
Meri pave jind kad leAi hai
Mere yaar nu manda na boli
Meri pave jind kad le

You may take my life away
”
But don’t speak a word against my beloved
You may take my life away
Ladoo khala baniye de O ho
Ladoo khala baniye de Ai hai
Ganne choop le jattan de pole
Ladoo khala baniye de

Eat ladoos from the baniya sweetseller
”
And suck sugarcanes of the jatt farmers as they are soft
Eat ladoos from the baniya sweetseller
Kale nu na kali takri O ho
Kale nu na kali takri Ai hai
Meri jeb ladooan ne paadi
Kale nu na kali takri

I could not bump into her alone
”
My pocket got torn with the weight of ladoos
For I could not bump into her alone
Phul te tarel pe gayiO ho
Phul te tarel pe gayiAi hai
Tenu nachdi nu mudka aaya
Phul te tarel pe gayi

Dew drops appeared on the flower
”
As sweat appeared on you while you were dancing
Dew drops appeared on the flower
Sharabiyan de paise bach gaye O ho
Sharabiyan de paise bach gaye Ai hai
Sohni akhan wich akhan paake takeya
Sharabiyan de paise bach gaye

The drunkards saved their money
”
As they looked into your beautiful eyes
The drunkards saved their money
Chorus

Chorus
Akhiyan ‘ch wass mitra O ho
Akhiyan ‘ch wass mitra Ai hai
Tenu chal palkan di maaran
Akhiyan ‘ch wass mitra

Come and live in my eyes my beloved
”
I will fan you with my eyelashes
Come and live in my eyes my beloved
Akh naal gal kargi O ho
Akh naal gal kargi Ai hai
Palla maar ke buja gi deeva
Akh naal gal kargi

She spoke with her eye
”
Blowing away the candle with the edge of her duppata
She spoke with her eye