Eka More Gaaner Tori
(Translated from the original Bengali)
A solitary traveler I was
Rowing the boat of my music in the stream of my tears.
Who are you, the sudden entrant that came along
To row the boat with me?
That which was an illusory dream, a figment of my fertile imagination
Emerged before me in flesh and blood, perhaps.
Who flung around your neck, the garland of my thwarted love?
Who are you that came along
To row the boat with me?
If you came at all, why didn’t you come in the early morning,
Enchant the boat of my music with your presence?
Why didn’t you be the companion of my early youth
In the first juvenile swing of my life?
Hearing my wistful, melancholy song, surges of pain
Overpowered your heart.
From both the shores, you came, thus, didn’t you,
joining us in a harmony of untimely love?
Who are you that came along
To row the boat with me?
A solitary traveler I was
Rowing the boat of my music in the stream of my tears.
.
Original Bengali song
একা মোর গানের তরী ভাসিয়েছিলাম নয়ন-জলে
সহসা কে এলে গো এ তরী বাইবে বলে
ভাসিয়েছিলাম নয়ন-জলে
একা মোর গানের তরী
যা ছিল কল্পমায়া, সে কি আজ ধরল কায়া?
যা ছিল কল্পমায়া, সে কি আজ ধরল কায়া?
কে আমার বিফল মালা পরিয়ে দিল তোমার গলে
সহসা কে এলে গো এ তরী বাইবে বলে
ভাসিয়েছিলাম নয়ন-জলে
একা মোর গানের তরী
কেন মোর গানের ভেলায় এলে না প্রভাত বেলায়?
হলে না সুখের সাথী জীবনের প্রথম দোলায়
কেন মোর গানের ভেলায় এলে না প্রভাত বেলায়?
হলে না সুখের সাথী জীবনের প্রথম দোলায়
বুঝি মোর করুণ গানে ব্যথা তার বাজল প্রাণে
বুঝি মোর করুণ গানে ব্যথা তার বাজল প্রাণে
এলে কি দু’কূল হতে কূল মেলাতে এ অকূলে
সহসা কে এলে গো এ তরী বাইবে বলে
ভাসিয়েছিলাম নয়ন-জলে
একা মোর গানের তরী ভাসিয়েছিলাম নয়ন-জলে
সহসা কে এলে গো এ তরী বাইবে বলে
ভাসিয়েছিলাম নয়ন-জলে
একা মোর গানের তরী
.
Bodhua, Neend Nahi Ankhi Paate’
(Translated from the original Bengali)
My love, sleep eludes my eyes tonight.
I am lonely, and perhaps you are lonely too,
In this drizzling, rainy night.
Out in the open, the frogs croak with the passion to be united,
The crickets chirp in the ecstasy of the downpour
The village bride beckons her partner in a sweet reunion,
Followed by a long spell of separation.
Like her, I too wish to spend this divine rainy night
With the love of my life.
My love, sleep eludes my eyes tonight.
I am lonely, and perhaps you are lonely too,
In this drizzling, rainy night.
The rain drenches the sky, it drenches my eyes
My life is overpowered by its dark, melancholy.
Come to me, my friend, in this dark, drizzling night,
The monsoon ‘chatak’ bird waits for you.
For your sake, my love, the night remains awake
Pining, crying for your presence.
What propelled you, my cruel Lord, to forsake me still?
The burden of this life seems unbearable now,
Let me surrender my life to you.
My love, sleep eludes my eyes tonight.
I am lonely, and perhaps you are lonely too,
In this drizzling, rainy night.
.
Original Bengali song/lyrics:
বঁধুয়া—নিঁদ নাহি আঁখি পাতে…
আমিও একাকী, তুমিও একাকী
আজি এ বাদল রাতে…
নিঁদ নাহি আঁখি পাতে।
ডাকিছে দাদুরী মিলন তিয়াসে
ঝিল্লি ডাকিছে উল্লাসে
পল্লির বধু বিরহে বঁধুরে মধুর মিলনে সম্ভাসে।
আমারও যে সাধ, বরষার রাত, কাটাই নাথের সাথে,
নিঁদ নাহি আঁখি পাতে।
গগনে বাদল, নয়নে বাদল, জীবনে বাদল ছাইয়া
এস হে আমার বাদলের বঁধু, চাতকিনী আছে চাহিয়া।
কান্দিছে রজনি তোমার লাগিয়া
সজনি তোমার জাগিয়া
কোন অভিমানে হে নিঠুর নাথ এখনো আমারে ত্যাগিয়া
এ জীবন ভার হয়েছে অবহ, সঁপিব তোমার হাতে
নিঁদ নাহি আঁখি পাতে।
আমিও একাকী, তুমিও একাকী
আজি এ বাদল রাতে…
নিঁদ নাহি আঁখি পাতে।
.
Roilo Kotha Tomari Nath
(Translated from the original Bengali)
Oh Lord, I kept my vows, you win over me,
I sit prostrate at your feet, roaming the whole world,
Grant me mercy.
I had moored myself to the branches of this mortal world
Nuggets of love from every human, I had found,
But then the tumultuous storm came, dashing me to the ground.
My wings became broken, my bosom reddened,
The ones I had called out to rescue me, crushed me, trampled over me.
Oh Lord, I kept my vows, you win over me,
I sit prostrate at your feet, roaming the whole world,
Grant me mercy.
Your door wasn’t closed for me, o Lord, I had rather been blinded,
I had cursed you, in vain, o Lord, but today you made me dumbfounded.
Is this why I can’t see you now? O my anchor, appear before my eyes!
All my pride, my vanity, I threw away in the water
Oh Lord, I kept my vows, you win over me,
I sit prostrate at your feet, roaming the whole world,
Grant me mercy.
.
Original Bengali song
রইল কথা তোমারি নাথ—তুমি জয়ী হলে।
ঘুরে ফিরে এলাম আবার তোমার চরণতলে।
কুড়িয়ে সবার ভালবাসা, ভবের ডালে বান্ধনু বাসা
ঝড় এসে এক সর্বনাশা, হে নাথ, ফেলিল ভূমী তলে।
পক্ষ আমার গেল ভেঙ্গে, বক্ষ আমার গেল রেঙ্গে
তুলতে যারে বলেছি মেঙ্গে, হে নাথ, সে চলে যায় দলে।
নয় তো তোমার দুয়ার বন্ধ, আমারি নাথ দুচোখ বন্ধ,
মিছে তোমায় বলি মন্দ, হে নাথ, আজ কে দিল বলে।
তাই তো তোমায় দেখতে নারি, দাও হে দেখা হে কাণ্ডারি,
দর্প আমার, দর্পহারি, হে নাথ, ফেলে এলাম জলে।
রইল কথা তোমারি নাথ—তুমি জয়ী হলে।
ঘুরে ফিরে এলাম আবার তোমার চরণতলে।
(from ‘Gitikunja’)
Translator’s Note
I have been initiated into these poems/lyrics as a teenager, during my high school days, written and composed into beautiful, melancholic songs by the legendary poet, composer and musician Atul Prasad. In the dulcet voice of Krishna Chattopadhyay, the soothing melancholic romanticism embedded in the texture of these compositions had an unparallel appeal. Later I have heard the composition ‘Eka More Gaaner Tori’ in the voices of other legendary singers like Pratima Bandyopadhyay. The pristine, soulful lines inspired me to translate it, and the other poems/lyrics as a tribute to the poet, composer Atul Prasad Sen. The last poem/lyric ‘Roilo kotha tomari nath’ which I found in his book ‘Gitikunja’, is a devotional one, and the deep intensity of the lyrics, in spite of the apparent simplicity of form and content, inspired me to translate it into English for the global readers.
Poet’s Bio
Atul Prasad Sen (20 October 1871 – 26 August 1934) was a Bengali composer, lyricist and singer, and also a lawyer, philanthropist, social worker, educationist and littérateur. He is considered to be one of the pioneering composers of the ‘thumri’ style in Bengal’s music gharana, and also one of the pioneering Ghazal musicians in Bengal. Inspired by the legacies of Urdu maestros and the exponents of the Persian Ghazal, he was motivated to experiment this particular style that he brought to the world of Bengali music. His musical gharana was later enriched profusely by Kazi Nazrul Islam, another legendary poet, composer, lyricist of post-Tagorean Bengal. Nazrul is known to be greatly influenced by his compositions.
Atul Prasad is known as one of the father figures who introduced the traditional/classical raagas to the world of Bengali songs, which had a lasting, enriching impact on Bengali music. The songs created by him are known as অতুলপ্রসাদের গান (Atul Prasad’s song). In his lifetime, he wrote as many as 212 poems, and most of them were composed as songs. Unfortunately, only 3 among these 212 poems were dated and titled.
Atul Prasad in his book titled Geetigunja, had arranged his songs into five broad categories: দেবতা (Devotional), প্রকৃতি (Nature), স্বদেশ (Patriotic), মানব (Humanity) and বিবিধ (others). Though his songs on human love hadn’t been categorized as love songs, many of his songs have multi-layered nuances of intense emotional expressions, with a dark shadow of sadness embedded in them. According to critics, the deep emotional turmoil playing in his psyche had been reflected in his love songs. Apart from his legendary compositions in the theme of love, Atul Prasad was also renowned for his devotional and patriotic songs in Bengali.
Translator’s Bio
Lopamudra Banerjee is an author, poet, translator and editor, currently living in Dallas, Texas. She is originally from Kolkata, India.
Thanks fr this translation…can I use this translation in my youtube singing channel.I want provide these translaed lines with bengali lines. Plese guide me mam