By Bishnu Prasad Rava

The temple of melody
  The silver fetters of which
    You’ve torn apart and opened
      The golden doors
        O’ Priest!
          O’ Priest!!
            You worshipper of beauty!!!
             The enduring 
            Dulcet Borgeet
           Melodious Bongeet
          Sing, O’ the Assamese people
        Filling your heart and mind
     O’ Priest!
    O’ Priest!!
   You worshipper of beauty!!!
In your touch
  The ecstasy of the heart
    Shakes off slumber
      Attains freedom
       Contours of ragas
         Move on wafting
          O’ Priest!
            O’ Priest!!
              You’ve set up the altar
                  You’ve placed the idol
                      Performed the worship too
                 Shaping the idol of freedom
            O’ Priest!
      O’ Priest!!
 O’ Priest!!!
Blow the conch
   Strike the cymbals
       Begin the rituals of prayer
           Light up the lamp
              Welcoming with elation
                 O’ Priest!
                   O’ Priest!!
                      You worshipper of beauty.

[Translated by Uttam Duorah]

Click here to read original Assamese poem

Bishnu Prasad Rava (1909-1969) was a renowned artist, writer, actor, song writer and politician of Assam.

Uttam Duorah, the translator, retired as the HoD, English, Women’s College, Tinsukia and is based in Tinsukia, Assam.

By Parvati Prasad Barua

You were engrossed with your flute
The entire half of the day
Standing by the river;
I too was there
Entranced by your side.
Your flute echoed
Anecdotes of my life,
How soothing!
How mellifluous was your rendering
Of the Ragini*!
You left with the flute thumped on the ground.
Lifting it tenderly 
I kept blowing on it again and again --
It didn't sound;
After a close look I spotted --
The flute had been split.

*Ragini : traditional pattern of notes in Indian Classical music used as a basis for improvising a piece of music. Conventionally, a ‘ragini’ is regarded to be feminine by nature contrary to the masculine quality of a ‘raga’.

Translated by Krishna Dulal Barua

Click here to read original Assamese poem.

Parvati Prasad Barua (1904–1964) was a noted poet, song writer and film maker of Assam.

Krishna Dulal Barua is a prominent translator and writer based in Nagaon, Assam. He received the Katha Award for translation in 2005. He can be reached at kd_barua2008@rediffmail.com

By Mahendra Bora

I bawled out over the field
Towards far off
Across the horizon beyond the range of vision
No response came back as an echo

The bell around the buffalo’s neck made with wooden cover
The vapid sounds of which are 
Wafting
In the static void of the field in the quiescent evening

As if an ancient beckon since aeons
Shivering and dancing
Spreads over the swamp grass, stubble and bog
From welkin to welkin

Feel like following that soft whistle
Which has been calling me from across the patch of fog
With a swishing sound the whole day
Towards far off

[Translated by Uttam Duorah]

Click here to read original Assamese poem.

Dr. Mahendra Bora (b. 22.08.1929-d.09.04.1996) was an eminent modern Assamese poet, critic and translator.

Uttam Duorah, the translator, retired as the HoD, English, Women’s College, Tinsukia and is based in Tinsukia, Assam.

By Navakanta Barua

The last man in the procession
Knew not
He was in the front line
Of a new procession

In the last line of my poem
I see the first line
Of a new poem

Till I'm able to begin my final poem
You'll go on penning
My new poems

After your last line
Unknowingly I'll begin
         Your very poems

[Translated by Krishna Dulal Barua]

Click here to read the original Assamese poem.

Navakanta Barua (b.1926-d.2002) was a prominent Assamese poet, novelist and translator.

Krishna Dulal Barua is a prominent translator and writer based in Nagaon, Assam. He received the Katha Award for translation in 2005. He can be reached at kd_barua2008@rediffmail.com

By Durgeswar Sarma

Though the moon rises in the east
It delights all and is dear to everyone;
 The cuckoo and the Indian nightingale 
Sing in different lands
A genius has no country, he belongs everywhere.

(Translated by Ananda Bormudoi)

Click here to read the original Assamese poem.

Durgeswar Sarma (b.1882-d.1961) was an Assamese poet and playwright.

By Jyotiprasad Agarwala

Being a visionary 
Flying among the white clouds
And becoming a butterfly 
Flying from flower to flower 
In the morning and sunset 
I donot want to forget
The stark reality rude,
Neither do I want to forget 
My duty austere.
Away from the earth 
Away from the dust and dirt 
I donot want
To get lost
In dream and delusion.

[Translated by Ananda Bormudoi]

Click here to read the original Assamese poem.

Jyotiprasad Agarwala (b.1903-d.1951) was a noted poet, songwriter, playwright, film maker and freedom fighter of Assam.