In his blood Stars sparkled In his heart Bees hummed He lies in slumber Quiet and still. At the head of his bed Blood-rinsed earth.
Translated by Krishna Dulal Barua
Hiren Bhattacharya (b.1932-d.2012) was an Assamese poet and lyricist best known for his lyric poems.
Krishna Dulal Barua is a prominent translator and writer based in Nagaon, Assam. He received the Katha Award for translation in 2005.
Helpless as a deer stuck in silt Harrowed by hunger and thirst He is now an angry boy. He is waiting for the Bordoichila Now every tree in the woods plays in unison The Kichaka flutes of freedom.
……………………. Bordoichila: Pre-monsoon storm in Assam. Kichaka: A variety of bamboo.
Translated by Krishna Dulal Barua
Nalinidhar Bhattacharya (b. 1921-d.2016) was a noted poet and critic of Assam.
Ghosha: O’ Soul Govinda Gopala
You’ve set, O my Kind-Heart, the game of Maya
Pada : A house was made with care and hope for the living
That house was blown away while it was storming
O Mind, make the house and fasten the door
Leaving your home the others’ you cry for
Rafters are set in rows for the ridge two beams fixed
Twenty posts in all are firmly pitched
It is dark for walls raised on all four sides
Nine doors are fastened on all nine sides
At nine points are nine sentries on guard
Within is sitting Hari, the all-cheering God
There is a woman that house to manage
One who stays away from her is a great sage
And there is a river that flows so fast
Across two birds Time and Timeless stay perched
That pair of purple birds with the bluish-black wings
Have never ever come across as hatchlings
The swan has flown away leaving behind its feathers
On the sands of the Jamuna that body also weathers
Says this the slave Govinda again and again
But the feet of the Guru no ways remain
Translated by Nirendra Nath Thakuria
Govinda Das, an Assamese poet of the 18th century.
Nirendra Nath Thakuria, retired Associate Professor of English, is a translator.
এজন শিক্ষিত ব্যক্তি হিচাপে কবিতাৰ সৈতে আপোনাৰ সম্পৰ্কটো কেনে ধৰণৰ?
কবিতাৰ সৈতে মোৰ আত্মাৰ সম্পৰ্ক। সেইবাবে হৃদয়ৰপৰা তাগিদা নাহিলে মোৰ কবিতা নিগৰি নাহে। কেতিয়াবা এনে হয়, সপ্তাহত দুই-তিনিটাকৈ কবিতা লিখা মইজনী মাহৰ পিছত মাহ কবিতাৰ নামত এডাল আঁচ টানিবলৈও সক্ষম নহওঁ। শিক্ষিত ব্যক্তি হিচাপে মই নিজকে সমাজৰ বাবে দায়বদ্ধতাৰে কাম কৰিব বিচাৰোঁ।গৰিষ্ঠসংখ্যক মানুহৰ হৃদয় চুই যোৱা সমাজৰ উত্তৰণৰ দিশ নিৰ্ণয় কৰা কবিতাবোৰ সকলোৰে বাবে মঙ্গলজনক। সমাজৰ ক্ষতিকাৰক দিশবোৰ যেনে দুৰ্নীতি, শাসন- শোষণ, সমাজৰ অহিতকাৰী কাৰ্যকলাপবোৰ সূক্ষ্মভাৱে বিশ্লেষণ কৰি গৰিষ্ঠসংখ্যক লোকৰ চেতনা জাগ্ৰত কৰিব পাৰিলেহে কবিতা সাৰ্থক হ’ব বুলি ভাবোঁ।
আপুনি কবিতা কিয় পঢ়ে?
কবিতা মোৰ বাবে মানসিক সন্তুষ্টি দিব পৰা উৎকৃষ্ট সমল। সৰুতে আমাৰ দিনত খেলা-ধূলাৰ বাহিৰে কিতাপ পঢ়াটো আজৰি সময়ৰ চখ আছিল। সহজ-সৰল, ছন্দোবদ্ধ কবিতাবোৰে শিশুমনক আকৃষ্ট কৰিছিল। ক্ৰমশঃ কৈশোৰ আৰু যুৱাৱস্থাত অসমৰ বিদেশী খেদা আন্দোলনৰ সৈতে জড়িত হৈ জ্যোতিপ্ৰসাদ আগৰৱালা, বিষ্ণুপ্ৰসাদ ৰাভা, অম্বিকাগিৰী ৰায়চৌধুৰীৰ দৰে যুগজয়ী কবিসকলৰ দেশপ্ৰেমমূলক কবিতাবোৰ পঢ়ি তেনে কবিতাৰ প্ৰতি আকৃষ্ট হৈ তেনেধৰণৰ কবিতা লিখিবলৈ প্ৰয়াস কৰি দেশপ্ৰেমমূলক কবিতা লিখিবলৈ আৰম্ভ কৰিছিলোঁ।
কেনে ধৰণৰ কবিতাই আপোনাক তৃপ্তি দিয়ে?
যিধৰণৰ কবিতাই সাৰ্বজনীন ভাব প্ৰকাশ কৰি মানৱ মন উদ্বেলিত কৰিব পাৰে তেনে কবিতাবোৰ মোৰ প্ৰিয়।
সাম্প্ৰতিক অসমীয়া কবিতা সম্পৰ্কে আপোনাৰ ধাৰণা কি?
সাম্প্ৰতিক অসমীয়া কবিতাই যথেষ্ট উচ্চ স্থান দখল কৰিবলৈ সক্ষম হৈছে। দেশে-বিদেশে অনুষ্ঠিত হোৱা কবি সন্মিলনবোৰলৈ আমন্ত্ৰিত হৈ অসমৰ ভালেমান নমস্য কবিয়ে নিজৰ সুকীয়া স্থান অধিকাৰ কৰিবলৈ সক্ষম হৈছে। বিশ্বমানৰ কবিতা লিখা আমাৰ ৰাজ্যৰ কবিসকলৰ কবিতা ভিন ভিন ভাষালৈ অনুবাদ নোহোৱাৰ পৰিপ্ৰেক্ষিতত তেওঁলোকৰ প্ৰতিভা দেশৰ ভিতৰতে আবদ্ধ হৈ থকাটো বৰ পৰিতাপৰ বিষয়।
কবিসকলৰ প্ৰতি আপোনাৰ কি আহ্বান?
কবিতাৰ পথাৰ চহাই-মৈয়াই উৎকৃষ্ট ফচল জগতসভালৈ উলিয়াই দিবলৈ কচৰৎ কৰি থকাসকলক কিবা ক’ব পৰাকৈ মই যোগ্য হৈ উঠা নাই। এতিয়াও মই শিকাৰুহে। সামাজিক মাধ্যমৰ জৰিয়তে বহু নতুন নতুন কবিয়ে কবিতা চৰ্চা অব্যাহত ৰাখি নিৰ্দিষ্ট স্থান অধিকাৰ কৰিবলৈ সক্ষম হৈছে। এটা কথা মই বাৰে বাৰে অনুভৱ কৰোঁ, কবিতা লিখিবলৈ আনৰ ভাল কবিতা পঢ়িবই লাগিব আৰু সময়ে সময়ে ৰূপ সলনি কৰা কবিতাৰ নিৰ্মাণশৈলীক আয়ত্ত কৰিবলৈ কবিতাক হৃদয়েৰে ভাল পাব লাগিব।
ইন্দু বৰুৱা গুৱাহাটী নিবাসী এগৰাকী কবি।
At the end of a long night A terrible day dawns. The sun descends. Light spreads terror. The unforgettable dawn The wings of fear In the heart of a dream.
Translated by Ananda Bormudoi
Jatindra Kumar Borgohain (b. 1950-d.2013) was an Assamese poet, author, journalist and social activist.
Know I know I know Nothing goes in vain, my song too All my drops of tear Merging with the shrine water Will gleam on the worshipper In every cell of him. Know I know I know All my songs are so novel Smell like lotuses in bloom I know I know They'll wake the world's soul. That morning star lonely yonder Lost in the song of its own Sets in the lap of dawn Giving its smile in the glow Know I know I know Nothing goes in vain, its song too. Wake up in novel rhythm All lotus words mute in charm Gather in chorus in countless voices Wake up honeyed melody in ecstasy.
Translated by Nirendra Nath Thakuria
Jyotiprasad Agarwala (b.1903-d.1951) was a noted poet, songwriter, playwright, filmmaker and freedom fighter of Assam.
Nirendra Nath Thakuria, retired Associate Professor of English, is a translator.
If somehow the smell of the wintry fields Reaches my nose I recover my father In the fragrance of the gamosa Laid open from its folds in the shop I recover my mother For my children Where shall I leave myself, Where?
Translated by Krishna Dulal Barua
Nirmalprabha Bordoloi (b.1933-d.2004) was an Indian poet, lyricist and folklorist of Assam.
Krishna Dulal Barua is a prominent translator and writer based in Nagaon, Assam. He received the Katha Award for translation in 2005.
Now, just now I have set me on fire Burnt up my ancient wings Wings I could not fly with anymore But only flapped the wind—the wind And aroused mockery and despair I have set my backbone, thousand years old, aflame Whence sprang forth countless branches of brittle bones The fluid in their marrow dried up. I have set my ancient heart on fire Stuck in stasis Like clock hands standing still In an eternally meaningless present. Burnt up my obsolete wisdom Buried in the bulk of my inert pride. Ah! My age-old body-sap enmeshed in the senses Is burning With an ecstasy of self-annihilating delight! With the letters in my own funeral ashes, I thought, The name of my father would be scripted on water I thought the funeral ashes would nurture the dream harvest of future. I didn't know that it was only me who fathered myself I didn't know that it was only me who was born of myself. In a strange flare of light I had a glimpse of my funeral pyre Shadow of my father In the cool touch of strange death I could feel the warmth of my fuel My offspring My blood I was born I was born.
Translated by Dr Pori Hiloidari
Navakanta Barua (b.1926-d.2002) was a noted Assamese poet, novelist and translator.
Dr. Pori Hiloidari is a critic and award winning translator of Assam. She teaches English in Handiqui Girls’ College, Panbazar, Guwahati.
Hours before I'd a few glasses of liquor The inebriation hasn't died down altogether Perhaps in this way The entire night will pass over Sometimes I drink in this way! And its inebriation shifts me to the serene woods of my mind Where I converse with myself About issues never conferred with anyone before How pleasant are these nights! Where the puffed paddy of words burst* Among stars in the azure sky The river of my heart cleanses The wholesome body of the night With its cool mellifluous water ............... * puffed paddy of words burst : distinct articulation of words (Assamese idiom)
Translated by Krishna Dulal Barua
Hiren Bhattacharya (b.1932-d.2012) was an Assamese poet and lyricist best known for his lyric poems.
Krishna Dulal Barua is a prominent translator and writer based in Nagaon, Assam. He received the Katha Award for translation in 2005.
Here is our grandmother, eighty years old. Ignoring the scorching mid-day sun during summer And the devastating flood Ignoring winter cold alike She moves on with her flowing grey hair like jute. I met her and asked her, "What have you been looking for, Aita Bending over your stick And scrutinizing the ground?" Aita looked up to me Raising her pale eyes And told me one thing, "You will not understand my dear. I am looking for the lost twenty years of my youth and dreams Wondering if it perished in the dust of the road."
Translated by Ananda Bormudoi
Hem Barua (b.1915-d.1977) was a noted Assamese poet and politician.