The

Special 100

Irregular Sloword BirthMonth Festival

2021

Featured Guest - Indrani Ganguli

Indrani Ganguli is an interpreter of languages. She’s as adept at staring down recalcitrant witnesses in court while taking down their depositions as she is compassionate with those who clearly are devastated at being there at all.

Her stories are rich in classical allusions even as they explore the social consciousness (or lack thereof) of the times we live in. (And here she is again with a very different poem!)

Check out the links at right to see more of her work.

Previous Entries for the Irregular SloWord BirthMonth Festival:

 Peacock Feather

Feature

Presentation

कहा था मैं ने

कहा था मैं ने। हां कहा था।
जन्म से ही शुरू होता है मृत्यु तक का सफ़र।
कहा था।
कहा था मैं ने कि इस ज़रा से वकफे में
तय करो मंज़िल दर मंज़िल,
हाथ पसार के मांगों मत
और मांगों भी तो मांगों ताकत,
मुस्कुराने की हिम्मत मांगों
दुआ की ताक़त छीन लो मुझसे।
हां,  कहा था मैं ने
कर्म करो, लगे रहो,
बिना मुआवजे के तवक्को किए हुए।
यह नहीं  कहा था कि
रोज़ ए अज़ल से पहले बना लो अपनी अपनी क़यामत।
हां,  कहा था कि राज़ी  ख़ुशी रहो।
ख़ुदपरस्त  युं न बनो
कि मुझे भी यह क़ायनात मशक़ुक  लगे।

Glossary:

  1. वकफे - interval
  2. मुआवजे - compensation
  3. तवक्को - hope
  4. रोज़ ए अज़ल - Judgment Day
  5. क़यामत - Apocalypse
  6. ख़ुदपरस्त - narcissist
  7. मशक़ुक - doubtful

Haan, kaha tha

Kaha tha main ne.
Haan, kaha tha.
Janam se hi shuru hota hai mrityu tak ka safar.

Kaha tha.
Kaha tha main ne ki is zara se wakfe mein,
Tai karo manzil dar manzil,
Haath pasarke mango mat
Aur agar mango to mango taqat,
Muskurane ki himmat mango
Dua ki taqat chheen lo mujhse.

Haan, kaha tha main ne
Karm karo, lage raho,
Bina muafze ke tawakko kiye hue.

Yeh nahi kaha tha ki
Roze Azal se pehle bana lo apni apni qayamat.

Haan kaha tha ki razi khushi raho.
Khudparast yun na bano
Ki muhje bhi yeh kainat mashkuq lage.

Glossary:

  1. Wakfa- interval
  2. Muafza- compensation
  3. Tawakko-- hope
  4. Roze azal-- Judgment Day
  5. Qayamat-- Apocalypse
  6. Khudparast-- narcissist
  7. Mashkuq-- doubtful

Yes, I said so

I did say this.
Yes, I did
The journey to death starts at birth.

I did say
I said that in this brief interval,
Fix your goals,
Do not spread your hands and beg
If you do beg then beg for strength ,
Beg for the strength to smile
Seize the strength of prayer from me.

Yes, I said so
Work hard, stay the course,
Without hope of compensation.

I did not say
Meet the apocalypse before Judgement Day .

Yes, I did say be happy.
Don't become such  a narcissist
To make even me suspect all creation.

Note:

Translated by Ajesh Sharma. All errors in translation may be (and should be) attributed to his poor command of languages.

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