Autumnal Light & Rabindranath

Aaj Shoroter Aloy (Today in this Autumnal Light) was first published in Tagore’s collection called Shesh Saptak (The Last Octave, 1935).

Today, as I gaze in this autumnal light, 
   I feel I am viewing life anew. 
     I see a youth.
       His eyes, weary from daily strife, 
         Have lost their sight. 

   I imagine — 
As a pilgrim from the past, 
 I have drifted here 
   On the strength of chants. 
Traveling upstream in my dreams, 
  I have arrived at this moment, 
    In the present century’s shore. 
I gaze with eager eyes. 
 I detach myself from the self. 
   I am a stranger from another age
   Awaiting introductions as of yore. 
Deep curiosity enthrals. 
   I am drawn 
     To whoever I find, 
     Like a bee to a flower. 
 Today, my mind is centred 
      Amidst the chaos. 
 Today, those stained
By weak popular opinions, 
     Have been stripped off 
Their garb of mediocrity. 
   The truth of our existence 
   Emerges in full splendour. 
The mute who never found voice, 
  The large population of neglected,
    Have broken their silence — 
The first words seemed to emerge
  Like dawn after the deepest of dark.

 As a distant wayfarer, 
   I travel to my own world 
To glimpse eternal truths from between
     The rips torn in the present,
Like a bride wed for life
Gazes from within 
  The fine curtain 
      With new eyes on 
Eternity’s unfading truths. 

This poem has been translated from Bengali by Mitali Chakravarty with editorial input from Sohana Manzoor.

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