Transcreations by Ratnottama Sengupta
Nabendu Ghosh : Elegy In the wee hours of the morning Nabendu Ghosh knocked on my door. His dishevelled appearance Reminds me of the Famine His Clarion Call* evokes-- An awning sky, A busy suburb, A shaded glen… Fact is, even after Death, Some people knock on the door. Some people live on beyond life… *The Clarion Call (Daak Diye Jaai), the autobiography of Nabendu Ghosh. (Original in Bengali By Bimal Deb) Journey... Long days have passed Since the path of two friends Branched. In the crowd of unknown faces Two eyes seek him, So does his heart. At times, It knocks on the door Of Memory. Time spent in togetherness Signals delight. The miles between them Weighs down the mind, The hidden flow of Time Ever present, never seen, Will it once more enjoin Two parted hands? (Original in Bengali: Kaushik Ghosh) Vasundhara* I have known you Since I crawled out Of my mother's lap. As I walked Under your leafy boughs I launched on My journey with shades. The enchanting weave of colours - They grew out of you. My first love took roots As I cut through the mustard fields That lifted their lips To the blue skies. Not once have you let me down. And when the deluge came You it was that steeled me With the warmth of your womb. My misty vision, reaching out Through my thickening lenses Do not falter Do not squint. Age has not withered Nor has Time staled Your luminous face. You rule my canvas As you always have Since I stepped out Of my mother's lap Into yours O Mother Earth... *Vasundhara – Earth in Bengali (Original in Bengali by Maniklal Chatterjee)
Ratnottama Sengupta, formerly Arts Editor of The Times of India, teaches mass communication and film appreciation, curates film festivals and art exhibitions, translates and write books. She has been a member of CBFC, served on the National Film Awards jury and has herself won a National Award.
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