And then we regaled the Marriott Residence Inn-mates through the walls of my room, with our songs from India. She sang along to YouTube while I read the translations. Bindu shared two favorites. The first is accompanied by a poignant slide show of photos of Gandhi. The second has a message which particularly touched me at this time of personal transition. It was a very good weekend.
Translation below, in Roman Hindi and with the Hindi because the font is so beautiful.
"Ekla Chalo Re, is a Bengalipatriotic song written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1905.[2]...The song exhorts the listener to continue his or her journey, despite abandonment or lack of support from others. The song is often quoted in the context of political or social change movements. Mahatma Gandhi, who was deeply influenced by this song,[4] cited it as one his favorite songs.[5]
Here is the translation in prose of the Bengali original rendered by Rabindranath Tagore himself.[6]"(says Wikipedia)
- If they answer not to thy call, walk alone,
- If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,
- O thou unlucky one, open thy mind and speak out alone.
- If they turn away, and desert you when crossing the wilderness,
- O thou unlucky one, trample the thorns under thy tread,
- and along the blood-lined track travel alone.
- If they do not hold up the light when the night is troubled with storm,
- O thou unlucky one, with the thunder flame of pain ignite thy own heart
- and let it burn alone.
Translation of Sabarmati ke Sant
de di hamein azaadi bina khadag bina dhaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
de di hamein azaadi bina khadag bina dhaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
Aandhi mein bhi jalti rahi Gandhi Teri mashaal
Sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
de di hamein azaadi bina khadag bina dhaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
You gave us freedom without wielding a shield or sword.
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought!
Gandhi your torch burnt bright through every storm.
Chorus:
You gave us freedom without wielding a shield or a sword.
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought!
dharti pe ladi tune ajab dhang ki ladaayi
daagi na kahin top na bandook chalaayi
dushman ke qile par bhi na ki tune chadhaayi
waah re faqeer khoob karamaat dikhaayi
chutki mein dushmano ko diya desh se nikaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
de di hamein azaadi bina khadag bina dhaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
raghupati raghav raja ram
On this earth you fought an unusual fight
Neither cannon nor bullets were fired
Neither did you assault the fortress of the enemy
Oh Fakeer you showed great skill in your campaign
In no time at all you rid us of the enemy
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought!
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram.
shatranj bichha kar yahan baitha tha zamana
lagta tha mushkil hai firangi ko harana
takkar thi bade zor ki dushman bhi tha thana
par tu bhi tha bapu bada ustaad puraana
maara wo kas ke daanv ke ulti sabhi ki chaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
de di hamein azaadi bina khadag bina dhaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
raghupati raghav raja ram
Time had rolled up the carpet and was sitting still
It seemed so difficult to defeat the enemy
To clash with an enemy so strong seemed impossible
But you Bapu were an ancient Master of tactics and vision
Your moves confused the enemy
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought!
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram.
jab jab tera bigul baja jawaan chal pade
mazdoor chal pade the aur kisaan chal pade
hindu aur musalmaan sikh pathaan chal pade
kadmon pe teri koti koti praan chal pade
phoolon ki sej chhod ke daude jawaahar laal
sabarmati ke sant tune
kar diya kamaal
de di hamein azaadi bina khadag bina dhaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
raghupati raghav raja ram
Whenever your bugle sounded, the youth came marching.
Workers marched and peasants marched as well
Hindus and Mussalmans, Sikhs, Pathans came marching too.
A hundred million souls marched in step behind you,
Leaving his bed of roses Jawaharlal came running.
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought!
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram.
Chorus:
You gave us freedom without wielding a shield or a sword.
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought!
man mein thi ahinsa ki lagan tan pe langoti
laakhon mein ghoomta tha liye satya ki sonti
waise to dekhne mein thi hasti teri chhoti
lekin tujhe jhukti thi himaalay ki bhi choti
duniya mein tu bejod tha insaan bemisaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
de di hamein azaadi bina khadag bina dhaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
raghupati raghav raja ram
With a mind full of non-violence, a body covered in loin
cloth,
You moved among the masses wielding the baton of Truth.
To look at, you were but a little man.
But even the Himalayas bowed before you.
Bapu, you were a man without an equal in the world.
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought!
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram.
Chorus:
You gave us freedom without wielding a shield or a sword.
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought!
jag mein koi jiya hai to bapu tu hi jiya
tune watan ki raah mein sab kuchh luta diya
manga na koi takht na to taj bhi liya
amrit diya to theek magar khud zeher piya
jis din teri chita jali roya tha mahakaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
de di hamein azaadi bina khadag bina dhaal
sabarmati ke sant tune kar diya kamaal
raghupati raghav raja ram
raghupati raghav raja ram
raghupati raghav raja ram
If anyone can be said to have lived in this world, then Bapu
you were such a one,
In following the path of the nation, you gave everything you
had,
You asked neither for power or position
You gave us nectar but you yourself drank poison
The day your funeral pyre was lit even the Lord of Time and
Death wept,
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought!
Chorus:
You gave us freedom without wielding a shield or a sword.
O Saint of the Sabarmati, what a miracle you wrought
Raghupati Raghav Raja
Ram.
Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram
song-from- the film : Jagriti
दे दी हमें आज़ादी बिना खड्ग बिना ढाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
आंधी में भी जलती रही गांधी तेरी मशाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
धरती पे लड़ी तूने अजब ढब की लड़ाई
दागी न कहीं तोप न बंदूक चलाई
दुश्मन के किले पर भी न की तूने चढ़ाई
वाह रे फकीर खूब करामात दिखाई
दागी न कहीं तोप न बंदूक चलाई
दुश्मन के किले पर भी न की तूने चढ़ाई
वाह रे फकीर खूब करामात दिखाई
चुटकी में दुश्मनों को दिया देश से निकाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
शतरंज बिछा कर यहां बैठा था ज़माना
लगता था कि मुश्किल है फिरंगी को हराना
टक्कर थी बड़े ज़ोर की दुश्मन भी था दाना
पर तू भी था बापू बड़ा उस्ताद पुराना
लगता था कि मुश्किल है फिरंगी को हराना
टक्कर थी बड़े ज़ोर की दुश्मन भी था दाना
पर तू भी था बापू बड़ा उस्ताद पुराना
मारा वो कस के दांव कि उल्टी सभी की चाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
जब जब तेरा बिगुल बजा जवान चल पड़े
मजदूर चल पड़े थे और किसान चल पड़े
हिन्दू व मुसलमान सिख पठान चल पड़े
कदमों पे तेरे कोटि कोटि प्राण चल पड़े
मजदूर चल पड़े थे और किसान चल पड़े
हिन्दू व मुसलमान सिख पठान चल पड़े
कदमों पे तेरे कोटि कोटि प्राण चल पड़े
फूलों की सेज छोड़ के दौड़े जवाहरलाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
मन में थी अहिंसा की लगन तन पे लंगोटी
लाखों में घूमता था लिये सत्य की सोंटी
वैसे तो देखने में थी हस्ती तेरी छोटी
लेकिन तुझे झुकती थी हिमालय की भी चोटी
लाखों में घूमता था लिये सत्य की सोंटी
वैसे तो देखने में थी हस्ती तेरी छोटी
लेकिन तुझे झुकती थी हिमालय की भी चोटी
दुनियां में तू बेजोड़ था इंसान बेमिसाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
जग में कोई जिया है तो बापू तू ही जिया
तूने वतन की राह में सबकुछ लुटा दिया
मांगा न कोई तख्त न तो ताज ही लिया
अमृत दिया सभी को मगर खुद ज़हर पिया
तूने वतन की राह में सबकुछ लुटा दिया
मांगा न कोई तख्त न तो ताज ही लिया
अमृत दिया सभी को मगर खुद ज़हर पिया
जिस दिन तेरी चिता जली रोया था महाकाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
साबरमती के संत तूने कर दिया कमाल
Actually, BIndu said: Wow! What cyber talent to convert my raggedy email and attachment into something pretty.You should be drafted as a teacher for the computer illiterate, like semi-retired neurologist for one!
ReplyDeleteNever realised that Hindi looks so beautiful. Also learnt about the history of Eklo Jane re which I was told was specifically written for Gandhi after he had a huge setback with one of his Civil Disobedience Movements but that is not the case. Tagore's translation is so much better than a literal one I know.