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Script: Nkpot
Script: Nkpot
Behulas Death
The event had no link to flood But it happened during the time of flood A snake bit me As a result of accidental treading upon a coil It struck me effectively Pumping poison with fangs It grabbed the opportunity of shaded invisibility Perhaps it waited for me to strike or looked for some fault in me It needed only the slightest reason for action One false move or a weak moment I heard a faint sound when it struck me But did not know whether it was in my mind or in the air I died in no time It was so sudden before I could realise Was the snake terrible or beautiful? And the death? Was it like the snake dark, cold and fearful That slithered away? With my untimely death Ended a path called life and my existence forever It was a matter of venomous strike Doctor, ojha no one could save me I was dead I was dressed like a bride, caressed And was cast adrift on a plantain raft All alone down the stream of swelled river Yes, it was so! All have to travel alone Down the thistle road to death No one was with me No life, no companions and dear ones The shehnai did not play the mourning note Neither did the quivering note of flute... haba jinglab aywihaba jinglab Look at the stricken faces clothed in lives Pale, weary, defeated, diffident, helpless As if they had never seen freedom When the departure came My husband did every rite He looked pale as he bid me farewell the last farewell Maybe it is the difference between the dead and the living The living observe all rites sensible or insensible And the dead They are utterly free from all illusions, chains, rites, fears, faiths A simmering oil flame burnt on the raft The oarless raft was carried through lands and rivers What a turbulent surge of the river Oh! What a form of existence or non-existence of death or hereafter of faith or faithlessness? A question arises in mind (which is not an illegitimate one!) What would Lakhindar do in such a situation? I mean, Lakhindar, husband of Behula Would the story of faithful women put the question to rest? From the bridge the crowd watched A live drama performed in the evening river As if they were gazing at the flood water (Some might have an interest in it too!)
ANJU BASUMATARY TRANS: SJ WARY
Basumatary is author of Phasini Doulengao Okhaphwr
POST script 3
APRIL 29, 2012
SEVEN SISTERS
PAGE
TURNERS
MAHESWAR NARZARY
Recommends
Writer and translator Maheswar Narzary won the Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2011 for his work Puranni Solo Phithikha, an adaptation of tales from the Puranas. His writings include Boro Tripuri Rao Swdwb, Bathwou Bwrai Eba Sri Sri Siva Gita, Tolstoyni Solo and Srimad Vagawad Gubji Geeta. He tells Gitanjali Das that Bodo literature still has a long way to go
u What does literature mean to you? Do you think it has any relevance in our day-to-day lives? According to you, does it have anything to do with all that is happening around us? t Literature has been mirroring society from time immemorial. Literature is a ladder of knowledge that leads us towards progress. Literature is what happens to us every day. It is an inseparable part of peoples lives and their quest for knowledge. I am a reader of scriptures. Religious books talk about Kaliyug when everything will be destroyed. Today we are witnessing what these books had predicted.
Boro teaches at the Gauhati University. He is author of Siphungni Dengkhw, San Mwkhangari Simang, and Angni Gamiyao Dwijlang.
iNKPOT
They Are Colour-Blind
(A flower petal : For Sobha Brahma) They know not How different black from white is. Because they are colour-blind. What a big difference Between yours and theirs! For this reason the beautiful rainbow Appears pale to their eyes. Where your creative mind tries To portray the real picture Of El Dorado They see only Sahara and leave The oasis unseen So they can say Art for arts sake. There is the Pacific Ocean On the leaves of the cynodon dactlon Around the homestead And there are countless cosmos In the foot dust of thousands of men. I see the signs and images of Origin of creation Wherever you put your brush When you try to find a kingdom of heaven Upon the dust of Hiroshima-Nagasaki, I also wish to proclaim. I dont want to die in this beautiful world. But they are the colour-blind! The veil of the Dark Age is not yet Removed from their faces.
BRAJENDRA KUMAR BRAHMA TRANS: ANIL BORO
Brahma is author of Okhrang Gongse Nanggou.
u Name one book that had a lasting impact on you. In what way? t Brahma Vaivarta Purana has inspired and taught me a lot. Srimad Bhagavad Gita is another book that has given me much knowledge. These books talk of Lord Krishna, Brahma, Vishnu and numerous other legendary characters like Savitri and Behula. I had translated Savitri-Yam Sambad from Brahma Vaivarta Purana. Savitri had pleaded for her husbands life and asked Lord Yama questions about life and death, which taught me about sins, punishments and which sins lead to what kind of tortures after death. u What book would you recommend for our readers and why? t Srimad Bhagavad Gita is one book which, I feel, everybody should read. It is known as an ocean of knowledge. I can say that there are no books which can give more knowledge than Srimad Bhagavad Gita.
u What future do you see for literature from the Northeast? t Northeastern literature is progressing at a fast pace. And every state of the region is contributing to its development. Bodo literature has also made progress but I feel the majority of Bodo people do not pay much attention to the language. Though we have been fighting for the recognition of our language, people do not respect it the way they should. There are a number of people who do not even know the language. It is not as developed as Assamese, Bengali and other languages of the region. Bodo literature still has a long way to go.
u How close is your relation with literature in general, and with literature of the Northeast in particular? t I am a lover of literature. It is an indispensable part of my life. I am an avid reader of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. When it comes to literature from the Northeast, I follow Bodo, Assamese and Bengali literature. So far as writing is concerned, I translate from Bengali.
Bardoisikhla
I was on the move. And quite suddenly There struck a silky dragonfly. Against my helmet. I was on the move And Had no time to stop. The passers-by cried, The dragonfly is not a dragonfly Its Bardoisikhla. Who is here to usher in the festival Of youthful spring
AUROBINDO UZIR TRANS: ANIL BORO