The "Bangali" in me........Quintessentially Clandestine

Almost everyday when my alarm(which incidently is a technical phone beep) goes off at 6am, there is a song playing in my head. It is so precise that it surprises me. How when I mostly do not even recall my dreams I am able to remember the lyrics and tune as if someone sang to me right then.

Well,the first thing that I do each morning is to play music anyways; and on the days when I have these unique ones playing on my mind long before I even wake up, I play those FIRST. Today I woke upto this song: Tagore's "Aasha Jabaar Pother Dhaare". I first heard this song on my summer vacations some 15years ago from a cousin who was comprehensively trained in what all Bangalis resonate with - 'Robindrosangeet'. As didi sang this song to all of us assembled in a north-side room of our ancestral house in Medinipore on a sultry summer night, I felt an irresistable urge to learn the song and keep it by heart. I eventually did learn the song by that fall. This song was also the first amongst choice of songs for my All India Radio show later that year. Please don't re-read that last line- coz yes I do not come across as a singer anymore. And I also only today remembered about this one-off feat of mine so many years ago. But all Bangali girls are singers in their teens(mostly) and we all sing Robindrosangeet.

At this point, I wish to bring to my reader's attention this whole connection between us Bangalis and our own Robindranath Thakur. Actually it is not exactly like you read it; not that simple. It is more deep-rooted than one can comprehend - "Aamader Nijer Robindronath".I am sorry to sound over-possesive and at times even under-mining non-bengali ideas of Tagore, but seriously(but not offensively) I feel that apart from scholars who research on his subject and even them at times, common people cannot comprehend the expanse that is Tagore. I am yet to find another parallel to Tagore's following amongst bangalis in any other community atleast in India. So sometimes I am at a loss of words and expressions to explain to friends and colleagues when they ask what is our big deal with Tagore. And yes there are enough ignorant people around us even in most evolved habitats, where we go about our days and years.

My brother and I grew up on a staple diet of Robindronath all through our childhood. Rather I would honestly claim that our love for cultural literature actually started there. And with him, we learnt the most important aspect of culture, religions, regions, caste, creed- it is acceptance & tolerance. His writings stand for everything liberal & blatantly honest, bare. His songs, poems, stories encompasses almost every situation that the human race could broadly be subjected to, in the era he lived in and beyond it too. Like the song I woke up to this morning: "Aasha Jabaar Pother Dhaare". The song has such a wide relevance that it has never ceased to intrigue me in the last 15years that I have been listening to it. This is not to say that his other work of literature hasn't affected me. This is only about this particular song and me. I am going to attempt to explain the song to you all(pardon me for any irregularities). This is not a translation. This is MY INTERPRETATION; and why it touches a different chord each time I listen to it.

Well, also I would urge each of you to think and express in comments what you feel. Please feel free to critique and add to mine - as that remains my quest from my own writings. I will not have a round off statement at the end of this blog and leave my readers with just Robindronath's magic. That will be the befitting culmination of my day today.

The song was written on 25th March 1922. Tagore was 60. 


Aasha Jabaar Pother Dhaare Gaan Geye Mor
Ketechhe Din,
Besides the path of mundane tread, my days have gone by singing my song
As the world passes by, I sit along the way and sing my song

Jabaar Bailaye Debo Kaare Buker Kaachhe
Bajlo Je Biin
The day of the departure, with whom shall I leave behind the notes closest to my chest
When the day of judgement arrives, whom should I handover my heart's tunes

Shuur Guli Taar Nana Bhaage Rekhe Jaabo
Pushpo Raage
The notes I will divide in many parts and arrange in floral notations
The notations of my heart's music I shall neatly illustrate like flowers bloom- flawlessly

MiidGuli Taar Megher Rekhaaye Swarno Lekhaaye
Korbo Biliin
The rhythm and intricacies will be drawn in golden drawings in the skyline
The highs and lows of my heart, I will draw intricately like clouds in golden lines

Kichhu Ba She MilanMalaye Jugol Golaaye
Roi Be Gaathaa
Some notes will stay strung together in garlands that young couples exchange at marriages
The notes will be carried beyond this lifetimes as they bring the right and might in youth together in a transcendental union

Kichhu Ba She Bhijiye Debe Dui Chahoniir
Chokher Pata
Some will bring tears to young lovers eyelids
Some will drench in themselves the two who have found their calling in each other

Kichhu Ba Kon Choitro Maasher
Bokul Dhaka Boner Ghaashe
Moner Kothar Tukdo Aamar
Kudiye Paabe, Kon Udashiin
Some will be found with the Bakul flowers on grass bed of this forest, with strewn pieces of my heartfelt words by an incurious person walking this path.
The rest of the notes with my heart's story/chapters/details will perhaps be discovered by lonesome soul wanderer among the Bakul flowers on this forest trail when the white of the flowers would envelope the green of the forest in all-encompassing love of all seasons. Like the flowers fall to embrace the earth in unconditional love, my heart's tunes may be embraced by this disinterested wanderer and may it resonate with his heart's tune and revert his apathetic indifferent view of the world.

Above I consider is a very brave attempt. May be it should not have been. But Now it is here for you to read. So here it goes, interpreted twice coz I could not cover even the gist in the first go. Please leave a comment with what you feel.

Thanks for dropping by. Look forward to many more visits from all of you.