Maayer Puja

(Poetry in Bengali)

-Tamal Ghosal

Mahalayar shokal bela, chayer peyala haathe,

Radio er switch on kori, 4ter samay prate.

Birendra Krishna Bhadrer shlok, janaay maayer agomoni,

Aschhen Maa aabar bhunye, niye ulu dhwani.

Debi pakkher prothom 5 din, protikkhay kaate,

Anondo, asha buke niye, mon khushir pothe haante.

Kono kaaje mon lage na, oi bujhi maa elo,

1 bochhorer niraash mon, abar asha pelo.

Shoshti er din maa ke aani, kori taar bodhan,

Pujar prostuti shuru kori, kore moner shodhan.

Astra, shastra, gahona, bastra – diye shajai maa ke,

Mone jaage ullas anek, haashi thonter faanke.

Saptami te puja shuru, shobai notun beshe,

Maa eshe puja nilen, pitri grihe sheshe.

Paaray paaray ghure ghure thakur dekhar pala,

Mandope mandope shobha paaye, maayer pujar dala.

Ashtami er shokale ditei hobe, maa ke pushpanjali,

Durga Pujar Mahamantra dhwani, chhoray ali gali.

Dupure maayer anya bhog, mile mishe kheye moja,

Dhaaker baddyi, dhunuchi naach, raate sandhi puja.

Nabami er shokal shokal, beriye pora chai,

Pujor ei to shesh din, aar je samay naai.

Thakur dekha, khawa dawa, chootiye aadda maara,

Anondo uttejanay shobai, maatay sara para.

Dekhte dekhte dashami, maayer bidaay nebar bela,

Maayer samne meyera taar dekhay sindur khela.

Bisarjan yatray mon kandiye, maa nen biday.

Aschhe bochhor abar hobe, roilam protikkhay.

FIRST RAIN

All is well, so beautiful around,

Everything looks so new.

The thunder roars, the first rain falls,

Makes me remember you.

My love for you, as soothing as rain,

That washes away the summer heat.

I used to pray we live, laugh and love,

As long as our hearts beat.

The smile of yours, those wet dark hairs,

Tell me how not to crave.

The love for you, the pain for your love,

I’ll take with me to my grave.

The breezy wind, so cool so moist,

Like the flying scarf of yours.

That voice you had, was even sweeter

Than the melody of rain pours.

When you were near, so good was all,

Life was so full of boon.

Summers, winters were jealous of us,

There was eternal monsoon.

I still feel those days by me,

As I see the rain.

The romance of the downpour

So overwhelms my brain.

Emotions though beat intellect by miles,

And I listen to just my heart.

The first rain of the season still

Makes me wish we were not apart.

But oh nostalgia, it makes me cry,

Makes my heart so sore.

I put down my pen in the pain of love,

As the nimbus clouds roar.

- Tamal Ghosal