Sunday, March 18, 2007

Spring, Holi, & Khusro

Basant ritu aa gayi hai... balki yoo kahein, ki bahut kuchh ab toh jaane wali hee hai... pata nahin kyoon, in this season I often start recalling some of the Amir Khusro's poetry, the little that I have come across... the images that Khusro makes... so vibrant, so colourful... the energy of life Khusro was filled with.. and which has come in his poetry also...
Meanwhile just presenting a piece of quawwali that I recall most..


(Sakal = entire, Bun (Van) = forest, Gadhwa = bouquets, bunch of flowers)


Sakal bun phool rahi sarson,
Sakal bun phool rahi sarson,
Umbva phutay, tesu phulay,
koyal bolay daar daar,
Aur gori karat singaar,
Malaniyan gadhwa lay aayin karson,
Sakal bun phool rahi sarson,

Tarah tarah kay phool lagaaye,
Lay gadhwa haathan mein aaye.
Nijamudin kay darwazay par,
Aawan keh gaye aashaq rung,
Aur beet gaye barson.
Sakal bun phool rahi sarson...


The yellow mustard is blooming in every field, every forest
Mango buds are clicking open, the 'tesu' flowers too;
The koyal chirps from branch to branch,
And the beatiful girl tries her make-up,
The gardener-girls have brought bouquets.

Colourful flowers of all kinds,
In hands everyone’s bringing;
But Aashiq-rung (the lover), who had promised to come
To Nizamuddin’s house in spring,
Hasn’t turned up - its been years.
The yellow mustard is blooming in every field.

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(Nizamuddin Aulia, a Sufi saint, the Peer (master) of Khusro. The tinch of pain in the end of poem makes it even more moving for me. The poem and translation were taken from here and here. -Gaurav.)