Vey Malang Tera Iktara

A door bangs shut somewhere. Night dawns. Slowly but surely it flows into my veins. Purges the day's touch from my skin. Whispers your name to my soul.

Rooh ka banjara re parinda,
Chadh gaya dil ka re gharonda.
Chadh gaya dil ka re gharonda todke
De gharonda todke, gaya chodke.

Je naina karoon band band, beh jaaye boond boond,
Tadpaye re, kyun sunaye geet malhaar de.


A carnival of memories begins its merry waltz. Wefts and warps of fine threads weave them into the breeze. Tinkling between the roar of traffic outside I can hear a chance laugh. Rare laughter. Prized laughter. Pince-nez laughter. I wrap the breeze snugly around me.


Megh peoner kothaye badi, kothaye she kon doore,
Asaad holiye kotha theke aashe akaash joode.

Mon kharaper disti guli, kokhon bili kore?
Raat jaaga kon bhore, megher deeprohore,
Paak dondi pother dhaare, bagaan ghera ghore?


Starlight twinkles in my starry-eyed tears. Intimate silences partake in revelry of the past. The fan suddenly blows my way chill from mountains of yore. A brutal cough chokes my mind.


Beeti raat basi basi padhi hai sirhaane
Bandh darwaja dekhe lauti hai subah.
Thandi hai angeethi seeli, seeli hai deewaren
Goonje takrake inme dil ki sada.


Crickets gossip. A limping cow slumps onto the ground, exhausted. A vagabond kitten wants to talk. Alas, we have run out of things to talk about. The only talks left are the ones we do not want to have. Let me see if she'll settle for some milk.


Aekhon rod otheche, megh peoner jabaar shomoye pray,
Je shob chithi hoyeni bili podeche jhornaaye.

Godiye gaeche nodir jole,
Chodiye aache gacher daale.
Tuk tuk tuk podbe jhore pahad dolir pothe
Dheere dheere shukiye jaabe shukno patar shaathe.


Time tickles and ticks away. Making our brand new sadness old in a jiffy. The night is in cahoots with the spirits today. Spirits of silly thought that ask me to forget how not to remember. Mucus wells up my throat in a fit. Time to bend-over and surrender.


Vey malang tera iktara, iktara.
Vey malang tera iktara.


The night loses its spirit around me. Incredulously, it inspects my washed out silhouette. It is time to melt back into memory.


Mon kharaper shojol tuku shukiye giye sheshe,
Miliye jaabe tir-tire aek mon kamoner deshe
Megh peoner bagey ebaar mon kamoner dista
Shei mon kamoner sroter taane cholche boye Teesta.


Am I happy to be alone? There are no doors when I am alone. Neither is there anywhere else to go...