গ্রামের বাড়ি

`
ছেলেবেলার এই গল্প শুনতে
ভালো লাগছে ভারি

এক সপ্তার ছুটি নিয়ে

যাবি গ্রামের বাড়ি?

বাঁশ বাগান আর মাটির ঘর

মাথায় খড়ের চাল

থাকব গিয়ে দুজন মিলে

দুজনের সকাল

ভোরের বেলা শিশির পায়ে

ভিজে মাটির গন্ধ

বাঁধ পেরিয়ে অজয় পারে

বাউল এর আনন্দ

সেথায় বসে সারা সকাল 

গান গাইবি কত

শুনব কোলে মাথা দিয়ে

ছোট্টবেলার মত

দুপুরবেলা ডোবার মাছ

শাক ভাত আলু-পোস্ত

তারপরেতে কম্বল গায়ে

গপ্পে গপ্পে ব্যস্ত

বিকেল বেলা বেড়াতে যাব

সেই তাঁতিদের পাড়া

কথা কয়ে দেখবি

অবাক প্রাণখোলা হয় ওরা

সন্ধে হলেই অবধারিত

লোড-শেডিং এর মশা 

তারই মধ্যে হেচক জেলে 

হবে মাংস কষা

হাসছিস তুই; সত্যি বলছি

যাব একদিন চলে

কতদিন হল ঘরে ফিরিনি

আমার গাঁয়ের কোলে |
`

White Plains, NY,

August, 2010

Grandfather

`
2000 kilometers away, today morning
He died.

I felt sad.
I loved him
And even wanted to cry,
But of course, I did not.

I remembered
How he had worked
Days and nights on end
To sustain the family,
Educate my father;
I remembered –
What I was today was because
Of all that he had been.

Today, in the evening
We friends met up
As had been decided
And had a gala time.

2000 kilometers away, at home
They wept all night.
I loved him
And I did not cry at all.
`

Bengaluru, KA,

April, 2007

AmAr rang thulir gappa

(script guide - a: ajagar; A: aam ...)

`
Aj sakAle base rang karechhi
je chhabigulo
chamke diye phute utthchhila mane,
seigulo

se majAr kathA:

AjkAl dhhoosar man
thAi prathame
ektu kAlche dhhoosar dhiyei shuru karlAm
mAnushher rang dhhoosar, jAmA dhhoosar,
gAchh dhoosar, sab dhhoosar
kAlo dhiye AlAdA karA
jAthe dhhoosar dhhoosar mishe nA jAy
dhekhe keman lAgla,
keman maylA jena,
shahure dhhnoyAy ddhAkA

man keman karchhila,
chakh buje base thhAklAm khAnik khan

thArpar abAk kAnda,
jena bnAdhh bhAngla

bhese ela kachi sabuj
sabje jAmA, lAl tthnoth
kuchkuche kAla chool
gAl bhora shubhro hashi
sab spashhta
jena ei sedhiner kathha

khelAr chhale
lAl, neeler mela basle,
dhhoosar kothhay hAriye gele.
lAler phnAke sAdA hAse
sabuj dine neel AkAshe
Ami o sei hAsir sAthhe
prAn bhariye nilem hese;
ghure phire beriye khele
hAriye gelem chhabir mAjhe
kAtla anek khon


AmAr deyAl dhoosar
thAr madhdhhikhAne perek pnuthe bnAdhhAna chhabi besh kare tAngiye rekhechhi
`

Bengaluru, KA,

February, 2007

`
For some reason
I was agitated that day,
Wailing aloud hysterically…

Ma, soft and kind as ever,
Came along; she took me in her lap,
Cuddled and caressed me
Against all my physical protests.
I somehow flung myself away,
Darted off to the large verandah,
And sat there sobbing…

I was sure she would come
Just in a while,
To pacify my temper;
And only after she begged and pleaded
Would I royally forgive her for all.
I sobbed and waited,
Having long forgotten
The cause behind this tantrum…

My wait grew impatient,
I got tired of my sobbing.
My tears having got dry,
Only an empty sniffle remained.
And yet, Ma still wasn’t there…

My bubble self-esteem
Bid me stay,
Yet curiosity,
She dragged me along,
Where in the world was Ma!

Just then,
Those lovely divine arms
Wrapped around me,
And in a moment
She was kissing me all over my face
As I clenched onto her bosom.
She just laughed and kissed,
And I punched her and hugged her
Simultaneously…


I sighed,
And sigh gave away to a dry smile
As I lay on my cot.
Some hostel-mate knocked on the door.
They were debating outside in the corridor,
Over the present socio-economic scenario.
I had wise and knowledgeable friends.
`

Chandannagar, WB,

June, 2004

To Soumi on her birthday

`
You are to me fresh morning air
That I breathe in and breathe out,
Your silent company accompanies me
Far away from the crowd.

I am one who loves solitude
Worships and thrives on it,
Yet this tranquility isn't a void
Filled by dew laden air so sweet.

Your sweet voice loud, expression pout
Those disinterested sparkling eyes,
That's where I flee in sorrow or glee
For that's where my poor soul lies.

Just remember a little thing
On this twelfth of September,
The holy bond 'tween you and me
Distance can never wear.
`

Pilani, RJ,

September, 2003