"Have Mercy", a song in Bengali by Moushumi Bhowmick.
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doya koro
ei khoraay aamaar shomosto deho
poorey poorey chhai
doya koro
ei shohor shorir shomoy
shokoli poodey poodey chhai
doya koro
ogo brishti, ogo brishti
tumi trishito shorirey shohorer bukey
jhorey jhorey podo
doya koro ogo brishti
doya koro
ei ghorer bhitorey ondho bondho deho mon
tai doya koro
ei stobdho gumot
ruddho kopaat ghorer bhitorey
kheley na baatash
doya koro
ei paancheel deyaal
deyaaley taangano picassor potey
nona dhorey achhey
doya koro ogo jhod esho
ogo jhod eshoyaar
aaghaatey aaghaatey bhengey dao shob
doya koro
doya koro
aami bhalo bhalo bhalo bhalo-baasha-baashi
khelatey klanto
doya koro
ei bhalo thaaka baasha bhalo kora
bhalo bhalo to lagey na
doya koro
aami ek baar shudhu ek baar
aami
bairey daandaboi ek baar
tai doya koro
aami bhalo bhalo bhalo
bhalo-baasha-baashi
khelatey klanto doya koro
ei bhalo thaaka baasha bhalo kora
bhalo bhalo to laagey na
doya koro
aami ek baar shudhu ek baar
aami
bairey daandabo ek baar
shudhu ek baar
aami ek baar
aami
bairey daandabo ek baar
shudhu ek baar
aami ek baar
Devotional songs emerge from our innate natural urges and faculties, such as that of turning to, or seeking refuge, at times of acute duress and distress.
So there could also be “secular” expressions of that inner voice.
In 2005, I had heard the Bengali singer Moushumi Bhowmick – and been overwhelmed and mesmerised by her voice and songs. Rooted in the local Bengali soil and symbols, they took me to another plane altogether, of mood, feeling and fragrance.
The first song of Moushumi Bhowmick I heard was a prayer, a song by Ranen Roychowdhury, from Sylhet (now in Bangladesh). The song begins 'Mayani rakhibay moray’ (Keep me with affection). What feeling she impregnated into this humble expression of folk devotion, though she herself is presumably "secular" and non-religious!
Here's the song.
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| 03 Track 3.wma |
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Mayani rakhibay moray, re
Pranonath, dayani rakhibay moray.
Shoto na jwalay, jwoliya puriya
Nirole paiyachhi toray
Hridoyo chiriya, tumare bhoriya
Rakhibo shilaiyo kori re.
Pranonath…
Ankhi mudiya, thakimu boshiya
Ki korite paare parar loke
Tumare dhoriya jai jodi moriya
Tobe amar monobanchha puray re,
Pranonath…
Adhino Gopal-e, bole je kaatore
Nirolay paichhi toray
Tumari choron loinu shoron
Mayani rakhibay moray, re
Pranonath…
Moushumi is also part of an ensemble, Parapar. Their site on MySpace is here.
Hear more songs of Moushumi and Parapar here.
Moushumi's songs are very difficult to translate, because simple common words are so full of nuance of meaning and cultural connotations and associations. But I do want to share the words of the song Doya Koro, through English, with my non-Bengali friends, to illustrate a “secular prayer”. The deceptively simple text of the original, which masks the subtleties conveyed by various words, phrases and tones is very hard to render into any other language, without making it sound prosaic. And this is definitely not the case with the original. My literal, aural conversion into English does not do justice to Moushumi Bhowmick's work. Yet I want to share the words, because I know even that is so rich.
So with a prayer for mercy, I give that below.
Have mercy
this drought has burnt my whole body
to ashes
have mercy
this city, body, time
all burnt to ashes
have mercy
O dear rain,
shower down
on the thirsty body in the bosom of the city
O dear rain
have mercy,
Have mercy
the blind closed body and mind inside this room
so have mercy
the paralysed sultry suffocation
inside this room with closed doors
where the air can’t play
have mercy
these wall-boundaries
the Picasso scroll hung on the wall
has become salted over
have mercy
O dear storm come
and strike and break down everything
have mercy
Have mercy
this nice luv-luv-loving
I’m tired of playing
have mercy
this being nice, loving, doing good
does not feel very nice
have mercy
I will stand outside just once
once, just once
so have mercy
Listen to more songs by Moushumi Bhowmick here.
Image: Lucas Sithole.
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