Rashmi Choudhury - Bodo

Rashmi Choudhury

ANG THWIGWNKHALI

Ang thwigwnkhali

Buhuma rongjagwn

Mithinggaya swmkhwr gab gagwn

Manwna angni garangao

Dayw mithinggaya thajim jalia

Angni saikhlumao saikhlumni mohor gwilia

Ang thwigwnkhali amphwouphwra mwsagwn

Mwsrwmphwra mass rally khalamgwn

Manwna angni aganphwra biswrni langwnayao gwlwinai nonglia

Swrangblanw thenthua nangnai swdwb phwrao

Khaisw mwnnai nonglia

Somjwng riphinai

Sukhuni abung mwnse thasari

Ang thwigwnkhali dukhu damwn nwngbw

Bwi sanniphrai ang nwngni khamainaini

Khorsagiri janai nonglia

Ang da bikhani biswjwng abung mwnse musukha

Bujisohaywi gwrbwni garai

Undahani phungkha

Angni gwnangthiao debwr nangnai mwndangthi

Ringaphwrni ang khuni angayari

Ang thwigwnkhali nwng bobeyao thagwn mithinai nonga

Janangwou ang nunai nonga

Mwnnai nonga nwngni bilirthi

Khwnanai nonga janangwou angni rao arw swdwb

Mwnnai nonga janangwou

Amrita Pritam badi Imroz ni akhayao

Undunanwi jwbtha hang bwnw

Manwna ang thwigwnkhali

Buhuma rongjagwn

Mithinggaya boraigwn gwdan gwgw

Iyun jwlwi ni alasi

Swrangni abira boikhwoubw mwdan hwgwn

Sukhuni thasarijwng..

***

ON THE DAY OF MY DEATH

Translated by Dr. Anil Boro 

On the day of my death the world will rejoice, Nature will put on a green garb 

Because plants no longer breathe green 

Listening to my voice.

There are no more shades ... in my shadow.

On the day of my death the insects will dance.

Ants will gather in a mass rally. 

Because my step will no longer fall on their doorsteps. 

Words trembling at dawn will no longer be troubled:

A state of happiness in time's journey. 

On the day I die, don't be sad for me, you too.

From the day on, I will no longer eat from your fat income.

Now I am a doll living with the pain of the bosom. 

Sore of the unfathomable heart

A well of repentance.

In my living, rests feelings directionless of time's murder. 

I know not, where you would be on the day I die. 

Maybe, I will not see you.

I will not get the last touch of your hands.

Maybe I will not hear sounds and words from you 

Like Amrita Pritam and breathe the last breath

Lying on Imroses's palms. 

On the day I die, the world will rejoice... 

And Nature will usher in a new guest of the new

Breed, sparkling with happiness.

***

OR

Or or

Swrgiding or

Ukhundwi

Hwswdwng langthiathijwng

Gelenai golamni swler

Orni salaiphwra binilo songdan

Biswr mithia mithinwbw najaya

Golamni simang

Manwna biswr udangsrini mwnthai

Udangsrini phirphilla

Biswr udangsrini jatha

Udangsrini biswr methai

Golamni biswr dengkhw

Biswrni akhayao dahal - thungri

Bwrla -Thir

Silai kaman

Arw salaiao orni bakhri

Gwswblanw saotharw

Mwnse mithingga

Mwnse buhum 

Arw mwnse muga

Or or swrgiding or

Khabu mwnblanw saotharw

Sorogni langthia bigur

Biswr megon hwnw haya

Sorogni khorleb- khotheb thaoniao

Gaglijanai onthai serebfwrkhwou

Mwndang haya biswrni undaha

Manwna udangsrikhwou biswr gaoswrni

Akhai athumao

Arw seohanggar khalamw golamni mijing

Arw bebadinw hangar jalangw

Orni salaijwng

Mwnpha mwnpha mijing

Arw dwngse lama

Jaikhwou mwgthanga borayw.

****

FIRE

Translated by Prof. Anil Baro

Fire, fire

All around.

The smoke chases the slave body playing with nakedness.

The tongues of fire are only their finds. They know not, nor do they want to know the dreams of slavery.

They are rights of freedom.

The flags of liberty

The songs of liberty

The music of slaves.

Swords and shields, bows and arrows

Cannons and firearms on hand, they carry granary of fire.

Can enflame at will, the whole of Nature, one world, one era.

Fire, fire all around.

Can enflame at the slightest pretext, the naked skin of heaven.

They see not the burnt out pieces of rough stone.

They feel not laments of pebbles.

They press hard under their clutches 

And turn to ashes the dreams of the slaves.

And the tongues of fire transform the aspirations and roads to reality to ashes.

***

Rashmi Choudhury (b. 1974) is a prominent Bodo poet from Assam. Her works of poetry are well-known for having strong themes of feminism. She is acclaimed for her post-modernism style of writing. The poet has published two Bodo poetry books- Bublini Guthal (2011) and Sansrini Modira (2019). She has participated in several National and International Level poet meets including several programmes organized by the esteemed Sahitya Akademi. Two awards have been conferred on Choudhury: Bhaba Medhi Literary Award (2018) by Baksa Press Club and Dr. Ambedkar Fellowship National Award (2021) by Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi. Furthermore, she is currently serving (2018) as an Editor of Bodo Sahitya Sabha for the annual mouthpiece “The Bodo”. Simultaneously, she is the chairman of the mouthpiece Bagsri (published by Baksa District Bodo Sahitya Sabha) (2020) besides having been the chief editor for a multitude of magazines.

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Indigenous Voices of India :: Setu, November 2022