Anju Makhija (Children's World)

Anju Makhija

(Translated works)    

 

THAKURS OF THE FOREST

                                                                   

We make homes with tree branches,

we roam around like butterflies.                     

                                Thakurs, Thakurs are we.

We make homes in thick, dark jungles,

we brave our way through storms.

                               Thakur, Thakurs are we.

 

We’re great fighters and survivors,

we’re descendants of Nagia Dada.

                               Thakur, Thakurs are we.

 

We’re never afraid of anything,

we’re mighty kings of the jungle.                  

                               Thakur, Thakurs are we.                  

 

*Thakurs are Adivasis living in Raigad, Maharashtra. Original poems in Marathi are by children of Yusuf Meherally Centre School, Panvel.

                                                                           

*Nagia Dada is the leader of the Thakur community.

                     

 

GANPATI                                             

Here, we make Ganpati idols

of different sizes,

in hues, light and dark;

in designs, traditional and new,

for worship and exhibitions too.

 

The art of making idols,

is native to our Pen Taluka.

It’s our life, our livelihood.

 

Be it near a mountain

or a large, flowing river –

‘Ganpati, amcha gaon cha’

is sung by young and old.      

 

It’s festive season now,

come to my Pen Taluka,

visit ‘Home of Ganpati’.

See how they are artistically

made of clay and vivid colours.

 

*These poems in Marathi are by children of Yusuf Meherally Centre School, Panvel.

*Ganpati amcha gaon cha: Ganpati idols made in our village.

 

Bio Note: Anju Makhija  

Anju Makhija is Sahitya Akademi award-winning poet, playwright and translator. She has written/co-edited 13 volumes incl. poetry, anthologies, translations & plays. Her work for young audiences’ incl., Poems Grow with You, To Catch a Poem (with Jane Bhandari), Voices from Yesterday (stories), Hari Babu & the Bomb (play). She has written scripts for the National Film Board of Canada, Children’s Films Society etc. Anju has won several awards incl. the BBC World Regional Poetry Prize. Her latest book is Mumbai Traps: collected plays.

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Setu, December 2022 :: Children's World 2023