Bashabari Tenanted House by Tagore translated by Ranu

April 7, 2013

It is my first trip to this city.

At two- thirty am.Am trying to find the address of the house.

With the lantern  in hand,I guess my way.

English: Rabindranath Tagore Русский: Тагор, Рабиндранат (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Like a python’s ghost there are lanes after lanes.

The confusion increases,as I make a stop

there is a wharf going down the left lane.

I see the house standing ,masked in disguise__

the doors and windows were open wide, it’s all quiet.

Near the window on the fourth floor there is an opening

the flame of the light is piercing the dark.

Rest of the estate

gives the picture of  fat veiled giants looking like  women.

A foreigner’s tenanted house it is__ some live a few months

with their family,spend  time here;

their work is done in a few days,they

pay off their rent and leave elsewhere,no one knows them or where they went!

I inquire ‘is there someone here, can I get a place?’

The voice says, ‘we are no–no more.’

from the doors and the windows all over the sky

swarms of birds are flying in the dark open sky .

Thousands of wings flying   all together

in the dark , sounds like, ‘we are no— no more.’

I say ,’what work brings you here?’

Reply comes,’ no one knows the reason.

In every age the  group of no– more is increasing;

when it becomes a confused noise

I suppress all the words with___

no — no more.’

Next morning in the same house I saw,

boys  playing a game of let’s fight,let’s fight,

with sticks in hand they were obstructing each other.

In the corner two old men were scolding one another__

the betting game is played only to win or lose,

the assets and liabilities keep accumulating,the account remains incomplete.

There is scent from the kitchen,and sound of dish washing;

the maid with the basket to the store is going.

One at a time I look at their faces,

I hear similar sound ‘we are no—– no more.’