It was December. The exact year escapes me. But it was mid seventies. Dad had taken the whole family to visit my mom’s elder sister. I remember getting off the train in a nondescript station called Mankundu and then taking a rickshaw to my aunt’s place in Chandannagar. That evening, uncle showed off his newly acquired gramaphone player (those LP players with vinyl discs). I remember being absolutely fascinated by the player.

This is the first song I ever heard in a gramophone player.

“Dagor dagor chokhey keno kajol diley
Amon dagor dagor chokhey keno kajol diley
Kalo oi chokhta thekeo kajol kalo ki
Bolo kalo oi chokhta thekeo kajol kalo ki?
Dekhatam o mukh haatey aayna peley

Jekhaney polash koli saara bochhor phhotey
laabh ki rong laagie omon raanga thhotey
palash-er- koli-r cheye-o o rong raanga ki?
Bolo palash-er- koli-r cheye-o o rong raanga ki?
Dekhatam o mukh haatey aayna peley”

To understand the lyrics, we need to know that “polash” is a very bright red flower found in the area where I come from in India (Bengal) and “kajol” is collyrium – also called “kohl” that is usually applied under the eyes by girls where I come from as a beauty thing.

Roughly translated…

Why did you put “kohl” on those wide eyes
Oh! Why did you put “kohl” on those wide eyes
Is kohl really any deeper than your dark eyes
Tell me, is kohl really any deeper than your dark eyes?
I would have shown you myself, had I had a mirror with me.

Where “polash” blooms all year around
What is the point in putting red color in those lips
Is the red of an young “polash” bud any deeper than that of your lips
Tell me, is the red of an young “polash” bud any deeper than that of your lips?
I would have shown you myself, had I had a mirror with me.

… the crackling of the fire…
… the memories of a life…
… with mezcal as the company.

“Para todo mal, mezcal!
Para todo bien, tambien!!”

Here is a perfect translation from my friend Somshekhar Bakshi..
“For everything bad… mezcal!
For everything good… likewise!!”

Every Bengali kid that grew up in the 70s and 80s in Bengal would have grown up on a healthy diet of folk songs. Folk songs – irrespective of country – tend to have catchy tunes and is usually about some down to earth topic. Tonight’s song of the evening was “Amar Gosai Re Ni Dekhcho Khajur Gachhtalay” by the unforgettable Amar Pal. Took me back to the days of elementary school when All India Radio Kolkata used to carry 2 folks songs everyday between 6:50am and 7:00am. I used to listen to them invariably while packing up my school bag or tying my shoelaces. Moment the folks songs got over, I had to run for the school bus that would show up at 7:10am.

This song is a somewhat funny take on the life of a normal street cat.

“Jodi aaro kaare bhalobasho
Jodi aaro feerey naahi aasho
Tobey tumi jaha chao tai jeno pao
Aami joto dukho pai go”

“Jokhon neshay amar rasta toley
Keu amake maatal bole
Omni soja chole jai dekhiye
Bhabchho jaa ta noito ami
Jokhon tumi amay matal bolo
Dhonno je hoy she maatlami
Dhonno ami dhonno he
Matal tomar jonno je”

Under the influence, when I stagger
And somebody calls me out as a drunkard
I start walking the straight line
To prove them that they are wrong.
But when you call me a drunkard
Blessed becomes my inebriation
Blessed I be, virtuous I be,
Drunkard, all due to you!

‘Aashiqi sabr-talab aur tamanna betaab
Dil ka kyaa rang karoon khoon-e jigar hone tak.”
– Ghalib

Roughly translated (by somebody else)…
“Love demands patience but lust is relentless,
What to do with the heart till it bleeds to death!”

Kal raat tanhaa chaand ko
Dekhaa tha maine khwaab mein
“Mohsin” mujhe raas aayegi
Shayad sadaa aawaargi”

The name Mohsin here refers to the poet who wrote this – Mohsin Naqvi. It was common practice to embed the poet’s name somewhere (usually towards the end) in the poem. Not terribly sure but perhaps it was a way of “stamping” or “copyrighting” the poet’s name.

Last night, I saw the moon
All alone, in my dreams
Mohsin, I think my happiness
Will always be in my vagrant ways.

(referring to the lonely but unchained life of a vagabond)

“Deep chhilo, shikha chhilo
Shudhu tumi chhiley na boley alo jollona
Bhasha chhilo katha chhilo
Kachhe daakley na boley mon katha bollo na”

The lamp was there, as was the wick
But without you, there was no spark of fire
Words were there, as was my voice
But without your beckoning my heart remained mute.

“Jo bhi dukh yaad na tha, yaad aaya
Aaj kya jaane, kya yaad aaya
Yaad aaya tha bichhadna tera
Phir nahin yaad ke kya yaad aaya.”

Roughly translated…(Avinash, care to take an alternate crack?)…

“All the forgotten sorrows, came back to me today
Who knows what all I remembered today
Memories flooded of your separation from me
I can’t remember what all I remembered after that”

Ghulam Ali singing Nasir Kazmi’s compositions..

“Main to aaj bahut roya hu,
Tu bhi shayaad roya hoga.
Mere chumey huye haathon se,
Auro ko khat likhta hoga”

Roughly translated (improvements welcome)..

“I have cried a lot today
Perhaps, you too cried a bit.
Those hands that were kissed by me
Must be writing letters to somebody else”