(Sunil Gangopadhyay was born on 7 September 1934 in the village Maichpara of Faridpur District, in present day Bangladesh and died on 23 October 2012 in India. He was a poet, historian and novelist in Bangla literature. Gangopadhyay had his master’s degree in Bangla from the University of Calcutta. He received Sahitya Akademi award in 1985 for his novel Those Days (Sei Samay). Sunil used the pen name Nil Lohit, Sanatan Pathak, and Nil Upadhyay. He is regarded as one of the most popular, creative and prolific writers of modern Bangla literature.)

The Role of the Quick-witted

You have to take some flowers of similes, Nirupama Debi
Though you have embedded analogies in your name
Today the poor poet desires a favour-satiety for a little instant
You have already pardoned Rabindranath for such levity.

Though the well-built youths uncounted turn up everyday
Bring variety of gifts picking up from the ocean of time
I have neither brought champak nor the bunch of red amaranth
I have just wanted to bedeck you with the flowers of similes.

The sky contains multiple decorations, yet the blue-sky is steady
Just this little truth I have wanted to make you learn
In long quest of analogies of life in words and ornaments
I perceive all the yearnings are latent in someone else’s heart.
Hope, I have by this time portrayed my background.
If it be permitted, let us start from today, you.

Also I Was
Different people utter different words, I don’t know myself yet
I wanted to become an undefiled person of the morning
By facing towards the ten horizons, I wanted to behold my image
In the mirror of bright sky; also I was there, I breathe in such happiness

I do not know where the mistake lies, shades fall in the dense forest
Walking on foot in the storms and rains, he whom I think my friend
Goes away turning his face, frown in the eyes as if unknown
Blood seethes in intoxication, the woman is amply molested
Violation arises exceeding the boundary of existence
Eyes get hurt sitting on the last step of the stairs in the dark.
I have wanted to become an undefiled person of the morning
Extreme heat inside the chest, head leans towards the west
I was there, I was there, and it is heard like sounds of crying!

In Company of Nira
When you opened the door, I was transformed from beast to man
A long yellow-coloured joy eddied about the whole body
You could not even open it; you could rather say time was improper
Due to uttering `no’, golden day ushered; shower of flowers poured in desires

Now you are impossibly far away, also making the distance very far, Nira,
Do you not remember the scenery along the golden river bank?
Being loaded with ornaments of jasmine, wind blows alone at noon
All the homeless wanderers and barking street dogs are my companions.

These thirsty lips I shall place on the bosom, warm breath will touch the heart
Is this natural desire a fashion? Is it not the normal bread of a hungry one?
If he is deprived of it, he will taste unwholesome grains, he will slur on his irony of
fate at ferry-ghat
Do you not recall who came in the guise of demon breaking open the door
at midnight?
Out of such forgetfulness, as if an unchaste colour lightly issues forth
Just the moment you opened the door, I was transformed from beast to man.

Gazi Abdulla-hel Baqui is a modern poet, critic, researcher and translator.

Khulnagazette/m.m