Monday, June 11, 2012

Bideshini - A song by Tagore

No this blog isn't about chai, it isn't about Mumbai as well...funny!!
Well, have been thinking and thinking about that precious perfect blog about Mumbai, but the wait has been too long and no breathtaking thought has come my way, so chai?? Baarish ka season hai, kettli pe rakha hai, Parle G kharidke rakha hai...thoda aur intezaar!! and Mumbai?? always in my heart, bas thoda upar dimaag me aana baaki hai!!

Cleaning my shelf, I happened to chance upon the DVD of Charulata, a Bengali classic by Satyajit Ray. I love the movie and the simplicity, sutleness and depth of the charachters in the divine direction of the great stalwart. But this article is about a song in the movie by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore....have been hearing the song almost everyday since then, just fell in love with the melody of the music and innocence of the lyrics.

Ami chini go chini tomare o go bideshini
Tumi thaako shindhu paare o go bideshini

Tomay Dekhechi sharodo-praate
Tomay Dekhechi madhobi-raate
Tomay Dekhechi hride majhare
O go videshini

Ami aakashe patiya kaan
Sunechi sunechi tomare gaan
Ami tomare sopechi praan
O go videshini

Bhubhon bhramiya sheshe
Ami ayeshechi nooton deshe
Ami otithi tomare daare
O go videshini

Ami chini go chini tomare
O go videshini.

Here is a simple translation of this beautiful song!!

I know you, I recognise you, oh foreign lady
You stay far, across the Sindhu (Indus), oh foreign lady

 I have seen you in the autumnal morning,
I have seen you in the sweet, intoxicating night,
I have seen you deep in the bottom of my heart
Oh lady of the foreign land

 With my ears glued to the sky,
I have heard, I have heard only your songs,
I have handed my life in your hands,
Oh foreign lady

 At the end of my journey around the world,
I have come to a completely new country,
I am a guest at your gates,
Oh lady of the foreign land....

 I know you, I recognise you, oh foreign lady
You stay far, across the Sindhu, oh foreign lady

I cannot resist myself giving MY interpretation of this innocent and beautiful lyrical. So this is my take on the song, here it goes...

I feel Tagore has written this as an ode to the Goddess. The 'bideshini' in this song is none other than the beautiful, caring and mighty Goddess. He expresses that he knows this sweet mother in every form and can see Her everywhere. Though She stays far away from us mortals (across the Sindhu), She is omnipresent.

Tagore sees Her, feels Her presence in the cool and serene autumnal mornings, he sees Her in the darkness of the night too, he sees Her presence in the deepest core of his heart (As they say, God resides in every heart).

The poet listens to the sounds of the skies with keen attention, in the sounds he can hear the beautiful poetic composition and songs of the divine. Tagore says that he has devoted, surrendered himself completely to the Supreme Being.

He says that at the end of his journey - the journey of life, being in and experiencing different people and countries, he has now finally arrived at the gates of Heaven, a completely new land, the Mothers country.

Maybe Tagore wants to convey the common folly of us mortals who perceive that God is far away from us whereas he is present everywhere and resides in our heart....we just need to KNOW and REALIZE!!

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