A tribute in translation

There is no subtlety in his sensuousness, no inhibitions in his rebellion. He lays his soul bare, a poet of rare versatility – a man, a musician, a lover, a warrior… this is Nazrul. Kazi Nazrul Islam, the poet extraordinaire.
Kazi Nazrul Islam is one of the most gifted poets of all times. He writes in Bengali, but borrows heavily from Persian, Urdu, Arabic, Hindi, transcending all borders of language and genre in a brilliant synergy of linguistic genius and poetic expression. The conviction with which he fights for a cause or the passion he nurtures in his heart for his beloved, or even the spiritual reverence he conveys in some of his psalm-like poems, all bear witness to a man of fathomless depth, a sensitivity sans vulnerability.
It has been unfortunate that there are not many translations of Nazrul's works. The greatness of this poet had been hidden to the world simply for the lack of quality translations. So it has been a great contribution of Dr. Nashid Kamal to come up with her latest book The Return of Laili. This is a selection of Nazrul songs which she has translated into English.
Being the granddaughter of the legendary artiste Abbasuddin Ahmed whose contribution to Bengali folk music is immeasurable and who often worked in close collaboration with Nazrul (Nashid's father the former Chief Justice Mustafa Kamal Abbasi was even named by Nazrul Islam after Kamal Attaturk), it is only natural that Nashid Kamal has a deep love for Nazrul whose songs she sings with special devotion. Having studied and recited his poems, sung his songs, listened to the subtle nuances of his lyrics and melodic intricacies of his compositions almost all her life, this book, The Return of Laili, has been written out of a sense of devotion and duty. It is a labour of love.
Nashid says, "The artist Jamal once related an incident which served as an inspiration for me to create a collection of translated songs of Nazrul. I was singing for a foreign audience and so I would explain each of the songs before I began singing in order let the audience understand the depth and beauty of the lyrics while enjoying the sheer magic of the melodies. An American in the audience commented that he was especially impressed by my translations which were impromptu but the English was excellent. He said that even he, despite being English-speaking, could not have explained it so beautifully. When Jamal told me about this, I realized that I owe it to the poet to translate his songs and disseminate them to a wider audience worldwide."
And she has done a good job of it too. She has translated the songs she sings most often and the first one in the collection is a translation of the famous song, "Laili tomar eshechhe phireya/Majnu go, akhi kholo". She writes:
"Oh Majnu!
Wake up from your slumber
Laili has arrived
No need to be sombre!"
This is a popular love song of Nazrul where the poet urges the despondent lover Majnu to open his eyes because his beloved Laili has returned. This is an embodiment of Persian culture (Laili-Majnu being the Eastern equivalent of Romeo and Juliet) and Nazrul has used lilting melody with heady lyrics, redolent with the scent of roses and nargis, the stimulating south wind bringing with it the sweet notes of the Bulbul… very Keatsian but a great deal more sensuous:  "Now, I am here!/The nights of separation are over/Look at my eyes, this is your lover/Forget all your sadness/Just hold me in madness!"
Taking this poem as an example, it is to be noted that Nashid has deliberately used rhyme to capture the very essence of Nazrul's melodic style where even the words carried the music.
She translates another beautiful Nazrul song, "Amai nohey go – bhalobasho shudhu/Bhalobasho mor gaan":
"It is not me/I ask thee to remember/It's my songs/I ask thee/To love forever." It is as if she has responded to the poet's entreaty and has manifested her love for his work through this collection.
Again a love song: "Tumi shundar, tai cheye thaki priyo, shey ki mor aparadh?" She writes:
"Is it my fault that I stare at you so?
The bird looks at the moon
And admires the glow
The moon does not complain
Nor raise a brow.
………………………….
………………………….
To see thine beauty
God has given me these eyes, this gaiety
Please let me quench my thirst
And enjoy you, my deity."
Then reminiscent of Omar Khayyam's style, Nazrul writes: "Karun keno arun akhi/dao go saki dao sharab" and Nashid translates: "Those beautiful eyes/Look somber/Saki! Please serve a drink/In the colour of amber".
Referring to Omar Khayyam, Nashid draws inspiration from the illustrated translation of Khayyam's works by Fitzgerald where each verse is accompanied by a beautiful sketch. In her book, Nashid has had Nazia Andaleeb Preema add little sketches here and there to enhance the publication further. The cover itself depicting Laili and Majnu in very Arabian Night imagery, has been painted by the artist Jamal Ahmed.
The book has 50 translated songs in all, representing Nazrul's diverse oeuvre, from love songs to rebellious militant marches; from melancholic melodies to pastorals. The last one in this book is a reflection of Nazrul's gender awareness, even in those pre-feminist days: "Jago nari jago banhi shikha":
"Oh womenfolk, wake up!
You are the ferocious flicker of the lamp
Wake up!
You are the one wearing vermillion stamp."
It is most befitting that Nashid has translated this poem too. Breaking both the conventional and the feminist stereotypes of women, she stands strong as woman of many hats - a mother, a daughter, an academician, an artiste, a writer… the list goes on.
If she has been paying tribute to Nazrul all her life by rendering his songs, delving into archives to find his rare and uncommon works, this book is just another offering she lays before him. Readers can only hope that this is just the first volume of more translations to come.

Ayesha Kabir, journalist and critic, is a member of The Reading Circle.