Stephen Spender Prize 2020
Suggested poems for youth entries
GUJARATI
You can enter an English translation of any poem from any language for the Stephen Spender Prize. Below we have gathered some suggestions in particular aimed at youth entrants and their teachers.
Take a look at our full set of resources for entering the prize. Find out more about the prize. Watch these films by previous winners of the prize
1 Stephen Spender Trust is a registered charity, number 1101304. [email protected] www.stephen-spender.org General notes on translating Gujarati poetry
• The Gujarati language permits sentence formation without a declared subject. For English it may sometimes be necessary to include a specific pronoun. Choose a pronoun according to what seems to work for the context.
• Over the years, the language has evolved to include more specificity in words. With the advent of formal dictionaries, it is common to find “formal” or “approved” usage for terms. In looking up words, it is a good idea to check cognate or neighboring words, or to check where the word came from.
• A great deal of Gujarati poetry is often sung or at least recited. This means that “spoken word” presentation works really well for this material. Often, the couplet structure is constructed so that the first quatrain, second quatrain and third quatrain can each be repeated before reciting the fourth quatrain. Also, a refrain is often repeated at the end of every stanza. This seems to be true for most lyrics and specific types such as the ghazal. Usually, the sung or recited version will have a note of the number of repetitions in parentheses.
• In translation, you can decide for yourself whether or not to keep the refrain for each stanza. In these samples, the refrain is omitted.
• www.gujaratilexicon.com is a really good weblink for looking up equivalents in meaning. Explore whether the suggested word might have other possible meanings by using an online English Thesaurus.
• Those interested in more detailed research could seek out a recognized dictionary such as: Oxford’s Modern English Gujarati Dictionary, edited by P. G. Deshpande. Another source of Gujarati to Gujarati is Sarth Gujarati Jodani Kosh (with appendices), published by Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad. Produced in an effort to standardize Gujarati spelling, it also provides etymological context.
2 Stephen Spender Trust is a registered charity, number 1101304. [email protected] www.stephen-spender.org Narasinh Mehta (15th century)
ભોળી રે ભરવાડણ હરરને
ભોળી રે ભરવાડણ હરરને વેચવા ચાલી, સોળ સહસ્ત્ર ગોપીનો વહાલો મટુકીમા廒 ઘાલી.
અનાથના નાથને વેચે અાારહરની નારી, શેરીએ શેરીએ સાદ પાડે: “쫍યો કોઇ મુરારર.”
મટુકી ઉતારી મા廒હે મોરલી વાગી, વ્રજનારીને મુખ જોતા廒 મૂરછા લાગી.
બ્ર ારદક-ઇ廒દ્રારદક સરખા કૌતક એ પેખે, ચૌદ લોકના નાથને કા廒ઇ મટુકીમા廒 દેખે.
ગોવાલણીના ભા廍યે પ્રગટ્યા અ廒તરજામી દાસલડા廒ને લાડ લડાવે નરસ⊂નો વામી.
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Try listening to the poem to get an idea of the sounds and rhythms.
In this poem, the poet is imagining the experience of a woman who loves her beloved, is annoyed with him, and decides to sell him off. It works as a small playlet, as each stanza builds a sequence of scenes to depict the event and the growth in her understanding. The poet celebrates this genuine affection of the pure devotee.
Narasinh Mehta was a 15th-century poet considered to be the “adi kavi’, or first poet, of modern Gujarati literature, rather like Chaucer for bringing medieval English to modern expression. His poems, ranging from erotic to affectionate to philosophical, reveal a passionate, fulfilled devotion to the divine, a joyous celebration of life blessed by the supreme spirit’s easy presence in the life of those who simply believe. Though he
3 Stephen Spender Trust is a registered charity, number 1101304. [email protected] www.stephen-spender.org focused on Krishna, he is not just a “vaishnav” poet, as many current websites portray him to be.
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4 Stephen Spender Trust is a registered charity, number 1101304. [email protected] www.stephen-spender.org Akha or Akho (first half of the 17th century)
રતલક કરતા廒 ત્રેપન થયા廒, જપમાલાના廒 નાકા廒 ગયા廒, તીરથ ફરી ફરી થાક્યા ચરણ, તોય ન પોહોતો હરરને શરણ. કથા સુણી સુણી થાકયા કાન, અખા તોય ન આવયુ廒 બ્ર જ્ઞાન.
એક મુરખને એવી ટેવ, પથ્થર એટલા પૂજે દેવ, પાણી દેખી કરે નાન, તુલસી દેખી તોડે પાન. એ અખા વડુ廒 ઉતપાત, ઘણા પરમેશ્વર, એ ક્યા廒ની વાત.
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Try listening to the poem to get an idea of the sounds and rhythms.
This sample is a brief selection from a longer series of three-line stanzas. While the format was called Chappa, referring to six stanza structure, very often each stanza stands on its own as a kind of aphorism. Often the content identifies some idea that is questioned by the end of the stanza. Akha’s works are known for their satirical style.
For more information on Akha’s life and background, see these Wikipedia and Google Books entries.
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5 Stephen Spender Trust is a registered charity, number 1101304. [email protected] www.stephen-spender.org “Kalapi”— pen name of Sursinhji Takhtsinhji Gohil — (1874-1900)
狍ા廒 狍ા廒 નજર મારી ઠરે યાદી ભરી તયા廒 આપની; આ廒સુ મહી 廒 એ આ廒ખથી યાદી ઝરે છે આપની!
માશુકોના ગાલની લાલી મહી 廒 લાલી, અને 狍ા廒 狍ા廒 ચમન 狍ા廒 狍ા廒 ગુલો તયા廒 તયા廒 રનશાની આપની!
廒 જોઉ અહી 廒 તયા廒 આવતી દરરયાવની મીઠી લહર, તેના ઉપર ચાલી રહી નાજુક સવારી આપની!
**** (two stanzas omitted)
આકાશથી વર્ાાવતા છો ખ廒જરો દુશ્મન બધા; યાદી બની ને ઢાલ ખẂચાઈ રહી છે આપની!
દેખી બૂરાઈ ના ડર廒 હુ廒, શી રફકર છે પાપની? ધોવા બૂરાઈને બધે ગ廒ગા વહે છે આપની!
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Try listening to the poem to get an idea of the sounds and rhythms.
This is an early example of the ghazal form. Two stanzas have been omitted, as each stanza can stand alone. The poem uses a very simple structure of repeating the key words in every refrain. This is a common practice in the creation of ghazals, where each stanza (sher) ends with the same phrase, or a variation, to continually expand the meaning. It is a great technique for recitation. Consider the expansion of the initial very personal premise to a much wider world view implied in the image of the Ganges as the river that washes away all sins.
For more information on Kalapi’s life and background, see this Wikipedia entry.
6 Stephen Spender Trust is a registered charity, number 1101304. [email protected] www.stephen-spender.org Prabhashankar Pattani (1862-1938)
ઉઘાડી રાખજો બારી
દુ:ખી કે દદી કે કોઈ ભૂલેલા માગાવાળાને, રવસામો આપવા ઘરી ઉઘાડી રાખજો બારી.
ગરીબની દાદ સા廒ભળવા, અવરના廒 દુ:ખને દળવા, તમારા廒 કણાનેત્રોની ઉઘાડી રાખજો બારી.
પ્રણયનો વાયરો વાવા, કુછ廒દી દુષ્ટ વા જાવા, તમારા શુદ્ધ હ્રદયોની ઉઘાડી રાખજો બારી.
થયેલા廒 દુષ્ટ કમોના છુટા જ廒જીરથી થાવા, જરા સતકમાની નાની, ઉઘાડી રાખજો બારી.
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Try listening to the poem to get an idea of the sounds and rhythms.
The poem uses a very simple structure of repeating the key words in every refrain. This is a common practice in the creation of ghazals, where each stanza (sher) ends with the same phrase or a variation to continually expand the meaning. It is a great technique for recitation. This poem also takes advantage of the fact that, in Gujarati, word order is not as critical as in English and placement of words can emphasize a meaning without violating grammatical rules. Note the expanded metaphors to develop the statement of idea.
For more information on Pattani’s life and background, see this Wikipedia entry.
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7 Stephen Spender Trust is a registered charity, number 1101304. [email protected] www.stephen-spender.org Ramanlal V. Desai (1892-1954)
એક મુરખને એવી ટેવમ પથ્થર એટલા પૂજે દેવ. બીજો મુરખ ભેગો થયો, પથ્થર મૂરતા તોડી ર ો.
છરી કટારીનુ廒 બહુ જોર, તોર તુમાખી ભારે શોર. રતલક કરતા廒 ત્રપાન વ ા廒, ત્રેપનમા廒થી ત્રણસẂ થયા廒.
હજાર વર્ો ભેગા廒 ર ા廒, એ સઘળા廒 અ廒ધારે ગયા廒, સામેસામા બેઠા廒 ઘૂડ, 狍ા廒 જોઇએ તયા廒 કૂડકૂડ.
વીર બꋍયા જાણે એ મ쫍લ, તીરતમ廒ચા ઝાલી ભ쫍લ, નામ ધરમ, રધ廒ગાણા廒 કયા廒, રનદોર્ોના પ્રાણ જ હયાા.
શૂર ચઢાવી મારે ભાઈ, અખાને મન બધા કસાઇ.
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Try listening to the poem to get an idea of its sounds and rhythms.
This poem is a take-off on the work of the 17th-century poet, Akho (see page number 2 of this selection). As social commentary, Desai is comparing the situation of his own era, the struggle for Indian independence from British Rule, with the unintelligent tendencies in the human mind addressed by Akho. During British Raj, opposition was fostered between Hindus and Muslims so that the country would be weakened. Desai reviews history from the perspective of the Indian cultural tendency to be inclusive and assimilative, as opposed to the biases that develop from the human “herd” mentality. Here Desai signs his poem with the name “Akha” as a pen name, and references the older poetic tradition by including his name in the last line of his lyric. In this sense, the modern poem is a dedication and an acknowledgement of earlier talent and legacy.
For more information on Desai’s life and background, see this Wikipedia entry.
8 Stephen Spender Trust is a registered charity, number 1101304. [email protected] www.stephen-spender.org
© Stephen Spender Trust 2020
With sincere thanks to Meena Desai for selecting and annotating these poems. Meena Desai’s poetry translations have been featured in Two Lines: Counterfeits and Eating God: A Book of Bhakti Poetry.
All notes to poems © Meena Desai
9 Stephen Spender Trust is a registered charity, number 1101304. [email protected] www.stephen-spender.org