Damsel with a Pitcher

'Kalasi Kakhei Rupasi' by Sabita Pradhan
(translated by Srijit Mishra)

[This is a beautiful poem in Odia (Oriya). It is difficult to translate, but ...]

'Damsel with a Pitcher'

A damsel with a pitcher on her waist, 

walks daintily away with soft steps.

Her girdle-like waist chain and anklet,

swing to a song that the twain makes.

Slow and steady comes the lazy wind,

to give her body a gentle caress.

The autumn moon hidden behind the cloud(s),

gives her stalking stealthy glances.



[Note: The 's' in clouds could be silent to rhyme with wind. Note on 14 September 2012: The poet's use of words  and phrases is powerful and gives a vivid visualization of rural Odissa (Orissa), or India. Some words that are normally not used are kati referring to waist, kinkini referring to an ornament worn around the waist. Bhodua means the month of bhadrab, after shravan; the beginning of the season of sarata/sharad, ie, late monsoon/early autumn. Thus, bhoduara chanda is translated to autumn moon. Earlier, I had used 'autumn clouds'.]

Transliteration with English alphabets would be as follows

Kakhare kalasi kakhai rupasi

Pada chapi jebe chale.

Kaatire Kinkini Padare paunji

Runu jhunu gita bole.

Alasi pabana thiri thiri asi

Dehaku ta' chuin jae.

Bouda bhitaru bhoduara chanda

Chorai chorai chahen.

       

See another translation

For Mother (Bou), Original by Dillip Balabantaray

Also see two secular odia poems written using English transliteration.

He Anandamya by Madhusudhan Rao

Ahe Dayamaya by Ramkrushna Nanda