Krishnakali

Though she is dark,
yet she is a beautiful

Her eyes are the lamps in a deep dark pool

Her Hair are black as raven.

She’s the flower!

She’s Krishnakali!

Krishnakali for her dark complexion and deep dark eyes( the description of her beauty is always the best part of the book).

Krishnakali

Though she is delicate yet she is strong

Though she has clear eyes but yet they hold a mystery

Though she is independent yet she wants to belong
Though she is a rebel yet she submits

"kRiShNakali aami taarei bali,
kaalo taare bale gaa(n)yera loka.
meghalaadine dekhechhilema maaThe
kaalo meyera kaalo hariNa-chokha.
ghomaTaa maathaaya chhilanaa taara moTe,
muktabeNee piThera 'pare loTe.
kaalo? taa se jatai kaalo hoka,
dekhechhi taara kaalo hariNa-chokha.

ghana meghe aa(n)dhaara hala dekhe
Daakatechhila shyaamala duTi gaai,
shyaamaa meye byasta byaakula pade
kuTira hate trasta ela taai.
aakaasha-paane haani jugala bhuru
shunale baareka meghera guruguru.
kaalo? taa se jatai kaalo hoka,
dekhechhi taara kaalo hariNa-chokha.

poobe baataasa ela haThaat dheye,
dhaanera kShete kheliye gela Dheu.
aalera dhaare daa(n)Riyechhilema ekaa,
maaThera maajhe aara chhila naa keu.
aamaara paane dekhale kinaa cheye,
aami jaani aara jaane sei meye.
kaalo? taa se jatai kaalo hoka,
dekhechhi taara kaalo hariNa-chokha.

emani kare kaajala kaalo megha
jyaiShThamaase aase eeshaana koNe.
emani kare kaalo komala chhaayaa
aaShaaRhamaase naame tamaala-bane.
emani kare shraabaNa-rajaneete
haThaat khushi ghaniye aase chite.
kaalo? taa se jatai kaalo hoka,
dekhechhi taara kaalo hariNa-chokha.

kRiShNakali aami taarei bali,
aara jaa bale baluka anya loka.
dekhechhilema mayanaapaaRaara maaThe
kaalo meyera kaalo hariNa-chokha.
maathaara pare deyani tule baasa,
lajjaa paabaara paayani abakaasha.
kaalo? taa se jatai kaalo hoka,
dekhechhi taara kaalo hariNa-chokha."
----- Rabindranath Tagore

English Translation
In the village they call her the dark girl
but to me she is the flower Krishnakali
On a cloudy day in a field
I saw the dark girl's dark gazelle-eyes.
She had no covering on her head,
her loose hair had fallen on her back.

Dark? However dark she be,
I have seen her dark gazelleeyes.

Two black cows were lowing,
as it grew dark under the heavy clouds.
So with anxious, hurried steps,
the dark girl came from her hut.
Raising her eyebrows toward the sky,
she listened a moment to the clouds' rumble.

Dark? However dark she be,
I have seen her dark gazelle-eyes.

A gust of the east wind
rippled the rice plants.
I was standing by a ridge,
alone in the field.
Whether or not she looked at me
Is known only to us two.

Dark? However dark she be,
I have seen her dark gazelle-eyes.

This how the Kohldark cloud
rises in the northeast in Jaistha;
the soft dark shadow
descends on the Tamal grove in Asharh;
and sudden delight floods the heart
in the night of Sravan.

Dark? However dark she be,
I have seen her dark gazelle-eyes.

To me she is the flower Krishnakali,
whatever she may be called by others.
In a field in Maynapara village
I saw the dark girl's dark gazelle-eyes.
She did not cover her head,
not having the time to feel embarrassed.

Dark? However dark she be,
I have seen her dark gazelle-eyes.


J. C. Ghosh