Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • Nepal protests
  • Nepal Protests Live
  • Vice-presidential elections
  • iPhone 17
  • IND vs PAK cricket
  • Israel-Hamas war
fp-logo
A poem in memory of Tagore
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Ideas
  • A poem in memory of Tagore

A poem in memory of Tagore

FP Archives • May 9, 2011, 13:00:31 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

In celebration of the 150th anniversary of India’s most revered poet, here is an exquisite translation of one of Rabindranath Tagore’s more modern poems.

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
On
Google
Prefer
Firstpost
A poem in memory of Tagore

By Arunava Sinha [caption id=“attachment_6402” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Rabindranath Tagore. Photo by Centralasia”] ![](https://images.firstpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/tagore3801.jpg "tagore380") [/caption] In celebration of the 150th anniversary of India’s most revered poet, here is an exquisite translation of one of Rabindranath Tagore’s more modern poems: An Unexpected Meeting. Titled ‘Hawthat Dyakha’ in the original, this poem first appeared in a book titled Shyamali, published in  1936.   An Unexpected Meeting

(translated from the Bengali version)

We met suddenly on a train

I hadn’t thought it possible.

I’d seen her over and over In a red sari – Crimson like a dahlia; Today she was in black silk, It covered her head in a cowl Cupped her face, lustrous and fair like a lily. She seemed to have enveloped herself In a deep dark distance, The distance to the edge of the mustard-fields To the blue-grey of the sal wood. My senses came to a sudden stop, I knew her once, now she wore a stranger’s solemnity

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Throwing aside her newspaper She greeted me suddenly Social mores could now be followed; We began to converse – ‘How are you?’, ‘How is everyone?’ Etcetera. She continued to gaze out of the window As though she had overcome the contagion of intimacy She answered in monosyllables, Some, she didn’t even respond to. Conveyed with an impatient wave – Why talk of all this, Silence is so much better.

More from Ideas
Fossilized leaves, around  150-200 million years old, found in Jharkhand's Dudhkol mountain Fossilized leaves, around 150-200 million years old, found in Jharkhand's Dudhkol mountain India's COVID-19 epicentre: Three lockdowns later, Maharashtra accounts for 34.5% of nation's confirmed cases, its worst recovery rate India's COVID-19 epicentre: Three lockdowns later, Maharashtra accounts for 34.5% of nation's confirmed cases, its worst recovery rate

I was on another bench with her companions. After a while she beckoned with her finger. Such boldness, I thought – I sat down on the same bench. Under the sound of the train She said softly, ‘Please don’t mind, Where’s the time to waste time! I have to get off at the next station; You’re going further, We’ll never meet again. So, I want your answer to the question That hasn’t been answered all this time, You’ll tell the truth, won’t you?’ ‘I will,’ I said. Still gazing at the sky outside she asked, ‘Are those days of ours that are gone Gone forever – Is nothing left?’

I was silent for a while; Then I said, ‘All the stars of the night Remain under the glare of the day.’

I felt doubtful, had I made it all up. ‘Never mind, go sit over there now.’ Everyone got off at the next station. I journeyed alone.

Arunava Sinha translates contemporary and classic Bengali fiction. He is also head of ibnlive.com and cricketnext.com.

Tags
Rabindranath Tagore poem anniversary InMemoriam Bengali literature
End of Article
Written by FP Archives

see more

Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Top Stories

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV