VILLAGE SONG (The feelings of an Indian girl)

A. Lead – in:

Marriage is an important event in a person’s life. Parents want to see their children happily married and settled. In this poem, however, a young girl does not wish to get married. Read the poem to find out why the girl takes such a decision.

THE TEXT:

Honey child, honey child, whither are you going?

Would you cast your jewels all to the breezes blowing?

Would you leave the mother who on golden grain has fed you ?

Would you grieve the lover who is riding forth to wed you?

[She asked her daughter if she is determined to abort the marriage, and disappoint the bridegroom who is soon to arrive. She reminds her daughter about the affection she had showered on her in bringing her up. She draws her daughter’s attention to the beautiful jewelry she was wearing for the occasion. She can’t even think of that, seems she is standing for the mother’s will as she is very young. Her mind is still kiddy, she prefers to stay unmarried. To her age, her present free life is far more enjoyable than a dull married life. ସେ ତାଙ୍କ ଝିଅକୁ ପଚାରିଲେ ଯେ ସେ ବିବାହକୁ ବାତିଲ କରିବାକୁ ସଂକଳ୍ପବଦ୍ଧ କି, ଏବଂ ଖୁବଶୀଘ୍ର ଆସିବାକୁ ଥିବା ବରକୁ ନିରାଶ କରିବାକୁ । ସେ ତାଙ୍କ ଝିଅକୁ ବଡ଼ କରିବାରେ ତାଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ଥିବା ସ୍ନେହ ବିଷୟରେ ମନେ ପକାଇଦିଅନ୍ତି । ଏହି ଅବସରରେ ସେ ପିନ୍ଧିଥିବା ସୁନ୍ଦର ଅଳଙ୍କାର ପ୍ରତି ତାଙ୍କ ଝିଅର ଦୃଷ୍ଟି ଆକର୍ଷଣ କରlନ୍ତି । ସେ ଏକଥା ଭାବି ପାରୁନାହାନ୍ତି, ସେ ବହୁତ ଛୋଟ ହୋଇଥିବାରୁ ମା'ଙ୍କ ଇଚ୍ଛା ପାଇଁ ଠିଆ ହୋଇଥିବା ଜଣାପଡିଛି । ତାର ମନ ଏବେ ବି ପିଲା, ସେ ଅବିବାହିତ ରହିବାକୁ ପସନ୍ଦ କରୁଛି । ତାଙ୍କ ବୟସ ଅନୁଯାୟୀ, ବିବାହ ଜୀବନ ଠାରୁ ତାଙ୍କର ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନର ମୁକ୍ତ ଜୀବନ ବହୁତ ଅଧିକ ଦରକାର]

Mother mine, to the wild forest I am going,

Where upon the champa boughs the champa buds are blowing;

To the koil-haunted river-isles where lotus lilies glisten,

The voices of the fairy folk are calling me: O listen!

[The daughter replies that the woods beckon her. She wants to the forest where Champa trees are laden with Champa buds and beautiful flowers. The river flowing by the village has tiny islands that are home to the Koil. The lotus and the lilies add to the charm of the surrounding. She is fascinated by nature. All these mean far more enjoyable to the girl than the pleasures of a married life. Thus she prefers pleasure from nature, then a dull married life. ଝିଅ ଉତ୍ତର ଦିଏ ଯେ ଜଙ୍ଗଲ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଆକର୍ଷିତ କରୁଛି। ସେ ସେହି ଜଙ୍ଗଲକୁ ଯିବାକୁ ଚାହେଁ  ଯେଉଁଜାଗା ଚମ୍ପା ଗଛ ଚମ୍ପା କଳି ଏବଂ ସୁନ୍ଦର ଫୁଲରେ ପରିପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ । ଗାଁ ଦେଇ ପ୍ରବାହିତ ହେଉଥିବା ନଦୀରେ ଛୋଟ ଛୋଟ ଦ୍ୱୀପ ରହିଛି ଯେଉଁଠାରେ କୋଇଲି ବସବାସ କରନ୍ତି । ପଦ୍ମ ଓ ଲିଲି ଆଖପାଖର ଆକର୍ଷଣକୁ ବଢ଼ାଇଥାଏ। ସେ ପ୍ରକୃତି ପ୍ରତି ଆକର୍ଷିତ । ଏସବୁ ଝିଅ ପାଇଁ ବୈବାହିକ ଜୀବନର ଆନନ୍ଦ ଅପେକ୍ଷା ଅଧିକ ଆନନ୍ଦଦାୟକ ଅଟେ । ତେଣୁ ସେ ଏକ ନିସ୍ତେଜ ଦାମ୍ପତ୍ୟ ଜୀବନ ଅପେକ୍ଷ୍ୟା ପ୍ରକୃତିର ଆନନ୍ଦକୁ ପସନ୍ଦ କରେ ।]

Honey child, honey child, the world is full of pleasure,

Of bridal-songs and cradle-songs and sandal- scented leisure.

Your bridal robes are in the loom, silver and saffron glowing,

Your bridal cakes are on the hearth: O whither are you going?

[The mother finds her daughter’s thoughts to be silly and tries to get her attention. She reminds her about the pleasures of the world and wedded life. Bridal songs are beautiful. Motherhood and cradle songs will give much pleasure and fulfill the life. Mother also reminds her of the pleasure and bliss of marital leisure. She reminds her daughter that the sarees have been woven with meticulous care in silver and saffron color. Elaborate meals are being made ready. Saying all these, She tries to console her and tries to stop her back in the wedding happiness. ମା' ତାଙ୍କ ଝିଅର ଚିନ୍ତାଧାରାକୁ ମୂର୍ଖ ମନେ କରନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ତାଙ୍କ ଧ୍ୟାନ ଆକର୍ଷଣ କରିବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରନ୍ତି | ସେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଦୁନିଆର ଆନନ୍ଦ ଏବଂ ବିବାହ ଜୀବନ ବିଷୟରେ ମନେ ପକାନ୍ତି । ବିବାହ ଗୀତ ଗୁଡ଼ିକ ସୁନ୍ଦର ଅଟେ । ମାତୃତ୍ୱ ଏବଂ ପାରମ୍ପରିକ ଗୀତ ବହୁତ ଆନନ୍ଦଦେବ ଏବଂ ଜୀବନକୁ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ କରିବ | ମା' ତାକୁ ବୈବାହିକ ବିଶ୍ରାମର ସୁଖ ଏବଂ ଆନନ୍ଦ ବିଷୟରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ମନେ ପକାନ୍ତି । ସେ ତାଙ୍କ ଝିଅକୁ ମନେ ପକାଇ ଦିଅନ୍ତି ଯେ ଶାଢ଼ିଗୁଡ଼ିକ ରୂପା ଏବଂ କେଶରୀ ରଙ୍ଗରେ ଯତ୍ନର ସହ ବୁଣାଯାଇଛି । ବ୍ୟାପକ ଖାଦ୍ୟ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ କରାଯାଉଛି। ଏସବୁ କହି ତାଙ୍କୁ ସାନ୍ତ୍ୱନା ଦେବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ବିବାହ ଖୁସିରେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଅଟକାଇବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରନ୍ତି l]

The bridal-songs and cradle-songs have cadences of sorrow,

The laughter of the sun to-day, the wind of death to-morrow.

Far sweeter sound the forest-notes where forest- streams are falling;

O mother mine, I cannot stay, the fairy-folk are calling.

[The girl’s happiness at the wedding celebration fades away. She says that the happiness of life is not permanent, they will come and fade, they come and go. She feels a life in the lap of Nature gives enduring happiness. She says that the charm of the woods never disappears, the charm of the streams, forest, the songs of the Koil are endless sources of pleasure, they never fade away. Explaining all these to her mother, the daughter concludes that she is leaving the home for the wilderness or pleasure of the forests. ବିବାହ ଉତ୍ସବରେ ଝିଅର ଖୁସି ଦୂର ହୋଇଯାଏ । ସେ କୁହେ ଯେ ଜୀବନର ସୁଖ ସ୍ଥାୟୀ ନୁହେଁ, ସେମାନେ ଆସିବେ ଏବଂ ଫିକା ହୋଇଯିବେ, ସେମାନେ ଆସନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଯାଆନ୍ତି । ସେ ଅନୁଭବ କରେ ଯେ ପ୍ରକୃତି କୋଳରେ ଥିବା ଜୀବନ ସ୍ଥାୟୀ ସୁଖ ଦେଇଥାଏ । ସେ କୁହେ ଯେ ଜଙ୍ଗଲର ଆକର୍ଷଣ କେବେ ବି ଲୋପ ପାଏ ନାହିଁ, ଝରଣାର ଆକର୍ଷଣ, କୋଇଲିର ଗୀତ, ଆନନ୍ଦର ଅସୀମ ଉତ୍ସ, ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକ କେବେ ବି ଲୋପ ପାଇନଥାଏ l ମା'ଙ୍କୁ ଏସବୁ ବୁଝାଇ ଝିଅ ନିଷ୍ପତି ନିଏ ଯେ ସେ ଜଙ୍ଗଲର ବଣ୍ୟଭୂମି କିମ୍ବା ଆନନ୍ଦ ପାଇଁ ଘରୁ ବାହାରକୁ ଯାଉଛି ।]