Friday, November 28, 2008

ROZ EK SHER

ज़मीन वालों के दुःख से जो था ख़ाली
वो नग़्मा किस तरह इल्हाम ठहरा
- ताज भोपाली

zamiin vaalon ke dukh se jo thaa khaalii
vo naghmaa kis tarah ilhaam thahraa
- Taj Bhopali

That which was bereft of the pain of the dwellers of Earth
How could that song be considered a message from god

__________


Book of the day

RGVEDA
Mandalas 3, 4 and 5
Sanskrit text + Hindi poetic translation and gloss
By Govind Chandra Pandey
2008     220 x 145 mm     1065 pages
Hardcover     Rs. 800

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Tuesday, November 18, 2008

ROZ EK SHER

जो रँग भर दो, उसी रँग में नज़र आये
यह ज़िन्दगी न हुई, काँच का गिलास हुआ
-शाहिद कबीर

jo rang bhar do, usii rang mein nazar aaye
yah zindagii na huii, kaanch kaa gilaas huaa
-Shahid Kabir

It will take on whichever colour you add
As if life were a cup of glass!

NB 'kaanch kaa gilaas' is extremely difficult to translate for those who are not familiar with Hindi - Urdu. For literally, it would mean a cup made out of glass. For in India, a tall cup, used for drinking water, milk and lassi, is known as a glass. It is usually made out of steel, but it is still referred to as glass. This is why you would go to roadside stalls in India and find 'ganne kaa ras', sugarcane juice, sold by the glass!

(Rupert, maybe you could explain the Indian usage of the word 'glass' for your forthcoming seminar - Chutneyfying English)

Saturday, November 15, 2008

ROZ EK SHER

अंग्रेज़ों ने अंग्रेज़ी पढ़ाकर प्रजा बनाई
अंग्रेज़ी पढ़ाकर अब हम राजा बना रहे है ।
-रघुवीर सहाय

angrezon ne angrezi padhaakar prajaa banaaii
angrezii padhaakar ab hum raajaa banaa rahe hain
-Raghuvir Sahai

The English taught English and created a class of subjects
Now we teach English and create rulers


Sher contributed by Prof Rupert Snell

__________


Book of the day

Illustrated KATHA-SARITSAGARA
Hindi translation of selected stories from the Katha-Saritsagara
Original text by
Somadeva Bhatta
Hindi translation by SC Sharma
Illustrations by Vivek Kaushik
Set of two books
Hindi
2006     220 x 140 mm     488 pages
Hardcover     Rs. 500

Friday, November 14, 2008

ROZ EK SHER

थी बेनमक मेरी ही ज़बां वरना सच है ये
नमकीन पानियों में ग़ज़ब की मिठास है
-हकीम मंज़ूर

thii benamak merii hii zabaan varnaa sach hai ye
namkiin paaniyon mein ghazab kii mithaas hai
-Hakim Manzoor

My tongue lacked the taste buds, for the truth is that
The saltiest waters taste the sweetest

_________
Book of the day

SRIRAMACARITABDHIRATNA
A Sanskrit Ramayana composed in the 19th Century
By Nityananda Shastri
With an English translation
By Satyavrat Shastri
Sanskrit text + English translation
2005     220 x 145 mm     441 pages
Deluxe Hardcover      Rs. 300

Thursday, November 13, 2008

ROZ EK SHER

ख़ुदा में शक हो तो हो मौत में नहीं कोई शक
मुशाहदे में कहीं एहतिमाल होता है?
-यास युगाना

khudaa mein shak ho to ho maut mein nahiin koii shak
mushaahade mein kahiin ehtimaal hotaa hai
-Yas Yagana

Even if one may doubt the existence of god, one does not doubt death
Does anyone doubt what one has observed?
___________

Book of the day
PAVANAPUTRA
Novelised biography of Hanuman in Hindi
By Dr. Bhagavatisharan Mishra
R
2004     220 x 145 mm     360 pp
Hardcover     Rs. 300

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

ROZ EK SHER

नयी तहज़ीब में दिक़्क़त ज़ियादा तो नहीं है
मज़ाहिब रहते हैं क़ायम, फक़त ईमान जाता है
-अकबर इलाहाबादी

nayii tahziib mein diqqat ziyaadaa to nahiin hotii
mazaahib rahte hain qaaim, faqat iimaan jaataa hai
-Akbar Allahabadi

Modern culture does not brook many inconveniences
Faiths exist, but conscience disappears

______________


Book of the day

PAVANAPUTRA
Novelised biography of Hanuman in Hindi
By Dr. Bhagavatisharan Mishra
R
2004     220 x 145 mm     360 pp
Hardcover     Rs. 300


Monday, November 10, 2008

ROZ EK SHER [For the Indian cricket team, who wallopped the Aussies 2 - 0 in the four test series]

Dear friends,
Jay Jinendra

Hearty congratulations to the Indian cricket team, for thumping the Aussies 2 - nil in the recently concluded test series.

The big 5 - Sachin, Rahul, Saurav, Laxman and Kumble fought well. Very good batting from Gautam Gambhir, Laxman, Sachin and Veeru, exceptional bowling from Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan, competent bowling from Amit Mishra and Harbhajan Singh and ice cool leadership from Mahendra Singh Dhoni ensured that India thrashed the Aussies soundly.

A deserving win, worthy of grand celebration. Well played, brothers.
M

इक अदा मस्ताना सर से पांव तक छाई हुई
उफ़ तेरी काफ़िर जवानी जोश पर आई हुई
-दाग़ देहलवी

ik adaa mastaanaa sar se paanv tak chhaaii huii
uf terii kaafir javaanii josh par aaii huii
-Dagh Dehlavi

An air of insouciance pervades from head to foot
Oh, your stunning youth is at its height