(C) "a problem with authority"

My rough and tumble translation of this telugu poem by Varavara Rao.  My comment on "kufr" blog reproduced below, entirely for my own reading pleasure:-)

~

My language has rusted quite, but I thought I'd take a shot at the translation, just for kicks. Here it is. The column width is messing up the display but nevertheless...

Regards,
Crazyfinger 

True, the rains fell
And streams bent this year,
But there were no seasons since ten years,
Surprised am I, soon as stepped into the prison,
By the cuckoo's welcome song,
"Has the Spring arrived, already?"

Walls, of Nizam's eon; barbed wires,
Endings, electrified for death,
Guarded bastions,
Walls surrounding walls,
Gates inside gates,
Locks to open,
Locks to close,

Lush green,
Trapped between the guard watches,
Flightless pigeons,
Sky, looking as though wholly trapped
And imprisoned in the yard

The "Allaho Akbar", the prayer call in the lazy noon,
Wind, shivering in the cold from wet ground,
In here are imprisoned all the seasons, all this time,
The Mango bud and the Neem blossom, taste one and same,
The prison cuckoo sings on, and on,
Like a coaxing cheer,
The fettered, the chained song

That may be for my arrival,
Or may be that, friend Kanakachari is not here

Update #1:  Click below to see a transliteration and a word-by-word annotation with English words.

Transliteration (follows line by line of the Telugu equivalent in the link above):

Ee Ye'du Vaanalu Kurisi Vaagulu Vankalu Tirigayigaanee,
    Pade'llugaa rutuvule' le'vugadaa
Jailloki adugupe'dutoone' kokila swagatamvini
Appude' vasantam vachhindaa ani aascharyyapoyanu

Nizam kaalapu godalu, mullateegalu, vidyut maranantakaalu
Sentry burujulu, godalalopala godalu, ge'tla lopala ge'tlu
    Teese' taalaalu ve'se' taalaalu, paharala roundla madhyana
                    Bandeeyaina pacchadanam
                    E'garale'ni paavuralu
         Aavaranalone' khaidee ayinatlu kanipinche' aakasham
     Neerava madhyahnam "alla ho akbar" namaju aalaapana
         Che'mmagillina ne'la nunchi chaliki vanikina gaali
     Rutuvulannee innallu ikkade' bandee ayi unnayi
          Mamidi chiguru ve'papoota okate' ruchi
       Jailu kokila e'ppudoo paadutoone' untundi
                               Be'lli lalita vale'
                       Nirbhandha nigala geetam
                Adi ne'nu vachhaanani kaavachhu
             Ne'stam kanakachari ika le'dani kaavachhu

Annotation with English words (rough cut) (graphic image):

Comments

[kuffir]

very pleased that you did take up the challenge..crazyfinger! what better way to work off the rust? and quite an impressive attempt. didn't know you spoke the lingo until now..pleasantly surprised.

[gaddeswarup]

Impressive. Here is a favourite film song of mine which I think shows why Telugu, unadorned by too many Samskrit words, is such a sweet language. It is from the film "Chivaraku Migiledi". the song starts with "Chenguna alamida chediripotadi meenu.." and goes on "vallamalina mamata kammukonnadi ninnu..". The full song is in the oldtelugusongs site and was sung by M.S.Ramarao. I wonder how you would translate this.

[Crazyfinger]

Thank you Kuffir. I took the cue from you. Perhaps you should continue with the exercise of translating other poems as well. I think you should, provided your time permits and all. I mean, why stop? Seriously. May be if I get a chance I'll try my hand on one or two more.

Swarup - I just saw your comment just before I submit mine. Thank you. Good to hear from you again. I will look up the oldtelugusongs site and see how it feels.

Regards,
Crazyfinger

[Crazyfinger]

Swarup - Here is the link to the post where I attempted to translate the song you referred to.

Crazyfinger