Dear readers and fellow bloggers, today for the first time, I’ve written poetry in Hindi. The prompt was to write a poem for/about grandmothers. In Hindi, a paternal grandma is called ‘Daadi’ and a maternal grandma is called ‘Naani’. My dear Daadi passed away when I was in class 10th, her name was Shyama, its meaning is ‘the dark color of dusk’, also, it is one of the names of Lord Krishna. My Naani is still alive and still as loving as the first day I remember seeing her, her name is Sudha, its meaning is ‘nectar, ambrosia’, also, it is one of the names of Goddess Lakshmi.
I gave you that information so that you can understand the following poems more deeply, one more thing, in Hindu culture, it is a practice to touch feet of the elders in order to ask for their blessings. “Charan Sparsh” translates to “Touch Feet”.
दो हिंदी की कवितायें
१.
श्रीमती श्यामा,
दादी माँ,
प्यारी माँ,
वो सलोनी यादें
सुहावने साये
वो बचपन की बातें
सुन्दर समय
कैरम, चॉकलेट, गुल्लक
हमेशा खेलने, खाने और भरने को तैयार
आशीर्वाद और गुड लक
हमेशा दिया, अनगिनत प्यार
ढल गयी सुनहरी शाम
लेकिन लाली जैसे गुलाब की
शेष है अभी, इस नववर्ष
दादी माँ, चरण स्पर्श!
२.
श्रीमती सुधा,
नानी माँ,
प्यारी माँ,
सुरीली सुबह
और आपके हाथों का बना
गाजर का हलवा
सुगंध जैसे शुद्ध सुधा
चुटकुलों और कहावतों
और कहानियों और मुहावरों
और बुंदेलखंडी बातों
का प्यार भरा भण्डार
आपकी गूली-गूली गोद
में कटा बचपन, याद तो नहीं
न ही याद हैं
आपकी लाखों लोरियां
पर याद हैं लुक्का-चुप्पी
और भागम-भाग के खेल
आपके चमत्कारी चुम्बन, अपना मेल
और मेरा हर्ष
नानी माँ, चरण स्पर्श!
Two Hindi Poems
I.
Mrs Shyama,
Dadi Ma
Dear Meemaw,
Those charming memories
Pleasant shades
Those childhood chats
Beautiful times
Carrom, Chocolate, Piggy Bank
Always ready to play, eat and fill
Blessings and Good Luck
Always ready to give, countless love
Golden evening has passed
but the redness like that of a rose
lingers for now, this new year
Daadi Ma, charan sparsh!
II.
Mrs. Sudha,
Naani Ma,
Dear meemaw,
Melodious morning
and Carrot Pie
made by your hands
Scent like pure ambrosia
Lovely supply of
Jokes and proverbs
and stories and idioms
and Bundelkhandi* babble
Your lovely-lovely lap
where I’ve lived while I was a baby
Though I don’t remember
Your lakhs of lullabies
But I do remember playing Hide & Seek
and You’re It,
Your magical kisses, our get-togethers
My immense pleasure
Naani Ma, charan sparsh!
*Bundelkhand is the name of the place form where my dear Naani is from.
© M. Jay Dixit, September heart-to-hearts, 2023 All Rights Reserved
Posted over at dverse