A few days back, I came across a beautiful Bengali song courtesy of the gem who goes by the handle of @rohwit on Twitter. The song is called "Kolonkini Radha" sung by a guy named Pota R Marudyan. Now the song title is itself alluringly mystic, the song as you can listen here does complete justice to this term I just came up out of nowhere.
(This is set in the lore of Radha and Krishna, though they loved each other deeply, they were ultimately parted. The parting did not in any way diminish their love and it has become stuff of Hindu legend.
The root concept here is that pure love for Krishna is the only indestructible in this ephemeral world. It is the path to Moksha and ultimate salvation. The River is the river of the senses, the way in which we are enmeshed inside the material world. The clothes are a metaphor for the facades we wear in this world, our roles etc. ‘Kalankini’ here means someone who is associated with illicit activity. This is because, much as an illicit affair is guarded, cherished and nurtured. Similarly, must our love for Krishna and the path of Moksha be nurtured and closely guarded, kept in the deepest recesses of our heart.)
Loosely translated, the song reads thusly:
“O my brothers…
Hear me, whom you have named Kalankini Radha
The wicked (an endearment here, not meant in the derogatory sense, akin to saying ‘saala’ to a friend, this emphasizes the singers deep familiarity and love for the Lord Krishna) Kanu (Krishna), is up on the Kadamba tree…
Oh my love, don’t come down into the river
(the same is repeated for another verse)
Please don’t go near the river
Please don’t go near the river… (repeated for emphasis)
1:27 onwards
Don’t come down into the river dear one
Please don’t go near the river
Oh all you people who live here!!!
Don’t go near the river…
Do not go!!!
Dear people, stay away stay away!
Neither home nor hearth
Nor river bank!
Do not go near…
(Mahi – Someone who is in love)
All have named me ‘Kalankini Radha’
Oh my love….
I am your Kalankini Radha
My mischievous love, Kanu, is up in the Kadamba tree
And I am his Kalankini Radha
Oh people!
Do not go near the Kadamba tree…
Kanha sits crying for his Radha
Up in the Kadamba Tree
Do not go near the river
Because Kanha sits crying on the Kadamba tree
Do not go near the water!!!
Oh my love…
I am your Kalankini Radha
My mischievous love, Kanu, is up in the Kadamba tree
And I am his Kalankini Radha
Do not go near the river
(Flute solo)
O you sad people!
There is no water in the kalashi
(the water is a metaphorical allusion to pure love)
O you people!
Radha cannot walk
And cannot wear her nupur
(Because He will hear, and he will know where She is)
(sound of anklets ringing)
Do not go near the water
Oh my love…
I am your Kalankini Radha
Sitting in the Kadamba tree
Is the naughty Kanha
My love!
Don’t go near the Water!
Now that you are done listening and loving the song, the problem arrives. The lyrics translation are nowhere to be found on the internet which reinstates my belief that for every piece of art which becomes popular, there are at least 10 others which are as good or better and go rather unnoticed. So the last resort was to ask a friend who is Bengali and one who will be willing to translate the song for me. In stepped Sayan as a saviour who goes by @wolfpackofgod on Twitter. What follows is the translation of the song in English done by Sayan with generous help from his Dad quoted verbatim.
The root concept here is that pure love for Krishna is the only indestructible in this ephemeral world. It is the path to Moksha and ultimate salvation. The River is the river of the senses, the way in which we are enmeshed inside the material world. The clothes are a metaphor for the facades we wear in this world, our roles etc. ‘Kalankini’ here means someone who is associated with illicit activity. This is because, much as an illicit affair is guarded, cherished and nurtured. Similarly, must our love for Krishna and the path of Moksha be nurtured and closely guarded, kept in the deepest recesses of our heart.)
Loosely translated, the song reads thusly:
“O my brothers…
Hear me, whom you have named Kalankini Radha
The wicked (an endearment here, not meant in the derogatory sense, akin to saying ‘saala’ to a friend, this emphasizes the singers deep familiarity and love for the Lord Krishna) Kanu (Krishna), is up on the Kadamba tree…
Oh my love, don’t come down into the river
(the same is repeated for another verse)
Please don’t go near the river
Please don’t go near the river… (repeated for emphasis)
1:27 onwards
Don’t come down into the river dear one
Please don’t go near the river
Oh all you people who live here!!!
Don’t go near the river…
Do not go!!!
Dear people, stay away stay away!
Neither home nor hearth
Nor river bank!
Do not go near…
(Mahi – Someone who is in love)
All have named me ‘Kalankini Radha’
Oh my love….
I am your Kalankini Radha
My mischievous love, Kanu, is up in the Kadamba tree
And I am his Kalankini Radha
Oh people!
Do not go near the Kadamba tree…
Kanha sits crying for his Radha
Up in the Kadamba Tree
Do not go near the river
Because Kanha sits crying on the Kadamba tree
Do not go near the water!!!
Oh my love…
I am your Kalankini Radha
My mischievous love, Kanu, is up in the Kadamba tree
And I am his Kalankini Radha
Do not go near the river
(Flute solo)
O you sad people!
There is no water in the kalashi
(the water is a metaphorical allusion to pure love)
O you people!
Radha cannot walk
And cannot wear her nupur
(Because He will hear, and he will know where She is)
(sound of anklets ringing)
Do not go near the water
Oh my love…
I am your Kalankini Radha
Sitting in the Kadamba tree
Is the naughty Kanha
My love!
Don’t go near the Water!
(Refrains this line again and again as the chorus comes in and the music fades out)
