me'chu'na'koshur'tagaan Archives

June 7, 2014October 12, 2020

191 Kashmiri Riddles

Finished extracting

After his ‘A Dictionary of Kashmiri Proverbs and Sayings: A Classified Collection Explained and Illustrated from the Rich and Interesting Folklore of the Valley’ (1885) [here] and before his mammoth ‘Folk-tales of Kashmir (1888)’, in 1887 Knowles also compiled a list of Kashmiri riddles based on his interaction with locals, both Pandits and Muslims of various class. The work containing 140 riddles was published in Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, No. III, 1887.

Kashmiri Riddles by J. Hinton Knowles (1887)

[now available at archive.org]

Sample:

92. “Abah gan gan, babah gan gan, kapar kichih kichih,” son sikah bachah sairas drav.

(It cries) “abah gan gan, babah gan gan, kapar kichih kichil ” (and) our Sikh boy goes out for a walk.

Ans. Yindar, a spinning-wheel.

The words in inverted commas are supposed to represent the sound the wheel makes when revolving. A Sikh boy is here mentioned became the top and bottom of the yandartul, (the little wheel of the spinning- wheel on which the thread being spun is wound) are fastened together with long hair ; and a Sikh boy has long hair.

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A collection of 51 Kashmiri riddles presented by Pandit Anand Koul in February 1933 issue of ‘Indian Antiquary’ magazine. Among other things, the interesting bits in this work are the sayings of Lal Ded which were popular as riddles. It was this simple act that helped preserve the legacy of Lal Ded in popular Kashmiri culture.

Kashmiri Riddles By Pandit Anand Koul (1933)
[now available at archive.org]

Sample:

Baras peth kala-shahmar

Lat ta as milavit;

Ora ayas kenkalat,

Lat ninas gilavit.

A black snake is on the door

With tail and mouth joined;

A lizard came up;

It twisted away its tail.

Answer: padlock and key

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September 1, 2013October 12, 2020

Lyrics, trs.,Mahmud Gami’s Vasiye Naaraay

Mahmud Gami’s Ghazal

Vasiye Naaraay Daez maey Tan Taey

Yaaras Wantaey bozyam na

Friend, my body is in flames

Tell my love, won’t he listen

Poshaey Mot chum Baey Rosham tae

Rosaey Rosaey Bozyam na

My lover is again peeved

Even if peeved, won’t he listen

Kar saey maal saein poshan taey

Sui chum ratith Katihisana Jaay

I will make a garland of beautiful flowers

But which place holds him back

Dit’cham laer C’tuuram sam taey

Yaras wantam bozam na

But like a thief he ran away

Tell my love, won’t he listen

Vasiye Naaraay

Friend, I am aflame

Yakhlaas gov aevyul pan taey

Aashaeq kyaet walnaey aay

I realized, like delicate thread

Why lovers get entangled?

Laasheaq chuey na ashiq’kas T’cyam taey (?)

Yaras wantam bozyam na

Isn’t fair, cheating on love

Tell my love, won’t he listen

Vasiye Naaraay

Friend, I am aflame

Kavyin Doony’n ho Kar’yawin taey (?)
Yaawan t’chooran karnam graav

Earthen Hearth ??????????????????
Thief of my youth is now complaining

Booz kya won’nae Mahmuda’n taey

Yaaras wantam bozyam na

Listen to what Mahmud say’s
Tell my love, won’t he listen

Vasiye Naaraay Daez maey Tan Taey

Yaaras Wantaey bozyam na

Poshaey Mot chum

Baey Rosham tae

Rosaey Rosaey Bozyam na

Vasiye Naaraay

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August 28, 2013October 27, 2020

lyrics, trs., notes: Harmukh Bar Tal

An interesting case of a popular Kashmiri love song. Harmukh Bar Tal, popular as a Bhajan among Pandit and the same song is popular as a love song among Kashmiri Muslims. Of course, as is often the case in Kashmir, it is so popular that no one remembers the original writer and the meaning of the lines is not give and assumed to be understood. I hope people realize something even as simple as giving translations along with the original lines along with a Youtube video goes a long way in keeping a language alive. The are people doing it for Urdu and even Hindi online. But, Kashmiris would just sit and talk about ‘dying culture’.

Anyway, back to the song. There are a couple of versions of the song available (all with same tune).

First version is a Pandit one by Rajinder Kachroo. Second version is by Shameema Dev and third one is a more recent production (singer not give!) presented as a Hafiz Nagma. Based on who is singing, some words change. Praraey become Zaagaey, both meaning wait. Yee become Tee both meaning that. Posh (Flower), Golab (Rose), Shaeyri (Lavender) move around interchanging-ly. Two (completing) extra line coming in from Shameema Dev’s version. Personally, based on what I hear, I find Zaagaey, Tee, replacement of Posh with Shaeri (which in turn gets to compete with Golab) etc. really interesting.

Based on all the three versions, here’s what I could make of the love song. A transliteration (done in an hour, someone with more knowledge of the language could have done it in five):

Harmukh bar tal praraey (zaagaey) Madano

I will wait at the gates of Harmukh, for you my love

Yee Dapham tee (yee) laagyoo

What ever you ask, I will offer

Posh (shaeyri) dapham

Ask for flower (Lavander)

Golab (shaeyri) laagaey Madano

I will offer Rose (Lavander), my love

Yee Dapham tee laagyoo

What ever you ask, I will offer

Phambas ti Naaras mil goom

My Yarn and Spindle, all entangled

Cotton and Fire are now one

Valla tche path dil goom

Oh, God!, My heart is stuck on you

Be’no ye dooryer tchalay Madano

I can’t take this distance anymore

Ye dapham ti lagayo

What ever you ask, I will offer

Kabeel’e Drayas Pranaey
I left my old tribe, my people

Kya osum Deklanay
What was the push?

Be’no ye dooryer tchalay Madano*

I can’t take this distance anymore

Harmukh bar tal praraey Madano

I will wait at the gates of Harmukh, for you my love

Yee Dapham tee laagyoo

What ever you ask, I will offer

Kongas karmay chamayee

In am tilling in saffron fields

Maenz ho lagith naman

Henna still fresh on my nails

Mushtakh goham kaman Madano
Yearning, for whom, my love

Yee Dapham tee laagyoo

What ever you ask, I will offer

Yaawan myaanay Thazro
My youth is at its zenith

T’chekor dejyo Nazro
Where are your eyes lost?

Kaaei we’tce hung Zazoor Madano**
It is wracked, blotched and decaying, my love

Yee Dapham tee laagyoo

What ever you ask, I will offer

The imagery that the song creates in a Pandit mind is that of Parvati at the foot of Harmukh singing out a love song to Shiva who is still mourning for Sati.

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** Found the meaning of ‘hung‘ in that beautiful line thanks to work of George Abraham Grierson Sahib.
* In Rasul Mir’s ‘Bal Marayo’ we find an identical line that goes like this: Butino Ye Doorer Choon Zaray, Bal Marayo