KASHMIRI CRADLE SONGS AND LULLABY

                                                                          

MOTHER  AND CHILD:  KASHMIRI  CRADLE  SONGS  AND  LULLABIES.

( Mother and Child, Kashmir, oil on canvas by Charles W. Bartlett)


(The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.)...............(Honore de Balzac )

Anywhere in the world, mothers sing almost similarly in a soft tone and lull their babies to sleep. Sometimes they  hold them in their lap and quite often, keep them close to their chest .Mothers are also busy with kissing the baby,passing their fingers through the baby’s soft hair and giving affectionate hugs to the baby. Sometimes mothers sing and help the baby to suckle milk .While suckling , the baby looks smilingly at the mother. The mother smiles in return and hugs the child. What more is needed to cement this mother-child bond? They also rock and swing the sleep-cradle singing lullabies. The  baby’s father; a teacher , a clerk or a worker away to earn bread for the family in some far off village or town.The maternal uncle ( Mama ) was always  expected to visit his sister’s house  and seek welfare of the family. Our mothers and grandmothers sang something like this in chaste Kashmiri.

(1)
"Dhodh  tcheyto  daam  daam galie galey
Ho ho ba karyo adda-kaley
Lolli munz ba lala-vathh manaka phaley
Ho ho ba karyo adda-kaley."

( Drink your milk by sucking and gulping,
while I lull you to sleep,
my innocent darling.
In my lap,
I shall cradle you to sleep.
O pearl of my necklace,
I shall lull you to sleep)

(2)
"Kaaw karaan taav taav
Gobara laalus mol aav
Kaaw karaan taav taav
Khaana-maalis maam aav."

( There that crow makes noise,
for sure, my child,
your father will arrive home today.
The crow makes the noise again,
Lo, there comes my
darling' s maternal uncle or Mama)

( 3)
"Nikas saal mataamaal
Nikas saal mataamaal.
Tsrinda-grindum ta monga daal
Okhoon sahbas  khatanhaal
Nikas saal mataamaal
Nikas saal mataamaal."

(A feast at your mother's parental home my baby,
A feast over there child,
many assorted dishes,
along with Moong Daal.
A Khutna ( circumcision) ceremony at Aakhun Sahib's house,
many assorted dishes,
along with Moong Daal.
A feast at your mother's parental home my baby,
a feast over there child.)

(4 )
"Nendri mauji  itaassi
Nendri  zolla ditaassi
Panun zoov  ta jaan tchei
Aaay ta bataa ditaassi.."

(" O sleep! O sleep!
O motherly compassionate sleep,
come this way,
to this child
who is my soul and life.
Grant this baby long life
and enough to eat.)

( 5)
“Door ballaai tsajiyo
Mauj balaai lajiyo
Mol goyyo gaamun
Su haa iyee shaaman
Tamiss balaai tsajiyo
Mauj balaai lajiyo.”

( Away have gone all bad things,
your mother is here to die for you,
your father has gone to
different villages to earn,
and he shall return by the evening.
Let all bad things be away from him as well,
your mother is here to die for you )

(6)
“Dhodha  baachhan  lagayo
Dhodha baachhan lagayo
Mauj gayi  kapissi kaachhan
So chhayi  khonni khonni rachhan
Graandh chhayi  karaan saasan lachhan
Dhodh baachhan lagayo.”

( My life for your innocent smiles,
This life for your innocent smiles.
Your mother goes to collect
cotton,
yes,
she who carries you affectionately on her shoulders,
yes,
she who counts thousands and lakhs for you.
My life for your innocent smiles,
my darling child.)

(7)
'Chhiy na mutchi  kanan dhoor
Goor goor goor goor
Saba  laalas balaai door
Aaay poor ta  vomar poor
Goor goor goor goor
Chhiyi  na mutchi kanan dhoor.."

( Don't you have earrings, my cute little girl?
Here I  put you  into the cradle and rock  you to sleep.
Let evil  things be away from your brother 'Saiba',
let him live a long life.
Don't you have earrings, my cute little girl?

Here I  put you  into the cradle and rock  you to sleep.


(8)
"Dhaer dhaer hoonyo tchheniyo nas
Ba ha gindh pananis  nika laalas
Dhaer dhaer hoonyo tchheniyo nas ."

(" Be away, be away,
O barking dog,
let your nose be cut,
allow me to play with my little pearl.
Be away, be away,
O barking dog,
let your nose be cut)

(9 )
"Maaji aninaai falila toorie
Panin koorie laagai
Boyi heath  aayukh rozini yurie
Panin koorie laagai …………."

(In a pot,
your mother brings fragrant oils,
my darling daughter,
I shall rub it on your body and hair.
You came to stay here with your brother,
my darling daughter,
I shall rub this fragrant oil on your body and hair.)

(10 )

"Rama ji rama ji
Nikas leasanam mama ji
Rama ji rama ji
Billas leaesnam mama ji"

( O lord Rama! O lord Rama!
Keep this baby's mama /maternal uncle
under your protective care.
O lord Rama! O lord Rama!
May this blue-eyed baby's mama / maternal uncle
live long.)

(11)
"Tse hai chhakh ivanitch tche hai chhakh aadan
Tse hai chhakh baagitch badaam posh.."

( You are the desired one having arrived first; ,
you are the blooming almond flower in the garden.)

(12)

"Mol  ha goyi  gaaman guthan
Dodh vuthan lagayo
Farash thovnaai karith  kuthen
Dodha vuthan lagyo"

(Your father has gone to far off villages
O baby my life for your milk sucking lips
Your father has done flooring of all the rooms ,
O baby my life for you milk sucking lips.)

(13)

"Bishta bror aavyo
Shihij nender paavyo
Khand ta naabad khyavyo
Bishta bror aavyo"

(O baby , there comes the mewing cat
My you fall asleep undisturbed.
I shall make you taste sugar and candies
O baby , there comes the mewing cat .)

(14)

"Tsari pop tsari pop
Baeyi   onanaai  dhaan pop
Su ha kheva  assey
Nika Lal lassey"

(Clap your hands, clap your hands
Your brother got a ripe pomegranate
And lo, we ate it as well
O baby ,may you live long.)

(Avtar Mota )

       

PS

(1)

The English rendering of these cradle songs is intended to put forth as to what was meant to be conveyed by the baby's mother. This may not be word to word or literal translation.

  (2)

Charles W Bartlett (1860-1940 ) was a painter and print-maker from the UK. In 1913, he visited India, China, Afghanistan, Indonesia and Japan.

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.