ANOTHER SNOW POEM " PATAA DRAAV TAAFA " OR " THEN CAME THE WARM SUN "

                                                                             

AND THEN CAME THE WARM SUN..

( Photo Autar Mota )

To this photograph, I am adding my Kashmiri snow poem “ Pataa Draav Taafaa “or “Then came the warm sun “…This is my 4rth poem in the series along with English rendering done for friends who do not understand kashmiri language. These poems are essentially based on my childhood memories of Snow in Kashmir.

The snow had created a strange silence and stillness all over . And then one day some washer man washed the sky to its original deep blue colour . And then came the sun . Its warmth spread all over . Snow slipped down from the galvanized tin roofs . Water water everywhere. Night long Bangs of falling snow . That shook the house also . 

And finally life was restored in all spheres . The vegetable seller turned up . Tongas ( Horse drawn  carriages used for public transpaort ) started plying . A father visited his married daughter . Bound by tradition , he stayed at her door step and brought some gift for his daughter and her child Saa’ba.

Cooking , Getting up early , serving , providing , washing , offering , listening to satires of her mother in law and sister in law . What a dreary existence ?Was her marriage meant for all this only ? The young married daughter puts up this question to her own self . The sun has certainly started clearing the snow around .When shall the  snow  frozen within  melt ?
She keeps thinking  ........

( Pataa Draav Taa’faa )

Kaaem Taam Dhoebb Chholl 

Nuoel Akaashaa 

Zuvv Tchaav Prithvi

Pataa Draav Taafaa 

Bataa Khyaathh Kae’faa 

Aeissi Trovv Daa’faa 

…………………..Az Draav Taa’faa

Pashaa’kuyii Sheena ,

Khae’rri Vothh Tee’nus.

Braan’dus Dal Guvv,

Kochas Tenga .

Tche’nni Thhaa’vi Taa’pus 

Deivaa dhin Jo’shaa 

Poat Laakun vu’chh

sorruyii soo’ra ..

Tip Tip Vu’thh Vothh 

Jo’ff Jo’ff Paku’na 

Dro’ff Dro’ff Raa’tus

La’rrie Gayee Dha’nanaa

Hokh Seinn Re’daa ,

“Furrie Ha Furrie Ha 

Hari’ssaa Pachhi’naa 

Volaa Bobu Ji

Az Goam Tche’raa 

Valaa sa Khojj Saeb

Ghar Nitaa Se’raa “

…………………………………Az Draav Taa’faa 

Az Draav Taafaa 

Az Po’kk Taan’ga 

Ku’ss To’rr Kadha’luss ?

Hai Hai Bub Myon,

Bar tal Vo’tuum 

Bu’thh Vu’chhi Saa’bus 

Voprrun Munz chhuss 

Ranu’naa Pyaa’vunaa

Chhalu’ naa Chhoku’naa 

Anniegaetii Vothhu’naa

Shar Kuu’ss Draamo ,

Du’mm Pha’et Seena ,

Haeshi Haenz paama ,

Teshal zaama ,

Yee Chhaa Khaander ?

……..……….. Az Draav Taa’faa

Bur Tal Bub Aav,

Oush Pa’thh Rott’muss 

Da’diss par’daa ,
Ka'rr Ha Beyii Kyaah,

Vaai Bara Atchi’hay 

Hey’run Khassi’hay 

Saa’bus Phernaa ,

Me’tti Akh Soo’taa

Paa’nus Vuchh’muss 

Tchheon’muut Boota..

Ba Ti Kyaah Di’mso,

Sathh Me’tti Roozien,

Lassi’numm Maa’jay,

Daayii Myon Boozien.

Athhaa beyii sherus

Az taem thovnumm 

Deut’numm Taslaah

“ Kunn’ii Doah Dizii’he 

Assi Kunn Nazaraa.

Guss kooer Pooshinaai

Sez’raa Paz’raah

Doah Tche’tti Phe’runn 

Armaan ne’runn 

Kaddi’naai Muu’ss Vaenn

Lassinaai saa’baa “

………………………Az Draav Taaf’aa

( Autar Mota )

(پتہ دراو تاپھا)

کمی تام دوبی چھول
نِيُول آکاشا 
زو ژاو پرتھوی
پتہ دراو تاپھا
بتہ کھیتھ کآفا 
اسہ تروو ڈاپھاہ 
از دراو تاپھا-----

پشہ کُے شیناہ
کٔھرِ ہ ووتھ ٹینس
براندس ڈل گوو
کوچس ٹینگاہ
ژِنہ تھاوِه تاپس
دیوہ دِن جوشاہ
پوت لاکن وُچھ
سورے سُوراہ
ٹِپ ٹِپ وُتھ ووتھ
جوپھ جوپھ پکُناہ 
دروپھ دروپھ راتس
لرِه گے دٔنناہ
ہوکھہ سِنی ریڑاه
فرہ ہا فرِ ہ ہا 
ہریسا پچھنا 
وولہ بابو جی 
از گوم ژیراہ
وولہ سآ خوجہ صآب
گرہ نِتہ سیراہ
از دراو تاپھاہ-----
از دراو تاپھا
از پوک ٹانگاہ
کس تور کدلس
ہے ہے بب میون 
بر تل ووتم
بُتھ وچھہ صآبس
ووپرن منز چُھس
رننا پیؤناہ
چھلناہ چھوکناہ
انہِ گٹہ ووتھناہ
شر کُس درامو
دم پُھٹی سیناہ
ہشہ ہنز پاماہ
تیشل زاماہ
یی چھا کھاندر
از دراو تاپھا

برہ تل بب آو 
اوش پتھ روٹمس
دآدس پرداہ
کرہ ہا بییہ کیاہ
واے برہ اژہ ہے
ہیرن کھسہ ہے
صآبس پھرناہ
مے تہ اکھ سُوٹاہ
پانس وُچھمس 
ژھیونمُت بوٹھاہ
بہ تہ کیا دِمہ سو
ستھ مے تہِ روزِن
لٔسہِ نم ماجے
دے میون بوزِن

اتھہ بییہ شیرس
از تام تھونم
دیوتنم تسلاہ
کُنہ دوہ دِزِ ہے 
اسہ کن نظراہ
گژھ کوری پوشنے 
سیزراہ پزراہ
دوہ ژے تہ پھیرن
ارمان نیرن
کڈنے مُس وونی
لٔسی نے صآبا 
از دراو تاپھاہ


اوتار موٹا *

(And Then Came The Warm sun)

Some strange washer man 

cleansed the sky to its original Blue .

When these sun rays visited this earth,

Life warmed up once more .

This Lunch now made us lazy ,

And here , A siesta in this warmth !

…………………………… And then came the warm sun .

The snow from the tin roofs,

Slipped down with warmth .

The courtyard was all water 

The fallen snow stacks blocked the lane .

Why not dry that kangri charcoal now ,

May be it gives warmth thereafter .

Alas ! What an exercise is it ?

Should all turn to ash at the end .

“*Tip Tip “ fell the 

tiny melting drops from the roof ends .

And this “ *joff joff” wading through water ,

A Night long “ *Droff Droff “ of 

the snow Mass falling from roofs ,

shaking houses all over .

Lo ! there comes that Dried Vegetable seller ,

The smoked fish seller,

, The *Harissa seller and the *Shikaar ( flying Bird ) seller .

“Come you Pandit Ji ,

Yes I am late this time ,

Come you Khwaja sahib ,

Buy a Seer for your family .”

……... And then came the warm sun .

What a great sun shine today ?

O ! there plies a tonga as well .

Who is that who crosses this nearby Bridge ?

What ? What ? Aha ! My darling Father .

There he comes to my door step.

Driven by Saa’ba’s affection , here he is .

Alas ! My in laws like strangers ,

What a life ? Ever Busy in kitchen am I ,

Cooking , washing , cleaning ,

Leaving the comfort of sleep in early darkness ,

What did I achieve by all this ?

A heart full of choked feelings .

Satires from the mother in law, 

Fury of the sister in law .

Was my marriage all about these things only ?

…………………………. And then came the warm sun .

My loving father again at my door step,

I shall now hide my tears ,

A veil over my suffering ,
What else could be done?

Would he steps in my In law’s house ?

Would he walk up the stairs ? 

A New *Pheran for *saa’ba he brought with him,

A new suit for me as well.

How painful to see him, 

Wearing a torn shoe.

What is there with me to offer him?.

Let his care be always there for me ?

Let him live long for my poor mother ,

My Lord ! Listen this small prayer ..

Putting his hand over my head ,

Here he comforts me 

“Come some day that way ,

visit your parental home also . 

let truth and simplicity be your companions ,

My Love , My darling Daughter .

These days are bound to change for better ,

Worry not ,

Your Desires and dreams 

are bound to materialize .

May this little saa’ba live long 

To bring forth a world of comfort for you “

…………………….. And then came the warm sun .

( Autar Mota )

PS

(1 )

Saa’ba is a popular and fond name given to a male child in kashmir.The words Tip Tip , Joff Joff and Droff droff are sounds meant to express falling water drops , wading through knee deep water and falling snow masses from slippery roof tops after sun shine .

(2)

Kashmiris used to consume dried vegetables , Dried fish ,Harissa ( Mutton Steam boiled to a pulp with delicious spices ), Pachhina or Shikaar ( Flying Migratory bird shot .. A Non Vegetarian winter delicacy ), Smoked fish that would be brought by Hawkers . Pheran is the traditional Overall apparel used by Kashmiris to fight cold.

(3)

Life for women turned miserable in winter season as not many present day facilities did exist. A father’s visit to her daughter was a great satisfaction . In Kashmiri Pandit families , Bound by tradition , Fathers would generally inform about their arrival through a neighbor and come to door step of their married daughter’s home . They would not enter their daughter’s house leave alone drinking a glass of water or eating something over there .

( 4)

Even the poorest father brought some token gift for his daughter and grand Child . It could be new clothes , a pair of shoes , Dried fish or even some kashmiri bakery stuff etc. The neighbors living close to his married daughter’s house , who could be also a Muslim family , would willingly offer him a kangri and make him sit inside their house . The girl would then come to the neighbor’s house to meet her father or mother . A Younger brother was not bound by this tradition . He would straightway step inside the house of his married sister

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\.