Poetry at Sangam
Poetry at Sangam showcases poetry in English and translations as well as essays on poetics and news of new releases.
The flower of the plant Woodfordia fruticosa is called Ichag Baha in Santali. Ichag Baha flowers in summer when the Baha festival is celebrated, when the naikay – the village priest – is taken to the jaher – the sacred grove in a Santal village – to the accompaniment of Dahar songssung by the villagers. In this poem, the poet perhaps seeks to address climate change. The poet imagines the Ichag Baha as a lover who, in the height of summer, is set on fire by a “villain” or an “envious” party. Who is this “villain”?
Ichag Baha, the Dahar songs have always reminded me of you
With words filled with love and a mind pure, I call out to you
When do we get to meet, Ichag Baha? Do tell me more
An opportunity to meet you is all I ask of the Creator
Who could be that envious? I want to know Who lit this fire which shriveled my Ichag Baha so
To the Court of the Creator up in the heavens, I’ll go with you What inferences they come upon, let me hear all that too
I’ll go against the Creator if the decisions aren’t in your favour To find the one who burnt you even to the Netherworld I’ll cross over
Till the rivers fill with water, every well, every natural spout I’ll carry water in my palms, this hurtful fire I have to put out
I can see above you there is still no cloud, no wind, no rain We’ll see to the decisions later, first to wipe out this fire, this villain
I’ll embrace you with both my arms, my heartbeats you’ll hear loud With the power of your love I will move sky and clouds Stay close
to my heart, let me hear what you are going through
My life wouldn’t know any rest until I’m able to save you
There was a time when we’d sought to gather gold and silver
Those days are gone; let us not regret, shed no more tears Stay in my heart, live in my mind; let us merge into one Hold onto me, rise off the ground, let me carry you along I felt it in my life as you bathed me in eternal rays Let us live illumined with love, let us together go our own way