Bidhan Acharya
Rammaya’s pigeons
have been missing since yesterday
and recently another new year has started
they say everyone feasts at the start of the New Year
Rammaya is worried about the pigeons
Rammaya’s life is a blooming bud
already wilted before in full blossom
the story of hawks entering her home
and turning everything chaotic
and the story of the floor that spilled her blood
that wiped the vermilion powder on her forehead
Rammaya’s parching lips and her life
like a cracked land and a barren field
Many of them came to her door, talked of life
and tried to get an entry into her heart
however, none has been able to do that so far
how long can Rammaya have power over herself?
In the alehouse of the town one rascal is still waiting for her
Rammaya had heard pigeons have again started flying
maybe they are freed and floating early morning
She had released her pigeons early morning, the pigeons that
have disappeared, and there is new year in the elation of peace
In agreement also they feast
some pigeons are sacrificed
Rammaya would console her heart
just by looking at the pigeons that are pecking
there is none to repay for the mortgaged tract
of her sloping barren land
she alone is unable to clear it;
the pigeons have not returned
and recently, yet another year has begun.
- The vermillion powder is a symbol of a woman being married. If wiped out, she will be regarded a widow, an unfortunate one.
Translated by Govinda Raj Bhattarai
[Bidhan Acharya is a Nepali poet, lyricist, playwright and storywriter of high repute. He is the author of five anthologies of poems, Gorooko Kaandh, Pahad Uklera, Pahad (in Nepali) and The Himalayan Euphony (in English). Besides these, he has a collection of micro stories, Kamai. Mr. Acharya has edited more than 16 different volumes of different genres. Besides, he has written a number of songs for cinema and tele-drama; radio-drama; scripts for drama in television and for stage. He is the president of Nepal Srashta Samaj, literary organization. He is Associate Professor in Population Studies at the Central Department of Population Studies, Tribhuvan University.]
