Blog Marathon - October 2022 - Day 20 - एकला चलो रे

जोदि तोर डाक शुने केउ ना आसे

तोबे एकला चलो रे।

If no one answers your call,

Then walk alone,

(be not afraid) walk alone my friend.

एकला चलो, एकला चलो, एकला चलो रे!

जोदि केउ कोथा ना कोय, ओरे, ओरे, ओ भागा,

यदि सबाई थाके मुख फिराय, सबाई करे भय-

तबे परान खुले

ओ, तुई मुख फूटे तोर मनेर कथा एकला बोलो रे!

If no one talks to you,

O my unlucky friend, if no one speaks to you,

If everyone looks the other way and everyone is afraid,

Then bare your soul and let out what is in your mind,

(be not afraid) Speak alone my friend.

यदि सबाई फिरे जाय, ओरे, ओरे, ओ अभागा,

यदि गहन पथे जाबार काले केउ फिरे न जाय-

तबे पथेर काँटा

ओ, तुई रक्तमाला चरण तले एकला दलो रे!

If they turn away, and desert you when crossing the wilderness,

O thou unlucky one,

trample the thorns under thy tread,

and along the blood-lined track travel alone.

यदि आलो ना घरे, ओरे, ओरे, ओ अभागा-

यदि झड़ बादले आधार राते दुयार देय धरे-

तबे वज्रानले

आपन बुकेर पांजर ज्वालिये निये एकला ज्वलो रे!

If they do not hold up the light when the night is troubled with storm,

O thou unlucky one,

with the thunder flame of pain ignite thy own heart

and let it burn alone.

I quote from Wikipedia:

"Ekla Chalo Re" was written in Giridih town in modern-day Jharkhand, India. It was one of the 22 protest songs written during the Swadeshi period of the Indian freedom movement, and along with "Amar Sonar Bangla", it became one of the key songs for the Anti-Partition Movement in the Bengal Presidency in 1905.

How poignant is this poem even in today's time?

There are times when we feel lonely and lost and don't know if the path on which we are walking is good enough or right enough. People, even friends, abandon us over time as their priorities shift. We start on a journey together, we commit to people around us to being there till the end, but somehow it doesn't always materialise. We take up a project or a challenge together with friends and are very excited about it, but slowly and steadily, the excitement and commitment of the people around us wears off and we realize we are all alone in this project or challenge that we initiated. What do you do in such cases when you see no support, company, or help from others? Do you give up or persevere to the end, bringing the project or challenge to a successful conclusion? When we have 100 percent conviction in what we undertake and believe in ourselves completely, I think it doesn't really matter if someone accompanies you on the challenge or not. It's important to move ahead, look ahead, and finish things we have started in our lives. It's OK to feel dejected sometimes for lack of motivation or a friendly chat, but it is the way of life. Everyone comes here with their own agenda and own plans. We should then carry on with our own plans. We should be proud of the fact that we took up something and finished it finally.