Raffy Panjabi: One day, somewhere, I found myself, and that was the bitterest moment of my life. I was the real me.
I'm an English and Urdu poet, living in conflict zone of Kashmir. I have been a freelance writer, broadcaster and an activist, working on social issues concerning our society, politics and economy. I have edited national and international journals and have been editor of news and analysis media. After studying the contemporary world literature with specialisation in Kashmir Studies at the master's level, I got executive doctoral degree in business administration.
I was a broadcaster in All India Radio in Kashmir. After quitting the job I started a prestigious news and analysis service on Kashmir conflict, KOT, Kashmir Opinion Trends and Analysis. I was International Editor of business journal in Saudia Arabia, published by the Middle East partner of Dow Jones Inc. I'm this time managing Megatrends Research,Kashmir. A free independent research on the problems in Kashmir.
I have been founder of People's Socialist Forum, Kashmir Institute of Secularism and Cultural Relations (K I S C R ), People's Cultural Academy, an initiative against anti- democratic culture in Kashmir.
A Kashmiri woman - Donna Kashmira
A REVERIE
C'era una volta
C'era qualcuno
Quando non c'era nessuno
Chi alzò la testa per guardare il cielo blu.
Qualcuno, un martire dimenticato,
Chi ha dato la vita per amore.
Qualcuno con la testa tagliata in mano
Ho nuotato attraverso il lago Dal,
Incontrare la donna che aspetta il suo amante
Sotto il monte Zabarwan
Sulla stessa riva allo stesso tempo
Ora aspetta con speranza e disperazione
Per lei è scomparso l'amante.
Pensare con debole speranza e paura sconosciuta:
''Le persone tornano vive
Nelle sparizioni forzate "?
In una delirante fantasticheria di giorni deliziosi
Sentirsi un giorno nel prossimo futuro
Un raggio di luce salterà fuori dai suoi sogni dimenticati.
Che farà capolino nella sua vita in frantumi
Il mondo oscuro intorno a lei brillerà di nuovo.
Si concede una fantasticheria colorata
Dove il suo amante dei sogni arriva in un carro del sole
Con le braccia tese si inchina sulla sua faccia debonair
Incitando la sua repressa sensazione amorosa in età matura.
La raccoglie tra le sue possenti braccia
Come il suo raccolto raccolto prima dell'inverno.
Faro di luci proveniente dalla sua casa di fango del villaggio semi buio
Ai piedi della lussureggiante montagna verde
Le stelle brillano di nuovo sopra il suo paradiso di lacrime
Cerca di toccargli il viso con gioia
Che si disperde come fiocchi di mimosa.
Si guarda intorno disperata per trovarlo.
Non è da nessuna parte intorno a lei.
(Raffy Panjabi, 13/7/2020)
Original English version
'A Reverie'
Once upon a time
There was someone
When there was no one
Who rose his head to look at the blue sky.
Someone, a forgotten martyr,
Who laid his life for love.
Someone with his chopped head in hands
Swam across the lake Dal,
To meet the woman waiting for her hardy paramour
Below the mount Zabarwan
On the same shore at the same time
She waits now in hope and despair
For her disappeared the lover.
Thinking with feeble hope and unknown fear
''Do the people comeback alive
In the forced disappearances"?
In delirious reverie of delightful days
Feeling some day in near future
A ray of light will jump out from her forgotten dreams.
Which will peep into her shattered life
The dark world around her will shine again.
She indulges in a colourful reverie
Where her dream lover comes in a chariot of the sun
With stretched arms he bows on her his debonair face
Inciting her suppressed amorous feeling in ripened age.
He gathers her in his mighty arms
Like his reaped harvest before the winter.
Lights beacon from her semi dark village mud home
On the foothills of the lush green mountain
The stars shine again above her paradise of tears
She tries to touch his face with joy
Which scatters like mimosa flakes.
She looks around with despair to find him.
He is nowhere around her.
(© RaffyPanjabi, 13/7/2020)
