Akhil Katyal’s translations of Amir Khusro’ two riddles. (Hindustani to English)

एक गुनी ने ये गुन कीना,

हरियल पिंजरे में दे दीना।

देखो जादूगर का कमाल,

डारे हरा निकाले लाल।।

 

उत्तर—पान

A trickster did a trick so cool

Put a parrot in a cage, now you’ll

See how fleek his magic’s been

He pulls out red what went in green.

 

Answer – Paan



एक थाल मोती से भरा।

सबके सिर पर औंधा धरा।

चारों ओर वह थाली फिरे।

मोती उससे एक न गिरे॥

 

उत्तर – आकाश

A plate filled with pearls

Lies flipped on every head

North south east & west it swirls

But doesn’t drop the pearls 

 

Answer – Sky

Akhil Katyal is a professor of English literature, a poet and a translator who works out of Delhi.

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