Pritha Banerjee Chattopadhyay’s translation of Tarapada Ray’s poem: এই বা মন্দ কি – What’s So Bad About That? (Bengali to English)


সারা জীবন আমি শুধু নিজেকে খুঁজেছি,

সারা জীবন তুমি শুধু নিজেকে খুঁজেছো,

মাঝেমধ্যে মুখোমুখি দেখা হয়ে গেছে আমাদের

কখনো আমি ভেবেছি

আমি বোধহয় তোমাকেই খুঁজছিলাম।

কখনো তুমি ভেবেছো

তুমি বোধহয় আমাকেই খুঁজছিলে।


এই রকম হেঁয়ালি ও ধাঁধা ভরা আমাদের জীবন,

তার বাইরে কিছুটা ছিলো কাজকর্ম

ফসল কাটা, পাতা কুড়োনো, কুঁড়েঘর বাঁধা,

শীতের রাতে ধুনি জ্বালানো, আরো কত কি।


তবু সব কিছুর মধ্যেই কি যেন খুঁজেছিলাম আমরা,

হয়তো আমাদেরই খুঁজেছিলাম,

নদীর জলে আমরা আমাদেরই ছায়া দেখে

নিজেদের চেনার চেষ্টা করেছিলাম।


সারা জীবন চিনতে চিনতে খুঁজতে খুঁজতে

মাঝে মধ্যে এখানে ওখানে দেখা হয়ে গেলো আমাদের,

এই বা মন্দ কি?

All my life, I have searched only for myself,

All your life, you have searched only for yourself.

At times, we happened to meet face-to-face.

Sometimes, I thought—

Perhaps I was searching for you all along.

Sometimes, you thought—

Perhaps you were searching for me all along.


Such is our life, full of riddles and puzzles.

Beyond that, there was some work to be done—

Harvesting crops, gathering leaves, building huts,

Lighting a fire on cold winter nights—so much more.


Yet, amidst it all, we were searching for something,

Perhaps, we were searching for ourselves.

Seeing our reflections in the river’s water,

We tried to recognize our own selves.


A lifetime spent searching, recognizing,

And now and then, here and there, we happened to meet.


A high school teacher, Pritha finds her deepest connection in poetry, where every line feels like a mirror to the soul. Though she loves to wade through the stories that novels offer, it’s poetry’s ability to turn the ordinary into magic that keeps her coming back to it in moments of happiness and sorrow alike. She dreams of travelling the world, weaving memories from the rich mosaic of cultures and cuisine. Her days are brightened by her students, whose curiosity and humour constantly remind her why she loves teaching. She’s been learning, since what seems like eternity, to understand movies beyond the surface. Tagore is her safe haven, a place where she finds calm amidst the chaos. Despite all the flaws she sees in humanity, Pritha chooses to believe in its goodness—a quiet hope that carries her through the world. That said, there are days when she can’t help but feel that dogs make far better companions than humans.
Tarapada Roy (17 November 1936 – 25 August 2007) was a prominent Bengali poet, essayist, and columnist known for his wit, satire, and deep understanding of human nature. Born in Tangail (now in Bangladesh), he later settled in Kolkata and became a defining voice in modern Bengali literature. His poetry and prose often explored themes of social realism, irony, and everyday struggles, resonating deeply with readers. Alongside his literary work, he was a popular columnist, contributing insightful and humorous pieces to various newspapers. Through his sharp yet accessible writing, Tarapada Roy carved a unique place in Bengali literature, leaving behind a legacy of thought-provoking and socially relevant works.

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