doublespeakmag

Pritha Banerjee Chattopadhyay’s translation of Aloke Ranjan Dasgupta’s poem: পান্থ – Wayfarer (Bangla to English)

Sometimes, it must be said clearly:

God exists –

bathing the shrike perched on the treetop,

and this worn-out material world, all at once.


Sometimes, it must be said clearly:

You were

the treasure of my devotion.

Now that you are gone,

there’s no one to immerse me in sacred rite –

so I take my lunch, here and there,

wherever I can.

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.

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