The Art of Waiting

This is my first Marathi Hindustani Classical 'Bandish'. The word Vaat (वाट) has multiple meanings and all of them are used in this song. The melody is in Raga Pratiksha (Pratiksha means 'the wait') as well. 

वाट बघुनी वाट लागली
वाटे वरती वर्षं त्यागली
त्रास भेटती साठ!

वाट साधकास वाटे समर्पण,
शिकावी स्थैर्य, स्वीकृती, संयम
वाट दाखवी वाट!

Explanation

The wait is driving me crazy!
I've sacrificed years in waiting,
encountering many an obstacle.

In waiting, the seeker finds selfless devotion,
embracing stability, acceptance, and discipline.
The wait shall reveal the way!

Opinion

There are so many waits in life, from the mundane, to intense, to profound. 

Waiting in traffic, in line, for a flight, for dinner, for a video to load, for a package, for the rain to stop (or start), 

to 

Waiting for test results, a job or promotion, for hammering to stop in the flat above yours, for your broken leg to heal, waiting for a loved one, waiting to be rescued from the International Space Station,

to

Waiting for your soulmate, waiting for your child to be born, for them to grow up, to heal from loss of a loved one, to find your purpose in life, for spiritual guidance and growth,

to ultimately, enlightenment!

Each wait can be a friend, a teacher, a guru.

Embrace the wait!

Yaman Tarana, Drut Ektaal

 

दीम तनन तारे दानी

ओदेतन नननन  देरेना

(तारे दानी) x ३ ||

दीम तनन तारे दानी 

ओदेतन नननन देरेना

(तारे दानी) x ३ ||

The 'Fortress of Solitude' Song

अब देखो ना, बोलो ना, चलो हटो!

निकट न आवो, पीछा ना करो अब,

अकेले मोको, जीने दो || 

निलज छलिये रुक! अब और नहीं!

पथ ना रोको, 

      सुख ना टोको,

            अकेले मोको,  जीने दो || 

Explanation & Context

We all need a 'fortress of solitude' now and then. 

It might be a break after an argument, a refuge for introverts overwhelmed by social noise, or a shield against greedy corporations and scammers trying to exploit you.

Don’t watch, don't speak, back off!
Leave me alone, don’t follow.
Let me live my life, and be me.

Shameless charlatan - stop! Never again.
Stay out of my way,
Don’t spoil my day,
Let me live my life, and be me.

Tarana in Raga Bageshree (Teentaal)

 

तन देरेना देरेना तदीम तदीम 

ओदे तन देरना,  ओदानी तनन  (दीम)

तदारे दानी,  ओदानी दीम   || 

देरना तदीम दीम, ताs रेs ताs रेदानी 

( तदारे दानी) x ३ ओदानी दीम   ||

Aaja Mandirwa - Raga Husseini Kanada, Vilambit Ektaal

आजा मंदिरवा मोरे, पिहरवा अब
बिन तोरे कैसे मैं सुख पाउँ ॥ध्रु॥
देख देख के तोरी, सुंदर सूरत ॥
नादरंग गाये इस मंगल महूरत (पिहरवा अब) ॥१॥

Raga Vachaspati - Unspoken, Vilambit Ektaal

 

कैसे मन सुख पावे?

कैसे कहूँ बतिया, डर लगे जिया को,

अब रोके ना जाए!

 

कोई ना जाने दुःख हमारा,

छिप गयी मन की बतिया,

'नादरंग' अब कहा ना जाए! 

Interpretation:

How will I ever find joy?

Fear shackles my true feelings,

that threaten to burst forth, awoken.

 

No one knows of my pain within,

of bottled emotions and thoughts,

that shall forever remain unspoken!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Silence Song - Na Bolu Na Bolu, Raga Vachaspati, Teentaal

ना बोलूँ, ना बोले वो

ना कहुँ, ना सुने वो

छिप जाए अज्ञान |

 

ना मैं सोचूँ, ना समझे वो

ना मैं चाहूँ, ना माँगें वो  

'नादरंग' मिट जाए गुमान | 

Inspiration:

'Maun' or 'true silence' is when body, mind and spirit withdraw into silence. First, spoken words stop, then mental words and sentences abate. With more practice, thoughts slow down, and then finally, the desire to speak fades away.

This song was inspired by the brilliant talk (in Marathi) on 'Maun' by Mrs. Dhanashree Lele. Interestingly, the song's melody just happened to be composed in Raga Vachaspati. Vachaspati is the God of Speech!

Interpretation:

(Here, the I is the self/ego and They can be other people or the subconscious mind)

If I don't speak, they too go silent.

If I have nothing to say, they have nothing to listen to (and interpret).

Thus silence is the best way to hide your ignorance. 

 

If thought stops, no meaning can come from it.

And once desire stops, temptation abates.

'Naadrang' believes that such a (true) silence leads to ego-death.