REFLECTIONS

By Tanveer Rauf

SHAMSUL GHANI

An educationist and a born perfectionist, Tanveer Rauf is known for her penchant for English translation
of poetic work. She has got to her credit a number of English translation projects. “Reflections” is her
latest effort in this direction.

Besides holding sway over a picturesque, vast swath of English vocabulary, Tanveer Rauf has an enviable
command of English language. Knowledge of a number of local and foreign languages put her in an
advantageous position when it comes to translating poetry.

The work of translating is nothing short of creativity as selection of the most appropriate word or
expression is guided by the translator’s ability to have a dip into the creative moment with utter
disregard to the environ and setting he is part of. Tanveer Rauf possesses that very ability. Her being a
non-poetic soul has hardly affected her job of transmuting the essence of the original work into the alien
embodiment of translation.

“Reflections” is English translation of selected poetic work of 9 saint poets – from Mian Muhammad
Bakhsh to Ameer Khusro to Khuwaja Ghulam Farid – and 35 other poets – from Sauda and Mir to
Meeraji to Mohsin Naqvi. In such type of works, the selection of poets is often guided by several factors
– translator’s personal liking being one of them. While there is hardly any room to criticize any omissions
or commissions, omission of Iqbal and Faiz’s names in such type of work shall always be highlighted.

The translation is mostly unrhymed which I personally admire as forced rhyming often hurts the soul of
the original verse. A few examples underlining Tanveer Rauf’s magical and majestic work of translating
original poetic thought into an alien language are being given:

Ameer Khusro (page 38 & 40)

[Shaban e hijraan draz chhon zulf

Draz waslat choon umr kotah]

Translated: Lengthy nights without you are as lengthy as maiden’s long hair; Days of being together are
short, And they’re as short as one’s life

Ameer Khusro (page 44 & 46)

Sakal bun phool rhi sarson; ambwa phootay, tesoo phoolay, Koel bolay dar dar; aur gori karat singhar

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Translated: Lively mustard blossoming in the field so; Mango buds spring up, other flowers too; The
nightingale chants bough to bough; Maiden engaged to beautify self though

Sultan Bahoo (page 51 & 54)

Dil darya samandaroon donghay; Kon dilan dian janay hoo; wiche berhay wiche jherhay; Wiche wanjh
mohanay hoo

Translated: A heart is deeper than the river and ocean; Who can judge what’s so deeply hidden;
Hurricane and storms make whirlpools; Yet fleets sail through and boats by oars

Mir Taqi Mir (page 99 & 102)

Sarhanay Mir ke aahista bolo; Abhi tuk rote rote so gya hay

Translated: Speak softly by Mir’s bedside; He has just slept after wailing

Ghalib (page 114 & 115)

Kabay kis moonh se jaoge Ghalib; Sharm tumko magar nahin aatee

Translated: How will you ever head out to Ka’ba Ghalib?; Aren’t you ashamed of your faults and flaws?

Hasrat Mohani (page 152 & 154)

Do paher ki hoop main mujhko bulanay ke liay: Wo tra kothay pe nungay paoon aana yad hay

Translated: Coming bare footed on a blistering summer day; Calling me to the rooftop, I still remember

Sahir Ludhyanvi (page 233 & 234)

Tum chali jaogi parchhayyan reh jaengi; kuch na kuch husn ki ranayyan reh jaengi

Tum to is jheel ke sahil pe mili ho mujh se: Jub bhi dekhonga yaheen mujhko nazar aaogi

Translated: Shadows will endure behind when you leave; Some signs of splendor will sustain when you leave

Met you here on the coastline of this lagoon; When I recollect, I will feel you here by this lagoon

Jaun Elia (page 266 & 268)

Ek mahek sumt e dil se aaee thi: main ye samjha tri sawari hay

Translated: There came a zephyr of fragrance; I thought it’s her coming sneakily

Ahmed Faraz (page 271 & 272)

Shehr e muhabbat, hijr ka mausam, ehd e wafa aur main; Tu to is busti se khush khush chala gya, aur main

Translated: Beloved’s city, separation, faithfulness, and I; You departed gloriously from this land, and I

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And now the most difficult part of my job! As I earlier said, it’s better to leave the translated text
unrhymed than to commit forced rhyming. Luckily, Tanveer’s most of the work is unrhymed and thus
generally immaculate. At some places rhyming has come naturally thereby uplifting the translated text.
Yet at places, Tanveer appears given to forced rhyming. Let me first clear that rhyming is not attained by
just repeating, in the second line, the word or expression that ended the first line. For example If “daze”
ends the first line, then one should end the second line with haze, maze etc, but certainly not again with
daze. Tanveer has fallen prey to this temptation at several places which has not only marred her own
work but full justice to the original verse has also not been done.

She, being a non-poet translator, has very occasionally – I repeat very occasionally – failed to be at home
with the nuance of the original verse. For example Jaun Elia, page 265 and 267:

Nigharay kia huay ke logon per; Apna saya bhi ab to bhari hay

As translated by Tanveer Rauf: Where have homeless moved to; One can’t stand own self joyfully

The expression “kia huay” has been misunderstood by the translator. The translation should have been
something like this:

As I turned homeless, people began despising even my shadow.

These minor flaws and oversights notwithstanding, Tanveer Rauf’s is a momentous effort worthy of a
generous, all round applause. For an ordinary book-lover this work might hold no special charm, but
those having an eye for extraordinary literary endeavors will certainly feel pleased with the publishing of
Reflections - a book that aims at introducing to the world our rich poetic heritage.

SHAMSUL GHANI