Sunday, 25 March 2012

Caption Writing


Among my numerous hobbies I sometimes indulge in ‘caption’ writing. I look for interesting visuals from old magazines or books and then give them a suitable caption, the way I feel or see it. These captions are not always my original, few have been taken from Tagore’s song or poetry. I now have completed two albums of pictures with captions, here’s a smattering of the same. The captions are written in Bengali of course so my son suggested that I write the Bengali in phonetic so that anyone can read it and follow it up with English translation so that all of you may understand the meaning. Enjoy...

 In Phonetic Bengali – He nithur manab – na na na na aaghat heno na ore
                                    Hridoyer dhon oje, uhare rakhibo dhore

English translation – O cruel human – please don’t cut the tree down
                                    It’s the treasure of my heart, I will hold on to it


In Phonetic Bengali – chutir bansi bajlo je oi neel gogone
                                    Aami keno ekla boshe ei bijone

English translation – The yonder blue sky plays the flute of freedom
                                    Why am I sitting alone in this silent horizon?


Phonetic Bengali – Golper jhuli loye thandidi chole
                                    Hashi gane bhore dai jeeboner pole

English translation – Grandma goes with her bag full of stories
                                    Filling every moment with smiles, songs and happiness


Phonetic Bengali – Darogababur koto je kaaj sharati din dhore
                                    Betha tanhar shorbo onge, mathao betha kore
                                    Ektu aayesh korata ki emoni oporadh
                                    Jonogone to bojhe na ta shadhe kebol badh

English translation – Police chief does so much work whole day
                                    His whole body aches and so does his brain
                                    Is it a crime if he relaxes a bit between work?
                                    People don’t understand that, interfering every now and then


Phonetic Bengali – ukil badir bodo chhele shaymakanto dhor
                                    Ghore boshe behala bajay, tole shurer jhod
                                    Posha meni bidalta tar mosto bodo bhokto
                                    Shamne boshe table neeye bol bajay je shokto
                                    Trahi trahi rob padate ghum nai karu chokhe
                                    Beshur behala bondho hole banchbe sobhai shukhe

English translation – Advocate’s eldest son Shaymakanto Dhor
                                    Strums his behala (an Indian stringed instrument) in his room, raising                                                 stormy tunes
                                    His pet cat is his biggest fan
                                    Accompanies him on tabla (a percussion instrument)
                                    The neighbourhood cries for help as they can’t sleep at night
                                    Everyone will live happily when the ill-tuned behala would stop

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