Ritual songs and folksongs of the Hindus of Surinam

60 Jharrā [Paramaribo, 1967]

aba choṭī moṭī khiṛakī candana chiṛakī jhimi jhimi ā̈ī bayariyā re hāy
këi biricha tale bhījata höihaį hasana husain donǫ bhaiyā re hāy

nadiyā kināre eka semal maliyā lagāye phulavariyā
e maiyā tore desa ke suganā phūla hare liye jātu haį
phūla ke ūpara khūna ṭapakai is bakhata hamare köī nahį

Now, a tiny little window, sprinkled with the sandal (essence) (is there); (then) there came a little breeze with a drizzle, oh!
Under which tree must the two brothers, Hasan and Husain, be getting wet, oh?!

[p. 116]

B

I.

On the bank of the river there is a semal¹ tree (where) a gardener is cultivating a flower garden.

II.

Oh gardener, the parrots of your country are robbing and taking away the flowers.

III.

On the flower (there) drips blood;¹ at this time no one is² ours.

1 The semal flowers are red.

2 That is, ‘we have no one to save or help us’.

3 Cp. ‘rimajhima rimajhima meha barisale pavana bahe puravā̈ī, kavane biricha tare bhījata hoihaį rāma lakhana dūno bhā̈ī’ on the brothers Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa: D. Siṁha ('44: 469). See also p. 23 and note on song No. 59.A.