Bengal, a poetic hymn to
O Bengal! Heartland of freedom and culture's effusive grace,
Sacred be the sweet, melodious echo of thy name!
Thou, who hath saved the Mother from tyranny and chain,
Hath saved her as well, from sorrow and shame!
O Bengal! Thou art the beacon of wisdom's ancient light!
Thy majesty resonates forever deep in my restless heart,
For thou art the provider of words to my lips,
Thou art the centre of India's intellectual rebirth!
Sweet be the resonance of thy echoing, charming name,
Right as we speak thy tongue and sing thy song,
Sweet be the sight of thyself bathed in gold
As the new day approaches, carrying new blessings along!
Thou art the sacred country where Bankim was born,
Thou art the pilgrimage of Rabindra's divine lore,
Thou art the Mother of Subhash, Sharat and Bibhuti,
O noble Mother of mine, and millions more!
When the nation had fallen to sorrow and disgrace,
When darkness, chaos and shame had reigned supreme,
Came thy adored radiance to liberate us from fall,
Showered was India with thy perennial nobility's gleam!
Mother of the southern rivers, Mother of the snow-capped north,
Mother eternal, to Kolkata and the cities rest,
On thy sweet, warm lap was I born and re-born,
And thy breath alone flows into my breast!
O Mother! What language stands sweeter than thine?
What culture is more graceful along the Indian lands?
Thou hath sided with noble Punjab of the west,
To liberate the fallen nation, from slavery's foreign hands!
O Glory! Glory and blessings be showered on thee,
O fairest daughter, of Mother Bharati's lap!
What words shall I utter to crown thee,
When thou art the crown of culture's living sap?
Blessed Mother! The day has come for thee to rise,
As the glorious sons of thine surround thy throne,
Bankim, Rabindra, Chitta and Vivek,
Subhash, Shyama and the rest adorn!
As Rabindra's sacred light diffuses in thy sacred frame,
As Subhash's valour erases thy shame of days,
Vidyasagar's oceanic wisdom sings thy name,
And Bankim's pious words resonate with thy praise!
Bless, O Mother! O sacred lady of the Indian realm,
Bless with thy light, the very course my destiny's!
Bless all around me, bless thy daughters and sons,
And bless thy each flower, thy vales and trees!
Into thee, Mother Bengal, flows my humble song,
For ever and ever, eternally all along!
Sacred be the sweet, melodious echo of thy name!
Thou, who hath saved the Mother from tyranny and chain,
Hath saved her as well, from sorrow and shame!
O Bengal! Thou art the beacon of wisdom's ancient light!
Thy majesty resonates forever deep in my restless heart,
For thou art the provider of words to my lips,
Thou art the centre of India's intellectual rebirth!
Sweet be the resonance of thy echoing, charming name,
Right as we speak thy tongue and sing thy song,
Sweet be the sight of thyself bathed in gold
As the new day approaches, carrying new blessings along!
Thou art the sacred country where Bankim was born,
Thou art the pilgrimage of Rabindra's divine lore,
Thou art the Mother of Subhash, Sharat and Bibhuti,
O noble Mother of mine, and millions more!
When the nation had fallen to sorrow and disgrace,
When darkness, chaos and shame had reigned supreme,
Came thy adored radiance to liberate us from fall,
Showered was India with thy perennial nobility's gleam!
Mother of the southern rivers, Mother of the snow-capped north,
Mother eternal, to Kolkata and the cities rest,
On thy sweet, warm lap was I born and re-born,
And thy breath alone flows into my breast!
O Mother! What language stands sweeter than thine?
What culture is more graceful along the Indian lands?
Thou hath sided with noble Punjab of the west,
To liberate the fallen nation, from slavery's foreign hands!
O Glory! Glory and blessings be showered on thee,
O fairest daughter, of Mother Bharati's lap!
What words shall I utter to crown thee,
When thou art the crown of culture's living sap?
Blessed Mother! The day has come for thee to rise,
As the glorious sons of thine surround thy throne,
Bankim, Rabindra, Chitta and Vivek,
Subhash, Shyama and the rest adorn!
As Rabindra's sacred light diffuses in thy sacred frame,
As Subhash's valour erases thy shame of days,
Vidyasagar's oceanic wisdom sings thy name,
And Bankim's pious words resonate with thy praise!
Bless, O Mother! O sacred lady of the Indian realm,
Bless with thy light, the very course my destiny's!
Bless all around me, bless thy daughters and sons,
And bless thy each flower, thy vales and trees!
Into thee, Mother Bengal, flows my humble song,
For ever and ever, eternally all along!
- Anirban Chatterjee
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