[jyotirmoy]

In Bengali Thakuma means granny & Jhuli means a small shoulder slung bag. Granny had fables & folklores in her Jhuli. These fables and folklores are a very integral part of any society and provide a glimpse in to the fabric. “Thakumar Jhuli” is a collection of fantastic fables, which were handed down generations and charmed generations of children including me.
Tagore says “When a child listens to these fables it is not only the story that delights him, the stains of internal love & affection of the society enters his heart and takes him to a wonderland of peace & content…… The full moon is like a luminous blossom, just this line spoken by a mother to her child, the sky seem to become awash with silver hues, illuminated by this ethereal light are seen the strange and awesome palaces where the eternally young princes & princesses live, their deeds and adventures flash before the eyes as real as life…….while listening to the story of the gallant prince riding on his flying horse traveling beyond seven seas & thirteen rivers to the unknown land; even a restless child slowly falls asleep…..”
It is very unfortunate that Thakumar Jhuli has been banished to retirement along with the Thakumas. No longer Thakumas sit beside the bed and tell stories to their Natis(Grand children). These days the Natis don’t fall asleep and wake up as they did earlier.

I hope to write the story of Buddhu & Bhutum shortly. Rhymes are integral part of these stories and extremely difficult to translate. I am sure that while translating Tagore’s writing above I had not been able to convey the exact feeling. Still I will try my best.

[priya]

Beautifully conveyed!  I'm really looking forward to reading about Buddhu and Bhutum.  

What a shame bedtime stories are no longer part of a child's development.  I guess I'm fortunate that I was also transported to distant lands of princes and princesses before journeying into my own dreamland.......