a floating boat on the ocean of life

If we really think that home is elsewhere and that life is a "wandering to find home", why should we not look forward to the arrival?

~ C.S Lewis (British scholar and novelist)

Today, during my routine voyage to work, a bolt of nostalgia and wistfulness struck me. I had my Ipod on full blast like always and the songs played through my mind, not really registering, but having a serene effect on my mood all the same. And then that song came on, a bangla song with a sweet melody and pretty lyrics, nothing tragic just a simple song about a wandering soul. But for some reason every time I hear that song, something stirs within me. For someone, who is not usually emotive, those words make my eyes well up. Here are the lyrics with my own version of a translation to it:

Amar prothom dekha brishtir jole
Bhashiyechi phela khelar chole
Sheyi jol geche mishe kon nodite
Geche Hariye kon Sagare

The first time that I truly experienced rain,
I drenched myself playing tag with the water and my friends.
But the water and those games are now just memories,
Hiding somewhere subdued by the stress of everyday.

Majhi re, o majhi re
Dekhecho ki tumi tare
Nouko amar chelebalar
Kogejer…

Now all I can do is seek your help,
To find that little paper boat,
My friends and I made so long ago,
On a lovely, quiet monsoon day.

Amar prothom pawa aakar khata
Amar prothom lekha kobita
Sheyi chelebalar sopno hajar
Geche hariye kon sagare

That coloring book I used to scribble on,
And the rhyming gibberish I would babble on,
The childhood mischief that I was once famous for
Hiding somewhere subdued by the stress of everyday

Neeli ambar si naiyya meri
Leheron ki dhun mein beh chali
Gehre sagar mein tanha kahin
Geeton ko tumhari khojti

So here I am a lonely boat,
Drifting on the waves of life.
Looking for a place, you know,
Where I can relive those memories of mine.

Ekta jolshe jawa bikel bela
Ekta lalche sagarer jole
Jaye bheshe Jaye sopno bojha
Nouko amar kagojer

A rustic little house I see,
On the very edge of my reality.
And there I see myself also,
Playing with my paper boat.

Majhi re, o majhi re
Dekha hai kya tumne usse
Kagaz ki Nau mein hain bhare
Sapne mere…

Please, I beseech you
Help me find my paperboat
On it I have safe kept my memories
Of childhood lessons learnt so long ago…

(Movie: Bong Connection)