Monday, June 7, 2010

Childhood rhymes

This post was like time-travel, inspired by the Tullika blogathon, where I've entered Nino's favourite bath-time rhyme.

My favourite one is this: A rhyme that I'm sure is as old as Yashoda and Krishna, one that my mum sang to me, and one that she sings to Nino, still. A popular lullaby too, it is both proud and poignant about all that a child means to a mother.

Tame maara dev na didhel cho,
Tame maara maangi ne lidhel cho,
Aavya tyare, ammar thai ne raho...

You are the gift of the gods to me,
it is you that I've always seeked/wanted/asked for,
and Now that you've come to me, be here forever.


--

Edited to add, the lullaby that Papa preferred :)

Raate vehela je suve,
Vehela uthe veer,
Bal, buddhi ne dhan vadhe,
Sukh ma rahe shareer!

Roughly translated, it's the Gujju version of Early to Bed, Early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.



11 comments:

Manjushree Abhinav said...

Beautiful, darling.

Choxbox said...

havent heard this one. its beautiful :)

the lullbay in these parts goes like this:

Nindardi Re Bai
Maari (Childname) Ni Aankh Ma Aavje Re Nindardi
(Childname) Saaru Jhabla Ne Topi Laavje Re Nindardi

It becomes especially cute when my delicious 2 yr old nephew pats a sleeping stray dog and sings it, replacing Childname with Doggie!

Nino's Mum said...

Manju/Atmapreeta: :) I have a lump in my throat everytime my ma sings it for Nino.

Chox - :) beautiful rhyme and bless your adorable nephew!

Choxbox said...

Yup love that Early to Bed in Gujju rhyme!

Choxbox said...

And what about 'Chakki Chokha Khaande Chhe'?!

Suku said...

i love the first one...simply beautiful!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Nino's mum, both lullabies are beautiful. And it is cute to see a mother's lullaby is a more emotional one, and the father's lullaby is full of wisdom and good sense :)

Hugs,
Anjali

In love with my life said...

Lovely one's. And of course not heard before...
Most lullabies across languages mean the same thing- love. How amazing is that:-)

Please write more

Sands said...

The first one is lovely. Have heard the second one is a few languages :)

Nino's Mum said...

SBora, Sands, InLove: The first one's my favourite! Even the tune it is set to seems so primordial.

Anjali - hahaha :) I think my dad has been my balancing factor in more ways than one!

Diary Of A Stardusted Dreamer said...

Lovely rhymes, this is the 2nd post I've read on childhood rhymes and am feeling kinda guilty I don't know any in Marathi (my mother tongue) or Hindi. All I dish out for Nikki are the same ol same ol English nursery rhymes or some dhinchak Bollywood numbers :(