Happy Diwali! Aao milkar diya jalaayein :)

Here's wishing everyone a brilliant year ahead and hope you had a beautiful Diwali :)

May you all find the courage to let the light in.

For Diwali, I translated one of my favourite Diwali poems into English. Here goes:

The original by Atal Bihari Vajpayee:

आओ फिर से दिया जलाएँ

आओ फिर से दिया जलाएँ
भरी दुपहरी में अंधियारा
सूरज परछाई से हारा
अंतरतम का नेह निचोड़ें-
बुझी हुई बाती सुलगाएँ।
आओ फिर से दिया जलाएँ

हम पड़ाव को समझे मंज़िल
लक्ष्य हुआ आंखों से ओझल
वतर्मान के मोहजाल में-
आने वाला कल न भुलाएँ।
आओ फिर से दिया जलाएँ।

आहुति बाकी यज्ञ अधूरा
अपनों के विघ्नों ने घेरा
अंतिम जय का वज़्र बनाने-
नव दधीचि हड्डियां गलाएँ।
आओ फिर से दिया जलाएँ

-- अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी

Translation in English:

Let's light again, the lamp together.

Let's light the lamp together again.

This darkness at the peak of the afternoon

The sun defeated by shadows

Let us squeeze out, as oil, the darkness within ourselves

And re-ignite the extinguished flame instead.

Let's light the lamp together again.

We confused the milestone for the destination

Our aim having fled our sight

In the materialistic trappings of the present

Let's not forget the tomorrow yet to come.

Let's light the lamp together again.

The sacrifice pending, the yajna incomplete

Surrounded by the obstacles born of our own kin

To remodel the vajra of the final victory

The Dadhichi's of today must melt their bones again.

Let's light the lamp together again.

*Yajna is a Vedic ritual in Hindu tradition which is done as a composition of offerings composed of specific ingredients to a sacred fire with the objective of collective good. 

*Vajra is a thunderbolt or mythical weapon, often touted as the most powerful one (references found in both Hinduism and Buddhism).

*Dadhichi was a rishi (saint) from Hindu mythology who melted his bones to form the material used to make the vajra.

This is the first time I've tried translating a poem. Do let me know what you think :)

HAPPY DIWALI :)

PS: Special thanks to the people that took out time to help me make this better. I am glad to have you in my life <3 font="">