Begumpura by Ravidas (aka the first Indian utopia)
This came up during the desert lab project, so I thought it would be a good idea to have a place where the original and the translation could be seen alongside each other. Begumpura by the Bhakti poet Sant Ravidas (c.1450 – c.1520) is not the first utopia from India (that belongs to the mythological realm), but it can certainly be considered one of the first speculative utopian places from the subcontinental imagination.
रविदास : बेगमपुरा / / Ravidas : Begumpura
| बेगम पुरा सहर को नाउ।। दूखु अंदोहु नहीं तिहि ठाउ।। नां तसवीस खिराजु न मालु।। खउफु न खता न तरसु जवालु।।1।। अब मोहि खूब वतन गह पाई।। ऊहां खैरि सदा मेरे भाई ।।1।। रहाउ।। काइमु दाइमु सदा पातिसाही।। दोम न सेम एक सो आही।। आबादानु सदा मसहूर।। ऊहां गनी बसहि मामूर।।2।। तिउ तिउ सैल करहि जिउ भावै।। महरम महल न को अटकावै।। कहि रविदास खलास चमारा।। जो हम सहरी सु मीतु हमारा।।3।। (पन्ना 345) |
The regal realm with the sorrowless name: they call it Begumpura, a place with no pain, No taxes or cares, none owns property there, no wrongdoing, worry, terror, or torture. Oh my brother, I’ve come to take it as my own, my distant home where everything is right. That imperial kingdom is rich and secure, where none are third or second – all are one; They do this or that, they walk where they wish, they stroll through fabled palaces unchallenged. Oh, says Ravidas, a tanner now set free, those who walk beside me are my friends. |
Source for the original: https://www.punjabkesari.in/dharm/news/sri-guru-ravidas-jis-prakash-utsav-746842
Translation: Songs of the Saints of India, edited by Hawley and Juergensmeyer, page 32, sourced here: http://roundtableindia.co.in/lit-blogs/?p=1968