Dear Mani, Thanks for that.
Actually, Nadeem Aslam, whose book 'Maps for Lost Lovers' I got the poem from, translates the last line as - There he sits, attracting everyone to a lively spectacle of pain. Which is much closer to the sense you give off it as well. However, Sultan Nathani's Urdu dictionary defines Raunaq as lustre, brightness, elegance, brilliance. Raunaq, by itself does not refer to a happy crowd, I think, unless there is an interesting slippage of meaning from Urdu to Punjabi; However raunaq in the sense of festive (and perforce thronging with people) is certianly implied, as you pinted out, and I missed that. Also, the direct address to the seeker, who has finally found his way to Abid in the town called Loneliness. Come sit. Let's celebrate our pain. This elevates it to another level altogether. Thanks for this, Mani. Moral of the story - for me - Don't translate from languages you don't quite comprehend! Cheers, Anand What address do you ask for? My town is called Loneliness. District: Lover of poetry. Sub-district: Loss and longing. The Post Office is Disgrace and The way there is to get lost in thought. Its famous monument is Separation Abid can be found there these days Come, sit. Let's celebrate our Pain. On 5/12/05, M Suri <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I could be way off base. However, I've always been of the impression that > raunaq meant "happy crowd and/or gathering" of people and has often ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers. At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/S.QlOD/3MnJAA/Zx0JAA/yqIolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Did you get this mail as a forward? Subscribe by sending a blank mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED], OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/join. Members are encouraged to post poetry, their own and others', respond critically to the poems circulated, and participate in discussions. Post via email at [email protected] OR online at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/post. ---theZESTcommunity-------------- [1] ZESTCurrent: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCurrent/ [2] ZESTEconomics: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTEconomics/ [3] ZESTGlobal: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTGlobal/ [4] ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/ [5] ZESTPoets: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/ [6] ZESTCaste: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ [7] ZESTAlternative: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTAlternative/ [8] TalkZEST: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TalkZEST/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTPoets/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
