Sahitya Akademi

Songs of the Gond PeopleSource: Indian Literature, Vol. 50, No. 1 (231) (January-February 2006), p. 101Published by: Sahitya AkademiStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23346359 .

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You made of me an imbecile and idiot, I'll never ever again go by your words.

Your true and false promises, have banished me

to the world of eternal punishment, and I will never ever believe you again for aeons.

Translated from Oriya by Lipipuspa Nayak

Songs of the Gond People

The Gond people reside throughout Orissa. Their language and reli

gion are very similar to that of the rest of the people of Orissa. They live in larger numbers in the south-western part of Orissa. Lord Shiva

and Lord Jagannath are their tutelary deities. Their languages differ

across the western part of Orissa to various degrees. Some of their songs are also common to others, who do not belong to the community, yet live in the area. In some areas their literacy level is very high.

My Sweet, Sweetheart

You secrete the fragrance of blooming jasmines, because you are a blooming jasmine yourself. When you see me at a distance,

you spare a coy half smile.

When you see the bumblebee,

you break into peels of laughter. But when I come close to you,

you walk away and squat at a distance.

Now tell me, why do you go so far away, did anyone tell you anything terse or sarcastic?

Do not sulk, reveal it to me rasarkeli re,

my sweet, sweetheart.

There she is waiting on a slab of stone, with the sole intention

of meeting you secretly.

Folksongs of Orissa / 101

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