Poem: Kisan Ko Rahar

किसानको रहर (kisan ko rahar) is a poem by Laxmi Prasad Devkota. Laxmi Prasad Devkota is a very famous poet, so much that he has been given the title of ’mahakabi’ which means ‘Great Poet’. He is basically the Nepali version of Shakespeare! (although Laxmi Prasad did not really write dramas…)

The word ’kisan ko rahar’ means ’Aspiration(s) of a Farmer’. I fondly remember singing this song when I was young, and you can hear this poem being recited by some graded kids in this video (here).

The word ’kisan’ means ‘Farmer’ and ’rahar’ can mean: Desire, Aspiration etc.

This poem is a Grade 5 poem.

*Note* Poems usually follow non-standard sentence structure. The schwa has been retained in various words so that it sounds melodious.

____

POEM

सानो छ खेत, सानो छ बारी, सानै छ जहान 

नगरी काम, पुग्दैन खान, साँझ र बिहान ।।

 बिहानपख झुल्किन्छ घाम देउराली पाखामा 

असारे गीत घन्किन्छ अनि सुरिलो भाकामा ।। 

काँधको शोभा हलो र जुवा हातमा कोदाली 

जीवन धान्न गर्नु नै पर्ने उकाली ओराली ।।

 छुपु र छुपु हिलोमा धान रोपेर छोडौँला 

बनाई कुलो लगाई पानी आएर गोडौँला ।।

भनेर सानी पटुकी रातो बाँधेर झरेकी

धमिलो खोला बाढीले होला कसरी तरेकी !

 गालामा साना पसिना दाना मोतीझैँ खुलेकी

घाम र पानी भोक र तिर्खा कसरी भुलेकी ।  

सुसेली हाली बयेली खेल्छ बतास रातमा

जूनले पोख्छ शीतका थोपा धानका पातमा ।।

 सुनौला बाला झुलेर होला भुइँलाई छोएको

फलेको हाँगो कहिले छ र ननुही रहेको ?  

हिमाल हाँस्छ मिलाई सेता दाँतका लहर

किसान बनी जहान पाल्ने यो मेरो रहर ।।

_

MEANING

सानो छ खेत, सानो छ बारी, सानै छ जहान (sano cha kheta, sano cha bari, sanai cha jahaana)

नगरी काम, पुग्दैन खान, साँझ र बिहान ।। (nagari kaama, pugdaina khaana, sajha ra bihana)

= Small is the field, small is the farm, small is (my) family

Without doing work, (we) won’t be able to eat, dusk and dawn

                                             .

 बिहानपख झुल्किन्छ घाम देउराली पाखामा (bihanapakha jhulkincha ghaam deurali pakha ma)

असारे गीत घन्किन्छ अनि सुरिलो भाकामा ।। (asaare gita ghankincha ani surilo bhaka ma)

= Towards the dawn, the sun rises on the hillside on the deurali

The Asaare Song amplifies again in a melodious tune

                                             .

काँधको शोभा हलो र जुवा हातमा कोदाली (kadha ko sobha halo ra juwa haata ma kodali)

जीवन धान्न गर्नु नै पर्ने उकाली ओराली ।। (jiwana dhaanna garnu nai parne ukali orali)

= The shiny halo and juwa rested in the shoulders, with kodali in hand 

Life must be supported anyhow, through steeps and falls

                                             .

 छुपु र छुपु हिलोमा धान रोपेर छोडौँला (chupu ra chupu hilo ma dhan ropera chodaula)

बनाई कुलो लगाई पानी आएर गोडौँला ।।  (banai kulo lagai pani aaera godaula)

= Planting the paddy on the mud chupu and chupu, (I will) leave

(after) making the canal (and) placing the water, (I will) come (back and) dig

                                             .

भनेर सानी पटुकी रातो बाँधेर झरेकी (bhanera sani patuki raato baadhera jhareki)

धमिलो खोला बाढीले होला कसरी तरेकी ! (dhamilo khola baadi`le hola kasari tareki!)

= After saying, Sani descended typing a red patuki,

The muddy river, probably due to the flood, how did she cross?!

                                             .

 गालामा साना पसिना दाना मोतीझैँ खुलेकी (gala`ma sana pasina dana moti`jhai khuleki)

घाम र पानी भोक र तिर्खा कसरी भुलेकी !  (ghama ra pani bhoka ra tirkha kasari bhuleki)

= On the cheek, small sweat beads, suits (her) like pearl 

How she forgot sun and rain, hunger and thirst!

                                             .

सुसेली हाली बयेली खेल्छ बतास रातमा (suseli haali bayeli khelcha bataasa raata`ma)

जूनले पोख्छ शीतका थोपा धानका पातमा ।। (juna`le pokhcha shita`ka thopa dhaana`ka paata`ma)

= Keeping a whistle, bayeli pours in, on a windy night

The moon spills drops of dew on the leaves of the paddy

                                             .

सुनौला बाला झुलेर होला भुइँलाई छोएको (sunaulo bala jhulera hola bhui`lai choeko)

फलेको हाँगो कहिले छ र ननुही रहेको ? (phaleko hago kahile cha ra nanuhi raheko)

= The golden bala probably due to (it) swinging, the ground is covered

The fruited branch, when is it ever that it stayed without drooping? 

                                             .

हिमाल हाँस्छ मिलाई सेता दाँतका लहर (himaala haascha milai seta daata`ka lahara)

किसान बनी जहान पाल्ने यो मेरो रहर ।। (kisana bani jahana paalne yo mero rahara)

= The mountain laughs, aligning the line of white teeth

By being a Farmer and sustaining (my) family that is my aspiration

____

VOCABULARY

खेत (khet) = Field

बारी (bari) = A small type of home garden where you grow vegetables

जहान (jahana) = Family

साँझ (saajha) = Dusk

 देउराली (deurali) = 1. The point on a hill where its steepness ends    2. A pile of offered stones to the gods left behind by travellers in a hill which by time it resembles a small shrine

पाखा (pakha) = Hillside

असारे (asaare) = Like the month of Asaar

घन्किन्छ (ghankincha) = A conjugation stemming from the word घन्कनु (ghankanu) which means ’To amplify a sound when many things or creatures produce a sound

सुरिलो (suirlo) = Melodious

भाका (bhaka) = Tone

काँध (kaadh) = Shoulder

शोभा (shobha) = 1. Grace     2. (here) Shiny

हलो (halo) = A type of plough used by oxen or a bovine to plough a field

जुवा (juwa) = A type of rack used by oxen or a bovine to plough a field

कोदाली (kodali) = A human-operated plow with a long handle

जीवन (jiwan) = Life

उकाली (ukali) = Uphill

ओराली (orali) = Downhill

छुपु र छुपु (chupu ra chupu) = An onomatopoeic sound which is used to describe the sound when you plant paddy in a field

हिलो (hilo) = Mud

कुलो (kulo) = Irrigation canal

सानी (saani) = A calling name for a young girl

पटुकी (patuki) = A type of long fabric worn on the waist like a belt

धमिलो (dhamilo) = Blurry; Muddy; Cloudy

बाढी (baadi) = Flood

दाना (dana) = Bead

मोती (moti) = Pearl

खुलेकी (khuleki) = (here) A conjugation of the verb ‘खुल्नु’ (khulnu) which means ’To suit/ look attractive on ’

सुसेली (suseli) = Whistle

बयेली (bayeli) = 1. A ripple which happens when wind blows across the young crop plants   2. Cool Wind

बतास (bataas) = Wind

जून (jun) = Moon

पोख्छ (pokhcha) = A conjugation of the verb ‘पोख्नु’ (pokhnu) which means ’To spill

शीत (sit) = Dew

थोपा (thopa) = Drops; Beads

सुनौला (sunaula) = Golden

बाला (bala) = The stalk where a group of different plants like Paddy, wheat etc. grow together to resemble a group

झुलेर (jhulera) = A conjugation of the verb ‘झुल्नु’ (jhulnu) which means ’To swing

ननुही (nanuhi) = A conjugation of the verb ‘नुहुनु’ (nuhunu) which means ’To droop/ bow

लहर (lahar) = 1. Ripple; Wave     (here) 2.  Column; Line

____

QUESTIONS

1. The poem has many feminine endings used (for example, ukali instead of ukalo). Find two more such words.

2. The word पानी (pani) has two different meanings. What are they?

 .

ANSWERS (for illustrative purposes only)

1. ओराली, कोदाली 

2. Water; Rain

किसानको रहर (kisan ko rahar) is a poem by Laxmi Prasad Devkota. Laxmi Prasad Devkota is a very famous poet, so much that he has been given the title of ’mahakabi’ which means ‘Great Poet’. He is basically the Nepali version of Shakespeare! (although Laxmi Prasad did not really write dramas…)

The word ’kisan ko rahar’ means ’Aspiration(s) of a Farmer’. I fondly remember singing this song when I was young, and you can hear this poem being recited by some graded kids in this video (here).

The word ’kisan’ means ‘Farmer’ and ’rahar’ can mean: Desire, Aspiration etc.

This poem is a Grade 5 poem.

*Note* Poems usually follow non-standard sentence structure. The schwa has been retained in various words so that it sounds melodious.

____

POEM

सानो छ खेत, सानो छ बारी, सानै छ जहान 

नगरी काम, पुग्दैन खान, साँझ र बिहान ।।

 बिहानपख झुल्किन्छ घाम देउराली पाखामा 

असारे गीत घन्किन्छ अनि सुरिलो भाकामा ।। 

काँधको शोभा हलो र जुवा हातमा कोदाली 

जीवन धान्न गर्नु नै पर्ने उकाली ओराली ।।

 छुपु र छुपु हिलोमा धान रोपेर छोडौँला 

बनाई कुलो लगाई पानी आएर गोडौँला ।।

भनेर सानी पटुकी रातो बाँधेर झरेकी

धमिलो खोला बाढीले होला कसरी तरेकी !

 गालामा साना पसिना दाना मोतीझैँ खुलेकी

घाम र पानी भोक र तिर्खा कसरी भुलेकी ।  

सुसेली हाली बयेली खेल्छ बतास रातमा

जूनले पोख्छ शीतका थोपा धानका पातमा ।।

 सुनौला बाला झुलेर होला भुइँलाई छोएको

फलेको हाँगो कहिले छ र ननुही रहेको ?  

हिमाल हाँस्छ मिलाई सेता दाँतका लहर

किसान बनी जहान पाल्ने यो मेरो रहर ।।

_

MEANING

सानो छ खेत, सानो छ बारी, सानै छ जहान (sano cha kheta, sano cha bari, sanai cha jahaana)

नगरी काम, पुग्दैन खान, साँझ र बिहान ।। (nagari kaama, pugdaina khaana, sajha ra bihana)

= Small is the field, small is the farm, small is (my) family

Without doing work, (we) won’t be able to eat, dusk and dawn

                                             .

 बिहानपख झुल्किन्छ घाम देउराली पाखामा (bihanapakha jhulkincha ghaam deurali pakha ma)

असारे गीत घन्किन्छ अनि सुरिलो भाकामा ।। (asaare gita ghankincha ani surilo bhaka ma)

= Towards the dawn, the sun rises on the hillside on the deurali

The Asaare Song amplifies again in a melodious tune

                                             .

काँधको शोभा हलो र जुवा हातमा कोदाली (kadha ko sobha halo ra juwa haata ma kodali)

जीवन धान्न गर्नु नै पर्ने उकाली ओराली ।। (jiwana dhaanna garnu nai parne ukali orali)

= The shiny halo and juwa rested in the shoulders, with kodali in hand 

Life must be supported anyhow, through steeps and falls

                                             .

 छुपु र छुपु हिलोमा धान रोपेर छोडौँला (chupu ra chupu hilo ma dhan ropera chodaula)

बनाई कुलो लगाई पानी आएर गोडौँला ।।  (banai kulo lagai pani aaera godaula)

= Planting the paddy on the mud chupu and chupu, (I will) leave

(after) making the canal (and) placing the water, (I will) come (back and) dig

                                             .

भनेर सानी पटुकी रातो बाँधेर झरेकी (bhanera sani patuki raato baadhera jhareki)

धमिलो खोला बाढीले होला कसरी तरेकी ! (dhamilo khola baadi`le hola kasari tareki!)

= After saying, Sani descended typing a red patuki,

The muddy river, probably due to the flood, how did she cross?!

                                             .

 गालामा साना पसिना दाना मोतीझैँ खुलेकी (gala`ma sana pasina dana moti`jhai khuleki)

घाम र पानी भोक र तिर्खा कसरी भुलेकी !  (ghama ra pani bhoka ra tirkha kasari bhuleki)

= On the cheek, small sweat beads, suits (her) like pearl 

How she forgot sun and rain, hunger and thirst!

                                             .

सुसेली हाली बयेली खेल्छ बतास रातमा (suseli haali bayeli khelcha bataasa raata`ma)

जूनले पोख्छ शीतका थोपा धानका पातमा ।। (juna`le pokhcha shita`ka thopa dhaana`ka paata`ma)

= Keeping a whistle, bayeli pours in, on a windy night

The moon spills drops of dew on the leaves of the paddy

                                             .

सुनौला बाला झुलेर होला भुइँलाई छोएको (sunaulo bala jhulera hola bhui`lai choeko)

फलेको हाँगो कहिले छ र ननुही रहेको ? (phaleko hago kahile cha ra nanuhi raheko)

= The golden bala probably due to (it) swinging, the ground is covered

The fruited branch, when is it ever that it stayed without drooping? 

                                             .

हिमाल हाँस्छ मिलाई सेता दाँतका लहर (himaala haascha milai seta daata`ka lahara)

किसान बनी जहान पाल्ने यो मेरो रहर ।। (kisana bani jahana paalne yo mero rahara)

= The mountain laughs, aligning the line of white teeth

By being a Farmer and sustaining (my) family that is my aspiration

____

VOCABULARY

खेत (khet) = Field

बारी (bari) = A small type of home garden where you grow vegetables

जहान (jahana) = Family

साँझ (saajha) = Dusk

 देउराली (deurali) = 1. The point on a hill where its steepness ends    2. A pile of offered stones to the gods left behind by travellers in a hill which by time it resembles a small shrine

पाखा (pakha) = Hillside

असारे (asaare) = Like the month of Asaar

घन्किन्छ (ghankincha) = A conjugation stemming from the word घन्कनु (ghankanu) which means ’To amplify a sound when many things or creatures produce a sound

सुरिलो (suirlo) = Melodious

भाका (bhaka) = Tone

काँध (kaadh) = Shoulder

शोभा (shobha) = 1. Grace     2. (here) Shiny

हलो (halo) = A type of plough used by oxen or a bovine to plough a field

जुवा (juwa) = A type of rack used by oxen or a bovine to plough a field

कोदाली (kodali) = A human-operated plow with a long handle

जीवन (jiwan) = Life

उकाली (ukali) = Uphill

ओराली (orali) = Downhill

छुपु र छुपु (chupu ra chupu) = An onomatopoeic sound which is used to describe the sound when you plant paddy in a field

हिलो (hilo) = Mud

कुलो (kulo) = Irrigation canal

सानी (saani) = A calling name for a young girl

पटुकी (patuki) = A type of long fabric worn on the waist like a belt

धमिलो (dhamilo) = Blurry; Muddy; Cloudy

बाढी (baadi) = Flood

दाना (dana) = Bead

मोती (moti) = Pearl

खुलेकी (khuleki) = (here) A conjugation of the verb ‘खुल्नु’ (khulnu) which means ’To suit/ look attractive on ’

सुसेली (suseli) = Whistle

बयेली (bayeli) = 1. A ripple which happens when wind blows across the young crop plants   2. Cool Wind

बतास (bataas) = Wind

जून (jun) = Moon

पोख्छ (pokhcha) = A conjugation of the verb ‘पोख्नु’ (pokhnu) which means ’To spill

शीत (sit) = Dew

थोपा (thopa) = Drops; Beads

सुनौला (sunaula) = Golden

बाला (bala) = The stalk where a group of different plants like Paddy, wheat etc. grow together to resemble a group

झुलेर (jhulera) = A conjugation of the verb ‘झुल्नु’ (jhulnu) which means ’To swing

ननुही (nanuhi) = A conjugation of the verb ‘नुहुनु’ (nuhunu) which means ’To droop/ bow

लहर (lahar) = 1. Ripple; Wave     (here) 2.  Column; Line

____

QUESTIONS

1. The poem has many feminine endings used (for example, ukali instead of ukalo). Find two more such words.

2. The word पानी (pani) has two different meanings. What are they?

 .

ANSWERS (for illustrative purposes only)

1. ओराली, कोदाली 

2. Water; Rain