The ramayan has fascinated minds in India and worldwide for millennia, for the beauty of its literary composition, for its fascinating story content as well as for faith and reverence.  It is not surprising then that the Ramayan has been translated not only into all major languages, but also into unexpected ones like Polish, Norwegian and Swedish.  What is surprising is that there are more than twice as many poetic translations/trans-compositions of the ramayan in urdu as there are of the qur’aan and that the ramayan was translated into urdu even before the qur’aan was.

A book “urdu meN hindu dharm” (Hindu Religion in Urdu), Ajai Malviya,  written in Urdu, catalogues in detail urdu translations of the vedas (66), ramayan (103), mahabharat (38), bhagwad gita (83), puranas (44), manu smriti (4), biography of vashisht (14) and miscellaneous other religious compositions (472) spanning about 200 years of publications.

Why has this significant piece of literature been relegated to a neglected and ignored heap of disdain?  This needs to be corrected.  The sheer number and the high poetic and linguistic quality of this literature surprised me as I worked to string together representative parts of urdu nazm/poems of ramayan by different poets, like pearls strung in a necklace, into a near complete story.

A close reading of urdu ramayan translations offers some fascinating lessons about mingling of cultures in India, the origins and “ownership” of Urdu language, the power of the pen across languages and cultures and the universality of basic human emotions.  One is struck deeply by the acceptance and seamless adoption of multiple religious traditions as indicated by the observation that many ramayan renderings (even some by hindu poets) start with “bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim” and a “hamd” (an ode and/or expression of gratitude to god).  Since god, like language, has no religion, these odes/hamd/vandana are entirely secular/universal. 

It is highly contentious to say that urdu is a muslim language (as if a language has religion) or even to say that urdu is a language of muslims.  There are large numbers of muslims (Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) who do not know/speak urdu.  One of the important reasons that East Pakistan separated and declared baNgladesh was that it did not want urdu to be imposed on it in preference to its own language, beNgali.

Of the 100 or so translations/re-compositions of the ramayan in urdu more than 80 were written/composed by hindu writers/poets.  In most, if not all cases the poets were orthodox, believing, practicing hindus.  Why were they writing the ramayan in urdu?  I speculate that there must have been a large section of literate hindu population who considered Urdu their primary language, not because of political favours but because it was naturally their language.  Some of the poets who re-composed tulsidas’ ramcharitmanas suggest that because it was written in “bhaaka or bhaasha” and not easily available to everyone.  Therefore, they translated/re-composed it in urdu, perhaps implying that this is more comprehensible than “bhaaka/bhaasha”.  Apparently by the 1800s neither avadhi nor braj bhaasha were considered a common language.  To show the role urdu played in devotional traditions of north Indian hindus, I paraphrase from a book by bishweshwar parshad munavvar, himself a poet and son of dwaarka parshad ufaq (another poet of renown, who composed a full urdu ramayan).  He writes that, because of the effort of munshi jagannath Khushtar (1809-1864) and munshi shankar dayal farhat (1843-1904) in translating hindu religious texts into urdu, the teachings of the ramayan saved the hindu religion from further decline.  Before we run away with the image of an alien force coming down to “save” hinduism, it might be useful put this quote in perspective.  We have to make an effort to understand that what he might have meant is that there was a substantial community of hindus to whom religious texts were not comprehensible because they were written either in sanskrit or avadhi while their primary language of learning was urdu.  Thus, these translations made religious texts available to them.

Surely these poets, most of whom were believing and observant hindus must have had an audience/readership of similarly devout believers, who revered the composition itself and must have had the linguistic finesse to enjoy its literary excellence.  It draws a picture of a large section of literate hindu population who considered urdu their primary language, not because of political favours but because it was naturally their language.  We do not have any data taken by ‘pollsters’ to show that this was the case.  But we can make some speculative estimates by numbers of publications and the content of those publications.  I am unable to compile a scholarly accounting of such magazines and the numerous contributions of urdu writers.  Suffice it to present to you names of some daily, weekly or monthly publications, “sanaatan dharm pracharak”, “tej”, “aarya veer”, “veer India”, “arya Gazette”, “bande maataram”, “jain sansaar”, “sher-e hind”, “raajput Gazette” and even “agarwal hiteshi” that were published in urdu, some as late as the 1940s.  All had editors and contributors who were hindu (at least by name).

The compositions and publications of urdu ramayan cover roughly 1825-1980.  These poets also wrote secular/romantic Ghazal, nazm as well as other devotional pieces to krishn, lakshmi and many others.  The question needs to be asked, but remains unanswered because of lack of documentary evidence, whether these poets, steeped in urdu poetic culture, also recited parts of the ramayan in the mushaa’era that they participated in.  What was the composition of the audience?  They also composed bhajans in urdu.  Were these bhajans sung in religious gatherings.  We know that bhajans composed by syed ibrahim ras Khan (1548-1628) in braj bhaasha, proto-urdu, are sung to this day in prayer meetings.  There is every reason to believe that urdu compositions of ramayan were also recited, heard and enjoyed in public gatherings whether they may be called mushaa’era or not.

Well over twenty samples from urdu ramayan composed by different poets over nearly two centuries have been selected in story sequence and strung together like the beads of a tasbiih/jap-mala.  This study of the urdu ramayan shows the versatility, beauty and power of urdu, its ownership by a wide range of communities of India, and the easy and seamless acceptance, adoption and cross pollination of one another’s traditions by all faith systems.  Alas, somewhere along the way, we have lost this unique syncretic tradition.  It is my fervent hope that such studies will contribute a little to its revival.

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit chandr choR, retired head clerk, Office of the Magistrate, Ambala. His versified ramayan is undated and there is not a single word about the poet.
1
samant¹-e nek-Khuu² vaapas jab aaya
janaab³-e raam ki qissa⁴ sunaaya
shah-e dasrath mariiz⁵-e furqat⁶-e raam
paRa tha bistar-e zahmat⁷ pe naakaam⁸
taRapta tha misaal⁹-e murGh-e-bismil¹⁰
Ghariiq¹¹-e bahr¹²-e Gham tha, saKht¹³ be-dil¹⁴     1.charioteer 2.good natured 3.mister/sir/lord 4.story 5.afflicted 6.separation 7.sickness 8.helpless 9.example, like 10.slaughtered rooster 11.drowned 12.ocean 13.very much 14.without heart i.e. losing interest in everything
When the faithful charioteer returned (from having dropped off raam, sita and lakshman in the forest), he relayed the story of raam. King dasrath was lying helplessly on the sick bed. He was thrashing around like a rooster with its throat slit. He was drowning in an ocean of sorrow, showing no interest in anything.
2
Khabar¹ sun kar samant²-e nukta-var³ se
hua giriya-kunaaN⁴ dard-e jigar⁵ se
hue naala-kunaaN⁶ ahl-e-mahal⁷ sub
vufoor-e-Gham⁸ se Khwaahaan⁹-e ajal¹⁰ sub
bashishT¹¹-e raazdaaN¹² ne aaKharash-kaar¹³
tasalli¹⁴ de ke samjhaaya shahr-yaar¹⁵     1.news 2.charioteer 3.knowing fine points/details 4.cyring 5.liver/heart 6.wailing 7.palace residents 8.excess of sorrow 9.wishing for 10.death 11.name of rishi/scholar/saint 12.used here to mean confidant/advisor 13.finally 14.consoling 15.king
Hearing news from the charioteer in detail, dasrath began to cry with a painful heart. The palace family wailed and in excess of sorrow were desirous of death. Finally, bashishT, the wise counselor, consoled the king.
3
kaha dasrath ne kausalya¹ se raani
firaaq²-e raam lega zindagaani
sravan³ ke baap ki ye bad-dua⁴ hai
isi meN bas hamaara Khaatama⁵ hai
talaash⁶-e sayd⁷ meN ek roz tha maiN
mila din bhar na kuchh aaKhir thaka maiN 1.wife of dasrath, mother of raam 2.separation 3.name of young boy that dasrath had accidentally killed 4.curse 5.end, death 6.search 7.prey, hunt
dasrath said to kausalya – O, queen, separation from raam will take my life. This is the curse of the father of sravan. In this, is my end. One day I was hunting for prey. Not finding anything all day long, I was tired.
4
ba-vaqt-e shaam baiTha ghaat meN tha
ke chashme¹ par sravan paani ko aaya
suni aavaaz jab paani ki maiN ne
ye jaana sayd² aaya paani piine
usi aavaaz par ek tiir maara
hua zaKhmi sravan zaahid³ qazaara⁴     1.spring, river 2.prey, target 3.observant, religious, dutiful 4.suddenly, accidentaly
In the evening I sat watching when to the river came sravan to fetch water. When I heard that sound a shot an arrow at it thinking that a prey had come there to drink. Dutiful sravan got hit accidentally.
5
suna jab shor pahuNcha vahiiN par
sravan dekha paRa bismil¹ zamiN par
jo puuchha kaun hai kya naam tera
kaha barhaman, sravan hai naam mera
ye sunte hi mere bas uR gaye hosh
kaha phir mu’aaf² kar mujh ko Khata-posh³     1.sacrificed 2.forgive 3.dressed in/covered by transgression/sin
When I heard that noise, I went there and saw sravan on the ground, dying. I asked his name and who he was. He said he was a brahman, sravan by name. I lost my senses when I heard this (killing a brahmin is the greatest sin of all!). I begged him to forgive me, that I was covered with sin.
6
kiya phir naam apna aashkaara¹
tujhe afsos² be-taqsiir³ maara
sravan bola ba-raah⁴-e mehrbaani⁵
maiN aaya tha yahaaN lene ko paani
mere maadar-pidar⁶ haiN koor⁷ dono
pyaase haiN bahut kamzor dono    1.revealed 2.alas 3.guiltless, innocent 4.by way of 5.kindness, courtesy 6.mother and father 7.blind
Then I told him my name and said, alas, I have killed you by mistake, without intent. sravan said, by way of kindness – I came here to fetch water. My mother and father are both blind. They are both weak and thirsty.
7
unheN dasrath ba-raah¹-e mehrbaani²
pila de ab zara ke jaa ke paani
mere seene se bhi shaah-e dil-afroz³
zara le khaiNch tiir-e jigar-doz⁴
nikaala tiir maiN ne mar gaya vo
mere sar par gunah⁵ ye dhar gaya vo   1.by way of 2.kindness 3.heart brightening, giving happiness 4.heart piercing 5.crime
sravan speaking – O, dasrath, by way of kindness, take this water for them and pull this heart piercing arrow. I pulled it out and he died, making me guilty of this crime.
8
gaya phir paas un ke le ke paani
maiN laaya hun kaha ye leeje paani
vo bole kaun hai pahle bataa tu
hameN phir baad meN paani pila tu
sravan tu hai nahiN, ye hum ne jaana
maiN huN dasrath kaha aye mard-e-daana¹    1.wise man
I went to them, offering water. They asked, first tell us who you are and then give us water. You are not sravan, this much we know. I replied, O, wise man, I am dasrath.
9
bayaaN¹ qissa² kiya phir maiN ne saara
vo bole ho chuka jiina hamaara
kahaa ro kar hameN le chal vahaaN par
paRi hai laash³ sarvan ki jahaaN par
vahaaN aa kar unhoN ne bad-dua⁴ dii
ke haasil⁵ ho tujhe bhi naa-muraadi⁶     1.narrate 2.story 3.corpse 4.curse 5.obtain, happen 6.non-fulfilment of desire
Then, I narrated the whole story. They said, this is the end of our lives. Weeping they asked me to take them where the body of sravan was lying. When we got there, they gave me this curse that I too not be able to get my desires fulfilled.
10
mare Gham meN pisar¹ ke jis tarah hum
marega tu bhi dasrath paa² yahi Gham
ye kah kar jaan di dono ne raani
meri bhi ho chuki bas zindagaani
suna kar ye hua Khaamosh dasrath
hua sur-pur³ meN jaa mehmaan⁴ dasrath    1.son 2.paa kar, getting 3.svarg-pur, heaven
Just like we die grieving for our son, you will die too, O, dasrath getting the same sorrow. O, raani (kaushalya), saying this, they both died. That sealed my fate. Narrating this, dasrath went quiet and went to heaven, to be a guest there.
11
mare Gham meN pisar¹ ke jis tarah hum
marega tu bhi dasrath paa² yahi Gham
ye kah kar jaan di dono ne raani
meri bhi ho chuki bas zindagaani
suna kar ye hua Khaamosh dasrath
na dam³ maara hua be-hosh⁴ dasrath
nikal tan⁵ se gaii bas jaan⁶-e dasrath
hua sur-pur⁷ meN jaa mehmaan⁸ dasrath    1.son 2.paa kar, getting 3.breath 4.losing senses 5.body 6.soul 7.svarg-pur, heaven 8.guest
Just like we die grieving for our son, you will die too, O, dasrath getting the same sorrow. O, raani (kaushalya), saying this, they both died. That sealed my fate. Narrating this, dasrath went quiet, stopped breathing and lost his senses. He went to heaven, to be a guest there.
12
hua baazaar-e giria¹ garm² do-chand³
vafaat⁴-e shauhar⁵ o banbaas⁶-e farzand⁷
bharat aur shatruhan naana ke ghar the
vo is mauqe⁸ se bilkul⁹ be-Khabar¹⁰ the
bashishT¹¹-e baa-Khirad¹² ne chaabukaana¹³
kiya kashmir ko qaasid¹⁴ ravaana¹⁵       1.mourning 2.activity, commotion 3.double 4.passing 5.husband 6.exile 7.son 8.situation 9.entirely 10.unaware 11.name of rishi, advisor to dasrath 12.wise 13.promptly, like a whip 14.messenger 15.dispatched, sent
A commotion of double mourning ensued – the passing of the husband and the exile of the son. bharat and shatruhan were at their maternal grandfather’s palace in the himalayan mountains (kashmir), totally unaware of this situation. The wise vashishT promptly dispatched a messenger to inform them.
13
bharat aaye avadh meN haal¹ dekha
ke ahl-e-shahr² ko be-haal³ dekha
suni marg⁴-e pidar⁵, banbaas⁶-e raghubar⁷
hue mahv⁸-e fuGhaaN⁹ dono baraadar¹⁰
tashaddud¹¹ gosh¹² kar ke kaikayii ka
pareshaaN jo gaya ji bharat-ji ka    1.condition 2.people of the city 3.out of themselves, uncontrollable sorrow 4.death 5.father 6.exile 7.another name of raam 8.engrossed 9.sorrowful wailing 10.brothers 11.oppression, cruelty, injustice 12.ears, hearing
bharat arrived and saw the condition of avadh. He saw all the people of the city in uncontrollable sorrow. They heard the story of the death of their father and exile of raam. Both brothers were engrossed in sorrowful wailing when they heard of the cruelty of kaikayii. bharat was puzzled down to his heart.
14
bharat ne kaikeyi ke paas jaa kar
misaal¹ maar-e-pechaaN² pech³ khaa kar
kaha maadar⁴ sitam-iijaad⁵ kar di
KhizaaN⁶ ban kar chaman barbaad⁷ kar di
ye kya dil meN samaaya haasidaana⁸
nikaala raam ghar se zaalimaana⁹     1.like, similar to 2.coiled snake 3.coiling i.e. twisting and turning 4.mother 5.created/caused pain 6.drought 7.destroyed 8.jealousy 9.cruelly
Going to kaikeyi bharat thrashed about in sorrow like a coiled snake and said, O, mother you have caused great pain. Like a drought you have destroyed the garden. What kind of jealousy came into your heart. Your threw raam out of the house in cruelty.
15
lagaaya daaGh bazm-e-KhaandaaN¹ ko
jali Khud bhi jalaaya sham’a-daaN² ko
batan³ se tere gar paida na hota
jahaaN⁴ meN aaj maiN rusvaa⁵ na hota
nahiN aati tujhe Ghairat⁶ jafaa-kesh⁷
keh Khud bevaa⁸ bani zaalim bad-andesh⁹     1.family group 2.candle holder 3.womb 4.world 5.shamed, disreputed 6.shame 7.cruel-natured 8.widow 9.bad omen
You brought a stain on the family group. You got burnt and burned the candle holder too. Had I not been born of your womb, I would not have been shamed like this in the world. Are you not ashamed of your cruel nature. You yourself are widowed, O, harbinger of bad omen.
16
pisar¹ ko bhi yateem² apne banaaya
miTaaya baap aur bhaaii ka saaya
pahan sakta nahiN maiN taaj-e shaahi
mubarak raam ko ho baadshaahi
Gharaz³ kar bahut l’aanat⁴ malaamat⁵
dilaaii Khoob⁶ maadar⁷ ko nadaamat⁸    1.son 2.orphan 3.in summary 4.curse 5.blame 6.much 7.mother 8.regret
You orphaned your own son and erased the protection of father and brother. I cannot wear the royal crown. Monarchy rightfully belongs to raam. In summary after much blaming and cursing he caused his mother to regret greatly.
17
kaneezak¹ ko bhi kar ke Khoob Khwaari²
kamar par shatruhan ne laat maari
ba-farmaan³-e bashishT⁴-e nukta-biiN⁵
kiya saamaaN pai⁶-e tajheez⁷ o takfiiN⁸
bharat ne phir ba-rasm⁹-e Khusravaana¹⁰
jalaaii laash¹¹-e dasrath Ghamzadaana¹²   1.derogatory version of ‘kaneez’-slave woman 2.blame 3.by orders of 4.rishi vashisht 5.discerning, wise 6.for 7.funeral 8.shroud 9.traditions 10.royal 11.corpse 12.sorrowfully
shatruhan too, after getting angry with the slave woman kicked her in the back. By orders of the wise vashisT, bharat made arrangements for the funeral and shroud. Following royal traditions, he sorrowfully lit the funeral pyre for the body of dasrath.