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. munshi shankar dayal farhat’s ramayan has a publication date of 1938, but this may be a second printing for I found several other translations of religious epics published in 1870, 1879 and 1920. There is nothing that I could find about the poet in any of his books. He does write that his ramayan is close to a ‘word-for-word translation’ of tulsidas’ ramcharitmanas. At the end of the book a few other poets have composed short verse in praise of munshi farhat’s work. It is illustrative to look at their names … divan ganesh rai josh, munshi sachitanand, munshi Khaadim husain afsos, munshi jhaau lal mahvar and lala taaj bahaadur Ghareeb. Typesetting was done by munshi sarju parshaad kaatib.
1
hua y’aani sahr ka jab ke haNgaam¹
bisaat-e-Khwaab² se uTThe sri raam
mahaa-mun³ ne ijaazat⁴ di ke jaao
KhiramaaN⁵ phool phal gulshan se laao
ba-chashm-o-sar⁶ pa-e⁷ taajeel⁸-e ahkaam⁹
chale KhandaaN¹⁰ janaab-e lachhman o raam     1.time 2.floor/bed of sleep 3.great saint (mun is short for muni) 4.permission 5.gently 6.with eyes and heart i.e. enthusiasm 6.for the sake of 8.prompt 9.orders 10.smiling
When it was time dawn, raam rose from his bed. The great saint (vishwamitr) gave them permission to go to the garden and with gentle gait bring back fruit and flowers. With great enthusiasm, to promptly carry out his orders, raam and lachhman went off smiling.
2
saba¹ sadqe² hui lutf-e-ravish³ par
zamiN par gaR⁴ gaye sarv⁵ o sanobar⁶
hua qad⁷ dekh kar naKhl-e-sahi⁸ past⁹
sharaab-e-diid¹⁰ se nargis¹¹ hui mast
jidhar vo naKhl-e-qad¹² saaya-figan¹³ the
hujoom¹⁴-e andaleebaan¹⁵-e chaman the    1.early morning breeze 2.make an offering 3.pleasant gait 4.buried i.e. hung its head in shame 5.cypress 6.stately pine 7.stature 8.right/good/tall tree 9.short, small 10.wine/intoxication of sight 11.narcissus 12.stately trees i.e. raam and lakshman 13.casting shadows 14.crowd 15.nightingales/song birds
Seeing their gentle gait, the morning breeze offered tribute, stately trees hung their heads in shame, tall trees felt small. The narcissus was drunk at seeing their beauty. Wherever raam and lakshman cast their shadows, song birds flocked.
3
vahaaN thi ek sri gauri¹ ki moorat²
tamanna-baKhsh³-e arbaab-e-zaroorat⁴
karam-baKhsh⁵ o ataa-paash⁶ o Khata-posh⁷
baraaye⁸ mujrimaaN⁹ asiyaaN¹⁰ faraamosh¹¹
janak-pur¹² meN ye dastoor¹³-e salaf¹⁴ tha
isi se haasil¹⁵-e izz¹⁶ o sharaf¹⁷ tha    1.name of a godess 2.idol 3.granting wishes 4.people of need 5.benevolence granting 6.with the power to bestow 7.hiding/forgiving sins 8.for, towards 9.sinners 10.sins 11.forgiving/forgetting 12.city of king janak 13.tradition 14.elders 15.obtain, gain 16.respect 17.nobility
In the garden there was an idol of godess gauri. She fulfilled desires of those who asked/prayed. She was benevolent with the power to bestow blessings and forgive transgressions. Towards sinners she was forgiving. The tradition of elders in janak-pur was that from this (praying to her) one could obtain respect and nobility.
4
ke zan¹ pesh-az² rusoom³-e kad-Khudaaii⁴
kare mandir meN jaa kar jabbha-saaii⁵
jo Khaak-e-aastaaN⁶ sar par maley vo
ba-raNg⁷-e naKhl-e-tar⁸ phoole phale vo
ba-shakl⁹-e nau-uroos¹⁰-e paak-daamaaN¹¹
janaab-e jaanki¹² aaiiN KharaamaaN¹³      1.women 2.before 3.rituals 4.wedding 5.rub forehead, bow down 6.dust of the threshold 7.like, in the style of 8.young/growing tree 9.in the image of 10.new bride 11.pure, virtuous 12.another name of sita 13.in state/dignity
(The tradition of the elders was) that women, before the rituals of their wedding go to the temple (of godess gauri) for prostration/obeisance. Those who rub the dust of the temple on their forehead would prosper and be fruitful like a young tree. In the shape of a new bride, the virtuous sita/jaanki arrived in dignity at the temple.
5
vo poshaak¹-e muGharraq² zeenat³-e dosh⁴
uroos-e-sabza⁵ ho az-Khud-faraamosh⁶
jabiN⁷ afshaaN⁸ se misl-e-gul⁹ zar-afshaaN¹⁰
vo gesu¹¹-e mu’ambar¹² ambar-afshaaN¹³
jabiN⁷ par ek naii Khoobi ka Teeka
unhiN ke sar tha mahboobi¹⁴ ka Teeka    1.dress 2.embroidered with gold and jewels 3.adornment 4.shoulder, back 5.greenery of the garden pictured as a bride 6.forgetful of itself 7.forehead 8.glitter 9.like a rose 10.scattering gold 11.hair 12.dark like amber 13.spreading amber fragrance 14.love
The dress adorning her (Sita’s) shoulders embroidered with gold and jewels so much so that the beautiful greenery of the garden (itself decked like a bride) forgot itself in gazing at her beauty. Her forehead, embellished with glitter was like a rose scattering gold. Her dark hair spreading amber fragrance. She had a vermillion mark of love on her forehead.
6
gulu¹ meN motiyoN ke haar zeba²
mo’attar³ jaama-e-zarkaar⁴ zeba
nafees⁵ o Khushnuma⁶ champa kali thi
gul-e champa ko har dam bekali⁷ thi
darKhshaaN⁸ dast-e-naazuk⁹ meN aNgoThi
ke chaandi chaand ki ho jis se jhooTi     1.neck 2.adorning 3.fragrant 4.golden dress 5.refined 6.beautiful 7.restlessness 8.shining 9.delicate hand
A pearl necklace adorned her neck and a fragrant gold dress, her body. She was like a beautiful and refined champa bud. The champa bud was constantly restless (fearing the emergence of Sita’s beauty). A ring shining on her delicate fingers. Before her the silvery beauty of the moon appeared false/nothing.
7
ba-raNg¹-e barg-e-gul² naazuk badan sub
nigaah-e-naaz³ se nazzaara-zan⁴ sub
koi bulbul ki soorat⁵ naGhma-zan⁶ thi
koii mahv⁷-e tamaasha-e-chaman⁸ thi
koii karti this nargis⁹ se ishaara¹⁰
dil-e sarv-e-sahi¹¹ karti do-paara¹²       1.in the style of 2.rose petal 3.coquettish/stylish glance 4.enjoying the view 5.like, similar to 6.singing 7.engrossed in 8.viewing the garden 9.narcissus 10.playful signals 11.tall/slender cypress 12.two pieces, tear assunder
The poet moves to describing the many maidens accompanying sita. They were delicate like rose petals, viewing the garden in great style. One singing like a bulbul, another engrossed in enjoying the view, one playful with the narcissus. The tall/slender cypress (anology for stately beauty) torn assunder with jealousy.
8
Gharaz¹ mahv-e-tamaasha² chaar suu³ thiiN
miyaan⁴-e bostaaN⁵ maanind-e-buu⁶ thiiN
kisi ki raam o lachhman par paRi aaNkh
dur⁷-e dandaan⁸-e anvar⁹ par paRi aaNkh
nazar aaya jamaal¹⁰-e raam o lachhman
bandha dil meN Khayaal-e raam o lachhman     1.all said and done 2.engrossed in looking 3.directions 4.in the middle 5.garden 6.like fragrance 7.pearls 8.teeth 9.brilliant 10.grandeur
All of Sita’s friends/maids were engrossed, looking in every direction. Their presense in the garden was like the fragrance of the garden – spreading all around. Someone saw raam and lakshman and their shining pearly teeth. They saw their grand presence and the thought sunk into their minds.
9
gayii vo naazniiN¹ fart²-e Khushi se
guzaarish³ ki janaab-e jaanki⁴ se
chaman meN haiN yahaaN do turfa-tar⁵ gul
dil-e piir⁶ o javaaN jin par ho bulbul⁷
mo’ambar⁸ cheen⁹-e zulf¹⁰-e pur-shikan¹¹ hai
Khata¹² ho gar kahiN mushk-e-Khutan¹³ hai     1.damsel 2.excess, overflowing 3.request 4.another name of sita 5.beyond enchanting 6.old 7.in urdu poetry traditional lover of ‘gul’/rose 8.fragrant/dark like amber 9.curl 10.hair 11.tangled/curled 12.defect 13.musk of Khutan in Central Asia considered the best
The damsel (who had seen raam and lakshman) ran, overjoyed to sita and requested her to come and see. There are two ‘roses’ in the garden, beyond enchanting on whom the hearts of old and young would become like that of a bulbul for the rose. Their curly hair has the fragrance/colour of musk. If there is any defect (like a mole), it is like the musk of Khutan (a mountanous region in the Caucuses famous for its musk).
10
laboN par Khanda¹-e dandaaN² numaa³ hai
qadam meN jalva⁴-e zill-e-huma⁵ hai
kaha vo kis taraf⁶ ko jalva-gar⁷ haiN
KharamaaN⁸ kis ravish⁹ par haiN kidhar haiN
Gharaz¹⁰ vo maah¹¹ le kar haath meN haath
ba-sad¹² husn-e-tajammul¹³ ho gayii saath    1.smiling 2.teeth 3.displayed 4.grandeur, beauty 5.shadow of huma/phoenix a legendary bird which no one can see, but its shadow falls on kings 6.direction 7.manifest, seen 8.walking 9.path 10.all said and done 11.moon (moonlike beauty, sita’s maid) 12.with a hundred 13.beauty of pomp
The damsel/maid continues to describe the beauty of raam and lakshman. Shining teeth can be seen in their smile. The shadow of ‘huma’ falls at their feet. Sita asked in which direction are they, where can they be seen, what path are they walking on. So that beautiful maiden grabbed her by the hand and with great pomp went with her to show her where raam and lakshman were.
11
vahaaN dar-parda¹-e shaaKh²-e gul-e-tar³
dikhaaya jalva⁴-e ruu⁵-e munavvar⁶
KhiraamaaN⁷ naaz⁸ se donoN vafa-kesh⁹
kabhi dahne kabhi baa’eN kabhi pesh¹⁰
kabhi baRh kar kabhi ruk ruk ke dekha
nigaah-e-shauq¹¹ se jhuk jhuk ke dekha     1.behind curtain 2.branches 3.fresh flowers 4.beauty, grandeur 5.face 6.shining 7.gentle saunter 8.style 9.true to their word, friends 10.behind 11.eager glance
There, behind a curtain of branches laden with fresh flowers, she showed the shining and beautiful faces. With gentle saunter the two friends looked right and left and sometimes behind them. Sometime they hurried forward, at other times they hesitated. Sometimes they looked down casting furtive glances.
12
kabhi aujhal¹ kabhi zaahir² kabhi duur
mai-e-deedaar³ se sarshaar⁴ o maKhmoor⁵
kabhi aaNchal palaT kar muNh pe Daala
ulaT kar zulf-e-mushkiiN⁶ ko saNbhaala
kabhi fart-e-tarab⁷ se muskuraaiiN
lajaaiiN sharm se aaNkheN churaaiiN    1.hidden 2.visible 3.wine of sight 4.satiated 5.intoxicated 6.fragrant/dark hair like musk 7.overflowing happiness
Sometimes hidden, sometimes clear and other times from afar. The wine of sight, satiated and intoxicated. Sometimes veiling their face behind their shawls, at other times tending to their fragrant/dark musk-like hair. Smiling with joy and at times looking away with bashful embarrassment.
13
jo dekhi jumbish¹-e abru²-e Khamdaar³
to jumbish⁴ ho gaii ek amr-e-dushvaar⁵
hue tab dur-afshaaN⁶ haNs ke sri raam
ke hai shaa’ed⁷ vahi ye naazuk-andaam⁸
jahaaN meN jis ki shaadi ki Khabar hai
shikast-e-qaus⁹ par kal munhasir¹⁰ hai     1.movement, arching 2.eye brows 3.curve 4.movement, walking away 5.difficult undertaking 6.pearl scattering 7.perhaps 8.delicated bodied 9.breaking of the bow 10.dependent, conditional
When she saw the arching of his eyebrows, it became very difficult to move away. raam smiled, as if scattering pearls (displaying his shining teeth). He thought, perhaps this is the delicate maiden news of whose impending wedding is all over the world, dependent on the breaking of the bow tomorrow.
14
udhar sita ba-mushkil¹ thaam kar dil
gaiiN mandir meN devi ke muqaabil²
ba-sad³ daab-o-adab⁴ vo paikar-e-naaz⁵
huiN mahv-e-parastish⁶ hasb-e-andaaz⁷
sar-e muurat⁸ pe haar-e gul jo Daala
gira farsh⁹-e zamiN par chhuT ke maala     1.with difficulty 2.face to face, before 3.with a hundred i.e. with great 4.(self)-control and respect 5.picture/embodiment of grace 6.engrossed in prayer 7.according to the way of doing 8.idol 9.floor
There, sita, with great difficulty, getting hold of heart, went into the temple before the idol and with great self-control and respect, that embodiment of grace got busy in prayer according to established custom. But when she tried to put a garland of flowers around her head, it fell to the floor (because her thoughts were with raam).
15
ye soorat be-Khudi¹ ne jab dikhaaii
to moorat² be-ta’ammul³ muskuraaii
sri sita ne ho kar dil-shikasta⁴
dua maaNgi adab⁵ se dast-basta⁶
ke aye daaninda⁷-e raaz-e-nehaani⁸
karo mujh par nigaah-e-mehrbaani⁹     1.lost in thought, forgetful 2.idol 3.without hesitation 4.broken heart 5.respect 6.folded hands 7.having knowledge of 8.hidden secret 9.kind/favouring glance
When the godess/idol saw this condition of self-forgetfulness, she smiled. sita with folded hands, showing great respect, prayed. You, who have knowledge of all hidden secrets, cast a glance of favour upon me.
16
numaayaaN¹ ho jo hai dil meN mere baat
ke darya-e-karam² hai aap ki zaat³
kaha moorat⁴ ne aye sarmaaya-e-hosh⁵
raho tum shaahed-e-matlab⁶ se hamdosh⁷
qubool-e-arz⁸ se vo paakdaamaaN⁹
suu¹⁰-e daulat-sara¹¹ aaiiN KhiraamaaN¹²     1.revealed 2.ocean of benevolence 3.being 4.idol/godess 5.wealth/repository of awareness (of feelings of love) 6.beauty of intent (god’s plans) 7.shoulder to shoulder 8.acceptance of petition 9.virtuous 10.towards 11.palace 12.walked gracefully
That which is in my heart is revealed to you. Your being is an ocean of benevolence. The idol/godess replied, you, who are the repository of love may you become one with the beauty of the intent of god. When that virtuous lady heard this acceptance of her petition, she departed gracefully towards the palace.