A Suitable Groom - Sukumar Roy

Paagla Dashu

The Suitable Groom

Heard your daughter's getting married,
From Posta, the news I carried.
Gangaram, the groom you chose,
I wish to describe, the quality he owes.
Now listen, listen, Hark, Hark!
His complexion is awfully dark.
His facial cutting, is somewhat round,
Rather an owl, just to sound.
Education? Oh, just wait!
Not so bright under any rate.
Nineteen times he had to pluck,
Till he left for his rotten luck.
Financial career? Poor indeed,
Somehow makes both ends meet.
And his brothers who are there,
Rather inhuman, know you dear.
One is stubborn, the other insane,
Quite a troupe of hollow men.
Oh, I missed the other two
Real gems are they, not to rue.
One was smart, but now in prison,
Forged bank notes, (So petty a reason!)
The youngest one in profession grand
Earns five bucks from a rustic band.
And Gangaram -- is real meek,
Weak, feeble, and always sick.
But they are royal, Is that clear?
Tell you, they are King Kansha's heirs.
And Shyam Lahiri of Banagram,
Is somehow kin to Gangaram.
Overall the groom is not so bad,
Cheer up, cheer up, don't be sad.

Translated by Ruchira Ghosh
The Bengali version is "Sat Patro"

Sukumar Roy was a genius writer of "nonsense" (his own words) and in fact "Paagla Dashu" was one of the immortal characters created by him. The name of his only son is Satyajit Ray.(http://www.satyajitray.org/). Sukumar Roy's father was Upendra Kishore Roychowdhury - another famous Bengali Writer (http://banglapedia.search.com.bd/HT/R_0248.htm). Amazing family!

sadhuji

great going pagla. i get a feeling that you have been brought up on the 'sandesh' culture. you know what i mean, don't you? satyajit, leela majumdar etc..