The night is still young. But my love, why have you slept off?

 I enjoy listening to Marathi songs of all genres. Even though I have grown up in Delhi, my love and affection for Marathi songs emanate from the environment at my home since my mother was an accomplished singer and she would sing numerous popular and 'Bhaavgeet' Marathi songs. 

As expected, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle dominate Marathi singing but of course there are so many other great singers too. Recently, I came across an 'unplugged' version of a very famous song sung by Asha Bhosle - तरुण आहे रात्र अजूनी! (The night is still young). The unplugged version is by Rahul Deshpande, a young and very accomplished singer. He happens to be the grandson of the legendary singer Vasanatrao Deshpande and the DNA shows! Here is the link to his YouTube rendition:

तरुण आहे रात्र अजूनी....

I have listened to this song in a loop today. I was tempted to  attempt an English translation of the Marathi Lyrics. Any translation, however honest, cannot do justice to the inherent emotions in one language and I believe my translation is merely a static translation and would certainly miss out on the deeper emotions. But Still.

The background of the song is that the poet, Shri Suresh Bhat composed it as a tribute to a young widow who has just lost her soldier husband at the front. His body arrives at their home and the song tries to capture her emotions. One can believe that it is a romantic song or one can feel that this is the saddest song possible, in her circumstances. However, another interpretation is that the young woman is exhorting her husband to wake up, rise from his bed and change the reality that is staring her in the face!

I leave it to you, the reader, to draw your own conclusions. 

Original song credits:

Singer: Asha Bhosle (as part of independent album: Nakshatrache Dene)

Music by: Pt. Hridaynath Mangeshkar

Lyricist: Suresh Bhat

तरुण आहे रात्र अजूनी....! तरुण आहे रात्र अजुनी राजसा निजलास का रे?
The night is still young. But my love, my darling, why have you slept off?

एवढ्यातच त्या कुशीवर तू असा वळलास का रे?
Why did you turn on your side away from me and sleep off so soon?

अजुनही विझल्या न गगनी तारकांच्या दीपमाला अजुन मी विझले कुठे रे? हाय ! तू विझलास का रे?
The strings of star lights are still shining bright in the night sky, Even I am burning bright (with desire) but oh why did you extinguish?

सांग, ह्या कोजागरीच्या चांदण्याला काय सांगू ? उमलते अंगांग माझे आणि तू मिटलास का रे?
Tell me, what should I tell the stars in sky of this Kojagiri Poornima (Sharad Poornima) full moon night? My entire body is still flowering but why did yours finish off?

बघ तुला पुसतोच आहे पश्चिमेचा गार वारा रातराणीच्या फुलांचा गंध तू लुटलास का रे?
See, the cool westerly winds are querying you. Did you steal/enjoy the sweet fragrance of the night blooming jasmine?

उसळती हुदयात माझ्या अमृताच्या धुंद लाटा तू किनार्‍यासारखा पण कोरडा उरलास का रे?
In my heart, I experience strong misty waves of honeydew but why do you remain dry like a shoreline?

(Lyrics not included in the recorded song)
ओठ अजूनी बंद का रे, श्वास ही मधुमन्द का रे, बोल शेजेच्या फुलांवर, तू असा रुसलास का रे…
Why are your lips sealed shut now? Why has your breath stopped? Tell me why you, wrapped in flowers on the bed, why are are sulking?