Ekla Chalo Re
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Ekla chalo re or jadi tor daak shune keu naa aashe (Bengali: যদি তোর ডাক শুনে কেউ না আসে তবে একলা চলো রে, often translated as "Walk Alone") is a song written by Rabindranath Tagore, part of the Rabindra Sangeet canon. It exhorts the listener to continue his or her journey, despite abandonment or lack of support from others. The song is often quoted in the context of political or social change movements; Mahatma Gandhi cited it as one his favorite songs.
[edit] English translation
Tagore's English translation:
If they answer not to thy call walk alone,
If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,
O thou of evil luck,
open thy mind and speak out alone.
If they turn away, and desert you when crossing the wilderness,
O thou of evil luck,
trample the thorns under thy tread,
and along the blood-lined track travel alone.
If they do not hold up the light when the night is troubled with storm,
O thou of evil luck,
with the thunder flame of pain ignite thy own heart
and let it burn alone.
[edit] In popular culture
- The song was used in the 2005 film Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero
- "Ekla Chalo Re" is the title of a book by the Jain Acharya Mahaprajna
- The song was famously sung by Vinoba Bhave during the beginnings of his Bhoodan movement, with "blessed" substituted for "unfortunate".
[edit] External links
- যদি তোর ডাক শুনে কেউ না আসে Audio from calcuttaweb.com
- Private Oriya translation
- Sanskrit translation
- Hindi translation
- Tagore Songs Banglapedia
