ଓଡ଼ିଆ କବିତା " ତୁମ ପରି ଛୋଟ ପିଲାଟିଏ " / "A LITTLE BOY JUST LIKE YOU"

ତୁମ ପରି ଛୋଟ ପିଲାଟିଏ

ତୁମ ପରି ଛୋଟ ପିଲାଟିଏ

ଗାଆଁ ଚହାଳୀର ଚାଟ ସିଏ

ଚେହେରାଟି ତାର ଡଉଲ ଡାଉଲ

ବୁଦ୍ଧିରେ ତାହାର ସରି କିଏ ?

ଛାଡି ଯାଇଥିଲା ଦିନେ ଝଡ଼ି

ବାହାରିଲା ସିଏ ପାଠପଢି

ବାଟେ ଯାଉଯାଉ ଖସିଗଲା ଗୋଡ

ମୁଁହମାଡ଼ି ତଳେ ଗଲା ପଡ଼ି ।

ଗୁରୁଜୀ ଦେଖିଲେ ଦେହ ତାର

ପାଣି କାଦୁଅରେ ସରସର

ତିଳେ ହେଁ ସେଥିକୁ ଖାତିରି ନକରି

ଆସିଅଛି ହୋଇ ତରବର ।

ପଚାରିଲେ ଗୁରୁ ଏକି ହେଲା

ଏତେ ସରି ତୋତେ କିଏ କଲା

ପିଲାଟି କହିଲା ବେଗେ ଆସୁଆସୁ

କାଦୁଆରେ ଗୋଡ ଖସିଗଲା ।

ହେଲା ଦଶହରା ଛୁଟିବେଳ

ଗାଁ ସାଥୀ କଲା ମେଳ

ମାଟି, ଗୋଡି, ବାଲି ପକାଇ ସଭିଏଁ

ଗାଆଁ ମାଟି କଲେ ସମତୁଲ ।

ଏହା ଦେଖି ଲୋକେ ହେଲେ କାବା

ଡକାଇଲେ ଗୁରୁ ଚାଟସଭା

କହିଲେ ଏଭଳି ଭଲକାମ କଲେ

ଦୁନିଆଁରେ ଦିନେ ବଡ଼ହେବା ।

ବଡ଼ ହେଲା ଦିନେ ସେହି ପିଲା

ମଧୁ ବାରିଷ୍ଟର ବୋଲାଇଲା

ଦେଶ ପାଇଁ କେତେ କାମ କରି

ସିଏ କାଳ କାଳ ଯଶ ରଖିଗଲା ।

କହିଲା ଜାତିର କାନେ କାନେ

ଉଠିବୁ ଆଉ ତୁ କେତେଦିନେ

ପୂରୁବ ଗୌରବ ପୂରୁବ ମହିମା

ପଡୁନାହିଁ କିରେ ତୋର ମନେ ?

ତେଜଭରା ତା'ର ବୀରବାଣୀ

ନବଜାଗରଣ ଦେଲା ଆଣି

ନୂଆ ଜୀବନର ଆଲୋକ ଦେଖାଇ

କୋଟି ଜନମନ ନେଲାଟାଣି ।

ଏହି କବିତାଟି ଡ. ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ମହାନ୍ତିଙ୍କ ଲିଖିତ ଚିଲିକା ଦର୍ଶନ(କବିତା)ର ଅଂଶ । ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକଟି ଓଡିଆ ଏହି କବିତାଟିକୁ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ପଢିଥିବେ । ଏହି କବିତାଟି ମନେ ପକାଇଦିଏ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଜାତିର ତ୍ରାଣକର୍ତ୍ତା, ମୁକ୍ତିଦାତା, କୁଳବୃଦ୍ଧ ମଧୁସୂଦନ ଦାସଙ୍କ ଗାଁ ପରିବେଶ, ଚାଟଶାଳୀ ଶିକ୍ଷା ସର୍ବୋପରି ଦେଶମାତୃକା ପ୍ରତି ଥିବା ଭଲ ପାଇବ I

A LITTLE BOY JUST LIKE YOU

A little boy just like you

A pupil of the village tiny school

To maintain a sound health he was careful

To match his wit you can find on earth few!

There was an interval of rain and gale once,

He left home to study taking a bold chance;

Ouch! He tripped on the ground and fell headlong

On the muddy and slippery ground while he was hurrying along!

Pl

Still, unmindful of his woes, he reached his tiny school,

The empathic Guruji enquired of him, "What made you look so miserable? "

The cool child recounted the incident without exaggerations

And pleased his Guruji with his zeal to learn and unwavering determinations!

Time rolled on and the holidays for Dussehra arrived as usual,

He collected the village lads of his age and convinced them all,

They readily embarked on their mission of making the roads plain

And filled the pits with cheaps, pebbles and sand for the safety of men!

The happy villagers were amazed to see their service selfless and noble,

The proud Guruji too arranged a meeting of the students to thank them all.

He encouraged the students, "We ought to praise good work and practise

To make ourselves great and establish on earth joy, harmony and peace!"

Without surprise, the same little boy grew up in course of time,

And, was called for his matchless merits and inimitable ingenuity a barrister.

He got his name engraved in golden letters and lived even after his demise

For, with his angelic presence and rare sacrifice turned the country a Paradise!

He gave a clarion call to the whole nation and its souls that slumber:

"How long will you lie like lifeless objects and when will you wake up?

Can't you recall the glory of your past and recollect its grandeur?

His ardent heroic speech of radiance

Showered in the society a rare Renaissance,

Showing the lights and hopes of a new life

Won millions of minds in the mundane strife!

Copyright: Dr. Shankar D Mishra, Sr. Lecturer in English, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

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