Heritage: Ayaz's poem

[Gul Agha <agha@CS.UIUC.EDU>]

I was rather dissatisfied with my last attempt at translating Shaikh
Ayaz's poem, so below is another poor attempt.  Following a request, I
am including the original Sindhi, with some footnotes about words I
have difficulty capturing the meaning of.  Besides the complexity of
semantics, of course the power of the original verses is lost in
translation.  My apologies for persisting errors.

Also please note that a number of songs of Shaikh Ayaz are available on
Nadeem's Sindh resources page (click on music):

http://osl.cs.uiuc.edu/~jamali/sindh/res/

Several songs of Ayaz in that web collection are sung by Alarnu Fakir
who sings in a folkstyle with yaktaro [single stringed instrument] in
hand.  The Fakir is the most famous of artist of this traditional
Sindhi genre in Sindh.  A more contemporary pop style is adopted by
Zarina Baloch whose collection in tribute to Ayaz is also included on
the webpage.

As I mentioned, the program committee has proposed to begin the next
Sindhi Samellan with the Sindhi anthem by Shaikh Ayaz.  I am a bit
preoccupied catching up with work before a month long visit (I'll be
at the University of Paris) but after returning via the Samellan, I
will post the anthem also.  Anyway, the translation follows:

------
O fierce battle!
Come and face me
Narain Shyam!
His and mine
Sayings are the same
Promises are the same
He is the master of composition
      in the Palace of Beauty, but
My crimson-red colors are the same
Land is the same
Drum is the same
Heart is the same
Fears are the same
How shall I aim the gun at him!
How shall I shoot a bullet at him!
How shall I!
How shall I!!
How shall I..

hii sangramu [1]!
saamanhon aa
naaraairni shiyaamu!
hina jaa muhinjaa
kola bbi saaggiyaa
bbola [2] bbi saaggiyaa
huu kavitaa jo kaaki [3] dharnii, para
muhinjaa ranga-ratola [4] bbi saaggiyaa
ddhatta [5] bi saaggiyo
ddholu [6] bi saaggiyo
haaunu [7] bi saaggiyo
hola [8] bi saaggiyaa
huna te kien banduuka kharnaan maan!
huna khe golii kien harnaan maan!
kien harnaan maan!
kien harnaan maan!!
kien harnaan maan..

[1] fierce battle, war  (I suspect the root is from the battle in
Ramayana).

[2] also means language, expression

[3] palace of beauty (from the Sindhi folktale of muumali-raarno)

[4] crimson red, [Sindhi] cradle (which has a particular
Sindhi design pattern with this typical Sindhi color dominating).
[the pun may be intentional].

[5] name of a part of Thar desert mentioned in Shah Latif's poetry
(sur maaruii).  Also means desert.

[6] drum, also means friend.

[7] (I think pron. hiaaunu in Hyderabadi dialect): heart, courage.
e.g. haaunu ddakii vayo means 'the heart trembled' or courage was lost.
Heart as the organ representing courage in Sindhi makes sense here,
given the next verse.  Also means pity.

----
jiiye Sindhu,

Gul A. Agha