CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL (KA TAMASA KI CHERRY)

‘Sakura 2’ by Anamitra Ray

Original Khasi Poem below — Ki Tamasa Ki Cherry

The paradise of love, in its adorn bliss,

In its decor of grandeur, remains through the day.

These cherry tree flowers have bloomed, charmed and irresistible—

Their distinguishing dress so beautifully displayed.

The cherries adorn themselves in fitting attire,

Along with the gentle autumn breezes,

Which yield to winter's cold embrace.


Yet, at the cherry blossom festival,

They draw lovers close,

Even to vow promises of diving into the ocean of love—

Yet, only in a basin,

Do they drown.

These festivals and festivities

Kindles the fire of proximity;

They pulse and quicken the blood veins,

Even the depths of the heart cannot stay still

When love catches fire like a parched paddy field.

Keep on blooming, cherries,

And continue adorning yourself in grandeur—

Once a year,

To make this town glow, to appear aesthetic,

Like the wedding day of bride and groom.

But do not let your flowers and petals be crushed in the dirt,

Let them scatter their fragrance,

Let them flow in the rivers with the rain.

Not only to be messengers of festivity,

But to carry forward this message:

To hold on to purity, unalloyed,

And wait for the season of blooming.


KA TAMASA KI CHERRY

‘Blossoms’ by Anamitra Ray

Ka paradise jingieit ka phuhmut phuhmat

Ha ki khor ba la pyniphieng hi jlis!

Ki Cherry ki la phuh ïapbieit dait riam,kyntiak tyngon,

Ha ryngkat ka 'er synrai ba syrpud jem jai;

Kaban sa aiti noh shen shen sha ka tlang

Ha ka dait-thah sam sam.

Putet, ki dei kine ki Tamasa Cherry,

Kiba ringpah ïa ki shijur

Sha ki jingkular ban jngi ïa ka duriaw—

Tangba, tang ha i dabor la ngam jyllop!

 

Ki dei kine keiñ ki Tamasa

Kiba sliew ïa ka jingïadei ba ïajan

Kiba kynjrait wat ïa ki thied snam

Ba wat ki khuiñ dohnud kim lah shongneh

Namar ka Jingieit ka pluh kum ka jynthang kba.

 

Nang ïai phuh Ko! Cherry

Nang ïai kup ha ki khor banylla

Shisien shi snem, Shisien shi snem

Ban pyniphuh ïa kane ka sorbah

Kum ha ka sngi jingkyntiew kurim.

Tangba, wat ai ba ki dop syntiew ba tyrshait

Jong phi kin lwet ei ha ka lwer ba sma iewli;

Hynrei, to ai kin pynsaphriang ïa ki jingiewbih,

Ai, kin tuid ha u slap sha ki lat lat jong ki wah;

Ym tang ban rah ïa ki khubor antor tamasa,

Hynrei, ban rah lem ïa ka Khubor:

Ban kdup ïa ka sotti,

Bad ban ap ïa ka aïom phuh.

 

Rangkitbok C Dohkrut

Rangkitbok C Dohkrut is a Khasi poet hailing from Shillong, Meghalaya. In 2021, he published his debut poetry collection in Khasi, titled “Ka Maia Jong ka Por, Ka Thup Poitri Khasi ha ka Laitlan haiku bad Tanka” a unique work that combines free verse poetry in Khasi with the Japanese poetic forms of Haiku and Tanka.

In 2025, Rangkitbok C Dohkrut was invited by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, to participate in The Tasty Sound: Poetry Readings by North East and Southern Poets, held at Kaveri Sabhagar as part of the prestigious Festival of Letters—Asia’s largest literature festival.

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