In this session, we will look at two very different examples of same-sex love in Hindi literature. The first example consists of two rekhtī verses by the Urdu poet Sadat Yar Khan ‘Rangin’ (1756-1835). Rekhtī (the feminine form of rekhta) refers to poetry composed in the voice of women and that often depicts same-sex love among females– although the extant examples of such poetry were all composed by men. The second example comes from the well-known Rajasthani writer Vijaydan Detha (1926-2013); his short story Doharī Zindagī (A Double Life) is a fable that raises questions about the very nature of sex and gender.

Rekhti poem 2 (Anna Lee)
निगोड़ी- wretch
मुद्दत- long time
रुठ- to sulk, to be offended
दाई- nurse
हर्गिज़- account (on no account)
सांच- gold
अांच- fire, flame
गूंधना-to knead
पाउँ-
रंगीन- colorful
महंदी- mehendi, henna
मिरे- मेरा

दोहरी ज़िन्दगी

अदेही – without a body

तुष्टमान – satisfied, content

बख़्शे – giving/givers

समूचे – adv., wholly, in its entirety

मशहूर – famous

सरीखी – similar

हैसियत – status, resources, means, condition, character

हमउम्र – of the same age

साहूकार – bankers or moneylenders

सेहरा – marriage

परस्पर – mutual, reciprocal

संतान – offspring

बावला – crazy

लत – vice

सूप – winnowing basket?

कांसा – copper and tin

नाई – barber

भ्रम – confusion, error

हानि – harm

अबूझ – ignorant

मर्म – core, vital spot, essential truth

चेष्टा – gesture; endeavor, effort

परवरिश – rearing

मेखला – thread, belt

मसख़री – amusing, a joke

उभार – rising, swelling

नीयत – intention; resolve

ठनका – beat

सचेत करना – to arouse, bring to consciousness

हकलाना – to stammer, stutter

सूझा – understanding, perception

अभ्यस्त – practiced, learned by heart

मनाही – prohibited

ललाट – the brow/fate

लहजा – voice; intonation

दमकना – to shine or glow

सेज – bed

बेशुमार – countless, innumerable, lots

असमंजस – a difficult situation; hesitation

खौलना – to boil; be enraged

गुमान – pride, haughtiness

दिसावर – foreign place

सब्र – patience

साध – accomplishment; desire?

ओढ़ना – to cover

पुख़्ता – firm, strong

गुथे हुए जाल – tangled web or net

गाँठ – knot

जायी – born

घाटा – decline; reduction

मक्खी निगलना – to turn a blind eye

रग – vein

वाक़ई – truly

कापुरुष – wretch; coward

मग्न – immersed; drowned

उन्मादित – frenzy; passion

ज़ात – जात – caste

हूबहू – similar, or the same

ढकी – covered

पस्त – weary; humiliated

अचूक – certain; infallible

कलेजा – liver

आरी – sting?

निरी नादान – completely ignorant

ताव – strength/speed

चुटकी – pinch

खाज – itch

सुलगना – smoulder, be inflamed

दफ़ा – occasion, moment

टोटका – magic spell

टोकना – to interrupt

गार – pit?

डाह – to feel jealous

ठोकर – a blow

अधीरता – unsteadiness

चुहल – nuisance, naughtiness

Rekhti poem 1 (Shayon)

सदके – gift
अश्क – saltwater
शर्ती – terms/bet
वसल – return

 

Short story part 2 (Anna Lee)

बेगम- queen, lady
सख्ती- harshness, severity
डरी- awe, fear, dread
खौफनाक- hair-raising, scary
वहमी- superstitious, suspicious
डरना- fear, dread
बड़बड़ाना- to grumble, to murmur
साया- shadow, specter
फैसला- decision, judgement
हिचकी- hiccup
रकाबी- dish, pan, saucer
चाटना- to lick
घबराकना- to flinch, recoil, cringe
झगडालू- quarrlesome
मज़बूर- to cause
ताश- playing card
पत्ता- leaf, playing card, case
बाँटना- to dole out, to disperse
ग़ौर से- carefully
मिजाज- humor, tempor
चिड़चिड़ा- cross, short-tempered
चिकनी- greasy
शान- brilliance, honor, splendor
इत्मीनान- leisure
जाहिर- obvious, predictable
गुदगुदी- soft, chubby, padded
गुड़िया- doll
करवट- side
दर्जी- tailor
पसली- side, rib
शरारत- mischief, vice
झेंप- blush
लिटाना- to lay
भुनभुनाना- to grumble/mumble
बनियान- undershirt, vest
कुलबुलाना- to wiggle, to fidget
ऊटपटाँग- dense, absurd, ludicrous
भींचना- to squeeze/clench
मचलना- to insist/pester
वजनी- onerous, heavy
होंठ- lip
नन्हीं-नन्हीं- little
बूँद- drops
महीन- tissue
जिस्म- body
गरेबान- collar, neck
झूलना- to swing
दहशत- scare, horror, shock
गहरी- strong
मिट्टी- clay, dirt, soil
खिलौना- toy
भींच- to clench, to crush
सवार- on board
चीखा- scream, shout
पस्त- low-spirited
निढाल- weary
रौनक- to shine
सरपट- to gallop
शुक्र- Friday, Venus
छिडक़ती- to splatter, sprinkle
अनबन- rift, estrangement, discord
खराबी- defect, failure, vice
आफत- hardship, pain
तिपाई- stool, bench
प्याली- tea cup
खुश्क- coughing
मोडे-मोडे- bent, diversion
बेकसी- helplessness, destitution
मुसीबत- deep trouble
निगल जाना- to swallow
लाडली- dear, beloved
ताल- measure, beats
दशहत- terror, shock, fear
गुण्ड- tough, rowdy
लाचार- bound, constrained, powerless
अंगार- light, coal
रट- persistence
चुडैल- frightening mythical woman
कच्ची- unripe, flimsy
दौरा- spasm, fit, seizure
टुकड़ा- shiver, piece, morsel
महीन- delicate
जाली- latticework, netting
तार- strings, yarn
बिगडी- deteriorated
झाड-झंखाड- brushwood, shubbery
कमर- middle, waist, hip
पसलियाँ- rib, side
दुबक- crouch
फुदका- hop, skip
ठान लेना- to determine, resolve
हिम्मत करना- to take courage
सिरहाना- headboard, head rest
उकडूँ- squat
तर- wet, saturated
नथुना- nostril
सूँघा- detective, sleuth
मेंढक- frog