You have made me familiar and friendly
With so many people I hardly knew
You have made me feel homely
In so many places where I had never been
You have made my dear brothers
Many who were far.
Whenever I leave my old home
And go to a new place
I worry what will happen
I forget it my familiar friend
You will always be among the new
You will make me welcome there
As if I was their brother.
Whenever you are pleased to take me
Wherever you like
I know this my dear old friend
Everywhere you will make me dear
To those who were once not near.
He who once comes to know you
From him nobody is far
He faces no bar anywhere
And he has nothing to fear
May we see you awake and wary
To make us live as friends
You make one like my dear brother
Who was once not very near.
Transcreation of the song (no.3) – Kato ajanare janaile tumi/Kato ghare dile thai -/Durke korile nikat bondhu/Parke korile bhai – from the collection Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore. Among Tagore songs it is one of the sweetest and simplest yet unfortunately in translation it loses most of its beauty which one can enjoy in the original.
