I was really busy in the last month, otherwise what is the answer that I haven’t heard about Matt Harding! Whose dancing video has been watched more than 7 millions time only on YouTube. This video has been spreaded through the internet like viral. But unfortunately I came to know this news lately. It wouldn’t be even happened if I did not surf my friend Rafi’s blog.
What is in the video that make it so special? Well to be frankly there is actually nothing. A 31 years guy named Matt is dancing in different places in different countries (to be precisely 42 countries). The dance is just some unique movements of Matt (which anyone hardly can call dance). But if you see the video, I bet you’ll feel happy from inside of your soul. The uncommon dance movement from Matt … the theme of the video … people from all around the world dancing with Matt … the colorful expression of joy … the rich , soothing and vibrant music … all makes an unfathomable feelings.
Oh! Here comes the background music part. If you listen the music keenly you’ll be amazed that that is a Bangla song. Surprised! Well here is the second part of the surprise. This song titled “Praan” is taken from Robi Thakur‘s “Gitanjoli”. And the third part of the surprise is this song was sung by a 17 years old Bangladeshi teen named Palbasha Siddique.
The Bangla lyrics of the song “Praan” is given below.
প্রাণ
ভুলবো না আর সহজেতে
সেই প্রাণে মন উঠবে মেতে
মৃত্যু মাঝে ঢাকা আছে
যে অন্তহীন প্রাণ
বজ্রে তোমার বাজে বাঁশি
সেকি সহজ গান
সেই সুরেতে জাগবো আমিসেই ঝড় যেন সই আনন্দে
চিত্তবীণার তারে
সপ্তসিন্ধু দশ দিগন্ত
নাচাও যে ঝঙ্কারে
বজ্রে তোমার বাজে বাঁশি
সেকি সহজ গান
সেই সুরেতে জাগবো আমি।
The English pronunciation would be somewhat like following:
Praan
Bhulbona ar shohojete
Shei praan e mon uthbe mete
Mrittu majhe dhaka ache
Je ontohin praanBojre tomar baje bashi
Shey ki shohoj gaan
Shei shurete jagbo ami
Shei jhor jeno shoi anonde
Chittobinar taare
Shotto-shindhu dosh digonto
Nachao je jhonkareBojre tomar baje bashi
She ki shohoj gaan
Shei shurete jagbo ami
The exact meaning of the Bangla word PRAAN in english would be LIFE. But for this video, I think the English term should express more, and the appropriate term will be somewhat like “Stream of Life”. Here is the english meaning of the lyrics: The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and dayruns through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earthin numberless blades of grassand breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers. It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birthand of death, in ebb and in flow. I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life. And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.
Wow! Thanks so much for this information. =)
I appreciate your translation, however the poem does not read like the song. What is the chorus?
thanks for the translation!
"সত্য-সিন্ধু", না কি ওটা "সপ্তসিন্ধু" ?
@Sayamindu
ধন্যবাদ। ওটা আসলে "সপ্তসিন্ধু" হবে। ভুল করে "সত্যসিন্ধু" লেখা হয়ে গিয়েছিল। গানের কথাটা ঠিক করা হল।
a Bangladeshi friend of mine told me meaning of praan was soul or spirit ?,which i could see life as that also, as how the soul(or essence of god) is what makes us truly alive
This video of him simply dancing, very uplifting.
I hope you check out what I have to say about it!
http://edopeno.com/2008/11/03/where-the-hell-is-m…
Though the essence of both the Bengali and English lyrics is same – the eternal life, but still anyone who has read Tagore well can make out that the Bengali song doesn't exactly match with the English one.
I found out finally that the Bengali lyrics or Praan is indeed not the original song from which the English "Stream of Life" was derived by Rabindranath Tagore. The original Bengali poem for "Stream of Life" is as follows:
E aamaar sharirer shiraay shiraay
Je Praan-tarangamaalaa raatridin dhaay
Sei Praan chhutiyaachhe bishwadigbijaye,
Sei Praan aparoop chhande taale laye
Nachichhe bhubane; sei Praan chupe chupe
Basudhaar mrittikaar prati romkoope
Lokkho lokkho trine trine sanchaare harashe,
Bikaashe pallabe pushpe – barashe barashe
Bishwabyaapi janmamrityusamudradolaay
Dulitechhe antahiin joyaar bhaataay.
Karitechhi anubhab, se ananta Praan
Ange ange aamaare karechhe mahiyaan.
Sei jugjugaanter biraat spandan
Aamaar nariite aaji karichhe nartan.
The Bengali lyrics of "Praan" features in the original Bengali Gitanjali, but not in the English version. Actually the English version is created out of a selection of 103 poems from the Bengali Gitanjali and three other booklets of poems by Tagore.
Nevertheless, when the essence is same and the impact is so great it doesn't matter what the original song was…..
It's the most beatiful english song I've heard in this year and the Dancing 2008 is the most impressive video I've seen in this year. Thanks very much Siddique and Matt.
I don't understand the meaning of song. Do anyone has the english translation of this song. Thank very much!
Its from one of the poems of RABINDRANATH TAGORE.. Its called 'Stream Of Life'.. and the translation is as follows
The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day
runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.
It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth
in numberless blades of grass
and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.
It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth
and of death, in ebb and in flow.
I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.
And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.
Thanks for sharing…
The bengali poem as mentioned by Sudipto Das was not originally included in Gitanjali by the poet. He included it as No. 26 poem in his collection "Naibedya" (offering). It has 14 lines. The collection was published in bengali year of 1308 i.e. 108 years before present. Gitanjali in bengali was published in 1317. In english translation of Gitanjali (song offerings) Rabindranath included the poem titled as Stream of Life after editing it to 9 lines. It was published in English year of 1912.
I LOVE THIS VIDEO. It bring tears of joy to my eye everytime I watching. This video is such an inspiration of just how beautiful all people in this world truly are.
The poem Praan translated into Enlgish sounds very powerful and uplifting indeed.
Well actually it represents how people truely SHOULD be like in this world… Our world is a f**kd up place and it's videos like these that inspire people to change
Hi! I just found "The Gratitude Dance" this week when a friend sent it to me via Facebook. Thank you so much for the translation of the lyrics… it's amazing that Matt picked this song, it fits so perfectly! The Book of Revelation in the Bible says says that an angel took John and showed him heaven. This is what John says, "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." (Rev. 22:1) This song fits perfectly with John's description! Both are so inspired by the truth! Thank you very much for the translation of this wonderful song. The video actually made me cry from joy, and I never knew what the words meant until today. Thank you and God bless you for sharing!
What does Bojre mean? Does it mean Bristi?
The first time I saw the video "where the hell is Matt" i didn't know it is Bengali.
No… it means "thundering"… in baNgla "biddut chomkano"