Indianised English Rhymes for Indian children

Indianised   English  Rhymes for Indian children

By

P.R.Ramachander

I always felt that the english rhymes meeted out to our kids would not strike a chord with them. They contained foreign names, foreign action and were about situations unknown to our kids.

I made a fun attempt to Indianise a few  popular rhymes. They are not meant to take the charm away from the originals, but only to make them dearer to the children

I did this work about 12  years back, I always wish  that similar  rhymes   should be taught   to our children going  to English medium schools .I humbly request all the great poets   of India , take  writing better   rhymes  as their mission.

1,Shyam and Sita

In India people do not go up the hill, to fetch water and when a boy gets wet, he would rather search for a towel to dry himself.

Shyam and Sita,
Went to the river,
To fetch a pot of water,
Shyam fell down ,
And wet his dress,
In the river,
Sita fell with him,
In the river.
Up got Shyam, and home did trot,
As fast as he could,
To his old Granny,
So that he could,
Dry his head,
With the red and blue towel.

2.The Tanjore Doll

Humpty Dumpty as represented by an egg is not a popular doll in India.The Indian child is more familiar with a Tanjore doll. The present day children would appreciate a police uncle rather than all king's men.

The little tanjore doll,
Sat on the wall,
The little tanjore doll,
Had a great fall,
All the police uncles,
Could not put,
The little tanjore doll,
Together again.

3.Rain , Rain Come Again

In a tropical hot country like India, rain is a welcome event at any time, even when the child wants to play.In fact Indian children enjoy playing in rain

Rain , rain,
Come again,
For little Ramu,
Wants to see,
All round him,
Green again.

One, two, three , four, five

Pity to the little fis taken out of water is a positive emotion in an Indian child.

One, two, three, four, five –
Once I caught a fish alive.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten –
Then I let it go again.
Why did I let it go?
Because I felt very sorry so,
To the little fish that swam,
In the water with a wham.

4.Moo , moo Red Cow

In most of the tropical India sheep are not bred for wool. Even if it is a domestic animal , it is not a play mate. An Indian child would be more familiar with a red cow which gives milk.

Moo, moo red cow,
Have you got any milk,
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three pots full,
One for the farmer,
Who gives me food,
One for the lady,
Who takes care of me,
And one for little Shyam,
Who plays with me.

5.Hungry active mice

A more familiar scene in the Indian context is drawn here. If rain pours down the water pipe, mice would fall down.

The hungry active mice,
Climbed up the water pipe,
Then poured down the rain,
And washed the poor mice out,
The sun came out,
And all the water dried,
And the hungry active mice,
Climbed up the pipe again.

6.How many? How many?

Counting and understanding numbers should be done with familiar objects. Bags, books and pages are easy for an Indian child to understand.

As I was going to the way side park,
Met I a man with seven sons,
Each son had seven bags,
Each bag had seven books,
Each book had seven pages,
Sons, bags, books and pages,
How many were going to the way side park?

7.Hot steaming rotis

Hot cross buns are not easily understood by an Indian child.They are more familiar with hot rotis.

Hot steaming rotis,
Hot steaming rotis,
One a rupee, two a rupee,
Hot steaming rotis,

Hot steaming rotis,
Hot steaming rotis,
Give them to your daughters,
Give them to your sons.

8.Ding Dong Bell

Putting a cat in the well should not be encouragged. This rhyme also teaches the children, the role of the fish.

Ding dong bell,
Little fishes in the well,
Who put them in,
Little Renu thin,
Who put them out?
Little Akash stout,
What a naughty boy was he,
To try to kill the poor little fishes,
That never did add any dirt,
And kept the water of the well fresh

9.Dance for your Appa

The more familiar name for father is "Appa" in Tamil Nadu. It could be substituted by "Pithaji" in north, "Anna" in Karnataka and so on. A child expects sweets and Sherbhat as present.

Dance for your appa,
My little Ramu,
Dance for your appa,
You shall have a liitle sweet,
In your little dish,
You shall have a little sherbat,
In your little glass.

10.Cobbler, cobbler , mend my shoe.

Going to school at half past eight and the hurry in the home during that time is more familiar in India

Cobbler , cobbler mend my shoe.

Get it by half past eight.
Half past eight is too late,
To go to my school,
So get it done by half past ten.

11.Ball , ball come before my bat.

Cricket is a more familiar game to an Indian boy.

Ball, ball come before my bat,
And I’ll give you a coat of wax,
And when I bat,
I ‘ll give you a hit,
So that I score a sixer big.