Ambarsare diyan Vardiyan

Another traditional song from my home town, Amritsar, and a favorite to sing at weddings. Its fast and fun and one of those songs where the subject is the legandary strength of the punjaban woman. She puts up with the chauvinistic attitude around her, but is not afraid of a fight. In this case quite literally - in the chorus she pulls his hair when he pulls hers and they get into a fight. The song can be sung in a teasing tune (like at weddings, to make fun of the men folk) or in a rebellious way (like in a all-women gidda, where its about solidarity against society).

CHORUS: Tana tanak, Teri bodi mere hath, Meri gutt tere hath, Maeno rakhna e rakh, Maeno kadna e kad! Maeyon tere naal vasiyan, te hor koi vase vi na Maeyon tere naal kattiyan, te hor koi kate ve na The BOLI goes like this: Ambarsare diyan --- ve maen khaani haan Tu -- -- te maen sehni haan Ambarsare diyan vardiyan ve maen khaani haan Tu karenda ardiyan te maen sehni han Ambarsare diyan chole ve maen khaani haan Tu tarda-tar bole te maen sehni han Ambarsare diyan papard ve maen khaani haan Tu karenda aakard te maen sehni han

Tana Tanak (suddenly) I've got you by the hair (bodi) (hath=hand) You've got me by the braid (gutt) If you want to keep (rakhna) me, then keep me If you want to throw me out (kadna) then do it (.....but let me tell you) I'm the only one who would live with you (vasna=live) , no one else (hor koi) would I'm the only one who can endure you, (kattiyan=put up with, endure) nobody else (hor koi) would. I eat (khaani) the -- of Amritsar, You do -- and I put up with it (sehni haan) vardiyan = special amritsar dish: ball of spices karenda ardiyan = get stubborn chole = chickpeas tara-tar bole = yell loudly, speak (bole) sharply (taratar) papard = thin fried wafer aakard = arrogant