Translated by Radhika Nagpal
© Copyright 2001 MIT Bhangra
One of the true classics. A little battle between the sexes, and
a portrait of the "Punjabi" mutiyaar. She complains subtly about
the chauvinistic attitude of the men - first they act as if they are in
love and then use love and marriage as an excuse to get work done. But
she complains only slightly, and mockingly - she can't do the work, not
because it is too hard for her, but because it ruins her makeup and jewelery.
He, the handsome Gabroo, on the other hand applies every last bit of dripping
charm to win her over.
| CHORUS: | |
| (girl) Teri Kanak di rakhi mundiya | Guarding your (teri) fields of corn (kanak), boy (mundiya) |
| (girl) Hun main nahiyon behndi | I won't (nahiyon) sit (behndi) anymore (hun=now) |
| (guy) Kyon nahiyoon behndi | why (kyon) won't you sit? |
| (girl) Main nahiyon behndi | I won't sit |
| |
|
| (girl)
Kadi udawan titar bater, |
Sometimes (kadi) I am running after the pheasants (titar bater)
(udawan=make fly, shoo off) |
| Kadi udawan kaan | Other times I am shooing off the crows (kaan) |
| Jind meri malook jahi, | My life (jind) is very delicate (malook-jehi) |
| main kidar kidar jawan | Where (kidar) all can I run ( jawan=go) |
| Je maar ke chalan jawa | If I leap after them (chalan = leaps) |
| te meri chajhar lehndi | Then my anklets (chajhar) will come off (lehndi) |
| |
|
| (guy)
Chajhar di koi sheh nahi baliye |
Anklets are not of any worth (sheh), darling (baliye) |
| Jaan ve apni devan | I would give (devan) my life (jaan) for you |
| Oye sone da ki paona kurdiye | Why wear (paona) gold (sona), girl |
| Ni to pa le pyaar da gehna | Instead, wear the necklace (gehna=jewlery) of love (pyaar) |
| Main dil tenu dena vaan | I am giving you my heart (dil) |
| tu kyon nahiyon lehndi? | Why won't you take it? |
| |
|
| (girl)
Dil je tera le liya maen |
If I take your heart (dil) |
| Pher kenda khoo te behja | Then (Phir) you just say, go sit (behja) by the well (khoo) |
| Nale mere kaparde to de | And while you are there, can you wash my clothes (kaparde) |
| Naale Khetaan nu pani deja | And also (naale), give water (pani) to the fields (khetaan) |
| Khetaan nu paani lavan, | But if I water the fields |
| te meri mehndi lehndi | it will ruin my mehndi (henna designs on her hands) |
| |
|
| (guy)
Khetaan di tu malik heeriye |
Oh Heer (from Heer-Ranjha),
you are the true owner (malik) of the fields |
| Phasal ve tere ghar de | And the crops (phasal) comes from your house (ghar) |
| Tu paven sadi gal na sune | Even if you don't listen (sune) to what I say (gal) |
| Par asi tere te marde | (the truth is) I would die for you. |
| Tu aakhe te vadke kanakan | If you just say the word (aakhe), then after cutting (vad) the corn (kanak) |
| Kad deyanga mehndi | I will draw your mehndi myself |