Translated by Radhika Nagpal
© Copyright 2001 MIT Bhangra
A very popular song for dancing bhangra. It is composed in typical
punjabi style of several separate couplets, each telling a different story. The
title of the song literally means "a bouquet of hit songs". It is possible that
the author stole the best couplets from some old songs and then put them
together. In fact in the beginning the singer says (in Punjabi), "I wish I could
sing all the hit songs for you. But because time is short, I'll present a few
key verses from the hit songs". We've danced to this song many times, and many
of us know it by heart. Some of the stories are literally - priceless.
| Ral ke, rale ke, ral ke Haripa! Ral ke Ral ke ral ke Mele vich hiya taakra (2) Loki, jatt te baniya Baniye ne jatt dhaa liya (2) Loki vekhde tamasha Jatt kenda "Uth lain de" "Uth lain de" |
Together (ral ke) , Haripa! In the mela (fair) there was a wrestling match (taakra=fight) between a
jatt (farmer) and a baniya ( traditional business man/ money lender).
|
| O jugni jadoon shehr nu jave (2) Nak vich koke nu matkave Surma poonchan vala pave Chutney naal samose khave Veer meriya o jugni O meriya o jugni gaoondi hai Sab da dil parvondi hai |
When Jugni goes to to the city (shehr) The ring (koke) on her nose (nak) jingles She wears eyeliner (surma) with long tails (poonch) And eats her samosa with chutney Brother (veer), that's my jugni My jugni, when she sings (gaaondi hai) she captures everyone's heart (dil) |
Even kisi chandre ne akh vichkai (2) Pai bhari nath maenu kithon lab ai Phul vangon vichon vich javan kumlai Hun javan kerde bahane ethe meri (hoi hoi) ethe meri nath dig pai Ohnu, ki vekhi javaniyan ethe meri nath dig pai... |
(some of this is guess work) For some reason (even), he winked at me (akh=eye) I don't know why I wore my heavy (bhari) nath (nose-ring) Like a flower (phul) I secretly was wilting (vichon vich=inside) But now (hune) with what excuse (bahana) will I go (javan) back It was here (ethe) It was here that I dropped (dig pai) my nath Oh, the curse of youth (javaniyan=youth) It was here that I dropped my nath |
| Gal dil de sunavan, ne maen chali na ho javan (2) Mainu kamli ni aaj vajouna Ni gabroo gulaab varga Sanjog na vich vich laona Ni Gabroo gulab varga |
Let me tell (sunavan) what's in my heart (dil) (gal=talk)
Otherwise I might go crazy (chali) Don't call me crazy (kamli) (not sure about this line) That young man (gabroo), like a rose (gulab=rose, varga=like) May my sanjog (engagement) be with him The young man, like a rose |
Sat saaw da suit tera chati saaw de gehne Tai saaw di jutti, teri babhiye de pehna Purae panti saaw! Purae panti saaw, koi kota hoi na Par Teri lak de, (oye hoi) Akhe de (oye hoi) Lak de hulariyan da mul koi na Teri akh de ishariya da mul koi na |
(My all time favorite couplet) Her suit was 700 (sat=7 saaw=100) rupees Her jewlery (gehne) was 3600 rupees (chati=36?) Her shoes (jutti) were 250 rupees (dai=2 .5), borrowed from her bhabhi (sister-in-law), Full 4500 rupees!(panti=45?) Full 4500 rupees, no expense spared (kota=lacking) But Your hips (lak), Your eyes (akh), The movement (hulare=rotate) of your hips is priceless The gestures (ishare) of your eyes are priceless (mul koi na = there is no price) |
| Bas ka Bas kar (2) Sangde sangondi ni maen gidde vich vardi Gidde vich aake ne maen godde uth chardi Mast lagi maenu chaal Loki kende bas kar, bas kar Gidde vich ave vaang puchaal Loki kende bas kar bas kar. |
That's enough, that's enough (bas kar= stop) I leisurely sauntered into the gidda When I got in the gidda, I started to dance I became mast (entranced/intoxicated) by the music Everyone said, enough enough It was like (vaang) an earthquake (puchaal) in the gidda Everyone said, enough, enough |
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