Omkara – Namak

Omkara – Namak

Namak is the second Billo (Bipasha Basu) item number from Omkara, Beedi Jalay Lei being the other one. It is written by Gulzar and has the same risqué tenor. Again, a literal translation of the lyrics is meaningless. One has to get to the underlying sexual metaphor in order to enjoy it.

Mai chaand nigal gayi daiyyo re......

Bhitar bhitar aag jale … baat karu to sake lage

Main chaand nigal gayi daiyyo re … ang pe aise chhaale pade

Tez tha chaunka ka karu … sisi sisi karti main maru

Zabaan pe laga re laga re … namak isaq ka haaye tere isaq ka

Balam se maanga maanga re … namak isaq ka tere isaq ka

Sabhi chhede hai mujhko, sipahiye baake chhamiye

Udhaari dene lage hai gali ke baniye baniye

Koi to kaudi tu bhi luta de, koi to kaudi

Thodi thodi shahad chata de, thodi thodi

Tez tha tadka ka karu… sisi karti main maru

Raat bhar chhaana chhaana re … namak isaq ka tere isaq ka

Aisi phoonk lagi zaalim ki, ke bansuri jaisi baaji main

Aur jo bhi kaha us chandra bhaan ne phat se ho gayi raazi main,

Kabhi ankhiyon se pina, kabhi honto se pina 

Kabhi achcha lage marna, kabhi muskil lage jeena

Karvat karvat pyaas lagi thi

Aji balam ki aahat paas lagi thi

Tez tha chauka ka karu, sisi karti main maru 
dali bhar dala daala re namak isaq ka haaye re, tere isaq ka

“Mai chaand nigal gayi” is the critical phrase. Once that is understood the other metaphors will fall in place. The problem is that this phrase, which literally translates as “I swallowed the moon”, is it difficult to put in perspective. I interpret it as “I dreamt of my moon faced lover”. I don't offer any justification for the same, except that the song makes sense when taken as an imaginary interaction with a lover. I have not come across any use of this phrase in this manner. However, I do recall reading the Sanskrit epic Kadmbari by Bana. The queen dreams of swallowing the moon and conceives, ultimately giving birth to a child as handsome as the moon. “Namak isaq ka” is the joy of making love. So here goes …

I dreamt of my lover

And was burning with passion … even talking about him gave me the hots

I dreamt of my lover … and it felt as if my body was full of blisters

It was like putting too much chilly in the food … when your mouth is on fire

But what could I do … I had tasted the experience of making love to him

And I wanted more of the same from him

(Seeing me mature as a sexy lass)

Everyone makes passes at me, leery cops* and roadside flirts

Even the grocers are extending credit hoping for repayment in kind

My lover, you can gift me at least a few trinkets

And whisper sweet nothings in my ears

The dream was like putting too much chilly in the food … when your mouth is on fire

Yet I dreamt all night of the joy of your making love to me

My lover handled me as if he was playing a flute

And I yielded completely to his moon like charm

He gazed lovingly in my eyes, he kissed my lips passionately

Self-annihilation in love is ecstatic, life without the lover is hell

I thirsted for him as I tossed on my bed

I dreamt of hearing his footsteps at my door

The separation was like too much chilly in the food … when your mouth is on fire

I tried to douse myself with a small dream of making love to him

* Cops are maligned in Bollywood. Check out Inhi Logon Ne - Hamri na maano sipahiya se poochho … Jis ne bajariya mein chheena dupatta mera

For more Gulzar specials check out my translations of Khamoshi

Omkara – Beedi Jalai Lay

Omkara – Beedi Jalai Lay

Omkara, which is Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Othello, has fantastic songs written by Gulzar. The music is by Bhardwaj himself. The songs include raunchy tamasha type dance numbers by Bipasha Basu who plays Billo, the equivalent of Bianca from Shakespeare’s play. The lyrics of these songs are earthy. They are intensely metaphorical and defy translation in the normal literal manner. The translations available elsewhere on the Internet are grossly inadequate, especially for the most popular number “Beedi Jalai Lay”. I have given the meanings of the less common words to enable readers to understand the literal meaning. But I have translated the lines keeping the intended essence of the song. I would also like to highlight that in such songs it is futile to look for continuity in the customary manner.

Naa gilaaf, naa lihaaf
Thandi hawa bhi khilaaf sasuri
Ho Itti sardi hai kisi ka lihaaf lei lay
Ho Jaa padosi ke chulhe se aag lei lay

Beedi jalai lay jigar se piya
Jigar maa badi aag hai
Dhuan naa nikaariyo lab se piya
Je duniya badi ghaagh hai

Naa kasoor, naa fatoor
Bina juram ke hujoor marr gaye
Aise ik din dupahari bulai liyo re
Baandh ghungru kachehri lagai liyo re
Angithi jalaai le jigar se piya
Jigar maa badi aag hai

Na to chakkua ki dhaar, na daraanti na kataar
Aisa kaate ke daant ka nisaan chhod de
Ye kataai to koi bhi kisaan chhod de
Aise¦ jaalim ka chhod de makaan chhod de

Na bulaya na bataya
Mhane neend se jagaya hai re
Aisa chauke lihaaf mein naseeb aa gaya
Woh elaichi khilai ke kareeb aa gaya
Koyla jalai le jigar se piya
Jigar maa  badi aag hai

gilaaf – pillow case

lihaaf - quilt
ghaagh - cunning
kasoor - fault

fatoor - defect
juram – crime
kachehri – court, (here mehfil)

daraanti - sickle

kataar - dagger
naseeb - luck

I do not have a quilt to keep me warm, not even a pillow case. And the goddamned wind is freezing. It is so cold that I feel like taking someone’s quilt, or warming myself with the heat from my neighbour’s stove. The sexual innuendo should not be lost. I want to cosy up with my neighbour to warm me.

The neighbour replies: you can light your beedi from my bosom since there is a firing raging in it. It is an implicit acceptance of the sexual proposal. Do not blow smoke from your lips, my love. This world is extremely cunning. The innuendo is: do not let anyone see you leaving my place or they will know what we have been up to.

Without any fault or provocation I was dragged here. One afternoon they called me to their mehfil and forced me to dance. But I have fire in my bosom and I had them lusting after me.

Not a sharp knife, not even a sickle or dagger can match her. Her love bites leave the marks of her teeth. No farmer will need implements for harvesting if he had teeth like hers. I have been telling her to leave her tyrant lover and come to me.  

Without any warning my lover woke me up from my sleep. I was startled, but glad for his company. He gave me a mouth freshener and cuddled up with me. I let him share the warmth of my body because there was a fire raging in my bosom.

Khamoshi – Tum Pukar Lo

Khamoshi – Tum Pukar Lo

This haunting number from Hemant Kumar is the third song from Khamoshi that is picturised on Waheeda Rehman, but sung by someone else. Waheeda Rehman wants to deliver her message of love to Dharmendra, but finds him singing a melody for someone else. A copy of Kalidas’ Meghdoot in her arms is a masterstroke. She takes the long walk back without saying anything. I have provided two translations for this song. One is quite literal but fails to express the depth of emotion. Therefore I have taken some liberties with the second translation, but tried to maintain its poetic quality.

Tum pukar lo, tumhara intezaar hai

Khwaab chun rahi hai raat, beqarar hai

Honth pe liye huey dil ki baat hum
Jaagte rahenge aur kitni raat hum
Muqtasar si baat hai tum se pyaar hai
Tumhara intezaar hai

Dil bahal to jaayega is khayal se

Haal mil gaya tumhara apne haal se
Raat ye qaraar ki beqarar hai
Tumhara intezaar hai

Literal Translation

Please do call me, I am waiting for you

The night is picking dreams, it is restless

With my heart’s sentiments on my lips

How many more nights do I remain awake

The issue in brief is that I love you

I am waiting for you

My heart will be consoled with this thought

Your condition is no different from mine

This night of bliss has become restless

I am waiting for you

muqtasar = brief

Emotional Translation

I am waiting for you, do call me please

I’ve only dreams in this night of unease

Till when do I lie awake night after night

Singing soulfully about my heart’s plight
I am in love, I say on bended knees
I am waiting for you, do call me please

This thought offers me some consolation

You’re in the very same situation
When will the long night our loves’ thirst appease

I am waiting for you, do call me please

Khamoshi - Woh Shaam Kuchh Ajeeb Thi

Khamoshi - Woh Shaam Kuchh Ajeeb Thi

The Hooghly with the Howrah Bridge in the background has been the setting for a number of memorable Bollywood songs and this number is very much among the best. Kishore Kumar sings for Rajesh Khanna, with Waheeda Rehman misconstruing the intent. Lata Mangeshkar loved this song so much that she sang it for one of her stage shows.

Woh shaam kuchh ajeeb thi, yeh shaam bhi ajeeb hai
Woh kal bhi paas paas thi woh aaj bhi kareeb hai 
 
Jhuki hui nigaahon mein, kahin mera khayaal tha
Dabi dabi hansi mein ik, haseen saa gulaal tha
Main sochta tha, mera naam gunguna rahi hai woh
Na jaane kyon laga mujhe, ke muskura rahi hai woh

Mera khayaal hai abhi jhuki hui nigaah mein
Khuli hui hansi bhi hai, dabi hui si chaah mein
Main jaanta hoon, mera naam gunguna rahi hai woh
Yahi khayaal hai mujhe, ke saath aa rahi hai woh

That evening was unusual, so is this evening
She was close to me then, she is near me today

She was looking elsewhere but I was in her thoughts

Her supressed smile infused her cheeks with a pink glow
I hoped it was my name that she was humming then
I can’t say why I felt that she was overjoyed

Her gaze is still lowered, but she still thinks of me

With unsaid desires and with carefree laughter
Today I am sure that she is humming my name
And my mind can sense that she is accompanying me

Khamoshi - Hum Ne Dekhi Hai

Hemant Kumar, Gulzar, Lata Mangeshkar and flashes of Waheeda Rehman – nothing more need be said.

Hum ne dekhi hai in aankhoon ki mahakati khushboo
Haath se chhuke isey rishton ka ilzaam na do
Sirf ehsaas hai ye rooh se mahsoos karo
Pyaar ko pyaar hi rahane do koi naam na do

Pyaar koi bol nahin, pyaar aavaaz nahin
Ek khamoshi hai sunati hai kahaa karati hai
Na ye bujhati hai naa rukati hai naa thahari hai kahin
Noor ki boond hai sadiyon se bahaa karati hai

Muskuraahat si khili rahati hai aankhon mein kahin
Aur palakon pe ujaale se chhupe rahate hain
Honth kuchh kahate nahin, kaanpate honthon pe magar
Kitane khamosh se afasaane rukey rahate hain
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I have seen love’s fragrance blossom in these very eyes
Do not bind it in relations or spoil it with your touch
It is ethereal just feel it through your soul
Let love be love do not give it any name as such

Love is not a sequence of words or of voices
It does listen and it does speak but in silence
It does not burn out nor does it end or stop
It is an eternally flowing luminescence

The eyes are always festooned with a smile
And across the face a quiet glow is spread

The lips are silent, but on the quivering lips
A million tales can be sensed but remain unsaid

Khamoshi - Hum Ne Dekhi Hai

 Khamoshi - Hum Ne Dekhi Hai

Hemant Kumar, Gulzar, Lata Mangeshkar and flashes of Waheeda Rehman – nothing more need be said.

Hum ne dekhi hai in aankhoon ki mahakati khushboo
Haath se chhuke isey rishton ka ilzaam na do
Sirf ehsaas hai ye rooh se mahsoos karo
Pyaar ko pyaar hi rahane do koi naam na do

Pyaar koi bol nahin, pyaar aavaaz nahin
Ek khamoshi hai sunati hai kahaa karati hai
Na ye bujhati hai naa rukati hai naa thahari hai kahin
Noor ki boond hai sadiyon se bahaa karati hai

Muskuraahat si khili rahati hai aankhon mein kahin
Aur palakon pe ujaale se chhupe rahate hain
Honth kuchh kahate nahin, kaanpate honthon pe magar
Kitane khamosh se afasaane rukey rahate hain

I have seen love’s fragrance blossom in these very eyes
Do not bind it in relations or spoil it with your touch
It is ethereal just feel it through your soul
Let love be love do not give it any name as such

Love is not a sequence of words or of voices
It does listen and it does speak but in silence
It does not burn out nor does it end or stop
It is an eternally flowing luminescence

The eyes are always festooned with a smile
And across the face a quiet glow is spread

The lips are silent, but on the quivering lips
A million tales can be sensed but remain unsaid