Mera Kuchh Samaan – Explanation of Gulzar Poetry from Ijaazat
Meta Description: Mera Kuchh Samaan is a song from Ijaazat screened
on Anuradha Patel. Gulzar won the Best Lyricist Filmfare Award for this. Enjoy
the poetic English translation.
Setting the Background for Mera Kuchh Samaan
Some of Gulzar’s film lyrics
ascend to the level of metaphysical poetry, and Mera Kuchh Samaan stands
out as a prime example. While dividing tangible assets after a couple’s
separation may be a matter of negotiation, the emotional possession of shared
memories is a far more complex and elusive issue. In this song, Maya is parting
from her lover and asks him to "return" some of the intimate moments
they have shared, seeking closure on their relationship. She refers to these
moments as “mera kuchh samaan,” or "some of my possessions," and
wishes to hold exclusive ownership of them for the rest of her life.
Incidentally, Mera Kuchh
Samaan is the title track of the movie and gets its name from the consent that
Maya asks for in the concluding verse.
The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Mera
Kuchh Samaan
Some of my possessions
are still lying with you
Some of my possessions
are still lying with you
Ho! They include a few
rainy days from the monsoon months
O! And there is one
night of mine rolled up in a letter
Extinguish that night
return those possessions of mine
Extinguish that night
return those possessions of mine
Some of my possessions
are still lying with you
Ho! They include a few
rainy days from the monsoon months
Ho! And there is one
night of mine rolled up in a letter
Extinguish that night
return those possessions of mine
Autumn is here, isn’t
it
Ho! There is the
rustle of leaves falling in autumn
A sound I once wore as
earrings and then returned
That bare leafless
autumn branch is still shivering
Fell that branch,
return those possessions of mine
Fell that branch,
return those possessions of mine
Under one umbrella
when each of us was half wet in the rains
Under one umbrella
when each of us was half wet in the rains
One half was dry one
half was wet, the dryness I have brought with me
The moistness of mine is
perhaps lying near the bed
Send that to me,
return those possessions of mine
One hundred and
sixteen full moons, and a mole on your left shoulder
One hundred and
sixteen full moons, and a mole on your left shoulder
The fragrance of fresh
henna, some complaints make-believe
And some false
promises made, please remind me
Return them all,
return those possessions of mine
Return them all,
return those possessions of mine
Consent to this one
thing please
When I do bury all
these
There may I also rest
in peace
There may I also rest
in peace
The Original Hindi Lyrics of Mera Kuchh Samaan from
Ijaazat
Mera kuchh saamaan
tumhaare paas pada hai
Mera kuchh saamaan
tumhaare paas pada hai
Ho sawan ke kuchh bheege-bheege
din rakhe hai
O aur mere ek khat
main lipati raat padi hai
Wo raat bujha do mera
wo saamaan lauta do
Wo raat bujha do mera
wo saamaan lauta do
Mera kuchh saamaan
tumhaare paas pada hai
Ho sawan ke kuchh bheege-bheege
din rakhe hai
Ho aur mere ek khat
main lipati raat padi hai
Wo raat bujha do mera
wo saamaan lauta do
Patjhad hai kuchh, hai
na
Ho patjhad main kuchh
patton ke girane ki aahat
Kaanon main ek baar
pahan ke lautai thi
Patjhad ki wo shaakh
abhi tak kaanp rahi hai
Wo shaakh gira do, mera
wo saamaan lauta do
Wo shaakh gira do, mera
wo saamaan lauta do
Ek akeli chhatari main
jab aadhe-aadhe bheeg rahe the
Ek akeli chhatari main
jab aadhe-aadhe bheeg rahe the
Aadhe sookhe, aadhe geele,
sookha to main le aayi thi
Geela mun shaayad
bistar ke paas pada ho
Wo bhijwa do mera wo
saamaan lauta do
Ek sau solah chaand ki
raatein, ek tumhare kaandhe ka til
Ek sau solah chaand ki
raatein, ek tumhare kaandhe ka til
Geeli mehandi ki
khushboo, jhuthmooth ke shikave kuchh
Jhuthmooth ke vaade
bhi sab yaad kara do
Sab bhijwa do mera wo
saamaan lauta do
Sab bhijwa do mera wo
saamaan lauta do
Ek ijaazat de
do bas
Jab isko dafanaaungi
Main bhi vahin so jaungi
Main bhi vahin so jaungi
Explanation of the Poetry in the Lyrics of Mera Kuchh
Samaan
"O! Aur mere ek khat mein lipati
raat padi hai"
This line likely refers to a night Maya spent alone, during which she wrote a
letter to her lover, pouring out her feelings of loneliness. Upon his return,
she may have given him the letter, sharing the emotional weight of that night
with him.
"Wo raat
bujha do"
Here, she asks
her lover to extinguish the memory of that night from his mind, so that she can
retain exclusive ownership of that experience. It's a plea to preserve the
emotional integrity of that time for herself alone.
"Patjhad hai kuchh"
The image of autumn leaves falling evokes a romantic setting the couple once
shared. For reasons unknown, one particular image of a bare branch has remained
imprinted in her memory.
"Wo shaakh gira do"
Maya again uses a metaphor, asking her lover to bring down the branch,
symbolizing her desire to take full ownership of that memory. She wishes to
preserve it solely in her heart.
"Ek akeli chhatari main"
This line speaks to another intimate experience they shared, beautifully
captured in the film. The image of a solitary umbrella evokes a moment of
connection.
"…sookha to main le aayi
thi"
Maya suggests that she has already carried half of this memory with her, but
she asks for the other half—lying near the bed—so that she can complete the
experience and make it entirely her own.
"Ek sau solah chaand ki
raatein"
The mention of 116 moonlit nights carries no specific literary or cultural
significance. Instead, it emphasizes the passage of time, with Maya having kept
a mental record of every moment spent with her lover. This figure is symbolic
of how precious and unforgettable those shared nights have been to her.
Mera Kuchh Samaan Fact
Sheet
· Movie: Ijaazat
· Singer: Asha Bhosle
· Lyricist: Gulzar
· Composer: Rahul Dev Burman
· On Screen: Anuradha Patel &
Naseeruddin Shah
· Director: Gulzar
Mera Kuchh Samaan at
Filmfare Awards
At the 34th Filmfare Awards held
in 1989 Gulzar won the Best Lyricist award for Mera Kuchh Samaan. Gulzar
also won this award at the 35th National Film Awards. At this event,
Asha Bhosle won the Best Female Playback Singer for this song.
Enjoy the video
of Mera Kuchh Samaan. I have other Filmfare Award winning songs by
Gulzar at Bollywood Translations with more in the pipeline.
· Kajrare
(2006)
· Hazaar
Rahein (1981)
· Ae
Watan (2019)
· Chhapaak
(2021)
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