Thursday, November 28, 2024

Mera Kuchh Samaan Translation and Explanation of Gulzar Song

 

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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All the translations are my original work. If you quote them, you must acknowledge my name and provide a link to Bollywood Translations.

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