Translation of Bollywood Rain Song O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi

 

O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi – Translation of Parakh Rain Song

Meta Description:  O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi is a Bollywood rain song from Bimal Roy film Parakh. Enjoy the translation of the simple lyrics by Shailendra sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

Setting the Background for Translating O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi

 

Parakh is set in a village milieu and revolves around an ensemble cast. Seema (Sadhana) is a simple young woman in love with the upright schoolmaster Rajat (Basanta Choudhury). Her feelings are returned, but in keeping with the social conventions of the time and place, their affection remains largely unspoken, cherished quietly in their individual hearts.

 

One day, with the arrival of the season's first rains, Seema finds herself overwhelmed by thoughts of her beloved. Her emotions spill over into the song O Sajna Barkha Bahaar Aayi. As she sings, Rajat listens from within his home and through his silent reaction, the audience is allowed a glimpse of the depth of his own feelings for Seema.

 

Released in 1960, Parakh has long faded from popular memory, but this song, exquisitely rendered by Lata Mangeshkar, has endured for generations as a stand-alone classic. It regularly features in lists of the greatest Bollywood rain songs and exemplifies an era when cinematic romance was understated yet deeply evocative, expressed through suggestion rather than declaration and portrayed in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

 

The song's enduring appeal owes much to Salil Chowdhury's haunting melody and Shailendra's poetic lyrics. Yet equal credit belongs to Bimal Roy's sensitive black-and-white visualization, in which words, voice, performance, music, and monsoon rain blend seamlessly to create a timeless classic.

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The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi

O beloved

 

O beloved, the pleasant rain arrives

Joy showers from the skies

Love blossoms in the eyes

O beloved, the pleasant rain arrives

Joy showers from the skies

Love blossoms in the eyes

O beloved

 

The songbird within me calls out lovingly to you

The songbird within me calls out lovingly to you

It sweetly fires up my heart with tender passion new

O beloved, the pleasant rain arrives

Joy showers from the skies

Love blossoms in the eyes

O beloved

 

In this drizzle, the season’s first

My eyes laden with unquenched thirst

In your dreams my love I’m immersed

In this drizzle, the season’s first

My eyes laden with unquenched thirst

In your dreams my love I’m immersed

When the beautiful dark clouds cover the skies

When the beautiful dark clouds cover the skies

It seems that night has descended, but sleep evades the eyes

 

O beloved, the pleasant rain arrives

Joy showers from the skies

Love blossoms in the eyes

O beloved, the pleasant rain arrives

Joy showers from the skies

Love blossoms in the eyes

O beloved

 

The Original Hindi Lyrics of O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi from Parakh

 

o sajna..

o sajna, barkha bahaar aayi

ras ki puhaar laayi,

akhiyon me pyaar laayi

o sajna barkha bahaar aayi

ras ki puhaar laayi,

akhiyon me pyaar laayi

o sajna

 

tumko pukaare mere man ka papihara

tumko pukaare mere man ka papihara

meethi meethi agani me jale mora jiyara

o sajna barkha bahaar aayi

ras ki puhaar laayi,

akhiyon me pyaar laayi

o sajna

 

aise rimjhim mein o sajan,

pyaase pyaase mere nayan

tere hi khwaab me kho gayi

aise rimjhim mein o sajan,

pyaase pyaase mere nayan

tere hi khwaab me kho gayi

saanvli salauni ghata jab jab chaayi

saanvli salauni ghata jab jab chaayi

akhiyon mein rain aa gayi, nindiya na aayi

 

o sajna barkha bahaar aayi

ras ki puhaar laayi,

akhiyon me pyaar laayi

o sajna barkha bahaar aayi

ras ki puhaar laayi,

akhiyon me pyaar laayi

o sajna

 

Meanings of Difficult Words

 

Sajna = Beloved

Barkha bahaar = Merry monsoon season

Ras = Enjoyment

Puhaar = Spray

Papihara = Common Hawk Cuckoo

Saanvli = Dusky

Salauni = Beautiful

Ghata = Cloud cover

Rain = Night

 

 
The Literal English Translation of the Lyrics of O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi

 

O beloved, the merry monsoon season has arrived

It has brought the enjoyment of the drizzle

It has brought love in the eyes

 

The cuckoo in my mind calls you

In a sweet flame my heart burns

 

In such a drizzle O beloved

My eyes are thirsty (for love)

I got lost in your dreams

Whenever the dusky beautiful clouds appear

Night descends in the eyes, but sleep does not come

 

O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi Fact Sheet

·       Movie: Parakh
·       Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
·       Lyricist: Shailendra
·       Composer: Salil Choudhury
·       On Screen: Sadhana & Basanta Choudhury
·       Producer & Director: Bimal Roy
 
Parakh at the 8^th (1961) Filmfare Awards
 
Parakh won several awards and nominations at the 8^th Filmfare Awards, though none in the song related categories.
 
Won:
Best Director – Bimal Roy
Best Supporting Actor Motilal
Best Sound – George D’Cruz
 
Nominated:
Best Film – Bimal Roy
Best Story – Salil Choudhury
 
Enjoy the video of O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aayi.  I have other hit rain songs at Bollywood Translations with more in the pipeline.
 
·       Bheegi Saree (Param Sundari)
·       Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhagi Si (Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi)
 
 
 
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Pakeezah – “Nazariya ki Maari…”

This is a snippet of a song from Pakeezah, probably played in the background in one of the ‘kothas’. I recently came across a discussion about the interpretation of this song on an online forum and realized that the participants had totally missed the essence. Nazariya ki maari is one of those ethereal Hindi movie songs in which it is essential to figure out who is the speaker and about whom he or she is commenting. If you get this wrong, your interpretation will be confused. The other problem is the use of metaphorical and colloquial language that defies literal translation. I address both in my Bollywood translation. But, first the song.

Haan Haan

Nazar ka vaar tha, dil ki tadap ne chhol di
Chali thi barachhi kisi par, kisi ko aan lagi


Ho nazariya ki maari
Haye
Nazariya ki maari mari mori guyiyaan (x7)

Koyi jaraa ja ke baidh bulaayo (x7)
Aa ke dhare more naari
Haye raam aa ke dhare mori naari (x2)

Nazariya Ki Maari Mari Mori Guyiyaan (x7)

The singer is a third person narrating the condition of her friend who has been smitten by the seductive glances from a flirt, glances that were meant for someone else. The song was sung by Rajkumari, a popular Bollywood playback singer of the 1940s, before Lata Mangeshkar cornered the market. Some words and phrases need to be explained before you read my translation.

Nazar ka vaar: literally attacking glances, but here seductive glances is more suited

Baracchi: literally spear, but here dart is more suited

Chhol: scab from a wound

Nazariya ki maari: smitten by seductive glances

Guyiyaan: female friend probably from gudiyaan which means doll

Naari: pulse from naadi

The Translation

Oh Yes!

The glances were inviting, and revealed the wounds of her tormented heart

The flirtation was for some other, but she became its victim

 

Oh! Smitten by seductive glances

Alas!

Smitten by the seductive glances, my friend has succumbed (x7)

 

Someone, please fetch the doctor

Oh God! Let him calm me down (x2)

Smitten by the seductive glances, my friend has succumbed (x7)

My other Pakeezah translations are here.

Listen to a rendering of this thumri by Simrat Chhabra

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has used a truncated version of Nazariya Ki Maari in his Netflix series Heeramandi. 

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,

This evening is as well
She was close to me then,

She’s here now I can tell

 

 

She was looking away

But her thoughts were of me

Supressed smile blushing cheeks

Ethereal beauty

She was humming something

I thought it was my name

Her simple joyous face

That set my heart aflame

 

 

She still harbours my thoughts

Beneath her lowered gaze

Her burgeoning desire

In carefree laughter stays

She’s still humming my name
I’m sure even today

And my mind can sense that

She’ll now not go away

Enjoy the video of Woh Shaam Kuchh Ajeeb Thi

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

Enjoy the video of Hum Ne Dekhi Hai

Prem Parbat - Yeh Dil Aur Unki

Prem Parbat – Yeh Dil Aur Unki

This is a gem of a song from a forgettable movie. Written by Jan Nisar Akhtar (father of Javed Akhtar), music by Jaidev and sung by Lata Mangeshkar, it could not have better credentials. It was performed on screen by Rehana Sultana, an actress far ahead of her era. The song is mesmerizing and captures the bond between love and nature. The translation aims to bring alive the essence and poetry.

Yeh dil aur unki nigaahon ke saaye
Mujhe gher lete hain baahon ke saaye

Pahaadon ko chanchal kiran chumatee hai
Hawaa har nadee kaa badan chumatee hai
Yahaa se wahaa tak, hain chaahon ke saaye

Lipate ye pedon se baadal ghanere
Ye pal pal ujaale, ye pal pal andhere
Bahot thande thande, hain raahon ke saaye

Dhadakate hain dil kitanee aazaadeeyon se
Bahot milate julate hain in waadiyon se
Mohabbat kee rangeen panaahon ke saaye

Poetic English Translation of Yeh Dil Aur Unki

My heart finds delight in my lover’s warm gaze

I want to cuddle up in his arms’ embrace

The mountain peaks are kissed by the sun’s fickle rays

On every river the flirtatious wind sashays

My passions transcend beyond the limits of space

The clouds and the tree tops are entwined in embrace 

See the patterns of light as the foliage sways

There’s nothing more refreshing than these sheltered ways

This freedom makes my heart beat at a frenzied pace

It merges with the beauty that nature displays

With vibrant hues desire’s coloured canopy is ablaze

 

My heart finds delight in my lover’s warm gaze

I want to cuddle up in his arms’ embrace

The print of the Bollywood film Prem Parbat was destroyed in a fire and the original song Yeh Dil Aur Unki is not available. Enjoy the remix.