Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya – Asha Rafi Hit Duet Translated
Meta Description: Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya is a
golden oldie Bollywood hit song. This Asha-Rafi duet has Madhubala and Bharat
Bhushan. Enjoy my poetic karaoke translation.
Setting the Background for Translating Ek Pardesi Mera
Dil Le Gaya
Banani
(Madhubala), a gypsy girl, is in love with Bijan (Bharat Bhushan), a wealthy
landowner. However, her father disapproves of their relationship and insists
she marry within their own clan. To prevent her from seeing Bijan, he keeps her
confined. During a local fair, he orders Banani to dance to draw in crowds, but
she refuses. Just then, she hears a familiar melody played by Bijan, disguised
as a wandering minstrel. She joins him in a flirty performance of Ek Pardesi
Mera Dil Le Gaya.
In the song, Banani is heartbroken after being jilted by a foreigner. Aware of her secret, Bijan playfully teases her about the failed romance. He even offers to reunite the estranged lovers, but only if she agrees to give him something in return.
Notes on the Translation
‘Pardesi’ literally translates to foreigner, but ‘foreigner’ does not quite capture the emotional nuance of the song. In Hindi films, a pardesi is usually stereotyped as a stranger from another place who has won the heroine’s heart and then returned leaving her heartbroken and helpless. In the translation I have therefore used stranger for pardesi, which better suits both the emotional context and the lyrical rhythm.
The phrase ‘thandi aahen’ is an idiom in Hindi that expresses a state of misery, usually because of unrequited love. The line ‘thandi thandi aahon ka salaam de gaya’ can be interpreted as ‘he departed leaving me miserable’. The literal English translation of ‘thandi aahen’ would be ‘frosty sighs or breaths’, which does not convey the figurative meaning of the original. Therefore, I've rendered it in a way that preserves the emotional tone rather than the literal words.
The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Ek
Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya
Asha
A
stranger stole my heart my soul also
And
in its place he left behind a sweet sorrow
Asha
Yes..
A stranger stole my heart my soul also
And
in its place he left behind a sweet sorrow.. Yes
Rafi
Which
stranger stole your heart your soul also
Leaving
your big beautiful eyes with a teary flow
Rafi
Hey..Which
stranger stole your heart your soul also
Leaving
your big beautiful eyes with a teary flow
Asha
My
stranger’s magic charm you just cannot surpass
His
eyes are like quartz bright his youth like fragile glass
But
he abandoned me left me feeling low
And
in its place he left behind a sweet sorrow
Rafi
Which
stranger stole your heart your soul also
Leaving
your big beautiful eyes with a teary flow
Rafi
Umpteen
suitors are vying for your grace
Bestow
on them of fair one the aura of your face
Asha
The
stranger has taken with him my radiant glow
And
in its place he left behind a sweet sorrow
Rafi
Which
stranger stole your heart your soul also
Leaving
your big beautiful eyes with a teary flow
Rafi
What
if I call him – draw him near once more
What
will you grant me if I bring him to your door
Asha
He
took away all I had the knavish fellow
And
in its place he left behind a sweet sorrow
Rafi
Which
stranger stole your heart your soul also
Leaving
your big beautiful eyes with a teary flow
Asha
A
stranger stole my heart my soul also
And
in its place he left behind a sweet sorrow
The Original Hindi Lyrics of Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le
Gaya from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi
Asha
Ek
pardesi mera dil le gaya
Jaate jaate meetha
Meetha gam de gaya
Asha
Haan ek pardesi mera dil le gaya
Jaate
jaate meetha
Meetha gam de gaya haan
Rafi
Kaun
pardesi tera dil le gaya
Moti moti ankhiyon
Mein aansu de gaya
Rafi
Hoy kaun pardesi
Tera dil le gaya
Moti moti ankhiyon
Mein aansu de gaya
Asha
Mere
pardesiya ki yahi hai nishaani
Ankhiyan bilor ki shishe ki jawaani
Thandi thandi aahon
Ka salaam de gaya
Jaate jaate meetha
Meetha gam de gaya
Rafi
Kaun
pardesi tera dil le gaya
Moti moti ankhiyon me aansu de gaya
Rafi
Dhundh
rahein tujhe laakhon dilwaale
Kar de o gori jara aankhon se ujaale
Asha
Aankhon
ka ujaala pardesi le gaya
Jaate jaate meetha
Meetha gam de gaya haan
Rafi
Kaun
pardesi tera dil le gaya
Moti moti ankhiyon
Mein aansu de gaya
Rafi
Usako
bulaa doon saamane la doon
Kya mujhe dogi jo tumse mila doon
Asha
Jo
bhi mere paas
Tha woh sab le gaya
Jaate jaate meetha
Meetha gam de gaya haan
Rafi
Kaun
pardesi tera dil le gaya
Moti moti ankhiyon me aansu de gaya
Asha
Ek
pardesi mera dil le gaya
Jaate jaate meetha
Meetha gam de gaya.
The Literal English Translation of the Lyrics of Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya
Female
A foreigner
took my heart and went
While leaving he gave me a sweet sorrow
Male
Ang gave you tears in your big eyes
Female
Eyes like quartz and youth like glass
He left me with a salute of cold sighs
Male
Lakhs
of suitors are searching for you
O fair one spread the brightness of your eyes
Female
While leaving he gave me a sweet sorrow
Male
What will you give me if I arrange his meeting you
Female
Whatever
I had he took away everything
While
leaving he gave me a sweet sorrow
Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya Fact Sheet
· Movie: Phagun (1958)
