Na To Caravan Ki – Qawwali from Barsaat Ki Raat Explained
Meta Description: No To Caravan Ki Talash Hai is the most
popular Bollywood Qawwali. It is one of the longest Hindi film songs. Understand
the complex meaning of this qawwali.
Explanation of the Meaning of the Qawwali Na To Caravan
Ki Talash Hai
Na To Caravan Ki
Talash Hai from Barsaat Ki
Raat has the quintessential structure of a qawwali—both in its lyrical
content and its picturisation on screen. Yet, unlike most qawwalis that revolve
around playful banter or competitive one-upmanship, this song takes a more
profound and reflective approach to the theme of love. It moves beyond the
surface, delving into the complexities of love in a deeply philosophical yet
poetic manner. The song’s structure mirrors the shifting nature of love itself,
exploring its many facets as it progresses.
Love, the yearning for
the beloved, is presented as the ultimate human pursuit. The song suggests that
a life without love is worse than death—because love is not just an emotion,
but a powerful force that embodies honour, faith, and the soul itself. Yet, the
song also acknowledges the torment and destruction that can arise from
unrequited love, demonstrating its dual nature: both life-giving and
life-shattering.
Shakespeare’s
observation that "the course of true love never did run smooth" finds
a resonant echo in the next section of the qawwali. Here, love's adversaries
are revealed—be they societal structures, authoritarian figures, or the
self-appointed guardians of morality. These forces create obstacles in love's
path, using threats, violence, imprisonment, or even execution to deter it.
Despite this, the song conveys the resilience of the true lover, one who
refuses to abandon their beloved, regardless of the pressures or dangers they
face.
As the song
progresses, it critiques the tension between love and organised religion. Love,
in its purest form, cannot be confined by religious doctrines or institutional
structures. Religion, with its rigid rules and systems, often stands in
opposition to the spontaneity and freedom of love. Yet, paradoxically, the
qawwali also acknowledges that love’s own customs can be even more inflexible
than those of religion, highlighting love’s power to create its own set of
unyielding principles.
The song then takes an
unexpected turn, suggesting that the highest teachings of all religions are, in
fact, rooted in love. In Hinduism, the love of Radha for Krishna, Sita’s
devotion to Rama, and Mira’s unshakeable faith in Krishna are celebrated as exemplars
of divine love. Similarly, the teachings of Islam, the compassion of Buddha,
the love of Jesus, and the commandments of Judaism all emphasize love as the
core of spiritual life. This section of the qawwali beautifully unites the
spiritual and the worldly, offering love as the highest, most universal truth.
Through its powerful
lyrics and emotive performance, Na To Caravan Ki Talash Hai transcends
the conventional boundaries of qawwali, making it not just a musical
composition, but a meditation on the transcendent and transformative power of
love.
The Original Hindi Lyrics of Na To Caravan Ki Talash
Hai from Barsaat Ki Raat
MALE:
Na to kaarvaan ki talaash hai
Na to humsafar ki talaash hai
Mere shauq-e-khaana
kharaab ko teri rehguzar ki talaash hai
shauq-e-khaana =
house of desires
rehguzar = path
FEMALE:
Mere naamuraad junoon ka hai ilaaj koi to maut hai
Jo davaa ke naam pe zehar de usi chaaraagar ki talaash hai
naamuraad = unfulfilled
chaaraagar = doctor
MALE:
Tera ishq hai meri aarzoo,
Tera ishq hai meri aabroo,
Dil ishq, jism ishq
hai, aur jaan ishq hai
Imaan ki jo poochho to imaan ishq hai
Tera ishq main kaise chhod doon?
Meri umr bhar ki
talaash hai
Yeh ishq ishq hai,
ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq
Jaan-soz ki haalat ko
jaan-soz hi samjhegaa
Main shamaa se kehta hoon mehfil se nahin kehta
Kyonki yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq
jaan-soz = tormented
soul
shamaa = flame
FEMALE:
Sahar tak sab ka hai anjaam jal kar khaak ho jaana
Bhari mehfil mein koi shamaa
yaa parvaana ho jaaye
Kyon ki yeh ishq ishq
hai, ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq
sahar = dawn
khaak = dust
MALE:
Vehshat-e-dil rasan-o-daar se roki na gayi
Kisi khanjar, kisi talvaar
se roki na gayi
Ishq Majnu ki woh
aavaz hai jiske aage
Koi Laila kisi deewaar
se roki na gayi,
Kyon ki
vehshat-e-dil =
barbarism of the heart
rasn-o-daar = noose
and gallows
FEMALE:
yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq
hai, ishq ishq
MALE:
Woh hanske agar maangein
to hum jaan bhi dedein,
Haan yeh jaan to kya
cheez hai? Imaan bhi dedein!
Kyon ki yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq
Naaz-o-andaaz se kehte
hain ki jeena hoga,
Zehar bhi dete hain to
kehte hain ki peena hoga
Jab main peetaa hoon to kehte hain ki marta bhi nahin,
Jab main martaa hoon to kehte hain ki jeenaa hogaa
FEMALE:
Yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq
MALE:
Mazhab-e-ishq ki har
rasm kadi hoti hai,
Har qadam par koi deewaar khadi hoti hai
Ishq aazad hai, Hindu
Na Musalmaan hai ishq,
Aap hi dharm hai aur aap hi imaan hai ishq
Jis se aage nahin shekh-o-brahaman donon,
Us haqeeqat ka garajtaa hua ailaan hai ishq
(FEMALE in Panjabi):
Ishq na puchhe deen dharm nu, ishq na puchhe jaataan
Ishq de haathon garam
lahu vich doobiyaan laakh baraataan
ke aage ishq
Yeh ishq ishq hai,
ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq
deen dharm = wealth
or religion
jaataan = caste
baraataan =
processions
MALE:
Raah ulfat ki kathin hai ise aasaan na samajh
Yeh ishq ishq hai,
ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq
ulfat = love
MALE:
Bahut kathin hai dagar
panghat ki
FEMALE:
Bahut kathin hai dagar
panghat ki
Ab kya bhar laun main
Jamuna se matki?
Main jo chali jal Jamuna
bharan ko
dekho sakhi ji main jo
chali jal Jamuna bharan ko
Nand kishor mohe roke jhaadon
To kya bhar laun main Jamuna se matki?
dagar = path
panghat = steps
leading to river primarily for filling water pots
Jamuna = River
Yamuna
Nand kishor = son
of Nand i.e. Krishna
jhaadana = browbeat
MALE:
To kya bhar laun main Jamuna se matki?
Ab laaj raakho more
ghoonghat pat ki
Jab jab Krishn ki bansi baaji,
Nikali Raadhaa saj ke
Jaan ajaan ka dhyaan bhulaa ke,
Lok laaj ko taj ke
ghoonghat pat = edge
of clothing that falls over the face as a veil
saj ke = adorned
jaan ajaan = what
is proper and what is not, here social mores
lok laaj = shame
resulting from what people say
taj ke = having
abandoned
MALE:
Haaye ban ban doli
Janak dulaari,
Pehenke prem ki maala
Darshan jal ki pyaasi Meera
Pi gayi vishh ka
pyaalaa aur phir araj kari
Ke laaj raakho raakho
raakho, laaj raakho dekho dekho
Yeh ishq ishq hai,
ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq
haaye = alas
ban ban = forests
doli = swayed, here
wandered
Janak Dulari = the
darling (daughter) of Janak i.e. Sita
laaj raakho =
protect my honour
MALE:
Allah rasool ka farmaan
ishq hai
Yaanii Hadith ishq hai, Quraan ishq hai
Gautam ka aur Maseehaa ka armaan ishq hai
Yeh kaayanaat jism hai aur jaan ishq hai
Ishq sarmad, ishq hi mansoor hai
Ishq Moosa, ishq Koh-e-Toor
hai
Khaaq ko but, aur but ko devtaa karta hai ishq
Intahaa yeh hai ke bande ko khuda karta hai ishq
Haan yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq, yeh ishq ishq hai, ishq ishq
Rasool = The
Prophet Muhammad
farmaan = edict
Gautam = Buddha
Maseeha = Jesus
kaayanaat = world
sarmad = eternal
mansoor = victorious
Moosa = Moses
Koh-e-Toor = Mount Sinai
but = idol
intehaa = ultimate result
The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Na To
Caravan Ki Talash
MALE:
I’m not in search of a multitude
And not in search of a
companion
My devastated desires
are in search of
A path that leads to
my loved one.
FEMALE:
My unfulfilled obsession has only one cure and that is death
Who will prescribe a
fatal poison I’m in search of such a physician
MALE:
Love for you is my ambition
Love for you is my devotion
Heart is, body is, and
breath is love
If you ask of my
faith, then my faith is love
How can I give up loving
you?
Your love has been my
life’s mission
This love love is, love
love, this love love is, love love
Only those in pain can
feel the pain of others
I am speaking to the
flame, and not to the listeners
Because this love love
is, love love, this love love is, love love
FEMALE:
By dawn, everything will burn and be reduced to dust
In the crowd some become
the flames and some the moths – they must
Because this love love
is, love love, this love love is, love love
MALE:
Barbarism, and beheadings,
and gallows could not end it
Any swords, any bows
and arrows could not end it
Love is Majnu’s
eternal call for his Laila
And emperors, sultans,
and pharaohs could not end it
Because
FEMALE:
This love love is, love
love, this love love is, love love
MALE:
I’ll give up my life
if she asks even in jest
This life is nothing,
I’ll give my soul on request
Because this love love
is, love love, this love love is, love love
They say live life
with attitude and also grace
And they say life is a
poison that you must face
When I survive the
poison, they ask why don’t I die
When I am dying, they
say that life you must embrace
FEMALE:
This love love is, love
love, this love love is, love love
MALE:
Love is a faith with rigid
customs of its own
Lovers face deep pits
of fire and walls of stone
Love is free from the
clutches of all religions
It is a faith by
itself and has its own visions
It does not obey the
diktats of any priests
In truth these are its
thundering proclamations
FEMALE:
Love doesn’t ask your caste or wealth, neither asks your religion
Love’s a very private
bond that avoids celebration
Because love
This love love is, love
love, this love love is, love love
MALE:
Love’s path is difficult, do not think it to be easy
This love love is, love
love is, this love love is, love love
Road to the river is with hazard fraught
FEMALE:
Road to the river is
with hazard fraught
From Jamuna then how
can I fill the water pot
I went to Jamuna my
pot to fill
Listen dear friend, I went to Jamuna my pot to fill
Nand Kishor stopped me
against my will
From Jamuna then how
can I fill the water pot
MALE:
From Jamuna then how can I fill the water pot
Now for my honour
please spare a thought
Whenever Krishna
played his flute
Radha appeared adorned
Oblivious and uncaring
of
Customs and of norms
Janak’s daughter
wandered in the forests
Following love’s
direction
Longing for a glimpse
of her lord
Meera drank the poison
and then she pleaded thus
Protect my honour,
protect my honour, protect my honour
This love love is, love
love, this love love is, love love
God’s and The
Prophet’s command is love
And the Hadith is
love, Quraan is love
For the Buddha and for
Jesus their goal is love
The world is the body
and its soul is love
Love’s eternal and love
is victorious
Love’s Sinai and love is
also Moses
Clay to idols, and
idols to a shrine love can turn
Ultimately a human
into a divine love can turn
Yes, this love love is,
love love, this love love is, love love
Na To Caravan Ki Talash Hai Fact Sheet
· Movie: Barsaat Ki Raat
· Singers: Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle, Sudha Malhotra, S. D.
Batish & Mohammed Rafi
· Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi
· Composer: Roshan
· On Screen: Bharat Bhushan, Madhubala, Shyama, Ratna, Chandrashekhar, Mumtaz
Begum, S K Prem, K N Singh, Peace Kanwal
Enjoy the video of Na To Caravan Ki
Talash Hai. In her directorial debut, Farah Khan
eulogised this qawwali in the song Tumse Milke Dil Ka Jo Haal.
I have other
qawwalis at Bollywood Translations with more in the pipeline.
· Sachchayee
Chhup Nahin Sakti
· Aye
Meri Zohrajabeen
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