Madhaniyan - Sunanda Sharma

This is a hugely popular punjabi folk song. People who have ever attended a punjabi wedding / ladies sangeet must have heard it sometime. It beautifully captures the moments from an Indian wedding and the lyrics are so delightful - the whole scene of a wedding comes in front of the listener's eyes.
There are so many versions of this song since it has been sung by multiple singers on various occasions. But this version sung by Sunanda Sharma will simply touch your heart :)







Madhanian [Milk Churn]
Hai oh mereya dadiya rabba
Kinna jamiya kina ne le jaaniyaan haye
[ Oh my great god, whom are they born to and who would take them away ]
The singer is referring to the bride being born in a different house than the one she is supposed to spend the rest of her life.

Loie [Slowly]
babul tere mahela vichoo
teri lado pardesan hoyi haye
[ Father, your beloved daughter has become a stranger to your palace ]
The bride becomes a stranger in her own house.

Chholle [Chickpeas]
babul tere mahela vicho
satrangiyaa kabutar bole
[ Father, the doves are singing in your palace ]

Challian [Eves of Corn]
maava theeya milan lagi ya
chaar kandha ne chaubare diya halliya
[ When the mother and daughter meet together, even the four walls of the top floor shake ]
Mother and daughter share such an intense and deep bond with each other that even the walls shake when they become sentimental while being together.

Phitaa [Laces]
Enna sakheya veera ne dhola tore ke aagah nu kitha haye
[ Her real brother sees the carriage and shows her the way ahead ]

Mehendi [Heena]
Lagdi Suhaganan nu
nahin marde daman tak lehendee
[ Aborned by the bride, it never fades even upon death ]

Jhumke [Earings]
Ambdi da dil kambeya
Aaj muh lado da chumke
[ Her mother's heart shuddered as she kissed her daughter on her face ]

Maa - Paey [Mother and Father]
Naazan naal paal ke tiyaan ho jaan paraye aape
[ They bring up their daughters with great care, now they have become strangers themselves ]

Chudiyan [Bangles]
Saure ghar jaan waliye
shala hone muradan puriyan
[ Now that you are going to the home of your in laws, May all your wishes come true ]

The song ends on a note of blessing for the bride to live happily ever after in her new home.  :-) 

Rahat fateh ali khan - Koi umeed bar nahi aati, Ghalib

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan - Koi Umeed Bar Nahi Aati



Yeh na thee hamari Qismat K wisaal E yaar hota
Agar aur jeete rahtay,  yehi intezaar hota
[Visaal-e-yaar = to meet the beloved]

Ye msaile tasuuf, ye tera bayane ghalib!
Tujhe hum wali samajhte, jo na badai khuar hota
[masa'il -e - tasavvuf = maxims of mysticism , wali= saint, badahkhvar=wine drinker]

Kehte hain jeete hain umeed pe log
humein toh jeene ki bhi umeed nahi

Koi Ummeed Bar Nahin Aati

Dil-e-nadan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai
Akhir Is Dard Ki Dawa Kya Hai
[Dil-e-nadan=Immature heart]

hamko unse wafa ki hai ummeed
jo naheeN jaante wafa kya hai
[wafa= loyalty]

Koi Ummeed Bar Nahin Aati


Baskih dushwaar hai har kaam ka aasaan hona
Admi ko bhi mayassar nahin insaan hona
[baskih=whereas/though dushvar=difficult, mayassar=affordable]

Girya chahai hai kharabi mere kashane ki
Dar-o-diwar se tapke hai biyaban hona
[girya=crying, kashana=home, dar-o-divar=doors and walls, bayaban=wilderness]

Koi Ummeed Bar Nahin Aati

hai  khabar garm  unke  aane kee
aaj hee ghar meiN boriya na huaa !
[boriya=rug]

ghar hamara, jo na rote bhi, to wiran hota
bahr gar bahr na hota to bayaban hota
[viran=desolate, bahar=ocean, bayaban=desert]

Koi Veerani si Veerani Hai...
Dasht Ko Dekh Kar Ghar Yaad Aaya
[veerani=desolation, dasht=desert]

ham kahan ke daanaa the?kis hunar mein yaktaa the?
be-sabab huaa 'GHalib' dushman aasmaan apna..
[daanaa=wise, yaktaa=matchless, besabab=without a cause, asmaan=heaven]

ranj se khugar hua insan to mit jata hai ranj
mushkilein mujh par pari itni ke asan ho gain
[ranj=grieves, khugar=habitual]

yun hi gar rota raha ‘Ghalib’, to ae ahl-e-jahan
dekhna in bastiyon ko tum ki wiran ho gain
[ahl-e-jahan=people of the world, viraan=desolate]

Jab tawaqqo hi uth gayi "Ghalib"
kyon kisi ka gila kare koi
[tawaqqo=hope, gila=complain]

chipak raha hai badan par lahoo se pairaahan
hamaaree  jeb ko ab  haajat-e-rafoo  kya hai ?
[lahoo=blood, pairaahan=attire, jeb=pocket, haajat-e-rafu= need for darning]

jalaa hai jicm jahaaN dil bhee jal gaya hoga
kuredate  ho jo ab  raakh,  justjoo kya  hai ?
[kuredte=sifting, raakh=ashes, justjoo=search]

ragoN meiN  dauDte firne  ke ham naheeN qaayal
jab aaNkh hee se na Tapka to fir lahoo kya hai ?
[ragon=veins, qaayal=worth]

rahee na taaqat-e-guftaar, aur agar ho bhee
to kis ummeed pe  kahiye ke aarzoo  kya hai ?
[taaqat-e-guftaar=strength to speak, aarzoo=desire]

Koi Soorat Nazar Nahin Aati

maut ka ek din mu'ayyan hai
[mu'ayyan = definite]

Qaid e heyaat-o-band-e gham asal me dono ek hain
maut se pehle aadmi gham se nizaat paye kyu
[Qaid-e-hayaat=bondage of life, band-e-gham=succession of sorrow, nizaat=salvation]

maut ka ek din mu'ayyan hai

kahun kis se main ke kya hai, shab-e-gham buri bala hai
mujhe kya bura tha marna agar ek bar hotaa.
[shab-e-gham=nights full of grief, bala=affliction]

hue mar ke ham jo ruswa, hue kyon na gharq-e-daryaa,
na kabhi janaazah uThtaa, na kahin mazaar hotaa.
[rusva=disgrace, gharq-e-dariya= drown in a river, janaza=a type of open coffin, mazaar=shrine]

maut ka ek din mu'ayyan hai

Jaan di, di hui usi ki thi
haq to yun hai ke haq adaa na huaa
[haq=truth/god, adaa=pay]

phir mujhe diidaa-e-tar yaad aayaa
dil jigar tashnaa-e-Fariyaad aayaa
[diidaa-e-tar=vet eyes, jigar tashnaa= intense longing, fariyad=cry]

dam liyaa thaa na qayaamat ne hanoz
phir teraa vaqt-e-safar yaad aayaa
[qayaamat=doomsday, hanoz=yet, waqt-e-safar=time of travel]

zindagi mein to wo mehfil se uTha daytay thay
dekhooN ab mer gaye, per kon uThata hai mujhay

mohabbat me nahi hai fark, jeene aur marne ka
usi ko dekh kar jeete hain, jis kafir pe dum nikle
[kaafir=infidel]

zara kar zor seene par, ki teere-pur-sitam nikle
jo wo nikle to dil nikle, jo dil nikle to dum nikle
[teer-e--pursitam=pain giving arrow]

Ki Mere Qatal Ke Baad Us Ne Jafa Se Toba
Haye Is Zood Pashaiman Ka Pashaiman Hona
[jafa=anguish, tauba=repented, zood pashaiman=who repents readily]

maut ka ek din mu'ayyan hai
neend kyon raat bhar naheen aatee ?"


jaanta hoon sawab-e-taat- o-zohad
[savaab=Heavenly reward, taat-o-zohad=praying and piety]

imaaN mujhe roke hai jo khiNche hai mujhe  kufr
ka'aba   mere  peeche  hai  kaleesa  mere  aage
[imaan=belief, kufr=disbelief, kaaba=shrine, kaleesa=church]

humko maaloom hai jannat ki haqeeqat lekin
dil ko khusH rakHne ko 'GHalib' ye khayaal achcha hai

Had chahiye saza mein, aqoobat ke waste
Aakhir gunah gaar hon kafir nahin hon main
[had=limit, uqoobat=harshness, gunahgaar=criminal, kafir=disbeliever]

KHuda ke waaste parda na kaabe se uThaa zaalim
kaheeN 'eisa na ho yaaN bhee wohee kaafir sanam nikle

kahaaN maiKHaane ka darwaaza 'GHalib' aur kahaaN waaiz
par itana jaante haiN kal wo jaata tha ke ham nikle
[maikhana=tavern, waaiz=preacher]

jaanta hoon sawab-e-taat- o-zohad
par tabiyat ab idhar nahi aati


Hai Kuch Aisi Hi Baat jo Chup Hun
Warna Kya Baat kar Nhi Ati


Hum vahaN haiN jahaN se hum ko BHee
KuCCHH hamari KHabar nahiN aati

phir tere kuche ko jata hai khayal
dil-e-gumgashta magar yad aya
[koocha = a narrow street/lane, dil-e-gumgashta = missing]

Bana ke fakiron ka hum bhes ghalib,
Tamasha E ahle karam dekhte hain.
[tamasha=display, ahl-e-karam =generous people]

ae saknan-e-kucha-e-dildar dekhna
tum ko kahin jo Ghalib-e-ashufta sar mile
[sakinan=inhabitants, kucha=small alley, ashufta=lunatic]

Bak raha hoon junoon mein kya kya kuch
Kuch na samjhe khuda kare koi

Hum vahaN haiN jahaN se hum ko BHee
KuCCHH hamari KHabar nahiN aati

marte haiN aarzoo meiN marne ki
maut aatee hai par naheeN aatee

kaaba'a kis muNh se jaaoge 'GHalib'
sharm  tumko  magar  naheeN  aatee

Koi umeed bar nahin aati
koi surat nazar nahin aati


this qawwali by rahat fateh ali khan is based on couplets by Mirza Ghalib, these couplets are taken from various ghazals written by Ghalib.

One cannot appreciate ghalib until he has some taste for sarcastic humor, Ghalib goes on to criticize common misconceptions, contradicting phrases, by his sarcastic lines and taunts.

Ghalib writes extensively about love and its negative effects, how one starts drinking when destroyed in love. And how a beauty attracts someone, and is treated something divine.

This particular qawwali is based on the couplets that go with the lines "koi umeed bar nahin aati", the situations where we lose hopes and feel exasperated.

I have not translated any lines for two reasons 1.) its fun to try to understand a line with the given meanings. and 2.) A line can have multiple meanings, you can form different meanings and might relate more to one meaning than the other. So if you have any doubt feel free to post a comment :)

Enjoy Ghalib