[edited for spacing, the forums take out extra spaces on the same line, I had to reformat my lyrics:
]
Hi, Vivek. I can try to explain the lyrics, but sometimes Urdu/hindi shaayari is pretty difficult to understand if you're either not used to it or are not well-versed in the language. But here goes:
The refrain of the song goes:
Ayk Akayla is shehar mein
A lonely person in this town
Raat mein aur do-pehar mein
During the night and mid-day
Aab-o-daana dhoondta hai...
searches for drink and food
dhoondta hai... dhoondta hai-aii....
and searches, and searches......
I haven't seen the movie, but I get the sense that Gulzar is trying to paint a picture of loneliness. I'd imagine the protaganist is someone who came into Mumbai from a small(er) town and is overwhelmed by it all. His friendless existence, his uncaring surroundings, the inhumanity of the big-city life, in general.
Din Khaali Khaali Bartan Hai
The day is like an empty container
Aur raat hai jayse Andhaa Kuaan
and night is like a deep/dark well.
In sooni andheri aankhon mein....
In these desolate, dark eyes...
Aansoo ki jagah aata hai dhuaan
instead of tears, comes smoke...
Jeene ki wajaah to koi nahin...
Though there's no reason(for him)to live
Marne ka bahaana dhoondta hai..
He searches for an excuse to die...
Continuing to paint a vivid picture of the desolate state of mind of this person, he, in typical gulzaar fashion, uses a couple of similies. Bartan doesn't have an exact translation in english because it basically means any kitchenware (including silverware, stemware, glassware, tupperware, dishes, serving utensils, and even pots and pans.) So one has to infer that here, he means it as a container because of the overall picture he's painting of desolation and loneliness. Perhaps he also means it metaphorically, i.e. this empty life is to his soul what an empty food container is to a starving person.
Andhaa Kuaan (literally meaning a blind well) is and old term used in Urdi/Hindi to describe a really deep well, so much so that if you are at the deep, water level, you might as well be blind because there is virtual darkness down there.
With the smoke instead of tears in his eyes, Gulzaar means a couple of different things (that's what's so wonderful about urdu shaayari, nothing ever means only one thing. And often, the listener can assign a meaning or two that wasn't even intended by the shaayar
.) His condition is so bad that his eyes have cried themselves out and there are no more tears left in him. When he tries to cry, only a little smoke from the smoldering remains of his burnt-out soul wells up in his eyes. Also, he could be making a reference to the smog/pollution of the big city, to which he's not used.
The last couplet is pretty straight forward. He has no reason to stay alive, and thus is looking for an excuse to die.
In umr se lambi sarhkon ko
These roads that are longer than life
Humne to Theherte dekha nahin
I've never seen them stop....
Bas Daurhti phirti rehti hain..
They just keep on running round and round
Manzil tak pahunchte dekha nahin
I've not seen them reach their destination
Is ajnabi se shehar mein..
In this strange (unknown) city...
Jaana Pehchaana dhoondta hai
he looks for a familiar face
Umr, literally means "age." But it also means a "lifetime." So you often hear people say stuff like, "Ayk umr ho gayi hai..." Or "Kitni umrein beet gayi hein...."
So with the first couple of lines he's making an allusion to the long, seemingly never-ending, roads with droves upon droves of people. But he's also talking about the people on those roads, and the seemingly meaning-less rat-race of the big cities. How most of those people on these roads spend their "saari umr" on the roads IN the rat-race, but never really reaching their (or any) destination.
And then he comes back and talks about the protaganist/himself and his search for a friendly face, someone he knows, anyone at all, because the lonliness of the big city is too much.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask questions if you have any.
Rizwan
P.S. Anyone seen the movie, is it worth a watch, if not, can anyone tell me if I'm even close with my guesses? Also, I hadn't thought about the song in close to 20 years. I believe one of my older brothers had it on a tape, and seem to remember that there MIGHT have been a happy(er) version, perhaps? Anyone have this (these) songs? Would you mind uploading them?
Thanks in advance.
QUOTE(visuja @ Jul 17 2005, 09:24 PM)
Dear all,
Din Khaali Khaali Bartan Hai Aur
Raat Hai Jaise
Andha KuaanIn
Sooni Andheri Aankhon Mein Aansoo Ki Jagah
Aata Hai DhuaanJeene Ki Wajah To Koi Nahin, Marne Ka Bahaana Dhoondhta Hai
In
Umr Se Lambi Sadkon Ko Humne To Theherte Dekha Nahin
Bas Daudti Phirti Rehti Hain, Manzil Tak Pahunchte Dekha Nahin
Is Ajnabi Se Sheher Mein Jaana - Pehchaana Dhoondhta Hai
Song : Ek Akela Is Sheher Mein
Film : Gharonda
Music : Jaidev (?)
Singer : Bhupinder
Vivek