Jagjit Singh in concert at Durham, NC. April 2009.
.
“Jaggu-Chittu” was how we addressed the pair when in high school. Their music lifted our hearts, had us sing to our loves, and connected us to the mysterious. Chittu took her voice away after the loss of her son. And now, Jaggu is gone. I did not know him personally. Nor have I met him, though I did attend a concert 2 years ago. And yet this seems like a personal loss. In fact, my first personal great singer loss. Because the way I associate with Rafi, Kishore, and Jagjit is unlike any other singer, except maybe Lata and Asha but they are both alive. Rafi sahib passed away when I was learning the alphabets. Kishore da said goodbye when I was still a kid. And so their loss did not register the way this one did. My thoughts go back to that evening, some 15 years ago, when listening to the album Insight, I peeled a few layers off my ignorance.
अच्छी सांगत पा के संगी बदले रूप, जैसे मिल के आम से मीठी हो गयी धुप| (from the track Dohe in the album Insight)
Translation: In the company of the good, you acquire goodness. Just the way sunshine becomes sweet upon meeting the ripe mango.
जगजीत साहिब, आपने जिन शब्दों को आवाज़ दी, वोह हम हमेशा गुनगुनाते रहेंगे| ताकि आपकी अच्छी सांगत हमेशा साथ रहे|
The Chori Chori number sung by Reshma (~1947 – 3 November 2013) in her signature rustic, rich, full bodied style:
.
Updated: Reshma ji passed away on 3 November 2013 after a prolonged battle with throat cancer. I was mesmerized by her singing many times in my life and since this post was written, I considered myself her friend, too. So, her passing is more than just another blip in the information overload. Reshma ji, aap ne hamein chori chori jeet liya. Khuda Hafiz (May the Lord be your Shepherd).
The lyrics (penned by Manzoor Jhalla), with translation:
—–
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
वे मैं चोरी चोरी तेरे नल ला लयियां अखां वे
Silently and secretly I fell in love with you (transliteration: my eyes met yours)
.
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
.
duniya tonh jakhaan te mainh; duniya tonh
duniya tonh jakhaan te mainh (pause) pyaar tera rakhaan
दुनिया तोह जक्खान ते मैं प्यार तेरा रखां
I shy away from the world and keep safe my love (for you)
.
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
.
maa-peyan di lajj tere leyi main gavayein ve
(repeat)
माँ पयाँ दी लज्ज तेरे लेई मैं गवाईं वे
I sacrificed the honor of my parents for you
.
tu teh anjaan saadih kadarr na paayi ve
तू तेह अनजान साडिह कदर न पायी वेह
But you remain unaware and do not value me
.
phir vih mainh jhalee hoke; phir vih mainh
phir vih main jhalee hoke (pause) rah tera takkan
फिर विह मैं झली होके राह तेरा तकां
And yet, like an imbecile, I await your arrival
.
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
.
pyaar piche har koyi mittiyan vi chaan da
(repeat)
प्यार पिछे हर कोई मिट्टियाँ वी छान दा
In the pursuit of love, everyone toils (transliteration: everyone sieves sands)
.
disda na ik pal, vaeri meri jaan da
दिस्दा न इक पल वैरि मेरी जान दा
Not visible for a moment, an enemy to my peace
.
eh teh ve mainh jaanideiyan; eh te mainh
eh teh ve mainh jaanideiyan (pause) taenu mere jaiyyan lakhan
एह तान मैं जांदियाँ तैनु मेरे जैय्यां लखां
I know that, for you there are hundreds of thousands like me
.
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
.
changeya main jaatha taenu, lakhaan jind jaan tu
(repeat)
चंगेया मैं जाता तैनु लखां जिंद जान तू
I have found you to be a good person, you are a thousand lives to me
.
rajj gayiyaan paavein bibba jag te jahan tonh
रज्ज गईयाँ पावें बिब्बा जग ते जहान तोंह
even though, sweetheart, I’ve had my heart’s content of this world
.
das manzoor keevein; das man
das manzoor keevein (pause) dil nu main dakkaan
दस मंज़ूर कीवें दिल नू मैं दक्कां
Tell me, O Manzoor, how do I stop my heart
.
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
—–
I was helped by my father, Parminderji, and Gagan in the translation.
I also liked the Coke Studio take, sung by Meesha Shafi:
.
Shafi’s rendition makes it seem like a song of stillness, but without any sadness. As if the love hangs there, in mid-air, neither claimed nor disowned. Non-chalant and bold at the same time. The neutrality of her tone hiding passionate expression, which is what makes it both sensuous and edgy (for me). I was asking myself “who is she singing to?” and the only answer I seem to get is “herself”.
जब वोह है आपको चूमता
मेरी धड़कन थम जाती है|
उस छोटी सी जान में
नजाने क्यों मुझे अपनी परछाईं नज़र आती है|
उसके खट्टे मीठे सवाल और उसकी भोली आँखें
आप जैसा व्यवहार और आप जैसी बातें|
दिल के दायरे में समेट लूं ऐसा सोचता हूँ
पर खुद को पराया जान के रुक जाता हूँ
बस कुछ नौ दस साल का
सुबह की सुन्हेरी धूप सा प्यारा|
एक दोस्त है और चाहता
जब आये जन्मदिन ग्यारह|
.
When he lands a kiss on your face
My heart skips a beat
And in his young self
I see a reflection of my soul
His sweet questions and his innocent eyes
Remind me of your mannerisms and talk
I think of surrounding him with my love
But pause because I am yet a stranger
All of just nine or ten years
Precious as the golden morning rays
He desires for one more friend
As his eleventh birthday approaches
Guldasta 
Recent Comments