Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Woh Mujhse Hue Hum-Qalaam

Having gone gaga over Farida Khanum's singing, I'm just hunting around for her songs whenever I get a chance. This one came about the same way. I had no idea it even existed. Then when I heard it, it was just mind-blowing.. her voice and the lyrics. I could understand some of the simple Urdu but other was just too hard to decipher so I had to have Imran translate it for me. And he did it, just for me. Thanks a lot, Imran! I can't thank you enough for translating such a beautiful ghazal for me. Here it is with the translation and live audio/video. Enjoy!


aa aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa aa aa aa

woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah! (2)
kahaan main kahaan yeh maqaam, allah! allah!

woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah! (They are conversing with me, what an honour for me,)
kahaan main kahaan yeh maqaam, allah! allah! (what is my stature and what is theirs)

woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah!

yeh rooh-e-darekhshaan (The spirit of brightness)
yeh zulfon ke saaye (2) (the shade of my love's tresses)
yeh hungaama-e-subah-o-shaam, allah! allah! (and this madness of day and night, Oh Lord)
woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah!
kahaan main kahaan yeh maqaam, allah! allah!
woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah!

woh sehmaa hua (That frightened)
aansuoon kaa talaatum (2) (storm of tears)
woh aab-e-rawaan besharam??, allah! allah! (that unabashed flowing water (tears), Oh Lord)
woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah!
kahaan main kahaan yeh maqaam, allah! allah!
woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah!

woh zabt-e-sukhan mein (that control in your speech,)
labon ki khamoshi (2) (the silence of your lips)
nazar ka woh luft-e-karam, allah! allah! (the generous look of pleasure, Oh Lord)
woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah!
kahaan main kahaan yeh maqaam, allah! allah!
woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah!

yeh rooh-e-darekhshaan (The spirit of brightness)
yeh zulfon ke saaye (2) (the shade of my love's tresses)
yeh hungama-e-subah-o-shaam, allah! allah! (and this madness of day and night, Oh Lord)
woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah!
kahaan main kahaan yeh maqaam, allah! allah!
woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah!




Vocabulary:

hum-kalaam, kalaam is to talk, speak, its an Arabic word adopted in Urdu
mujhse hue hum-kalaam - conversed with me
darakhshaan is from Persian, meaning bright, shining light, so rooh-e-darakhshaan is the spirit of the light.
talatum means storm or the crashing of waves, here it means the abundance of tears
aab is water, from Persian
rawaan is running, flowing, also from Persian
zabt is control
sukhan is words, speech
lutf is enjoyment, excitement, pleasure
karam is favour, generosity, benevolence


Singer: Farida Khanum


Live version:


19 comments:

ravi srinivasan said...

heard it today - thru rajan parrikar. great song. were u able to find out the lyricist - i couldn't :(.

great blog! aavadla :)

Kanan said...

Suraj, thank you. :)

No idea about the lyricist. I will have to look it up once again on google to make sure I didn't miss it.

Glad you liked the blog. I had to call up my Marathi life-line to find out what aavadla meant. Thanks. :)

Unknown said...

Hi Suraj and Kanan!! First of all I am neither a Indian nor a Pakistani, so I dont understand Hindi/Urdu. But since I used to see Hindi movies, I guess some sentences and words. It is since 20 years when I first heard song of Farida Khanum in Bangladesh (late 80's), i was so impressed-I still recall the song "woh mujhse hue hum-qalaam, allah! allah". Such a touchy song!! Today, suddenly that song came to my mind and I went through website and got the song and lyrics from your Blogg. Wonderful!! I am so excited I never thought that I could get the lyrics. Thanks!! As I dont understand Urdu, could you please kindly tell me, What does the song mean, what is the songa about? Is it the song of nature or love? What does "they" means in the song? Is it God? Please explain me about the song, it will be highly appreciated. Please email me at sadee1974@yahoo.com.

Thank you.

Kanan said...

Sadee, thank you for the kind words. Happy to know you like the song as well.

In my view, the poet is being thankful to his lover. He is referring to his lover when he uses "they". But I guess you could say that for God as well, if you want to interpret it that way. I thought since it was talking about tresses, I thought it was for the woman he loves. Hope this helps.

Unknown said...

Sohaib

Sufi tabassum is the lyricist, In fact the poet. It's always a treat to read and listen Urdu ghazals. If you guys are there, hats off to you all.

Kanan said...

Sohaib, great info about the poet/lyricist. Thanks much. Completely agree about Urdu ghazals being a treat. I don't understand them completely all the time so it's nice to have the meaning of the words handy.

Gazal lover said...

I am soo glad i found the translation. Thanks ALOTT, can you also share translation for her gazal chand nikle kisi jaanib...

SATYAANVESHI said...

The ru in ru-e-darakshaan, is face, not rooh which is spirit. :)

Woh sehma hua here is that stifled, not frightened.

And the best sher in my opinion is:

Woh zabt-e-sukhan mein labon ki khamoshi
Nazar ka wo lutf-e-qalaam, Allah Allah!


which probably is missed in your translation:
That trying to conceal the words by not speaking them from lips,
That letting all be known coquettishly through your gaze, Allah Allah!

Unknown said...

satyaanveshiji, your comments make the sher more delicate... Thanks. Do you have any comments on the other ones?

GeetaParul

The Maxreach Point said...

My name is Anand .... and I too liked this ghazal on the first instant of hearing it ...particularly its composition in Raag Yaman. I too looked for the lyrics and stumbled here.

Satyaanveshi ...your observation just enhanced the lutf of listening. Thanks ... loved it.

There is a similar song (Nath ha maza ..mohi khala)in one of the marathi musical plays "Sangeet Swayamvar". Many singers have sung it. Check out. If you are a music lover ....you will like it.

Unknown said...

Marathi song lovers similar tune of another song
Bhaya ethale Sampat nahi
Must listen....n this translation n meaning is great
Made me enjoy more.....

Anonymous said...

Many thanks for this blog.
The poet of this gazal is Sufi Tabassum
Found at this link-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKz30hEbSaI

Unknown said...

Thanks that I found the poet's in this blog

Unknown said...

I found the name of the poet of this gazal in this blog,so thank you,thanks a ton.

Anonymous said...

Sufi Tabassum

Anonymous said...

Sufi Tabassum is the poet

Kiran Ghiya said...

I think it is aab e rawaan bekhiram and not besharam. bekhiram in Urdu means not moving and the line means water which,by nature is flowing, is stopped.

Kiran Ghiya said...

Also it should be lutf e kalaam instead of lift e Karam. Lutf e kalaam means the lizzat of (her ) letter

Anonymous said...

It’s a song about a lover who came into the acquaintance of his love somehow; hence, he is surprised by how it happened (that’s why the word “hum kalam” is used). The lover is also talking about the brightness of the face and darkness of Zulf and calling them day and night madness. Beautiful words!