Friday 2 May 2014

The harmony of Hindi



Of late, perhaps in celebration of womanhood, i 've been humming a lot of Bollywood numbers, all female ..

Firstly, the " Halkat jawaani" a raunchy and ribald potpourri of Hindi,Bhojpuri and English, meaning little, but taken to a different level by the bold rendition of Sunidhi Chauhan, an alltime favourite and also my idol. And another one, also by her, a soulful, silklike " Mera Ishq sufiyana", also meaning" My love is so pure and true", and then moving back in time " Maar Udaari"- a lovely combination of Punjabi and Hindi from the unforgettable movie " Pinjar " in 2003, " Kangna re, Kangna Re" - a Rajasthani- Hindi flavoured ballad from the mystical Paheli in 2005, and suddenly, changing tracks, a deeply melodious " Aaj Jane ki Zid na Karo", an evergreen ghazal by the sonorous  Farida Khanum, from Pakistan.

Each one, so different in its style, its tempo and taste, yet so much the same.. they are each an expression of womanhood, of the joys that come with being a woman, sometimes in love, and sometimes just pining for it. But equally, they are an expression of a beautiful rainbow of languages, culminating in what feels like Hindi, but is really a crossover from Marathi, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Punjabi and Urdu. Like a swathe of colours, a wave of the ocean, the language seamlessly flows, taking with it a multitude of  cultures, experiences, blending them so beautifully into a sea of song and dance. The Hindi that we know today, so flexible and versatile, having merged over eons with any manner of language, sometimes even reinventing itself into a new style, the "Hinglish". But my absolute favourite, and the wellpoint of many an inspiration, at work and in life, is the point where it meets so effortlessly with Urdu, drawing carelessly from the idyllic poetry of Gulzar, and the breathtaking beauty of Kashmir, into a creative cauldron of sorts, as in " chali re , chali re .. junoon , ko liye ", all about an obsession with love. A delightful symphony, not just of song and melody, but also of language.. You have to see it and feel  it to believe it !

Regards,
Aina Rao.
The Amblingindian
1st May, 2014.

From my favourites , a little known, but unforgettable melody below..
"Maar Udari " - " take flight, dear bird, for you are in love.. take flight and fly away with the lovebird of your dreams"



" chali re - chali re " - " away i go, carried on wings of obsession, drinking droplets of time... My heart has flown from its cage, falling in love..."




Kangna Re - " Dear bangles, light up with the sunrays"

Dear Readers,
If you want the full translations of any of these numbers, do write to me or post a comment and I will try my best to do justice to the beautiful poetry, this time in English.. Thank you, Aina.

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