Zindagi kya hai jaane ke liye

Noted poet Gulzar and ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh comes together again in their latest venture “Koi Baat Chale ” (Let’s begin a conversation), seven years after the duo got together for “Marasim“ in 1999. My favorite song from this album is “Zindagi kya hai jaanne ke liye”. This song follows a pattern of three – lined form, called “Triveni”, which has been experimented for the first time in this album. The third line of the triveni often changes the meaning of the first two lines.

I had been trying to understand the depth of the lyrics and the relation between the trivenis. I searched the translation on the internet but didn’t get the meaning of the song anywhere. So, I decided to translate it myself. It may not be 100% right because the connection between few of the trivenis is still unclear to me. If anyone, has any suggestion/comments/correction,please post it.

Zindagi kya hai jaanne ke liye
Zinda rehna bahot jaroori hai
Aaj tak koi bhi raha to nahin

To know what life is, one has to be immortal. No one has been till date.

Meaning: No one knows the true meaning/essence of life

Saari waadi udas baithi hai
Mausam-e-gul ne khudkashi karli
kisne barood boya baagon mein

The whole valley is grieving. There is no spring season to be seen. Who has sown the seed of gunpowder?

Meaning: The whole atmosphere is sad. Who has sown the seed of hatred/fear? (or) There is no season of happiness in my life. Who is responsible for this?

Aao hum sab pehenle aaine
Saare dekhenge apna hi chehra
Sabko saarein haseen lagenge yahan

Let’s all put mirrors in front of us so that everybody can see his/her own face. They will feel all to be beautiful then

Meaning: People have become self-obsessed and selfish. No one looks beyond themselves. For them, what they do seem to only seem to be right. They would be happy if everybody agrees to them.

Hai nahin jo dikhaii deta hai
Aaine par chapa huwa chehra
Tarjumah aaine ka thik nahin

The views of faces in the mirror are not what they seem to be.The mirror itself is deceiving.

Meaning: It’s hard to tell who is right or who is wrong. Everybody seems to have a mask on.

Humko Ghalib ne yeh duwa di thi
Tum salamat raho hazar baras
Yeh baras to faqat dino mein gaya

The poet Ghalib had blessed me to prosper for thousand years. But, my years have passed in loneliness

Meaning: Though I’m blessed with many good things in life, my life has passed in loneliness (because you are not there)

Lab tere Mir ne bhi dekhe hai
pankhari ek gulab ki si hai
baat sunte to Ghalib ho jaate

The poet Mir has seen your petal-like lips. If he could hear u speak, he would have become Ghalib.

Meaning: Even the Poer Mir has admired your beauty. If he would have heard your voice , he would have become Ghalib.

Aise bikhre hai raat din jaise
Motiyon wala haar tuth gaya
Tumne mujhko pidoke rakha tha

My days and night have shattered like beads of a pearl-necklace are scattered when its thread is broken. You had held my life together just as the thread holds the beads together.

Meaning: My life is shattered now because you (the one who cared for me) are gone

Well some songs are hard to express than feel !