CHAIYYA CHAIYYA

CHAIYYA CHAIYYA

Chorus:
jinke sar ho ishq kii chha.nh	He whose head is in the shadow of love
pao.n ke niiche jannat hogi	will have heaven beneath his feet.
jinke sar ho ishq ki chha.nh	Whose head is in the shadow of love...
chal chhaiyya	Walk in the shadow.
pao.n jannat chale chal chhaiyyan	Walk in heaven, walk in the shadow.
vo yaar hai jo khushbuu kii tarah	There's a friend who is like a sweet fragrance,
jiskii zabaan Urdu kii tarah	whose words are like poetry (lit. Urdu, the language of poetry),
merii shaam raat merii qainaat	who is my evening, my night, my existence.
vo yaar mera saiyya saiyya	That friend is my beloved!
Chorus
gulposh kabhii itarae kahii.n	Sometimes (my beloved) flirts like a flower,
mahake to nazar aa jaa'e kahii.n	so fragrantly that you may see her scent.
taawiiz banake pahanuu.n use	Having made it into an charm, I will wear it.
aayat kii tarah mil jaaye kahin	She shall be obtained as a miracle is obtained.
mera nagama vahii.n mera qalama vahii.n	She is my song, my declaration of faith (kalama: the Muslim confession of faith, as in, "la ilaaha il allaah" - "there is no God but Allah").
(vo yaar hai jo imaam ki tarah)	(My friend is like a priest to me.)
mera nagama nagama mera qalama qalama	My song... my declaration of faith...
yaar misale.n os chale	She moves like the dew.
paon ke tale phirdaus chale	She walks with the garden of heaven beneath her feet,
kabhii Daal Daal kabhii paat paat	sometimes through the branches, sometimes amidst the leaves.
mai.n hawa pe DHuu.nDHuu.n us ke nishaan	I shall search the wind for her trail!
Chorus
mai.n uske ruup ka sedaaii	I trade in her beauty.
vo dhuup chhaa.nho.n sa harjaaii	Fickle, she flits shamelessly from sun to shade.
vo shokh ra.ng badalta hai	She changes her bright colors;
mai.n ra.ng ruup ka saudaaii	I negotiate that as well.
Chorus