Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!

It’s that time of the year when you sit and look back at the best moments that made the year so special. Every TV channel , radio station, every blogger is doing their top 20, top 10….so I decided to follow suit and relive all those memorable moments that made this year special for all Shafqat fans like me.  Here goes…

Bollywood Songs

Six Bollywood songs this year- each sung brilliantly, as usual…each one different from the other.The year started with the soulful Darmiyaan, went on to a very exuberant  Tu hi mera and then there was a less noticed but very well sung Ya Maula which belonged to the genre that Shafqat is a master in.

Phir le Aaya was just wow! Only a beautiful frame is worthy of displaying a beautiful picture- and this was a song that showcases the wonderful talent like never before.

Zindagi se chura ke struck a chord with the masses and then Tera Mera naam, a soft and mellow number came right towards the end.

My top 3 Bollywood songs

3. Tu Hi Mera (Jannat 2) – buoyant, joyful …perfect for a day when you are feeling happy for no specific reason

2. Darmiyaan- (Jodi Breakers) – It’s the lyrics by Irshaad Kaamil and the heartfelt singing by Shafqat which do the trick in this one.

1. Phir Le Aaya – Redux (Barfi)- What do I say about this one…I had a full post on it …so go read it here.

Collaborations

Shafqat got together with some other musicians to create some fantastic musical moments…

3. IIFA Rocks performance with Ehsaan - Khamaj and Mitwa unplugged…What a rocking and memorable performance

2. 'Manmaniyan' with Ranjit Barot on MTV unplugged- Some of his old songs were rearranged on this acclaimed show but the bonus for his fans was a brand new number called Manmaniyan- A track created by Ranjit Barot and lyrics by Shafqat - the gelling of the Punjabi Sufi words with the western beats and arrangement was hard to imagine but his singing made it work; and so beautifully at that. read more about it here

1. 'Let Go' with Fin Greenall and Salim - Sulaiman – A beautiful collaboration for the opening episode of the Dewarists Season 2. The song saw some really inspired singing by Shafqat and left everyone mesmerized. This is what Fin Greenall had to say about working with him…

“Shafqat, well, he is just a legend. His skill set is ancient and wow, he can sing! He has a gift for sure and to work with him and have him do his thing as a singer I definitely felt a little star struck."

Concerts

From Dhaka to Dubai, from Delhi to Toronto the live concerts were happening everywhere. He sang at Mosaic, a south Asian Music and cultural festival in Canada; at the Delhi edition of the popular NH7 Weekender; at the Times Festival in Hyderabad; and at the Tri Nations Music Fest at Dhaka.

Here are my top 3 Concert moments for 2012

3. Singing with Strings and Mika at Intensity concert in Dubai

2. “Ye nayan dare dare” at the Quli  Qutab Shahi Tomb in Hyderabad for the Times Festival

1. A tribute to Bahadur Shah Zafar at the Red Fort for the Urdu Heritage Festival

TV/ radio appearances/ Interviews

Among several print and TV interviews- most of them still stuck with the oft repeated – How did you start your musical journey or How did you enter Bollywood …to the ill researched- Why did you leave your band “Jal” (what???)  or Can you please sing my favorite song of yours – Rangrez from Tanu Weds Manu ( huh??) to the let’s see in how many different ways can you answer each time we ask you this- What do you think about Indo- Pak relations- these were the 3 that stood out for me

3. Shakhsiyat with Samina- A dignified and pleasant host who managed to give us a glimpse of the influence his illustrious family has on his music

2. Geo Shaan Se- The host, who featured in the very popular video of Khamaj, explored various facets of his personality. It was also worth a watch for some interesting anecdotes narrated by the man himself (my favorite was about him meeting a fan who was upset with him as she believed he had married four times!J)

1. Agenda Aaj Tak – He appeared alongside Kailash Kher and Ali Zafar to talk about music beyond boundaries. His rendition of Saigal’s Main kya jaano kya jaadu hai after he spoke about how each song he  listened to in his childhood was a part of his training in  the technical nuances of singing...his singing bits of some melodious Punjabi numbers of Noor Jehan and Mehdi Hassan to illustrate what kind of Punjabi he grew up with-all this and more made this event a must watch for his fans.

  'सरहदों की दूरियां मिटाता है संगीत': AAJ TAK: Video

And top 3 reasons to feel excited about 2013

3. A live concert in a city near me has to happen this year...

2. Bigger and better in Bollywood- more music directors, more hit numbers

1. A new album is on the way… 2013 will be special just because of THAT!

That Special Connection...

I have a theory…it’s about a special connection, a special fascination, that Shafqat Amanat Ali has, which inspires him to create the music that he does- and the theory emerged after watching some of his recent television appearances.

First, the opening episode of the season 2 of The Dewarists- on which Shafqat along with the music director duo of Salim- Suleiman and Fin Greenall created a song called “Let Go”. And then there was MTV unplugged, again into its second season, where Shafqat featured in the 2nd episode and sang, along with a few of his very popular hits, a brand new song called “Manmaniyan”

Let go

“Akhiyan wich wasda…nazar ni aaunda/Samajh ni aaundi karamat , teri

Hai yeh kaise mujhme sohbat teri…Akhiyan nu de de aasra

Suna tu hai vaade de khara ve…Akhiyan nu de de aasra

Sab toh sona, tu mere ch rehnda /Hai ae kaisi ajab sajavat teri

Hai ye kaisi mujhme banavat teri..Akhiyan nu de de aasra”

In my eyes you dwell, yet remain invisible- just can’t fathom this enigma

You are within, one with me… Just reassure my eyes

You are true to your words, so I’ve heard- Reveal Yourself and soothe my eyes

You, the most beautiful, resides in me- how mysterious is this magnificence

You take my form and that’s why I am…Let my eyes, too behold this glory

Manmaniyan

The Video

“Jagde rehnde na saun, Kaanu vairi hue apne/Bas teriyan rahan te jam gey ne nain mere

Tainu labde ne nain, Phaven din phaven rein/Tainu har vele, kehn, jaaniyan

Das jaa ve dil jaaniyan/Kaanu karna hai manmaniyan

Laaye dere saatho door ve, Kaanu keeta ee majboor/Kinu aakhan dil diyan galaan,Tainu likh likh sanehe ghallan

Teriyan socha ch rehn, Nai thakde kamle nain/Na ik pal lende chein./Dukh tere has- has sehn”

The sleep eludes… my eyes, torment me/ Staring forever at the path you walked on

Searching, day and night/Asking you- Why do you never yield, never relent?You are so far away, and I feel helpless/ Whom do I confide into, have  tried reaching out to you

Thinking about you endlessly, they don’t tire, these crazy eyes/ Never resting for a moment, happily they endure this suffering…

So what’s common in both these songs, besides the fact that Shafqat sang them?

One of course is the genre and mood. Both the songs have the elements of Sufism. Then the lyrics of Shafqat’s portion in Let Go and of course the song Manmaniyan are both in Punjabi and both incidentally, have been penned by the man himself. (That Punjabi is the language that Shafqat has his conversations with God in, is another theory that I have, but let’s just stick to the present one for now)

So the one common thing in these two songs that struck me was that both the songs talk about- Eyes! And my theory is that Shafqat has a special connection and fascination with the word eyes and its synonyms too, when it comes to his songs…

“The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; my eye and God's eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love.” - Meister Eckhart

This connection with the eyes is not really surprising because it is a well-known fact that there is a strong Sufi side to Shafqat’s personality and you can catch a glimpse of it in every song of his. Sufism often talks about eyes being the gateway to the soul. The eyes and the heart are the senses of the soul and all three are interconnected. We use our eyes to see the physical world around us but when we shut our eyes we start looking inwards.

“I shut my eyes in order to see”-said Paul Gauguin because when we close our eyes we start seeing what we are supposed to see- In an attempt to find an inspiration, in prayer or meditation, while experiencing something beautiful… Many singers, including Shafqat, often sing with their eyes closed… and we often close ours while listening to our favorite songs..

“Then love knew it was called love. And when I lifted my eyes to your name, suddenly your heart showed me my way”- Pablo Neruda

Shafqat also is, by his own admission, a hard core romantic. In fact Sufism is also a form a romance- the highest and the purest- where the soul romances the Supreme. But even for the mere mortal kind of romance the significance of the eyes can never be undermined. So poets and songwriters of all times have written about love at first sight, songs in praise of the eyes of the beloved, eyes shedding tears of separation, eyes waiting for the lost love to return and so on…

“Eyes can only capture objects that are already seen in mind. And mind can only see things that are already written in heart.”- Toba Beta

Shafqat has written the lyrics for almost all the songs of his 3 albums so far. Fuzon’s Saagar was Shafqat’s debut album and the very first song composed for it was “Aankhon ke Saagar”. The other equally popular Khamaj talks about the lover who is silent and urges him to come back – “Nain teehari raah nihare, naino ko tarsao na”. And then there is another one which is called Akhiyan, pleading the lover never to be out of sight…

Probably the best song from his next, Tabeer, is Khaireyan de Naal and it talks about having found enlightenment through love… “Bund Aankhon se raah dikhe, Raanjhe who jot jagayi” It also has a song called Naina- about eyes that have forgotten to sleep as they are so lost in love…”Din mein na soyein bairi, raaton ko jaage, jab se ye paagal naina tere sang laage”

His last released  album was- Kyun Dooriyan, which has a beautiful composition in Pahaari that talks about  how a pall of gloom that has descended in someone’s world since their beloved abandoned them and how the tears from the eyes can never stop flowing…

“Humri Nagariya Chhayee Badariya/Naina Bahein Saari Rain

Aaja Sanwariya Teri Ye Bawariya, Jogan Ho Gayo Bhes”

Like someone has said- “If eyes are windows to the soul, then tears are heavens rain.”

And the mood continues in Mahiya…

“Har Vele Rehndiyan Ne Taanga Mainu Teriyan/Tak Tak Rawaan Akhan Thak Gayeeyan Meriyan

Akhiyan Nu Chaa Barha Channa Teri Deed Da/Ban Ke Tu Aaja Kadi Chann Jiven Eid Da”…

The eyes yearn to have one glimpse of you…appear before me; won’t you like the blessed Eid moon in the sky?

If I ever get to ask him, I am certainly going to ask Shafqat – what’s with you and the eyes? :) Because when Shafqat himself isn’t pursuing the eyes, they are pursuing him…look at the lyrics of some of the Bollywood songs that he got to sing…

Tere Naina –"Rab ki nemat hai teri nighaein"

Mitwa –"teri nigahein paa gayin raahein, par tu ye soche jaun na jaun"

Bin Tere- "Ajnabi se hue kyun pals nazar se nazar yeh milaate hi nahin"

Zindagi se churake- "Ab sath hain hum is tarah aankhon ke sang palken/Aa waqt ko ye baat hum phir ek baar kehde"

Tu hi mera- "Tere Ishq Me Dooba Rahe/Din Raat Yuhin Sadaa/Mere Khwaab Se Aakhein Teri /Ik Pal Na Hoye Judaa"

You might call this stretching the logic, too far: P…but then maybe you should have watched Shafqat at a recent TV channel event singing – “Main kya jaanu kya jaadu hai, inn do matwaale naino mein”- when he was asked to sing a memorable song that he grew up with. And then “Ye nayan dare dare” when asked what his most favorite romantic number was.

Convinced? Do you see the connection, now? For Eye  I certainly do… But  if you still don’t then I suggest that you put on your favorite Shafqat song, 'shut your eyes and  see  listen to the beauty…'

Jingle Bells, Soap Bubbles and other such (IV)

For the love of my country…

This is another in the series that talks about Shafqat Amanat  Ali’s patriotic songs

Our hearts where they rocked our cradle, Our love where we spent our toil,

And our faith, and our hope, and our honor, We pledge to our native soil.

God gave all men all earth to love, But since our hearts are small,

Ordained for each one spot should prove, Beloved over all.

~Rudyard Kipling

It is that time of the year, where the entire UAE, my current country of residence, gets into a celebratory mood. The national day is around the corner and the festivities are on. The red, green, white and black colors are everywhere- as merchandise in shops, as flags, big and small- adorning houses and official buildings, as the bright lights twinkling and lighting up all prominent landmarks across the country… and all this warms my heart and fills it with pride for the country that I have called home for the last 7 years.

I have always been quite emotional when it comes to patriotism. I still set an alarm to wake up on the morning of 15th August to see the Prime Minister unfurl the tricolor at the Red fort. I still love to sit through the entire telecast of the Republic Day parade on the morning of 26th January, if I get a chance. Give me a sports team singing their national anthem along with their supporters in a packed stadium, or an athlete who just won a medal for his country looking with tremendous pride at the flag of the country being hoisted…or even the soppiest patriotic Bollywood movie scene (remember the Jan Gan Man singing one from KJo’s K3G?) and you will find me with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye..

In an interview,interestingly to a Pakistani TV channel, Lata Mangeshkar while remembering Noor Jehan mentions the beautiful patriotic songs that the latter has sung. When asked further on how an artist feels when they sing a song for their country, she says that it is a matter both of duty and pride…

Pride and passion both certainly reflect in his voice as Shafqat Amanat Ali sings these tributes for armed forces of his country…

Pasbaan

Jazba

Ever wondered how Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Shafqat would sound if they sang together? You can find out right here on this video where they get together to sing about the challenges of fighting terror in their country

And here is another where he teams up with Najam Shiraz

A peppy, motivational one with Fariha Parvez 

But saving the best for the last- one of the best patriotic songs, ever, in my opinion- And it gives me goose bumps to listen to its live, and heartfelt rendition by Shafqat, here

Another live rendition

The song was rendered originally by Shafqat’s father, the great Ustad Amanat Ali and this is the video, a tribute to the late Ustad,  that features the original song in his voice. It is also features Shafqat and his son and represents beautifully the handing down of music, culture, and values like patriotism from one generation to another.

“I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him,” said Abraham Lincoln. His songs definitely reflect his love for his country and I am sure his country feels proud to have a son like Shafqat Amanat Ali.

Jingle Bells, Soap Bubbles & Other Such... (III)

Keeping the Music Alive..

This one talks about the songs Shafqat has sung as a tribute to various artists- musicians and composers

"The only thing better than singing is more singing" ~ Ella Fitzgerald

Noor Jehan

In a radio interview an RJ asked Shafqat Amanat Ali, "Who is the one female singer in Pakistan that you would choose to sing a duet with?" "Madam Noor Jehan," was his instant reply. The legendary singer, who enthralled generations in the sub-continent with her sweet and melodious voice, the one who was aptly conferred the title of "Mallika - e- Tarannum" is the pride not just of Pakistan but of music lovers across the subcontinent.

Here is Shafqat paying her a tribute by singing one of her songs. This was when he was a part of the Fuzon band

And this is the original by the legend herself 

The closest thing that can help one to imagine how Shafqat would have sounded if he sang with Noor Jehan  would be  this duet of hers for a Pakistani film which she sang with  Shafqat’s father, the great Ustad Amanat Ali.

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Ustad Amanat Ali Khan/ Asad Amanat Ali

 

Shafqat maintains that one of the greatest inspirations for his music is his own father who enjoyed a great amount of popularity and respect among the music lovers in the 60’s. Not only was he an accomplished classical vocalist, he is also ranked among the finest Ghazal singers of all times.

Shafqat recalled a very interesting anecdote related to his father in a TV interview recently. In the 60’s there was a particularly bad year in Pakistan where the monsoons had been much delayed causing a lot of woe, especially to the farmers. The great Ustad, a firm believer in the power of music, suggested to one of his radio producers that they should compose a prayer to God requesting him to end the plight. Legend has it, that as the song was being aired on the radio, the first drops of the monsoon actually began to fall…

Here’s Shafqat singing the same song

He sings one of his father’s ghazal  here and also pays tribute to his brother Asad Amanat Ali, another star of the family.

Hothon pe kabhi unke mera naam bhi aaye- is one of the most popular ghazals rendered by Ustad Amanat Ali and one of my favorites. And Kisi aur gham mein itni khalish e niha nahi hai would probably make it to the top 3 of my all-time favorite ghazals

Here are the original renditions by the maestros

Both the brothers have paid a tribute of their father by singing one of his songs together.

The original

You can see that both the brothers have inherited their father’s singing traits. While Asad has more of the khanak, the joyful tinkle in the voice and the ability to play with the notes, Shafqat has inherited the calmness, the sukoon, the ease, as well as the ability to explore and pursue the notes to their ultimate height or depth!

Read about and hear Shafqat’s rendition of Asad Amanat Ali’s famous Punjabi song Umra Langiaan- in this blog post 

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Mehdi Hassan

"He had a very mellow and melodious voice with an immense command on diction at the same time. You don’t need anything else to make an outstanding singer,"- Shafqat Amanat Ali about the Mehdi Hassan after the passing away of the Ghazal King

Here's Shafqat singing his "Zindagi mein to sabhi pyaar kiya kartein hain"

And Mehdi Hassan’s live rendition 

And here he sings a Mehdi Hassan song composed by the great composer Sohail Rana

The original

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Sohail Rana is also the composer of the very popular Aaj Jaane Ki zid na karo- read more about Shafqat’s rendition of the song as a tribute to the composer here

Jagjit Singh

One of the most popular Ghazal singers, ever, whom we lost not so long ago… and when the industry joined hands to pay him a tribute , Shafqat Amanat Ali was there, too, with this ghazal of his

The original

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Bollywood retro

And when I hear Shafqat sing..

Lata Mangeshkar ‘s Allah tero naam

Hemant Kumar’s Ye Nayan dare dare

Rafi’s Ajhun na aaye balma & Din dhal jaaye

Kishore’s tere bina zindagi se koi ( towards the end of  this video) 

http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/244220/wish-i-had-sung-tere-bina-zindagi-se-koi-shafqat.html

And above all  Saigal's (unfortunately only on a TV promo, and thus very briefly)  main kya jaanu kya jadoo hai
(for  a show on Geo TV- if someone has a video of it please do share)

I start thinking that Shafqat should formally sing some of the golden classics from Bollywood for an album. I even have a wish list…

• Kasme wade pyar wafa  by Manna Dey
• Koi sagar dil ko and Man re tu kahe na dheer dhare by Rafi
• Wo sham kuch ajeeb thi by Kishore
• Sajnwa bairi ho gaye and Kahin door jab din dhal jaaye by Mukesh…and the list could go on and on…

As they say... if wishes were horses... :)

Jingle Bells, Soap Bubbles & Other Such... (II)

A Song for Every Mood

This one is about the songs sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali for Pakistani TV soaps

The TV dramas are a full-fledged, flourishing industry in Pakistan. The 80’s and 90’s were said to be the golden period for the TV dramas there. And when I think of the monster hits like Dhoop Kinare and Tanhaayian, I feel that their music could definitely be counted as one of the reasons for their success. The haunting background score of Tanhaaiyan and the beautiful words of Faiz used as a song in Dhoop Kinare- anyone who has watched these two will always feel nostalgic about these tunes…

Shafqat, too, has lent his voice to several, beautiful Pakistani TV drama tracks.

Here are some of them in my order of preference.

At No.11 : Matti 

“Apni matti se wafa, hum bhi karein tum bhi karo / Iska jo haq hai ada hum bhi karein tum bhi karo...”

10 : Khalish - If you thought Bin Tere was the only one where Shafqat laments about the Khalish of separation, listen to this one…

9:   Tere Jaane ke Baad –  “Knowing someone isn't coming back, doesn't mean you ever stop waiting”

8:  Jaaye Kahan Yeh Dil - Amazing when it gets to the part - 

“Yaad kisay hum rakhain, aur kisay hum bhoolain/ 

Nainon se nain kahain, palkon se palkain choolain”

7:  Khamoshiyan – The silent tears…

"Apne Haathon Ki Lakeeron Se/Tera Naam Mitaa Ke

Tere Chehre Ko, Apne Dil Ke…Aiiney Se Hata Ke

Aaj kyun aankh bhar aayi…"

6:  Makaan - Sweetness of the language, that is Punjabi –

“Roz, Roz marde ne, jeende ne- Do ghadiyaan de Insaan….”

5 : Aman- “When we reach out, we bloom. We make this world a more beautiful place to live in”

“Haath se haath mila kar toh dekho, duniya khud hi badal jaayegi”

4:  Mera Ishq Ghumshuda.. “Though lovers be lost, love shall not…”

“kisi ujadi yaad ka sheher hai, kisi gehre dard ki leher hai ,yeh  hai zindagi ki yeh ki zeher hai…”

3:  Ik Sitam aur Meri Jaan : Shafqat's version of the original by Mehdi Hassan- beautiful lyrics!

"Jurme-tauheen-e mohabbat ki saza de mujh ko/ kuch toh mehroom-i ulfat ka sila de mujh ko

Jism se rooh ka rishta nahi toota hai abhi /haath se sabr ka daaman nahi choota hai abhi

Abhi jalte hue khwabon ka dhuaan baaqi hai…."

2: Kaisee hain Dooriyan –“And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.”- Khalil Gibran

 “Tumhe paane ki badi aas thi, Bujh na saki jo pyaas thi..”

And my No. 1 is this : Jiya na Jaaye :  Dripping with romance- each word, each note -caresses the senses, as softly as a snowflake!

“Bheegi bheegi aankhon mein , kahin bheeni bheeni raat hai

Neele neele paani mein kahin geela geela chaand hai”

“I have my own particular sorrows, loves, delights; and you have yours.  But sorrow, gladness, yearning, hope, love, belong to all of us, in all times and in all places.  Music is the only means whereby we feel these emotions in their universality.”

So true, these, words… I connect to each of these songs and despite not having watched the shows that they are from, I can still relate to the emotions that they convey.

Thank you Shafqat Amanat Ali, for giving me a song for every mood…

Jingle Bells, Soap Bubbles & Other Such... (I)

If you are a Shafqat Amanat Ali fan like me, who sits waiting impatiently for his next song.. his next album, who loves listening to all that he has sung to date but just crave for something more, then there might be something for you in this series of posts. It is about the work that he has done apart from Bollywood and the 3 albums that he has released so far and includes  jingles, promotions, songs for Pakistani TV dramas, patriotic songs, tributes and more.

It was a few months ago when while flipping TV channels one day a familiar singing voice filled my room. It was none other than Shafqat Amanat Ali singing this title song of a popular Geo TV program called “Geo Shaan Say”. Of course his voice left me mesmerized as usual and now Geo TV is on the favorite channel list of my TV menu, as I tune in once in a while to check if they are playing this by chance. I have even watched the show a few times just to catch the voice each time the host announces a break! J

And a YouTube search led me to this one. Who would’ve imagined that a masala commercial could sound so heavenly? Have lost count of the number of times I’ve heard it- yes, a masala commercial!

And then there is this one called -Paiman It is actually a video produced by the John Hopkins Center for Communication Programs- for promotion of mother and child well-being. What a beautiful depiction of some special moments in a family! “Mohabbat karo zindagi se- Aane waali roshni se”- Love Life and the  bright joy that it brings! – Words that come to life when Shafqat sings them…

This spirited song to promote vaccination in children. Joyful! Wonder why in our  anti-polio campaign, Big B was never made to sing- maybe we could eradicate polio much faster :P

I got a link for this one from my friend in Pakistan- another die hard Shafqateer- Thank You Ehtisham Amir! What a lovely song, what a lovely concept for a mobile ad,  a very sweet video and what do I say about the voice... it is romance personified!

And this one called Yahan- This Place, is special. Produced to promote tourism in the Gilgit-Baltisan region of Pakistan, it has been written and composed by Shafqat Amanat Ali. The lyrics are said to be inspired by local tales and beliefs and the music arrangement includes some of the indigenous musical instruments. The making had its share of adventure and drama (read here). 

                                                               The video shoot

And why it is close to my heart is because the song reminds me so much of the hill state that is my home in India. It is in areas like this, which are still relatively cut off from the frenzy and madness of big towns and cities, where serenity still resides , fairy tales still get written and simplicity still means beauty and vice- versa.

Video courtesy: Serena Hotels & Zarminae Ansari

And the seemingly simple words convey so much and take you right there..

Manzar mile ga na yeh kaheen pe

Dekhna ho jannat ko zameen pe

Aa jao

Dekho yahaan

Qudrat ke karishmay yahaan

Ek baar jo aye

Dil yahaan reh jaye

Jana chahe na phir

Yahaan se

Phoolon ki shahzaadi

Muskuraye yahaan

Angrayi leti bahaarein

Bhi mileingi yahaan

Tum aao, chahe jiss se milo

Rehta hai har mausam yahaan

Raat ki kya kahein hum

Taaron [e rakh ke qadam

Badlon ki shaal orhe

Vadi mein ho jayein gum

Chalte rahein, buss chalte rahein

Le jaye yeh rasta jahaan

Jitni haseen vadiyaan hain

Dil bhi utne haseen

Aise dil, aise chehray

Na milenge kaheen

Chehray haseen, manzar haseen

Aur pyari si hain boliyaan

MY TRANSLATION:

A sight like this, where else can be found

It’s like the heavens descended to the ground

Come and experience

Nature’s miracles abound

Just once is enough

To win your heart

And then from this place

You’d never want to part

The Princess of Blossoms

Smiles right here

Inviting, enticing, beckoning

The spring is in the air

Come here, and you get to see

Each season, in its full glory

What do we say of the nights…

When you can step on the stars

Wrap the mist around your shoulders

And walk into the valley, afar

And you keep walking, just keep flowing

Till where the path leads, till where it’s going

Like the gorgeous valleys

The ever so lovely hearts

Beautiful souls, pretty faces

Are what set this place apart

Charming people, breathtaking sights

And the sweetest conversations, that delight!