Yesteryear Lyricists of Bollywood – Part 2

Hello dear friends and lovers of poetry,
I dedicate this write-up to all those who have a love for poetry.

In September 2023, I posted an article on my webpage titled: “ Yesteryear Lyricists of Bollywood.”

Personally, I feel that among the thousands upon thousands of songs recorded during the golden era of Hindi cinema, there are lyrics — whether complete, partial, or even just a phrase — that remain alive in our memories. They are not only cherished but often quoted while expressing our thoughts in daily life. In films, they are used in dialogues; Journalists, Analysts, and YouTubers often use phrases in their commentaries and compositions.
These poetic verses embrace every aspect of life. Whatever the mood of a person — sadness, happiness, enjoyment, meditation, or relaxation — one can always find solace, meaning, and beauty in these lyrics blended with melody and music.
Though there are countless such classic and memorable lines, here I am recalling and sharing some which are still in my memory.

A Few Meaningful Lyrics:

Text	English Translation
Khela bachpan, hasi jawani, magar budhapa tadpata hai. Sukh dukh ka paiya chalta hai, wohi naseeba kehlata hai.	Childhood is spent playing, youth passes in laughter, but old age brings suffering. The wheel of joy and sorrow keeps turning; that is what we call destiny.
Yeh zindagi ke mele duniya mein kam na honge, afsos hum na honge.	The carnivals of this life will never diminish in this world; the only sadness is that we will no longer be here.
Duniya hai mauj-e-darya, qatre ki zindagi kya? Pani mein milke pani, anjaam yeh ke pani.	The world is a wave of the ocean — what is the life of a single drop? Merging water into water result is water.
Khushi ke saath duniya mein hazaron gham bhi hote hain, Jahan bajti hai shehnai, wahan maatam bhi hote hain.	Along with happiness, there are thousands of sorrows in this world; Where the shehnai plays in celebration, there is mourning too.
Kaun kisiki khatir rota hai, ae dost, Sabko apni hi baat pe rona aaya.	Who really weeps for another, O friend? Everyone ends up crying over their own affairs.
Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya, Har fikr ko dhuein mein udata chala gaya.	I simply kept pace with life wherever it led; I kept blowing away every worry like a puff of smoke.
Jahan mein aisa kaun hai ke jisko gham mila nahin, Sukh aur dukh ke raste bane hain sabke waaste.	Who is there in this world who has never received sorrow? The paths of joy and pain are laid out for everyone.
Andhe jahan ke andhe raste — jayein to jayein kahan?	The blind paths of a blind world — if we go, then where do we go?
Jab had se guzar jaati hai khushi, aansu bhi chhalak aate hain. Jab gham ka andhera ghir jaye, samjho ke savera door nahin.	When happiness overflows its boundaries, tears spill out. When the darkness of sorrow surrounds you, understand that the dawn is not far away
Ae mere dil kahin aur chal, Gham ki duniya se dil bhar gaya. Dhundh le ab koi ghar naya.	O my heart, journey elsewhere; the heart is weary of this world of sorrow. Go find a new home now
Jaye to jaye kahan, Samjhega kaun yahan dil ki zuban.	Where can one go? Who here will understand the language of the heart?
Sajan re jhooth mat bolo, Khuda ke paas jana hai. Na haathi hai, na ghoda hai, wahan paidal hi jana hai.	O beloved, do not tell lies — you have to go before God. There is no elephant, no horse; you must walk there on foot.
Ladakpan khel mein khoya, jawani neend bhar soya, Budhapa dekh ke roya — wohi kissa purana hai.	Childhood was lost in play, youth was slept away, And old age brought only tears — that is the same old story.
Kisiki muskurahaton pe ho nisar, Kisika dard mile to le udhaar. Kisike waaste ho tere dil mein pyar — jeena isi ka naam hai.	To sacrifice oneself for someone else’s smiles; to borrow someone else’s pain if you can. To hold love in your heart for another—this alone is what it means to live.
Sab pyar ki baatein karte hain par karna aata pyar nahin. Matlab ki duniya saari yahan, koi kisika yaar nahin. Kisiko sachcha pyar nahin.	Everyone talks of love but no one knows how to love. This entire world is self-serving; no one here is a true friend. No one has genuine love.
Aaye bhi akela, jaye bhi akela. Do din ki zindagi hai, do din ka mela.	You came alone, and you will depart alone. Life lasts a mere couple of days; it is just a brief carnival.
Wafa dekh li, pathar jigar zalim zamane ki. Kasam khai ab kisise dil lagane ki.	I have witnessed the loyalty — how stone-hearted and cruel this age is. I have sworn never to give my heart to anyone again.
Bahot diya denewale ne tujhko. Aanchal bhi na sambhale to kya kije? Beet gaye jaise yeh din aur raina, baqi bhi kat jaye — dua kije.	The Giver has given you so much. If you cannot even hold your own veil, what can be done? As these days and nights have passed, pray that the rest pass too.
Jo bhi de de malik, tu karle qabool. Kabhi kabhi kanton mein khilte hain phool. Wahan der bhale hai — andher nahin. Yunhi ghabra ke gila mat kije.	Whatever the Lord gives, accept it with gratitude. Sometimes flowers bloom even among thorns. There may be a delay there — but there is no darkness. Do not panic and complain in vain.
Aadmi musafir hai, aata hai jata hai. Jaate jaate raaste mein yaadein chhod jata hai.	Man is a traveller; he comes and he goes. As he departs, he leaves behind memories along the way.
Kar bhala hoga bhala, ant bhale ka bhala.	Do good and good will come to you; the ultimate end of a good deed is always rewarding.
Rahi manwa, dukh ki chinta kyu satati hai? Dukh to apna saathi hai.	O fellow traveller of the heart, why does the worry of sorrow torment you? Sorrow is our companion.
Chingari koi bhadke to saawan use bujhaye. Saawan jo aagan lagaye to ise kaun bujhaye? Patjhad jo baag ujare, wo baag bahaar khilaye — Jo baag bahaar mein ujde, use kaun khilaye?	If a spark erupts, the monsoon rains extinguish it. But if the monsoon season itself sets a fire, who can extinguish that? The autumn ruins a garden, but the spring can make it bloom again; yet, if a garden is ruined during the spring itself, who can restore it?
Iss bhari duniya mein koi hamara na hua, Ghair to ghair the, apno ka sahara na hua.	In this crowded world, no one became truly mine; Strangers were strangers, but even my own offered no support.
Nasib mein jiske jo likha tha, woh teri mehfil mein kam aaya. Kisike hisse mein pyaas aayi, kisike hisse mein jam aaya.	Whatever was written in one’s fate, that came to pass in your gathering. For some, the share was thirst; for others, a cup full of wine.
Jane wo kaise log th’e jisko pyar se pyar mila. Humne to kaliyah mangi to kanton ka haar mila. Gham se aab ghabrana kya- gham to sau u baar mila.	Who knows what kind of people they were, who received love in return for their love. As for me, whenever I asked for buds of flowers, I was given a garland of thorns instead. Why should I fear sorrow now? For sorrow has come to me a hundred times over.

Some Romantic Ones — Happy and Sad:

I repeated one couplet which I had already mentioned in Part One, simply because it remains one of my personal favourites.

Some Funny Lyrics:

Text	English Translation
“He” ne khela “She” se aaj cricket match, Ek nazar mein dil bechara ho gaya LBW.	“He” played a cricket match against “She” today — In just one glance, the poor heart was out LBW (Leg Before Wicket).
Duniya na maane, Kaanton se bhi phool ki khushboo aaye, saagar bhi meetha paani ban jaye. Duniya na maane.	The world may not believe it — That fragrance of a flower can come even from thorns, and even the ocean can turn to sweet water. The world may not believe it.
Log beghar ko kahe aawara yahan — haas haas. Khud kaat e gale sabke, kahete hain isko business.	People here laughingly call a homeless person a vagrant. Yet they cut everyone’s throats themselves and call it ‘business’.
Aaj main upar, aasmaan neeche. Aaj main aage, zamaana hai peeche. Tell me, O Khuda — chalun seedhi ke ulti chalun?	Today I am on top, and the sky is below me. Today I am ahead, and the world is behind me. Tell me, O God, should I walk straight or backward?
Charandas ko peene ki aadat na hoti, To aaj miya bahar aur biwi andar na soti.	Had Charandas not had the habit of drinking, Today the husband would not be outside and the wife sleeping inside (alone).
Nazar lagi raja tore bangle par. Jo main hoti raja kaali koyal, to thunakti rehti raja tore bangle par.	An evil eye has fallen upon your mansion, my king. If I were a black cuckoo bird, I would keep singing sweet notes all day over your mansion.

There are, of course, countless lyrics praising beauty — especially comparing women to the moon — but I have intentionally excluded them from this write-up.
At the same time, there were also some surprisingly senseless lyrics penned by legendary poets. Some of these invited criticism, as many felt they were below the standard expected from such literary giants.

Text	English Translation
“Gapuchi gapuchi gam gam… kishiki kishiki come come.”	A nonsensical string of made-up sounds.
“C-A-T, cat maane billi. R-A-T, rat maane chuha.”	“C-A-T spells cat, which means a cat (billi in Hindi/Urdu). R-A-T spells rat, which means a rat (chuha in Hindi/Urdu).”
“Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika… Tanganyika.”	Lyrics that simply list the names of East African countries — Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika (now Tanzania)

Before concluding, I must mention one of the finest creations — a masterpiece which I would call the mother of all filmy poetries. It has found its way in a song.
Later also into dialogues and everyday conversations.
From the film “Gumrah” comes the unique opening line:

Text	English Translation
Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jaayein hum dono… Na main tumse koi umeed rakhun dil-nawaazi ki, Na tum meri taraf dekho galat andaaz se.	Come, let us become strangers to each other once more… Let me not keep any hope from you of tenderness and affection, And let you not look at me in that wrong, suggestive way.

And it ends with equally timeless words:

Text	English Translation
Jo afsaana jise anjaam tak laana ho mushkil, Use ek khoobsurat mod dekar chhodna achha.	A tale that is difficult to bring to its conclusion, It is better to give it one beautiful turn, and leave it there.

A. K. Bagha.
26/6/26.