Many among us who write poetry do not place lyricists in a particularly honoured literary category. A major reason for this is that songwriting has not received the academic recognition it rightfully deserves within formal literary curricula. Yet, from ancient times, we have possessed a rich tradition of song literature, passed down orally from generation to generation until it reached us.
In the realm of oral poetry, the song occupies the highest place in the popular imagination. With the advent of recording technology, many songs were preserved. Today, we have numerous songs that cannot be found in books but remain safely stored in old recordings. There are many such compositions by Gyan Chand Dhawan, Harcharan Singh Parwana, Nand Lal Noorpuri, Kartar Singh Balaggan, Gurdev Singh Maan, Inderjit Hasanpuri, Didar Sandhu, Chann Jandialvi, Hardev Dilgir, and Pali Detwalia that are unavailable in printed form.
For many lyricists, even their books are no longer traceable. They were once printed by traditional presses such as Bhai Chatar Singh Jiwan Singh or Bhapa Di Hatti in Amritsar. Today, however, these pamphlets or song booklets are rarely found in fairs or gatherings. Perhaps some researchers of songwriting may still possess them, but who knows?
Last night, while browsing YouTube, I came across a beautifully melodious old song sung by Harnek Singh Rana and written by Babu Singh Maan. It filled my breath with fragrance. To call it just a song would be an understatement — it feels like sipping honey freshly drawn from a tiny indigenous bee. See for yourself if I exaggerate.
Rang de dupatta mera laal
Rang de dupatta mera laal ve lallariya…
Cheech-vahutiyan de rang naal ve
lallariya.
Rang de dupatta mera laal … .
Bullhan utte khedde ne surkh-saware
Mere hasiyan ch chittiyan dupehran.
Mukhre ’te vassan baharan diyan ruttan,
Meri mutthi ’ch samaiyan satte khairan.
Nainan vich neele neele aathan da rang mere,
Massya di raat jihe vaal.
Ve lallariya
Rang de dupatta mera laal.
Akhhan vichon dullhde khumaar deek deek
Hoiyan phiran hawavan madh-mattiyan.
Soohe bullhan utte vekh hase di lakeer
Neevi paundiyan gulaab diyan pattiyan.
Bol ban jaan ras bhinnra sangeet
Pa ke jaffiyan sugandhiyan de naal.
Ve lallariya
Rang de dupatta mera laal.
Noor diyan nadiyan suhappanan de sagaran da
Sab kuchh sade palle pai gaya.
Mehikan naal laddi hoi paun de farhate naal
Mukh ton dupatta injh leh gaya.
Sone-range sarghi de thaal ton sarkde jyon
Baddlan de reshmi rumaal.
Ve lallariya…
Rang de dupatta
Seene vich lainde angraiyan armaan
Chadhi hikk utte jobne di kaang vi.
Nain dubb jaane chahunn ghund da sahara,
Naale mangdi sindoor meri maang vi.
Kise nu ki dassan ‘kalli baith baith hassan,
Dahde mithe mithe aunde ne khyaal.
Ve lallariya…
Rang de dupatta mera laal.
In Punjabi songwriting, the name of Sardar Babu Singh Maan stands tall. While his more popular and widely accepted songs have gained prominence, his songs of deeper literary significance often remain less discussed. In idiomatic Punjabi songwriting, like his senior Gurdev Singh Maan and his contemporary Didar Sandhu, he has been a successful interpreter of Punjab’s rural idiom. For nearly sixty years, he has kept generations youthful by writing songs that feel like folk songs themselves. Even his first recorded song reflects this quality — a composition as vibrant as a freshly braided plait or an ear of wheat.
Aa gaya vanjara ni
Chadha lai bhabi chudiyan.
Gussa dahda bhaara
Deora ve tere veer da.
Phullan utte kato hardam nahin khedi rehni.
Battiyan dandan vichon mang lai jehri vi shai laini.
Palatan vichon chhutti aaya
Kehnda deor kuara
Ni chadha lai bhabi chudiyan.
Khambhan di us daar banauni munh kar laina mota.
Pal vich akhiyan pher lavenga tu ain nahun nahun khota.
Kaun utaaran wala jamya
Chadh janda jad paara.
Deora ve tere veer da.
Chadhe mahine dasan dasan de milde note giaraan.
Taithon nikkiyan ho gayiyan ne bhar joban mutiyaaran.
Mainu vi koi saak liya de
Karde paar utaara.
Ni chadha lai bhabi chudiyan.
Sabh ’te paani phere tere veere di adrbai.
Siftan de pul banne bapu nu chokhi vaah lai.
Kehnda beebi vekh ke makhi
Khanda kaun dobara.
Deora ve tere veer da.
Gussa dahda bhaara.
Panje unglan iko jehiyan hon kade na bhabi.
Neevi thaan bitha lain je nikle zara kharabi.
Sau maari te ik ginni,
Je kuske Maan vichara…
Ni chadha lai bhabi chudiyan.
Pairan hethhan hath dendiyan umar langha lai saari.
Kal gal jaane ne mauran vich salangh ghuma ke maari.
Mera ee jera paani wangu
Pee gayi gussa saara.
Deora ve tere veer da.
Gussa dahda bhaara.
About the Author – Prof. Gurbhajan Singh Gill
Chairman, Punjabi Folk Heritage Academy
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