DON’T CRY, MOM--translated

DON’T CRY, MOM--translated



Mom don’t cry, besides me you
Have sons many more too.
To die for my motherland,
Is my good luck it’s true.

Say your goodbye with a smile.
Your son played well his part.
Though he cried when he was born,
He goes with joy in heart.

Where my dust mingles with you,
O my dear Motherland,
At that very spot will grow
Red roses a thousand.

I won’t be here tomorrow,
But when the sky is dark,
You will find amongst the stars,
A new one with a spark.

I will be born again when
Ganga won’t be a slave
And freely on Himalaya
The tricolour will wave.


* Written in abcb, 7-6-7-6 format
* Initially written as entry no. 419470 in BILINGUAL POETRY, "BILINGUAL POETRY BOOK" . Posted as the present item, 22 July 2008.

• Translated, at personal request of a person not knowing Hindi, from the original song, reproduced below, from the record breaking film Bandini, 1963, starring Ashok Kumar, Nutan, Dharmendra and Asit Sen. This song was written by Shailendra and sung by Manna Dey, with music by S D Burman. The original lyrics, in Roman as well as Hindi script, are given below.

• Context—This is a song sung by a boy in the twenties, fighting for independence from the British yoke, who was jailed by the British/Indian government and sentenced to be hanged by the British judge. The young man sings the song at the time of bidding final goodbye to his mother, as he marches to the gallows. Ganga is the great, sacred Indian river. Himalayas are the lofty mountains at the north of India. Ganga originates from the Himalaya.


M C Gupta
14 April 2006

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Film: Bandini (1963)
Music: S D Burman
Lyrics: Shailendra
Singer (s): Manna Dey
Starring: Ashok Kumar, Nutan, Dharmendra, Raja Paranjpe, Tarun Bose, Asit Sen


mat ro maataa laal tere bahutere
janamabhuumi ke kaam aayaa mai.n ba.De bhaag hai.n mere

ha.Ns kar mujhako aaj vidaa kar janam safal ho meraa
rotaa jag me.n aayaa ha.Nsataa chalaa ye baalak teraa

dhool meri jis jagah teree mittee se mil jaaegee
sau sai laal gulaabon ki phul-bagia laharaaegee

kal mai.n nahii.n rahuu.Ngaa lekin jab hogaa andhiyaaraa
taaro.n me.n tuu dekhegii ha.Nsataa ek nayaa sitaaraa

phir janamuu.Ngaa us din jab aazaad bahegii gangaa
unnat bhaal himaalay par jab laharaayegaa tirangaa



मत रो माता लाल तेरे बहुतेरे
जनमभूमि के काम आया मैं बड़े भाग हैं मेरे

हँस कर मुझको आज विदा कर जनम सफ़ल हो मेरा
रोता जग में आया हँसता चला ये बालक तेरा

धूल मेरी जिस जगह तेरी मिट्टी से मिल जाएगी
सौ सौ लाल गुलाबों की फुलबगिया लहराएगी

कल मैं नहीं रहूँगा लेकिन जब होगा अन्धियारा
तारों में तू देखेगी हँसता एक नया सितारा

फिर जन्मूँगा उस दिन जब आज़ाद बहेगी गंगा
उन्नत भाल हिमालय पर जब लहरायेगा तिरंगा