I normally write my posts in Hindi. But now since I am participating in a month long campaign ‘My friend Alexa’ organized by Blogchatter, during September I would submit some of my posts in English. Today I submit a layman’s English translation of a Ghazal written by Akhtar Sheerani Ji and sung by Ghulam Ali jI. The title of the Ghazal is ‘Mastaana Piye Ja’. It is my humble effort, I know it is not a perfect translation, just an effort.
Keep Drinking O Jovial Guy
Hey jovial guy (Mastaana), keep drinking (wine),
keep drinking o jovial guy,
What to talk of a Peg, keep consuming
the whole of wine ( Bar-Maikhana).
And in this process, immerse all the sadness
caused by miseries of the world, in the wine.
Hey you, the loser heart,
drink it as a healing formulation.
You are not familiar with
the etiquettes of drinking,
So follow dictats of the
Bar-girl (/boy), and keep drinking.
In this holy land of drinkers,
you exist by your jovialness,
Be totally crazy and keep drinking,
with the spirit of a drinker.
The hustle-bustles of the Bar (maikhaana)
are to last for a little while more,
A new day is about to begin,
so keep drinking
you, the icon of craziness.
and here is the original Ghazal in Roman script-
Mastaana piye ja yun hi mastaana piye ja – 2
Paimaana to kya cheez hai maikhaana piye ja.
Kar gharq-e-mao-jaam gham-e-gardish-e-ayyaam – 2
Ae dil-e-naakaam hakeemaana piye ja.
Mai-noshee ke aadaab se aagah nahin tu – 2
Jis tarah kahe saaqi-e-maikhaana piye ja
Is makr ki basti mein hai masti hi se hasti – 2
Deewana ban aur baa-dil-e-deewana piye ja
Maikhaane ke hungaame hain kuchh der ke mehmaan
Hai subah-o-qaareeb akhtar-e-deewana piye ja.
That’s all for today.
