Some timeless and classic words are often ignored, or do not get as
much limelight as they deserve. I came across one more song of similar nature.
This song is so close to my heart that I almost sink in its rhythm, whenever I
listen to it. Yes, I am talking about ‘RANGREZ’ from the movie ‘TANU Weds MANU’.
The protagonist is asking his lover to blend him in her colors, make
him just the way she is. She is everything for him in the world. He denotes her
lover as RANGREZ, which means DYER or the one who colors clothes. For those who
find difficult understanding this beautiful song, I am translating it in English.
Enjoy and sink in the colors of love!
Aye rangrez mere, rangrez mere
ek baat bata rangrez mere
ye koun se paani mein tune koun
sa rang ghola hai,
ye koun se paani mein tune koun
sa rang ghola hai
ke dil ban gaya saudai,
aur mera basanti chola hai, mera
basanti chola hai,
Oh dyer of mine, Dear Dyer of mine,
Tell me a thing that what blend have you created of your colors and water!
My heart is all blue in love so profound,
And my cape is soaked in saffron…
Ab tumse kya main shikwa karun,
Maine hi kaha tha zid karke, rang
de chunri pi ke rang mein
Par mue kapas pe rang na ruke
rang itna gehra tera Ki jaano
jigar tak bhi rang de..
Jigar rang de…
What should I complain to you?
I like a stubborn asked you to color my veil in my lover’s color
Oh! Your colors dyed my fabric insanely
Deep within my heart ‘n soul everything is dyed of your color,
Color my heart away…
Rangrez tune afeem kya hai kha
li,
Jo mujhse tu ye pooche ke koun sa
rang?
Rangon ka karobaar hai tera, ye
tu hi to jaane, koun sa rang…
O Dyer, Are you intoxicated on Opium that you are asking me what shade to
come?
It is your business... Only you know what you should be coloring…
Mera balam rang, mera saajan
rang, Mera katik rang, Mera aghan rang,
mera phagan rang, mera saawan
rang,
Pal pal rangte rangte, rangte
mere atho pahar manbhawan rang
Ek boond ishqiyan daal koi tu,
Mera saaton samandar jaye rang,
My beloved’s color, my soul mate’s shade,
My spring color, my autumn hue, my rainfall color
Dye my all seasons and moments
with your color
Add a single drop of your love and color up my seven seas
Meri hadd bhi rang, sarhad bhi
rang,
Behad rang de, anhad bhi rang de,
Mandir masjid maikad rang,
Rangrez mere do ghar kyun rahe,
Ek hi rang mein dono ghar rang
de, dono rang de,
Pal pal rangte rangte rangte
rangte… naihar peehar ka aangan rang
Pal pal rangte rangte rangte
rangte… mere atho pahar manbhawan rang
Neende rang de, karwat bhi rang,
Khwabon pe pade salwat bhi rang
Color me off limits, Color my boundaries,
Color me extreme, color my unceasing infinities,
My temple, my mosque, my entire world indeed
Oh dyer, why we are separated by two different worlds?
Paint just one single shade to both worlds with your embraces,
Paint every moment, the courtyards of my maternal and marital heavens
Paint every moment, drape all my moments in one a shade
Color my sleep, color my peace,
Color even the creases of my dreams,
Ye tu hi hai, hairat rang de,
Aa dil mein sama hasrat rang de,
Fir aaja aur vaslat rang de,
Aa na sake to furqat rang de
Darde hijra liye dil mein darde,
hijra liye dil mein darde main zinda rahu,
Main Zinda rahu, zurrat rang de.
This is only you…color my amazement of you,
Come in my heart and paint my desires,
Come and color away our union,
And if you cannot, just paint our separation,
Even with the pain of being apart, I must live on,
Color my dare to carry on…
Rangrez mere, Rangrez mere,
Tera kya hai asal rang, ab to ye
dikhla de,
Mera piya bhi tu, meri sej bhi
tu,
Mera rang bhi tu, rangrez bhi tu,
Meri naiyaa bhi tu, majdhar bhi,
tujhmein dooboo, tujhmein ubarun,
Teri har ek baat sar aankhon pe,
Mera malik tu, mera sahib tu,
Meri jaa meri jaan, tere haatho
mein,
Mera qatil tu, mera munsif tu,
Tere bina kuch sujhe na, Tere bina
kuch sujhe na,
O dyer of mine,
What is your own real color? Show it now,
Oh you’re my lover, you are my resting place,
You are my color, and my colorful dyer too,
You are my sail, the center of ocean,
I sink in you; I come afloat under your beacon
Your every word is my supreme given
You are my owner and my master
My soul is in your hands,
You are my killer, you are my justice giver
I am clueless without you,
Meri raah bhi tu, mera rehbar tu,
Mera sarvar tu, mera aqbar tu,
Mera mashrik tu, Mera magrib tu,
Zahid bhi mera, murshid bhi tu,
Ab tere bina main jaun kahan,
Tere bina tere bina tere bina……
You are my voyage, my travel mate in sight,
My riddance, My genesis, My guiding light,
My lord is you, my disciple too,
Where could I go without you,
Where could I ever go without you,without you….
Aye rangrez mere, rangrez mere
ek baat bata rangrez mere
ye koun se paani mein tune koun sa rang ghola hai,
ye koun se paani mein tune koun sa rang ghola hai
ke dil ban gaya saudai,
aur mera basanti chola hai, mera basanti chola hai,
Oh dyer of mine, Dear Dyer of mine,
Tell me a thing that what blend have you created of your colors and water!
My heart is all blue in love so profound,
And my cape is soaked in saffron…
