Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Magic and words and Prasoon Joshi

During a poetry reading session with Gulzar at the Jaipur literary jingbang, he suddenly stood up and sang this to an audience of around a thousand. And as everyone around me burst into applause at the last line of the song, I was standing quietly, getting goosebumps and resisting the urge to rush up the steps and throw my arms around this man.

Jiya mora ghabraye, babul,
Bin bole raha na jaye.

Babul mori itni araj sun li jo,
Mohe sunar ke ghar na deejiyo,
Mohe jewar kabhi na bhaye.

Babul mori itni araj sun li jo,
Mohe raja ghar na deejiyo,
Mohe raaj karna na aye.

Babul mori itni araj sun li jo
Mohe lohar ke ghar de deejiyo
Jo mori janjeerey pighlaye...