At the manifest level of 'ishq-e-majaazi' (worldly love), this song describes the rapturous moments of (re)union with a longed-for beloved. In this night of ecstasy, the party pooper is the watchman, striking his gong every hour, dourly marking time, cutting short the moments of bliss. One wonders though about the hidden import, the 'baatin', which echoes at the level of 'ishq-e-haqeeqi' (spiritual love). Who is the beloved who has come home, and who is the watchman, marking time?
This iconic poem by Bulleshah was first widely popularised by singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and has grown to become one of the most popular qawwalis of the Sufi musical universe. Here Fariduddin Ayaz and Abu Muhammad sing the first few verses of this song on the culminating night of the Bangalore Festival of Kabir in 2009, bringing many young people to their feet!
Fariduddin Ayaz & Abu Muhammad are acclaimed qawwals from Karachi, Pakistan and belong to the 700-year-old 'Qawwal Bachchon Ka Gharana' of Delhi. They sing in Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pushto, Hindi, Poorbi, Persian, Arabic and Turkish, intermingling with aplomb the voice of Kabir with a range of Sufi poets including Jalaluddin Rumi, Sachal Sarmast, Zaheen Shah and others. Contact them at: +92-300-2105393, abupk@yahoo.com
The Festival of Kabir was organised by the Kabir Project, Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology along with several other partner organisations in Bangalore in February 2009. It brought together singers from India and Pakistan in an immersive week-long event that included film screenings, live music concerts and talks.
Song Credits:
Lead Vocals & Harmonium: Fariduddin Ayaz & Abu Muhammad
Chorus & Clapping: Ghulam Akram, Ali Akbar, Gayoor Ahmed,Moizuddin, Mubark Haris, Zarrar Ahmed, Shah Laeeghuddin, Shehzad Hussain
Dholak: Muhammad Ashfa, Muhammad Nawab Kallan
Translation: Shabnam Virmani & Vipul Rikhi
Video Credits:
Cameras: Tahireh Lal & Vinay Dhodgeri
Editing: Aarthi Parthasarathy
Editing Support: Radha Mahendru
Sound: Dipanshu Mitra
Sub-Titling: Mamta Kandari, Nandini Nayar & Shabnam Virmani
Collection: The Kabir Project
Place: Bangalore, India
Date of Recording: Mar 01, 2009
मेरा पिया घर आया
इश्क़ जब हद से गुज़र जाए तो बीमारी है
और अगर हद से ना गुज़रे तो अदाकारी है
हद हद जपे सो औलिया और बेहद जपे सो पीर
हद अनहद दोनों जपे सो वाको नाम फ़कीर
मेरा पिया घर आया, हो लाल जी
घड़ियाली देवो निकाल नी
पिया घर आया
सान्नु अल्लाह मिलाया
हुण आपे करदा निहाल जी
यार दे अग्गे सजदा करदे मुल्लाह डरदे वेखे
अपना यार मनावण लई असाँ सय्यद नचदे वेखे
मीरा ज़हर का प्याला पी गयी
मीरा हद से पार उतर गयी
प्रेम कहानी सुनो रे भाई!
होश गया बेहोशी आयी
खुदी मिटी तब मिली खुदाई
तकल्लुफ़ बर-तरफ़ हम तो सर-ए-बाज़ार नाचेंगे
सर-ए-बाज़ार नाचेंगे, बरू-ए-यार नाचेंगे
घड़ी घड़ी घड़ियाल बजावे
रात वसल दी पया घटावे
मेरे दिल दी बात जे पावे
हत्थों जा सुट्टो घड़ियाल नी
मेरा पिया घर आया!
अनहद वाजा वजे शहाना
मुतरिब सुघड़ा ताल तराना
भुल गया वज़ू नमाज़ दो-गाना
मद प्याला दे हुन कलाल जी
मेरा पिया घर आया!
My Beloved Has Come Home
When love crosses limits, it’s a disease
And if it doesn’t, it's a charade
One who ponders the finite is an 'aulia'
One who ponders the infinite is a 'peer'
Pondering both the finite and infinite
That one is a 'fakir'
My beloved has come home, oh friends!
Send the watchman away
My precious love has returned!
My beloved has come home
Allah brought us together
I am in raptures
I am in ecstasy!
I've seen mullahs scared
Of bowing to their beloved
I've seen Sayyads even dancing
To please their sweethearts!
Meera drank the cup of poison
Meera leapt across all boundaries
Listen to this tale of love, oh friends!
I left sobriety and got entranced
I lost my self and found divinity
Decorum be damned
I'll dance in the streets!
I'll dance with abandon
For my beloved, I'll dance
Time and again he strikes the gong
Cutting short my night of union
If he knew my heart's desire
He'd throw the clock away!
My Beloved has come home!
The unstruck melody echoes sweet
A singer skilled in song and beat
Ablutions, prayers are all forgotten
Oh wine seller, hand me a drink!
My Beloved has come home!
Translation: Shabnam Virmani & Vipul Rikhi
Mera Piya Ghar Aaya
Ishq jab had se guzar jaaye to beemaari hai
Aur agar had se na guzre to adaakaari hai
Had had jape so auliya
Aur behad jape so peer
Had anhad donon jape
So vaako naam fakir
Mera piya ghar aaya, ho laal ji
Ghadiyaal devo nikaal ni
Piya ghar aaya
Saannu Allah milaaya
Hun aape karda nihaal ji
Yaar de agge sajda karde Mullah darde vekhe
Apna yaar manaavan lai asaan Sayyad nachde vekhe
Meera zeher ka pyaala pi gayi
Meera had se paar utar gayi
Prem kahaani suno re bhai
Hosh gaya behoshi aayi
Khudi miti tab mili khudaai
Takalluf bar taraf ham to sar-e-baazaar naachenge
Sar-e-baazaar naachenge, baru-e-yaar naachenge
Ghadi ghadi ghadiyaal bajaave
Raat vasal di paya ghataave
Mere dil di baat je paave
Hatthon ja sutto ghadiyaal ni
Mera piya ghar aaya…
Anhad vaaja vaje shahaana
Mutrib sughda taal taraana
Bhul gaya vazu namaaz dogaana
Mad pyaala de hun kalaal ji
Mera piya ghar aaya…