Yeh Hai Mumbai meri jaan

Yeh  Hai Mumbai meri jaan

Recreated by

P.R.Ramachander

(Rewritten based on the write up   of Arpan Kumar de   given in  huffington  post.in

Since I have never lived in Mumbai for more than two days I am simply not capable  of writing   this.)

From my cosy nook  in  Bangalore, One  day  , I did reach that place ,

And since  I had to  travel a lot  to reach   the house  of my fiend ,

I did engage  an auto    and the meter   showed that I have to pay  rupees sixty  three,

I scoured my pockets and took  out  rupees   seventy    and gave it   to him,

And As I always   do in Bangalore started  walking   away   , but the auto driver chased me,

With a Vada Pav in his hand  and told me  that he  did  not have rupees  seven, to give back ,  please take  this and go.

And I heard some one playing “Yeh hai  Mumbai meri jaan, jara hatke , jara bach ke…

Next day evening  I did   go to   a famous beach in that famous city   and we  were watching,

Three girls and two boys    drinking beer  in their car   and  all of a sudden started  an outpour,

The like of which I have   never seen in my life and  those  three  girls and two boys,

Got out of the car  and started singing   and dancing   in that  torrential tsunami ,

And I also saw  an old  senior  citizen couple    sitting on the bench by the beach,

Enjoying    the rain  , chit chatting   as  if nothing   ever was happening outside.

And I heard some one singing  “Yeh hai  Mumbai meri jaan, jara hatke , jara bach ke…

My friend  took me by a local train ,   so full that  it appeared  as if no one can get in,

But not only us but very  many of those  outside   did get  in  and started  chit chatting,.

And my friend told me that in their city  ,” WE  always gave space and made themselves a bigger we.”

And he said they played cards , played chess, chanted Vedas  , Did Namas  and cut vegetables inside that  train.

And I heard some one’s   cell phone was blaring  “Yeh hai  Mumbai meri jaan, jara hatke , jara bach ke…

Next day  I had a meeting to  attend   at eight AM sharp and the city  seemed to drown in water,

And I thought  I had to swim to catch the local train   but I walked  , jumped  , joined with the big WE in the train

I reached   that office expecting no one would   have come   to office that   day and no meeting would take place,

But imagine my surprise when the office was full   and meeting started  exactly at eight.

And the boy supplying tea   was  humming “Yeh hai  Mumbai meri jaan, jara hatke , jara bach ke…

I did pass   through many slums there , with houses   surrounded  by evil  smelling water,

But I never  saw a single  human being  ,  in those slums    who had    a very sad face ,

And my friend showed me a couple   with a child    not having    any  roof over their head,

But  when I  saw them properly made  up   with a smile and singing songs I could not believe

And I heard some one  singing loudly “Yeh hai  Mumbai meri jaan, jara hatke , jara bach ke…

The roads were hell, crowded   with people  , vehicle  , police   as well as animals.

I would have  cried to drive  in those roads  thinking I would never   come back ,

But I saw a  twenty five year  old Sardar   driving   his bike   through that crowd,

Laughing , singing , making  fun of  the  girls and  chitchatting  with  all other   drivers

A road side  Pandal   was playing “Yeh hai  Mumbai meri jaan, jara hatke , jara bach ke…

People ran there , people fought there  , people played   there , people worked  there,

For it is the city   of their dreams   and when you   took   pity  on them for everything .

They laughed  loudly and said , “in our city    we  do not live but   we struggle” but they said,

No one is different from any one there as   even Ambani   has to come to petrol bunk to fill duel to his car

And  with tears  in my eyes  I was singing  “Yeh hai  Mumbai meri jaan, jara hatke , jara bach ke…

Yeh hai Mumbai meri jaan

If you have  not hear the song  , you do not no Mumbai .

Read the song    and hear it  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlAOZrst6fQ

ए दिल है मुश्किल जीना यहा
ज़रा हट के ज़रा बच के, ये है बॉम्बे मेरी जान
ए दिल है..

कही बिल्डिंग कही ट्रामे, कही मोटर कही मिल,
मिलता है यहां सब कुछ इक मिलता नही दिल..
इंसान का नही कही नाम-ओ-निशा
ज़रा हट के ज़रा बच के, ये है बॉम्बे मेरी जान
ए दिल है..

कही सत्ता, कही पत्ता कही चोरी कही रेस,
कही डाका, कही फाका कही ठोकर कही ठेस..
बेकारो के है कई काम यहा
ज़रा हट के ज़रा बच के, ये है बॉम्बे मेरी जान
ए दिल है..

बेघर को आवारा यहा कहते हस हस,
खुद काटे गले सबके कहे इसको बिज़नस..
इक चीज़ के है कई नाम यहा
ज़रा हट के ज़रा बच के, ये है बॉम्बे मेरी जान
ए दिल है..

बुरा दुनिया वो है कहता ऐसा भोला तू ना बन,
जो है करता वो है भरता है यहा का ये चलन..
तदबीर नही चलने की यहा
ये है बॉम्बे, ये है बॉम्बे, ये है बॉम्बे मेरी जान

ए दिल है मुश्किल जीना यहा
ज़रा हट के ज़रा बच के, ये है बॉम्बे मेरी जान
ए दिल है आसा जीना यहा
सुनो मिस्टर, सुनो बंधू, ये है बॉम्बे मेरी जान
ए दिल है मुश्किल जीना यहा
ज़रा हट के ज़रा बच के, ये है बॉम्बे मेरी जान

Ai dil hai mushakil jeena yaha    
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan
Ai dil hai mushakil jeena yaha
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan

Kahin building kahin traa
Me kahin motor kahin mill
Milata hai yaha sab kuchh
Ik milata nahin dil
Kahin building kahin traa
Me kahin motor kahin mill
Milata hai yaha sab kuchh
Ik milata nahin dil insaaf ka
Nahin kahin naam o nishaan
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan
Ai dil hai mushakil jeena yaha
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan

Kahin satta kahin patta
Kahin chori kahin res
Kahin daaka kahin phaan
Ka kahin thokar kahin thes
Kahin satta kahin patta
Kahin chori kahin res
Kahin daaka kahin phaanka
Kahin thokar kahin thes
Bekaaro ke hain kai kaam yaha
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan
Ai dil hai mushakil jeena yaha
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan

Beghar ko aavaara yaha
Kehate hans hans
Khud kaate gale sab ke
Kahe is ko business
Beghar ko aavaara yaha
Kehate hans hans
Khud kaate gale sab ke
Kahe is ko business
Ik cheez ke hain kai naam yaha
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan
Ai dil hai mushakil jeena yaha
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan

Bura duniya jo hai kehata
Aisa bhola tu na ban
Jo hai karta vo hai bharta
Ye jaha ka hai chalan
Bura duniya jo hai kehata
Aisa bhola tu na ban
Jo hai karta vo hai bharta
Ye jaha ka hai chalan
Dadageera nahi chalne ki yaha
Ye hai bambai ye hai bambai
Ye hai bombay meri jaan
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bombay meri jaan
Ai dil hai mushakil jeena yaha
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan
Ai dil hai aasaan jeena yaha
Suno mister suno bandhu
Yeh hai bambai meri jaan
Ai dil hai mushakil jeena yaha
Zara hat ke zara bach ke
Ye hai bambai meri jaan.

Summary  English meaning

(Pardon for liberties in translation)

Oh  darling mine  , it  is difficult  to live here.

By  slightly moving , by slightly  trying to live,

This is Mumbai  My darling

Oh my darling  buildings are here , Trams are here  , Cars are here and many mills are here,

But darling though one can find everything , you cannot find true love here

There  is not a speck  of human beings here  any where,

By  slightly moving , by slightly  trying to live,

This is Mumbai  My darling

Oh darling mine    some one gambles , someone bets on races   and someone steals ,

Some of them starve, some are   always insulted and some   are always sorrowing,

But  even  the useless  idle ones   will get some job in some places here.

By  slightly moving , by slightly  trying to live,

This is Mumbai  My darling

Those   who do not houses  here are called   as  vagabonds here,

Some of them cut other’s throats  but call it their   job,

All  such jobs here  do have very many names.

By  slightly moving , by slightly  trying to live,

This is Mumbai  My darling

Do not  ever say that  it is a very bad world and do not become   innocent ,

The rule of the game here is , “he who does   , pays    for his work”

And if   you show your muscles, no one cares  for it here,

By  slightly moving , by slightly  trying to live,

This is Mumbai  My darling

Oh Darling  , it is difficult   to live  here,

By  slightly moving , by slightly  trying to live,

This is Mumbai  My darling

Oh Darling it is really    easy to live here,

Listen sir  , Listen   friend ,  this is Mumbay  , oh my darling

Oh Darling  , it is difficult   to live  here,

By  slightly moving , by slightly  trying to live,

This is Mumbai  My darling