Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
Posted on: April 19, 2009
Wow! What an amazing song ! I have listened to this song in the past, but only in passing and without paying much attention. Now that I have listened to it and watched the picturisation, I am just floored.
This song is from a movie called “Do dooni chaar” (1968). This was the last movie of Bimal Ray. This song is sung by Kishore Kumar and picturised on him.
This is a philosophical song, one which has been penned by that amazingly creative lyricist Gulzar. The music is by Hemant Kumar. The picturisation is just as nice as the lyrics and the music and the singing.
This song is a masterpiece! Period ! I am amazed that I did not realise this earlier.
Audio
Video
Song-Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam ( Do dooni chaar ) (1968)Singer-Kishore Kumar, Lyrics-Gulzar, MD-Hemant Kumar
Lyrics
Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
ham anjaan pardesiyon ka salaam
Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
ye kiske liye hai
bataa kiskaa naam
ye kiske liye hai
bataa kiskaa naam
o panchi tera ye sureela salaam
Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
shaakh par jab dhoop aayi
haath chhoone ke liye
chhaaon cham se neeche koodi
hans ke bhooli
aayiye
yahaan subah se khela karti hai shaam
Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
chulbula ye paani apni raah bahna bhoolkar
letey letey aainaa chamka raha hai phool par
ye bhole se chehre hain masoom naam
Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
ham anjaan pardesiyon ka salaam
Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
—————————————————————
Translation (Provided by Sudhir)
—————————————————————
hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
hum anjaan pardesion ka salaam
Write a message to the winds
Write this message on the winds themselves
The message is a greeting from this unknown stranger / traveler
ye kiske liye hai bataa kis ke naam
o panchhi tera ye sureelaa salaam
My dear winged friend, for who do you sing and chirp?
Tell me the name, for whom you sing this musical greetings.
shaakh par jab dhoop aayee
haath chhoone ke liye
chhaon chham se neeche utri
hans ke boli aayi’e
yahaan subah se khela karti hai shaam
When the sun rises, and the sunbeams touch the branches of the trees
The shade (darkness, absence of light) that was sitting on the branches thus far
Leaps down from the branches, welcoming the beams to take their place
And thus the play of dawn and dusk continues forever
chulbula ye paani apni raah behnaa bhool kar
letey letey aainaa chamkaa rahaa hai phool par
ye bhole se chehre hain maasoom naam
The mischievous waters of the stream are so still, as if having forgotten to flow
Lying still on its backside, the water is reflecting the sunbeams on to the flowers, like a mirror
The faces (of people) here are simple, unpretentious
The names, they are innocent and unblemished
NOTE: the song itself has no significant connection with the story line. It is simply an impromptu expression of delight, with a heartfelt comment on the calm and tranquil environs of an unsullied forest panorama.
16 Responses to "Hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam"
April 19, 2009 at 1:31 pm
thank you for the video of this song, i ve been hearing it since i was born. saw it only today.
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April 20, 2009 at 6:55 am
So it looks like I am not the only person who was only causually acquaited with this song. The picturisation, the lyrics, the music and the singing, all are out of this world.
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June 21, 2009 at 2:44 pm
I am also one of those who have been searching the audio and video of this song, but could get now. Great melodious song. Thanks for the post.
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July 26, 2011 at 10:56 am
I had seen this movie in the then Kismat Talkies at Prabhadevi, Mumbai in 1968. The only thing about this movie which is still in my memory chips is this song.
Simple lyrics, soft orchestration, soft singing and good picturisation made this song memorable. This is one of those songs where watching video is more pleasurable than listening to only audio clip.
By the way, the little girl with her goat in this song is Baby Sonia ( Neetu Singh).
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August 3, 2011 at 11:46 am
Beautiful! Five brilliant things about this song
1) Kishore Kumar’s singing and acting
2) Gulzar’s mesmerizing word pictures
3) Hemant Kumar’s minimalist music
4) This is Bimal Roy’s last film
5) The little ray of sunshine, Neetu Singh jumping off trees. The most natural child on screen ever!
This one is up there with “Thandi hawa ye chandni” or “Jeevan se na haar”, his abstract songs
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August 6, 2011 at 12:07 am
Atul ji,
Two corrections to the lyrics above.
The 13th line is
“shaam cham se neeche koodi”
Should read
“chhaon chham se neeche koodi”
The 19th line is
“le chale the aainaa chamka raha hai phool par”
Should read
“letey letey aainaa chamka raha hai phool par”
The requested translation is as follows:
“hawaaon pe likh do hawaaon ke naam
hum anjaan pardesion ka salaam”
Write a message to the winds
Write this message on the winds themselves
The message is a greeting from this unknown stranger / traveler
“ye kiske liye hai bataa kis ke naam
o panchhi tera ye sureelaa salaam”
My dear winged friend, for who do you sing and chirp?
Tell me the name, for whom you sing this musical greetings.
“shaakh par jab dhoop aayee
haath chhoone ke kiye
chhaon chham se neeche utri
hans ke boli aayi’e
yahaan subah se khela karti hai shaam”
When the sun rises, and the sunbeams touch the branches of the trees
The shade (darkness, absence of light) that was sitting on the branches thus far
Leaps down from the branches, welcoming the beams to take their place
And thus the play of dawn and dusk continues forever
“chulbula ye paani apni raah behnaa bhool kar
letey letey aainaa chamkaa rahaa hai phool par
ye bhole se chehre hain maasoom naam”
The mischievous waters of the stream are so still, as if having forgotten to flow
Lying still on its backside, the water is reflecting the sunbeams on to the flowers, like a mirror
The faces (of people) here are simple, unpretentious
The names, they are innocent and unblemished
NOTE: the song itself has no significant connection with the story line. It is simply an impromptu expression of delight, with a heartfelt comment on the calm and tranquil environs of an unsullied forest panorama.
Rgds
Sudhir
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Nagesh Kumar C S
June 12, 2022 at 11:28 am
Absolutely perfect transaction. Great effort to translate Gulzar’s lyrics!!
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October 31, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Dear Sudhir
Good Afternoon
Excellent work. Great song, mellifluous singing by Kishorda and a great composition by Hemantda and mesmerizing lyric by Gulzar ji.
Thanks for sharing the Song, Lyric and the translation.
Just a small correction, there is small typing error in the repeated version under the translation. It shows “haath chhoone ke kiye”.but should read “haath chhoone ke liye”. (not serious)In the original it is OK.
Mata Saraswathi shower her blessings on you for your services to music.
My blessings to you.
Uma Maheswar Nakka
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November 24, 2016 at 1:00 am
Termed as fantastic ‘ nature song ‘ .Other songs pertaining to this category , which I love to listen again and again are :-
( 01 ) Neel Gagan Me Taley Dharti Ka Pyaar Paley Mahendra Kapoor Hamraaz
( 02 ) Parbaton Ke Pedon Per Shaam Ka Basera Hai Rafi Sahib and Suman Kalyanpur Shagoon
( 03 ) Yeh Khaamoshiyaan Yeh Tanhaaiyaan Rafi Sahib Asha Bhosle Yeh Raastey Hain Pyaar Ke
( 04 ) Itnee Haseen Itnee Jawaan Raat Kya Karein Rafi Sahib solo Aaj Aur Kal
( 05 ) Thandi Hawaa Mein Chaandni Suhaani Kishore Da Jhumroo
In most of the songs lyricist is none other than Sahirji .
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August 28, 2018 at 2:49 am
Just like others, I am simply impressed by this song. Thanks for the explanations of the lyrics by each line. It enhances the the enjoyment you get listening to this song even further. I wish there were more such explanations of the lyrics of some of the melodious songs from the past – specially with many Urdu words – so that they can be enjoyed even further as they were meant to be by the song writer. One can get close enough meaning from the reference to the other lines but to someone who truly wants to immerse in the mind set of the song writer close enough is no enough.
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October 31, 2020 at 8:44 am
See the child Neetu Singh on the tree in this sing
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15 | Nagesh Kumar C S
June 12, 2022 at 11:23 am
The movie’s director is credited as Debu Sen.. relate to Asit sen may be, never heard of him in other movies
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
April 19, 2009 at 9:53 am
What a beautiful song !!!
I have also only heard this casually all these years. Only now have I seen the picturisation and listened to it carefully.
Lovely, soft composition by Hemant Kumar.
And Kishore sings this so beautifully. Very very good !!!
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