Sukoon dil ka mayassar gul o samar mein nahin
Posted on: July 27, 2011
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Street Singer (1938) is a wonderful musical bonanza, that has two of the greatest singer-actors in it, in the person of Saigal Saab and Kaanan Devi. Six songs from this movie are already posted on this blog. This is the seventh song, and what a wonderful ghazal it is. The ghazal itself is presented as a duet, and is rendered very simply, yet elegantly by Saigal Saab and Kaanan Devi. A summary of the story line of this film has already been discussed in the previous two songs posted for this movie, viz., ‘Ghungharwaa baaje chhananana chhan’ and ‘Hai kyaa koi suhaawan sapnaa’. In this song, the two street singers meet the rich theatre owner for the first time – a meeting that will change their lives and destinies. The theatre owner’s role is played by Jagdeesh Sethi. (Folks can recall the film ‘Baat Ek Raat Ki’ (1962), where this very person, Jagdeesh Sethi has played a role of a rich film producer who takes fancy to a street performer (Waheeda Rehman), takes her under his care, and makes her a film star. Another variant to the theme of this movie, although the 1962 creation further develops as a murder mystery).
Kaanan Devi looks beautiful and enticing in this scene, and one can clearly see that the theatre owner has taken an immediate fancy to her. Unmindful of this development in his mind, the two singers simply present a song to him. They are earning a livelihood, not knowing that their lives are going to change forever.
The ghazal is crafted by Aarzoo Lucknowi, and the music composition is by RC Boral. The words and the theme of the ghazal talks about finding contentment in life. The four verses, alternately sung by Kaanan Devi and Saigal Saab, all espouse the importance and characteristics of contentment in life. This theme is significant at this juncture in the movie. Manju and Bhulwaa are till now singing the songs that Bhulwaa is creating, and the things are going well between the two. After this meeting with the theatre owner, they will be offered to sing on stage. That will change the life style for these street singers, and their reactions to this change are different. The persona of Manju is taken in by the limelight and the euphoria of popularity as a stage artist, and forgets this theme of contentment that she so soulfully used to sing with Bhulwaa. And that is how their destinies start to take different paths.
The ghazal itself is a wonderful expression of this theme. I briefly explain it below.
sukoon dil ka mayassar gul-o-samar mein nahin
jo aashiyaan mein hai apne, wo baagh bhar mein nahin
The contentment cannot be obtained from the flowers and fruits that are available in the garden (of life). What we have with us in our own homes, there is nothing in this world to compare.
sukoon = satisfaction, contentment
dil = heart, mind
mayassar = intrinsic, obtainable from
gul = flowers
samar = fruits
aashiyaan = nest, adobe, home
baagh = garden (of life), this world
baagh bhar mein nahin = not available elsewhere in this world
jahaan hai raah-guzar keh rahi hai chalti saans
sukoon ki koi ummeed umr bhar mein nahin
If the mind is restive, and is in search for something on the pathways of life, there can be no hope for contentment all life long. This assertion is as true as the coming and going of the breath of life.
jahaan hai = where there is
raah-guzar = pathways
keh rahi hai = is saying
chalti saans = coming and going of breath
sukoon = satisfaction, contentment
ummeed = hope
umr bhar = life long
na aasraa ho jisey doosre kaa ae hamdam
wo aisa dil hai ke jaise chiraag ghar mein nahin
One who has no faith and trust in another, that soul is just like a home without a lamp.
The interpretation here can be as follows. The ‘another’ is a reference to the Almighty God. One must have trust and faith in his guardianship. A soul, which does not have such a trust will not have the wisdom (light, illumination) to find the right path.
aasraa = protection, faith in the guardianship of another
na aasraa ho jisey = one who does not have faith in the guardianship
doosre ka = of another (one interpretation of another is God)
chiraag = lamp, illumination
paraaye dukh ko dukh apnaa samajh le aur de saath
bashar nahin jo ye baat ‘aarzoo’ bashar mein nahin
A human being who does not have the desire to empathize with the unhappiness in other people’s life and does not support them, he is not worthy of being a human. Once again, the reference is to contentment. Only a person who is contented inside, will have the capacity to give solace and help others in need. One who is not contented inside, does not have the capacity for such empathy for others, for he is still seeking empathy for himself, from others.
paraaya = belonging to someone else; not mine
dukh = unhappiness, misery
apnaa = mine
samajh le = understand
de saath = provide company, provide help, provide comfort
bashar = human being
aarzoo = desire; it is also the name of the poet (takhallus; poets signature inserted into the flow of the poem)
Audio – Kanan Devi Solo version
Video – (Duet version)
Song-Sukoon dil ka mayassar gul o samar mein nahin (Street Singer)(1938) Singers-K L Saigal,Kanan Devi,Lyrics-Aarzoo Lucknow,MD-R C Boral
Lyrics
sukoon dil ka mayassar gul-o-samar mein nahin
sukoon dil ka mayassar gul-o-samar mein nahin
sukoon dil ka mayassar gul-o-samar mein nahin
jo aashiyaan mein hai apne,
wo baagh bhar mein nahin
jo aashiyaan mein hai apne,
wo baagh bhar mein nahin
jahaan hai raah-guzar
keh rahi hai chalti saans
jahaan hai raah-guzar
keh rahi hai chalti saans
sukoon ki koi ummeed
umr bhar mein nahin
sukoon ki koi ummeed
umr bhar mein nahin
na aasraa ho jisey doosre kaa ae hamdam
na aasraa ho jisey doosre kaa ae hamdam
wo aisa dil hai ke jaise chiraag ghar mein nahin
wo aisa dil hai ke jaise chiraag ghar mein nahin
paraaye dukh ko dukh apnaa samajh le aur de saath
paraaye dukh ko dukh apnaa samajh le aur de saath
bashar nahin jo ye baat ‘aarzoo’ bashar mein nahin
bashar nahin jo ye baat ‘aarzoo’ bashar mein nahin
7 Responses to "Sukoon dil ka mayassar gul o samar mein nahin"
July 28, 2011 at 12:07 am
Arun ji
I am so glad that the effort is worthwhile; you kind words of encouragement mean a lot to me. 🙂
Rgds
Sudhir
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July 28, 2011 at 12:53 am
Wow! What a fantastic write-up and explanation for this song. And what a lovely song too. Hearing it for the first time. Thanks a lot, Sudhir ji. As Arunkumar ji has said, you put your heart and soul into your writing. They’re always a pleasure to read.
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July 28, 2011 at 1:06 am
Raja ji
Thanks for your appreciation and encouragement. I am glad.
🙂
Rgds
Sudhir
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July 29, 2011 at 5:33 am
Sudhirbhai:
I have got to join in! Excellent work………your knowledge of Urdu and English is tremendous. You have done justice to Arzoo Lucknowi’s lyrics.
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July 29, 2011 at 12:04 pm
Arif Bhai,
Thanks for your appreciation and kind words. My knowledge is not tremedous, but I try.
Rgds
Sudhir
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January 15, 2014 at 5:15 pm
Kanan Devi’s solo record version of the ghazal :
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
July 27, 2011 at 11:08 am
Sudhir ji,
Honestly,reading your notes on songs is a complete experience indeed.Perticularly,if the song happens to be a Gazal (by anybody and more so by Ghalib),then you seem to pour your heart into it and that makes the reader enjoy it more.
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