Chun Chun Maati

Death. How can we forget it? The most basic fact of life is forgotten in the rush of life itself. Kabir reminds us - that which is built will fall; that which is born will die. This is a live recording from a concert given in Bangalore in January 2017.

This beautiful song learnt from Bharmal Vagha of Kutch.

Chun chun maati mahal banaaya
Moorakh kahe ghar mera

Na ghar mera na ghar tera

Hai jagat mein phera

Khaak mein khap jaana re banda

Maati se mil jaana

Thoda (nahin) karo abhimaan

Ik din pavan sa ud jaana

Jaada pehro jheena pehro

Pehro malmal saacha

Rupya paawal mushroo pehro

Toye maran keri aasa

Khaak mein khap jaana…

Sona pehro roopa pehro

Pehro heerla saacha

Vaar vaar motida pehro

Toye maran keri aasa

Khaak mein khap jaana…

Maata roye janam janam

Aur behen roye baarah maasa

Ghar ki naari ter din roye

Kare beeja ni aasa

Khaak mein khap jaana…

Ik din jiyo do din jiyo

Jiyo varas pachaasa

Kahat Kabira suno bhai saadho

Toye maran keri aasa

Khaak mein khap jaana…

Laying Brick Upon Brick 

Laying brick upon brick

The fool says, “My house”!

Not my house, nor your house

This world’s a merry-go-round

You’ll turn to dust one day

You’ll merge with the earth

Don’t be so proud, oh fellow

The wind will blow you away

Your attire may be fine or rough

You may wear the best silks

Spend a lot of money on finery

It all ends in death

You’ll turn to dust… 

Wear expensive gold or silver

Or the finest diamonds

Wear pearls over and over

It all ends in death

You’ll turn to dust…

You mother may mourn for years

Your sister for many months

Your partner will wait a few days

Then look for someone else!

You’ll turn to dust…

You may live one day or two

Or a hundred years

Kabir says, listen friend

It all ends in death 
You’ll turn to dust…

Translation: Vipul Rikhi 

Hiye Kaaya Mein

In yet another song on the body, Kabir meditates on the fragility of our lives - like a necklace of pearls that will scatter, like a garden of flowers that will be grazed away, or like a clay pot that will shatter one day. This body is also described as a marketplace, where one must strike a good bargain.

We learnt this beautiful song from Mooralala ji. This is a live recording (hence the low levels) made in Rome by the renowned oral historian, Alessandro Portelli, who had warmly invited and hosted us. Singing here at the Apollo Film Club as part of our tour of Europe in 2014.

Hiye kaaya mein bartan maati ro
Hiye dehi mein bartan maati ro
Phooti jaase nahin kare ranako
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Ek hi din ro, ghadi palak ro
Nahin re bharoso ek hi pal ro
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Hiye kaaya mein maala motiyan ki
Tooti jaase doro roodho tan ko
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Hiye kaaya mein haat bajaara
Sauda kari le ho roodho pal ro
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Hiye kaaya mein vaadi phuliyan ki
Mriga chari jaaye ho roodho van ro
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Ek din aavse, sab ne bulaavse
Lekha lese raai til ro
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Kahat Kabira suno bhai saadho
Pehla hai naam alakh ro

Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro 

In This Body 

In this body, a vessel of clay

It will shatter

Then never resound

I fear that day, lord

Just one day, one moment

The blink of an eyelid

Can you trust

A single instant?

In this body, a string of pearls

The thread of this body

Will snap one day

I fear that day, lord…

In this body, a market bustles

Find a true saint

Strike a good bargain

I fear that day, lord…

In this body, a field of flowers

A deer grazes away

The beautiful garden

I fear that day, lord…

A day will come

Each one will be called

An account taken

Of every moment

I fear that day, lord…

Says Kabir, listen seekers

First and foremost

Remember the invisible

I fear that day, lord…

(Translation by Vipul Rikhi and Shabnam Virmani)

Kaachi Chhe Kaya Thaari

This body is perishable. The yarns we spin about ourselves and the world are false. Gorakh nudges us to confront these difficult truths in this song, insistently asking, "Who made this fragile body?" Gorakhnath was a legendary ascetic and poet from the 11-12th century, widely known for popularizing the Nath Panth and its yogic practices. Find more songs at www.ishqfakiri.com

Kaachi chhe kaya thaari
Jhuthdi chhe maya Raam
Jhuthda se lekh likhaaya Raam
Kaachi ho, kaun ghadeli thaari kaya?

Ghat maan hi Ganga Raam
Ghat maan hi Jamuna Raam
Ghat maan hi teerath nhaaya Raam
Kaachi ho...

Ghat maan hi amba Raam
Ghat maan hi ambi Raam
Ghat maan hi chaakhan-haara Raam
Kaachi ho...

Ghat maan hi taala Raam
Ghat maan hi koonji Raam
Ghat maan hi kholan-haara Raam
Kaachi ho...

Machhinder prataap jati Gorakh bole re
Samjhya so hi nar paaya Raam

Kaachi ho... 

How Frail Your Body  

How frail your body, how false your world

How untrue the account you give of it

O Raam, dear Raam

Pray tell, do tell

Who fabricated your frail body?

In the body, Ganga flows

In the body, Yamuna flows

In the body, the pilgrim who takes the dip

O Raam, dear Raam

Pray tell…

In the body, the ripe mango

In the body, the raw mango

In the body, the one who tastes and knows

O Raam, dear Raam

Pray tell…

In the body, the lock

In the body, the key

In the body, the one who opens the door

O Raam, dear Raam

Pray tell…

With Machhinder’s grace

Gorakh says

One who got this, got everything

O Raam, dear Raam

Pray tell…

Translation: Vipul Rikhi