Sunday, October 7, 2012

Ishq Di Naviyon Naveen Bahar - Baba Bulleh Shah

This amazing recital by Ustad Bakshi Salamat Qawwal and party is from a Radio Pakistan collection posted by Pedro Ferrari on NaadSaagar. Bulleh Shah's Kaafi "Ishq di Navinyon Navin Bahar" is of course best appreciated in its original Punjabi, however I am taking the liberty of adding a short English translation for those who have difficulty understanding all the words. The singers obviously have a particularly strong foundation in classical singing as becomes obvious from their emotive taankari. Also noteworthy is the sargam in places such as at 2.00 and 3.45 :-). A true gem from the archives....



Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!

Jaañ main sabak ishq da parhya
Ustad Bakshi Salamat Qawwal Party
Masjid koloñ jheoda darya
Puch puch thakur daware warya
Jithe wajde naad hazar
When I learnt the lesson of love,
My heart dreaded the sight of mosques.
I then entered the abode of the Lord,
Where resounded a thousand melodies 

Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!


Vaid quranañ parh parh thakke
Sajde kardiañ khass gayañ mathe
Na rubb teerath na rub makke
Jis paya tis noor anwar

Sick of reading the Vedas and the Qurans,
My forehead is worn by constant obeisance.
God is not found at shrines or mosques,
Whoever found, found Him as Light of lights

Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!


Phook massala bhan sit lota
Na phar tasbi aasa sota
Aashiq kehnde dende hoka
Tarak halaloñ kha murdar
Burn the mat, break the lota
Touch not the rosary, nor the staff.
The lovers proclaim at the top of their voice
Give up halal and eat murdar

Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!


Ranjhe Heer de ho gaye mele
Bhulli Heer dhoondendi bele
Ranjhan yaar bagal vich khele
Surt rahya na surat sawar
Heer and Ranjha are united at last!
Deluded Heer had sought him in woods
While beloved Ranjha played in her veil,
Before Him I lost my senses and wits.


Ishq di navinyon navin bahar 
ishq di navinyon navin bahar 

Ever new, ever fresh is the spring of love!

~ Baba Bulleh Shah (1680 - 1758)
Bulleh Shah - The Love-intoxicated Iconoclast


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

cool to see the translations... so often I miss them as coming from outside of South Asia its pitty missing the understanding... very informative who produces radio shows for Indian (music) culture... http://www.imcradio.net/shortprofile . Your blog let me remember I had a specifically show "Ragas in Sufi Music" - programme info: http://bit.ly/hy4aJU (playlist here: http://www.imcradio.net/playlists ). Keep going your good work... Greetings from Europe.

Anonymous said...

I think the line is not "Ved Qurana' but "Ved Purana" (The Vedas and the Puranas). since there is only one Quran (but several Puranas), Bulle Shah would not use "Qurana" to refer to the Quran.

Unknown said...

Tons n tons of thanks for posting lyrical n translations took superb job keep it up