Tu Zindaa Hai…
Protest song from India/South Asia
A couple weeks ago, a Desi comrade drew my attention to this amazing protest song, dating back to the anticolonial struggle against the British and written by the Hindi/Urdu lyricist Shailendra. I’m putting this together to make it accessible to a wider English-speaking audience, Desi or not.
There are different versions of the lyrics and translations in various places. I’m sharing heavily from this excellent blogpost, and some material from this one as well. My selection of the lyrics match this wonderful video of the song, featuring Umar Khalid and Anirban, Indian activists who have faced state persecution themselves.
Scroll below for lyrics in Hindi with English translation, and then lyrics in English. Please comment if you see errors, etc.
Lyrics in Hindi & English translation
तू जिंदा है तो ज़िन्दगी की जीत में यकीन कर
अगर कहीं है स्वर्ग तो उतार ला ज़मीन पर. तू जिंदा है ….
If you are alive, believe in the victory of life.
If there is a heaven somewhere, bring it down to the earth.
ये ग़म के और चार दिन, सितम के और चार दिन,
ये दिन भी जायेंगे गुज़र, गुज़र गए हज़ार दिन.
कभी तो होगी इस चमन पे भी बहार की नज़र,
अगर कहीं है स्वर्ग तो उतार ला ज़मीन पर. तू जिंदा है…
Four more days of grief, four more days of torture,
These days shall also pass, like a thousand days before them
Some day the spring will beam down upon this garden, too,
If there is a heaven somewhere, bring it down to the earth.
हज़ार वेश धर पर आए, मौत तेरे द्वार पर
मगर तुझे न छल सकी , चली गई वो हार कर
नई सुबह के संग सदा तुझे मिली नई उमर
अगर कहीं है स्वर्ग तो, उतार ला जमीन पर, तू जिंदा है…
Wearing a thousand forms, Death came to your door
But unable to cheat you, Death was defeated and fled.
With every single dawn you gain a new life.
If there is a heaven somewhere, bring it down to the earth.
बुरी है आग पेट की, बुरे हैं दिल के दाग ये,
न दब सकेंगे, एक दिन बनेंगे इन्कलाब ये,
गिरेंगे ज़ुल्म के महल, बनेंगे फिर नवीन घर,
अगर कहीं है स्वर्ग तो उतार ला ज़मीन पर. तू जिंदा है…
The fire of hunger is unbearable, terrible are these stains on our hearts.
These cannot be suppressed forever, one day they will create a revolution.
The palaces of tyranny will be demolished, and new homes will be built
If there is a heaven somewhere, bring it down to the earth.
Lyrics in English
Written to make it easily fit the song for non-native speakers
Tu zindaa hai, to zindagi ki jeeta mein yaqeena kar,
Agar kahi(n) hai swarga to utaara laa zameena par
Tu zindaa hai…
Ye gham ke aura chaara din, sitam ke aura chaara din,
Ye din bhi jaayenge guzar, guzar gaye hazaara din.
Kabhi to hogi is chaman pe bhi bahaara ki nazar,
Agar kahi(n) hai swarga to utaara laa zameena par
Tu zindaa hai…
Hazaara vesha dhar pe aaye, maut tere dwara par
Magar tujhe na chhal saki , chali gayi vo haara kar
Nayi subah ke sang sada tujhe mili nayi umar
Agar kahi(n) hai swarga to utaara laa zameena par
Tu zindaa hai…
Buri hai aaga peta ki, bure hai(n) dil ke daaga ye,
Na dab sakenge, eka din banenge inquilaaba ye.
Girenge zulma ke mahal, banenge fir naveena ghar,
Agar kahi(n) hai swarga to utaara laa zameena par
Tu zindaa hai…
