Babla and Kanchan’s rendition of “Khirki Khuli Rahi” was featured on their album “Musical Voyage: East Meets West” (1998). The original by Sundar Popo is slightly different lyrically but will be translated in another post. It is interesting to note that while Kanchan Bollywood-ized the sound, her words here are more based in Bhojpuri compared to Popo’s use of Hindi. The meaning is that the “saas-sasur” (in-laws) are whispering about what is happening in their house. Notice the phrase “khusur phusur” for talking quietly or in secret. Their son seems to be having an affair and the song is sung from the perspective of his wife, who laments that he comes home and then leaves. The food is not eaten, the bed is not slept on, and the paan remains unchewed. She stays up all night waiting for him, the window open for his return.

Translated by Vinay Harrichan as part of the Caribbean Hindustani team:

Khirki khuli rahi sari ratiya
The window remains open all night

Saas sasur ghar khusur phusur bathia
The in-laws are whispering and talking

Balama sab ke ghar mein aawat hai
My beloved comes to our house

Jyonaar javay bina jaibe na
And will leave without eating dinner

Panwa chabai bina jaibe na
And will leave without chewing paan

Sejiya pe soye bina jaibe na
And will leave without sleeping on the bed

The legendary musician Yusuff Khan was often praised for his original compositions. One of his most well-known songs is “Rahariya Ke Pattiya,” featured on the album “Yusuff Khan Sings Again” from the 1970s. Produced by Moean Mohammed and recorded in Trinidad, it was a major hit among Indian women at their functions. Khan sings about a family in which many of the marriages are interfaith Hindu and Muslim unions. As this would have been seen as rather progressive at the time, these individuals are quite proud of themselves and making a spectacle of it. Khan symbolizes them showing off their ego to one another by comparing it to the shining leaves of pigeon peas. There are many versions of this song, but the narrative about vanity for others to see is similar.

Translated by Vinay Harrichan as part of the Caribbean Hindustani team:

Khoob jhalaki, khoob jhalaki
Shining brightly, shining brightly

Rahariya ke pattiya khoob jhalaki
The leaves of the pigeon peas are shining brightly

Saas more Hindu, sasur Muselman
My mother-in-law is Hindu, father-in-law is Muslim

Dono jana milke karela abhimaan
The both of them are showing off to one another

Karela abhimaan, karela abhimaan
Showing pride, showing pride

Bhaiya more Hindu, bhoujani Muselman
My elder brother is Hindu, his wife is Muslim

Dewar more Hindu, dewrani Muselman
My younger brother-in-law is Hindu, his wife is Muslim

Khoob jhalaki, khoob jhalaki saiyaan
Shining brightly, shining brightly beloved

One of the Indian duo’s less known songs, Babla and Kanchan’s “Police Wala” featured on their “Laila” (1980) and “Diamond Collection Volume 1” (1998) albums. The narrator is, presumably, a young woman lamenting about the anger and embarrassment she feels after being betrayed by her lover, a policeman, who stole her heart and disappeared. Throughout the track he is referred to as a thief. The original piece was produced by Mo Records in Miami, Florida. Arranged and composed by Babla, the lyrics were penned by Kanchan. Mohan Jaikaran and Daman Sood are credited as the executive producer and sound engineer respectively.

Translated by Vinay Harrichan as part of the Caribbean Hindustani team:

Mere dil ki chori karke, vo bhaaga bhaaga
After stealing my heart, he ran far away

Vo police wala, tum toh zara police wala
That policeman, you are that policeman

Solah baras mein kam, ek din ta bhi
In less than sixteen years, there was not even one day

Main kamseen thi, aa gaya mor kabhi
I was innocent and pure, he never came back to me

Dil ki chori karke, chup gaya darti mein
After my heart was stolen, I remained quiet out of fear

Kismat uski dekho, haan vo arti mein
Look at her fate, yes she is in distress

Police mein dil liya, sab ko pata challa
I took my heart to the police station, everyone found out

Complaint kaise karu, khud hi vo chor hai
How can I make a complaint, the policeman himself is the thief

Rasika Dindial’s album “Come Chamkay with Rasika and the Lazy Man” (1998) was groundbreaking because of the chutney classics that came from it. One of the more iconic tracks was “Ratiya Pusur,” a tale of a woman longing for her lover or husband. He is presumably having an affair or has perhaps passed on because she is mourning his absence. She makes note of the bed that is not slept on, the cigarette that remains unlit, and the food that goes uneaten. As is the nature of traditional chutney music, the composition details the domestic duties and woes of Indian women.

Translated by Vinay Harrichan as part of the Caribbean Hindustani team:

Ratiya pusur pusur bathiaiyle
Whispering and talking at night

Dinwa kaha gavaiyo na
Where has the day gone by?

Aisa maje se main jyonaar banaiyo
With excitement I made dinner

Jyonaar kaha gavaiyo na
Where has the dinner been wasted?

Aisa maje se main birwa banaiyo
With excitement I rolled a cigarette

Birwa kaha juraiyi na
Where has the cigarette been lit?

Aisa maje se main sejiya bichaiyo
With excitement I spread the bed

Sejiya kaha sowaiyo na
Where has the bed been slept on?

Indo-Trinidadian singer Rakesh Yankarran’s “Mousie” is a famous chutney composition. Featured on the album “Geh Tem Raja” (2000) by Praimsingh Productions, most do not know that it is a sohar or genre of music played for the birth of Hindu children. The lyrics narrate the order of events that take place at the chathi or six day rites for babies. The mousie (maternal aunt) makes halwa (sweets) in the rasoi (kitchen). The chamine (midwife) arrives to give the mother a “bush bath” before she changes her clothes. While the lalana (baby) cries for milk, the Aji (paternal grandmother) rocks the jhulana (cradle). The parjaa (family) arrive with food and the babu (priest) performs the rituals.

Translated by Vinay Harrichan as part of the Caribbean Hindustani team:

Mausi rasoiye halwa, ab mausi rasoiye halwa
Mousie is making sweets in the kitchen now

Arey batarwa, oh batarwa, ai batarwa khoje
She is searching and looking for the butter

Chau din ke, barhi manawe, barhi manawe
After six days, observe the twelve day rites

Chathi ke, na bhar de, chahti ke, na bhar de
Do not stop the celebrations after the chathi

Chamine aaye, maiya nahaiye, maiya nahaiye
The midwife comes and the mother bathes

Pehene ab sundar kapra, pehene ab sundar kapra
Now she puts on some beautiful clothes

Lalana roye, dudhe mange, dudhe mange
The baby cries and wants milk

Aji-bahu, jhulana jhulawe, jhulana jhulawe
The paternal grandmother and daughter-in-law rock the cradle

Parjaa aaye, khana laaye, khana laaye
The relatives come and bring food

Babu bidhi dikha lalana, babu bidhi dikha lalana
The pandit does the birth rites and shows the baby

The Hindustani phrase “kuch gadbad hai” refers to something that is wrong or amiss. Indian duo Babla and Kanchan implemented the saying for their chutney classic of the same name, featured on the album “Kuch Gadbad Hai” (1984) pictured here. It is an Indianized remake of the soca “Hot Hot Hot” (1982) by Montserratian artist Arrow. The lyrics describe situations around a Hindu wedding that are strange. The baraat (procession) arrives with the dulaha (groom) but the dulahin (bride) is missing as she may be drunk. Her bhabhi (sister-in-law) is chewing imli (tamarind), something her mamu (maternal uncle) would traditionally do. In the interest of ancestral language preservation, you can start using “kuch gadbad hai” in your speech.

Translated by Vinay Harrichan as part of the Caribbean Hindustani team:

Dulha hai, baraati hai
The groom is here, the procession is here

Kanya kyu na aati hai?
Why is the bride not coming?

Kuch gadbad hai
Something is wrong

Haan-ji, haan gadbad hai
Yes, yes something is wrong

Sundar hai, ghane baal bhi hai
She is beautiful, she even has full hair

Terhi-merhi kyu chaal hai?
Why does she walk funny?

Degree na vo paas hai
He does not have a degree

Par naukari uski khaas hai
But he has a special job

Khirki hai, larki hai
There is a window, a girl is there

Mummy uski kyu bharti hai?
Why is her mummy worried?

Aankhon mein aina hai
She wears glasses

Naam uska Sunaina hai
But her name means “beautiful eyes”

Dheere dheere aati hai
She comes slowly

Bhabhi imli kyu khaati hai?
Why is sister-in-law eating tamarind?