Laaga chunri mein daag

Aaa... aa... aa...
Laaga, chunri mein daag,
Chhupaoon kaise,
Laaga, chunri mein daag
Chunri mein daag, chhupaoon kaise,
Ghar jaoon kaise
Laaga, chunri mein daag
Chhupaoon kaise,
Laaga, chunri mein daag...

Ho gayi maili mori chunariya,
Kore badan si kori chunariya,
Ho gayi maili mori chunariya,
Kore badan si kori chunariya
Aa... jaake babul se,
Nazrein milaoon kaise, ghar jaoon kaise
Laaga, chunri mein daag
Chhupaoon kaise,
Laaga, chunri mein daag
Chhupaoon kaise,
Laaga, chunri mein daag...

Bhool gayi sab vachan bida ke,
Kho gayi main sasuraal mein aake
Bhool gayi sab vachan bida ke,
Kho gayi main sasuraal mein aake
Aa ... jaake babul se,
Nazrein milaoon kaise, ghar jaoon kaise
Laaga, chunri mein daag...

Kori chunariya aatma mori, mail hai maayajaal
Kori chunariya aatma mori mail hai maayajaal
Woh duniya more babul ka ghar,
Ye duniya sasuraal
Haan jaake, babul se,
Nazrein milaoon kaise, ghar jaoon kaise
Laaga, chunri mein daag
Chhupaoon kaise,
Laaga, chunri mein daag
Chhupaoon kaise,
Laaga, chunri mein daag...

Aaa... dheem ta na na na dir dir taanum...

Movie: Dil Hi To Hai (1963)
Directors: C. L. Rawal, P. L. Santoshi
Singer: Manna Dey
Music Composer: Roshan
Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi

My brother sings this often (in his own style, of course!), because he enjoys this song. That alone makes it dear to me. Besides that, I love the lyrics. 

I marvel at how easily Sahir Ludhianvi has captured the essence of what living in this world does to us. He says “woh duniya more babul ka ghar, ye duniya sasuraal,” and asks “jaake babul se nazrein milaoon kaise, ghar jaoon kaise?” because “laaga, chunri mein daag.” And, in case you didn’t understand, “kori chunariya aatma mori, mail hai maayajaal.”

I also love the picturisation. Raj Kapoor manages to lip-synch even the fast rendition of the sargam by Manna Dey, who is a master at singing such songs. ~ S