Allah Ke Bande

Kailash Kher

Now, I’m not a religious guy or Muslim, but the song Allah Ke Bande by Kailash Kher (from the movie Waisa Bhi Hota Hai) really brought a smile to my face this morning while I was on my way to work.

The title of the song means “a person of God” or rather a follower of God I think. Its a beautiful Sufi song, and I’d really never paid much attention to the lyrics before. But somehow I just ended up playing this song over and over again on my iPod and was amazed at the subtle beauty of the song which is actually about a Parinda, or a bird.

I interpreted the song in my own way, so I don’t really know or care what its actually supposed to mean. Also, the translation is NOT literally word for word.

Toota, toota, ek parinda aise toota, ke phir jud na paya

This line says that, once there was a bird that was so broken that it could never fix itself.

Loota, loota, kisne usko aise loota, ke phir ud na paya…

Someone or something robbed this bird so bad that it could never fly again.

Sound familiar? Nah, just kidding. But these first two lines are so powerful that they immediately grab your attention.

Girta hua woh aasman se aakar gira zameen par, khaabon me fir bhi badal hi the, woh kehta raha magar….Allah ke bande has de….jo bhi ho kal phir ayega…

Tumbling from the sky he came falling down to earth. And now, even though in his dreams he only sees the clouds and skies, he still keeps on singing….”keep smiling, oh follower of God…because no matter what happens, tomorrow shall come again.”

These to me are the saddest lines in this song, because the broken flightless bird still sings about faith and hoping for a better tomorrow.

Khoke apne par hi toh, usne tha udna seekha….

Only after losing his wings did he truly learn how to fly…

Lovely

Gam ko apne saath me le le, dard bhi tere kaam ayega

Carry the grief with you, because even this pain will be useful to you one day.

I didn’t really understand the meaning of this line, but I think its something like using your grief as a way to heal yourself. Weird…yet beautiful.

Tukde tukde ho gaya tha har sapna jab woh toota…

He was broken into a million tiny pieces when all of his dreams got shattered…

Bikhre tukdon me Allah ki marzi ka manzar paayega

But in these scattered pieces you’ll find the message of God.

This line was probably a bit too religious for my taste, but the way in which I interpret it is that, all the shit that happens in your life…happens for a reason. And if you choose not to escape from the pain, but to accept it…then you can perhaps make some sense of it.

A really really touching and beautiful song. I guess Sufi songs are like that. They don’t belong to any caste or religion or country. They’re just beautiful verses of poetry that have deeper meaning.

Now go listen to it!