Love is like a chewing gum. It sticks in the wrong places in your mouth. You chew it and you feel like God, but a couple of minutes later, it gets so annoying that you want to throw it away.
Some swallow it. Some continue to chew it. But then some let go. Wrapped in a paper or sheet of plastic.
Love is a chewing gum that stays for life.
Love ain’t easy, mind you.
Love is sticky, annoying, and often interrupts one’s sleep cycle.
Love should be made a sleeping disorder. A chewing-gum-sleep-disorder.
Here’s a beautiful little song by Anuv Jain called Mishri.
Anuv is a favourite, everyone. His music is soulful, real, and very heartfelt. You must listen to him.
This post is dedicated wholeheartedly to Zachary, who wrote to me to request this translation that I absolutely enjoyed.
Thank you, Zachary. For introducing this beautiful song to me, and I hope I did you some justice.
PS. This is what mishri, a sweet little diamond rock sugarʼ like thing looks like:
Ye palkon mein
Kuch baatein hain
Tere bina
Tere bina..
Adhuri si saari raatein hain
Tere bina
Tere bina..
There are bits of conversation
In the remnants of my dreams
Without you
Without you, my love
All these nights are endless
Without you
Without you, my love
Aur aasmaan mein
Jo taare hain
Tu aise mere dil mein
Saja hai
And all these stars in the sky
You’re engraved in my heart the very same way
Ye taare jo
Ab tootein toh
In khwaaishon mein
Tu hi raha hai
All these stars that break
Now that they’re breaking
It’s like you’re the wish
Wish that’s coming true
Aur mishri si
Teri baatein ye
Yun haule haule yaad
Aa rahi hain
And like mishri
Your conversations
Are sweetening my dreams
As I slowly begin to remember them
Aur meethi si
Teri yaadein ab
Yun raaton mein
Sula ja rahi hain
And these sweet memories
Come to me in the middle of nights
Help me sleep, love
Tu aur bhi
Haan aaj bhi
Kahin na kahin
Sapno mein
Raha hai
Even though years have gone by
You continue to breathe
In my dreams
Aur mishri ke
Inn badalon mein
Tu aaj bhi kahin pe
Chhipa hai
And these mishri clouds
Seem like they’re hiding you
Tu neendon mein
Band aankhon mein
Yun haule haule
Ladti jhagadti hai
You come and play games
Behind these closed eyes
In my sleep, every now and then
Na jaane kyun
Phir aake tu
Mujhe hi jaana
Kas ke pakadti hai
And I don’t know why
Why you always come and hold me
Hold me tight, my love
Tera
Tera hi main ho gaya hun
Sone ke mehlon mein
I’m yours
I have become yours in these sleep castles
Tera
Tera hi main ho gaya hun
Mitti ke shehron mein..
Yours..
I have become yours in these sand castles of life too
In Devnagri:
ये पलकों में कुछ बातें हैं
तेरे बिना, तेरे बिना
अधूरी सी सारी रातें हैं
तेरे बिना, तेरे बिना
और आसमाँ में जो तारे हैं
तू वैसे मेरे दिल में सजा है
ये तारे जो अब टूटे तों
इन ख़्वाहिशों में तू ही रहा है
और मिश्री सी तेरी बातें ये
यूँ हौले-हौले याद आ रहीं हैं
और मीठी सी तेरी यादें अब
यूँ रातों में सुला जा रहीं हैं
तू आज भी, आज भी
कहीं ना कहीं सपनों में रहा है
और मिश्री के इन बादलों में
तू आज भी कहीं पे छिपा है
तू नींदों में, बंद आँखों में
यूँ हौले-हौले लड़ती-झगड़ती है
ना जाने क्यूँ फिर आके तू
मुझे ही जाना कस के पकड़ती है!
तेरा, तेरा ही
मैं हो गया हूँ सोने के महलों में
तेरा, तेरा ही
मैं हो गया हूँ मिट्टी के शहरों में
सिफ़र. 