Sie sind auf Seite 1von 7

ਨੰਦ ਲਾਲ ਨੂ ਰਪੁਰੀ

Of all the songs that I listened on the gramophone of my uncle Noor Din, one stuck in my head. Here
is a stanza from it that I remember:

Gora rung te sharabti akhiyan


(my) white complexion and red
‫ﮔﻮﺭﺍ ﺭﻧﮓ ﺗﮯ‬ Ni mein ghund wich duck wine eyes; I kept them hidden
‫ﺷﺮﺑﺘﯽ ﺍﮐﻬﻴﺎں‬ duckk rakhian
‫ک‬
ّ ‫ﻧﯽ ﻣﻴﮟ ﮔﻬﻨﮉ ﻭچ ڈ‬ behind this veil.
‫ک ﺭﮐﻬﻴﺎں‬ّ ‫ڈ‬
I have rendered as RED WINE EYES. SHERBAT in
Punjab is a sweet drink and is usually colored RED. It quenches
thirst and so people use it in summer. So, such eyes would be red
and inviting to quench one’s thirst (for beauty). But red wine simile
additionally adds the intoxicating effects that they have both on
the person possessing such eyes and the
observer. So, one will be enamored with such
eyes. the Punjabi young girls usually suspend
part of their shawl or DOPATTA over the
face as a sign of modesty and also to
avoid people to look into their eyes. Such a
covering is called GHOONGHAT in
Urdu and GHOOND in Punjabi.
At that time (1945-46) I did not understand
the expression. In Punjabi culture red sweet
syrup is served to guests and so the sherbet
has become a metaphor for red color in the eyes that makes the
beauty much more inviting. Obviously, our
culture always required to hide the beauty of woman
by a veil. Thus, Sharabti eyes show red lines and are very inviting.
Searching for an English equivalent of the metaphor led me to
Bible book Genesis 49:12. Here such eyes are compared to red
wine.
My search for the song finally led me to a forgotten poet and
lyricist NAND LAL NOORPURI (1906-1966). Actually, here songs are
indexed with the first line of their lyrics. And the line that I
remembered was not the first line. This song had stuck into my
memory since 1944. I have been searching for this song for last 10
years but could not find a clue. I got to an Indian YouTube
channel SA RE GA MA. There was a radio program recorded at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itpv34zU0fw.
I downloaded this file here. The song I was looking for was near
the end of this video. On the left is the title of this video. I have cut
the particular song from the complete file and saved here. A list of
songs contained in the radio program has been given at the end
of this chapter. Also, alternate links for individual songs are
provided.
The life story of Nand Lal Noorpuri is
very tragic. Since I read it, I am
constantly
thinking of this
legend of a
poet. All poets
are very
sensitive people and get depressed on very

delicate matters that pass by ordinary people without any


impact.He did not earn much from his poetry while the movie
industry benefitted from it and is still continuing to benefit without
paying a penny. Here I collected some of the details of biography
of Nand Lal Noorpuri:
1-The beginning
Nand Lal was born at the beginning of the last century, in 1906 in
Nurpur, district Lyallpur, now Faisalabad in Pakistan. At the Khalsa
College in Layallpur, he got involved in the spirit of literature that
would eventually provide him fame and ultimately lead to his
demise.
Slowly at college,
Khalsa College Layallpur
poetry won against
the college began its life journey in Lyallpur in undivided
studies and Nand Lal
Punjab with the establishment of Khalsa High School in
1908. the philanthropists of the city donated land and immersed himself into
other resources for the establishment of the school. Noted the varied hues of
Sikh statesman master Tara Singh served as the first poetical
headmaster of the school and it was here that he got the
title of 'Master' prefixed to his name. the school was later
compositions. He quit
upgraded to a degree college in 1928. After partition of the college and joined as
British India the college was reestablished in Jalandhar in a schoolteacher at
1947-48.
Noorpur to earn a
In Faisalabad There is still a street named as Khalsa College living.
Street. I am trying to find the fate of its old building. Mr.
This dichotomy of the
Tariq Amer, a Pakistani blogger residing in Canada, has
promised to provide details on his next visite to Faisalabad. need to earn a living
and write poetry as a
free spirit dogged him throughout his life. It also took him into other
professions, but the need to write always won in the end. The job
of a schoolmaster failed to fulfill the inner urges of the poet and he
finally called it quits.
His next professional venture was as unlikely a venture could be for
a sensitive poet. He joined the police
force as assistant sub-inspector and the
destination was Bikaner.
There three persons were shot dead by
the police in an encounter. Nand Lal was
leading the police party that was
attacked by persons who were brewing
liquor illegally.
Police officer Noorpuri received a bravery
award for it but it left an indelible mark on
the poet Noorpuri.

2-Poetry takes over


In 1940, he left Bikaner to come back to Punjab and the poet in
him took over completely. That year he wrote songs for the movie
‘Mangti’, launching his career as a film lyricist. Experimenting, he
got into uncharted waters. He wrote an opera on the ill-fated
lovers, ‘Mirza-Sahiban’, which has been irretrievably lost now. He
got a contract with Colombia Film Company as a lyricist. He had
fame and he got ample remunerations for doing what he wanted
to do. What more could have a poet asked for.

3-Change of fate
Destiny had something else in store for Noorpuri and India. Our
Independence coincided with the biggest holocaust witnessed by
the region. The partition changed everything for him. He lost his
home and livelihood and came to Jalandhar, which would be his
home for the next two decades. Sources of income dried up.
In the time of upheaval, poetic sensibilities were the last things on
their minds. House and hearth took precedence over all else.
Noorpuri found work in the radio but the income was never
enough for the family. Times had changed and how. He then got
employment in the newly formed State Language Department.
Poet’s nature again took over and he left the department after
about two years.
He limited himself to the radio and kavi darbars for income, which
was erratic and in fits and starts. Slowly, poverty increased its grip
on Noorpuri and the family sunk deeper into it.
Depression and suicidal thoughts followed. Noorpuri loved life and
words. He wanted to write the thoughts churning in his mind. But
the rigors of life, earning a livelihood were the ultimate winners. He
could not print his book.
4-Tragedy strikes
Even before partition, when he was a police officer and had
earned awards for bravery and fearlessness, the police combats
left him thinking about the families of criminals. He got into great
depression and after partition, he continued down on that path.
He had written an Elegy on the death of a loved one titled: ETHON
UD JA BHOLEYA PUNCHIA One evening (May 13, 1966)
he was very depressed and asked his grandson Inderjeet Singh to
sing him the above elegy. Suddenly he headed out in the street. A
small girl heard a splash in the nearby water well and life of the
poet ended. The strangest part was that before jumping into the
well, he had taken off his flip flops neatly placed on the edge of
the well.
5-Family’s struggle
Life after the demise of the patriarch at 60 was never easy for the
family. Noorpuri’s eldest son, Satnam Singh Noorpuri, the father of
Inderjit, was given a job in the Punjab Roadways. The rough life
made him an alcoholic and the liquor claimed his life in 1994. The
other son, Satkartar Singh Noorpuri, refusing to put up with the
hard times, migrated abroad. He now lives in Switzerland with his
family.
The grandson continues to live under his famous grandfather’s
shadow: the same city, the same locality and the same house
(constructed over a small piece of land the state government
gifted to the family).
The glory and the tragedy of Noorpuri’s life continue to haunt his
next generation. Inderjit could not secure a job in his father’s
department. “My mother and I kept going to the offices. We even
met ministers. They promised us that something would be done.
But nothing happened,” he says.
Twenty-seven-year-old Inderjit, married, with a child, now works as
an employee on contract. He goes to work crossing a road
named after his grandfather. He was there when the Chief Minister
came to attend a function in the city. He will be there again. But
the Govt. of India has done nothing to alleviate miseries of this
family.
6-Movie songs
MANGTI (PUNJABI: ਮੰਗਤੀ) Is a 1942 film starring Masood Pervez as a
hero with Mumtaz Shanti and others. It ran for more than one year
in Lahore and became the first golden jubilee Punjabi film in British
India. The music is composed by Pandit Govindram. The playback
singers include Zeenat Begum, Rehmat Bai and Noor Jehan. Nand
Lal Noorpuri wrote the lyrics (around 1940) along with Nazim
Panipati.
Film Songs:
1-Aavin Chann Ve Nehar De Kandhe Utte
2-Aey Dunia Taan Khush Hundi Eiy – sung by Zeenat Begum
3-Mainu Suttian Neend Na Aayee- Contains the line “Gora Rang
Te Sharabti Akhiyan”.
4-Banke Naina Walia Nain Milanda Ja
5-Lutt Lai Mast Jawani
6-Aithaun Udd Ja Bholia Panchhia – a duet by Dilawar Hussain
and Zeenat Begum
7-Supne Vich Mahi Aaya, Haule-Haule- Sung by Zeenat Begum
8-Tere Dars Di Pyasi
9-Din Charhia Tey Bankian Naaran
10-Ujjdi Hoee Dunia Meri Pher Wasanda Ja
In addition to above some of the songs that I found that are still
very popular on our media and some of the famous singers have
sung for TV and Films:
11-Jutti Qasoori https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCuLmPM9d0c -Surinder Kaur
12- Chan Ve Ke Shokan Mele Di
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVwWs88vBCE - Surinder
Kaur And Narinder
Kaur (Originaly by Mohammad Rafi and Surinder Kaur)
13- Gori diyan Jhanjhran bulaundia payan (Movie Husan Da
Chore) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDUqA-MNcNc By NOOR JEHAN –
NADRA
14-Balle ni Punjab diye sher bachiye-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk9nU-sFwNw-DALVINDER SINGH
15-Ni mainoon deor de wiyah wich nach lain de- Surinder Kaur -
Prakash Kaur https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPIaYDNbEKI
16-Chum Chum Rakho Ni Eh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubVRcqUfChc -
Surinder Kaur Parkash Kaur
17-Kidde shone chand ni
18-Ni Arriyo Kaag Banere te boliya- Surinder Kaur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXmfzOmgX4A
19-Khat Aaya Sohne sajnaan da https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf1KMa8I5-U
-Surinder Kaur
20-Kithey Mata Toriya https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVE7rS9bijg Surinder
Kaur Parkash Kaur
21-Daatey diyaan beperwahiyan ton -Gurpal Singh Paal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSKYEvT5K5Y

7-Nand Lal society


A society has been registered in Jalandhar to collect, disseminate
the poetic works of the poet and to hold periodic meetings to
discuss his life and in-depth meanings of his writing. It I because of
that society that some of his unknown writings have surfaced and
radio programs have made his songs to liven up his art.

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen