by B. R. GOWANI
This song’s heart wrenching lyrics were written by the revolutionary poet Sahir Ludhianvi and is from the 1956 Indian film Chandrakanta. The great Mohammed Rafi sang it to the music of Datta Naik i.e., N. Datta.
Original lyrics in Hindi/Urdu
maiN ne chAnd aur sitAroN ki tamannA ki thi
maiN ne chAnd aur sitAroN ki tamannA ki thi
mujh ko rAtoN ki siyAhi ke sivA kuchh na milA
maiN vo naghmA huuN jise pyAr ki mehfil na mili
vo musAfir huuN jise koi bhi manzil na mili
zakhm pAe haiN bahAroN ki tamannA ki thi
maiN ne chANd aur sitAroN ki tamannA ki thi
kisi gesu kisi ANchal kA sahArA bhi nahiN
rAste meN koi dhuNdlA sA sitAra bhi nahiN
meri nazroN ne nazAroN ki tamannA ki thi
maiN ne chANd aur sitAroN ki tamannA ki thi
dil meiN nAkAm umidoN ke basere pAe *
roshni lene ko niklA to aNdhere pAe
raNg aur noor ke dhAroN ki tamannA ki thi
maiN ne chANd aur sitAroN ki tamannA ki thi
meri rAhoN se judA ho gaeeN rAheN un ki
Aj badli nazar Ati hai nigAheN un ki
jin se is dil ne sahAroN ki tamannA ki thi
maiN ne chANd aur sitAroN ki tamannA ki thi
pyaar mANgA to sisakte hue armAn mile
chain chAhA to umaDte hue tufAn mile
Dubte dil ne kinAroN kI tamannA kI thI
maiN ne chANd aur sitAroN kI tamannA kI thI
Translation
my desire was the moon and the stars
received nothing but the dark of the night
I am the song that didn’t find any audience of love
I am the traveler who didn’t find any destination
I have received wounds instead of the spring I desired
my desire was the moon and the stars
I found no refuge in any tresses nor any arms
I found not even a blurry star on my path
my eyes had desired a beautiful enounter
my desire was the moon and the stars
I found failed hopes nestled in my heart
I wanted to attain light but only found darkness
I had desired the stream of colorful luminosity
my desire was the moon and the stars
my path has diverged from the path of my love
I find today her glance towards me is altered
the one from whom my heart had desired shelter
my desire was the moon and the stars
I had asked for love, instead gained sighs of longing
I wanted tranquility, but I got surging storms
my sinking heart had desired the shore
my desire was the moon and the stars
*This verse was not part of the song and that’ why it is mising in the above video.
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com