Binaifer Bharucha

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When
farmers from across India came to Delhi last month for the Kisan Mukti March,
one contingent from Punjab walked from Majnu ka Tila in the north of the city to
Ramlila Maidan in central Delhi on November 29. The next day, they marched
towards Parliament Street. Among them was Jagjit Singh (second from left in the cover photo on top) from Barnala district.
“They [the Modi government] are running away from promises made to us,” he said. “All our farmer brothers are helpless.
This has forced us to come out on the roads and protest. We are ready to do
anything if our promises are not fulfilled, even after this [march].” 


















Then
he sang this song:

0:00-0:03 
BA karke ho gaya hun vela main  Having completed a BA, I now
have time to kill

0:03-0:05 
Kardae jee kise sadh da I now feel like being a companion

0:05-0:07 
Ban ja hun chela main 
To a holy man 

0:07-0:11 
Mainthon nhi hunda kam kaar, haaye! 
Alas! I am unable to do
any kind of work! 

0:11-0:15 
Fayda ki hoya aithe degreeyan laen da? 
Did earning a degree do
any good?

0:15-0:18 
Rehna je berozgaar 
If you’re still
unemployed?

0:19-0:20 
Bapu karjai hoya   
My father is now in
heavy debt 
 
0:20-0:21 
Bhar bhar feesan 
Paying and paying [my] fees 

0:22-0:25 
Kam naiyo aaiyan, buddhi ma diyan assesan 
My old mother’s blessings
were of no use   

0:25-0:26 Main taan hun soch leya ae  I now believe0:27-0:28 
Kismat hi khoti ae! Bad luck is our
fate 0:29-0:33 
Saadi tan hath ne ohi, rukhi
jehi roti ae   In our hands is the same
old dry roti 0:34-0:37 Khasmanu
khaave sarkar oye  To hell with this government!

0:38-0:41 Fayda
ki hoya aithe degreeyan laen da ? Did earning a degree do
any good? 

0:41-0:44 
Rehna je berozgaar 
If you’re still
unemployed?0:44-0:48 Chad
de hun Juggika nu, Chad de hun Jeetka nu Leave it Juggi, let it be Jeet   

0:48-0:50 
Karda tu choraan oye   
Why hope anyway [for
change]? 

0:50-0:52 
Jindri
ae chaar dinaa di 
Life is short 
 
0:52-0:54 
Has le
tu bhora oye 
Just laugh a little 

0:54-0:58 
Fikraan
vich devin na gujaar, hayee! 
Don’t waste it in worrying!
0:59-1:02 
Fayda ki hoya aithe degreeyan laen da ? 
Did earning a degree do any good? 

1:02-1:06 Rehna je berozgaar If you’re still
unemployed?Translation by Guneet Kaur Bedi, with inputs from Mansha Chhatwal.

A Punjab farmer sings the blues

பஞ்சாப் விவசாயிகள் அவர்களின் மனக்குறைகளை பாடுகிறார்கள்

ଜଣେ ପଞ୍ଜାବୀ ଚାଷୀଙ୍କ ଦୁଃଖର ଗୀତ

পঞ্জাবি চাষির দুখ-জাগানিয়া গান

Delhi

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A Punjab farmer sings the blues

At the Kisan Mukti March in Delhi in November, a farmer from Punjab sang a moving song about unemployment, debt and the loss of hope. Listen to it here

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