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 believe
0:27-0:28
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.
