Lyrics: "Satyamev Jayate" Title Song

Here is my transliteration and translation of the title song Aamir Khan's "Satyamev Jayate" which I previously have written about. It is not clear exactly who the lyrics are addressing -- it could be a lover, God, one's country, etc. In any case, the original lyrics in Hindi are so beautiful, with extensive metaphors throughout. I tried the best to convey this imagery in English -- but it's difficult!

Note: read column-wise, not row-wise!

तेरा रंग ऐसा चढ़ गया

Your color has spread

कोई और रंग न चढ़ सके
Such that no other color may

तेरा नाम सीने पे लिखा
I wrote your name on my chest

हर कोई आँखें पढ़ सकें
Such that every eye may read it


है जुनून है जुनून है
This is obsessive passion

तेरे इश्क का यह जुनून है
This is passion for your love

रग रग में इश्क तेरा दौड़ता
Your love runs through my veins

यह बावरा सा खून है
This is eccentric, crazy blood

तू ने ही सिखाया सचाइयों का मतलब
Only you have taught me the meaning of truth

तेरे पास आके जाना मैं ने ज़िन्दगी का मक़सद
Having come close to you, I've realized life's intent

सत्यमेव सत्यमेव सत्वय्मेव जयते
"Satyamev Jayate" -- Truth alone triumphs

सचा है प्यार तेरा
You're love is true

सत्यमेव जयते
Truth alone triumphs


तेरे नूर के दस्तूर में
In the tradition of your divine light

न हो सलवटें न हो सीखन रहें
There are no wrinkles; there exist no creases

मेरी कोशिशें तो है बस यहीं
My efforts are only such that

रहें खुशबूएं  गुलशन रहे
The fragrances and rose gardens live on

तेरी ज़ुल्फ़ सुलझाने चला
I went to disentangle your tresses

तेरे और पास आने चला
I started to come close to you

जहां कोई सुर न हो बेसुरा
Where no melody can lack harmony

वह गीत मैं गाने चला
I began to sing that song


तेरा रंग ऐसा चढ़ गया
Your color has spread

था नशा जो भी और बढ़ गया
Such that the existing intoxication increased

तेरी बारिशों का करम है यह
These are showers of your benevolence

मैं निखर गया मैं संवर गया
I became cleansed; I reformed

जैसा भी हूँ अपना मुझे
How ever I am, make me yours

मुझे यह नहीं है बोलना
I must not have to speak this

क़ाबिल तेरे मैं बन सकूं
I shall become worthy of you

मुझे द्वार ऐसा खोलना
Just open such a door for me

सांसों की इस रफ़्तार को
This speed of breath

धड़कन के इस त्यौहार को
This festival of heartbeats

हर जीत को हर हार को
Each victory, each defeat

ख़ुद अपने इस संसार को
Even my entire world

बदलूँगा मैं...तेरे लिए
I will change it all...just for you!


मुझे ख़ुद को भी है टटोलना
I must also examine myself

कहीं है कमी तो है बोलना
If there is something lacking, I must admit to it

कहीं दागें हैं तो छुपाएं क्यों
Somewhere there are stains and scars, so why hide them

हम सच से नज़रें हटाएं क्यों
Why should we turn a blind eye from the truth?


ख़ुद को बदलना है अगर
If I must change

बदलूँगा मैं तेरे लिए
I will change just for you

शोलों पे चलना है अगर
If I must walk on flames

चल दूंगा मैं तेरे लिए
I will walk just for you

मेरे खून की हर बूंद में
In each drop of my blood

संकल्प हो तेरा प्यार का
Is a vow of my love for you

काटो मुझे तो तू बहे
When cut, you shall flow out

हो सुर्ख रंग हर धार का
Red shall be the color of each stream

"Truth Alone Triumphs"

This afternoon, I finally had the opportunity to watch the first episode of Aamir Khan's hyped television show -- Satyamev Jayate. With the release of the show's theme song and its popularity, I was very interested in finding out more about the show's agenda. Would it be a travel show, and entertainment talk show? Would it be placed aside as another of the many reality shows?

My answer is that it is a combination of all three, and it is what India needs. Firstly, the objective of the show is to highlight societal issues which are often swept under the rug by upper-middle class urban Indians -- Indians who will likely form the audience of this program. Secondly, this program targets issues which well-off urban Indians believe do not affect them at all. 

In previous posts from India last summer, I discussed the existence of two Indias: 

In my opinion, there are two Indias: the “modern India” that is publicized in the West and the “establishment India” that actually runs the nation. One generates money for the nation, and the other swallows money from the nation. People would like to believe that they live in the former, when in all actuality, they live in the latter. The privileged want to stay far from this “establishment,” while the average Indian drowns in the madness.

 The first episode which can be seen on Youtube courtesy of StarPlus focuses on female feticide in India. This refers to the sex-selective abortion of unborn girls in India. So what is different in the way that Satyamev Jayate covers this topic? Haven't we already seen documentaries and news broadcasts on the topic? I would like to highlight two significant ways in which I think this program will be more effective in sticking with its audience and roping in the attention of the upper-middle class urban population. This is the sector of the population that needs to be convinced of social injustices as they are the only sector of society with a certain amount of wealth and numbers. This cannot be said of the extremely wealthy and of the average or poor Indian.

That said, Satyamev Jayate takes the correct approach to addressing a topic such as female feticide. It's angle is somewhere between the usual types of programming Indians are accustomed to: a news broadcast and a serial. SJ avoids the sensationalism of Indian broadcast journalism and it also brings its subjects closer to the audience rather than isolating them in a condescending manner.

At this point, SJ accomplishes what pure journalism mostly cannot. Aamir is able to bring his subjects -- in this case mothers forced unknowingly into an abortion -- into the spotlight where they feel safe to speak out against their circumstances, and clearly tell their stories. SJ is respectful to its subjects and it is committed to alleviating these injustices. In this episode, Aamir says he will personally write a letter to the government of Rajasthan to quicken efforts for court hearings for the victims. From this first episode, Satyamev Jayate makes it clear that it is not trying to drop by, tell a heart-wrenching story, and retreat -- the word badlaav (change) was often used. Aamir is in it for the long run.

The angle of Satyamev Jayate also avoids the melodramatic mess of the average serial. Aamir could have easily gone this route to present societal injustice. It would have been easy and familiar. Thankfully, he did not. Serials create a sense of distance and fantasy between the audience and the characters. Rather, Aamir takes a key feature from serial culture and implements it appropriately into SJ -- that is, story. The witnesses tell their stories -- given no other context. That's the first part of the show.  The stories bring the audience into Aamir's mindset. The audience, at hearing the stories, are teary-eyed, but they still see themselves as separate, as part of "modern India" and removed from these injustices.

Next, Aamir pulls the audience off of its pedestal -- and this is the second reason why I feel SJ will be very effective. It bridges the gap between the two Indias. When the camera asks urbanites about female feticide -- three words emerge:

"GaaoN" -- village
"Anparh" -- illiterate
"Ghariib"-- poor

From here, a researcher asserts that this practice did not start with the poor, or rural, or illiterate folk. And that today, it is practiced by many people of reputable careers and families. Aamir even interviews a doctor who herself was forced into an abortion by her husband. This shatters the glass wall between the two Indias.

The audience is no longer allowed to feel at ease as Amir shows that female feticide not only affects mothers of girls, but that its effects spans across all families. For example, government officials license these doctors, doctors perform these abortions, and young men around India face a shortage of women when it comes to marriage. This imbalance affects all women as there is an increase in kidnappings and gang rape.

From this point onwards, audience expressions are not teary, but they are of shock. And this is the key success of Satyamev Jayate. To force sheltered, well-off Indians to realize that an injustice has been committed, one that no one can run from -- not one that merits sympathy, but one that merits shock and anger and reform.