Thursday, April 29, 2010

Apsara Aali lyrics as explained by Kapil Sawant

“Lavani is sheer poetry”, said Kapil.
“But isn’t lavani supposed to be provocative and raunchy?” I asked.
“Provocative, yes. Raunchy, definitely not” he said firmly.
“Listen to this song. It’s Marathi poetry at it’s best. It’s sensuous, not raunchy.
It sets your imagination soaring. Not a vulgar word. It’s just suggestive. And beautiful’, said Kapil before playing me the song from youtube. He paused after every line and explained me the meaning.
Sometimes, he paused again because I had questions about each word. Patiently, he answered them all.
And thus began my love affair with Marathi poetry. I don’t know if I’ve got the translation right, but I tried.
Here’s the song. Even if you don’t get the lyrics, you can watch it for the mind-blowing choreography, and fabulous music.

Movie: Natrang
Poet: Guru Thakur
Music: Ajay-Atul
Singer: Bela Shende
Choreographer: Phulwa
The beautiful damsel in the video: Sonali Kulkarni (Not the ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ girl)



Komal kaaya ki moh maya
My soft skin is enchanting

Punava chandana nhale
I’m bathed in moonlight

Sonyaat sazale roopyat bhijle
Bedecked in gold, drenched in silver

Ratnaprabha tanu nyaale
I have worn the shimmer of rubies.

Hee natali thatali
I’m dressed up

Jashi umatali chandani rang mahaali
Looking like moonlight has descended on the stage

Mee youvan bijli
I’m a thunderbolt

paahun thizli Indrasabha bhavatali
that has struck the entire court of Indra

Apsara aali Indrapuri tun khaali
Here comes the nymph, straight from the heavens

Pasarli laali ratnaprabha tanu nyaali
Her presence has lit up the earth

Ti hasali gaali chandani rang mahaali
Her moonlit smile has brightened the stage


Apsara aali Punava chandana nhali
Here comes the nymph bathed in moonlight

Chhabidaar surat dekhani, janu hirkani, naar gulzar
My face is so beautiful, I’m a priceless diamond, I’m a rose in full bloom.

saangate umar kanchuki bhapudi mukhi
My blouse (kanchuki), the silent sufferer

sosate bhaar
complains about the heavy burden it has to bear

shelati khunaavi kati
my tiny waistline beckons you

tashi hanuvati, nayan talwar
as does my chin, and my lethal eyes


hee rati madu bharli, daji
she’s the intoxicating goddess of love, dear sir

thinagi shingarachi
she’s the very spark of passion

kasturi darvalali, daji, chook hi varyachi
the fact that her fragrance has intoxicated the air is the wind’s fault, not hers.

Hee natali thatali
Jashi umatali chandani rang mahaali
Mee youvan bijli paahun thizli
Indrasabha bhavatali
Apsara aali Indrapuri tun khaali
Pasarli laali ratnaprabha tanu nyaali
Ti hasali gaali chandani rang mahaali
Apsara aali Punava chand nahali

36 comments:

Unknown said...

thanks..fr the explanation..i had been struggling like for ever to get the meaning..

the music is so enchanting tat i cudnt help hearing it over n over again without knowing the meaning of the words..
n now..its all the more awesome..on understanding the meaning :)

thanks a ton!

rkr said...

I heard this song in Office and really liked it only for its mystic music and the seductive voice.

i downloaded this song and as always when faced by a nice song in foreign language i googled the lyrics and stumbled upon this blog.

Thanks for posting it. Now i love this song a little more.

And as it turns out the its a small world after all.

- the art guy by the printer.

Unknown said...

..i had a very similar experience with this song as its springboard. It truly is a fabulous song!

While documenting it, i stole a line from your post here, i hope you allow it; it is, of course, attributed.
:)

pradeep said...

thanks..... for the lyrics...

Anonymous said...

Genial post and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you as your information.

Anonymous said...

very sensuous yet classy. when i read, i felt the heat. very very nicely written. i dont know marathi( im oriya). the dance & the music complementing.

Anubhavi Kongadi said...

i've become the fan for this song after i saw Paul's makeover for this song in Dance India Dance Season 3. Since then more than 10 times I listen to this song. It is so calm, quite and awesome, that listening to it always cannot be taken away. it is now become the ringtone.. i never thought marathi be so beautiful marvelous that it takes all your pain n stress just in 3.42 min of Natrang movie... thanks the blogger who have explained what the song is all about.. i loved all those... thanx to all those involved in this song esp sonalee kulkarni the real eye-catcy with her classical dance, bela shende for her superb voice ajay-atul's excellent music and all cast n crew of movie....

Anonymous said...

I am also here because of dance india dance 3. Pauls performance was awesome.

Fantastic song! Finally I understand the meaning of too. :)
Thanks a lot.

For ppl who read the comments. The movie is fantastic too. Atul Kulkarni is just too good. I recommend the movie as well.

Anonymous said...

More Appropriate English version of the lyrics;.
she has) soft and smooth body, is it an illusion OR is it silken starry night of full-moon's day,
endowed with skin glowing with radiance as if drenched in gold, silver and jewels,
she dressed up and appeared in front of us as if the star of venus,
(She says) I am the electrifying lightening of youth, who stunned the court of Indra Himself... - 1

Apsara (celestial nymph) has descended from heavens,
Thus ushered in the bright red colours of dawn due to her body studded with jewels,
she smiled, and the star of venus just got brighter,
Apsara has come, drenched in the calm moonlight... - 2

With her body is well sculpted, with beautiful face which is radiant like a precious diamond, She's a refreshing lady..
Her large and firm breasts in blouse speechlessly hint at her youth,
The delicate and dimpled chin resembles her curvaceously inviting backside and eyes are sharp as sword... - 3

she is Rati, a spark of erotica, overflowing with oomph..
she is fragrant like kastoori (musk) dispersed everywhere by cool breeze,
she dressed up and appeared in front of us as if the star of venus,
(She says)I am the electrifying lightening of youth, who stunned the court of Indra Himself... - 4

Apsara (celestial nymph) has descended from heavens,
(her coming) ushered in the bright red colours of dawn as if that of body studded with jewels,
she smiled, and the star of venus just got brighter,
Apsara has come, drenched in the calm moonlight...- 5

Anonymous said...

More Appropriate English version of the lyrics;.
she has) soft and smooth body, is it an illusion OR is it silken starry night of full-moon's day,
endowed with skin glowing with radiance as if drenched in gold, silver and jewels,
she dressed up and appeared in front of us as if the star of venus,
(She says) I am the electrifying lightening of youth, who stunned the court of Indra Himself... - 1

Apsara (celestial nymph) has descended from heavens,
Thus ushered in the bright red colours of dawn due to her body studded with jewels,
she smiled, and the star of venus just got brighter,
Apsara has come, drenched in the calm moonlight... - 2

With her body is well sculpted, with beautiful face which is radiant like a precious diamond, She's a refreshing lady..
Her large and firm breasts in blouse speechlessly hint at her youth,
The delicate and dimpled chin resembles her curvaceously inviting backside and eyes are sharp as sword... - 3

she is Rati, a spark of erotica, overflowing with oomph..
she is fragrant like kastoori (musk) dispersed everywhere by cool breeze,
she dressed up and appeared in front of us as if the star of venus,
(She says)I am the electrifying lightening of youth, who stunned the court of Indra Himself... - 4

Apsara (celestial nymph) has descended from heavens,
(her coming) ushered in the bright red colours of dawn as if that of body studded with jewels,
she smiled, and the star of venus just got brighter,
Apsara has come, drenched in the calm moonlight...- 5

Anonymous said...

me too! I hv hrd it ovr & ovr agn.

siya said...

thnx fr d meanin
i liked d song befr bt nw i luv it
thnx a ton :)

sharon baker said...

Thanks for the great explanation. I am thankful to you for nice sharing. Good job! Keep posting.. I love this word......

Kay said...

What a Song ! I love it.I do not know Marathi but have fallen for this song so badly, that I play everyday. Bela's voice is Honey & music is superb. I saw the video & read the lyrics. It is sensuous and not crass. Sonali is beautiful.

Anonymous said...

im performing this song for divalli
now i know my facial expressions have to be seductive ....
thanks

Anupama said...

thanks fore the lyrics in English and more importantly the meaning of the song,now the singing will have more emotions and feelings needed to make the song as intended by the writer and music director.

Rajesh said...

Amazing song and music...makes you sizzle from inside...no more words to describe...

Hats off to the ppl in making of such a beautiful song...

Preeti said...

Meaningful and a hearttouched song.................struggling for the meaning since long.........thanks for the explanation............

Anonymous said...

Knowing the meaning makes this song still more special.

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Anonymous said...

Thanks so much! I'm a Gujarati, but I have an uncle and aunt that's Marathi, and if I sing this to them, I want to know what I'm singing. Thanks again!

-Silvermist

Anonymous said...

Sorry- "that's" should be "who are."

-Silvermist

bhaskar said...

well documented and enchanting song , music and voice.

Anonymous said...

Was searching for this song, as i couldn't get the language...after watching it in DID sooper moms could get the song...anf then lyrics helped to love the song...thanks a ton

Anonymous said...

Thanks bhai, Thank you very much,
Just one thing, 'Mee Yovan Bhijle' might be 'I am drenched in youth"

girick2007@gmail.com said...

REALLY BLOWN AWAY...... ONE OF THE BEST BEST LYRICS OF THIS CENTURY. AND THE MUSIC, ITS OUTSTANDING. THIS IS THE FIRST MARATHI SONG I HEARD AND LOVED. MUSIC AND LYRICS PERFECTLY SYNCED... HEVENLY SONG. I'M FROMM KERALA AND I DONT KNOW MARATHI. BUT THE ENG TRANSLATION MAKES ME UNDERSTAND THE SONG. BUT THE MUSIC ITSELF EXPRESS THE ENTIRE FEELING OF THE SONG. THANX AJAY-ATUL FOR THIS MASTERPIECE

girick2007@gmail.com said...

"the fact that her fragrance has intoxicated the air is the wind’s fault, not hers" { HATS OFF.. GURU THAKUR}

Anonymous said...

Thank you.
I was watching this video and wanted to understand the lyrics.
Awesome...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5q2tAziKZg

Anonymous said...

thanx for translation this is my most fav song in marathi
but i don't know the meaing of some words in this song thank you so much
can u translate the new song in marathi jing jing jinnat i love the music of this song but i don't know the single meaning of this song plzz translate this for me plzzzzz



shristi venu said...

thank you so much now it would be more easier for me to choreograph my dance on this song . thanks a ton

Unknown said...

Dude, thanks so much for this transaltion.

V V T Media said...

wow..really Nice work Done for मराठी लावणी...

Anonymous said...

Very good movie
Apsara Aali is fabulous.....
I request others to please put some crude translation of it.
Just providing some relevant cues and metaphors will help. apsara aali very nice Lyrics

Unknown said...

A very beautiful Translation of A very beautiful song.
I also struggling for the translation of this song like others.
Thanks for translation.

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much for this explanation of the song my first reaction after listening this song was "oh my God so sexy song" but I literally love this song ❤️❤️

Sleeply in Seattle said...

Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU for posting this translation. I am a non-native Marathi speaker & absolutely infatuated by this song especially after I spotted Atul Kulkarni in the background.