“Bol Hu” The Anthem To Live By

Elevating past your perceived capacity

Closing in on 3 million views on YouTube in around two weeks, the song ‘Bol Hu’ (Say it is Him-God) has touched a nerve and especially mine and I recommend embracing the song as a personal anthem regardless of one’s belief system or background.

In addition to 6.5 minutes of trance inducing melodies, the gripping Urdu and Punjabi lyrics, the superb performance by Soch the band, the fantastic production by Nescafé Basement, an out-of-this world performance by Hadiya Hashmi, the 8-year old girl who triggered goosebumps everywhere and stole the show with her vocal mastery, this song is about personal growth.

Nescafé Basement, on their YouTube channel, have to say this about the song:

“Take the spiritual journey of “Bol Hu” with us and let it surprise you. An original by Soch featuring 8 year old Hadia, Bol Hu is a soul searching trance of belief and devotion, braving the test of time as it has within it, the strength of the universe.”

Teaching personal development over the years has made me realize the power of connecting with students on key messages through the medium of poetry, music and story telling. When I heard the song (and I recommend you do too regardless of your origin and nationality), I couldn’t help but smile since so many of the personal development themes I cover in class are beautifully and powerfully captured in it’s lyrics.

Below, I dissect the song into 6 parts or themes and attempt to translate the lyrics into English but I can assure you this does not even remotely grasp the punch it packs in Urdu and Punjabi.

Part 1

Rang ja apnay hee rang tu

(Color yourself in your own colors)

Hoja apnay hee sang tu

(Become your own companion)

Bana le choti si duniya

(Make your own little world)

Hoja mast malang tu

(Become a carefree and ecstatic wanderer)

Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu

(Say it is Him — God) 6x

Part 2

Khaali khaali ankhon se sapnay bunta ja

(Weave your dreams with empty eyes)

Mann apnay ki kar le, tu sab ki sunta ja

(Listen to all but do what you truly desire)

Tooti tooti saanson se larta ja, barhta ja

(Keep progressing with every breath you take)

Tukra tukra kar kar ke kismat chunta ja

(Piece-by-piece pick your destiny)

Part 3

Bolay tan mann jab hu

(When your body and soul say hu)

Thandi lagti hai phir loo

(Even the hot summer wind feels chilled)

Sajday main aansu gira de

(Shed your tears in prostration)

Hoja mast malang tu

(Become a carefree and ecstatic wanderer)

Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu

(Say it is Him — God) 6x

Part 4

Wich sajday soch kissay hor di kyun

(Why are you distracted in your prostration?)

Dil main teray dard hai rog hai kyun

(Why is your heart heavy with sorrow?)

Kya hai tu, kyun hai tu, soch zara

(What are you, who are you, think)

Part 5

Larh ja apni yeh jang tu

(Go fight your war)

Karde sab ko hi dang tu

(Amaze all with what you can do)

Bana le choti si duniya

(Make your own little world)

Hoja mast malang tu

(Become a carefree and ecstatic wanderer)

Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu, Bol hu

(Say it is Him — God)

Part 6

Allah hu

(Allah is, just Him!)

Part 1 is about creating self-awareness and acknowledging yourself despite all the evident and hidden flaws, i.e. self-acceptance. This is a starting point for any personal journey at any point in time. Know your ‘colors’ and wear them with pride. Also know this part will require tremendous courage and you will likely find yourself alone in your own little world. For new foundations to take hold, old ones must be taken out, brick-by-brick! Embrace this state like a mast malang (ecstatic wanderer) as you are shedding your outer jaded shells digging deeper towards your inner core — the real you. It is like running into a dear friend after several decades when you can’t recognize him at first but you begin to connect some of the features with the images in your memory bank. Self-discovery can be invigorating, uncovering a childlike strength that motivates one to be curious and excited about life all over again. I often refer to this phase as the unburdening.

Part 2 is tactical. Plan your life, put in the work, learn from others, build your dreams with the intent of not letting them be just dreams, rely on routines and discipline and take full responsibility for your decisions. Progress with every breath and pick your destiny one piece at a time. This stage is about knowing, planning and being persistent.

Part 3 is a tip! That, when you embark on such a daunting yet fulfilling endeavor as self-improvement, it doesn’t hurt to lean on a higher power, in fact it may just be the difference you need. Should you choose to contain the ego and not your effort, you should also seek to trust God, or for some the process, that you shall survive all the ‘come-what-mays.’ The humility of losing control to a higher power brings the comfort and strength to endure more than you thought you could. Part 3 is about holding positive belief that you will ride out any storm without losing your inner self — its about positivity and perseverance.

Part 4 starts with a reality check. We put in the work but then we somehow always misplace our center of gravity. We feel unfulfilled and distracted. We struggle to stay motivated. Our focus fizzles. We are unable to anchor our priorities. Now it is time to revisit your ‘who’ and ‘why.’ Who you are and why you are championing your purpose takes you back to part 1. Time to refuel and go at it all over again. Tap into the inner self and freely mine your ever-abundant inspiration. I call this the rejuvenation.

Part 5 is a leveling up in life. It is reflective of the mastery mindset. You take on anything in your life with the same focus as if you were on the battle ground and it is a matter of life or death. Fight your inner war yourself, you are ready. And as you gradually overcome your fears and your inner-dragons you shock all those who doubted you through your journey and are amazed to witness your ascension.

Part 6 is the punctuation — Alla hu. The song starts with you the person and ends with God. Two ends of the song’s thread come together with the message that as one commits to a higher cause he or she elevates closer to the divine force. Achieving mastery in anything requires extraordinary sacrifice and laser focus and when someone achieves it, whether it is in arts, athletics or sciences, they are praised for achieving a divine-like state. Aspire to it.

For readers who may not believe in God, this song still offers a potent dose of pragmatic guidance, i.e. believe in yourself with all your faculties engaged and commit to your life’s purpose like a mast malang — someone who lives every moment in the euphoria of his purpose, unfazed by the world. Go beyond your perceived capacity as a teacher, a software developer, a tennis player, a singer, a hotel receptionist, a startup founder — a anything.

Wishing all malangs the deepest purpose and the highest elevation!