Uddi Ja
P.S. Its a late post. I started writing this in late 2016 when Coke Studio Season 9 came. Season 10 is out as well and is a quite good collection itself.
Uddi Ja is not just beautiful in its lyrics and composition, it is also sung melodiously by Mohsin Abbas Haider. Also it has beautiful meaning.
First some context-
Guru is a Sanskrit term that connotes a referential figure who imparts experiential as well as literal knowledge to disciples. And murshid is an Arabic term that refers to spiritual guide in Sufism.
Many traditions and sects have the concept of Guru-disciple relationship including Jainism and Sikhism. Many have spoken and sung of Guru’s greatness in a spiritual journey and this song is one such expression.
Mohsin Abbas Haider is the singer, writer, composer of this song- ‘Uddi Ja’ making his debut on Coke Studio during Season 9 aired in Aug- Sep 2016 with this fabulous song. In Behind The Scenes (BTS) of this song, he talks about how this song is nothing but an articulation of connection he felt with Rabb (God, in arabic) during his early days of struggle when he moved to Karachi from Faisalabad.
What I like most about Coke Studio (defaults to Coke Studio Pakistan) is how they have been able to give voice to their tradition; be it through Sufi music, or folklores (check my story on Par Channa De if you haven’t yet).
The song goes like this —
उड्डी जा, उड्डी जा
uḍḍi ja, uḍḍi ja
Soar freely
इल्म किताबी मघरों ला के
हक़ दियां मुन्दरां कन्नी पा के
‘ilm kitaabi maghron laah ke
haqq diyaan mundraan kanni pa ke
Liberating yourself from mere bookish wisdom
Putting on the humble earrings of the devotee of Truth
उड्डी जा, उड्डी जा
uḍḍi ja, uḍḍi ja ja
Go on, soar freely
As a kite attached to its string soars high in the sky, similarly give yourself fully to Murshid and soar freely!
bin murshad de dar dar dur dur,
rang chaṛha jehṛa jaawe nah khur khur
Without your spiritual guide, you’ll just be spurned at every door
You must take care your blessed colour doesn’t wear off
सल्ले’अला दा विरद पका के
मुरशद दे हथ डोर फड़ा के
उड्डी जा, उड्डी जा
salle ‘ala da wird paka ke
murshad de hatth ḍor phaṛa ke
uḍḍi ja ja
Repeating in devotion blessings on the Prophet
Submitting yourself to his tender guidance
Go on, soar freely
The next line resonates with Kabir’s couplet: कस्तूरी कुंडल बसे, मृग ढूँढत बन माहि (Kasturi kundal base, mrig dhoondhat ban mahi; A deer has the fragrance in itself and runs throughout the forest for finding it) as Mohsin goes on to sing —
हक़ हक़ लभना ऐं हक़ मन अंदर
बात इश्क़ दी वांग समंदर
haqq haqq labhna en haqq man andar
baat ‘ishaq di waang samandar
You go around searching for God, but God is right here in your heart
The reality of Love is boundless as the sea
In upcoming lines, he refers to Murshid as Yaar (friend, beloved) and asks to follow Murshid’s teachings and instructions and practicing detachment from desires in order to soar freely —
यार जो आखे भेस वटा के
चोर अंदर दे नूं पाहे ला के
yaar jo aakhe bhes waṭa ke
chor andar de noon phaahe la ke
Changing your guise at the beloved’s instruction
Throttling the base desires of your heart
उड्डी जा, उड्डी जा
uḍḍi ja ja
Go on, soar freely
In the ending verses of the song, he yet again invokes to rise above the austerities, rituals and to leave behind ego.
आक्खे मुरशद कमली वाला
पा गले इल्ल-लाह दी माला
aakhe murshad kamli waala
pa gale illal-laah di maala
The beloved, black-cloaked Prophet says
Wear the prayer-beads of ‘(nothing) except God’ around your neck
बौकर अन्दरों मार वे बंदियां
मत्था घिसदियां रब नहीं मिलदा
bauhkar andron maar ve bandiya
mattha ghisiyaan rabb naeen milda
Cleanse your heart from within, O human
You won’t gain God by rubbing your forehead in prostration
‘आबिद बन बन मान ई खत्तिया
मैं डा बूत दिलों नाह कड़िया
‘aabid ban ban maan ee khaṭṭiya
main da but dilon nah kaḍḍhiya
You have been at pains to earn the reputation of a pious worshipper
But you have failed to remove the idol of ‘I’ from your heart
Here is a couplet by Kabir that speaks of the same
Mai Meri Jab Jayegi Tab Aayegi Aur
Jab Ye Nishchal Hoyega Tab Pavega Thor
When ego will go then someone else will come. When the mind becomes calm then the truth is revealed ~ Kabir
So Mohisn Abbas goes on to sing —
toon main waali kheḍ ee koyi naeen
shah-rag wasda sooli chaṛhda
jeewen chaahwe yaar oh karda
Where everything is ‘He’, there can be no possibility of ‘I’
He is nearer to us than our jugular vein; and it was He who said ‘I am the Truth’ and went to the gallows
The Beloved does just as He pleases
uḍḍi ja, ja, uḍḍi ja
Go on, soar freely…
It is hard to find a true Guru in this world and more harder to recongnise such a person when one comes across.
Here you go, watch the BTS and then listen to this beautiful song —
All hail Mohsin Abbas Haider’s melodious voice and 7/8 time signature! ❤
