Chhupa Lo Yun Dil Mein – Ethereal Love– Mamta

This song is one of those classics which do not contain many music pieces or musical instruments, for that matter. It has sort of “khaalipan” or emptiness which creates a music of its own and it straightaway makes entry into our heart, our mind. Backed by simple, yet meaningful lyrics, the song becomes immortal.

It talks about the eternal love between two individuals which is as sacred as worshipping God. Such love is untouched by the social norms, class, colour or creed. It is pure form of expression in its full glory.

Chhupaa lo yun dil mein pyaar meraa
Ke jaise mandir mein lau diye kee
Tum apne charanon mein rakh lo mujh ko
Tumhaare charanon kaa phool hoon main
Main sar jhukaye khadee hoon praeetam
Ke jaise mandir mein lau diye kee

Hide my love in your heart
Like the flame of the lamp in the temple
Keep me at your feet, give me some space there
I am the flower at your feet (like they offer flowers to the Lord)
I am standing with my head bowed, oh my beloved
Like the flame of the lamp in the temple

So sacred is their love that it is compared with the flame of the lamp which is lit in the temple. The burning lamp in a temple is a symbol of paying homage to god, it also symbolises the fire of life itself. It has more than just a traditional or religious significance but it is a connection between us and God. Love too is just like this flame of the lamp, pure. So the hero asks his beloved to hide his love in her heart just like the flame of the temple lamp encapsulates the force of life within itself. She says that her love for him is sacred and pure just like the flower which is offered to the god.

This ethereal composition is by Roshan and the lyrics are written by Majrooh Sultanpuri. There is a sort of melancholy about the song which provides us with a very different kind of happiness (yes, happiness in sadness). The combination of Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar as singers is something that provides the song a different dimension altogether. I guess the soulful, melancholic notes of Hemant da and the pleasant and earnest voice of Lata di spin some magic into the song. The regular sound of the ‘manjeera’ provides us with a rhythm of that of the bhajan without any percussion being played.

Ye sach hai jeenaa thaa paap tum bin
Ye paap maine kiyaa hai ab tak
Magar thi mann mein chhabee tumhaaree
Ke jaise mandir mein lau diye kee

It is true that living without you was a sin
And I have sinned so far
But there was an image of you in my mind
Like a candle flame of the lamp in the temple

To her the hero says that he knows that living apart from her was like a sin and he is guilty of doing so, but not anymore and even though they were apart, he always had an image of hers in his mind to which he used to connect to just like we connect to the supreme power.

How beautifully the lyrics are woven around the theme of the spirituality and love that one can only bow their head in obeisance and just be happy and spread love everywhere.

Phir aag birahaa kee mat lagaanaa
Ke jal ke main raakh ho chukee hoon
Ye raakh maathe pe maine rakh lee
Ke jaise mandir mein lau diye kee

Then don’t spark the fire of separation
That I have burned to ashes
I have placed these ashes on my forehead
Like a candle flame of the lamp in the temple

The girl says that don’t go away again as it will be unbearable for her now that they have come together. The agony of the earlier separation was so harsh that it reduced her to ashes (changed her completely). But the hero instead says that these ashes are like the holy ash of the incense of the temple and he would put it to his forehead proudly making their love eternal.

Enjoy this sacred love.