Chiṭṭhi aayi hai aayi hai

Chiṭṭhi aayi hai aayi hai Chiṭṭhi aayi hai
Chiṭṭhi aayi hai vatan se Chiṭṭhi aayi hai
Baṛe dinon ke baad, ham bevatnò ko yaad
Vatan ki miṭṭi aayi hai

Upar meraa naam likha hai, andar ye paigaam likhaa hai
O pardes ko jaane vaale, laut ke phir naa aane vaale
Saat samundar paar gayaa too, Hamko zindaa maar gayaa too
Khoon ke rishte toṛ gayaa too, aàkh mè aàsoo chhoṛ gayaa too
Ka khaate hài kam sote hài, bahut zyaada ham rote hài

Soonee ho gaèè shahar kee galiyàà, kààte ban gaèè baag kee kaliyàà
Kehte hài saawan ke jhule, bhool gayaa too hum nahèè bhoole
Tere bin jab aayee diwalee, deep nahèè dil jale hài khaalee
Tere bin jab aayi holee, pichkaaree se chhooṭee golee
Peepal soona panghaṭ soona, ghar shamshaan ka banaa namoona
Fasal kaṭee aayee baisakhee, teraa aana reh gayaa baakee

Pehle jab too khat likhtaa thaa, kaagaz mè chehraa dikhtaa thaa
Band hua ye mel bhee ab to, khatam hua yeh khel bhee ab to
ḍoli mè jab baithee behna, rastaa dekh rahe the nainaa
Mài to baap hòò meraa kyaa hai, teree maan kaa haal buraa hai
Teree beewee kartee hai sevaa, soorat se lagtee hai bewaa
Toone paisaa bahut kamaayaa, is paise ne desh chhuṛaayaa
Panchhee pinjraa toṛh ke aajaa, aaj umar bahut hai chhoṭee, apne ghar me bhee hai roṭi

A letter has come! A letter has come, from our native land. After so many days, they remembered us, the soil of our motherland has come.

Above it, my name is written, inside, it had this message. Dear those who go outside of the country, who may never return again. You have gone to the other side of the seven seas, though we are alive, we are now dead to you. The connection of blood, you have broken, tears in our eyes, you left us with. We eat less and sleep less, but most of all, we cry a lot.

The streets of the town have become empty, and The flowers of the garden have become thorns. You said that we would meet in the spring, (however), you forgot, but I did not forget. Without you, when Diwali came, it was not the flame, but our empty hearts that burned. Without you, when Holi came the jets of water felt like released bullets. The shade (under the peepal tree) is lonely, and the river bank lonely, Your absence has made the home into a kind of graveyard. Crop cutting season is over, Baisakhi has come, (only) your returning, still remains left.

When you first, wrote the letters, On the paper, I could see your face. Even this has stopped, ended our exchange of letters has too. In the doli (chair), when your sister sat, her eyes kept looking on the road (for you). I am just a dad, what is it to me, (but) your mother’s condition is bad. Your wife is attending/caring (for your mother), from her face, she looks like a widow. You have earned plenty of money, this money has, has taken you from your country. Leave this strange country and come back, break this birdcage, and come back. Come back, (your) age is very small, our house too has roti (food).