A Traveller and the Caged Bird!

चलत मुसाफ़िर मोह लिया रे

पिंजड़े वाली मुनिया,

उड़ उड़ बैठी हलवइया दुकनिया

आरे बरफ़ी के सब रस ले लिया रे

पिंजड़े वाली मुनिया

उड़ उड़ बैठी बजजवा दुकनिया

आरे कपड़ा के सब रस ले लिया रे

पिंजड़े वाली मुनिया

उड़ उड़ बैठी पनवड़िया दुकनिया

आरे बीड़ा के सब रस ले लिया रे

पिंजड़े वाली मुनिया

चलत मुसाफ़िर मोह लिया रे

पिंजड़े वाली मुनिया

Above song, “Chalat Musafir Moh Liya Re Pinjare Wali Munia” is a classic Bollywood song from the 1958 film “Teesri Kasam”. The lyrics of the song are in Hindi and it tells the story of a Traveller (Musafir) who is wandering in the world with a caged bird (Pinjare wali Munia). The Traveller has been enchanted (Moh Liya) by this caged bird. The caged bird is a metaphor for Soul which is trapped in the human body and is yearning to break free.

The lyrics of the song then depict this otherwise caged bird taking a flight to sweetmeat shop and enjoying the taste of various sweets. Thereafter the caged bird flies to a cloth shop to feel the texture of good clothes. Later the bird flies to a Mouth freshener’s shop to smell the various aromas. Thus the journey of the Traveller goes on with his Caged Bird (Soul) longing for various Worldly pleasures and striving to break free, which only happens when the Traveller completes his life journey.

What a wonderful description of a Human’s journey and his caged bird (Soul) through the medium of a Song.

It is a popular folk song from the Indian state of Bihar. The melody and the lyrics of the song have a timeless quality and continue to be popular among music lovers in India and abroad.

Guchi.