KOEL BAI - Original Lyrics by SAZ

Amidst the preparations to move to her husband’s village, a newly married young woman

Lovingly referred to as ‘koel bai’ or ‘little koel’

, questions her parents and brother about letting her

Leave her maternal home.

(Koel is a songbird that is typically heard at the beginning of the monsoon season in India)

हूँ कोयल ड़ी री मीठी घणी,

सुने सारा सैन रे;

अरे हूँ म्हारे बाबोसा री लाडली,

म्हारा रोए रोए राता जी नैन

कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

म्हाने अलगि परनाई परदेस रे…

म्हाने अलगि परनाई परदेस रे कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

सासरिए भेजो तो बाबोसा मर्जी हो थोरी

सासरिए भेजो तो बाबोसा मर्जी हो थोरी

म्हाने राखी जो रे हि्वडे रे मो मोऐ रे म्हाने राखी जो रे हि्वडे रे मो मोऐ रे कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

कोयल चाली सासरिए

कोयल चाली सासरिए

जन्म दियो मा म्हाने लाड लडायो

जन्म दियो मा म्हाने लाड लडायो

अब क्यूँ भेजो म्हाने दूर..

कोयल रे चाली सासरिए

कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

भाईड़ो री प्यारी बाईसा छोटी रे कोयल री

भाईड़ो री प्यारी बाईसा छोटी रे कोयल री

म्हाने राखड़ी री बोलाइ जो री जरूर रे....

म्हाने राखड़ी री बोलाइ जो री जरूर रे…

कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

कोयल बाई चाली सासरिए

कोयल चाली सासरिए

कोयल चाली सासरिए

कोयल चाली सासरिए

KOEL BAI - English Translation

I, sweet as a koel,

Listen, everyone;

I’m my father’s dearest,

Crying, crying, my night eyes

Koel bai leaves for her in-aw's house

Koel bai leaves for her in-law's house

Separating, married into a new foreign land

Separating, married into a new foreign land

Koel bai leaves for her in-law's house

Koel bai leaves for her in-law's house

Father, it is your wish to send me away,

Father, it is your wish to send me away,

One who you kept so close to your heart

One who you kept so close to your heart

Koel bai leaves to her-in law's house

Koel bai leaves to her-in law's house

Koel leaves for her in-law's house

Koel leaves for her in-law's house

Mother you coddled me

From the day I was born,

Why send me so far away now?

Koel leaves for her in-law's house

Koel bai leaves for her in-law's house

Brother, your lovely sister, the little koel

Brother, your lovely sister, the little koel

Please call me on the day of Rakhi

Please call me on the day of Rakhi

Koel bai leaves for her in-law's house

Koel bai leaves for her in-law's house

Koel bai leaves for her in-law's house

Koel leaves for her in-law's house

Koel leaves for her in-law's house

Koel leaves for her in-law's house