Jodhaa Akbar - Jashn-e-Baharaa, What it is all about!

When I first heard this song, it was just like an other passing song. I definitely liked the more energetic song the Azeem-o-Shaan in the beginning. Things change when you see the movie, as it is the case with all Allah Rakha Rahman's works. JEB was sang by Javed Ali who had been singing since 2000 but shot to fame after this masterpiece for the movie Jodhaa Akbar. Picturized on Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai) and Akbar (Hrithik Roshan), the song conveys a sense of joy in grief. Starts off with "Kehne Ko".. bringing the poignant irony to the seemingly pleasant mind.


The literal translation* is like this:

Kehne ko jashn e bahara hain
To say, its like a celebration of spring/beauty/elegance
Ishq yeh dekh ke hairaan hai
Love is amazed to see this all

Phool se khushboo khafa khafa hain gulshan mein
Fragnance is annoyed (shying away) with the flower in the garden
Chupa hain koi ranjh fiza ki chilman mein
There is an unseen grief/conflict in the veil of the happy surroundings
Saare sehmay nazaare hain soye soye waqt ke dhaare hain
The scene around is filled with silence, Time drifts into a slumber/sleep
Aur dil mein khoyi khoyi si baatein hain
Some lost memories remain in the heart

Kehne ko jashn e bahara hain
To say, its like a celebration of spring/beauty/elegance
Ishq yeh dekh ke hairaan hai
Love is amazed to see this all
Phool se khushboo khafa khafa hain gulshan mein
Fragnance is annoyed with the flower in the garden
Chupa hain koi ranjh fiza ki chilman mein
There is an unseen grief/conflict in the veil of the happy surroundings

Kaise kahein kya hain sitam
How would I say what is pain
Sochte hain ab yeh hum Koi kaise kahe who hain ya nahi humare?
I keep thinking about it now, that how would I know if she belongs to me or not?
Karte to hai saath safar faasle hain fir bhi magar
Though we journey together, yet there are some distances between us
Jaise milte nahi kisi dariya ke do kinare
Just like how two banks of a river never meet
Paas hai phir bhi paas nahi, Humko yeh ghum raas nahi
We are so close yet so far, I cannot accept this despair at all
Sheeshe ki ek deewar hai jaise darmiyaan
Its like a wall of glass that divides us in between

Saare sehmay nazaare hain soye soye waqt ke dhaare hain
The scene around is filled with silence, Time drifts into a slumber/sleep
Aur dil mein khoyi khoyi si baatein hain
Some lost memories remain in the heart


Humne jo tha nagma suna, dil ne tha usko chuna
The song that I had heard was chosen straight from the heart
Yeh daastan hume waqt ne kaisi sunayee
But time hummed a different tale for us
Hum jo agar hai ghumgeen, who bhi udhar khush to nahi
If I am sad in here, even she is not happy there
Mulaqato mein hai jaisi ghul si gayee tanhayee
Loneliness has filled up our meeting
Milke bhi hum milte nahi, Khilke bhi gul khilte nahi
We meet but we don't unite, the flowers bloom but they don't blossom
Aankho me hain bahaarey, dil mein Khiza.
My eyes envision Spring, but my heart senses the Autumn

Saare sehmay nazaare hain soye soye waqt ke dhaare hain
The scene around is filled with silence, Time races into a slumber/sleep
Aur dil mein khoyi khoyi si baatein hain
Some lost thoughts remain in the heart

*includes my interpretations, credits to a user Smita, and an other website.