You are standing at the entrance to the garden (which is always under construction...). Do you hear the sound of the FLUTE or the sound of the VEENA? Click to begin your journey through the garden.
"Banjara" was recorded live at the folk singer Mooralala Marwada's home in Dholavira, Kutchh, in front of a live audience consisting of his whole neighborhood and of course, the cows and the goats who occasionally tried to match their notes with ours!
The words are by the great saint poet Kabir who expressed the deepest Truth in the most simple language and whose poetry is as relevant today as it was in his times! Banjara is Maati Baani's interpretation of the popular folk song penned by Kabir.
Chakki chal rahi, Kabira baitha royee
Dono pud ke beech me saajha na nikle koi
Chakki chal rahi Kabira baitha joyee
Khoonta pakdo nij naam ka
To sajha nikle jo soyee
Chhod ke mat jaao ekli re
Banjara re Banjara re
Door des ka hai maamla
Ab jaago pyaara re
Apna Saahebne mahal banayee ,banjara re
Gehri gehri haye been bajai, banjara ho
Apna Saahebne baag banayee, banjara re
Phool bhari layee chhab re, banjara ho
Kahat Kabira Dharmidas ko
Sant amrapur maalna, banjara re
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
The millstone of life goes on moving, Kabir weeps;
Between the layers of truth and untruth, no one is spared.
The millstone of life goes on moving; Kabir observes.
He who holds the anchor of His name will always remain unhurt!
Don't leave me now, O Breath, I am a wanderer!
Still have to travel faraway lands.
O the one who is asleep, awake!
Our Master has made this body like a palace,
And He played the instrument of breath within!
Our Master has made this body like a garden,
And how He's filled it with a bowl of flowers!
Says Kabir he who follows the truth
Will attain the kingdom of immortality!
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Away from the clutches of commercialism, the wisdom of Indian culture thrives in the rural pockets of our country. The temperature-resistant mud and clay homes, cattle in every home, fields for growing vegetables and their "Guest is God" kind of hospitality with the Shuddh Gujarati 'Bhanu,' all this and more just made our hearts filled with so much gratitude!
We express our great admiration and respect for each one involved in spreading the fragrance of the rich tradition of folk music and who in turn, inspired us to go to the villages to record them.
