"Ranjha Ranjha!" / went until I became Ranjha myself by Bulleh Shah — Analysis & Translation

Original Poem

"Ranjha Ranjha!" / went until I became Ranjha myself Call me Dheedo Ranjha, Don't call me Hir Ranjha is within me,. I am within Ranjha, there is no other thought I's not me it's him, Him who adores himself Whoever lives within me, My caste is theirs' Who I have pledged my heart to, / have become like them Remove and throw the white shawl girl! Wear the beggar's stole The white shaw/ will stain, The beggar's stole won't Take Bullah to Takht Hazaray, Can't find home in the Siyaals "Ranjha Ranjha!" / went, until | became Ranjha myself

Translation (English)

"Ranjha Ranjha!" I kept saying until I felt like I became Ranjha. Call me Dheedo Ranjha, not Hir, because Ranjha is inside me. I am inside Ranjha, and I have no other thoughts. It's not me, it's him, the one who loves himself. Whoever is inside me, I belong to their group. The one I have given my heart to, I have become like them. Take off the white shawl, girl! Wear the beggar's cloak. The white shawl will get dirty, but the beggar's cloak won't. Take Bullah to Takht Hazaray, I can't find a home with the Siyaals. "Ranjha Ranjha!" I kept saying, until I felt like I became Ranjha.

About the Poet

Bulleh Shah (Late 17th to mid-18th century)

Bulleh Shah was a Punjabi philosopher, reformer, and poet known for his Sufi mystic poetry. He used colloquial language to convey complex spiritual ideas and critiqued social norms. His works have had a lasting impact on Punjabi literature.

Historical Context

Literary Form: Kafi
When Written: Late 17th to mid-18th century
Background: The poem reflects Bulleh Shah's Sufi philosophy of divine love and unity with the beloved, symbolized by Ranjha. It critiques social norms and emphasizes spiritual transformation and identity.

Sources: https://spunkynotes.com/ranjha-ranjha-krdi-mein/, https://azkalam.com/bulleh-shah/ranjha-ranjha-kardi-hun-main-aape-ranjha-hoyi/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulleh_Shah

Detailed Explanation

This poem by Bulleh Shah explores the theme of spiritual unity and transformation. The repeated invocation of 'Ranjha' symbolizes the poet's deep spiritual connection and transformation into the beloved, Ranjha. The poet asks to be called by Ranjha's name, signifying a complete merging of identities. This reflects the Sufi belief in the oneness of the lover and the beloved, where individual identity dissolves into divine love. The poem also critiques societal norms, as seen in the lines about discarding the white shawl for a beggar's stole, symbolizing a rejection of material and social status in favor of spiritual humility. The mention of 'Takht Hazaray' and 'Siyaals' refers to the legendary love story of Heer and Ranjha, grounding the poem in cultural and historical context. The poem emphasizes the idea that true identity and belonging are found not in societal labels but in spiritual devotion and love.

Themes

Literary Devices

Word Dictionary

Word	Meaning	Translation	Transliteration
"Ranjha	رانجھا	Ranjha	Raanjha
Ranjha!"	رانجھا!	Ranjha!	Raanjha!
went	گیا	moved	went
until	جب تک	up to the point	until
I	میں	myself	I
became	بن گیا	turned into	became
Ranjha	رانجھا	Ranjha	Raanjha
myself	خود	me	myself
Call	پکارو	say	Call
me	مجھے	myself	me
Dheedo	دھیڈو	Dheedo (a name)	Dheedho
Don't	مت	do not	Don't
call	پکارو	say	call
Hir	ہیر	Hir (a character from Punjabi folklore)	Heer
is	ہے	exists	is
within	اندر	inside	within
me,.	مجھے،	me,	me,
am	ہوں	exist	am
Ranjha,	رانجھا،	Ranjha,	Raanjha,
there	وہاں	in that place	there
no	کوئی	not any	no
other	دوسرا	different	other
thought	خیال	idea	thought
I's	میں	I's	I am
not	نہیں	isn't	not
it's	یہ	it is	it's
him,	وہ،	him,	him,
Him	وہ	that person	Him
who	جو	the one who	who
adores	پیار کرتا ہے	loves	adores
himself	خود	his own self	himself
Whoever	جو بھی	anyone who	Whoever
lives	رہتا ہے	stays	lives
me,	مجھے،	me,	me,
My	میرا	belonging to me	My
caste	ذات	social group	caste
theirs'	ان کی	theirs'	theirs
Who	جو	the person who	Who
have	ہے	possess	have
pledged	عہد کیا	promised	pledged
my	میرا	belonging to me	my
heart	دل	feelings	heart
to,	کو،	to,	to,
become	بن گیا	turned into	become
like	جیسے	similar to	like
them	انہیں	those people	them
Remove	ہٹا دو	take off	Remove
and	اور	also	and
throw	پھینک دو	toss	throw
the	وہ	that	the
white	سفید	light-colored	white
shawl	چادر	wrap	shawl
girl!	لڑکی!	girl!	girl!
Wear	پہنو	put on	Wear
beggar's	فقیر کی	poor person's	beggar's
stole	چادر	cloak	stole
The	وہ	that	The
shaw/	چادر	shawl	shawl
will	ہوگا	is going to	will
stain,	داغ لگے گا،	stain,	stain,
won't	نہیں ہوگا	will not	won't
Take	لے جاؤ	bring	Take
Bullah	بلہ	Bullah (referring to Bulleh Shah)	Bullah
to	کو	towards	to
Takht	تخت	Takht (a place)	Takht
Hazaray,	ہزارے،	Hazaray,	Hazaray,
Can't	نہیں کر سکتا	cannot	Can't
find	پانا	locate	find
home	گھر	house	home
in	میں	inside	in
Siyaals	سیال	Siyaals (a clan)	Siyaals
went,	گیا،	went,	went,
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