Dil Ke Arman Ansuon Mein Bah Gaye Lyrics English Translation

Dil ke arman ansuon mein bah gaye, translates to English as, all of my hopes are washed away in tears. It was a song from the 1982 film Nikaah (marriage contract), and sung by Salma Agha. It is a sorrowful song in which a woman describes how her desire and hopes (arman) were washed away (bah gaye) in tears (ansuon). The song is about a woman who was faithful (wafa) in her marriage relationship, yet paradoxically ended up alone and lonely (tanha). The film highlights the unfair practices of the Nikaah, in which the women usually end up losing out. Unfortunately, many parts of the world still practice it today, where women have virtually no rights. Back in the 80s I remember hearing this song on the radio and thought it was a very troubling song. I just could not understand why people would want to keep one half of their population in servitude and oppression. Luckily, women all over the world are now fighting back and becoming lawyers and doctors and pushing for the changes necessary for greater equality.

In these lyrics, she expresses that after every act of cruelty she made herself believe that this would be the last time, which is a very common thought process women in abusive relationships have. Unfortunately these things never end until there is a drastic change. She also expresses that she put everything of herself in the relationship until she was no more, meaning that her own self and identity were sacrificed until they no longer existed. However this was still not enough and the distance remained.

These feelings could apply to many women in many ways. Many women sacrifice their hopes and dreams for others and get nothing in return, and then end up lonely, even though they did nothing wrong. You might be a woman, but you are a human being foremost, and you have equal rights in this world. It is your duty to do whatever you can for this to be realised. So do whatever you can, in any way you can, so that the future for all women is improved.

Remember that these are two line verses and therefore each line continues to the next for the complete meaning.

Meaning and Context

Armaan, desires, or hopes. Similar to the term khwaahish

Wafa, faithful

Tahha, alone, lonely

Darmiyaan (Urdu), between or proximity. It is similar to maa baen

Sitam (Urdu), oppression. Similar to terms such as aafat, or zulm

Pyaas (Hindi), thirst

Aakhri, last, or the end of something

English Translation

Dil ke arman, ansuon mein, bah gaye,

Hopes of my heart, in tears, washed away,

All of my hopes are washed away in tears,

ham wafa karke bhi, tanha reh gaye.

I was faithful yet still ended up alone

Zindagi ek pyaas banakar, reh gayi,

Life left me with a thirst that remained unfulfilled,

pyar ke qisse, adhuure reh gaye.

the story of love, remained incomplete.

Shaayad, unka aakhri ho, yeh sitam,

Perhaps, this was his last act of cruelty,

har sitam, yeh sochkar, hum seh gaye.

during every cruelty, I thought of this, and I endured it.

Khud ko bhi, humne mita, daala, magar,

I also put everything of myself into it until I was no more, however,

faasle jo darmiyaan the reh gaye.

the result was the distance between us remained.

These feelings could apply to many people in many ways. Perhaps sacrificing your hopes and dreams is wrong in itself which can cause a huge conflict within your soul. In my life, I had an overbearing father, which we appropriately nicknamed Hitler. It was always his hopes and dreams that had to be fulfilled whilst mine were sacrificed. His ego always had to be strengthened and grown whilst mine destroyed until I was no more. I used to have recurring dreams of rain falling through the roof of my house washing all my furniture and belongings away. Even my subconscious was telling me the same thing in imagery form.