(A Quintessential Love Story)
As the Moon (called 'Chaand' in Hindi) rises in the sky, there is a ptargmigan bird (called 'Chakor' in Northern India) that keeps looking up at it often. So much so, that people have noted this for thousands of years. They say the bird is in love with the Moon. The two can never be, but that does not matter to the bird. It has moved the souls of countless millions, deeply, over the millenia of those that have observed this bird. They consider this the oldest love story, long before humans were here.
Sure, since then, they have other pairs to represent the romantic yearning, powerful, silent, unrequited or simply the impossible love - something that can never be fulfilled, or that which ended in tragedy. There is Romeo and Juliet in the West, there is 'Heer-Ranjha', 'Sohni-Mahiwal', 'Devdas-Paro', many that are the epitome of love. However, in the culture of India the term 'Chaand-Chakor' is a synonym for timeless, unfailing love. It is The First Love-Story.
This is such a legend - the national bird of Pakistan is the Chakor (colloquially called 'Chukar').
When a man wants to woo his lady, he might say "I am Romeo, You are Juliet" or "I am Ranjha, You are Heer", to convey the intensity and passion, even if their circumstances are not as dire, it has an effect. It is telling "I feel for you just as Romeo/Ranjha did for Juliet/Heer, I cannot be apart from you, I would give up my life for you."
When he says "Tu Chaand Mein Chakor" (You are the Moon and I am the Chakor), it means "My love for you is timeless, it has always been, it will always be, no matter if we can never be together and I can only look at you from a distance". This is the ultimate passionate hyperbole in love where such is allowed and makes sense.
'Chaand-Chakor' has been glorified in countless poems, songs and tales. It never fails to move me still.
There is a stanza from a popular Bollywood movie song that comes to mind.
"Chaand-Chakori ki prem kahani
Prem jagat mein hai sabse purani
Isse puranai, ek kahani, teri-meri preet re
Aaja tujhko pukare mere geet re, mere geet re,
O mere mitwaah, mere meet re"
English Translation:
"The love story of Chaand-Chakor',
In the world of love, is the oldest lore
But there is a story even before
It is of our love, mi amore
My song calls out to you, Come on now!
O my sweet beloved, my love!"
Link on YouTube: Search for "Aaja tujhko pukare mere geet re", from the movie "Aap Aye Bahaar Aayee" the duet version, sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.
My Own Composition Song: तू चाँद मैं चकोर
https://youtu.be/XSGjHUkNRr4
Copyright (c) Kannan Narayanamurthy 2017
All rights reserved
References:"Tu Chaan Mein Chakor (तू चाँद मैं चकोर )" song
I own the copyright and all rights to the lyrics and tune. Copyright (c) Kannan Narayanamurthy 2019
All rights reserved.
"Aaja tujhko pukare mere geet re" Song courtesy YouTube with appropriate credits and copyrights. I don't own it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1KeDDv3hUI
Photos of Moon and Chakor bird, courtesy of Internet: I don't own the copyright.
https://pixabay.com/en/photos/full%20moon/
Wikepedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chukar_partridge
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