So, sticking with my thread of unearthing things that I wrote before I was of legal age to drink, vote or get married, here is the transliteration of the Malayalam portion of Jeeya Jale from Dil Se. Needless to say, I do not know any Malayalam. This is what it sounded like to me back then, as I faithfully recorded in my crazy notebook:

Monturiganji Kunjikyo, Undurimuttore chindikyo
Vanjarivannam Chudari vaave
Taanginnakka Takadhiniyaru Tanganivaave Hoi!
Tanga fur salle, kuru Pooivalle
Maaran Mai Ralle Hai!

—

Kuruvaadikiye Kuruvaadikiye
Ukkur gud gud Bhoovik Kurvi
Koonnadipakke Rooyiadi Kuddavaakine
Maarannine Koohikuvooki Kuttadikineye

∞

This is not meant as disrespect to Malayalam. It is what I heard and faithfully recorded. I invite you to do the same with Gujarati (my mother tongue) garbas. It might be fun. Or funny.

Here is what the actual transliteration (and translation) is. I was close in parts, but in others, I wasn’t even in the ballpark. We weren’t even playing the same game:

Punchiri thanu konchiko
Give me a smile and lisp

Munthiri mutham chinthiko
Think of kisses as sweet as grapes

Manchani varna sundari vave
Oh sweet and beautiful girl

Thankinaka
(no translation,it is a rythm)

Thakadhimi aadum thankanilave oye
Dance in the golden light.

Thanka kolusale
Like golden anklets

Koorkum kuyilalae
Like the cooing cuckoo

aadana mayilalae
Like the dancing peacock.

—

Hey,kuruvanikiliye
Oh kuruvani bird

Kukuru kurukuru kooki kuruki,kunnimarathil uyal adi
Making noise(kukuru kurukuru),Swinging on the kunni tree

Kodum orike kootu vilikunne
Is calling you after making the nest

Maran nine kooki kuruki kkotu vilikunne
Your lover is calling you again and again

∞

My bad.