# Hindi, Urdu: rastaa lo jaNgal kaa



## MonsieurGonzalito

Friends,

In the Movie "Mr. and Mrs. 55", the male protagonist impersonates his beloved's driver, and drives her to a secluded place, in order to accost her more effectively.
It would be, in today's hyper politically correct world, a kidnapping, with a couple of attenuating circumstances, such as the fact that she feels more amused than threatened by the whole situation, and that at the time this happens, they are legally married.

Anyway, he simulates a car breakdown and they stop at some bushy place near a creek, where washers are beating clothes, then they have a funny exchange. He continues to plead his love, and she tells him essentially not to bother.
She says:

_choṛo ye ulfat kii baariikiyaaN 
*rastaa lo jaNgal* *kaa* majnuuN miyaaN_

I get the idea that she is telling him: "Hit the road, Mr. Romeo!", but how is she telling him exactly?
What is _rastaa lo jaNgal? "Take plenty of road"? "Take the road of the jungle"?_

The song where this happens is "Chal Diye Banda Nawaz", by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Thanks for any help.


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## marrish

MonsieurGonzalito said:


> Take the road of the jungle"?


'Take the wilderness' road' – _jaNgal_ is not necessarily a forest. But the song's language can't be so dramatically Hindi as to put this label on it in the first place.

'jaNgal' should be seen as the metaphor for renouncing mundane relations and leading a life of seclusion (moving from the inhabited places to the forest).


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## Alfaaz

MonsieurGonzalito said:
			
		

> I get the idea that she is telling him: "Hit the road, Mr. Romeo!", but how is she telling him exactly?
> What is _rastaa lo jaNgal? "Take plenty of road"? "Take the road of the jungle"?_


 _lo _is an imperative:

_rastah le!_
_rastah lo!_
_rastah leN!_
The sentence could be rephrased as _jaNgal kaa rastah lo!_

Does that answer your question or were you confused about something else?


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## MonsieurGonzalito

I am aware that "lo" is an imperative.
I was just asking if taking the road "of the jungle" is the Hindustani idiomatic way of saying "piss off" or something.


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## marrish

Alfaaz said:


> _rastah leN!_


This is strictly speaking the subjunctive/hortative[?], the imperative being _rastah liijiye_ 



MonsieurGonzalito said:


> I am aware that "lo" is an imperative.
> I was just asking if taking the road "of the jungle" is the Hindustani idiomatic way of saying "piss off" or something.


I'm not in the know about Hindustani but in Pakistani it's not, but locutions with ...kaa rastah le/lo can be and are used for this purpose.


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## Alfaaz

marrish said:
			
		

> This is strictly speaking the subjunctive/hortative[?], the imperative being _rastah liijiye_


Thanks for the correction/information.


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## MonsieurGonzalito

marrish said:


> 'Take the wilderness' road' – _jaNgal_ is not necessarily a forest. But the song's language can't be so dramatically Hindi as to put this label on it in the first place.
> 
> 'jaNgal' should be seen as the metaphor for renouncing mundane relations and leading a life of seclusion (moving from the inhabited places to the forest).


Ooh!
The "fourth stage of life": childhood, youth, old age, and then going to the jungle to meditate!
Wow, *Upaniṣad*_*-*_deep! 

Thanks, @marrish, @Alfaaz!



marrish said:


> But the song's language can't be so dramatically Hindi as to put this label on it in the first place.


I mean no disrespect, I just label randomly, for me it is the same language.
But I will remember to alternate more.


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## marrish

^ Yes, it would be nice in case of texts by Urdu poets.


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## marrish

MonsieurGonzalito said:


> The "fourth stage of life": childhood, youth, *old age, and then going to the jungle to meditate!*
> Wow, *Upaniṣad*_*-*_deep!


Instead of talking love!
– This is one of the interpretations, not to forget. The other one naturally mustn't be omitted because of clear reference to MajnuuN.


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## MonsieurGonzalito

Right! He went raving to the forest.
I like this song more and more!


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## marrish

And when did he do it? (I'm uncertain whether it holds connection with the poem/ song's lyrics.)


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## MonsieurGonzalito

When he couldn't realize his love because his beloved's family married her (Laila) to someone else.
Layla and Majnun - Wikipedia


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## marrish

Yes, so I was thinking this motif was there in the song/film, thence my questioning.


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## MonsieurGonzalito

Thanks, @marrish
I will take both, why choose?


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## marrish

MonsieurGonzalito said:


> I like this song more and more!


I'm beginning to like your taste more and more!


MonsieurGonzalito said:


> Thanks, @marrish
> I will take both, why choose?


Good attitude!


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## littlepond

MonsieurGonzalito said:


> I mean no disrespect, I just label randomly, for me it is the same language.



For me as well.


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## littlepond

"majnuu" is often used satirically, as she is doing in the song clearly (also calling the guy a _chaalbaaz, tiirandaaz_). The meaning is simple: she is saying to his claims of _ulfatii_ that if you are really that much in love with me, then why are you pestering me, just take the path of the wilderness like a true _majnuu_ should (once faced with non-acceptance): thus, she is at the same time casting doubt on his claims to be a ("true") lover.

As throughout the song, she has been accusing him of a flirt (even asking him to look for another "ghar"), the "jaNgal" here for me carries a double meaning: a metaphorical meaning of the confusion of tumultous desires of a flirt, who is unable to settle for one person.

I do not see any vaanprasthaashram shade.


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## MonsieurGonzalito

littlepond said:


> I do not see any vaanprasthaashram shade.


Oh, ok.   I was over-interpreting it


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