Chalte chalte - Pakeezah

Pakeezah (1971): Lyrics - Kaifi Azmi, Music - Ghulam Mohammed, Singer - Lata Mangeshkar

This is my favourite for more reasons than one. First it is written by Kaifi Azmi, whom I like for his simplicity and economy of words. With a few words, he paints a vast universe of emotions very deftly. Second, Meena Kumari looks out of the world in this song. Third, it has been choreographed superbly to a slow beat. Of course, the last but not the least, this is one of the few songs Lata Mangeshkar has sung with great feeling.
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The text in Hindustani

chalate-chalate
yuu.Nhii koii mil gayaa thaa
yuu.Nhii koii mil gayaa thaa sar-e-raah chalate-chalate
sar-e-raah chalate-chalate
vahii.n tham ke rah gaii hai
vahii.n thamake rah gaii hai merii raat Dhalate-Dhalate
merii raat Dhalate-Dhalate

jo kahii gaii na mujhase
jo kahii gaii na mujhase vo zamaanaa kah rahaa hai
vo zamaanaa kah rahaa hai
ke fasaanaa
ke fasaanaa ban gaii hai
ke fasaanaa ban gaii hai merii baat Talate-Talate
merii baat Talate-Talate
yuu.Nhii koii mil gayaa thaa
yuu.Nhii koii mil gayaa thaa sar-e-raah chalate-chalate
sar-e-raah chalate-chalate

yuu.Nhii koii mil gayaa thaa sar-e-raah chalate-chalate
chalate-chalate
sar-e-raah chalate-chalate
chalate-chalate

chalate-chalate
chalate-chalate

chalate-chalate
chalate-chalate

chalate-chalate
chalate-chalate

chalate-chalate
chalate-chalate
yuu.Nhii koii mil gayaa thaa
yuu.Nhii koii mil gayaa thaa

shab-e-i.ntazaar aaKir
shab-e-i.ntazaar aaKir kabhii hogii muKtasar bhii
kabhii hogii muKtasar bhii
ye chiraaG
ye chiraaG bujh rahe hai.n
ye chiraaG bujh rahe hai.n mere saath jalate-jalate
mere saath jalate-jalate
ye chiraaG bujh rahe hai.n

ye chiraaG bujh rahe hai.n -4
ye chiraaG bujh rahe hai.n mere saath jalate-jalate
mere saath jalate-jalate

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As I kept walking, someone happended to meet me just like that at the corner of the road. It is as though my night has stood still at that place; yes, while it was passing out, it got transfixed there.

Times are expressing that which I could not utter. What I kept avoiding has now become a tale that tails me.

The night of waiting may become shorter after all; yet the lamps are going out as they burn with me.