BoliyanChildren's rhymes and lullabies · ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਗੀਤ ਤੇ ਲੋਰੀਆਂ
The rhymes Punjabi children have always sung: kikli, the spinning game of little girls; a lullaby; a counting-out rhyme; and a song of joy for a new baby. Two new rhymes come after them.
4 traditional and 2 new verses on this page. Each has the Punjabi text, the same words in Roman letters and the meaning.
- ਰਵਾਇਤੀ · Traditional
Kikli
ਕਿੱਕਲੀ ਕਲੀਰ ਦੀ, ਪੱਗ ਮੇਰੇ ਵੀਰ ਦੀ, ਦੁਪੱਟਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ਦਾ, ਫਿੱਟੇ ਮੂੰਹ ਜਵਾਈ ਦਾ।
Kikli kaleer di, pagg mere veer di, dupatta mere bhai da, phitte moonh javaayi da.
Kikli of the wedding ornament; the turban of my brother; the scarf of my brother; and shame on the son-in-law! Two girls cross their arms, hold hands, lean back and spin round and round as they sing. The last line is an old, playful tease, not meant seriously.
- ਰਵਾਇਤੀ · Traditional
Lullaby: Allarh ballarh
ਅੱਲੜ੍ਹ ਬੱਲੜ੍ਹ ਬਾਵੇ ਦਾ, ਬਾਵਾ ਕਣਕ ਲਿਆਵੇਗਾ, ਬਾਵੀ ਬਹਿ ਕੇ ਛੱਟੇਗੀ, ਮਾਂ ਪੂਣੀਆਂ ਵੱਟੇਗੀ, ਬਾਵੀ ਮੰਨ ਪਕਾਵੇਗੀ, ਬਾਵਾ ਬਹਿ ਕੇ ਖਾਵੇਗਾ।
Allarh ballarh baave da, baava kanak lyaavega, baavi beh ke chhattegi, maan pooniyan vattegi, baavi mann pakaavegi, baava beh ke khaavega.
A lullaby of nonsense and comfort: the little one's "baava" will bring the wheat, "baavi" will sit and winnow it, mother will roll the cotton for spinning, baavi will bake thick rotis, and baava will sit and eat them. It is sung slowly while rocking a baby.
- ਰਵਾਇਤੀ · Traditional
Counting-out rhyme
ਉੱਕੜ ਦੁੱਕੜ ਭੰਬਾ ਭੌ, ਅੱਸੀ ਨੱਬੇ ਪੂਰਾ ਸੌ। ਸੌ ਗਲੋਟਾ, ਤਿੱਤਰ ਮੋਟਾ, ਚੱਲ ਮਦਾਰੀ, ਪੈਸਾ ਖੋਟਾ।
Ukkad dukkad bhamba bhau, assi nabbe poora sau. Sau galota, tittar mota, chal madaari, paisa khota.
A counting-out rhyme with playful sounds: "...eighty, ninety, a full hundred. A hundred spools, a fat partridge; go on, showman, your coin is false." Children point at one player on each beat; the one on whom the last word falls becomes the "den".
- ਰਵਾਇਤੀ · Traditional
Song for a new baby
ਹਰਿਆ ਨੀ ਮਾਏ, ਹਰਿਆ ਨੀ ਭੈਣੇ, ਹਰਿਆ ਤੇ ਭਾਗੀਂ ਭਰਿਆ। ਜਿਸ ਦਿਹਾੜੇ ਮੇਰਾ ਹਰਿਆ ਨੀ ਜੰਮਿਆ, ਸੋਈ ਦਿਹਾੜਾ ਭਾਗੀਂ ਭਰਿਆ।
Hareya ni maaye, hareya ni bhaine, hareya te bhaagin bhareya. Jis dihaade mera hareya ni jammeya, soyi dihaada bhaagin bhareya.
"Green and fresh, mother; green and fresh, sister; green, and full of good fortune. The day my little green one was born, that day was full of good fortune." Sung by the women of the family when a child is born.
- ਨਵੀਂ · New, written for this site
A rhyme for washing hands
ਇੱਕ ਦੋ ਤਿੰਨ ਚਾਰ, ਹੱਥ ਧੋਵੋ ਬਾਰ ਬਾਰ। ਪੰਜ ਛੇ ਸੱਤ ਅੱਠ, ਸਾਬਣ ਮਲੋ, ਜਾਵੇ ਮੈਲ ਨੱਠ।
Ikk do tinn chaar, hath dhovo baar baar. Panj chhe satt atth, saaban malo, jaave mail natth.
One, two, three, four, wash your hands again and again. Five, six, seven, eight, rub the soap and the dirt runs away.
- ਨਵੀਂ · New, written for this site
A sleepy rhyme
ਚੰਨ ਮਾਮਾ ਅੱਜ ਨੇੜੇ ਆਇਆ, ਸਾਡੀ ਛੱਤ ਤੇ ਬਹਿ ਗਿਆ। ਮੇਰੀ ਗੁੱਡੀ ਸੌਂ ਗਈ, ਤਾਰਾ ਲੋਰੀ ਕਹਿ ਗਿਆ।
Chann maama ajj nede aaya, saadi chhatt te beh gaya. Meri guddi saun gayi, taara lori keh gaya.
Uncle Moon came close tonight and sat down on our roof. My little doll has fallen asleep; a star sang her the lullaby.
Traditional verses are old folk verses with no known author, given as commonly sung; your village may sing them a little differently. New verses were written for this site in the old patterns.
More boliyan
New to boliyan? Read what a boli is and how to sing one.