‘Bajre Da Sitta’ Stuck In Your Head? Here’s What The Original Folk Song Really Means

Rashmeet Kaur’s latest track, Bajre Da Sitta, has literally taken over Instagram with almost every reel and/or TikTok playing this track in the background. 

Considering the song’s fun vibe, it’s understandable why the track has emerged as everyone’s go-to song. 

While the song has been written by Rashmeet Kaur and Deep Kalsi, with rap by Ikka, the chorus that has actually taken over social media, is from an old Punjabi folk song, sung by Surinder and Prakash Kaur. 

Like most folk songs, Punjabi folk songs were either a representation of people’s daily lives or supposed to highlight a particular event (often marriage and/or childbirth), and usually involved light-hearted teasing, and/or slight exaggeration of events to add to the drama. 

In Bajre Da Sitta, a woman talks about how she is trying to win over her angry lover and compares the process to her job at the millet (bajra) farms. This is what the chorus of the song actually means: 

Bajre da sitta ve assan talli te maroreya 

Ruthra janda mahiya 

Ruthra janda mahiya ve assan galli vichon moreya 

Translation: 

I twist and turn this cob of millet (or pod of millet) on my palms

As my lover walks away angry

(But) I’ve made my angry lover turn from his path 

And this is what the stanzas refer to: 

Stanza 1

Kale kale baddal aaye, chukki jaan haneri 

Ajj na sathon russi dhola, saun he tenu meri 

Chhama chham mii peya vasse, jawani khir khir hasse 

Aes rut te sohna 

Aes rut te sohna gharon kise na vichhoreya 

Bajre da sitta

Translation: 

The black clouds have gathered, like the storm in my spirits 

(signifying her unrest at his anger)

Don’t get angry with me today lover, you have my swear

(Like) the pitter-patter of rain, my youth laughs with abandon

In this beautiful weather, no one leaves the house. 

Stanza 2

Murr murr terian bahva phardi, mintan karan main lakhan 

Je pichhon si akh phawani, kyon laiyan si akhan 

Ve laggi tor ve dhola, shawa. Mera dil mor ve dhola

Ghari ghari de rose 

Ghari ghari de rose ve sada lahu ve nachoreya

Translation:

I keep grabbing onto your arms, I’ve pleaded a thousand times

If you had to turn away your eyes, then why did you gaze at me in the first place?

Why don’t just you break this bond, return my heart

These constant fights have squeezed my blood/sucked me dry

Stanza 3

Raah jaan de se cher gaya jad oh din bhulla

Meri roop jawani utte dil tera si dulla 

Jadon sain nain milaunda, bade sain tarle paunda 

Tor gaya sain wangan 

Tor gaya sain wangan, naale hath machkoreya

Translation: 

You’ve forgotten the day when you stopped me on my way

And your heart was lost to my beauty and youth 

You would exchange glances, plead with me

You even broke the bangles on my hand, when you twisted my arm

Stanza 4

Bin tere meri sunni duniya jyon bhawran bin kalliyan

Rah utte main nain vichha ke khalli rahwan vich gallian 

Ve tu na aaven dhola, shawa. Bada tarpaven dhola. 

Nitt de vichore 

Nitt de vichore ve mahiya dil sada toreya

Transalation: 

Without you, my world is empty, like flowers without bees

My eyes are fixed (literal translation: laid) on the road, I wait on this path 

But you don’t appear, you torment me

And this separation has broken my heart

The remixed track has a slightly similar theme. Here, the song is about a girl who is wary of meeting her partner, because she is scared of the possible fight that may ensue between him and her brother. 

Ve gali wich khade veer mere, 

Aidan gehda na tu katti, Na tu yar leke aayi ve, 

Vekhna te tainu main ve chauhndi se ve, 

Hoje na koi panga tan hi segi ghabrayi ve, 

Jind meri teri hi te mahiya ve, 

Sara sama tere layi batoreya,

Translation: 

My brothers are standing in the lane, 

It would be best if you didn’t drive around, or show up with your friends. 

I, too, wished to meet you, 

But you guys might end up fighting, so I feel scared. 

My life belongs to you, I have set the mood for you. 

Yar bely naal si bathere, tan vi shad sareya nu main ta teri gali aaya ve, 

Vekhne da chah siga todeya ve, 

Gali wicho mod mainu bada tadpaya ve, 

Oh ishqe di peed badi lagi, 

Kahton sohniye ni mukh sathon modeya, 

Translation: 

I had many friends with me, I left them all to be with you. 

I so wanted to see you. 

You torment me by turning me away from the lane

I’m here to meet you. 

The pain of love is strong

Why are you turning me away?

Yes, it’s kinda, sorta patriarchal, but also, catchy AF. Basically, just your average new-age Punjabi track, but finally, you actually know what it means.