Punjabi: ਖਿੱਲ /کھلّھ / khillh

[MonsieurGonzalito]

I stumbled into a sentence of difficult translation, mostly because of the word "khillh" of the title. It is, again, in this song "Par Chenaab De", about folkloric lovers Sohni and Mahiwal. The general idea is that, despite difficulties, she should not be discouraged (when crossing the river to meet her lover).
The verse is the one in red.

ਵੇਖ ਛੱਲਾਂ ਪੈਂਦੀਆਂ ਨਾ ਛੱਡੀ ਦਿਲ ਵੇ
ਹਾਂ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਖਿੱਲ ਵੇ

ویکھ چھلاّں پیندیاں نہ چھدیں دل وے
ہاں لے کے کھلّھ وے ​

"khillh" seems like an uncommon word with a puzzling assortment of meanings:

• loudness in laughing
• popcorn
• (said of a buffalo): easy to milk

If I had to make sense of all that, I would say it means something like "bursting", as in, despite the waves falling, she should be "bursting with pleasure" (because of the prospect of meeting Mahiwal).

And on the same line, I would like to know if "lai" in the sentence, means "pleasure" or the verb root or imperative of "ਲੈਣਾ / لین " (to take, i.e., to transport).

I should also point out that the song (from Coke Studio Pakistan) comes with English and Urdu subtitles, which seem to coincide in the translation's meaning:
"So, help transport me there / ہاں، مجھے کھیتے ہوے لے جاؤ"
But it seems to me (even not knowing any Punjabi), that it is not a very literal translation.

Could someone offer any clarity as to what the verse really says?
Thanks in advance.

 

[MonsieurGonzalito]

It could a verbal root akin to Hindustani کهلنا / खिलना / khilnaa: to bloom, to blossom, to expand, to swell; (figuratively) to be delighted
for example ਖਿਲੇ ਹੋੲੇ ਫੁੱਲਾਂ ਵਰਗੇ = like blooming flowers

 

[Alfaaz]

The subtitles have a typo and the word should be ٹھلھ (as it has been pronounced as well).

ویکھ چھلاّں پیندیاں نہ چھڈیں دل وے
ہاں لے کے ٹھلھ وے​

Entries in iJunoon (here) and Maya Singh (here):

Punjabi to,v . I. Tarna ; pani de upar tarna ; thillhna ;
English float

ṬHILLHṈÁ ਠਿੱਲ੍ਹਣਾ v. n. To plunge into water.

And on the same line, I would like to know if "lai" in the sentence, means "pleasure" or the verb root or imperative of "ਲੈਣਾ / لین " (to take, i.e., to transport).

lai ke = le ke/kar

Additional questions:

• What would an appropriate equivalent be for چھلاّں?
  • Is چھلاّں related to this entry for چھل in Urdu Lughat or is it a different word?
• Which of the following Urdu translations would be accurate?

دیکھو متلاطم امواج پڑتی (ہوئیں)! نہ چھوڑنا دل (یعنی ہمّت/حوصلہ) رے!
دیکھ (کر) متلاطم امواج پڑتی (ہوئیں) نہ چھوڑنا دل رے!

​

Other forum members (fluent in Punjabi) could hopefully provide further clarifications and corrections.

 

[MonsieurGonzalito]

Thank you, @Alfaaz !
I am tone-deaf with the retroflexes but it can very well be ٹھلھ

That opens another possibility. From the Patiala University dictionary (can't be linked)

The tone of the song alternates between encouraging and dissuading according to the narrator. So they might be telling her to stop too.

 

[MonsieurGonzalito]

OK, I just confirmed with a couple of native Punjabi speakers. They even bothered to listen to this song.
It is ṭhillhṇaa alright, as @Alfaaz posited.

(They also pointed out that it is not an everyday word, and that it is understandable to get confused).
And we all agreed in deploring the occasional Coke Studio caption
Thanks again, @Alfaaz !

 

[MonsieurGonzalito]

What would an appropriate equivalent be for چھلاّں

 

[Alfaaz]

A few relevant examples from سوہنی مہینوال by فضل شاہ (currently available in the section of the article titled شعری نمونے):

نت گھڑا لے کے ٹھلھ پار جاوے
کرے یار دا جا دیدار جانی

سر تے بنھ واحل ربّ یاد کرکے
سوہنی ٹھلھ پئی دریا بیلی

سوہنی دا دریا وچ ٹھلھنا تے
گھمنگھیری وچ پے جانا

اوڑک بنھ مڈانسڑا ٹھلھ پئی
کچے گھڑے اتے لایا تان میاں

 

[MonsieurGonzalito]

Nice! And from the same story! Thanks again, @Alfaaz

 

[marrish]

What would an appropriate equivalent be for چھلاّں?
Is چھلاّں related to this entry for چھل in Urdu Lughat or is it a different word?
Which of the following Urdu translations would be accurate?

دیکھو متلاطم امواج پڑتی (ہوئیں)! نہ چھوڑنا دل (یعنی ہمّت/حوصلہ) رے!
دیکھ (کر) متلاطم امواج پڑتی (ہوئیں) نہ چھوڑنا دل رے!​

The corresponding noun in Urdu is چھال.
Regarding the sense, both variants are actually not that different from one another, if not almost identical.
The two verbs ویکھ ۔۔۔ نہ چھڈیں can be seen as both imperatives, or ویکھ can be the verbal stem absolutive, but still the meaning is the same:

ویکھ دل نہ چھڈّیں vekh!, dil na chaDDiiN ! =
ویکھ کے دل نہ چھڈّیں vekh ke dil na chhaDDiiN ! =
ویکھ تے دل نہ چھڈّیں vekh! te dil na chaDDiiN !

 

[Alfaaz]

Nice! And from the same story! Thanks again, Alfaaz

You're welcome.

The corresponding noun in Urdu is چھال.
Regarding the sense, both variants are actually not that different from one another, if not almost identical.
The two verbs ویکھ ۔۔۔ نہ چھڈیں can be seen as both imperatives, or ویکھ can be the verbal stem absolutive, but still the meaning is the same:
...

Thanks for the information.

There was another recent Punjabi thread created by MonsieurGonzalito here. Do you have any suggestions for the meaning and translation of the word اڑئیے?