Mawan Te Dhiyan Ral | Surinder Kaur | Old Punjabi Songs | Punjabi Songs 2022

Saregama Punjabi has posted this video on Youtube. The song "Mawa Te Dhiyan Ral Bethiya Ni Maye" (Mothers and daughters sitting together, oh Mother) is one of the most famous and emotionally resonant Punjabi folk songs, especially within the tradition of $Suhaag$ (wedding songs sung from the bride's perspective).

It is deeply associated with the "Nightingales of Punjab," the sisters Surinder Kaur and Prakash Kaur, whose collaboration immortalized many such traditional verses.

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Meaning of the Song in Detail

The song is a powerful and poignant reflection on the bittersweet reality of the mother-daughter bond in traditional Punjabi culture, particularly around the time of the daughter's marriage.

The Central Theme: The Temporary Bond

The main verse captures the emotional core:

"Mawan te dhiyan ral bethiya ni maye, koi kardiya galorriyan ni..."

"Kanka lammiyan dhiyan kyon jamiya ni maye, Kanka nisriya dhiyan kyon visariya ni maye."

Translation: "Mothers and daughters are sitting together, O Mother, sharing sweet talks..."

The Crux: "Why did we give birth to daughters when the wheat grows tall, O Mother? Now that the wheat is ripe, why are the daughters forgotten/sent away, O Mother?"

This contrast between the wheat ($kanka$) and the daughters ($dhiyan$) is the song's key metaphor:

• Growing Wheat ($KankaLammiyan$): The period of a daughter's childhood and youth, when she is part of the home and the relationship is nurtured.

• Ripe Wheat ($KankaNisriya$): The time when the daughter is grown and ready for harvest—or, in human terms, ready for marriage.

• Daughter "Forgotten"/Sent Away ($DhiyanKyonVisariya$): The painful reality that once the daughter is of marriageable age, she must leave her ancestral home (be "forgotten" by her birth home) to join her husband's family.

Detailed Emotional Layers

1. Bittersweet Nostalgia (Before Departure): The opening verses describe the precious moments of connection—the mother and daughter sitting closely, sharing their secrets and affection. This moment is cherished precisely because they know it is fleeting.

2. The Daughter's Grievance (The Pain of Separation): The daughter questions the tradition that forces her to leave. The line "Daughters are friends to their mothers, a bond not broken by trivialities," highlights that the relationship is profound, yet it must be severed by social custom.

3. The Daughter's Loneliness in the New Home: Later verses often switch perspective to the daughter's experience after marriage. She laments the lack of warmth from her in-laws ($nand$ or $devrani$) and how she misses the unconditional love and shade ($chha$) of her brothers and her mother's home. She may weep or pace anxiously, constantly looking toward the road, hoping for a visiting relative ($veer$) from her parental home.

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Cultural Context and Video Detail

The song is an essential part of Punjabi wedding rituals, usually sung during the $LadiesSangeet$ or $Suhaag$ ceremonies.

• Video Detail (Surinder & Prakash Kaur): The most popular video versions are typically audio tracks over static images of the two legendary singers or vintage Punjabi village scenes. Their voices—Prakash Kaur's earthier, robust tone and Surinder Kaur's softer, mellower voice—blend to create a powerful duet that feels like the voice of the entire female community.

• Historical Significance: It remains a cultural touchstone because it is one of the few traditional songs that addresses the sorrow and social unfairness inherent in the transition of a daughter from her father's house to her husband's. It gives a voice to the universal emotions of loss felt by both the mother losing her child and the daughter losing her home.

(This video is posted by channel – Saregama Punjabi on YouTube, and Raree India has no direct claims to this video. This video is added to this post for knowledge purposes only.)