Rang mein Bhang Banarasiya: Lyrics Translation, Meanings (Raanjhnaa)

Movie: Raanjhanaa
Music: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Irshad Kamil
Singer: Shreya Ghoshal

Banarasiya is nothing but a person from Benares, or Banaras, or Varanasi, all different names for a place. It's a common way to call the natives of a place, like Mumbaiya. It's the same as New Yorkers, for example.

At the same time, Bana Rasiya could mean became a mad lover. So the word Banarasiya is used in two senses here, giving both the meanings. Such figure of speech with one word used for two meanings is known as Yamak Alankaar in Hindi/Sanskrit.

Aaye aye aye aye banaarasiyaa
Haye banarasiya

Here, here comes banarasiya..
Hey, banarasiya

Rang mein bhang ya bhang mein rang
Banarasiya, haye banarasiya
Sang mein jang ya jang mein sang
Banarasiya, haye banarasiya

are they impediment in joy, or the color of joy itself,
The Banarasiya..
Is it a fight with them, or is it them with us in fight?
The Banarasiya..

Haan haan haan haaye banrasiya
Haaye banarasiya
Aaaaa Banarasiya

Chaal chalaaki har hushiyari jaanat yoon to
Sab nar naari
Man ke par bhole bhandari
Ghaat kinaare umar guzaari, ghaat banarasiya
Thaathon mein thaath banarasiya
Haaye haaye thaath banarasiya

As such all men and women know all the tricks of the trade,
but they are simple at heart..
They live their lives next to ghaut, and the ghaut is that of Banaras..
The biggest luxury among luxuries is that of Banaras..
Yeah, the luxury is that of Banaras..

[Ghaat (Anglicized: Ghaut) is a broad flight of steps at the sides of rivers where one can sit and bathe easily.]

Rang mein bhang ya bhang mein rang
Banarasiya, haye banarasiya
Sang mein jang ya jang mein sang
Banarasiya, haye banarasiya

Turat-furat mein sab kar jaavein
Aayi pe jo apni aave
Turat-furat mein sab kar jaavein
Aayi pe jo apni aave..

They do everything in an instant,
if they come in their own color..

Taal mein jab ye taan dabaave
Gaal mein jab ye paan dabaave
Teen taal mein chalte jaave
Baat banarasiya, haaye baat banarasiya
Baat banarasiya..

When they put the rhythm in raagas
and put a Betel leaf under their cheek,
They keep going in teen-taal..
That's a Banarasiya style..
Yeah, a style of Banaras..

[Teen Taal is one of the most common Taals in Hindustani music and makes a simple rhythmic structure against which most musical performances can be made.]

Thaathon mein thaath banarasiya
Haaye haaye thaath banarasiya
Thaath banarasiya..

Rang mein bhang ya bhang mein rang
Banaarasiya, haye banaarasiya
Sang mein jang ya jang mein sang
Banaarasiya, haye banarasia..