Aaj Bazaar Mein By Bayaan Lyrics Explain

Bayaan’s powerful song “Aaj Bazaar Mein” is actually based on a famous and revolutionary Urdu poem by the legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The title means “Today, Let’s Walk in the Marketplace with Chains on Our Feet.” It’s a strong call for people to stop hiding their suffering or their beliefs and to show them openly, even if it means facing punishment or judgment from society.

The song argues that private sadness or secret love isn’t enough in times of oppression or when fighting for something important. Instead, it urges people to walk proudly into the public square (the “bazaar”), displaying their metaphorical chains, their sorrows, and their commitment for everyone to see. It’s a call for bold, public defiance and even sacrifice, asking people to be brave enough to face the consequences for what they believe in or whom they love. Bayaan’s rock music gives this classic poem a new, intense energy.

The Meaning Behind the Title/Refrain: “Aaj Bazaar Mein Pa-ba-jaulan Chalo”

The title, which is also the song’s main repeated line, translates to “Today, let’s go into the marketplace with chains on our feet.” This is the core message. The “bazaar” or marketplace represents the public space, where society watches. “Pa-ba-jaulan” means having chains or shackles on one’s feet.

In Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s original poem, these could be real chains, as he wrote it possibly while imprisoned for his political views. But they also represent metaphorical chains – the chains of oppressive rules, the burdens of a difficult love, or the commitment to a cause.

The call to walk with these chains openly in the public bazaar is revolutionary. It means: don’t hide your suffering, don’t hide your commitment, don’t be ashamed of your bonds. Instead, wear them proudly as a sign of defiance against those who oppress you, or as a sign of your unwavering love. It turns suffering into a public statement of resistance.

“Aaj Bazaar Mein” Lyrics Meaning Explained

Let’s explore the feelings and ideas from Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poem, as sung by Bayaan, explained simply part-by-part.

Verse 1: Private Pain is Not Enough

The song begins by saying that just having sad, tearful eyes or a troubled soul isn’t sufficient anymore. Simply feeling pain inwardly is not enough to make a difference or prove one’s commitment.

It also states that hiding your love or your beliefs, carrying the burden of this secret love or cause, is also not enough. The message is clear: keeping your deepest feelings or struggles private doesn’t achieve anything in this situation. There needs to be something more public.

Verse 2: How to Walk in Defiance

This part describes how the singer wants people to walk into the public square. They should walk with hands gesturing openly, perhaps wildly, showing they have nothing to hide. They should walk as if drunk on their passion and dancing, completely absorbed in their feelings or cause.

They should walk with dust on their heads (a traditional sign of deep mourning or humility, used here defiantly) and with clothes stained with blood (showing they have suffered wounds or made sacrifices). It calls for a dramatic, unafraid display of one’s true state.

The singer urges everyone to walk towards the “city of the beloved” – which could mean a real lover’s town, or metaphorically, the goal or ideal they are fighting for. They say everyone is watching and waiting, emphasizing the public nature of this act.

Verse 3: Who Are the True Companions?

Here, the singer asks some searching questions. Who is left as a true friend or sympathizer for people like us, besides ourselves? It suggests that those who suffer or resist together only have each other for real understanding.

It also asks: in that “city of the beloved” (the goal or ideal place), who is truly pure-hearted and loyal anymore? This might express disappointment, suggesting that perhaps even within their own cause or group, true loyalty is rare now. It highlights a sense of isolation but also the importance of solidarity among the faithful few.

Verse 4: Ready for the Ultimate Sacrifice

This final verse takes the call for defiance to its highest point. It asks: who is truly worthy of facing the executioner’s hand now? The implied answer is perhaps only those who are willing to suffer and sacrifice openly are worthy of such a fate.

The singer then tells the heartbroken ones to gather the belongings of their heart – meaning, gather their courage and emotional strength – and prepare themselves.

The song ends with a stark and powerful invitation to friends or comrades: Let’s go and offer ourselves to be sacrificed again. It’s a call to embrace the ultimate cost, martyrdom, for the sake of their beliefs, their love, or their resistance against oppression.

Understanding the Comparisons (Metaphors) in “Aaj Bazaar Mein”

Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poem, used in this song, is full of powerful symbols and comparisons (metaphors).

The Marketplace: “Bazaar”

The “bazaar” (Aaj bāzār mein...) represents the public world, society, the open square where everyone can see you. It’s not just a place to buy things; it’s the stage where your actions, beliefs, and suffering become visible to all. Going into the bazaar means making your private feelings or struggles public.

Walking with Chains: “Pa-ba-jaulan”

Walking “with chains on one’s feet” (pa-ba-jauloñ) is a central metaphor. The chains can be real prison chains, but they also symbolize anything that restricts or binds you – oppressive laws, difficult love, commitment to a cause, or even your own sorrow. Walking proudly with these chains, not trying to hide them, is a powerful symbol of defiance. It means accepting your reality, even your suffering, and showing it bravely to the world as a form of protest.

Signs of Suffering Worn Openly: Dust and Blood

The images of walking with dust on the head (Khāk-bar-sar) and blood on the clothes (Khūñ-ba-dāmāñ) are strong symbols. Dust on the head traditionally shows grief or humility. Blood on clothes shows physical suffering or sacrifice. Doing this openly in the bazaar turns these private signs of pain into public declarations. It’s like saying, “Look what has been done to us, but we are not ashamed or afraid to show it.”

City of the Beloved: “Shahr-e-Jānāñ”

The “city of the beloved” (shahr-e-jānāñ) is a beautiful metaphor often used in Urdu poetry. It can mean the actual place where the person you love lives. But it often means something bigger: the ultimate goal, the ideal world you are striving for, the cause you believe in, or the source of true happiness or fulfillment. Walking towards it means moving towards your most cherished goal, even if it’s dangerous.

Packing the Heart’s Belongings: Rakht-e-dil bāñdh lo

Telling the heartbroken (dil-figāro) to pack the belongings of the heart (Rakht-e-dil bāñdh lo) is a metaphor for emotional preparation. “Rakht” means luggage or belongings. It means gather your courage, your resolve, your memories, and your love – prepare your heart for the difficult journey or the final sacrifice ahead.

Getting Executed: Qatl ho aa.eñ

The final call, “Let’s go get ourselves executed” (Phir hamīñ qatl ho aa.eñ yaaro chalo), is likely metaphorical (though in some political contexts, it could be literal). It represents the willingness to face the ultimate consequence, even death or martyrdom, for one’s deeply held beliefs or love. It’s the peak of defiance – showing you are not afraid even of losing everything for your cause.

The Story Behind “Aaj Bazaar Mein” (Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s Poem)

This song uses the words of a very famous poem by Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984), one of the most celebrated poets of Urdu language from Pakistan. Faiz was known for his revolutionary ideas, his belief in social justice, and his opposition to oppression and military dictatorships. He was imprisoned several times for his political views.

“Aaj Bazaar Mein Pa-ba-jaulan Chalo” is believed to have been written during one of his imprisonments, likely under the military rule of Ayub Khan. It’s considered one of his most powerful poems of resistance. It was a direct challenge to the regime, urging people not to suffer in silence but to make their dissent and commitment public, turning personal pain into political protest. The poem uses the language of love (a common style in Urdu poetry) to talk about commitment to a cause and defiance against tyranny.

By choosing to perform this poem, Bayaan, a modern rock band known for their thoughtful and often socially aware music, connects themselves to this legacy of artistic resistance. Their musical interpretation gives Faiz’s timeless words a new energy and introduces them to a younger generation. The album “4 Saal,” reflecting their own journey, likely includes this piece to make a statement about enduring struggles, the importance of speaking out, and finding strength in shared history and classic poetry. Shahrukh Aslam’s production probably helps blend the classic Urdu poetry with Bayaan’s contemporary rock sound.

Final Thoughts: A Timeless Call to Courage

Bayaan’s rendition of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s “Aaj Bazaar Mein” is more than just a song; it’s a powerful reminder of the courage it takes to stand up for what you believe in, even when facing oppression or societal judgment. The song, through Faiz’s iconic words, transforms suffering from something private and shameful into a public badge of honor and defiance.

The call to walk into the open “bazaar” with chains on one’s feet is a timeless message. It encourages listeners to be brave, to make their voices heard, and to find solidarity with others who suffer or resist. Bayaan’s musical energy adds intensity to this call for action. It’s a song that urges us not to hide in the darkness but to bring our truth, our love, and even our pain into the light, ready to face whatever comes next.