Rabbi Shergill’s “Chhalla” – Full Lyrics, Translation & Meaning

Rabbi Shergill’s song “Chhalla” is one of his most poetic and emotionally intense early works. Unlike the more famous “Challa ki Labhda Phire” from the film Jab Tak Hai Jaan, this “Chhalla” is a deeply personal, metaphorical love song in Punjabi, where the word “Chhalla” (a ring or earring) becomes a symbol of a stubborn, precious, and painful love.

The song blends raw emotion with spiritual imagery, expressing longing, helplessness, and surrender. Below is the full Punjabi text, followed by a clear English translation, and then an explanation of the song’s meaning and themes.

 

 

Chhalla vas nahi oo mere
The ring listens to no one (belongs to no one).

Chhalla vas meri maan de
The ring listens only to my mother.

Ghallegi tan jange
It will leave only if she tells it to.

Ve gall sun chhallia
Listen, my love (O Chhalla).

Khaure keeta kis is ‘te toona
Don’t know who has done this voodoo to me.

Chhalla aa pia khuh ‘te
The ring lies on the well (at the beloved’s place).

Gallan karie munh ‘te
Let us talk face to face.

Ve gall sun chhallia
Listen, my love (O Chhalla).

Sanu vekhan nu tera ji ni karda
You don’t feel like seeing me.

Tainu vekhe bina mera ni sarda
It’s hard for me without seeing you.

Chhalla bambi da paani
The ring is like borewell water (deep, hidden, hard to reach).

Kithhey veh gaye ne jaani
Where has my love drifted to?

Asan khabar ko na jaani
I have no news (of where you are).

Ve gall sun chhallia
Listen, my love (O Chhalla).

Teri beri ik uggia ey kanda
On your berry (beloved) a thorn has grown.

Chhalla ambian kachian
The ring is like unripe mangoes (raw, sour, intense).

Mattan de koi sachian
Someone give me some wise advice.

Laiey lekhe jo bachian
Let us commit ourselves to contemplation (to patience, to wisdom).

Terian merian gharian
What’s left of our time (yours and mine).

Ve gall sun chhallia
Listen, my love (O Chhalla).

Langh javan ain na umran khaali
Or our lives will pass by empty (wasted).

Chhalla gut ik lammi
The ring is like a long braid (of hair, symbolizing beauty and attachment).

Asan supne chummi
I kissed it in my dream.

Hoi neeyat si anni
My desire had gone blind (I lost my way).

Asan dil di si manni
But I listened to my heart.

Ve gall sun chhallia
Listen, my love (O Chhalla).

Hun de lai jehrhi deni ey sazaa
Now, punish me however you wish.

Chhalla boharh ik ‘kalla
The ring is like a lone banyan tree (standing alone, deeply rooted).

Unhe farhia ey palla
It holds on to the (earth and sky).

Thalle dharat utte Allah
Earth below and God above.

Ve gall sun chhallia
Listen, my love (O Chhalla).

Khaure jandian kinni dunghian jarhan
How far do its roots run?

Es gall da os khud nu nahi pata
Even it itself does not know this.

 

 

Rabbi Shergill’s “Chhalla” is not just a love song; it’s a poetic, almost Sufi‑style lament about a love that is precious, stubborn, painful, and deeply rooted. By using the simple image of a ring (“chhalla”), he captures the complexity of a relationship torn between desire, duty, and time.

The song’s power lies in its raw honesty, its rich Punjabi imagery, and its movement from desperate pleading to quiet surrender — making it one of Rabbi’s most moving and enduring compositions.