“Bichhde abhi to hum bas kal parson
Jiyungi main kaise is haal main barson
Maut na ayee, teri yaad kyun ayee
Hayee lambi judaai
Char dino ka pyaar O Rabba
Badi lambi judaai, lambi judaai”

Roughly translated:

“We got separated just a day or two back
Now how am I going to live in this state?
Death did not come upon me, but your memories did
Oh! why is separation always for so long?
Love is but for a few days, God!
Then why is separation for so long?”

The poem was immortalized in a song by the one and only Reshma. Born in undivided India to a vagabond tribe (banjara) that originated from the gypsy tribes of the Eastern Europe / middle East, she was moved to Pakistan by her family post independence. Discovered at an early age, she went to become one of the most famous folk songs of the subcontinent.

Her last few years were extremely sad and painful. Stricken by cancer, she was reduced to a skeleton. In a very poignant moment, she came out on stage during one of her last days. She had to be helped on stage and inspite of having advanced stage of throat cancer, she gave it a shot and sang the “Lambi Judai” song. A young Pakistani singer – Atif Aslam – came on stage and gave a wonderful rendition of her song to pay her a tribute.

She passed away a couple of years later. It was almost like she truly came out to complain in her own words:

“Char dino ka pyaar O Rabba
Badi lambi judaai, lambi judaai”

There is a grainy video of the event in Youtube here: