'Pehlay dil, phir dilruba, phir dil kay mehmaan ho gayey..!'

Mehdi Hassan was once traveling through a rugged terrain of Sindh Province in Pakistan. At midnight his car was stopped by robbers and his valuables were snatched away at gun point. When the thugs were about to leave he was asked about his profession. With humility he told them that he was a singer.
They wanted him to sing a song.

He instantly agreed.
By that rusty withered road on a night that slightly drizzled, he sat to sing 'Rafta Rafta Woh Meri'. As Hassan filled the air with rustling leaves in the dark background, those furious goons melted into bliss and tears. When the song was over they apologised and returned his possessions.

How else can a song be grateful to the singer?

"Rafta rafta woh meri hasti ka saamaan ho gayey,

(Face to face, she became the power of my existence)

Pehlay jaan, phir jaan-e-jaan, phir jaan-e-jaana ho gayey !

(First my life, then the love of my life, then she became the beloved of my life)

Din-b-din badti gehin us husn ki raaniyaan,

(Day by day, the queen's beauty increased)

Pehlay Gul, phir gul-badan, phir gul-badamaan ho gayey !

(First a rose, then the body of a rose, then she became the greatest rose)

Aap to nazdeek say nazdeek-tar aatay gahey,

(You became closer and closer to me)

Pehlay dil, phir dilruba, phir dil kay mehmaan ho gayey !

(First the heart, then the sweetheart, then you became the guest of the heart)

Rafta rafta woh meri hasti ka saamaan ho gayey,

(Face to face, she became the power of my existence)

Pehlay jaan, phir jaan-e-jaan, phir jaanayjaana ho gayey !

(First my life, then the love of my life, then she became the beloved of my life)

Pyar jab Hadd se badha saare Taqaloof mith gayey,

(When love transcended its limit, all formalities were erased)

Aaap se phir tum huay phir tu ka Khunwaan hogayey!"

(First we were formal - "Aap", then we became informal - "Thum", finally we became one - "Thu")

Written by Tasleem Fazli for the Pakistani film Zeenat (1975),  'Rafta Rafta..' was composed by Nashaad. Mehdi Hassan, the king of Gazals, died on 13th June 2012 at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.