chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi hai watan se chithi aayi hai
bade dino ke bad, ham bevatano ko yad
bade dino ke bad, ham bevatano ko yad
vatan ki mitti aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai

upar mera nam likha hai, andar ye paigam likha hai
upar mera nam likha hai, andar ye paigam likha hai
o parades ko jane vale, laut ke phir na ane vale
sat samudar paar gaya tu, hamko zinda mar gaya tu
khun ke rishte tod gaya tu, ankh me aansu chhod gaya tu
kam khaate hai kam sote hai, bahut zyada ham rote hai
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi hai vatan se chithi aayi hai

suni ho gai shahar ki galiya, kante ban gai bag ki kaliya
suni ho gai shahar ki galiya, kante ban gai bag ki kaliya
kahate hai savan ke jhule, bhul gaya tu ham nahi bhule
tere bin jab aai divali, dip nahi dil jale hai khali
tere bin jab aai holi, pichakari se chhuti goli
pipal suna panaghat suna ghar shamashan ka bana namuna
pipal suna panaghat suna ghar shamashan ka bana namuna
fasal kati aai baisakhi tera aana rah gaya baki
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi hai vatan se chithi aayi hai

pahle jab tu khat likhta tha kagaz me chehara dikhata tha
band hua ye mel bhi ab to, khatam hua ye khel bhi ab to
doli me jab baithi bahana, rasta dekh rahe the naina
doli me jab baithi bahana, rasta dekh rahe the naina
main to bap hun mera kya hai, teri maa ka hal bura hai
teri bivi karti hai seva, surat se lagati hai beva
tune paisa bahut kamaya, is paise ne desh chhudaya
desh paraya chhod ke aaja panchi pinjara tod ke aaja
desh paraya chhod ke aaja panchi pinjara tod ke aaja
aaja umar bahut hai choti apane ghar me bhi hai roti
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi hai watan se chithi aayi hai
bade dino ke bad ham bevatano ko yad
watan ki mitti aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi aayi hai aayi hai chithi aayi hai
chithi hai watan se chithi aayi hai
bade dino ke bad ham bevatano ko yad
watan ki mitti aai hai chithi aayi hai

A letter has come, a letter has come, it's arrived,
A letter from home, a letter has arrived.
After so many days, to us, exiles, it calls,
Homeland's earth has come, a letter has arrived.
A letter has come, a letter has come, it's arrived.

My name is penned above,
Within, this message of love:
O, you who journeyed far,
Never to return, by a distant star.
Beyond seven seas you sailed,
Leaving us here, life failed.
You shattered bonds of blood,
In our eyes, tears, a flood.
We eat less, we sleep less,
We weep so much, in distress.
A letter has come, a letter has come, it's arrived.

The city's lanes, now bare,
Thorns have bloomed where gardens were there.
They say the swing of Sawan is here,
You have forgotten, we hold you dear.
When Diwali came, without you near,
Not lamps, but hearts, burned with fear.
When Holi arrived, with no colors to fly,
The splash was a bullet, a tear in the sky.
The peepal tree, the water well, now deserted,
The home, a graveyard, now converted.
The peepal tree, the water well, now deserted,
The home, a graveyard, now converted.

The harvest is reaped, Baisakhi's here,
Your return, my dear, now we fear.
A letter has come, a letter has come, it's arrived,
Homeland's earth has come, a letter has arrived.

When you wrote before, you see,
Your face in the paper, it was free.
That exchange has ceased, it's true,
This game, alas, is through.
When your sister rode the palanquin,
Our eyes searched the path again.
When your sister rode the palanquin,
Our eyes searched the path again.
I am a father, what does it matter to me?
Your mother's grief, for all to see.

Your wife serves you, it is true,
A widow in spirit, a sorrowful view.
You earned so much wealth, it's a fact,
This money has driven you back,
Leave the foreign land, come back.
Break free like a bird, from the track.
Come back, for life is short and swift,
Our home too has bread, a precious gift.

A letter has come, a letter has come, it's arrived,
A letter from home, a letter has arrived.
After so many days, to us, exiles, it calls,
Homeland's earth has come, a letter has arrived.
A letter has come, a letter has come, it's arrived.