“Rangrez“ which means Dyer , someone who paints the color of one’s soul and mind, someone who colors the environment. Hence this word is used in multiple contexts:

• Someone with whom one has a firm emotional bond.
• Someone with whom one shares a romantic relationship.
• Many times it’s used to address God.

Meaning of the Song (English Translation)

Aye rangrez mere, rangrez mere
Ek baat bata rangrez mere
Ye kon se paani mein tune
Kon sa rang ghola hai,
Ye kon se paani mein tune
Kon sa rang ghola hai
Ke dil ban gaya saudai,
Aur mera basanti chola hai,
Mera basanti chola hai,

Oh dyer of mine, Dear Dyer of mine,
Please reveal your secrets divine,
What blend have you created
of your colors and water!
My heart’s all blue in love so profound,
My cloak’s soaked in saffron unbound…

Ab tumse kya main shikwa karun,
Maine hi kaha tha zid karke,
Rang de chunri pi ke rang mein
(rang de, rang de chunri pi ke rang mein)
Par mue kapas pe rang na ruke
Rang itna gehra tera ki jaano jigar tak bhi rang de
Jigar rang de…

What should I complain to you?
I like a stubborn asked you
to color my veil in my lover’s color.
Oh! Your colors dyed my fabric insanely
Deep within my heart and
soul everything is dyed of your color,
Color my heart away…
Oh, this feeling…

Rangrez tune afeem kya hai kha li,
Jo mujhse tu ye pooche ke koun sa rang?
Rangon ka karobaar hai tera,
ye tu hi to jaane, koun sa rang..

O Dyer, Are you so intoxicated on Opium!
That you are asking me what shade to come?
Color and stains are your business of things,
Only you know, what you should be coloring.

Mera balam rang, Mera saajan rang,
Mera katik rang, Mera aghan rang,
Mera phagan rang, Mera saawan rang,
Pal pal rangte rangte,
Rangte mere atho pahar manbhawan rang
Ek boond ishqiyan daal koi tu,
Ek boond ishqiyan daal koi,
Mera saaton samandar jaye rang,

My beloved’s color, my soul mate’s shade,
My spring color, my autumn hue, my rainfall color,
Dye my all seasons and moments with your color,
Just add a single drop of your romantic blend,
And color up my seven seas.

Meri hadd bhi rang, sarhad bhi rang,
Behad rang de, anhad bhi rang de,
Mandir masjid maikad rang,
(Rangrez mere, Rangrez mere)
Rangrez mere do ghar kyun rahe,
Ek hi rang mein dono ghar rang de, dono rang de

Color me off limits, Color my boundaries,
Color me extreme, color my unceasing infinities,
My temple, My mosque, My entire world indeed
O dyer, why are we separated by 2 different worlds
Paint just one single shade to
Both worlds with your embrace.

Pal pal rangte rangte rangte rangte
Naihar peehar ka aangan rang
Pal pal rangte rangte rangte rangte
Mere atho pahar manbhawan rang
Neende rang de, karwat bhi rang,
Khwabon pe pade salwat bhi rang

Paint every moment,
The courtyards of my maternal and marital heavens
Drape in one single shade all my 24 sevens
Color my sleep, color my peace,
Color even the creases of my dreams.

Ye tu hi hai, hairat rang de,
Aa dil mein sama hasrat rang de,
Fir aaja aur vaslat rang de,
Aa na sake to furqat rang de
Darde hijra liye dil mein darde,
Hijra liye dil mein darde main zinda rahu,
Zinda rahu, zurrat rang de.

Color my amazement of you,
Come in my heart and paint my desires,
Come and color away our union,
And if you cannot, just paint our separation,
Even with the pain of being apart, I must live on,
Color my dare to carry on…

Rangrez mere, Rangrez mere,
Tera kya hai asal rang, ab to ye dikhla de,
Mera piya bhi tu, meri sej bhi tu,
Mera rang bhi tu, rangrez bhi tu,
Meri naiyaa bhi tu, majdhar bhi,
Tujhmein dooboo, tujhmein ubarun,
Teri har ek baat sar aankhon pe,
Mera malik tu, mera sahib tu,
Meri jaa meri jaan, tere haatho mein,
Mera qatil tu, mera munsif tu,
Tere bina kuch sujhe na, Tere bina kuch sujhe na,

O dyer of mine,
What’s your own real color? Reveal your shine,
Oh, you’re my lover, my resting place,
You are my color, and my colorful dyer too,
You are my sail, the center of the ocean,
I sink in you; I come afloat under your beacon
Your every word is my supreme given.
You are my owner and my dearest friend,
My soul is in your hands,
You are my killer, you are my justice giver
I am clueless without you.

Meri raah bhi tu, mera rehbar tu,
Mera sarvar tu, mera aqbar tu,
Mera mashrik tu, Mera magrib tu,
Zahid bhi mera, murshid bhi tu,
Ab tere bina main jaun kahan,
Ab tere bina main jaun kahan,
Ab tere bina main jaun kahan,
Tere bina tere bina tere bina……

You are my voyage, my travel mate in sight,
My riddance, My genesis, My guiding light,
My lord is you, my disciple, too.
I found sage and divine signs in you,
Where could I go without you,
Where could I go without you,
Where could I ever go without you,
Without you…

Aye rangrez mere, rangrez mere
Ek baat bata rangrez mere
Ye kon se paani mein tune
Kon sa rang ghola hai,
Ye kon se paani mein tune
Kon sa rang ghola hai
Ke dil ban gaya saudai,
Aur mera basanti chola hai,
mera basanti chola hai,

Oh, dyer of mine, Dear Dyer of mine,
Please reveal your secrets divine,
What blend have you created
of your colors and water!
My heart’s all blue in love so profound,
My cloak’s soaked in saffron unbound…

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