April 25, 2021
A group of young boys from Chishtian have put a unique spin on Noor Jehan's song "Mahi Ve", transforming the iconic Punjabi ghazal into a catchy reminder to observe coronavirus safety protocols amid a lethal new wave.
Pakistan's cases have witnessed a steady rise, remaining above 5,000 since April 17, whereas 73 and 157 deaths have been recorded daily in this period, indicating that the virus has taken on a more contagious and lethal form.
However, the situation did not just take a sudden turn for the worse. It has been worrying since the start of the year, with at least 1,000 new cases registered each day without fail.
Amid the increasingly alarming situation, in which people instead of being more careful, are seen throwing caution to the wind, there have been many efforts by the government and media organisations in tandem, to educate the people about the importance of religiously abiding by safety measures.
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The campaigns seem to not have taken hold.
At such a time, the parody track by the three boys, who have cleverly taken an established melody beloved by people across the country and turned it into a fun reminder, may help make things better.
It was released in December and sung by "Ramzan jani" according to the video description.
Mahi Ve Hath Dho ke Aaween
(O friend, wash your hands before you come)
Khud noon corona tu bachaween
(Protect yourself from coronavirus)
Sohnay sajnon kerlo corona da khayal ay
(Dear friends, be wary of coronavirus)
Hath tu milaana veen nahi
(Don't shake hands)
Jhappi tu vee paani nahi
(And don't hug anyone)
Pareen pareen rahi tu dholna
(Keep a distance from everyone)
Nachna tu maari nerhay
(Don't dance too close together)
Khangi na tu kissay uttay
(And don't cough in anyone's direction)
Mukhray te mask paa lena
(Cover your face with a mask)
Mahi tu gharon bahir na jaaveen
(Don't step out of your homes)
Yaraan na ghar tu na bulaveen
(And don't call your friends to yours)
The boys, however, were not the first to have given the song a fresh spin. In fact, the parody can originally be credited to an older gentleman who released a video a year ago, on March 31, 2020.