Upar Pankha Chalta Hai
Pakistan/India Urdu Nursery Rhyme
Original Lyrics
اوپر پنکھا چلتا ہے
نیچے مُنّا سوتا ہے
سوتے سوتے بھوک لگی
کھا لے بیٹا مونگ پھلی
مونگ پھلی میں دانہ نہیں
ہم تمہارے ماما نہیں
ماما گئے دلی
وہاں سے لائے دو بلی
بلی نے مارا پنجہ
ماما ہو گیا گنجا!
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Romanization:
Upar pankha chalta hai
Niche munna sota hai
Sote sote bhook lagi
Kha le beta mungphali
Mungphali mein daana nahi
Hum tumhare mama nahi
Mama gaye Dilli
Wahan se laye do billi
Billi ne maara panja
Mama ho gaya ganja!
English Translation
Little Munna is sleeping below
While sleeping, he got hungry
Eat some peanuts, my child
There are no kernels in the peanuts
We are not your maternal uncle
Uncle went to Delhi
From there he brought two cats
The cat swatted its paw
Uncle became bald!
History and Meaning
"Upar Pankha Chalta Hai" is one of the most popular and whimsical Urdu nursery rhymes, known for its silly, stream-of-consciousness narrative that delights children with its absurdity. The rhyme has been passed down through generations in Pakistan and India.
The charm of this rhyme lies in its random progression of events that make no logical sense but are strung together by rhyme and rhythm. The sudden appearance of the mama (uncle) going to Delhi, bringing cats, and ending up bald is hilariously unexpected, which is exactly what makes children giggle.
This type of nonsense verse is important in child development, as it shows children that language can be playful and doesn't always need to make perfect sense. The rhyme's meter and rhyming pattern make it easy to memorize, and many variations exist across different regions. It remains a staple in Urdu children's literature and is often among the first rhymes children learn.