Sushmita Srivastava
I tried my way on this beautiful song of the legendary Falguni Pathak Ma’am. Maine Payal Hai Chhankai is one of those songs an entire generation knows by heart, and I hope you like my short version of it.
The original
Maine Payal Hai Chhankai is the title song of Falguni Pathak’s 1999 album of the same name, released by Universal Music India. Unlike most of the songs I cover, it is not from a film — it was a pop song, and it became a hit through its music video, which played again and again on music television.
The album’s songs are credited to Lalit Sen. The video, directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, is set around a school event and features Falguni Pathak with Vivan Bhathena, and its simple story of a young crush is a big part of why people remember the song so fondly.
Falguni Pathak
Falguni Pathak has been performing since 1987 and is widely called the Dandiya Queen — for many people, Navratri is not Navratri without her songs. Her music draws on Gujarati folk and traditional forms, and hits like Maine Payal Hai Chhankai, Chudi Jo Khanki Haathon Mein and Meri Chunar Udd Udd Jaye are still sung at garba nights across the country.
What the words mean
Maine payal hai chhankai means “I have jingled my anklets”. The singer makes her anklets ring on purpose, hoping the one she likes will hear them and look her way. It is shy and bold at the same time — a whole young love story told through one small sound.
The song was so loved that it was recreated in 2022 as “O Sajna”, which shows how firmly it has stayed in people’s memories more than twenty years later.
My version
My cover is a short one — about a minute and a quarter — and it went up on my channel on 27 September 2022, one of the earliest covers still there. I sang it as a small tribute: just enough of the song to share the feeling of it.
Singing a Falguni Pathak song is a joy because her melodies are so natural to hum. They sound simple, but they carry a lot of warmth, and that warmth is what I tried to keep.
When to listen
This one is for a little nostalgia — for anyone who grew up with late-90s pop, or who has danced to Falguni Pathak at Navratri. Put it on at a reunion with old school friends and watch everyone start humming.
Tell me in the comments: which Falguni Pathak song should I sing in full?
Credits at a glance
Original: Maine Payal Hai Chhankai, the title song of Falguni Pathak’s album Maine Payal Hai Chhankai (1999). Singer: Falguni Pathak. Music and lyrics: Lalit Sen. Music video directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru. Label: Universal Music India.
My version: Singer: Sushmita Srivastava. Released on YouTube on 27 September 2022.
Listen next
The video is below. For my own songs, start with Aa Sama Le, or my Punjabi song Kade Kade.
