Chhand (poetry)

Chhand (Punjabi: ਛੰਦ , Urdu: چهند‎, Hindi: छंद) is a quatrain used in the poetic traditions of North India and Pakistan.

In the culture of the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, it is customary for chhands to be recited at ceremonial occasions such as weddings, where they are used by grooms to praise their in-laws. Formerly, the form was extensively employed by court bards to praise royal personages. Chhands are also used extensively in the Nautanki dance-drama tradition of the region, especially in the alha chhand or bir chhand formats. A typical Punjabi wedding chhand might extol the mother- and father-in-law, for instance this one, which says the groom holds them in the same esteem as his own parents -

چهند پراگا آ ًیے جا ًیے
چهند پراگا گهیوه
سس نوں منّا ماتا/امّی جی
تے سوهرے جی نوں پیوه

छंद परागा आईए जाईए
छंद परागा घ्योह
सस नूँ मन्ना माता/अम्मी जी
ते सोहरे जी नूँ प्योह

chhand paraga aiyey-jaiyey
chhand paraga g(h)yoh
sass nun manna mata/ammi ji
te sohre ji nun pyoh

A Rajasthani language chhand, from the poem Haldighati by Kanhaiyalal Sethia, describes Maharana Pratap's determination to fight on against the Mughals at all costs -

हूँ भूख मरूँ, हूँ प्यास मरूँ
मेवाड़ धरा आज़ाद रहै
हूँ घोर उजाड़ा में भटकूँ
पण मन में माँ री याद रह्वै

hoon bhookh maroon, hoon pyaas maroon
mewar dhara azaad rahai
hoon ghor ujara mein bhatkoon
pan man mein ma ri yaad r'hvai

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