bol ri kathputli dori kaun sang bandhi
sach batla tu nache kiske liye
bol ri kathputli dori kaun sang bandhi
sach batla tu nache kiske liye
bawari kathputli dori piya sang bandhi
main nachu apne piya ke liye

bol ri kathputli dori kaun sang bandhi
sach batala tu nache kiske liye
naye nam nit roop dhar main aayi chali gayi
lekin maine dhoom macha di
jis nagri jis gali gayi aa aa
chhod jag taro me pahunchi, wahan bhi yahi pukar
bol ri kathputli dori kaun sang bandhi
sach batala tu nache kiske liye
bawari kathputli dori piya sang bandhi
main nachu apne piya ke liye

bol ri kathputli dori kaun sang bandhi
sach batala tu nache kiske liye
mithi yade sunder sapne
kho baithe the log jinhe
unka hi ye geet bna ke, mere dil ne diya tumhe
kathputali ka khel ye duniya, sajan hai us paar
bol ri kathputli dori kaun sang bandhi
sach batala tu nache kiske liye
bawari kathputli dori piya sang bandhi
main nachu apne piya ke liye

Speak, O puppet, to whose thread are you bound?
Tell the truth, for whom do you dance?
Speak, O puppet, to whose thread are you bound?
Tell the truth, for whom do you dance?
A mad puppet, my thread to my Beloved I bind,
I dance only for my Beloved.

Speak, O puppet, to whose thread are you bound?
Tell the truth, for whom do you dance?
New names, forms I wear, I come and I go,
Yet a whirlwind I leave behind.
In every town, every street I trod, ah, ah,
Leaving the world, to the stars I flew, still, the same plea:
Speak, O puppet, to whose thread are you bound?
Tell the truth, for whom do you dance?
A mad puppet, my thread to my Beloved I bind,
I dance only for my Beloved.

Speak, O puppet, to whose thread are you bound?
Tell the truth, for whom do you dance?
Sweet memories, beautiful dreams,
Lost to the world, they seemed.
Their song I weave, to your hearts I bring,
This puppet play, the world, my Beloved beyond.
Speak, O puppet, to whose thread are you bound?
Tell the truth, for whom do you dance?
A mad puppet, my thread to my Beloved I bind,
I dance only for my Beloved.