ye daulat bhi le lo ye shohrat bhi le lo
bhale chin lo mujhse meri jawani
magar mujhko lauta do bachpan ka sawan
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani
ye daulat bhi le lo ye shohrat bhi le lo
bhale chin lo mujhse meri jawani
magar mujhko lauta do bachpan ka sawan
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani

mohalle ki sabse nishani purani
wo budhiya jise bachche kehte the nani
wo nani ki baato me pariyo ka dera
wo chehre ke jhuriyo me sadiyo ka phera
bhulaaye nahi bhul saqta hai koi
wo choti si raate wo lambi kahani
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani

kadi dhup me apne ghar se nikalna
wo chidiya wo bulbul wo thithli pakadna
wo gudiya ki shaadi pe ladna jhagadna
wo jhulo se girna, wo gir ke sambhalna
wo pithal ke challo ke pyaare se tofe
wo tuti hui chudiyo ki nishaani
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani

kabhi ret ke uche tilo pe jana
gharode banana, banaake mitana
wo maasum chahat ki tasvir apni
wo khwabo khilu ki tabir jagir apni
na duniya ka gham tha na rishto ke bandhan
badi khubsurat thi wo zindgani
ye daulat bhi le lo ye shohrat bhi le lo
bhale chin lo mujhse meri jawani
magar mujhko lauta do bachpan ka sawan
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani
wo kagaz ki kasthi wo barish ka pani

Take then this wealth, take this fame, take it all,
And if you must, steal youth's vibrant call.
But gift me back the monsoon of my youth,
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding truth.
Take then this wealth, take this fame, take it all,
And if you must, steal youth's vibrant call.
But gift me back the monsoon of my youth,
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding truth.
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding truth.

The neighbourhood's most ancient, cherished sign,
The doll the children called "Grandmother" divine.
In Grandma's tales, a fairy's gentle hold,
On wrinkled faces, centuries unfold.
No one forgets, it cannot be erased,
Those nights so short, that story long embraced.
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding truth.
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding truth.

To venture forth, when sun beat down its fire,
To chase the birds, the bulbuls, and desire
The butterfly's flight, a precious capture made,
To fight and squabble at the doll's parade,
To fall from swings, and rise with scraped knees healed,
The parrots perched on ancient trees revealed.
The broken bangles, fragments of a dream,
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding gleam.
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding gleam.

To build the castles, on sand so high,
Then watch them crumble, as the moments fly.
The walls of innocence, our tender plea,
The kingdom of our dreams, eternally.
No worldly sorrow, nor the ties that bind,
How beautiful that life, one of a kind.
Take then this wealth, take this fame, take it all,
And if you must, steal youth's vibrant call.
But gift me back the monsoon of my youth,
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding truth.
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding truth.
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding truth.
The paper boats, the rain's unyielding truth.