"The idea of these 'aunties' are like good spirits or fairies. So, if they sit on the eyelids, the eyes will close and the baby will fall asleep. And they're probably being told that there's no bed or mattress just so they would sit on the baby's eyes!" -Prama Neogi

Notes

*Or "eyelids"

Pronunciation

Ghumparani mashi pishi
Moder bari esho
Khaat nai palong nai
Chokh pete bosho

Bata bhora paan debo
Gaal bhore kheyo
Khokar chokhe ghum nai
Ghum diye jeyo.

Notes on the Lyrics

bata = bowl-like jar for keeping betel leaves
paan = betel leaf (which is eaten with betel nut, and sometimes with chewing tobacco)
khoka = an affectionate word for little boy. This word is replaced as necessary with "khuku" (little girl) or the child's name, while singing this lullaby.
khaat = bed, palong = large ornate bed, for this rhyme "bed and mattress" works.

Comments

Asif Anowar sent us this rhyme with a variation of the 4th line:

"পিড়ি পেতে বসো" (pronounced: "Piri pete bosho"). It means, "I'll get the full bottle."

*****
Prama Neogi wrote, "I'm writing from Bangladesh and I know a slightly different version of 'Ghumparani Mashi Pishi', which you have on your site as 'Mashi, pishi, ghoomparani'." (Click the link to see Prama's version.)

Download MIDI Tune

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Prama Neogi for contributing and translating this song into English and for commenting on it. Thanks to Monique Palomares for the illustration!

Dhonnobad!