Ab koi gulshan na ujde ab watan aazaad hai
Posted on: August 15, 2010
This post is written by Raja, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie songs and a regular visitor and contributor of this blog
For all Indians born post-1947 or maybe a decade later, it is difficult to contemplate life in pre-independence times. We are now so used to being an independent nation that we do not always value what we have. What our freedom-fighters fought for.
It is mainly on two days of the year, Republic Day and Independence Day, that we remember the sacrifices our freedom-fighters made so that we, later generations, may live in a free society.
I think it is a shame. Sure, one does not have to live in the past but I think it is always important to have a sense of where you have come from, in order to get a perspective on where you are today and what the future direction could be.
Fortunately, we do have films and literature that help give us this sense of history and perspective.
From all accounts, at the time of independence, the challenges facing the nation were unbelievably daunting.
Partition of the country was an extremely painful experience for millions who had lost family and had got displaced. The country still had several hundred loosely federated princely states to contend with. Poverty was still a bane that affected the vast majority of Indians.
Inspite of all this, the spirit of being independent and being able to chart your own course of destiny prevailed above all else.
In Hindi movies too, some songs can be found that reflect this sentiment. Of a young, emerging India, looking to the future with optimism and hope and trying to shed the shackles of the past.
Songs like “Chhodo kal ki baatein” (which has already been posted on this blog).
And the song below “Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai”.
It is a lovely song by Mohammad Rafi saab which talks about the country now being independent, no more “gardens that will be uprooted” (symbolic of pre-independence tyranny). It talks of secularism with each person able to practise his/her religion of choice. It talks of integrity in conduct, no corruption any more.
It is a very idealistic song and sceptics might question how many of these grand dreams have been realized.
But the fact is that there was optimism in the wake of independence and, in my humble opinion, optimism and hope is not a bad thing to have.
This song also makes us (at least it makes me) realize how far India has come in all these years. This song shows an India totally dependent on agriculture and living in its villages. Increasingly India has moved away from being an agrarian economy to an industrialized nation, with a lot of its population too migrating from villages to towns and cities.
India has come a long way in its 63 years of independence.
Let us watch this video. Pause. And reflect.
Audio
Video
Song-Ab koi gulshan na ujde ab watan aazaad hai (Mujhe Jeene Do) (1963) Singer-Rafi, Lyrics- Sahir Ludhianvi, MD-Jaidev
Lyrics
Ab koi gulshan na ujade
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
Rooh gangaa ki, himaala ka badan aazaad hai
Rooh ganga ki, himaala ka badan aazaad hai
Rooh gangaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaaa aaaaaaa
Khetiyaan sonaa ugaayen
Vaadiyaan moti lutaayen
Khetiyaan sonaa ugaayen
Vaadiyaan moti lutaayen
Aaj Gautam ki zameen, Tulsi ka ban aazaad hai
Aaj Gautam ki zameen, Tulsi ka ban aazaad hai
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
Ooooooooo Ooooooooo
Mandiron mein shankh baaje
Masjidon mein ho azaan
Aaaaaaaa
Mandiron mein shankh baaje
Masjidon mein ho azaan
Sheikh ka dharam
Sheikh ka dharam aur deen-e-burhaman aazaad hai
Sheikh ka dharam aur deen-e-burhaman aazaad hai
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Loot jaisi bhi ho ab is des mein rehne na paaye
Loot jaisi bhi ho ab is des mein rehne na paaye
Aaj sab ke waastey dharti ka dhan aazaad hai
Aaj sab ke waastey dharti ka dhan aazaad hai
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
Ab koi gulshan na ujade
Gulshan na ujade
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
Ab koi gulshan na ujade, ab watan aazaad hai
4 Responses to "Ab koi gulshan na ujde ab watan aazaad hai"
January 12, 2013 at 10:53 pm
Sahir was a true humanitarian, secular, and optimist. He suffered so much but always move ahead with new zeal and vigor. for me he was a ‘motivational philosopher’. also he always respect and admire the nature which is a real motivator and a source of inspiration for all of us.
if he had been alive now, his poems might have awaken us further.
Thanks Rajaji & Atul ji !!!
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
August 15, 2010 at 1:34 am
There was a lot of optimism (in the nation building mode) in the 50s. That changed in the 70s. Nice song Raja. (Slightly off topic but I love those water wheels. First saw it in “Kuch kehta hai saawan”–Mera gaon mera desh.)
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