Parbat pe apna deraa
Posted on: March 29, 2011
I have come across a forgotten movie from the past. The movie is called “Parbat Pe Apna Deraa”(1944). This movie was made by V Shantaram and it had Ulhas and Vanmala in lead roles.
This movie is a treasure trove for songs from pre historic times (viz. songs prior to late 1940s). Here is the title song from this movie which is sung by a singer called Parshuram and is lip synced by an actor playing a sadhu. Could he be Ulhas ? This is followed by a blind lady (could she be Vanmala) lip syncing in Amirbai Karnataki’s voice. Very little information is available about this song and this movie, and that little information suggests that these two songs are separate songs, but that does not appear to be the case from the picturisation.
PS-I Thank Sudhir for confirming that the song is in fact picturised on Ulhas and Vanmala. He in fact has also given a nice and detailed summary of the plot of the movie.
The song is written by a lesser known lyricist called Deewan Sharar. Music is composed by Vasant Desai.
As mentioned above, very little is known about this song and this movie. I request my knowledgeable readers to throw more light about this movie as well as about this song.
Here is this rare song from a rare movie. Enjoy !
Song-Parbat pe apna dera (Parbat Pe Apna Dera) (1944) Singer-Parshuram, Amirbai Karnataki, Lyrics-Deewan Sharar, MD-Vasant Desai
Lyrics
parbat pe apna deraa hai
parbat pe
parbat pe apna deraa hai
parbat pe
neethe (?)
neethe(?) jag mein andheraa hai
neethe(?)
neethe(?) jag mein andheraa hai
parbat pe
parbat pe apna deraa hai
parbat pe
aakash pe ghar
sooraj pe nazar
aakash pe ghar
sooraj pe nazar
Bhagwaan idhar
Bhagwaan udhar
Bhagwaan idhar
Bhagwaan udhar
Bhagwaan
jinko na kabhi kuchh aaye nazar
jinko na kabhi kuchh aaye nazar
jo thokaren khaate phiren dar dar
chalen chaar qadam to gir gir kar
chalen chaar qadam to gir gir kar
un andhon ko phir kyaa kiski khabar
Bhgwaan idhar
Bhagwaan udhar
Bhgwaan idhar
Bhagwaan udhar
rah jaate hain jo takte takte
rah jaate hain jo takte takte
sab band hain jinke liye raste
kyaa dekhenge
kyaa dekhenge
dekh nahin sakte
kaanon se wo sunte hain itna magar
kaanon se wo sunte hain itna magar
Bhgwaan idhar
Bhagwaan udhar
Bhgwaan idhar
Bhagwaan udhar
Bhagwaan
aankhen hain khuli to band nigaah
aankhen hain khuli to band nigaah
mohtaaz ko deta hai kaun panaah
andhon ko bhala
andhon ko bhala kahin milti hai raah
phir unko rulaate ho kyun kah kar
phir unko rulaate ho kyun kah kar
Bhgwaan idhar
Bhagwaan udhar
Bhagwaan idhar
Bhagwaan udhar
Bhagwaan idhar
Bhagwaan udhar
Bhagwaan
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
March 30, 2011 at 3:48 am
Atul ji,
Your guess is right on both counts. The bearded sadhu is indeed Ulhaas, and the blind lady is Vanmaala.
Movies produced by V Shantaram always had a very unique, specific theme and message. In each of his movies, he has dealt with a very specific theme or issue related to social values or human emotions. And beneath the surface of that theme, in each of his movies, there is a search for the truth.
The movie Parbat Pe Apna Dera, deals with the complex theme of renunciation, maya and the true dharma of a human being. Ramdas (Ulhas) is a young sadhu who meditates on the top of a mountain. As is true for many such seekers, he dislikes any disturbance or worldly intrusions. There is also a Shiva temple on the same mountain. Meena (Vanmala) is a young lady who has lost her mother and eyesight in childhood. Her father makes all efforts, but no treatment is able to restore her vision. She and her father undertake a pilgrimage to this temple, and somehow reach the abode of Ramdas, the sadhu. At first he scolds them and shouts at them to go away; then realizes that the lady is blind. His behavior softens, and he offers to cure the blindness, which he does with an herbal treatment.
When Meena’s vision returns, the first thing she sees is Ramdas, and her heart takes a fancy to him. She tries to bring gifts to him, but he throws them down the mountainside. Then she starts to secretly serve him, cleaning up his cave, bringing fresh water and flowers etc. Ramdas finds out after some days and once again exhorts her to leave. She argues and reasons with him, to allow her to continue serving him. He gives in. But then the other folks at the temple and on the mountain start ridiculing him for having a lady companion. He is angry and ashamed, and on Meena’s insistence, leaves his cave and agrees to live with Meena and her father. And the grip of maya is becoming stronger. He shaves his beard, and starts living like a rich man, and eventually the two get married. But Ramdas’ problems of gaining a fancy to newer females continue to dog him. After a string of extra marital flings, accompanied with a string of lies and deception to Meena, she eventually turns him out of the house. But his pursuit of females continues, and in one such pursuit on the day of Diwali, an accident happens and he loses his eyesight.
There is a beautiful interlude here involving a beggar child girl who eventually leads him back to Meena. Meena is remorseful, and remembers the herbal medicine. Both trek back to his old cave, but the bottle of medicine gets lost is a mishap. Eventually Meena guides Ramdas to pray to God, and they both vow to continue ringing the huge bell at the temple, till the God acknowledges their tale of misery. The end is that Ramdas gets back his eyesight. And he vows to live faithfully with Meena.
The subject of blindness is very symbolic throughout the movie. Meena is a simple hearted and true person, whose blindness is removed by Ramdas, and she is forever grateful to him, wanting to do anything for him. Ramdas starts out as a sadhu, but is at first blinded metaphorically by the lure of maya when it presents itself to him, and later on is blinded physically, as his pursuit of maya continues beyond limits. Meena, though a wordly person, proves to be stronger and wiser, and her convictions and sense of dharma and duties eventually turns around the astray Ramdas. The interlude with the beggar child girl is endearing. She has a blind father, and hence can deal very successfully with the blind Ramdas, and eventually brings her back to Meena.
The movie carries some powerful messages, that the maya is extremely powerful, and can lead astray even the most determined ascetics, and that the pursuit of dharma and one’s duties even in a worldly context, is better than trying to live a life of untruthful renunciation.
Rgds
Sudhir
LikeLike
March 30, 2011 at 6:36 am
Thanks for this detailed explanation of the plot.
LikeLike