Hori ho Brajraaj dulaare
Posted by: Atul on: August 29, 2011
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Saigal Saab, a person, a name – who went beyond being a legend in his own lifetime. He was an institution, with no parallel in the entire heritage of Hindi film music, during the years that he actually graced the stage of the world, or in all the years since. Having entered the cine world almost with the inception of talkies, as the stream of film music was still trying to find its feet, groping in the dark, he took this music to unprecedented heights, and left behind a benchmark that has not been equaled since he departed.
His repertoire of songs in films is an eminent body of music that is well known and popular. And then there is another smaller set of recordings which were made outside the film domain, which are an equal definitive representation of this institution called Saigal. Without the restrictions of playing to an audience as directed by the script, the studios and the composers, these non film renderings of ghazals an non ghazal offerings are an expression of freedom in themselves. There is very little record available as to the composers of these non-film creations. It is believed that many and most offerings, for which this information is lacking, were most likely composed by Saigal Saab himself, with many of these recordings having been made with minimal rehearsals. This speaks volumes for the musical genius that was resident behind this consummate and incomparable voice. A voice that was nothing less than a divine presence itself, and the musical astuteness that was no less than the supreme intelligence itself.
This non film offering is a hori geet (song of the festival of Holi) in the tradition of Braj and the pastimes of Lord Krishna as a child in Vrindavan. The song is being presented on behalf of the Gopis of Vrindavan, with whom the little Kanha is eager to play Holi. The festival of Holi is celebrated as a culmination of the month of Phagun, and hence this festival is also called by the name ‘Faag’ (from Phagun). In all the days before this festival, the child Krishna, mischievous as he is, has been the source of trouble for all Gopis, on one pretext or another. His pastimes of this period are a matter of literary exposition that runs into volumes of poetry, folk songs, and tales that are endless.
During the days of Holi, now the Gopis find the opportunity to get back at Him. The collective onslaught of color is overwhelming and the young Krishna runs and finds refuge behind his mother, Yashoda. And the Gopis croon tauntingly “. . . ab kyun jaaye chhupe janani dhiga. . .”, why fore now you seek refuge behind your mother?
keh do nikas ke hori khelne
ya mukh se kaho haare
jori kar aage hamaare
either emerge from Your hiding place and be bold to face us in this play of Holi, or else concede Your defeat with Your hands folded in front of us.
bahut dinan se tum manmohan
faag hi faag pukaare
ab tum dekho chaal faag ki
for many days You have been calling out for this play; well now You dare to experience the true contrivances of this play, that You have been waiting eagerly for.
Listening to this pastime, and in the voice of Saigal Saab, is an unrivalled experience. Best listening is with the eyes closed, as the magic of this voice will conjure up in the mind, the images and the scenery of Vrindavan, and the contest between the young and mischievous Krishna on one side, and the band of Gopis on the other, wanting to and able to teach the naughty child a lesson or two, for the trouble He has been the cause of, for all the months before.
A divine rendition, of a song in the folk tradition of Vrindavan. This type of song is called ‘Chaachar’ in the traditional vocabulary of that region. One of the earliest recordings made by Saigal Saab, the creation of this record is dated in early 1933. There is no information indicated for the composer. It is very much possible that the composition also follows the folk tradition from where this ‘Chaachar’ originates.
Enjoy this heavenly creation in a voice that cannot get any more mellifluous than this one.
Song-Hori ho Brajraj dulaare (Saigal NFS)(1933) Singer-K L Saigal
Lyrics
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hori ho brajraaj dulaare
hori ho brajraaj dulaare
hori ho braj
ho ho brajraaj dulaare
ab kyun jaaye chhupe janani dhiga ey
o tum baapan waare
ab kyun jaaye chhupe janani dhiga ey
o tum baapan waare
keh do nikas ke hori khelne
keh do nikas ke hori khelne
ya mukh se kaho haare
jori kar aage hamaare
ho brajraaj dulaare
hori ho brajraaj dulaare
bahut dinan se tum manmohan
faag hi faag pukaare
bahut dinan se tum manmohan
faag hi faag pukaare
ab tum dekho chaal faag ki
ab tum dekho chaal faag ki
ab tum dekho chaal faag ki
pichkaarin ke waare
chale bahu kumkum nyaare
ho brajraaj dulaare
hori ho braj
hori ho
ho brajraaj dulaare
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2 Responses to "Hori ho Brajraaj dulaare"
January 28, 2016 at 6:36 am
Thanks so much, this is wonderful. It is a haunting song, and I was looking for more information about it.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
October 19, 2011 at 6:46 pm
WOW THANKS ATUL U R A GOD SENT. I LOVE OLD MAGIC LIKE U LISTED, ACCORDING TO MANY REFERENCES, SINGER, FILM, COMMENTS, WORDS ETC. GOD BLESS U. SAIHGAL IS MY FIRST LOVE AND MEHDI HASAN MY LAST, WITH JAGJIT, GHULAM ALI ETC THROWN IN BETWEEN. THANKS FOR UR GR8 LABOR.PLS INCLUDE ME IN UR FUTURE MAILS AND INFO IN THIS FIELD. PLS READ MY BLOGS ON SPIRITUAL METAPHYSICS ON karuna4.blog.com, IF U HAVE SUCH LEANINGS.
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