Mere hathheele Shyaam
Posted by: Atul on: September 27, 2011
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
In the 1920s and 30s, and also later, Pankaj Babu’s affinity for Rabindra Sangeet has had a significant influence in making this music form popular with the general public. He had made a choice of music as his calling in life, at a very early age, and although he joined college, but he did not go ahead with higher education. He first became a student of the noted musician Durgadas Bannerjee, and then later studied music under Dinendranath Tagore. Dinendranath or Dinu Thakur, as he was popularly called, is the grandson of Rabindranath Tagore’s eldest brother, Dipendranath Tagore. This association brought Pankaj Babu into the culturally rich environment of the Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the ancestral home of the Tagore family. It had an everlasting influence on him, and the influence of this culture is visible in all his works.
There is an interesting anecdote about his first meeting with Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore himself. Till that time, no one outside the Tagore family had the permission or the courage to put Gurudev’s poetry to music. Pankaj Babu had selected a poem, “Diner Sheshey Ghoomer Deshey” by Gurudev, to present at a college function. He went to Gurudev’s residence to seek his permission and blessings for this purpose. It appears that he had to make more than one visits, and wait for many hours, before he was allowed audience with the great poet. On hearing his request, Gurudev asked him to sing out the poem, the way he wanted to present it. It is said that on hearing Pankaj Babu render that particular poem in a composition of his own, Gurudev was so overcome with emotion and happiness, that he immediately granted permission to use the poem. Not only that, going a step more, he granted Pankaj Babu with his total approval to compose music for any and all of his poems. This brought him into the fold and under the tutelage of Dinu Thakur, and his lifelong efforts, through the radio, cinema, and as a teacher, have been instrumental in enhancing the popularity of Rabindra Sangeet in India, as well as in the west.
This post is about a remarkable non-film song by Pankaj Babu. A heart rending entreaty to the Almighty, where in apparently, an extreme angst is directed against the Lord Himself. The words appear as if the remonstration is going somewhat above board. Apparently the words are coming from a heart that has suffered a lot at the hands of destiny, maybe even total ruin of personal life and aspirations. Yes, the angst, and the challenge, comes across very compellingly and powerfully, and maybe the first reaction of some will be, how can one say this. . . ?
But there is a deeper emotion that is at work in this song. It is a dedicated emotional offering to the Lord, expressed in anger. And it carries a deep seated implication of a powerful bond with Him, that is deep and unshakeable, and that is where the strength of the remonstration is coming. The poet is actually complaining to Him, that there is none else in this world for him, and it is this deep seated conviction that is bringing forth these angry words. It is a well said wisdom of ages, that the intensity of anger and altercation actually is a reflection of deep love. Because one can fight only with whom one feels to have a right to fight. The very inception of the song is ‘mere’, a very telling addressal that very strongly says You are mine. Then the poet says ‘O bhaagne waale tujhe ruknaa hi padegaa’ – You may be running away, faster than me, but You will have to pause for me. Then again, ‘Mujhko utthaane ke liye jhuknaa hi padegaa’ – that You will have to pick me up, or in other words, You will have to remake my destiny. Such words would only be directed towards the One on whom one has such intense faith, that it can be expressed with such unflinching authority.
In the next verse, the poet says ‘Tu sabse badaa aur mein tujh se bhi badaa hoon’. Once again at first sight, this appears to be a frivolous claim of an arrogant mind. But in reality, it is an emotion expressed in anger that has an element of truth in it. There is a interesting debate in logic, about who is bigger. Of the two entities, obviously the larger one is the bigger entity. And yet, on the emotional plane, the one who acknowledges that the other is bigger, and I am smaller, is in effect, making the other entity bigger. And the ‘maker’ is always bigger than that which is ‘made’. So in the realm of emotions, the one who acknowledges the supremacy of the other, is in a way bigger. (There is an interesting debate, whose source I cannot recall specifically, but it is from the times of Emperor Akbar, and the Bhakti and Sufi movements in India. I am inclined to say that this debate is attributed to the famous poet Rahim, one of the nine jewels of Akbar’s court, but not very sure. He posed the question relating to giving of alms, ‘who is bigger, the one who gives alms or one who receives’. The apparent answer is one who gives; but the deeper answer is that the one receiving is giving an opportunity to the giver to feel that he is bigger, and in a sense, he is the ‘maker’ of that feeling of bigness in the giver. And hence the receiver is bigger, for he ‘makes’ the giver.)
And then later in the last verse, the words are ‘ae dariya dil tu dekh mein lehron pe khadaa hoon’. Addressing Him as ‘dariya dil’, One who possesses a heart in which flows a river of compassion, and then saying, ‘mein lehron pe khadaa hoon’, that I too am situated in your heart, so do not overlook me. Only a blessed soul can make a claim, that I too am situated in your heart.
The lyrics are by Pt. Madhur. What a wonderful creation this is, a remonstration that is apparently overflowing with anger, and yet there is extreme love and dependence visible just below the surface. Each word and each line has a different meaning and interpretation than what is apparent at first.
Enjoy this inspired composition and rendition by this great stalwart of our times.
Song-Mere hathheele Shyam (Pankaj Mullick NFS)(1940) Singer-Pankaj Mullick,Lyrics-Pt Madhur,MD-Pankaj Mullick
Lyrics
mere hathheele Shyam
mere hathheele Shyam
main bhi hathh pe adaa hoon
thhokar lagaa de
main tere raste mein padaa hoon
mere hathheele Shyam
o bhaagne waale tujhe ruknaa hi padegaa
mujhko uthhaane ke liye jhuknaa hi padegaa
o bhaagne waale tujhe ruknaa hi padegaa
mujhko uthhaane ke liye jhuknaa hi padegaa
zakhmi hoon
zakhmi hoon
zakhmi hoon tera,
teer ki nokon se ladaa hoon
thhokar lagaa de
main tere raste mein padaa hoon
mere hathheele Shyam
mujhko ujaadaa
tujhko bhi basne nahin doongaa
jab tak na hansoo main
tujhe hansne nahin doongaa
mujhko ujaadaa
tujhko bhi basne nahin doongaa
jab tak na hansoo main
tujhe hansne nahin doongaa
tu sab se badaa
tu sab se badaa
tu sab se badaa
aur main tujh se bhi badaa hoon
thhokar lagaa de
main tere raste mein padaa hoon
mere hathheele Shyam
maanaa ke tera aur mera saath nahin hai
fariyaad bhulaanaa bhi tere haath nahin hai
maanaa ke tera aur mera saath nahin hai
fariyaad bhulaanaa bhi tere haath nahin hai
ae dariya dil tu dekh
ae dariya dil tu dekh
main lehron pe khadaa hoon
main lehron pe khadaa hoon
thhokar lagaa de mein tere raste mein padaa hoon
mere hathheele Shyam
mere hathheele Shyam
Share this:
- Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
- Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
- Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
- Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
- Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
Related
4 Responses to "Mere hathheele Shyaam"
January 31, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Immortal … it lives on and on … moves like af irebird … traverses the stretches of mountains and oceans and sinks through the depths of hearts … It is awesome …
But I am missing on song ‘ Yaadaaye ki na aaye tumhari ‘ … I long to see it here …
LikeLike
April 6, 2024 at 11:01 am
wah Sudhir ji a great piece of writing on this non film song Mere Hatheele shyam.
your knowledge of hindi songs as well philosophical is both 🙌 praiseworthy.
Thanks for making me understand the lyrics of this my favourite song.
LikeLike
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
September 28, 2011 at 6:56 am
Very informative writeup about one of my favorite songs from my childhood days, Sudhirji! I remember listening to this song in my schooldays, and enjoying the song, though I didn’t understand the meaning behind the lyrics in those days, and it is only now that I am fully able to appreciate the lyrics. Of course, your explanation makes it even more meaningful now. What a wonderful way to express the devotee’s closeness to the Lord!
LikeLike
July 15, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Marvellous. This has been one of my favourites since early ’40’s. Many many thanks to Atul & Sudhir. God bless you!
LikeLike