Babam babam bam bam lehri
Posted on: April 4, 2012
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
This post is a special post that celebrates the 400th song of Mukesh on this blog. Given that the total list of all known recordings of songs by Mukesh ji is just a little below one thousand (including all songs from Hindi films – 861, all songs from regional language films – 62, and non film renditions – 69), we are very close to hosting 50% of all the known film songs of Mukesh here. The numbers listed above are all the songs that are currently identified and for which the recordings are available. There definitely are more songs that have been recorded, but that have not been released and are not available, at least at present. Maybe someday, more songs may be uncovered and brought into circulation, but the thinking is that the number of such songs may not be very large in any case.
Mukesh’s voice is very special. Each and every song that is rendered by him, carries an emotional expression that seems to come from the depths of his being. One cannot dismiss even one song by him, be it a sound of melancholy, a song of fun, an expression of romance, a prayer of devotion – each and every song sung by him is a gem unto itself.
This song and my search for it has a very special anecdote. When I was a very small child, may be six or seven years old, our family used to stay in a rented flat in Karol Bagh area of New Delhi. The way the building was designed, our flat on the ground floor faced another flat across a good sized verandah, and the flat across was rented by another family. Mr. Gupta, our neighbor across, is a business man, and of course even at that time, were considered rich and affluent. He was the only person in our building who owned a car, and probably had the only AC in the entire street. Our families were very close, and I used to be in and out of their home all the time. One day, Mr. Gupta brought home a new toy. It was a record player. Another first in the neighborhood of families, some of whom maybe had a radio at home. Having a record player was a novelty, and a status symbol. He proudly brought it across and showed it to my parents and uncles, and played the first 78 RPM that he had bought that day along with the player. The particular record was this song by Mukesh, and I was immediately taken in, not just by the novelty of hearing the first song as a record, but by the rhythm and the ‘ba bam’ rendition that is repeated many times during this song. Over the next few days, I would go to his flat and ask him to play the song, till the novelty of it wore off. But in that process, this song became ingrained in the memory, and I would remember it forever now. Subsequently, I heard this song occasionally on the radio, but then it just seemed to have faded away from public view and memory. I would still hum it in my mind sometimes.
Being a rich man, it was very soon that Mr. Gupta built his own house in a rich locality in Delhi and moved there. With him went the record player and the small selection of records that I used to listen at his home. Our families were very close, and in the beginning we used to occasionally visit each other, but then the distance and other preoccupations reduced such contact to some special family events only, and then over the years even that reduced drastically. Incidentally, I have very recently, just about 10 days ago, met Mr. Gupta once again, after ages. I was escorting someone else, a guest from out of town, to meet someone in that same locality. While returning, I just drove past Mr. Gupta’s residence, and as providence would have it, he was just at the gate of his house, returning from a brief evening walk. It was a meeting, maybe after more than three decades now (after our last meeting), and it was a very emotional reunion. I could not spend much time with him that day, on account of the guest accompanying me, and I have to return to meet him again, especially to enquire about his record player and his small collection of records.
About the song itself. It was much later that I was able to locate more information about it. The film is ‘Ramu Dada’ from 1961. The connect was made after I had acquired the Geet Kosh, and was able to locate the song, the film and some other details. Prior to that, this song simply seemed to have disappeared. I was able to locate this song finally with my collector friend in Delhi, and graciously gave me a recording of it. This was a little over a year ago. Then incidentally, as I searched on YouTube, this song also appeared there. The earliest appearance of this song on YouTube is as late at Oct 2010. In the meanwhile, the disc of this film was also released in the market. I immediately bought it, but was very disappointed to find that this particular song is not on the disc. I do not know whether this song is a victim of the disc makers cut, or was it not included in the original film release itself. I would request other knowledgeable readers to kindly confirm whether the song was included in the original release of this film.
And so, only the audio of this song is available. Another very interesting connect her. About a year ago (on 28th Feb, 2011), I had sent in the lyrics of another rare song from this film, ‘Sunaa Hai Jab Se Mausam Hai Pyaar Ke Kaabil’ . The next day, Lalitha ji posted a comment on that song, remembering this ‘Ba Bam Ba Bam Bam Bam Lehri’ song by Mukesh, from the same film. Apologies Lalitha ji, that this post is coming more than a year after your reminder for this song. I have had the lyrics and brief information ready for this write up for a long time, but it has just been pending in my drafts box, as other items kept getting priority. And then a few days back, in a brief communication with Atul ji we were discussing the upcoming milestones, and we realized we are very close to the 400th song for Mukesh. And so I decided to complete this write up and send it in for this special occasion.
‘Ramu Dada’, as one would expect, is a Sheikh Mukhtar film. Any film from the 50s and 60s with the word ‘Dada’ or ‘Ustaad’ is almost always a Sheikh Mukhtar film. Produced under the banner of Adarshlok, Bombay, the film is produced and directed by Adarsh. The main star cast of the film is Sheikh Mukhtar, Jaimala, Salim, Honey Irani, Sapru, Chand Usmani, Nilofer, Rajan Haksar, Jagdish Srivastava etc. The songs in this film are written by Majrooh Sultanpuri and the music composition is by Chitragupt.
A little attention to the lyrics, and one realizes that this is a very philosophical song. The words are simple and yet carry a very deep meaning. The music is simply superb, and of course the rendition by Mukesh is energetic yet sounding very relaxed. Enjoy this rare treat from five decades ago, a song that brings home some very basic truths about the human existence, expressed so soulfully.
bam babam babam
bam babam babam
babam babam bam bam lehri
I had once read somewhere about this particular rhythm and sound. Traditionally, ‘bam lehri’ rhythm is associated with Lord Shiva. The ‘Ba Bam’ sound is the sound of the small drum (‘damroo’) that he carries in his hands, and ‘lehar’ or ‘lehri’ is associated with the river Ganga. And so, the sound of ‘Bam Lehri’ is the ancient sound from the time that the river Ganga descended from the heavens. Shiv ji first retained it in his ‘jataa’ (locks of hair on the head), and then slowly released one stream of it to flow down from the Himalayas to the plains, for the benefit of the human race. There are images I have seen portraying this event – Shiv ji is in a dance ‘mudra’ (pose), playing the ‘damroo’ with one hand, the waters of Ganga are riding down from the sky into His hair. And I could well imagine, and feel, the sound ‘Bam Lehri’ on seeing this image.
babam babam bam bam lehri, lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
jeevan nadiyaa behti jaaye, shaam savere dopehri
(To the divine sound of the drums of Lord Shiva
And the flowing sounds of the mighty Ganga)
The unfathomed depths of the river
Deeper with every wave that flows
Thus is the flow of life
That incessantly surges ahead
On its course of destiny
Morning, day and night
(NOTE: the flow of life is compared to the incessant flow of the river. The water keeps coursing down its path without stopping ever. Such is the passage of time, and of life – it flows without a pause, all the way to the end where it will meet the mighty ocean.)
naao chalaa mat masti mein, toofaanon ki basti mein
lobh ki maari duniya-waale, naag hai teri kashti mein
is kaa kaataa paani na maange, duniya hai itni zehri
Do not be rash and careless
As you steer your boat
Through the storms in this life
Be cautious, be aware
Greed rules the minds
Of the people around you
And there is a snake hidden
In your boat
There is no cure for his bite
The poison is so intense
(NOTE: Traditional devotional poetry, borrowing from the scriptures, compares the five senses of a human being to snakes, that poison the mind and the life of a human being. The poet has used the same metaphor in this song. The boat is this human form, and we ferry it across the ocean of life, facing incessant storms. This boat, this human form has the senses built in. If one is not careful, these senses, compared to snakes, will easily poison the existence of a human being (which I believe is a matter of experience for the ones who are aware). The influence (poison) of these senses (snakes) is very intense, and can lead to the downfall of a human being).
nafrat se mann kyun hai bharaa, prem se mil insaal zaraa
prem ne tujh ko janam diyaa hai, prem to hai bhagwaan tera
prem ki bhakti kar le phir tu ban dehaati ya shehri
Why is the mind so full of detestation (of others)
Meet and greet one and all, with love
Love is that which brings us unto this world
(And so) Love is not different from God
Let your existence be steeped in
And motivated by love,
And then it does not matter
What your station in life is
(NOTE: in this verse, the poet is expounding the profundity of love, in the lives of human beings. Love is that which creates life, and in that sense, love is not different from God. Love is God and God is Love. And if love becomes the basic principle in someone’s life, then it does not matter what is his position and situation in this world, or what material assets he has or does not have. As long as love is the primary principle, everything else is immaterial, of minor importance.)
jag ki baaten door ke dhol, kaan tere kacche mat khol
bas mein tere koi baat nahin hai, tu kyaa bolegaa mat bol
ho tera kalyaan banaa le aatmaa goongi behri
The cacophony of this world’s banter
Are drums afar, pay no heed
Don’t let your childlike ears
Hear these noises
There is nothing in your control
Whatever you may say, it matters not
So don’t say, don’t speak
Be unheard, and hear not
And the life will be blessed and happy
(NOTE: what a profound truth, couched in such a simple, down to earth language. What we hear and what we speak – that is the origin of all the issues one faces in life. Our listening senses are juvenile, childlike, and mostly cannot comprehend the correct meaning, intent, importance of what is heard. And in the larger scheme of this world, and destiny, there is really nothing that we can do to influence or change anything. Then why do we have such a fascination with our own speech. The poet says, for a blissful and contended life, make yourself deaf and dumb in this world – that is welfare of the soul).
Song-Babam babam bam bam lehri (Ramu Dada)(1961) Singer-Mukesh, Lyrics-Majrooh Sultanpuri, MD-Chitragupta
Lyrics
bam babam babam
bam babam babam
babam babam bam bam lehri
babam babam bam bam lehri
lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
babam babam bam bam lehri
lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
jeevan nadiyaa behti jaaye
shaam savere dopehri
babam babam bam bam lehri
lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
naao chalaa mat masti mein
toofaanon ki basti mein
naao chalaa mat masti mein
toofaanon ki basti mein
lobh ki maari duniya-waale
naag hai teri kashti mein
is kaa kaataa paani na maange
ae
is kaa kaataa paani na maange
duniya hai itni zehri
babam babam bam bam lehri
lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
babam babam bam bam lehri
lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
nafrat se mann kyun hai bharaa
prem se mil insaan zaraa
nafrat se mann kyun hai bharaa
prem se mil insaan zaraa
prem ne tujh ko janam diyaa hai
prem to hai bhagwaan tera
prem ki bhakti kar le phir tu
oo
prem ki bhakti kar le phir tu
ban dehaati ya shehri
babam babam bam bam lehri
lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
babam babam bam bam lehri
lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
jag ki baaten door ke dhol
kaan tere kacche mat khol
jag ki baaten door ke dhol
kaan tere kacche mat khol
bas mein tere koi baat nahin hai
tu kyaa bolegaa mat bol
ho tera kalyaan banaa le
ho tera kalyaan banaa le
aatmaa goongi behri
babam babam bam bam lehri
lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
jeevan nadiyaa behti jaaye
shaam savere dopehri
babam babam bam bam lehri
lehar lehar nadiyaa gehri
15 Responses to "Babam babam bam bam lehri"
April 4, 2012 at 10:41 am
Similar song in Do Dil.
Mukesh sang 5000 songs but surprising female singers have sung many times over>>Lata -26k; Asha -16k.
It means Mukesh sang 1 song per week, Rafi sang few songs per week. The sisters may be singing few songs per day! In fact Asha holds a record of singing 23 songs in a day.
Really prolific and highly productive and satisfying years. They say quantity is achieved only at the altar of quality. But these sisters have made nonsense of the adage. In spite of quantity they have sung each and every song perfectly and to the entire satisfaction of the various exacting MDs. Still they feel they could have done better! Still their appetite is not satiated. Lata is planning a new album. Asha is always upto something or the other. They wont rest on their laurels. Great. Salaam Memsaabs or should we say Salaam Memdidis!!!
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April 4, 2012 at 10:56 am
The figures of 26000, 16000 etc are not recognised any longer by any books of records because they are not backed by facts. Total number of songs in Hindi movies itself have been only about 50,000 from 1931 to 1980, out of about 6000 movies. To imagine single individuals singing almost half of them is humanly impossible.
Most prolific singers have sung a few thousands songs each. Recently Asha Bhonsle was recognised by Guiness books of world records for singing 11,000 songs (films as well as non films) and that remains the recognised world record for any individual singer as of now.
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April 4, 2012 at 10:44 am
Some problem in uploading > First few words are getting erased. I had written : Mukesh has sung less than 1000 songs; Rafi sang >5000 songs… Lets see whether it happens again. Thanks
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April 4, 2012 at 11:58 am
To continue on the type of voices..
Even when Lata entered the arena all the top singers were having earthy and husky voices. She had problems of acceptance in the early stages of her career.
After the death of Vinayak Rao her mentor and guru, Lataji went to Ghulam Haidar who was a friend of her guru (teacher) Amanat Ali. Haider got impressed with Lataji’s singing talent and took her to Subodh Mukherjee. He rejected her saying that her voice is very thin and doesn’t suit heroines of that time. As mentioned at that time many singers present were of with heavy bassy and nasal voice. Lataji’s sweet voice was different from those singers.
Although Mukherjee did not believed in her, but Haider believed strongly in her. On the same day he took her to Bombay Talkies. Lata sung the same song that she had sung infront of Subodh Mukherjee, where she got selected to sing a song in film ‘Majboor’. Lataji admits that a song from Majboor was her major break.
Followed by it she had given hits in films like Barsaat, Andaaz, Dulari, Badi Behen and Mahal. Since then she never looked back. She changed and revolutionized the music industry. Her tonal quality pushed music directors to try their creativity. In late 1950’s Lata’s sister Asha Bhosle also joined her and the two sisters ruled the industry through 90s and beyond. She has also made entry to the Guinness Book of Records for recording most number of songs in the world.
But the two composers who really carved her career were C. Ramchandra and Madan Mohan. Ramchandra made her sound sweetest, while Madam Mohan challenged her voice like no other MDs
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April 4, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Sudhir ji,
Your observation about the association of Shaikh M and films with names of DADA and USTAD is on the dot.God had given such a rugged personality and a rough look to this real Gentleman,that only such titles for his films were found suitable.To imagine Sh.M in films titled Kasmir ki kali or Ek kali muskayee was simply out of question.
RAMUDADA-1961 was a film with the usual storyline,expected in a SH.M film.The film was directed by B.K.Adarsh,one of the owners of Adarshlok Films.He was a director of atleast 15 B-2 and C grade films with odd titles.
The heroine Jaimala was his wife and had featured in some other Adarsh films like Balak,Fashionable wife,Mahasati Behula,Harishchandra-Taramati,Ramu Dada,Teerth Yatra and sampoorna Sant Darshan.She had acted only in one outside film-Bhakta Raj.None of these film are wellknown or even known,I am sure.
Tall and robust Ramudada is a terror and a violent Gunda in Bombay.He accidentally gets involved in an innocent child’s death and finds that same evening,his beloved sister is paralysed.This changes Ramu to drop dada from his nature and he becomes a hardworking,honest and noble person.Once he is saved by Ravi from deathly accident and they become friends.Ravi is in love with Rekha,but her wicked uncle,Rai Sahib,does not like Ravi,as he wants to loot Rekha’s property and estate.He tries to trouble Ravi,but Ramudada saves him,so Raisahib decides to remove Ramudada.He murders his archrival gangleader David in such a way that Ramudada is accused for this murder.To avoid arrest Ramudada absconds,but is arrested on Raksha Bandhan Day when he comes to Rekha for Rakhi.
Rekha and Ravi make a plan,collect proof,expose Rekha’s uncle and get him arrested.Ramudada is now free to attend their wedding and bless them.
-AD
320
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April 5, 2012 at 9:33 am
I would like to thank Sudhirji and Atulbhai for posting this song today. It has come on a very difficult day in my life – as I get ready to bid farewell to my surviving parent, today has been very emotional and a long day. I came to the computer and came to this site just to see what songs are here, and if there is one that will soothe me, and then I found that Atul had posted about his pets and then I saw this song. Both posts had me reading them, even though I haven’t listened to the songs, and while the post about Chhote and Bhole and Nuppy had me smiling as i watched the video, this post reminded me that this life is brief, and even as I am immersed in my own sorrow, life goes on all around me, flowers are blooming, new babies are being born, and there is still something to look at and smile through my tears. Thank you, Atulji and Sudhirji!
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April 5, 2012 at 10:28 am
While discussing old songs that are decades old and created by maestros who are no longer with us, most of us have become philosophical and realise that we all are mere specks in the grand scheme of things. Still it hurts when we lose our near and dear ones. Our condolences. May the almighty give you the strength to bear this loss. My your father rest in peace.
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April 5, 2012 at 11:22 am
Lalitha ji,
Very sorry to learn about your irrepareable loss.Please accept my condolences.
The memories of our dear ones always keep them alive in our mind.
-AD
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April 5, 2012 at 10:43 am
Please do accept my heartfelt condolences. I know how it feels to lose your father, but today, I find him in all the old hindi numbers (he introduced me to them), and I always feel he is around. Time is the best healer. Take care.
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April 5, 2012 at 11:17 am
Lalithaji,
I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. Remember one thing – Your Father is and will always be with you. Just feel his presence in all the things you have cherished with him. Thou give you lots of strenght to bear this big loss.
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April 5, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Lalithaji
I`m sorry to hear about your personal loss. Please accept my heartfelt condolences. Bhagwaan aapko shakthi dein,yehi meri aashaa hai.
regards
prakash
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April 5, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Lalitha ji
I am saddened to read your message. Departure of a dear one is always heartbreaking; and the loss of a parent is irreplaceable.
No words will be adequate to speak to your emotions today, but my heart goes out to you in this time of grief. Have strength, for God is kind and merciful, and He knows when it is time.
Your complete message is heartening – yes, the life flows on, and there is always something to smile for. Keep this thought, and feel the presence – of the ones departed and also of the ones who are connected from afar.
Rgds
Sudhir
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April 5, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Lalitha, am very sorry to hear about your father. Must be a very difficult time for you and your family right now. It’s a measure of your strength that you are able to be philosophical about this although you must be immersed in grief right now for your loss. Take care, Lalitha – of yourself and of those dear to you.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
April 4, 2012 at 10:19 am
Wonderful write up Sudhir ji. I could pretty much visualise the street you lived in and Mr Gupta standing at the gates :). Reading write up’s on this blog is as interesting as reading a short story by R K Narayan.
Coming to this song, Kailash Kher has sung a song which has the same title in his album Kailasa.
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