Chali pawan harson
Posted on: July 17, 2012
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
July 17th is the death anniversary of Kanan Devi (22/04/1916-17/07/1992). I had written an article for this blog on her last birth anniversary. So I will not go into her profile. She was one of the most beautiful and graceful actors of her time. She brought respectability to female actors. It is said that she was the highest paid film actors of her time and in one film, ‘Chandrashekhar'(1948), she was paid one rupee more than the remuneration paid to her lead actor Ashok Kumar. Sahir Ludhianvi, probably took a hint from her when he started demanding one rupee more than that paid to the music directors.
Singing was her forte. I have heard most of her songs and I can say that she excelled in all genres – coquettish song like zara nainon se nainaa milaay jaao-re, poignant song like kuchh yaad rahe to sun kar jaa, romantic song like door desh ka rahne waalaa aayaa, ghazal like meri majbooriyon ne meraa daaman chaak kar daalaa , philosophical song sung in exuberance like, duniya ye duniyaa toofaan mail and devotional song like prabhuji prabhuji rakho laaj hamaari.
I admire her the most for her decision to quit the film industry and transform herself into a normal family life in the post-60s. During this period, she devoted most of her time in social work and charities. She formed Mahila Shilpi Mahal to assist woman artists in need. Unfortunately, due to bad health during her old age, she had to retire from her social work.
On the occasion of the death anniversary of Kanan Devi, here is one of her popular songs ‘chali pawan harsoo’ from the film JAWAANI KI REET (1939). The song was written by Arzoo Lucknawi and set to music by R C Boral. The film was produced under the banner of New Theatres and directed by Hemchandra Chunder. The star cast included Kanan Devi, Nazmul Hussain, Nemo, Jagdish Sethi, Bikram Kapoor, Bipin Gupta, Nandkishore etc. The synopsis of the film indicates that the film belonged to the social genre. Lawyer Bholanath (Nemo) adopts Anita (Kanan Devi) who grew as a fashionable teenager. She meets Dilip (Najmul Hussain), the lawyer’s son working on a flood relief camp and they fall in love. Here comes the lineage issue as Anita does not know her background and Dilip keeps the secret of he being the lawyer’s son. But the issue is solved when lawyer dies leaving his estate to his son Dilip thus rehabilitating himself and his relationship with Anita.
The song written in simple words is a depiction of the exeburance of the character played by Kanan Devi for whom everything around her is rosy. The mood is also reflected in the way she sang the song as well as in the background music. I wish I could see her beautiful and divine face in the video clip of this song with happiness written all over her face. Unfortunately, only the audio clip is available.
Song-Chali pawan harson (Jawaani Ki reet)(1939) Singer-Kanan Devi, Lyrics-Aarzoo Lucknowi, MD-R C Boral
Lyrics
chali pawan harson
lehak rahi sarson
bhor bhayi jaage re re re
chali pawan harson
rut basant aayi hai
ban ban chhaayi hai
saara jahaan rangeelaa
saara jahaan rangeelaa
kali kali manhari manhari
rangbhari madbhari
jag bhaayo sohnaa
aa aa
kali kali manhari manhari
rangbhari madbhari
jag bhayo sohnaa
kookey koyal naache mor
kookey koyal naache mor
piyaa piyaa karey shor
ae ri sakhi jaane naa
ae ri sakhi jaane naa
aa
kaahe jiyaa maaney naa
phool nayaa jo khilaa
aa aa
yahi sandeshaa milaa
aa aa
?? se nahin man
?? se nahin man
pankh lage ud chaloon
dhoondhe se bhi naa miloon
oon oon
pankh lage ud chaloon
dhoonde se bhi naa miloon
dhun yehi laagee re
dhun yehi laagee re
chali pawan harson
lehak rahi sarson
bhor bhayi jaagee re re re
chali pawan harson
4 Responses to "Chali pawan harson"
January 17, 2023 at 8:42 pm
मुझे कानन देवी जी के अतिरिक्त भी सभी पुराने समय के गायक-गायिकाओं के गानें सुनना बहुत पसंद है। के.एल.सहगल जी के समय के अन्य गायकों को भी बहुत पसंद करता हूँ। और आपका धन्यवाद करता हूँ जो आपने मुझे इन गानों को और पुराने समय के संगीत को सुनने का मौका दिया।
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
July 17, 2012 at 9:39 pm
The lyrics are robust but highly melodic.
I love it…she has put her heart in this song.
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