Bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
Posted on: November 16, 2012
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
This day, 50 years ago, the nation woke up to some somber and dreadful headlines. The war on the Himalayan border had intensified, with fresh attacks by China, on the Indian border outposts, after a lull of about 3 weeks. A border dispute between the two countries had reached a flash point with China attacking India, in a planned and concentrated manner in the very early hours of 20th October, 1962. In what is termed as the Himalyan Blunder on the part of the political and military leadership of India, within a matter of 4 days, we had lost large tracts of territory on both the eastern sectors (NEFA, now known as Arunachal Pradesh) and the western sectors (Askai Chin). After gaining a very important strategic and psychological upper hand, China announced a unilateral cease fire and there was a lull in fighting for a period of three weeks.
Chou En-Lai, the then prime minister of China, attempted a round of negotiations with Pandit Nehru, in an effort to brow beat India into accepting the then held positions as the official boundary between the two countries. Nehru, despite the grave situation being faced by the army and the nation as a whole, took a stand that China’s claims were not legitimate,
and hence there wasn’t any question of India accepting the proposal to settle the dispute on China’s terms. And so, after a three weeks period of watchful standoff across the border, on 14th November, 1962, the military engagement started once again, with an Indian offensive in the Walong area of NEFA, in the eastern sector. China’s response was planned and measured.
The fighting lasted another six days, with the Chinese premier once again announcing a unliteral cease fire on 19th November. China had, by that time, progressed further into the Indian territory, and the cease fire was announced when the Chinese troops had reached positions that covered the territories claimed by China.
A huge amount of political and logistical analysis has been done on the 1962 conflict. A lot of reading material is available both in print as well as online. The conflict brought into sharp focus, the Indian army’s in-capabilities to handle the warfare in the extreme Himalayan climes and terrains. And it also highlighted the political failures of the Indian
government. The dispute over the border had existed for many decades before this war, with China refusing to accept the political boundaries that were drawn by the British when they ruled India. Specifically, the Johnson line prepared in 1830s, demarcating the boundary on the western sector, and MacMahon Line, prepared in the 1910s demarcating the boundary on the Eastern sector, were discussed in an international conference that was held in 1913 in Simla, attended by the representatives of Great Britain, Tibet and China.
Although the conference ended with an agreement known as the Simla Accord, the Chinese government refused to ratify and acknowledge it. Their stand till date is, that the two boundaries drawn by the British rulers of India, were incorrect and incomplete. There are definite factors that point to the inadequacy of these demarcations. The seeds of this conflict were thus already sown many decades earlier.
After India gained independence, this issue of border with China became more complicated with the Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1950. The disagreement on the exact border demarcation was a simmering issue that was badly mishandled by India. There were opportunities for a political settlement of this issue, that were not taken up. Nehru seriously miscalculated that China will never physically attack India on this issue. China, on their part, played a deceptive strategy by planning and preparing for an offensive, while posturing for an amiable political settlement. Still, what finally transpired was a definite blunder on part of India, in not believing that there could be war on this issue, and in taking a very adamant stand on the legality of territorial claims. The conflict was analyzed post-facto by commissions set up by the government of India. It has been fifty years now since the occurrence of this event. The reports of these commissions are still classified material.
The conflict was a major psychological trauma for the army and the nation as a whole. It brought into sharp focus, the lack of preparedness, and the wretched conditions in which our soldiers fought the enemy in some of the most inhospitable terrains in the world. It was winters when the conflict happened. The news stories about the conditions being faced by the
soldiers, brought shock and distress to the Indian public. The sad and agonizing circumstances of this war are well depicted in the film ‘Haqeeqat’ (1964). The song “Kar Chale Hum Fida Jaan o Tan Saathiyo” is a telling statement on how the soldiers fought to the last man, giving up their lives with their fingers still locked around the guns and triggers. And the iconic song “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo” sharply underlined the agony and the suffering of both the army and the entire nation.
The lines from these songs
saans thamti gayi nabz jamti gayi
phir bhi badhte kadam ko na rukne diyaa
and
sangeen pe dhar kar maatha
so gaye amar balidaani
continue to be chilling reminders of the ultimate sacrifices by the Indian soldiers in the face of the worst fighting conditions and also, in the face of the ill fated policies of the Indian government.
In 1963/64, producer Jagan Prasad Sharma, originally from Jaipur, started work to produce a film on this war with China. The film was very aptly titled ‘Bhool Na Jaanaa’, very likely taking cue from the lines of the iconic song by Kavi Pradeep
tum bhool na jaao unko
is liye kahi ye kahaani
But alas, the film could not be completed and released. By 1964/65, the government policies discouraged production of films on this topic, and the producer had to give up this project. However, the songs for this film had been commissioned and already recorded by 1965, and they have survived.
This song is another very well written and very well prepared song, in the same genre as the two songs mentioned above. The words of this song are from the pen of Dr. Hariram Acharya. The music composition is by Daan Singh. And the singing voice is that of the inimitable Manna Dey, exhorting the nation to follow in the footsteps of the young soldiers whose blood was
shed on Himalayas. Although an obscure song, rarely heard on the radio waves, still it is no less inspiring and uplifting. The song is impressively rendered by Manna Dey, as only he can.
An occasion to remember the brave soldiers who guard our frontiers. My salute to them, and to their loved ones – the sacrifice is equal both on the borders and on the home front.
utthaa hai shor-e-toofaan, zeher bikhraa hai hawaaon se
zameen thharraa utthi hai, khoon barsaa hai ghataaon se
The rising clamour of the oncoming storm
The poison spread in the winds
A tremble is there in earth itself
And it rains blood from the clouds in the sky
tabaahi ka gubaar utthaa, girey hain toot ke taare
mehekti waadiyon mein zulm ke bhadke hain angaarey
The squall of destruction is rising
And the stars, breaking from the sky
Falling on the ground
The fragrant peaceful valleys
Are alight with burning embers of brutality
bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
Rise, O my country men
This land calls out to you
The blood of young soldiers
Flows on our borders
himalay ke seene pe shole giraata
badhaa hai pawan jung ka sansanaata
chaman apne khunkhaar ne raund daale
aman ke kabootar ke par noch daale
The rushing winds of war approach
Hurling fireballs on the pristine Himalayas
The vicious onslaught overruns our gardens
Wrenching off the wings of the doves of peace
hai rishiyon ki dharti pe aayee tabaahi
ye taareekh par put rahi hir siyaahi
darindon ne seema pe hai pag pasaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
This land of sages and saints
Faces an onslaught of destruction
Defacing, devastating our very history
Vicious, raging animals
Are trying to step into our territory
Rise, O my country men
This land calls out to you
uttho sarfarosho, uttho naujawaanon
bulaati hai khaaq-e-watan baagbaanon
shaheedon ki saugandh le sar utthaao
lahoo se vijay ka tilak tum lagaao
Rise O the brave youth
Rise O the daring fighters
The soil of this land
Calls out to you
Swear upon the name of martyrs of the past
And let the blood be the victory mark on your forehead
mitoge tabhi maa ko jeevan milegaa
badhoge tabhi janm itihaas legaa
nichhaawar watan par ho jeevan tumhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
This motherland will live
Only on your scarifices
History will take a new turn
When you rise and move forward
Let the force of your life
Be offered to this land
Rise, O my country men
This land calls out to you
fizaaon pe jiski hai jannat nichhaawar
duaaon pe duniya ki daulat nichhaawar
wo maa aaj goli se ghaayal khadi hai
hamaare liye imtihaan ki ghadi hai
May the heavens be refused
For the valleys and dales of this land
May all the wealth of this world be refused
For blessings of this Mother
Mother – she is wounded today
With enemy’s bullets
It’s a moment of truth for us
uttho maa ki asmat ka daaman bachaao
sapooto badho jaan par khel jaao
dilaati kasam tum ko ganga ki dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
Rise, O sons
And save the honour of the Motherland
March ahead, O sons
And lay down your lives for her sake
The flow of the mighty Ganga
Seeks this promise from you
Rise, O my country men
This land calls out to you
ye dharti hai sab se badi maa hamaari
yehi zindagi hai yehi jaan hamaari
suhaagan ka kangan ho is par nichhaawar
ke raakhi a bandhan ho is par nichhaawar
This is land is the greatest mother for us
She is our life, she is our existence
Forgo the bangles of the bride for her sake
Forgo the Rakhi threads of the sister for her sake
ke maa apni mamta ke moti lutaaye
watan ki hifaazat ke samaan jutaaye
ho balidaan hi aaj mazhab tumhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
For the pearls of this mother’s caring love
Let us manage and prepare to defend her
Let the ultimate sacrifice be the only religion today
Rise, O my country men
This land calls out to you
hain hum satya ki raah ke veer raahi
hain hum nyaaye ki saltnat ki sipaahi
jahaan zulmaton ka mitaa kar rahenge
aman ki kiran hum jagaa kar rahenge
For we stand on the side of truth
We are the soldiers of the kingdom of righteous
We will demolish the empire of cruelty
And will surely light the lamp of peace and harmony
jahaan khoon ke garm katre girenge
wahin se naye karvaan badh chalenge
gagan tak udegaa tirangaa hamaara
gagan tak udegaa tirangaa hamaara
Wherever this warm blood will drop
Whole new armies will arise there
And our banner will rise to touch the sky
It surely will rise to touch the sky
Song-Bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara(Bhool Na Jaana)(1970) Singer-Manna Dey, Lyrics-Hariram Acharya, MD-Daan Singh
Lyrics
utthaa hai shor-e-toofaan
zeher bikhraa hai hawaaon se
zameen thharraa utthi hai
khoon barsaa hai ghataaon se
tabaahi ka gubaar utthaa
girey hain toot kar taare
mehekti waadiyon mein
zulm ke bhadke hain angaarey
bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
himalay ke seene pe shole giraata
badhaa hai pawan jung ka sansanaata
chaman apne khoonkhaar ne raund daale
aman ke kabootar ke par noch daale
hai rishiyon ki dharti pe aayee tabaahi
ye taareekh par put rahi phir siyaahi
darindon ne seema pe hai pag pasaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
uttho sarfaroshon, uttho naujawaanon
bulaati hai khaaq-e-chaman baagbaanon
shaheedon ki saugandh le sar utthaao
lahoo se vijay ka tilak tum lagaao
mitoge tabhi maa ko jeevan milegaa
badhoge tabhi janm itihaas legaa
nichhaawar watan par ho jeevan tumhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
fizaaon pe jiski hai jannat nichhaawar
duaaon pe duniya ki daulat nichhaawar
wo maa aaj goli se ghaayal khadi hai
hamaare liye imtihaan ki ghadi hai
uttho maa ki asmat ka daaman bachaao
sapooton badho jaan par khel jaao
dilaati kasam tum ko ganga ki dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
ye dharti hai sab se badi maa hamaari
yehi zindagi hai yehi jaan hamaari
suhaagan ka kangan ho is par nichhaawar
ke raakhi ka bandhan ho is par nichhaawar
ke maa apni mamta ke moti lutaaye
watan ki hifaazat ke samaan jutaaye
ho balidaan hi aaj mazhab tumhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara
uttho hind ki sar-zameen ne pukaara
hain hum satya ki raah ke veer raahi
hain hum nyaaye ki saltanat ki sipaahi
jahaan zulmaton ka mitaa kar rahenge
aman ki kiran hum jagaa kar rahenge
jahaan khoon ke garm katre girenge
wahin se naye kaarvaan badh chalenge
gagan tak udegaa tirangaa hamaara
gagan tak udegaa tirangaa hamaara
tirangaa hamaara
4 Responses to "Bahi hai jawaan khoon ki aaj dhaara"
November 16, 2012 at 3:09 pm
HULLO Sudhirji
this is an eyeopener of a post for people of my age group. we were born after this conflict & know only what our history text book decided to teach us.
LikeLike
November 26, 2012 at 8:41 pm
Another fantastic post Sudhirji, thanks a ton! We have been told so many lies about this war….the political stupidity was hid under name of Chinese treachery!
LikeLike
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
November 16, 2012 at 10:49 am
Sudhir ji , I salute you for this beautfiul post and the detailed information on this historical issue. Recently there was special programmes on this topic on zeenews wherein the Army men who are alive and who fought the battle share their memories and remember their ‘saathi jawans’, their junior and seniors whome they lost in this battle. Our jawans fight till the end inspite of the lack of resources. Our army has always made us proud and we owe a lot to them.
(Haqeeqat was a great movie and having great performances)
Thanks again., JAI HIND !!!
Thanks Atul ji for this post !!! JAI HIND !!!
LikeLike