Naach re mayuraa
Posted on: April 1, 2013
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
During my younger days, Radio Ceylon (later Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation) and Vividh Bharati service of all India Radio (Aakashvani) were the two sources on which I used to listen to Hindi film songs’ programmes. I got to know only sometime in late 60s that Aakashvani stations were not broadcasting Hindi film songs prior to the setting of Vividh Bharati in 1957. Later I came to know that this policy decision was taken by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1952 when Dr B V Keskar, the then Information and Broadcasting Minister felt that Hindi film songs had become vulgar and westernised. It was decided that some songs having literary value such as those written by poets like Bhagwati Charan Verma and Pandit Narendra Sharma should be turned into songs and played on Aakashvani in place of Hindi film songs. It is said that some of such songs were composed by Anil Biswas. It was during this time that Lata Mangeshkar sang her first non-filmy song ‘yug ki sandhya krishak vadhu si’ written by Pandit Narendra Sharma and composed by Anil Biswas during. Unfortunately, this song’s disc was damaged during its first play on the radio and was thus lost forever.
It was very clear that an overwhelming majority of the Hindi film songs fans did not subscribe to the view of the Ministry. As it often happens in the situation of an imperfect competition, a large number of listeners of Aakashvani shifted their allegiance to Radio Ceylon which by this time had started a full fledged Hindi services based on Hindi film songs. With large number of listenership, soon they got advertisements and also sponsored programmes like Binaca Geetmala. Though the Ministry lifted the ban on Hindi film songs after two years or so, this measure did not bring back the listenership to Aakashwani’s fold to the extent expected.
It may be noted that Pandit Narendra Sharma had worked with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as his Hindi Secretary during the independence movement. It is said that Jawaharlal Nehru who was the Prime Minister, personally requested Pandit Narendra Sharma to chalk out a plan for setting up an entertainment radio channel within Aakashvani. After a lot of labour put in by the team led by him, the new entertainment channel named as ‘Vividh Bharati’ by Pandit Narendra Sharma himself, took shape and was inaugurated on October 3, 1957 at Bombay (Mumbai).
The first song which was broadcasted on the inaugural day of Vividh Bharati was ‘naach re mayuraa’ (1957)which was sung by Manna Dey. The song was penned by Pandit Narendra Sharma especially for the occasion and set to music by Anil Biswas. The poetry is symbolic of the successful culmination of a dream becoming a reality and it is compared in the song with the happiness of a dancing peacock during the arrival of the rainy season. The song became very popular on Vividh Bharati and later HMV included this song in their album on rainy season.
Listening to this song written in pure Hindi words with rhythmic verses like ‘dekh saghan gagan magan’ reminds me of Hindi Kavita (poem) period of my high school days. It is said that when Manna Dey recited this poem to Shailendra, he was so much impressed with the poem that he jotted down the entire song from Manna Dey.
Song-Naach re mayuraa (Manna Dey NFS)(1957) Singer-Manna Dey, Lyrics-Pt Narendra Sharma, MD-Anil Biswas
Lyrics
aa aa aa aaa
aaa aaa
aa aa aa aaa
aaa aaa
naach re mayuraa
naach re mayuraa
khol kar sahasra nayan
dekh saghan gagan magan
dekh saras swapn
jo ke aaj huaa pooraa
naach re mayuraa
naach re mayuraa
goonje dishee dishee mridang
prati pal nav raag rang
goonje dishee dishee mridang
aa aa aaa
aa aa aaa
aaa aaa
aa aa aaa
aaa aaa
aa aa aa aaa
goonje dishee dishee mridang
prati pal nav raag rang
rimjhim ke sargam par
rimjhim ke sargam par
chhide taan pooraa
naach re mayuraa
naach re mayuraa
sam par sam saa par saa
aaa
aa aa aaa
aa aa aa aaa
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aaa aaa
sam par sam saa par saa
re pa ga
ma re pa
ma pa ni dha
dha ni pa
pa ni dha
dha ni saa
ma ma re saa ni saa re sa ni ni pa ma
ga ma re saa
ga ma re saa
ga ma re saa
sam par sam saa par saa
umad ghumad ghan barsaa
ghan barsaa
saagar kaa sajal gaan
saagar kaa sajal gaan
kyun rahe adhooraa
naach re mayuraa
naach re mayuraa
khol kar shastra nayan
dekh saghan gagan magan
dekh saras swapn
jo ke aaj huaa pooraa
naach re mayuraa
naach re mayuraa
naach re mayuraa aaa
8 Responses to "Naach re mayuraa"
April 1, 2013 at 2:28 pm
When TANSEN used to sing raag megh malhaar ,and clouds gathered and rain was pouring ,this story was true in 16 th century,20th century
saw MANNA DE was singing NAACH RE MAYURA….and rain started.
PURE hindi poem has its own charm.As I had earlier mentioned ALL
NFS are hidden treasure …its right once again.THIS song has semi classic touch too,and feel like rain is pouring …while listening this song.
Very correctly HMV has included in LONG PLAY record of RAIN SONGS which is very rare now adays.Let me tell u that TALAT MEHMOOD,SUDHA MALHOTRA,MUBARAK BEGUM,MUKESH,has sung the rain songs all are included in a l.p.record.
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Bharat Upadhyay
November 6, 2013 at 7:18 pm
I have started presenting songs from that rare LP ‘Varsha Ritu’, one by one and now the fourth one is to be posted. Thanks for appreciating songs of good taste.
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December 2, 2014 at 9:23 pm
Lyrics are written by my Papaji Pandit Narendra Sharma
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April 2, 2013 at 1:36 am
Thank you Sadanand Ji, for researching and informing interesting details of light hindi music of the golden era, a priceless service for which we are immensely grateful to you and regard you as an important resource. Please keep up your valuable contribution.
Regards,
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April 3, 2013 at 7:10 am
Beautiful song. There is another equally sweet song also by Manna da in film “Tere dwar khada Bhagwan 1964” music by Shantikumar Desai and Lyr. by P.L. Santoshi
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May 2, 2019 at 8:02 pm
I was wondering is it possible to know the Name of dancer who has performed beautiful dance in the song.
First song for vivid bharti sung by Manna dey.
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October 9, 2022 at 7:17 pm
“It was during this time that Lata Mangeshkar sang her first non-filmy song ‘yug ki sandhya krishak vadhu si’ written by Pandit Narendra Sharma and composed by Anil Biswas during.” … on what ground it was the first non film song sung by Lataji? She rendered non film song in 1949.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
April 1, 2013 at 12:58 pm
Sadanand ji,
Thanks for brining in this rare song. I had read about it when I was researching information about Pt. Narendra Sharma. A wonderful reminiscence, that was heard on the radio so many years ago. And the reminder today, listening to it, is so thrilling.
Thanks again
Rgds
Sudhir
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