Pehle beej akela
Posted on: May 1, 2013
I have received quite a few e mails today reminding me that today (1 may 2013) is the 94th birth anniversary of Manna Dey and that no Manna Dey songs have been discussed on the occasion so far. Have no worry, I was aware of the occasion and I fully intended to discuss quite a few Manna Dey songs on the occasion. It is just that it has taken me a bit longer to do that.
Here is the first Manna Dey song on this occasion. This song is a philosophical song from “Sant Tukaram”(1965). This movie was an Ashok Films Production. It was directed by Rajesh Nanda. The movie had Shahu Modak, Madhu Apte, Anita Guha, B. M. Vyas, Helen, Rohit Kumar, Tuntun etc in it.
Interestingly, another movie with the same title was produced by Prabhat Pictures as far back as in 1936 itself !
It is my belief that every society needs leaders if it is to progress. And it is equally , if not more, important to have social reformers who can bring about social reforms. If one observes carefully, one may notice that regions which have had social reformers like Sant Tukaram in the past few centuries have done better than regions that did not have any social reformers because such reformers helped bring about reforms that caused the society to slowly shed its feudalistic mind set in these regions. On the other hand, Feudalism still rules the roost in regions sans social reformers.
Just as having reformers in necessary for society, it is necessary for moviemakers to produce movies on their lives so taht people may become aware of their teachings. That way it is good to see that as many as two movies were made on the life of Sant Tukaram.
This song is sung by Manna Dey and chorus. It is picturised on Shahu Modak (playing the title role) and others following his followers. Towars the end of the picturisation, one can also notice B M Vyas playing the villain trying the disrupt Sant Tukaram’s gathering.
Bharat Vyas is the lyricist. Music is composed by Vedpal.
Lyrics of this song were sent to me by Avinash Scrapwala.
I take this opportunity to wish Manna Dey a very happy and fulfilling 94th birth anniversary and here is hoping many happy returns of the day.
Song-Pehle beej akela (Sant Tukaram)(1965) Singer-Manna Dey, Lyrics-Bharat Vyas, MD-Vedpal
Chorus
Lyrics(Provided by Avinash Scrapwala)
Pehle beej akela aa
pehle beej akela
ankur phutaa
garbh se chhoota
ankur phootaa
garbh se chhoota
badhne ki aayi dekho bela
pehle beej akela aa
pehle beej akela
beej se vriksha banaa hai
vriksha ne phir beej janaa hai
beej se vriksha banaa hai
vriksha ne phir beej janaa hai
us se phir aur huye hain
ek se anek huye hain
sau sau hazaaron
laakhon karodon
sau sau hazaaron
laakhon karodon
vrikshon ka laagaa dekho mela
pehle beej akela
pehle beej akela
Brahm ye tumhaari maaya
ek tu sabhi mein samaaya
Brahm ye tumhaari maaya
ek tu sabhi mein samaaya
phool khile phal hain phaltey
sab teri chhaaon mein paltey
meethaa hai dhokha
phir bhi anokha
meethaa hai dhokha
phir bhi anokha
khel ye kaisa toone khela
pehle beej akela aa
pehle beej akela
Vitthal vitthal vitthal vitthal
Vitthal vitthal vitthal vitthal
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5 Responses to "Pehle beej akela"
May 1, 2013 at 10:57 pm
Thanks for this beautiful post Atul ji, and what an excellent write up. Our society do need more social reformers today and desperately needs that.
Today also being the ‘Maharashtra day ‘(and Gujarat day also), this is a real gift to all those who love it, like it and care for the culture of this great country.
thanks once again Atul ji !!!
@ Deshmukh Sir – i do try to find the oldest song first, but the links were not available (in hindi, they are available in marathi). the bhajan as mentioned by you is also very beautiful. and in the 1963 film it is also there i think and the words are ‘aadi beej ek re’… !
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May 2, 2013 at 8:30 am
Avinash ji,
here is the ORIGINAL song from Sant Tukaram-1936 for you to enjoy.-
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December 26, 2015 at 9:53 pm
Avinashji and Arunji
There was a hindi version of Sant Tukaram in 1948 starring Vishnupant Pagnis in the main roll. “aadi beej ek re ” is from this movie. Lyrics by Narendra Sharma and music by V G Bhatkar.This song is sung by V G Bhatkar .He only mentioned it in a function.
I referred to ‘ hindigeetmala.com’ where it was confirmed.
D Samant
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
May 1, 2013 at 6:27 pm
SANT TUKARAM was made in 1921,1931,1936,1963 and 1965.
The Prabhat film SANT TUKARAM which was made in 1936 was the most
popular and famous of all these. It was remade in Telugu,Tamil and Hindi from the original Marathi version.
Vishnupant Pagnis had acted the role of Tukaram. There was a Bhajan
in the film- ‘AADHI BEEJ EKALE’ ( meaning- first of all,there was only one seed). The Bhajan was written by Kavi Shantaram Athavale and sung by Vishnupant Pagnis,under the Music Director Keshav Rao Bhole.The Bhajan was so good and popular that for many years people thought that it was an original Bhajan written by Sant Tukaram himself.
The film was sent abroad in the competetion and won accolades particularly for its last scene where Tukaram goes to Heaven bodily in an aircraft.
The above song’s tune is very much matching with the original one and also the title of the song is almost same
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