Desh Ki Dharti Ne Lalkaara
Posted on: January 16, 2016
- In: C Ramchandra solo songs as a singer | C Ramchandra songs as a singer | Devnagri script lyrics by Sudhir | Freedom song | Guest posts | Lyrics contributed by readers | MD-Singer Song | Patriotic song | Post by Sudhir | Songs of 1950s (1951 to 1960) | Songs of 1952 | War song | Yearwise breakup of songs
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This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a contributor to this blog. This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
Today (15th January), the nation honors the Army man, the soldier and the fighter who gives up and sacrifices a lot in his life, even himself, for the sake of protecting other fellow human beings. We celebrate the 68th Army Day today.
67 years ago, this day in the year 1949, the last British general of the Indian army retired. That day, in the post of Commander-in-Chief of the army, an Indian soldier stepped in for the first time in the 173 years of history of the Indian Army. General KM Cariappa (later to be Field Marshal Cariappa) was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.
For the record, the Indian Army was founded by the British in the year 1776. Since that time, it was always headed by a British general. It was, at that time, set up with the objectives to protect and expand the British interests in India. Plus, it was also meant to support the British in other wars outside of India. There is a long history of battalions of Indian soldiers being sent overseas into war arenas that had nothing to do with India, but everything to do with British interests. The huge, arched India Gate, which was built in New Delhi over a period of 10 years (from 1921 to 1931) is a memorial to the 82,000 Indian soldiers who had laid down their lives in the various wars of the British empire, from 1776 to 1921. On the walls of this towering memorial are inscribed the names of 13,300 officers and men, of these 82,000, who have been honored by name. The inscription on the India Gate reads
“To The Dead Of The Indian Armies Who Fell Honoured In France And Flanders Mesopotamia And Persia East Africa Gallipoli And Elsewhere In The Near And The Far-East And In Sacred Memory Also Of Those Whose Names Are Recorded And Who Fell In India Or The North-West Frontier And During The Third Afghan War”
On 15th January, 1949, the Indian army finally achieved its true identity, and established its real roots and purpose for the first time. Since then, this day is marked as the Army Day, in honor of the Indian soldier, who braves the elements and mans the remote outposts of our nation’s borders, to secure and safe keep the fellow countrymen.
This post has been sitting in my draft box, for some months now. It started in the month of September. On 15th September, a weeklong exhibition started in Delhi, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of our conflict with Pakistan, in 1965. I went to see that exhibition, and came back with a very emotional connect that triggered my own memories from those years. Although just a small child, I have some remarkably clear memories of the black-out nights, the neighborhood watch groups, and the discussions that used to happened in the evening, as the elders in the family would be listening to the war news on the radio. All those memories were refreshed, embellished with a lot more detailed inputs. And with the memories came the emotions – emotions that I had experienced then, as a very small child; and emotions that I experienced again, reminded of and re-living the news and the events of the days of war.
Names of people like Havaldar Abdul Hamid, Squadron Leader Keeler and more, that have never left my memories. And names of places like Khemkaran, Hussainiwal, Dograi and more, the mention of which still brings goose bumps on my skin. The legends of how Lt. Col. Ardeshir Taraporewala refused to be evacuated from the war zone despite being seriously wounded, and continued to command his troops – his wounds proving to be mortally fatal, on the battlefield itself. Or how Lt. General Harbakhsh Singh defied a direct order from his General (Gen JN Chaudhri), and refused to pull back from the Haji Pir pass, thus fortifying and saving a major victory for the Indian side. Or how Havaldar Abdul Hamid, armed with simply a recoilless gun mounted on his jeep, drove directly into an enemy tank formation at Khemkaran, and destroyed three enemy tanks before being mortally wounded. Or the story of Lt Col Desmond Haydes whose exhortation to his men was, ‘Zinda ya murda, Dograi mein milna hai! (Dead or alive, we have to meet in Dograi!)’ – and Dograi did he and his men capture for India.
I had gone to the exhibition, planning to skim through, collect some literature and be out in an hour or so. I ended up spending almost four hours. Learning the details of how the campaigns were planned and executed, how the soldiers and officers from all walks of society rose to the occasion, the life they led for about the 20 days that the war lasted, and the sacrifices they made for the sake of the nation – it all added lots of details to my memories of childhood. Part way through the exhibition, I was personally moved so much, that I would step up and shake the hand of practically every soldier and officer I met there, and thanked them for whatever they had done and were continuing to do for the nation.
At the exit of the exhibition, there was placed a set of guest books, in which people would record their comments and impressions. Here is what I wrote in that book,
With my head high with pride
With gratitude in my heart
And with tears in my eyes
I salute thee, the Indian soldier
The real heroes of this land
Over the years, I have come to learn a lot more about the politics and the business of wars. I have learnt that no war is good, no matter what the justification may be. I have also learnt that there are no winners in a war, everyone loses. But yes, the safety and security of our homes and our land is primary, in the face of malicious aggressions. And I recall another thing that I had read. Indian Army is one of the maybe three of four national armies in the world, that has the enviable record of never in its history ever having initiated a war.
For this special post today, I bring online, a rare marching song from the 1952 film ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji’. The rousing words are from the pen of Shailendra. Music is composed by C Ramchandra. The main singing voice is that of Chitalkar himself. A song that maybe belongs to an era of the past. But the sentiment is timeless, as hoary as it is supposed to be.
Once again, before I close, I salute the soldier – their sacrifices have made my comforts, safe and secure.
Jai Hind
Song – Desh Ki Dharti Ne Lalkaara (Chhatrapati Shivaji) (1952) Singer – Chitalkar, Lyrics – Shailendra, MD – C Ramchandra
Chorus
Lyrics
desh ki dharti ne lalkaara
goonja azaadi ka naara
desh ki dharti ne lalkaara
goonja azaadi ka naara
desh pe marne waale aa
maut se ladne waale aa
desh pe marne waale aa
maut se ladne waale aa
garaj uthi bhairavi bhawaani
uble saagar uchhlaa paani
garaj uthi bhairavi bhawaani
uble saagar uchhlaa paani
kahe pukaar pathaaari dharti
Maharashtra ki pyaari dharti
maut se ladne waale aa
desh pe marne waale aa
maut se ladne waale aa
kab se pyaasi hain talwaaren
barchhe bhaale teer kataaren
kab se pyaasi hain talwaaren
barchhe bhaale teer kataaren
khoon se inki pyaas bujhegi
khoon se inki pyaas bujha
maut se ladne waale aa
desh pe marne waale aa
maut se ladne waale aa
ye badnaam ghulaami is mein
jeene se marna achhaa hai
ye badnaam ghulaami is mein
jeene se marna achhaa hai
azaadi ke liye marey jo
maa ka wo sapoot sachchaa hai
samar baandh talwaar uthaa
mardaane jauhar dikhlaa
maut se ladne waale aa
desh pe marne waale aa
maut se ladne waale aa
desh ki dharti ne lalkaara
goonja azaadi ka naara
desh pe marne waale aa
maut se ladne waale aa
desh pe marne waale aa
maut se ladne waale aa
desh pe marne waale aa
maut se ladne waale aa
———————————————————-
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
———————————————————-
देश की धरती ने ललकारा
गूँजा आज़ादी का नारा
देश की धरती ने ललकारा
गूँजा आज़ादी का नारा
देश पे मरने वाले आ
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
देश पे मरने वाले आ
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
गरज उठी भैरवी भवानी
उबले सागर उछला पानी
गरज उठी भैरवी भवानी
उबले सागर उछला पानी
कहे पुकार पथारी धरती
महाराष्ट्र की प्यारी धरती
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
देश पे मरने वाले आ
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
कब से प्यासी हैं तलवारें
बरछे भाले तीर कटारें
कब से प्यासी हैं तलवारें
बरछे भाले तीर कटारें
खून से इनकी प्यास बुझेगी
खून से इनकी प्यास बुझा
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
देश पे मरने वाले आ
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
ये बदनाम ग़ुलामी इस में
जीने से मारना अच्छा है
ये बदनाम ग़ुलामी इस में
जीने से मारना अच्छा है
आज़ादी के लिए मरे जो
माँ का वो सपूत सच्चा है
समर बांध तलवार उठा
मरदाने जौहर दिखला
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
देश पे मरने वाले आ
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
देश की धरती ने ललकारा
गूँजा आज़ादी का नारा
देश पे मरने वाले आ
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
देश पे मरने वाले आ
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
देश पे मरने वाले आ
मौत से लड़ने वाले आ
3 Responses to "Desh Ki Dharti Ne Lalkaara"
January 16, 2016 at 9:25 am
Many many thanks for this Post !
Our Army is our Pride !! Long live Indian Military !!
Salute to all to who lost their lives in protecting the honor of our country and defending its boundaries. There are many unsung heroes of the wars too. On our blog we can remember all the great heroes of our military on this day every year.
( I too had shared this song to Atul ji long back on 07.04.2013. Happy to see it here with this post )
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
January 16, 2016 at 8:24 am
Thanks a lot for this heartfelt and heartwarming post. We have grown up on the diet of sanitised accounts of wars. It was only during this recent 50th anniversary of 1965 war that I came to know of some new and uncomfortable facts regarding the war. Indian morale was at an all time low in 1965 after the mauling at the hands of China in 1962 and the subsequent death of Prime Minister Nehru. The nation looked weak and vulnerable at that juncture and Pakistan saw a golden chance. Pakistan Military had superior arms (obtained from US) and they were the aggressors as well. They had attacked with full preparation. If India could still defend itself, then it was thanks to some extraordinary feats of valour by Indian military that have gone on to become the stuff of legend. Indians need to be aware of the heroics of our soldiers that saved the day for us in 1965. This laid the foundation for future successes, viz. winning the war in 1971.
As far as I am concerned, Indian Military is one of the major unifiers of India as a nation and also the major defender of the nation. Long live Indian Military. We can never thank them enough for what they have done for the nation and continue to do even today while most others enjoy the fruits of their sacrifices. They are our real heroes.
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January 16, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Atul ji
Thanks for echoing the sentiments and adding to them.
Pakistan had been heavily armed by the US. On the land, they had a huge contingent of Patton Tanks, and in the air, they had the Sabre Jets, all supplied by the US. These so called ‘superior’ armaments were decimated and thrown on the roadside, by the valiant soldiers and pilots of the Indian armed forces, equipped with much inferior armaments. In later analyses and research work on this war, many authors have commented on the significant role played by the ‘man’ behind the machine. The Pakistani soldiers with more advanced firepower, were overpowered by the much more dedicated and brave Indian soldiers, who went to the battlefield with the literal meaning of ‘Do or Die’ in their minds.
Many of us will remember, what a carnival of fun was made out of the captured Patton tanks. In the Khemkaran village in Punjab, there still stands a ‘graveyard’ of Pakistani tanks destroyed by the Indian soldiers in the 1965 war. The tanks were carted across to many cities and put on public display. I remember that one tank was brought to Delhi also, and was put on display in the Connaught Place area. Goodness, what press coverage was there. Thousands of people would come to view this so called “mighty” war macine that was reduced to a joke by the Indian jawaans like Havaldar Abdul Hamid, who dared to take on these giant tanks, armed with just field guns and mortars, and got better of it. There is a short video clip available on the YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxREQfks6s8. There is no audio with this, but I clearly remember, the slogan shouting was as much against the US, as it was against Pakistan. So much so that the then US ambassador in Delhi sought a meeting with the Indian govt officials, and pleaded with them to take the tank off the display. Being in Delhi, it had caught the attention of the world press, and goodness, what mockery was being made of the “mighty US firepower”.
One question that has probably never been examined and debated is, after all why did the US arm Pakistan. For all practical purposes, Pakistan is land locked on the north and west by high mountains, and equipment such as Patton tanks would be useless if it had to fight in that terrain. These tanks could only be used on its eastern borders, where the plains of Pakistan continued into the Indian territory. This question has to be asked – did Pakistan attack India on the instigation of the western powers. As you have pointed out, India had still not recovered from the disastrous war of 1962, with China. It was not in a position to mount an offensive against anyone. So clearly it was the game plan and the weapons that came from the western powers, that made Pakistan take this bold and daring step.
You have so rightly pointed out, that war of 1965 was won, not by the generals and the political leaders sitting in Delhi, but by the soldiers in the trenches and their commanding officers on the battlefields, accomplishing the unimaginable feats with whatever firepower they had.
Yes, in the final count, it was the grit and the determination of the Indian soldier that won the day for us.
Rgds
Sudhir
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