Aaj ki raat niraali hai

Posted by: Atul on: April 9, 2023

In: expression of love | Feelings of heart | Guest posts | Lalita Deulkar songs | Post by Arunkumar Deshmukh | Songs of 1940s (1941 to 1950) | Songs of 1949 | Yearwise breakup of songs
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This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, 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 other sites without the knowledge and consent of the web administrator of atulsongaday.me, then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.

Blog Day :

5378

Post No. :

17640

Today’s song is a duet from the film Maaya Bazar aka Vatsala Haran-1949.

The Ramayan and The Mahabharat are the two epics that are known to almost every Hindu person in this world. Different stories from these epics have entertained all of us from our childhood. Do you know that Mahabharat is 4 times bigger than the Ramayan ? The number of characters in Mahabharat are 10 times more than one would find in Ramayan.

Between these 2 epics, the personal choice of every person is different. Personally, I like the Mahabharat more for two reasons. The first reason is that Mahabharat is full of activities on every page and there is no dull moment anytime while reading Mahabharat, unlike the Ramayan, which is more descriptive than the actions. Secondly , mahabharat stories are about the various qualities of Human beings like Love, Adventure, Deceit, Revenge, travel, Magic, different places, good people-bad people, desire, anger, greed, ego, attachment, partiality, support, fight, births and deaths, war and peace and all such matters. It is like an interesting novel which is ‘ unputdownably interesting.’ It teaches you, in its course, how to handle and win in difficult situations in your life ! In other words, Ramayan teaches how a just and people oriented king should be and Mahabharat teaches how to win over problems in difficult situations of today’s world.

These epics were originally written by sage Valmiki (Ramayan) and sage Vyas dictating and Shri Ganesh ji writing non-stop (Mahabharat), thousands of years ago. Over the years, there have been several additions to them by learned scholars, sages, Rishis etc. Even new characters (not existing in the originals) have been added. Today’s film Maaya Bazar aka Vatsala Haran is an excellent example of such an addition. There was no one in Mahabharat by the name of Vatsala. It is a later addition.

Some highly imaginitive and enterprising dramatist of old times had created this new character Vatsala in Mahabharat, who is supposed to be the daughter of the elder brother of Shrikrishna – Balram and Revati. She gets married to the son of Arjun in the most thrilling and dramatic way. This first started in Maharashtra, where stage dramas were very popular. Different drama companies gave the imaginary daughter different names, to prove that their story was authentic. Thus two names- Surekha and Vatsala came into the stories for this fictitious character. Addition of Krishna and a Rakshas- Ghatotkach also added the required humour and magic. These dramas became very popular.
When Silent film era began, the then famous Maharashtra Film company of Kolhapur, belonging to Baburao Painter, made not one, but three silent films on this story. The first film was Vatsala Haran-1919, the second was Surekha-Abhimanyu alias Surekha Haran-1921 and the third film was Maya Bazar alias Vatsala Haran-1923.

The South was not to lag behind. They too staged dramas on this story, but the name of the daughter was changed to Sasirekha, to claim that their story was the original.The famous ” Surabhi Drama Troupe” of south made the play- one of the most crowd pulling popular shows. In the south a silent film on this story was made as ” Maya Bazar”-1925.

When the Talkie films started in 1931, the very next year, the film ” Maya Bazar”-32 was made by Sagar Movietone. Subsequently, movies on this title were made in 1949, 1958, 1971, and 1984 also. The south made a Talkie film Maya Bazar in 1936 with a title ‘ Sasirekha Parinay’, because Surekha/Vatsala was known as Sasirekha in south. However, one of the best ever films on this story was made by Vijay Vauhini Studios, Madras as ” Maya Bazar” in 1957 in Telugu and Tamil. The Kannada version- as dubbed film- came in 1958. This film was on Top in the list ” 100 greatest films made in India “, by CNN-IBN, for the period of 100 years-1913 to 2013. I have seen this wonderful film and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Today’s film Maya Bazar-(Vatsala Haran)-49 was made by Manik Studios, Bombay. All songs of this film as well as the story and screenplay was done by Pt. Mukhram Sharma and the music was by Sudhir Phadke. The film was made Bilingual-in Hindi and Marathi. The cast was Durga Khote, Shahu Modak, Baby Shakuntala, Balakram, Kusum Deshpande and Vasant Thengadi ( they were Husband-wife pair in real life), Ganpatrao Bakre (one time a famous, popular and handsome Hero of silent films), Usha Marathe ( she changed her name to Usha Kiran and became famous in Hindi and Marathi films,later on), Master Chhotu etc.etc. The film was directed by Datta Dharmadhikari. This was his first independent film as a director. Earlier he had joined Raja Nene for directing the film Shadi se pehle-47.

The story of the film Maaya Bazar aka Vatsala Haran-1949 was….

Subhadra (the sister of Balarama and Krishna) marries a Pandava- Arjuna. Their son Abhimanyu falls in love with Balarama’s daughter, Vatsala. The families consent to their marriage when they reach adulthood. When Abhimanyu and Vatsala have grown up, Krishna introduces them to each other. One day, the Pandavas are invited by Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas to join in a game of dice. Duryodhana’s uncle, Shakuni, manipulates the results of the game, thereby costing the Pandavas their wealth, their liberty and their wife Draupadi. Duryodhana’s brother, Dushasana, attempts to disrobe Draupadi. He is seen by Krishna, who, furious, comes to her rescue.

On hearing what happened to the Pandavas, Balarama decides to teach the Kauravas a lesson and travels to their capital Hastinapuram. Shakuni and Duryodhana approach Balarama with an insincere respectful manner, then seek his approval of a marriage between Vatsala and Duryodhana’s son Lakshmana Kumara. Their true goal is to force Balarama and Krishna to support them if the Pandavas wage war. Unaware of their real intentions, Balarama agrees to the marriage.

Because of the ruined financial state of Pandavas, Balarama’s wife, Revati, refuses to honour her commitment to marry Vatsala and Abhimanyu and expresses her support for the alliance with the Kauravas. Krishna, who is aware of Duryodhana and Shakuni’s real intentions, orders his charioteer Daaruka to take Subhadra and Abhimanyu through the forests to Ghatotkacha’s hermitage.

Ghatotkacha, who happens to be Abhimanyu’s brother, at first thinks they are intruders in his forest and attacks them but later apologises for the misunderstanding. When Subhadra explains the change in the marriage arrangements, Ghatotkacha decides to wage war against both the Kauravas and Balarama. At the urging of his mother, Hidimbi, and Subhadra, Ghatotkacha abandons his plans and is advised instead to try some trickery in Dwaraka.

With the knowledge of Krishna and Vatsala’s servant, he carries the sleeping Vatsala in her bed from Dwaraka, and flies to his hermitage. Assuming Vatsala’s form, he returns to Dwaraka and, with the help of his assistants, wreaks havoc on her wedding to Lakshmana Kumara, preventing the marriage from being carried out.

With the help of assistants, Ghatotkacha creates a magical town consisting of an illusory marketplace and palace. He names the town Mayabazar and invites the Kauravas to stay there. Assistants introduce themselves to the Kauravas as servants appointed by Balarama to look after them. They manage to trick Shakuni’s lackeys. Ghatotkacha (in Vatsala’s form) makes Duryodhana’s wife rethink the marriage arrangement and teases Lakshmana Kumara. He plans the wedding of the real Vatsala and Abhimanyu in his hermitage which is attended by Krishna. Using his divine powers, Krishna also attends as a guest for the marriage taking place in the Mayabazar.

On the wedding day, Ghatotkacha appears before Lakshmana Kumara in various tantalising forms while, at the hermitage, Vatsala marries Abhimanyu. When Shakuni discovers what has really happened, he blames Krishna. Satyaki, Arjuna’s disciple, asks Shakuni to speak standing on a magical box. He proceeds to stand on the box, which makes him involuntarily explain the Kauravas’ real intentions behind the marriage proposal. Ghatotkacha then reveals his identity. After humiliating the Kauravas, Ghatotkacha sends them back to Hastinapur. Vatsala’s parents accept her marriage. They thank Ghatotkacha, who credits Krishna as the mastermind behind everything, including Abhimanyu and Vatsala’s marriage. ( just for information…. Laxman Kumar is killed by Abhimanyu on the 13^th day of the Mahabharat war).

Today’s song is a duet sung by Lalita Phadke (nee Deulkar) and Balakram. I have earlier written about Lalita and also on Balakram, but then I found an article on Balakram by our Sadanand kamath ji. I found this much better than my own article and so here it is for you, with thanks ,……

Balakram Jadhav (24/02/1931 – 02/03/1974) was born in Nagpur where his father Gangaram Bapu Jadhav was an active member of a musical drama company. Gangaram had four children – Vijaymala, Manjula (Manju Diwan), Trayambak and Balakram who was the youngest . The family shifted to Pune when the father got a job in Prabhat Films. Balakram started his filmy career as a child artist in ‘Majha Mulga’ (in Marathi) and its Hindi version, ‘Mera Ladka (1941)’. In the same year, he acted in Prabhat’s bilingual ‘Aadmi’ (1941). In both these films, he sang songs for himself.

During this period, Balakram was also learning the nuances of Hindustani classical music from Pandit Gunidas and Pandit Jagannath Prohit of Agra Gharana. A glimpse of his proficiency in Hindustani classical music can be seen when he sings a fast sargam in the midst of a song in Prabhat’s ‘Nayi Kahaani’ (1943) referred to above. In Prabhat’s ‘Chaand’ (1944), Balakram acted in the film in which he had two songs picturised on him. But he did not sing the song himself. Instead, his elder sister Manju gave playback for him. Probably, Balakram was on a threshold of his adolescence and his voice pitch may have changed which may not have suited his child’s role.

After a hiatus of about 3 years, Balakram returned to Hindi films with a role in ‘Krishna Sudama(1947) probably donning the role of Sudama. Whether it is coincidence or otherwise, the films in which acted thereafter were mostly belonging the genre of mythology/Devotional like ‘Seeta Swayambar’ (1948), ‘Satyanarayan’ (1948), ‘Sati Ahilya’ (1949), ‘Sant Janabai’ (1949), ‘Subhadra Haran’ (1964), ‘Shri Ram Bharat Milan’ (1965) etc. He acted in 14 films and sang 12 songs in 9 films.

Balakram once again had a long break in Hindi film career between 1949 and 1964. During this period, he acted and sang in many Marathi films and he was associated with some Marathi plays where he got fame. He also participated in classical vocal concerts and gave training in classical music. At Dadar, he established Pandit Gunidas Sangeet Vidyalaya and started teaching music to children.

Balakram died of liver complications on 02/03/1974.

Now enjoy the duet……

Song- Aaj ki raat niraali hai (Maaya Baazaar)(1949) Singers- Lalita Phadke, Balakram, Lyrics-Pt Mukhram Sharma, MD-Sudhir Phadke
Both

Lyrics

Aaj ki raat niraali hai
Aaj ki raat niraali hai
tumne ki banaai(??) niraali hai
tumne ki banaai(??) niraali hai ae ae
aaj ki raat niraali hai
hil mil ke lehren naach rahin
hil mil ke
hil mil ke lehren naach rahin
hans hans ke kirnen naach rahin
muskaai chaandni chali hawa aa aa
muskaai chaandni chali hawa
bikhri man mein ??laali re
bikhri man mein ??laali re
?? ki banaai niraali hai
?? ki banaai niraali hai ae ae
aaj ki raat niraali hai

lehron mein naach tumhaara hai
kirnon mein haar tumhaara hai
lehron mein naach tumhaara hai
kirnon mein haar tumhaara hai
muskaan chaandni ki tum ho
muskaan chaandni ki tum ho
tum hi se hawa matwaali hai
tum hi se hawa matwaali hai
tumne hi banaai niraali hai
tumne hi banaai niraali hai ae ae
aaj ki raat niraali hai

man poojan kare tumhaara hee ee
gaagar hai saagar pyaara hee
chande ka deep suhaana hai
chande ka deep suhaana hai
ambar ki sundar thhaali hai
ambar ki sundar thhaali hai
tumne ?? ki banaai niraali hai
tumne ?? ki banaai niraali hai ae ae
aaj ki raat niraali hai
aaj ki raat niraali hai