Tero Hari Naam Hari Naam Hari Naam Main Julaaha
Posted on: July 29, 2023
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 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.
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Kabir Das – a name that evokes reverence in the mind. A name that evokes respect, awe, admiration. A name that evokes message of Love for that One Supreme Parmatma. A name that evokes sentiments of social harmony, tolerance and universal brotherhood with no regards to the social, religious and familial associations of a person.
Kabir Das appeared on this land during the 14th/15th century. At that time in North India, the Bhakti movement was prevalent. His family origins and his birth are matters continuing debate. He was an abandoned child who was adopted by childless couple, Niru and Nima. He took on the family profession of a weaver. His words and poems reflect his personality. He rejected all forms of a formal religion and the traditions associated with the religions.
1987 – our times. Shyam Benegal produced and directed a film – ‘Susman’. The meaning of the word is ‘essence’ – that which remains. A while back I had come across a beautiful description of this word in the context of weaving. I searched for it again, but cannot locate it now. If I remember correctly, it was stated that susman is the thread that runs through the cloth. We see, touch and feel the cloth, we appreciate the design that embellishes, but we never even think of the thread that makes the cloth and the design. That thread is the true essence of the cloth. I hope I recall this description correctly. I request readers and knowledgeable friends to comment here – I would like to be corrected if my understanding is wrong.
My first encounter with this film was when it appeared on Doordarshan, quite soon after it was released. And the memories of the passages of this film have since remained with me. The film talks about the trials and tribulations of the handloom weavers in India. In the face of industrialization of the textile industry, the handloom weavers have been facing many challenges to their survival. Although their work and the products they produce are much in demand, very little of the benefit of their work really comes back to them, struggling against the crass commercialization and the corrupt cooperatives and middle men. In true Benegal style, this film brings home the message quite successfully. The material for this film may sound as if a documentary made by the Films Division. But in the hands of Benegal, there is poignant human story woven into it. It is not just the outside world that exploits them. As any other class of people, these weavers too are human, and have the same personal, familial and social challenges that plague all humanity.
Ramulu (role played by Om Puri) is a weaver of Pochampalli sarees. He is a master at it, and his work is in demand from the cooperatives and other dealers and promoters. As a person, he is a quiet, introvert and reserved person, generally not given to too many words or expressions of emotion. He is very upright, and accepts his status in life as is. His near silence throughout the film remains a dilemma, and one keeps wondering whether he is angry, or feeling humiliated, or is feeling insulted. A situation arises wherein his wife, Gauramma (role played by Shabana Azmi) keeps aside some of the material for her daughter’s wedding, material that has come for an export order. When Ramulu finds out, we know he is angry, but his external demeanor is unchanged. His first reaction is to stop work, and later even tries to bring a burning piece of wood to his loom, in an attempt to destroy it. With great physical effort by Gauramma, the tragedy is averted.
The film has an interesting cast of actors, with other supporting side plots in progress. Another weaver family in the village that gives up their work and goes to the city in search of better earnings. A wayward younger brother who is less of help with work, and more a nuisance in the village. An unemployed weaver who comes to Ramulu for work and becomes his assistant – his drawback, that he is given to drinking. And a growing up daughter who is to be married. As I said earlier, Benegal has woven a very sensitive story around this profession, and the very human face of the skilled master weaver and his environment.
The music of this film deserves a very special mention. And for a very different reason. The film has eight songs in all. And the wonder is that practically all the songs are very conspicuous in the film – by their absence. Yes, you read it right – the songs are practically absent in the film. This I say because one, all the songs are in the background and many times are being played as other dialogues on the screen are in progress, and we can only partially hear the words. And two, none of the songs is presented in its completeness throughout the film.
When I saw the film for the first time, my mind got hooked onto the song being presented today. The only part that I could hear and retain is the title line – “Tero Harinaam Harinaam Harinaam, Main Julaaha”. Believe me, this refrain has haunted me for almost three and a half decades. For I was never able to locate the rest of this song. This title line would frequently play in my mind, and it was a very frustrating emotion that I was not able to search and locate this song. The wonder is that when I mentioned this film and this song, I would face a blank. Very few people had heard about this film, and ever fewer had seen it. And song – no one had even heard of its existence. As the years passed, and I got to know more and more music lovers, my inquiries continued. And finally after talking to many people, it got established that no music of this film was ever released in any format – no cassettes, no gramophone records, no nothing. I had despaired and given up. In my effort to try to trace the songs, I searched far and wide for a video cassette of this film. Eventually I was able to acquire on in the US. With the eagerness of a Eureka moment, I watched this film. Rather I slow paced and watched it frame by frame, trying to locate the elusive songs. But alas, the VHS version of the film was no different from the one I had seen on television.
My final hope remained – to be able to locate the spool tape of the recorded songs, and that most likely could be with the music director By the time I got into a position to be able to approach Vanraj Bhatia ji, I found that he was quite unwell, and not in a position to receive visitors. And then a while later, he passed away. My last hope was gone.
And then, the destiny took a turn. I was so despaired that I had stopped talking about this film and its songs. It was perchance that a mention came up again. Dear friend Zafar Bhai shared with me the complete set of songs for the unreleased film ‘Dil Tere Hawaale’. This too is a very sought after prize, as it is one of the final outings of OP Nayyar, and remained unreleased. When I asked Zafar Bhai where he had managed to get these songs, he showed me a spool tape. He had acquired a set of spool tapes, and quite unexpectedly one of them contained the songs of the OPN film. A providential discovery. On a completely outside chance I mentioned to him ‘Susman’, whether he had heard anything available on spool tapes Zafar Bhai was quite for a moment, and watched me with amusement. Then he revealed that, contrary to all that I had heard and researched for ‘Susman’, that its music was certainly released by Polydor, on an audio cassette. And that it was in his collection. The emotional fallout of that moment cannot be expressed.
And so now, I have the complete set of songs, each one complete. And the haunting memory of the title line is not so daunting now. An interesting note about this set of songs. All songs are poems and bhajans of Kabir Das. Eight of his verses were selected and then composed to music by Vanraj Bhatia. As the per the credits on the cassette inlay card, Sharang Dev also worked with Vanraj Bhatia for the music of this film. An interesting aside here is that Sharang Dev is the son of the great classical vocalist, the late Pt Jasraj.
Of the eight songs of this film, four are rendered by Pt Jasraj himself. Of the remaining four, one is in the voice of Ila Arun, and the rest three songs, including the one in this post, are sung by a singer named Kuruvila. Just that one word name is printed on the cassette inlay card. I have searched on the internet. Apparently there are more than one singers with the last name Kuruvilla. All hail from Kerala. I am not able to identify the one who has sung this song. I request readers and other knowledgeable friends to please add more information.
And now about this bhajan itself. I am sure this bhajan is a Kabir bhajan. The original team must have done a lot of search and research. But the issue now is that I am not able to find any reference or any information about this bhajan. I have drawn a blank, so far. This must be one of Kabir jis most obscure writings. I am having difficulty in deciphering some words in the lyrics, and I there is no reference available anywhere. So far that is. So once again, more request to the readers and knowledgeable friends. I have some ?? in the lyrics, and also that I may have made some error in deciphering some other words also. Please help to make any necessary corrections to the lyrics.
Ah so, the tale of this bhajan has really become very lengthy. I will stop here. Please go ahead to the link and listen. And you may understand why these lines have haunted me for decades.
Amen.
Song – Tero Hari Naam Hari Naam Hari Naam Main Julaaha (Susman) (1987) Singer – Kuruvilla, Lyrics – Kabir Das (Traditional), MD – Vanraj Bhatia
Lyrics
tero hari naam hari naam hari naam
tero hari naam hari naam hari naam
main julaaha
main julaaha
tero hari naam hari naam hari naam
main julaaha
mere raaman ka aallaaha
mere raaman ka aallaaha
tero hari naam hari naam hari naam
main julaaha
dasso sutr ki pudia kori
chandra soor soi saakhi
anand naam kini lai majoori
hirda kanwal mein raakhi
hirda kanwal mein raakhi
tero hari naam hari naam hari naam
main julaaha
surati smriti doi kunji ?? ki
aarambh kiya brahm neti
gyaan tal ki nali bharaai
guni’t aatma peshi
guni’t aatma peshi
tero hari naam hari naam hari naam
main julaaha
?? begaar buraai taa ki
gun mein pad pargaasa
daas kabir bunat sach paaya
dukh sansaa sab naasa
dukh sansaa sab naasa
tero hari naam hari naam hari naam
main julaaha
tero hari naam hari naam hari naam
main julaaha
————————————————
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
————————————————
तेरो हरीनाम हरीनाम हरीनाम
तेरो हरीनाम हरीनाम हरीनाम
मैं जुलाहा
मैं जुलाहा
तेरो हरीनाम हरीनाम हरीनाम
मैं जुलाहा
मेरे रामन का आल्लहा
मेरे रामन का आल्लहा
तेरो हरीनाम हरीनाम हरीनाम
मैं जुलाहा
दस्सों सूत्र की पुड़िया कोरी
चंद्र सूर सोई साखी
आनंद नाम कीनी लई मजूरी
हिरदा कंवल में राखी
हिरदा कंवल में राखी
तेरो हरीनाम हरीनाम हरीनाम
मैं जुलाहा
सुरति स्मृति दोई कुंजी ?? की
आरंभ किया ब्रह्म नेति
ज्ञान ताल की नाली भराई
गुणीत आत्मा पेशी
गुणीत आत्मा पेशी
तेरो हरीनाम हरीनाम हरीनाम
मैं जुलाहा
?? बेगार बुराई ता की
गुण में पद परगासा
दास कबीर बुनत सच पाया
दुख संसा सब नासा
दुख संसा सब नासा
तेरो हरीनाम हरीनाम हरीनाम
मैं जुलाहा
तेरो हरीनाम हरीनाम हरीनाम
मैं जुलाहा
3 Responses to "Tero Hari Naam Hari Naam Hari Naam Main Julaaha"
July 30, 2023 at 10:50 am
Sudhir Ji,
I was glued to the post till the end. I salute you for your passion and perseverance in locating song(s) of ‘Susman’. I was aware of this movie. Being a Fan of Benegal, I have watched many of his movies. (including ‘Well done Abba’ 🙂 ). ‘Susman’ is one that I have not watched.( another one is ‘Antarnad’.)
This song has an impact on your mind.
Thanks, Regards.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
July 30, 2023 at 7:58 am
Sudhir ji,
I must appreciate your quest for unearthing rare songs from Hindi films.
It is just a coincidence that I had watched ‘Susman’ (1987) about a month back and I was planning to write an article on the film in the near future.
I found 3 songs in the film which were played almost full. Unfortunately, video clips of the songs were not available on any video sharing platform. Audio clips of three songs from the film rendered by Pt. Jasraj are available on YT.
The song under discussion is also available in full in the film from 1:41:09 to 1:42:48. The link to the full movie:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX3H0GKLvSY&t=2104s
The credit title of the film gives the name of the singer as K V Kuruvilla.
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July 30, 2023 at 10:58 am
Thanks, Sadanand Ji ,for info on availability of the movie ‘Susman” and its songs on YT. I have book marked to watch.
There are many movies we wish to see. But the midst of all the media Universe we are immersed in, you miss to search. Posts like this one from Sudhir Ji, (& with your input) happily make my/our wishes come true 🙂
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