Aaj morey dwaar aanand apaar
Posted on: April 28, 2025
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.
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Today’s song is from a totally unknown film Krishna Bhakta Bodana-1944.
This was a film made by Wadia Movietone, exclusively owned now by the elder brother J.B.H.Wadia, after the younger brother left this jointly owned company, to start his own outfit. Being a Gujarati Parsee, no wonder Wadia wanted to make a film on a lesser known Gujarati Saint to attract the Gujarati audience. The film was directed by J.B.H.Wadia himself – with a gap of 9 years i.e. after his last directed film Noor-E-Yaman-1935. In all he directed 15 films. His last film was Saaj aur Sanam-1971. During this 9 year gap period, he wrote film stories, produced films and did overall management of Wadia Movietone.
This religious film had music by Shankar Rao Vyas and the cast was Master Vasant Amrit (his first and the only Hindi film ever), Rani Premlata, Meera, Badri Prashad, Sheikh Mukhtar, Ranjit kumari (wife of actor Ramsingh), Gope, Gulab, Nayampalli and others. The Lyricist was Pt. Indra. It was a film made in Hindi and Gujarati.
In Gujarat, people knew about Saint Bodana, but outside the name drew almost a blank, including me. I knew about Sudama, but Bodana ? Nothing. Similarly, the lead actor Master Vasant Amrit was also an unfamiliar name to me. Upon a deep search, I got information on Vasant Amrit from the book ” Aap ki Parchhaiyan” (आप की परछाइयां ) by (Late) Rajnikumar Pandya ji. The book was gifted to me by him during his visit to my house in Mumbai, a few years ago. However, to learn about Bodana, I had to do a lot of hard work. Finally , I got his information from an Internet site.
Master Vasant was born on 2-2-1902, at Jaam Khambaliya, in Gujarat. His father was Amritlal Madan ji. They were Saraswat Bramhins. His father was a Keertankar from ‘Adityaram gharana’. He had learnt under Pt. Omkarnath ji. Well versed in Gujarati, Sanskrit and Urdu literature, he was a voracious reader. Amritlal taught young Vasant how to play instruments. he was taught classical music and Hari Keertan.
Young Vasant became the ”Rajgayak” of Jaamnagar state. He was awarded the title of ‘Sangeet Ratna’ for his singing. Thousands of people would gather to listen to his singing.
He used to sing in special occasions like marriages etc in the Royal family, and in such cases the guards used to have a tough time to control the surging crowds gathered to see and hear his singing. Maharaja of Bhavnagar too awarded him the title of “Sangeet Bhasker “.
His singing became so famous that his stage shows were arranged from Rangoon to Karachi. In 1936-37,he was specially invited to sing before Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira ji in Rangoon.
Many records of his singing were popular like, ‘Idhar sudama udhar kanhiaya’, ‘mathura mein sahi-Gokul mein sahi ‘, ‘ Phool rahi hai belariya’, ‘Do din ka Mela’ and many more. His most famous and popular song was ” Meri mata ke sar par Taaj rahe”. It was written in 1928 by shri Madhav ji Shukla Moradabadwale. The song became famous and thousands of records were sold everywhere. It became a Patriot’s favourite everywhere. It was sung during the Prabhat Pheris too. This information reached the British Government and they decided to ban this song as it contained words like Gandhi ji and Vande Mataram. Orders were issued and the officers reached the Gramophone company and the original Dye Negative of this record was destroyed. Further all records in the markets were confiscated and ” possessing, singing or playing this record ” became a serious crime against the Government. However, the patriots used to play and listen to this song within closed doors.
The ban, declared in 1930 was lifted in or around 1945, with the efforts of Kanhiayalal Munshi ji. But then soon ,in 1947, the country became Independent and the song and the record were soon forgotten.
Due to his singing skills and good looks, he was offered several films, but he acted only in one Bilingual film- ‘ Krishnabhakta Bodana”-1944 in Gujarati and Hindi. The Heroine of this film was Rani Premlata. In the Hindi film he sang 3 solo songs- 1. Jaan liya pehchan liya 2. Main chor bana Prabhu tera and 3. Saari daaliyon mein meethi ek daali. This was his only connection with the film world.
There was another actor named Vasant, so he always wrote his name as Master Vasant Amrit to avoid confusion. After retirement he lived in Surat with his wife and widowed sick sister. His financial condition was not good. In those days singers did not get Royalty from HMV, they got paid lump sum way once only. He was getting a meagre pension from the Gujarat Government. His health also deteriorated and in 1985, he was paralysed below waist making him a handicap for ever.
Famous writer and winner of five sahitya academy awards, shri Rajnikumar Pandya ji traced him to a society in Surat, in Bungalow no. 3 of a society on Varachha Road. This too needed lot of efforts and contacting many friends for information. When this news was published in local papers, some help poured in. When he actually met Master Vasant and saw his condition,he decided to do something about it. Pandyaji spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Chimanbhai Patel to grant an award of Rs. 1 lakh to master Vasant. This scheme of finacial assistance to senior artists was already in existence in Gujarat. The CM, after listening to the condition of Master Vasant agreed immediately and gave orders accordingly. But alas ! The crude bureaucracy of the Govt. has its own wishes and speed. Nothing moved and after some time Pandyaji again took up the issue at the officer level. promises given, but no action.
Master Vasant was getting older and nearing his last days. Pandyaji took lot of efforts through the CM again and many related officers. He wanted that before master Vasant dies, he should get the help. In the month of January 1991, master Vasant was admitted in Hospital for the last time. Fortunately, due to Pandyaji’s untiring efforts, Master Vasant finally got his money, with all arrears etc, by a special courier who gave the amount to him personally. Master Vasant was happy and blessed shri Pandya ji from heart. Within next 4 days MASTER VASANT AMRIT OF SURAT died and a legend came to an end, on 19-1-1991.
Shri Rajanikumar Pandya ji has written all this in details and in his inimitable flowing style, in his book ” Aapki Parchhainyan “. When I was reading his description, tears were rolling down my eyes. My mind was filled with disgust towards Government’s apathy in looking after artistes who had made that state Proud. But for the unstinted and selfless efforts of shri Pandya ji, Master Vasant would have never got any help before his death ! My hats off to shri Rajnikumar Pandya ji.
During my last 13 years of writing on old films and music, I was fortunate to discover some rare “Pearls”, like singer Abhram Bhagat or singer Tamancha Jaan from Lahore’s Heera Mandi. I had heard the bhajans of Abhram Bhagat when I was about 9-10 year old, when my father brought home a record of his Bhajan – “Haath chakra trishul Sadashiv, alakh jagaate hain nagari mein”. This Bhajan became a favourite in our family and we had that record for many years.
In the year 2012 – after over 60 years – I bumped into this song on YouTube, but before I could download it, the song disappeared, only to reappear in 2013. This time, I noted that it was uploaded by a music lover from Australia. Anyway, I got that song, collected information about Abhram Bhagat and wrote a detailed article on him, which was posted here.
The other name Tamancha Jaan, was first noticed by me when I read a book by Pran Neville, on his memoirs of Lahore, namely “Lahore – A sentimental journey”. By coincidence, her name popped up again in another book by Anupama Dutt also. This aroused my interest and I collected information about her. Based on it, I wrote an article on Tamancha Jaan of Lahore, which was posted here .
The third singer I discovered was Master Vasant Amrit of Surat – a revolutionary poet singer , when I read a book “Aap ki Parchhainyan” written by five times winner of state Academy Awards of Gujarat- Shri Rajnikumar Pandya ji of Ahmedabad. I wrote a detailed article on the singer, which was posted here . The book had mentioned that Master Vasant Amrit had acted in only one Hindi film – Krishna Bhakta Bodana-44. Now, our friend Deepak Chaudhari sent me 5 songs of this film, in audio form. Thanks Deepak ji.
The present Dakor owes its raison d’etre not to Dank Rishi but to Bodana, a great devotee of Lord Krishna. In his previous birth, he is supposed to have lived in Gokul and been a cowherd called Vijayanand. On one ‘Holy’ day, all the cowherds except Vijyanand worshipped Lord Krishna. His wife too worshipped Lord Krishna. But Vijayanand was proud and stayed at home. Lord Krishna came to his house in disguise of his friend and sent him to perform ‘Holi’ puja. Coming back, he realised that his friend was none else but Lord Krishna. Next day they fought a battle of colour. Lord Krishna lost and fell into the river. Vijyanand went after him where Lord Krishna revealed his true self. Vijyanand begged forgiveness. Lord Krishna took pity on him and solaced him with a boon that he would be born in Gujarat again in Kaliyug after 4200 years as Vijayanand Bodana in the house of a Kshatriya and his present wife Sudha would again be his wife, called Gangabai, when he will give them a glimpse (darshna) and relieve them by offering them emancipation (Moksha).
So, as the legend would have it, ‘Vijayanand Bodana’, a Rajput of Dakor, becomes a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna. He used to let the basil plant (Tulsi) grow in an earthen pot with him on his palm and used to go every six months to Dwarika to worship Lord Krishna with the said Tulsi leaves. He did this continuously, unfailingly and untiringly till he was 72 years; he then began to find it increasingly difficult to pursue this ritual. Seeing his plight, Lord Krishna told him that on his ensuing visit to Dwarika, he should bring a bullock-cart with him and Lord Krishna would accompany him to Dakor as he was exceedingly pleased with his devotion.
Accordingly, Bodana went with a bullock-cart to Dwarika. Hindu Vaghers who were the 1st hereditary priests of Dwarika handed over the temple to gugli Brahmins due to their indulgence in fighting freedom wars against the British empire. So the 2nd priest tribe of Dwarika (Gugli Brahmins) asked Bodana as to why he had brought a cart with him. Whereupon, Bodana replied that he had done so to take away Lord Krishna. Looking at the ramshackle cart, they did not believe him but nevertheless locked and sealed the sanctum sanctorum of Dwarka Temple for the night. At midnight, Lord Krishna broke open all the doors, awoke Bodana and told him to take him to Dakor. Shortly afterwards, Lord Krishna called upon Bodana to rest in the bullock-cart and drove the cart himself till they reached the vicinity of Dakor. Here (near Bileshwar Mahadev on Dakor-Nadiad road) they rested for some time, touching and holding a branch of Neem tree. He woke up Bodana and asked him to take over. Since that day, this Neem tree is found to have one sweet branch though the rest of the branches are bitter and it forms the subject of a well-known Gujarati song (bhajan).
In Dwarka, the Gugli Brahmins, finding the image missing, chased Bodana and came to Dakor in pursuit. Bodana was frightened but Lord Krishna told him to hide the idol of the deity in the Gomti tank and meet the Guglis. Accordingly, Bodana hid the idol and went to meet the Guglis with a pot of curd to pacify them. They became angry and one of them threw a spear at him. He fell down dead. While hurting Bodana with a spear, it also hurt the image of the deity hidden in Gomti tank and the water turned red with Lord Krishna’s (Ranchhod raiji) blood. It is said that even today the earth of Gomti tank where the image lay is red while the rest of the tank is of brown mud.
In the midst of Gomti tank, over the place where Lord Krishna was hidden, a small temple having the Lord’s foot-prints is constructed and this temple is linked with the bank of Gomti Tank by a bridge. Even with the death of Bodana, the Guglis were not appeased. Requesting Lord Krishna to return to Dwarika, they sat on the bank of Gomti tank and went on a hunger strike.
At last, Lord Ranchhodraiji (Krishna) directed Gangabai, wife of Bodana, to give gold equivalent to his weight and ask the Guglis to return to Dwarka. Poor lady, the widow of Bodana, was a pauper and could not afford to do so. By a miracle, the idol became as light as a golden nose-ring (1, 1/4 val i.e.1/2 gram in weight) which was all that the widow of Bodana Gangabai had.
The Guglis were disappointed but the Lord mercifully directed that they would find after six months an exact replica of the idol in Savitri Vav at Dwarka. The impatient Guglis looked for the idol sometime earlier than they were told and as a result, found an idol which, though similar to the original one, was smaller, Pilgrims to Dakor still visit the places stated to have been associated with the legend viz. Where the branch of Neem tree under which Lord rested while coming to Dankpur subsequently turned sweet; where the idol was hidden in the Gomti tank; whereon the balance was set up to weigh the original idol which Bodana had enshrined. ( thanks to blessingsonthenet.com and wiki for above adapted information.)
Today’s song is sung by Vasant Amrit, Malti and chorus. Enjoy this 81 year old song….
Song- Aaj more dwaar aanand apaar (Krishna Bhakta Bodana)(1944) Singers- Malti, Vasant Amrit, Lyricist- Pt. Indra, MD – Shankar Rao Vyas
Female chorus
Male chorus
Lyrics
Hoy
aaj morey dwaar aanand apaar
aaye hain
morey aaye hain
baanke sanwariyaa ho
Hoy
aaj morey dwaar aanand apaar
laaye hain
ghar laaye hain goree gujariyaa ho
kaise ??
kaise ??
?? mein jaaun main aaj
raah(?) roke khada nanadi ka bhaiyya
raah(?) roke khada nanadi ka bhaiyya
wo to kheenchegaa
wo to kheenchegaa
julmi chunariyaa ho
wo to kheenchegaa
wo to kheenchegaa
julmi chunariyaa ho
kaahe ghoonghat ka
kaahe ghoonghat ka latka dikhaayaa mohey
kaahe paayal ka
kaahe paayal ka jhumka sunaayaa mohey
galey padtee ho kyon
galey padtee ho goree gujariyaa ho
galey padtee ho
galey padtee ho goree gujariyaa ho
hoy
aaj morey dwaar aanand apaar
aaye hain
morey aaye hain
baanke saanwariyaa ho
ho o o
ho ho ho o o o
o o o
o o
o
o o o o
o o o
o o o o o
duniya harjaayee
?? hai paraayee
kaahe ko yoon lalchaayee
ho o
duniya harjaayee
?? paraayee
kaahe ko yoon lalchaayee
chhodo kalaayee moree
hogee hansaayee moree
dekhenge log lugaayee ho
teree
chhalke hai chhalke hai
gagree sambhaal
teree sarke hai sarke hai
chunaree sambhaal
ho na jaaye kisee se ladaayee ho
ho na jaaye kisee se ladaayee ho
hoy
aaj morey dwaar aanand apaar
aaye hain
morey aaye hain
baanke saanwariyaa ho
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
May 9, 2025 at 6:54 pm
Arunji,
This is wonderful information. Thanks to you I had heard Meri mata ke sar par taj rahe. Very good singer. Other songs you have mentioned are not available on YouTube.
AK
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May 9, 2025 at 8:46 pm
Thank you.
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