Ek beewee daayen to doosree hai baayen
Posted on: January 19, 2026
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 a typical 1950’s Fun song from a Mythological film – Durga Pooja-1954.
The film was produced by Dhirubhai Desai and his son Sharad Desai for their family banner Sharad Productions, Bombay. The director of this film was Dhirubhai Desai. Music Director was a veteran of such films – S.N.Tripathi. He used 4 lyricists for the film’s 10 songs namely, Bharat Vyas (3 songs), G.S.Nepali (2), B.D.Mishra (3) and Saraswati Kumar ‘Deepak’ (2). The cast included Nirupa Roy, Trilok Kapoor, Shahu Modak, Kamal( wife of comedian actor Maruti), Yashodhara Katju, Ratnamala, S.N.Tripathi, Rajkumar Khatri, Indira Bansal, Yashwant Dave etc.
In India Festivals do not get exhausted. Throughout the year some or the other Festival is going on in some parts of the country. In a unique country of divergent faiths, Religions and cultures, Festivals are unlimited. While there are few Festivals celebrated universally all over the country, Like Holi, Diwali etc, there are many Festivals which are celebrated in certain regions, like, Bihu in Assam or Chhat Pooja in Bihar. Every state, language or Region has its own exclusive festival. Even the nationally celebrated festivals have their regional variations and specialities like, for example, during Navratri,Garba Dances in Gujarat and Durga Puja in Bengal and Eastern parts of India. In Maharashtra,it is also celebrated as Saraswati Puja and Navratri.
Durga Pooja is the most important event in Bengal- bigger than even Deepavali. Durga Puja festival is celebrated from the sixth to tenth day of bright lunar fortnight (shukla paksha) in the Hindu Calendar month of Ashvin. This period falling in the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called Devi Paksha, “Fortnight of the Goddess”. Devi Paksha is preceded by Mahalaya, the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Paksha, “Fortnight of the Forefathers”, and it ends on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja (“Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night”). This night is celebrated as ” Kojagiri ” night in Maharashtra, when hot masala milk is prepared. Then the image of the Moon is seen in it before consuming it by all.
Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasur. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomises the victory of Good over Evil.
Durga Puja is widely celebrated in the Indian states of Assam, Mithila region of Bihar and Nepal, Jharkhand, Manipur, Orissa,Tripura and West Bengal, where it is a five-day annual holiday. In West Bengal, Tripura, which has a majority of Bengali Hindus, it is the biggest festival of the year. In Assam due to the presence of a huge number of Bengali Hindus and quite a large number of Assamese Hindus of Shakta sect of Hinduism (Assam is predominantly Vaishnavites Hindu populous state), it is one of the biggest religious festivals there. The biggest festival in Assam is Bihu which is secular in nature.
Not only is it the biggest Hindu festival celebrated throughout the state of Bengal, it is also the most significant socio-cultural event in Bengali Hindu society. Apart from eastern India, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. Durga Puja is also celebrated as a major festival in Nepal where 82% population is Hindu, and in Bangladesh, where 8.5% population is Hindu. Nowadays, many diaspora Assamese and Bengali cultural organisations arrange Durgotsab in countries such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Singapore and Kuwait, among others. In 2006, a grand Durga Puja ceremony was held in the Great Court of the British Museum.
The prominence of Durga Puja increased gradually during the British Raj in Bengal and erstwhile Assam. After the Hindu reformists identified Durga with India, she became an icon for the Indian Independence Movement. In the first quarter of the 20th century, the tradition of Baroyari or Community Puja was popularised. After independence, Durga Puja became one of the largest celebrated festivals in the whole world after independence. It is also the largest open Air Art Exhibition in the World.
Durga Puja also includes the worship of Shiva, who is Durga’s consort (Durga is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati) as also the worship of Lakshmi and Saraswati.Ganesha and Kartikeya, who are considered to be Durga’s children, are also worshipped. Worship of Mother Nature is done through nine types of plant (called “Kala Bou”), including a plantain (banana) tree, which represent nine divine forms of Goddess Durga. Modern traditions have come to include the display of decorated Pandals and artistically depicted sculptures (Murti) of Durga, exchange of Vijaya greetings and publication of Puja Annuals.
The story of the film Durga Pooja-1954 was….
Mahishasur, the mighty Demon-King had spread a reign of terror in every nook and corner of the world. Blood of innocent people flowed like water. There was no safety of the person or property. Religion and chastity of women were in jeopardy, every moment, at the hands of the vulture-like Rakshasas. People were cowed down, as the hands of the beastly tyrant had crushed all opposition. All the vanquished Kings and Princes cowardly accepted his slavery to save their lives.
Prince Shatrughna was the only exception. For not accepting his sovereignty he was ordered to be killed by throwing down from a hill-top. But he escaped bravely. . Saranyu, the beautiful and daring daughter of Mahamuni Twashta had undertaken the task of spreading the spirit of revolt against the oppressive rule of Mahish. But as fate would have it, Mahish happened to see her one day and her charming beauty captured his heart. He proposed to make her his queen and on her declining that offer, tried to molest her. Luckily, however, Prince Shatrughna arrived at the nick of time and saved her honour. Cupid’s dart struck the young hearts of Saranyu and Shatrughna.
But they preferred to dedicate their lives to the service of the people and somehow bring about the destruction of Mahish. The fragrance of saranyus beauty had reached even the celestial heights of Swarga-lok. And Devraj Indra, personally went to Mahamuni Twashta to request for her hand. But the splendour and riches of even Indra-lok had no attraction for Saranyu. She rejected Indra’s offer too.
Mahish sent his soldiers to abduct Saranyu forcibly, But before they could succeed, Indra took her away. This enraged Mahish so much that he ordered to invade Swarga, immediately. But Narad Muni advised him to first acquire superior strength than Indra, by performing Tapasya. . When saranyu refused to marry him, Indra tried to fulfil his desire by force-but Shachidevi, Indra’s wife, interrupted him and sent her back to her fathers Ashram.
Mahish pleased Brahma by his penance, and obtained a boon of virtual immortality from him viz. No one, except a woman, could kill him in the three worlds. Intoxicated by this boon, he proclaimed himself as God-issued a fiat to worship none but him and mercilessly persecuted and put to death thousands of devotees who persisted in worshipping Lord vishnu, shanker and Goddess Adya Shakti, in defiance of his orders.
Suloma, the kind-hearted queen of Mahishasoor several times tried to persuade and prevent Mahish from the path of sin-but to no purpose. He invaded Swarga-lok also, defeated Indra in a war and humiliated him as well as Indrani, by inhuman tortures. In the meantime, Mahamuni Twashta had married Saranyu to prince Shatrughna.
But Mahish had, still, not forgotten Saranyu. He got her kidnapped just on her wedding night. When Saranyu did not yield to his several tactics-mahish blinded Mahamuni Twashta’s eyes with hot iron bars, in her presence and also killed her husband, before her eyes. But the true Sati, as she was, Saranyu remained firm in her pious resolve. . Then from the Lights of all the Gods-Goddess Durga was born. Bhagwati Durga Mata kills the proud Mahishasoor. She revives Sati Saranyu’s husband to life, the blind Mahamuni Twashta regains his lost eyesight and Suloma sacrifices her life for a just and noble cause.
One of the cast members was Yashodhara Katju (born 15 April 1928 – died – 1974), a forgotten actress of Indian Cinema. She belonged to a reputed Kashmiri Pandit family from Lahore that had moved to Lucknow, where her father Jeevan Lal Katju, was a Zamindar and owned lands in Warburton in Khurda district, Punjab. He was appointed to a senior Administrative position by the British Government. J L Katju later resigned his Government job and joined the freedom struggle of the country. Her Mother’s name was Kailashwati (sister of well known Urdu poet & Judge of Allahabad High Court Late Anand Narain Mulla).
Yashodhra was fondly called Chunnu by her parents. Other members of this Katju family were her brothers Moti Lal Katju , Pyare Lal Katju & her three sisters Chandra (Manno)-a Professor, Usha (Panno)-an M.A., and Manorama- a Doctor.
Yashodhara studied in English medium schools and was fluent in English, Hindi and Urdu. She did her Junior Cambridge. Apart from that, she was a highly talented girl who was equally well versed with singing and dancing. For some time she also joined Bhatkhande Music Institute, Lucknow to learn music but devoted more time to dancing and got herself trained as a professional dancer (Kathakali, Katahk and Manipuri) from some Masters of Lucknow. Later she took dancing lessons in Delhi as well.
All this apart, this talented girl nursed a desire from her childhood to join films. In 1941, Agha jani kashmiri , who was on a Talent Hunt, saw her in Lucknow and talked to her parents. Finally, much against the wishes of her family, she moved to Bombay in 1941. The family is reported to have sought intervention of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru also to dissuade her from joining films but she proved adamant. Katjus were closely related to Pandit Jawahar lal Nehru’s family. It is said that Chandra Mohan Wattal, another Kashmiri actor of that period too tried to dissuade her from acting in films but she remained adamant. Chandramohan tried all his pressure tactics and tried to force her out of the films, but this girl was different. She was tough and did not fear him or yield to his intimidation. She continued to work in films unabated. Chandramohan died in 1949, but this girl worked in films from 1941 to 1973. Her parents finally consented to her decision and ensured boarding and lodging for her in Bombay .
Prior to Yashodhara, Shyama Zutshi was the kashmiri Girl who joined films. (She acted in Vishnu Bhakti produced in 1934 and Karvaan E Hayat-35). However, the first Kashmiri girl to work in films was Gulab (real name Saraswati Devi), who worked from 1924 to 1964, in 160 films.
In 1941, at a young age of 14 years, she was offered a role of ” Aarti” in a movie Titled “Lalaji” produced by National Studios. The movie was completed in 1942. Her co-actors in that movie were Yakub, A. R. Kabuli, Wasker, Amar, Sunalini, Vatsala Kumtekar, Maya Devi and Krishnakant.
Yashodhara always wanted to be an actress and on 15th August 1941 she joined National Studios. She played heroine and side heroine parts in films like Mahatma Vidur (1943), Dulhan (1943), Vijay Laxmi (1943) etc. Later she was reduced to character roles and became a popular comedienne in the 1950s. Her short plump stature and mischievous eyes really aided her in transitioning from leading to comedy roles. In films like Naujawan (1951), Dholak (1951), Sinbad the Sailor (1952), Ek do Teen (1953), Baaz (1953) etc she was cast in happy-go-lucky roles and even paired with other popular comedians of her time e.g. Bhagwan in Sindbad the Sailor (1952) and Gope. Her last few films as character actress were released in early 1970s including Seema (1971), Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1972), Do Phool (1973) etc .
Between Lalaji (1942 Her first Movie) and Do Phool (1973 her last movie), she acted in about 85 films. Her co-stars included Jagdish Sethi, Pahari Sanyal, Shanta Apte, K. C. Dey, Manorama, Motilal, Shobhana Samarth, Leela Misra, Trilok Kapoor, Sadhana Bose, Khurshid, Kanhaiyalal, Ulhas, Yakub, Jairaj, Rehman, Suraiya, Prem Adeeb, Nirupa Roy, Shyam, Kuldip Kaur, Jeevan, Cuckoo, Bharat Bhushan, Lalita Pawar, K. N. Singh, Meena Kumari, Jankidas, Durga Khote, Mukri, Bhagwan, Jagirdar, Nigar Sultana, Ajit, Pran, Agha, Sunder, Anwar Hussein, Jayant, Shakila, Naseem Bano, Guru Dutt, Ratan Kumar, Mahipal, Iftekhar, Bina Rai, Rajendranath, Helen, Madhubala, Sapru, Sulochana, Sunil Dutt, Meena Kumari, Daisy Irani, Ashok Kumar, Kumkum, Vaijayantimala, Begum Para, Tuntun, Balraj Sahni, Devanand, Prem Chopra, Rajendra Nath, Aruna Irani, Mehmood & Rajendra Kumar.
From the younger generation, her co-stars included Rakhee Gulzar, Rakesh Roshan, Hema Malini, Simi Garewal, Kabir Bedi, Zeenat Aman, Vinod Mehra, Mumtaz and Mehmood Junior. She worked with almost all prominent directors in the Film industry including S. S. Vasan, Devendra Goel, Guru Dutt, Mohan Segal, P. L. Santoshi, M.Sadiq, D. N. Madhok, H.S.Rawail, B. R. Chopra, Rafiq Rizvi, Kishore Sahu, Dev Anand and Mahesh Kaul.
She started as a co-star, moved to lead roles, shifted to comedy (Mostly with other comedians of her time, Bhagwan and Gope) and finally did some memorable performances as a character actress (Seema, Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Do Phool etc.).
Her close friends included Nalini Jayawant, Laita Pawar and Nirupa Roy. Sometime in around 1958, she married a Naval officer (Commander Bhandari) and lived a happy married life. After 1973, she did not act in films and slipped into Oblivion. She died of a sudden heart attack in 1974.
(Thanks to Suresh Sarvaiya, Autar Mota Blog Chinar, Film Directory-1946 and my notes).
Here is a typical 1950’s Fun song from this film, sung by Rafi and Shamshad Begum. Enjoy….
Song- Ek beevi daayen to doosree hai baayen (Durga Pooja)(1954) Singers- Rafi, Shamshad Begum, Lyricist- G S Nepali, MD- S.N.Tripathi
Both
Female Chorus
Lyrics
Ek beevee daayen to doosree hai baayen
ek beevee daayen to doosree hai baayen
marna hai to zindagee mein aur kahaan jaayen
marna hai to zindagee mein aur kahaan jaayen
ae jee aur kahaan jaayen
choolhe mein
pyaar karo aur ro ke to phir kyun hamse kee shaadee
saut laaye ghar mein to kyun meree kee barbaadee
o duniya waalon
o duniya waalon
kunwaare hee sadkon pe din bitaana
arre ek beevee zinda ho to doosree na laana
hum jo maangen rotee to ye jootiyaan bajaayen
ye to jootiyaan bajaayen
ae jee aur kahaan jaayen
sadkon pe
shaadee kya hui do bhainson se phera ho gaya
ghar mera do do bhootnee ka dera ho gaya
ajee kismat phootee
kismat phootee
is budhhoo se phera ho gaya
ghar mera makkhee maar ka basera ho gaya
hum to maanje bartan mitthoo baithhe rotee khaaye
wo mitthoo baithhe rotee khaaye
ae jee aur kahaan jaayen
ek beevee daayen to doosree hai baayen
ek beevee daayen to doosree hai baayen
marna hai to zindagee mein aur kahaan jaayen
marna hai to zindagee mein aur kahaan jaayen
ae jee aur kahaan jaayen
jis ghar mein doolhaa dublaa ho
dulhan motee motee
ha ha ha
halwa pooree aap khaayen
pati ko sookhee rotee
ajee jis dulhe kee
jis dulhe kee akal khotee
baaten motee motee
neeyat khootee kismat khotee
lekin lambee chotee
do do shaadee karke laalaa
peechhe se pachhtaaye
o laala peechhe se pachhtaaye
ae jee aur kahaan jaayen
ek beevee daayen to doosree hai baayen
ek beevee daayen to doosree hai baayen
marna hai to zindagee mein aur kahaan jaayen
marna hai to zindagee mein aur kahaan jaayen
ae jee aur kahaan jaayen
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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