Panchhee aaj udaa jaaye re
Posted on: November 4, 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 from the film Ajamil-1948.
This was the maiden venture of Sanskar Chitra, Bombay, of owner Moolraj Kapadiya, who was also the producer of this movie. The film was directed by his close relative-Jamnadas Kapadiya, for whom this was his only film as a director. The film was made in Gujarati and Hindi simultaneously. The story, screenplay and songs for the Gujarati version were by Kavi Prabhulal Dwivedi and for the Hindi version it was S P Tripathi, who wrote all the 12 songs of the film. While HFGK mentions the name of Dwivedi as the Lyricist, according to Girdharilal Vishwakarma ji, the famous Music Historian and Record collector, the records of the songs of Hindi version carry the name of Tripathi. The Music Director of this film was Master Mohan Junior.
This film posed 2 difficulties. The first was who or what was “Ajamil” ? When I first saw this title a few years ago, I was perplexed and did not know what this word indicated. Then I vaguely remembered that a film by similar title was also made in the Silent Era. The reason was, even at that time I had wondered about the meaning of this word. I checked some books and found that ‘Ajamil’ was indeed made as a silent film in 1922 by the then famous Kohinoor Film Co. Later it was made as a Talkie film in 1934 by Saroj Movietone.
After some time, while reading a religious book, I found that Ajamil was a Brahmin of evil character and a very villainous type of a person. The story of his life detailed how he changed into a very pious and religious person in his life. Surprisingly, the role of Ajamil in the 1934 film was done by Ashraf khan. He was made famous by his role in the film “Roti’-1942, by Mehboob Khan.
The interesting part is that Ashraf Khan himself became a Sufi Saint in his later life. After his death, his body was buried at a place which soon became a pilgrim centre for his followers, which included many prominent personalities from the Hindi films like, for example Ameerbai karnataki.
First of all let us know the story of Saint Ajamil. This story appears in the 6th chapter of Bhagwat Puran. It stresses the value of Naam Smaran and Jaap and how it can convert a person into a Saint out of a bad man.
Ajamila was once a very noble Brahmin, performing his duties and prescribed rituals most sincerely and was also a good husband, good son and good father. Once when he was in the forest to gather the fuel-wood for his rituals, he fell for a woman, heart and soul. Actually the woman was one of very low morals. From that time onwards he lived with her, abandoned his family and his own parents. He had ten children by her, made a living and supported this large family by blackmailing rich people, by cheating, fraud and gambling. He was particularly fond of the youngest child, Narayana, by name. The attachment to the child was so pronounced that whether he was eating, drinking, relaxing or working, he would always want Narayana to be by his side and partake of his food or participate in his enjoyment. When finally the call from Yama, the God of Death, came, it came suddenly and in his agony he called his child to his side and cried: O Narayana. He called aloud with great fear.
The messengers of Yama who almost got him in their noose suddenly found from within his heart four well-clad beautiful angel-like figures, each with four hands, preventing the messengers of Yama from discharging their duty. An intense conversation ensued between the messengers of Yama on the one side and the messengers of Narayana – because that is what they were – on the other side. They asked: You are the emissaries of Dharma-raja; then you should know what dharma is and what rules apply for punishment. The messengers of Yama replied: (VI – 1 -40 to 68):
What is declared by the Vedas is dharma. What is prohibited by Vedas is adharma. The one God who has created this entire world and who has allotted the different duties to varnas and ashrams is Lord Narayana. He has ordained that our Lord Yama take the lives of people when their time is over and punish them according to sins committed by them. There are several witnesses to whatever a man does in his life.
They are the Sun, Agni the Fire-God, Space, the Wind-God, Animals, the Moon, the God of SandhyA the twilight, Day, Night, the eight quarters, Water, Earth, Time and the God of Dharma, who is Yama himself. Nothing can be hidden from any of these. . We are doing our duty ordained by our boss.
Back came a pretty long rejoinder from the messengers of Vishnu: Your Master who must show to the world what right action is, has sent messengers like you who do not seem to know the rules! This Ajamila, though he has forgotten his real divine nature, has pronounced the four-syllabled name of God Narayana at the time of death and by that very action has done the Prayaschitta – प्रायश्चित्त (repentance act) for all his sins.
A thief of gold, a drinker of wine, a betrayer of a friend, a killer of a brahmin, one who commits adultery with the wife of his Guru, a killer of a woman or of a king, or of a cow or of his father — all these worst sinners have been declared to be absolved by the recitation of God’s name because by that very act he becomes God’s protege and deserves to be under His care.
After all this explanation by the messengers of Vishnu the messengers of Yama felt overpowered and they went back to their overlord. In the meantime Ajamila came back to his senses and remembered all the conversation that went on in the presence of his subtle body between the messengers. He was about to say something, when the messengers of Vishnu also disappeared. It was quite a while before he could take stock of the situation.
Here he was. alive and kicking, by the mercy of God Narayana, whose name he had just taken on the point of death, not in remembrance of the Lord but in passionate affection of his child. If this single act of the utterance of a four-syllable word Narayana can make such a difference to life after death, what larger worlds of fullness and majesty he may not conquer by really leading a noble life of Dharma in the memory of the Lord? — so thought Ajamila. And that very moment he renounced everything to which he was attached, went to Benares and engaged himself in austerities and meditation and in due time reached the abode of the Lord. (adapted and abridged from krishnamurthy’s.com, with thanks).
The role of Ajamil was done by Umakant Desai, who was famous as “Laxman” in 7 Ramayan story films. In the film cast you must have seen the name UMAKANT (DESAI). I am sure most people would not know anything about him. People remember Dilip kumar for his double role in ‘Ram aur Shyam’ and Triple role in ‘Bairaag’. You also remember Sanjeev Kumar for his 9 roles in ‘ Naya Din nayi Raat’ or Kamal Hassan for his 10 roles in Dashavtar,but hardly anyone knows that Umakant Desai was the FIRST actor to do 3 Roles in the film ” Hukum ka Ikka “-1939 ( Rajkumar,Madari and Common Man).
Umakant Desai was born in Sankheda,near Vadodara (Baroda),Gujarat on 13-6-1908. After matriculation,he came to Bombay and did a job in B.B. & C. I . Railways (Bombay,Baroda and Central India Railway,a private Railway company of pre Independence period). He used to do roles in local dramas.One day Director Chimanlal Desai saw him in a drama called ” Jaya and Jayant”. He was so impressed with him that he took him to act in Gujarat’s First Talkie ” Narsi Mehta”-1932. In this film Umakant did the role of Krishna.
So,the son of a landlord Himmatbhai Jagubhai Desai became a film actor.He joined Prakash Pictures on a salary of Rs.150/- pm,but when he left Prakash,he was drawing Rs.3000/- p.m.. In 1934, he worked in Gujarati film ‘Sansar Leela’.He sang 2 duets with Rajkumari in this film. The film was a Hit and was remade in Hindi as “Nai Duniya”-1934. He worked in Bharat Milap-42. His best remembered role was as LAXMAN in the film ” RAM RAJYA”-1943,which created several records,including that it was the only Hindi film Mahatma Gandhi ever saw in his lifetime !
Umakant worked in 59 Hindi films and 15 Gujarati films. Anmol Moti-48 was his last film as a Hero. Then he shifted to doing character roles. He had worked with Durga Khote, Shobhana Samarth, Pramila, Ratnamala, Ranjana, Sitara, Snehprabha Pradhan, Meena Kumari, Amita, Vyjayanti mala, Nalini Jaywant, Kamini Kaushal etc. For fluency in Hindi and Urdu, he was appointed a Teacher also.
He worked in 26 films of Prakash,in which 8 films were directed by Vijay Bhatt. He mostly worked in mythological and social films. Some of his films were,Miss mala,Chhote Babu,Station master, Amar Asha, Poornima, Anmol Moti, Kavita, Hamara Ghar etc. He did Laxman’s role in 7 films.
Umakant’s son and daughter in law died a tragic death in the Snow Blizzard in the USA in 1975. His wife Kaumudi ben died in 2006 and Umakant died on 25-1-2007. He was awarded Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award in 2004. ( Adapted from Shri Harish Raghuvanshi ji,famous film historian,compiler and writer’s Gujarati article on Umakant).
The second difficulty was about the Music Director Master Mohan Junior. It is NOT another name for the famous Music Director Madan Mohan, as many believed and as mentioned in the HFGK, quoting Begum Akhtar’s name in the credits of the film Daana Paani-1953. He was a Gujarati Music Director. Dr. Vipin Kakani who did his Ph.D. on “Gujarati stage and its artists” has given information about Master Mohan junior. Further Madhubala Jhaveri who sang for him, has confirmed that he was not Madan Mohan.
Master Mohan Junior was born in 1908 in a Bhurji Rajpoot family at Masuda, near Ajmer. When he was 5 year old, the great Plague epidemic killed all members of his family and he became an orphan. His cousin sister took him to Idar and he grew up there. He had inherited the singing ability of his father.When he was 13 year old, Raghunath-his brother in law- sent him to ” Morvi Subodh Arya Natak Mandali “, in 1921. Later he also worked with Imperial,Laxmikant Natak Mandali and Arya Naitik drama company from 1926 to 1930. His brother in law was quite attached to him.
He started with Gujarat Kala Mandir as a Music Composer from 1930 onwards. His attempts to become an actor failed in 1932. He was now owner of the company Arya Natak Mandali, in which Ramlal was a Music composer. His music became famous with many famous dramas.Raskavi Raghunath Brahmabhat has praised his music capabilities.
He gave music to 6 Gujarati films, namely- Ajamil-48, Vadilon na vaanke-48, Bhakta Pooran-49, Vevishat-49, Choodi Chaandlo-50 and Bhakta Narsaiyo-52. He also gave music to 2 Hindi films- Ajamil-48 and Daana Paani-53.
Here is a song from this film. Enjoy….
Song- Panchhee aaj uda jaaye re (Ajaamil)(1948) Singer- Rampyari, Lyricist- S.P.Tripathi, MD- Master Mohan Junior
Lyrics:
Panchhee ee eeaaj uda jaaye re
Panchhee ee ee
aaj uda jaaye re
meree aashaa kee duniya ujaad re
meree aashaa kee duniya ujaad re
o Panchhee ee ee
aaj uda jaaye re
Panchhee ee ee
aaj uda jaaye re
panchhee aaya thhaa mere dwaar re
panchhee aaya thhaa mere dwaar re
aur chhaaya thha mera pyaar re
aur chhaaya thha mera pyaar re
chaand ka
chaand ka
prem paa kar bisaar diye
aur naache umangon ka dwaar re
aur naache umangon ka dwaar re
aaj uda jaaye re
Panchhee ee ee
aaj uda jaaye re
Panchhee ee ee
aaj uda jaaye re
duniya kee aankhon se
?? bachaaye re
duniya kee aankhon se
?? bachaaye re
aankhon mein apnee jisko churaaye re
aankhon mein apnee jisko churaaye re
le aayee ?? hriday se apne
jeewan kee baazee lagaaye re
mera pyaara pyaar thhukraaye re
aaj uda jaaye re
panchhee ee
aaj uda jaaye re
panchhee ee
aaj uda jaaye re
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