Archive for the ‘Kabir Bhajan’ Category
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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5489 | Post No. : | 17924 | Movie Count : |
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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
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, 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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Blog Day : |
5462 | Post No. : | 17879 | Movie Count : |
4777 |
I was not aware of a film titled ‘Parinati’ (1986) which is pronounced in Hindi as परिणति (Inevitable). In fact, when I came across the title of the film on the internet a few days back, I was subconsciously reading it as ‘Parineeta’. The film was available for viewing on one of the video sharing platforms. I watched the film last week and found it to be gripping and heart wrenching.
‘Parinati’ (1986) was based on ‘Amit Laalsa’, one of the short stories written by Vijaydan Detha, an acclaimed Rajasthani writer. The film was produced and directed by Prakash Jha which was financed by National Film Development Corporation. The cast included Surekha Sikri, Basant Josalkar, Sudhir Kulkarni, Sharda D’sorus, SM Zahir, Anang Desai, Yusuf Kurram, Nandita Das, Prabhat Jha, Surendra Rajan, BD Singh, Master Kartikeya Sharma, Jasmina Kadhi etc. Most of the actors for the film were from National School of Dramas, Delhi. The film’s Censor Certificate was dated August 28, 1986. The film was released on September 5, 1986. ‘Parinati’ Is director Prakash Jha’s third film after ‘Hip Hip Hurray’ (1984) and ‘Damul’ (1985). Later, he directed classic films like ‘Gangajal’ (2003), ‘Rajneeti’ (2010), ‘Satyagraha’ (2013) etc. Almost all of his films are with social and political messages. ‘Parinati’ Is also one of such films in which he depicted a very simple and honest rural family for whom the circumstances bring changes in their nature, making them greedy to such an extent that led to the destruction of the whole family. The story of the film is as under:
In a Rajasthani village long back, Ganesh (Basant Josalkar) lived with his wife Kurja (Surekha Sikri) and 10-year-old son Lachman. They were very happy even with the meager income which they earned from making and selling pottery. As was the practice those days, Ganesh decided to get Lachman married early to a potter’s daughter from another village when they were still children. After marriage, Lachman and his child-wife continued to live with their respective parents. Since the village is a thoroughfare for travelers, a wealthy merchant decides to construct a well and a homestay (dharamshala) for travelers for which Ganesh is given responsibility. He becomes the caretaker of the homestay and his wife, Kurja cooks food for them for which they gets a good salary apart from a residential house. Over a period of time, they build a good reputation for taking care of travelers. They are so honest that they do not accept gifts or tips from their guests. Ganesh and his family is very happy with their comfortable life.
One day, a family of two sons and the parents who were on a long pilgrimage, reaches Ganesh’s homestay. The old mother is very sick, but sons have to proceed for their business else they would incur heavy losses. Ganesh’s family takes care of their mother and the father. On sons’ return, they find his mother completely recovered from her illness. The mother also knows astrology. She studies the hands of Ganesh’s son, Lachman and predicts that he is very lucky and would earn a lot of money. The travelers request Ganesh to allow them to take Lachman with them to their city not as a worker but as a partner in their business. They will make him wealthy in 12 years. At first, Ganesh and Kurja are reluctant to send Lachman with traders as he is their only son. However, seeing the better prospects of their son after becoming a partner in a business and earning money, they agree to the proposal.
Days pass after Lachman goes with the traders, Ganesh and Kurja feel separation from their son unbearable. They feel that it would have been nice if they could get gifts or financial help from the wealthy travelers who spend nights in their homestay so that Lachman could return earlier than schedule and start business in the village itself. One day a newly married couple with parents come to stay in Ganesh’s homestay. The bride was wearing a lot of gold and other ornaments besides some more carrying in a box. Ganesh and Kurja feel that it would have been nice to have so much gold and jewelries so that their son could be called back and start the business in the village itself. In the night, they hatch a plan to kill the guests to take their gold and jewelry. They execute the plan and dump their bodies in a marshy land near their homestay. The gold and jewelry put in the box are dumped in the well. However, Ganesh and Kurja do not call back their son as they fear that a sudden acquisition of so much wealth will arouse suspicion in the minds of the villagers.
Now Ganesh and Kurja become bolder in executing the killing of some more wealthy travelers so that more money is added to the kitty for the start-up business for their son. 12 years have passed since the separation from their son, and he is expected to return any day. While thinking about his return, Ganesh sees a wealthy trader passing by his homestay. The wealthy trader comes to the homestay to spend the night. Ganesh and Kurja are tempted to kill the trader for the last time as he has so much of wealth more than what they have so far accumulated by killing travelers. Ganesh executes the killing and dispose off the body in the usual way.
Next day, Lakha (Nandita Das), the daughter-in-law of Ganesh and Kurja visits them to inquire about her husband, Lachman (Anang Desai) who had returned to the village after the completion of 12 years and had met her. He has told her that he would be visiting his parent and spend the night there to check whether they would recognise him as his son after such a long period. There is bewilderment as well as shock on the faces of Ganesh and Kurja as a realization dawns to them that last night Ganesh has killed his own son. The greed for money has overwhelmed so much that they failed to recognize their own and the only son. Without replying to Lakha, both of them walk toward their room and get themselves locked in the room. Lakha pleads with them to open the door and tell her as to the whereabouts of her husband. The film ends with Lakha observing the spillover of blood on the ground from the entrance of the locked room which makes her cry.
The film’s end can be interpreted as Lakha having got the hint that her husband, Lachman has been killed and her in-laws, Ganesh and Kurja have committed suicide after closing the door of the room. After all, they have done such an unimaginable blunder that they cannot face their daughter-in-law and now they have no purpose to live.
The film was majorly shot in Shri Dungargarh town about 70 kms from Bikaner. This is a fantastic film. The film has a gripping narrative akin to the short stories of Munshi Premchand. All the actors in the film, whether in major or minor roles, have performed exceedingly well. Director, Prakash Jha has realistically crafted the film despite limited resources at his disposal (being a low budget film). I am surprised as to how this film never came into limelight. Incidentally, the film won the National Film Award (1986) for the best costumes for the authenticity in the use of costumes in the film. I understand that a Kannada film, ‘Aa Karaala Ratri’ (2018), directed by Dayal Padmanabhan, has the same story.
The film has only one song, “Jheeni Ram Jheeni Chaadar”. The name of the singer is not known. It appears that the song is rendered by one of the Rajatahani folk singers of that time. Probably, the song was not released on records/CDs. The prelude to the song is Sant Kabir’s ‘question and answer’ couplets. The main song is predominantly based on one of Sant Kabir’s popular Nirgun Bhajans, “Chadariya Jheeni Re Jheeni“. So, this song can be ascribed to Sant Kabir. The song is set to music in Raag Kedar by Pandit Raghunath Seth.
The song is picturised on a group of Rajasthani folk singers and musicians who perform outside the homestay of Ganesh and Kurja in the night when their only son has already taken by the traders to their city to train him in the business. In the midst of the song, Ganesh and Kurja also joins them to listen. The song is a sort of an indirect advice to Ganesh and Kurja to keep their body and soul clean like the finely woven sheet for making it use worthy.
I liked the answers to the ‘question couplets’ which roughly translate in English as under:
Knowledge is thinner than water. Sin is heavier than earth.
Anger is more dangerous than fire and Stigma is blacker than kohl
All nirgun bhajans of Sant Kabeer look simple in words but they lead to deep philosophical interpretations. In this bhajan also, the human body is compared with a finely woven sheet of cloth – chaadar. It takes about nine months to complete weaving of this chaadar, like a human body takes nine month to form completely in the mother’s womb. After the chaadar is ready to be used, it cannot remain with the user permanently. How long it would remain with the user depends upon how delicately and how carefully he uses it without making it dirty. Human life is also not perpetual. One day, it has to leave this world. So, use your life to the fullest extent by keeping it ‘clean’ and remembering the Almighty.
Video Clip
Song – Jheeni Ram Jheeni Chaadar, Sada Ram Ras Bheeni (Parinati)(1986) Singer-Unknown male voice, Lyrics-Sant Kabeer, MD-Raghunath Seth
Lyrics
aa aa aaaaaaa
aa aa aaa aaa
aaaa aaa aa aa
aaa aaaa aaaa aa aa aa aa aa
aaaa aaaaa aa aa aaa aaa aaaaa aa aa
jal se patla kaun hai
aa aa aa aa
kaun bhoomi se bhaari…ee ee ee ee ee hai aa aa
kaun agan se tez hai….ae ae ae ae
kaun kaajal se kaaro
jal se patla gyaan hai
gyaa…..aaa aaan hai ae ae ae
jal se patla gyaan hai
paap bhoomi se bhaari..ee
bhaari..ee
aa aa aa aa
krodh agan se tej hai
kalank kaajal se kaaro
jheeni raam jheeni chaadar
sada ram ras bheeni
chaaduri ras beeni haan
jheeni chaadar jheeni raam
ashtakanwal pur charkha chaale
paanch tantu ras bheeni
ashtakanwal pur charkha chaale
paanch tantu ras bheeni
aath maas nu banti lagi
aath maas nu banti laagee
moorakh maili keenee
jheeni raam jheeni chaadar
jheeni raam jheeni
sada ram ras bheeni chaadar
ram naam ras bheeni chaadar
jhat karu dhobi poora miliya
taaye re taasu deenhi
jhat karu dhobi poora miliya
aa aaa aaa
taaye re taasu deenhi
aa aaa aaa
daas Kabee……eeer
aaaaaaaaaaaaa haa hi
daas Kabeer jugat see odhee
deenhi jaisi deenhi ee ee
aa aa aa aa aa
deenhi deenhi deenhi
deeni jaisi deeni j
jheeni ram jheeni chaadar
raam naam ras bheeni
————————————————
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
————————————————
आ आ आsssss
आ आ आss आs
आsss आss आ आ
आs आss आss आ
आ आ आ आ आ
आss आsss आss आ आ आ
आs आs आs आsss आ आ
जल से पतला कौन है
आ आ आ आ
कौन भूमि से भारी॰॰ई॰॰ई॰॰ई
हा आ आ
कौन अगन से तेज है॰॰ए॰॰ए
कौन काजल से कारो
जल से पतला ज्ञान है
ज्ञा॰॰आन है॰॰ए॰॰ए
जल से पतला ज्ञान है
पाप भूमि से भारी॰॰ई
भारी॰॰ई॰॰ई
आ आ आ आ
क्रोध अगन से तेज है
कलंक काजल से कारो
झीनी राम झीनी चादर
सदा राम रस भीनी
चादुरी रस बीनी हाँ
झीनी चादर झीनी राम
अष्टकंवल पुर चरखा चाले
पाँच तन्तु रस भीनी
अष्टकंवल पुर चरखा चाले
पाँच तन्तु रस भीनी
आठ मास नु बनती लगी
आठ मास नु बनती लागी
मूरख मैली कीनी
झीनी राम झीनी चादर
झीनी राम झीनी
सदा राम रस भीनी चादर
राम नाम रस भीनी
झट करु धोबी पूरा मिलिया
ताय रे तासु दीन्ही
झट करु धोबी पूरा मिलिया
आ आ आ
ताय रे तासु दीन्ही
आ आ आ
दास कबी॰॰॰॰॰॰ई
आ आ आ आ आ आ आ
दास कबीर जुगत से ओढ़ी॰॰ई
दीन्ही जैसी दीन्ही॰॰ई॰॰ई
आ आ आ आ आ
दीन्ही दीन्ही दीन्ही
झीनी राम झीनी चादर
राम नाम रस भीनी
Nainan mere tumhri oar
Posted on: February 5, 2015
This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
Today (5 february 2015) is the first death anniversary of Juthika Roy (20 April 1920-5 february 2014).
As a tribute to the empress of bhajans, here is a sweet Kabir Bhajan sung by Juthika Roy. Details of this song regarding its year, music director etc are not known. Seeing that the word Kabir appears in the lyrics, it appears to be a Kabir bhajan.
Read more on this topic…
Sunta hai guru gyaani
Posted on: September 2, 2014
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, 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 sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
In our high school curriculum, we had Hindi Padhya (Poetry) in which, among others, poems of Meerabai, Tulsidas, Kabirdas, Surdas, Raskhan were taught to us. While most of the poems were in the praise of Lord Ram and Krishna, poems of Sant Kabirdas were not addressed to any specific God. I had heard the word ‘nirgun’ from my teacher in regard to the poems of Sant Kabirdas, I did not know the meaning of ‘nirgun’ in wider sense until few years back. Some of Dohas (two liners) have still remained in my memory. One of those which often come to my mind is:
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Ud jaayegaa hans akela
Posted on: May 3, 2013
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
In the Hindu mythology, Gandharvas are stated to be the male heavenly spirit and in the context of music, the term is used for a highly skilled vocalist. Maharashtra had the privilege of having four ‘Gandharvas’. First, Sawai Gandharva (real name : Rambahu Kundgolkar – 19/01/1886 – 12/09/1952). He was a popular Hindustani classical vocalist and Marathi stage actor-singer. He was the first disciple of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan of Kirana gharana. One of the disciples of Sawai Gandharva was Pandit Bhimsen Joshi who later started the annual Sawai Gandharva Festival at Pune in the memory of his guru.
Read more on this topic…
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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