Odes To Our Independence:
My Uncle’s Choice
Patriotism is the
loftiest of all sentiments – completely self-less, self-effacing with no
material intent. The Independence Day is a celebration of this sentiment.
Patriotism
pre-supposes a consciousness of one’s history, heritage, traditions and culture
but more importantly a sense of pride in that. There had been, through
centuries, a strong and popular oral tradition of communicating to the people
at large on these aspects though narratives were generally hero-centric with
other aspects subsumed in that. The communication had been heart to heart, rich
in emotional contents and jingoism with a liberal dose of hyperboles and
metaphors - all lilted on musical meters.
A la Alha--Udal. The tradition continues, albeit on a much larger scale
through electronic media. In fact, the patriotic songs constitute a rich and
distinct sub-stream of Hindi film music and I do believe that they still
arouse, to some degree, patriotic fervour in us.
I was into patriotic
songs rather early, perhaps when I was just four. I owed that to my uncle Ravindra
Kumar. My uncle always engaged my curiosity. He was certainly off the
centre, self engrossed, in communication
with self, often sparring at a host of
enemies within. He hardly evinced any apparent interest in anybody around and
yet he was alive to them, to his ambience, to the last detail. He
was precocious and yet unchannelized.
But there was something in him, innate, that appreciated the deep, the
classical including music. It was he who
instilled initial patriotic fervor in me. He is no more, passed away in the
year 2011 at a young age of 54.
I would recommend the
following eight odes to our Independence, my uncle’s favourites, as part of my
celebration as also a tribute to him. He
played them, unfailingly, year after year till he was alive, at the dawn of
each Independence Day.
Ode
1
पासे सभी पलट गए दुश्मन की चाल के
अक्षर सभी बादल गए भारत के भाल के
मंजिल पर आया मुल्क हर बला को टाल के
सदियों के बाद फिर से उड़े बादल गुलाल के
हम लाये हैं तूफान से किश्ती निकाल के
इस देश को रखना मेरे बच्चों संभाल के ...............More
Its
loose translation:
Every
stratagem of the wily enemy upturned
The
destiny of Bharat rewritten
As the
nation surged to its liberation
Surmounting
every odd and evil
And
after an eon
A
rainbow of hope and gaiety
Ascended
on the horizon ! .......
…………….
The
ode is inspirational. Its points to the
vulnerability of a freedom just won.
Ever relevant. From the film Jagriti, penned by Kavi Pradeep, set on the
music of Hemant Kumar, rendered by
Mohammed Rafi at his peak.
Ode
2
इंसाफ की डगर पर बच्चों दिखाओ चल के
ये देश है तुम्हारा नेता तुम्ही हो कल के ................
इंसानियत के सर पर इज्जत का ताज रखना
तन मन की भेंट दे कर भारत की लाज रखना
जीवेन नया मिलेगा अंतिम चिता में जल के ............More
Ironically,
the sentiment seems to have no place in our collective and progressive
degeneration, though individually we may yet be held back, even if for a
fleeting moment, to sadly muse – what pass have we come to ?
Film
Gunga Jamuna, lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Naushad.
Ode
3
मत रो माता लाल तेरे बहुतेरे
जनम भूमि के काम आया
बड़े भाग्य हैं मेरे...........
..............
फिर जनमुंगा उस दिन
जब आज़ाद बहेगी गंगा
उन्नत भाल हिमालय पर
लेहराएगा तिरंगा
......................More
My
first choice. I play it and find myself in complete empathy with the freedom
fighter on his way to the gallows, such is the fusion and fury of music, words
and cinematic backdrop. I shall be
reincarnate when the Ganga flows free and the tricolor flutters atop Himalaya.
It is sublime, it cleanses.
Film
Bandini, lyrics Shailendra, music S. D. Burman
Ode 4
वतन की राह पर वतन के नौजवान शहीद हों
पुकारते हैं ये जमीन आसमान शहीद हों
शहीद तेरी मौत ही तेरे वतन की जिंदगी
तेरे लहू से जाग उठेगी इस चमन की ज़िंदगी
खिलेंगे फूल उस जगह पे तू जहां शहीद हों .........More
A
composition in two parts – first set on a semi marching tune; the other, homage
to a martyr. Soulfully sung by Mohd. Rafi and Khan Mastana. Film Shaheed ( of the year 1948 ), lyrics
Raja Mendi Ali Khan, music Ghulam Haidar.
Ode 5
ए मेरे प्यारे वतन
ए मेरे बिछुरे चमन
तुझ पर दिल क़ुर्बान !
तू ही मेरी आरजू
तू ही मेरी आबरू
तू ही मेरी जान !
तेरे दामन से जो आए
उन हवाओं को सलाम
चूम लूँ में उस जुबान को
जिस पे आए तेरा नाम
सब से प्यारी सुबह तेरी
सब से रंगीन तेरी शाम
तुझ पे दिल क़ुर्बान.........More..
Brilliantly
brings out the pain of a man long separated from his motherland. Manna Dey’s
voice carries conviction and pathos. Film Kabuliwala, lyrics Prem Dhawan, music
Salil Chaudhury.
Ode
6
ताकत वतन की हम से है
हिम्मत वतन की हम से है
इज्जत वतन की हम से है
इंसान के हम रखवाले
....................
सीना है फौलाद का अपना
फूलों जैसा दिल है
तन में विंध्याचल का बल है
मन में ताजमहल है ..............More
On
an invigorating and inspiring marching tune, full of chest thumping and
jingoism with fascinating imagery. Use of Vindhyachal in place of a tempting
Himalaya is very apt – the former being the oldest and the sturdiest mountain
range in India.
Film
Prem Pujari, lyrics Kave Neeraj, music SD Burman.
Ode
7
अब कोई गुलशन न उजढ़े
अब वतन आज़ाद है
रूह गंगा की हिमाला का बदन
आज़ाद है………………………..More
The
soul of Ganga, the body of Himalaya – reminds one of song from Bandini.
Film
Mujhe Jeene Do, lyrics Shahir Ludhiyanvi, music Jai Dev.
Ode
8
ये चमन हमारा अपना हैi
इस देश पे अपना राज है
मत कहो की सर पर टोपी है
कहो सर पे हमारे ताज है !
आती थी एक दिवाली
बरसों मैं कभी खुशीहाली
अब तो हर इतवार
एक त्योहार है
ये उभरता सँवरता समाज है .......More
This is
more than a patriotic song. It seeks to
inculcate a positive effusive attitude – Do not lament your want…make do with
the available and look forward……..An occasional
celebration is preferable to a perennial poverty…. For the society is on
an ascending curve….
I
salute the lyricist Shailendra for his optimism and idealism. But the realities of our times are just the
opposite – stricken with irredeemable mope and despair.
Jai
Hind.
