The ultimate SD Burman: His pure Bengali songs
In the radio era, when the faintest strains of Sun mere bandhu re or O re majhi mere sajan hain us paar fell into my ears from a distant radio, I would be inexorably drawn towards it, as if pulled by a magnet. SD Burman’s either of these two songs would tower over twenty other songs in a one hour programme. These songs were enough to give him an immortal place in film music; but he sang about a dozen more, such as Wahan kaun hai tera, Safal hogi teri aradhana, Doli mein bithai ke kahar etc. Harvey has written an excellent post on his film songs.
In the radio era, one also became aware of his non-film song Dheere se jana bagiyan mein, because Vividh Bharti had a half an hour slot at 2 PM for ghazals and geets of singers like Kamla Jharia, Malika Pukhraj, Jagmohan and Master Madan etc, as also of the well known playback singers, most of whom sang in this related genre. Many of these non-film songs achieved enormous popularity, at times far outstripping film songs. Dheere se jana was one such landmark of SD Burman. In the internet era I became aware of many more of his non-film songs, where he seems to be more exuberant, freed from the constraints of film-music. He was professionally trained in classical music and he was synonymous with folk music of rural Bengal. While his film songs number 15, his Hindi non-film songs are over 25, and range from classical to semi-classical (thumri) to bhajan to folk to romantic geets. I wrote on his Hindi non-film songs a year ago.
Further down the internet era, I stumbled upon the largest treasure trove of SD Burman – his Bengali songs numbering over 130, about 35 of which were adapted in Hindi, mostly by SD Burman himself in different voices – Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey, Geeta Dutt etc for films. A few were also adapted by other composers. SD Burman himself sang some of these Hindi adaptations in films as well as non-films. Most of these songs have achieved everlasting popularity, without the listeners becoming aware of their original source. I have also written on his Bengali songs and their Hindi versions.
That still leaves about 95 Bengali songs which to my knowledge have no Hindi versions. Therefore, I term them as pure Bengali songs. It is Bengali folk, which was the soul of his music. This is what he had absorbed in his childhood, and this was his natural habitat. Therefore, naturally it is in these songs that he is at his best. Not only because of their large number, but also because of their stunning beauty, any discussion on his songs is not complete without mentioning his pure Bengali songs.
I had set upon to make this year as SD Burman special, and I have already written a number of posts on him. I conclude the series with what I consider ‘the ultimate SD Burman’ – his pure Bengali songs, as my tribute to the great genius. Here I should tell the readers – if you like SD Burman (is there anyone who does not?), not knowing the language would not reduce your enjoyment of these songs one bit. Nevertheless, I have taken the help of a friend to provide meaning of some these songs.
(As I write this tribute to this great artiste from Bengal, who made Bombay hiskarmabhoomi, Kolkata is going berserk to pay tribute to an artiste of cricket from Bombay, who is retiring from international cricket. It transpires that Sachin Tendulkar’s father was a great fan of SD Burman, and named him after the music maestro.)
1. Bone phagun mone aagun, lyrics Robi Guha Mazumdar
We saw in an earlier post how KL Saigal sat transfixed when he heard SD Burman sing Ami chhinu eka. The song which does that to me is Bone phagun mone aagun. There is a plaintive cry of hopelessness Ki kori aami ki kori (What can I do?) – no one can do it better than SD Burman. ‘There is spring in the forests, but I am saddened with grief of separation’. This is one song that illustrates that music transcends the barrier of language. I am sure everyone who is fond of SD Burman’s songs would be mesmerised by this song.
LyricsKi kori aami ki kori
Bone phagun mone aagunPaley paley dahe mor bhigi bhigi jiyare
Na gouri haye baachibi
Ki kori aami ki kori
Bone phagun mone aagunSajani bol rajani bol
Tumi dere shaje re
Aami baere aami jaar boli
Jaley jaley kaandi ri
Ki kori ami ki kori
Bone phagun mone aagunEka phiri ami ghori
Biraha hoe shoteen re
Bone phagun mone aagunTranslationOh destiny! what to do?
Look at the apathy
There is spring in the forests and
Here my heart cries laden with the burden of grief
My eyes weep with tears
My heart cries in pain
What to do ?
What to do?
The forests dance with spring
And here I am, and here is my mind filled with the grief of separation
2. Aankhi duti jhare, lyrics Gauri Prasanna Mazumdar
Ankhi duti jhare mesmerised me so much that I needed an erudite person to translate it for me. Here is its translation done by our Mr N Venkataraman. From its elegant wording, one could imagine how beautiful it would be in Bengali original.
English translation (by N Venkataraman)
Tears flowing from my eyes, I stay awake in solitude.
Like the bird pierced by arrow, my soul bleeds,
I stay awake in solitude.The withered garland laments; where is thy beloved
To whom I bestowed everything, is she not mine (anymore)?
Alas, I am devastated.
In the veil of laughter, I mask my anguish.
Like the bird pierced by arrow, my soul bleeds,
I stay awake in solitude.The rustling nascent leaves revive that waning tune,
The beloved who was near, had gone far away,
Yet I beckon her back, to my dream bridal chamber,
Like the bird pierced by arrow, my soul bleeds,
I stay awake in solitude.My flute has long forgotten its melody
My amour has turned into deep hurt.
The lamp (hope) is extinguished, yet the night (life) still lingers
Like the bird pierced by arrow, my soul bleeds,
I stay awake in solitude.
3. Tumi ar nei se tumi, lyrics Roby Guha Mazumdar
A time comes when things are not the same between the lovers. ‘You are not the same anymore’. Here are beautiful lyrics with their English translation followed by the song in SD Burman’s magical voice.
LyricsTumi aar nei she tumi
Janina janina kano amon hoy
Tumi aar nei she tumiTomar chokher pata nachena
Nachena amaro potho cheye
Tomar paaye paaye mol baje na
Baje na amaro sharaa peye
Hashona hashona she hashi modhumoy
Tumi aar nei she tumiTomar shapero beni dolena
Dole na hawaro baashi shune
Tomar chokhe bijoli khalena
Khalena meghero gorjona
Gun gun gun gun koro na oshomoy
Gun gun gun
Gun gun gun gun koro na oshomoy
Tumi aar nei she tumi
Translation:Oh my love, you are not the same anymore
I don’t know why does this happen
your eyelashes remain still
They don’t move even while you wait for me
And, neither does your anklet respond when it hears me come.
Your laughter my dear is no more the same
You are not the same any longer.Your plait doesn’t swing
It doesn’t reciprocate to the winds
There is no more sparkle in your eyes,
And it doesn’t respond to the thundering clouds in the sky.
Don’t keep humming unnecessarily
As you are not the same anymore.
4. Ajo akasher patho bahi, lyrics Gauri Prasanna Mazumdar
Continuing the same mood of Shringaar of separation, the moon has come out in the sky, but the beloved is no longer there and the poet’s heart is crying in agony. The only person who could have comforted in such a situation is the beloved who is not there. Who could give expression to this pain better than SD Burman?
LyricsAjo akasher patho bahi chand hoe che
Mor byatha toh dholi chaya deele
Dhaara madhobiro maal molakhani
Shapathero shithi toh gaello chede
Mor byatha toh dhoyi chaya chedheShur jaeona bhule gaeche bhalobasha
Nahi jaani keno mone ja ache
Miloner shei rate chilo shehi paashe
Jodi tor shopno holo ei bhul
Nibhe jaano jete chaye dheere dheere
Mor byatha go dholi chaya tereChedhe keno dille ei shyamoloi tollai
Tumi jaano rakho gaecho obaella
Joto tuku kajo ache baki
Nahi jano kotha joto mone ache
Miloner shei rate chilo pashe
E hridoy kende podhe bhuliya abhiman
Jege acho ogo tumi eshe fero
Mor byatha go chaya teereDhara madhobi pran malakhani
Shokoli shitite gaello chedhe
More byatha go dholir chaya teere
Translation
Oh my beloved! The moon has appeared in the sky
But I am so very depressed
That you whom I loved with all my might
Don’t forget that verse which I had written for you
My heart is crying with agony
Whom should I call for help!
Nobody, but I remember you my beloved ,
who made promises which were supposed to be broken
Words are indeed sweeping from my hand
Come my love! Come back to me
I say these words with utter grief
Now that you have left me I weep in anguish and at my own fate!
5. Ami soite pari, lyrics Roby Guha Mazumdar
In any art form karun rasa (pathos) is the ultimate in perfection. SD Burman’s voice has the natural ability to convey pain. Here is one more which you would love without knowing a word of Bengali. He was especially fond of Jhan jhan payal baaje. In this song also the word jhan jhan occurs, when his voice sounds like strumming of a string instrument, creating a magical feeling.
LyricsAami shoite pari na bala
Mon nie chinimini shoibo na
Aami shoite pari na balaAami toh jenechi jhanjhat ke antar aane jhanjhaa
Aami toh bujhechi
Ei prithibi te neije manush
Mon jaa chai
Mili toh khushi hok
Oh! shoi te pari na bala
Aami shoite pari na bala
Mon nie chinimini shoibo naaAami toh jene chi bondhur pothe melle
Na go kono bondhu
Aami toh bujhechi premer shindhu the jol nai kono bondhu
Tai nege khushi hoe je thaak thaak
Shoite pari na bala
Mon nie chinimini shopibo naa
Aami shoite pari na bala
Mon nie chinimini shoibo na
TranslationOh Destiny !
I have lost to you
At the end I say that I cannot bear any longer
I have faced so many difficulties that it is impossible to count their numbers
I have not found the person of my heart
I have not yet tasted the nectar of friendship
For me love is a barren land
For me affection is a well whose water I have not tasted yet
I cannot bear the tyrannies any longer
And neither will I bear them!
6. Biroho boro bhalo lage, lyrics Mira Dev Burman (wife of SD Burman)
Being away from the lover is painful but there is a unique ecstasy in that, because in separation the yearning becomes more intense which bring the two closer. “Separation from you oh my love feels ecstatic. Even during this separation, my love for you resides in my heart. Oh my love I’m in love with this separation from you”. These beautiful lyrics are written by SD Burman’s wife Mira Dev Burman, an immensely talented person who wrote many songs, some of which she also sang with him.
TranslationDisunion with you, oh my love feels ecstatic.
During this separation, my love for you resides in my heartYour mesmerizing persona has made a special place in my heart.
You take on new beautiful forms, and dance and sing every moment in there.
This separation would turn out to be so sweet, I had never known before
Oh my love I’m in love with this separation from you.The pain of being away from you,
Has adorned me with a depressing colour (saffron)
But I have hidden my pain with the colour of joy (yellow)
I would not let this pain take over me,
Rather colour myself with the colour of painSeparation from you oh my love feels ecstatic.
Even during this separation, my love for you resides in my heart
Oh my love I’m in love with this separation from you.
7. Godhulir chhaya pathe, lyrics Ajoy Bhattacharya
When the sun sets in and it is not yet dark, it is time for the cattle to come back home kicking a dust cloud from their hoofs after them (गो-धूलि). There are other sounds of birds and animals returning to their roost; the households start their evening chores of lighting lamps and fire in the kitchen. The in-between time, i.e. godhuli creates a deeply philosophical mood. Can you think of any other singer sing the Song of Godhuli as only SD Burman can do?
8. Shyam roop dhariya, lyrics Sailen Roy
One of the Yaksha Prashna put to Yudhishthir was, “What is the greatest wonder?” Yudhishthir replied that everyone knew that whoever has come to the earth has to go one day, yet everyone wants to live for ever. Can anything be a bigger wonder than this? This is a song which expresses a mystical attraction for death. All the favourite imageries which defined the essence of SD Burman’s music – the river, boatman, flute – are here. “The boatman who helps me cross the river, plays the flute, hearing which we are enchanted. Let me then walk to the Yamuna of death”.
TranslationDeath has come in the avatar of Shyam (Krishna)
The bird soul just cannot be restrained
Let me then walk to the Yamuna of death.
The boatman who helps me cross the river,
Plays the flute, hearing which we are enchanted,
Let me then walk to the Yamuna of death.Let the earthly body and earthly pride remain behind.
Death comes draped in all finery,
The mystic regards the earthly life as shackles on his feet,
He would never trade the priceless gem for a plain piece of glass,
It is the preponderance of the “I” that causes the problems,
Let me walk to the Yamuna of death.The bird soul just cannot be restrained
The bird soul would without hesitation, discard the bodily dwelling
And given a chance, ascend upwards to the blue heavens,
Having first encountered the blue of the Yamuna of death
It would readily leave the wedding feast, leaving the forlorn groom.
9. Ghate lagaiyo majhi dingapaan khaiya, lyrics Mira Dev Burman
SD Burman’s fondness for paan was legendary. Mr Arunkumar Deshmukh mentioned in my post on Lata Mangeshkar’s songs by SD Burman that whenever he was happy with her recording he would offer her a meetha paan. Who would know better of his foibles than his wife? Meera Dev Burman writes a light-hearted song, which SD Burman sings in his folksy style.
10. Megha jhare jaye, lyrics Ajoy Bhattacharya
SD Burman was trained in classical music and could perform before the best. When the clouds pour, they can bring joy and ecstasy. But they can also instil a mood of quiet reflection and serenity. SD Burman at his classical best.
Acknowledgement: www.sdburman.com is a very good source for his songs, which helped me in my selection. We should thank YT and the uploaders profusely for bringing these gems selflessly in public domain. I would also like to convey my thanks to Mr HQ Chowdhury (Bangladesh), an authority on SD Burman, with whom I had some useful discussion.
I thank Venkataramanji for the translation of #2, and my friend who has provided the transcript and translation of some other songs. Since now he is a naturalised resident of a Hindi speaking area for many generations, he also took the help of some other persons. He did not provide the name of the persons who did it, so I am not able to thank them by name.