The song, “काँटों से खीँच के यह आँचल, तोड के बँधन बाँधे पायल” is one of the very famous songs from the movie, Guide(1965).
Lata Mangeshkar sang playback for Waheeda Rehman, the lyrics were penned by Shailendra and the music was composed by S. D. Burman.
Bollywood is the world’s largest film industry. Most of the films they make are largely musical!
So, what’s so unusual about this song?
For one, how many Indian film song lovers realize that,
it is the only Bollywood song,
which starts with an अन्तरा (stanza):
“काँटों से खीँच के यह आँचल, तोड के बँधन बाँधे पायल”
and follows on to the main मुखडा (refrain).
“आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना है आज फिर मरने का इरादा है”.
Two: one never tires of watching the video. The ancient architectural artifact shown in the song, is the Vijay Stambh at Chittorgarh Fort.
| Click on image to go to YouTube video |
The nine storied, 120 ft. ornate limestone tower was erected by Rana Kumbha in 1440, to commemorate his victory over the combined forces of Malwa and Gujarat.
The tower stands just 70 metres E of where Rani Padmini and the ladies of Rana Ratan Singh had committed jauhar to escape molest by sultan Alauddin Khilji.
In 1303 CE, Alauddin Khilji attacked Chittor to abduct the beautiful Rani Padmini (Padmavati).
The fortress of Chittorgarh was outnumbered and besieged.
When Padmavati’s husband, Rana Rawal Ratan Singh elected to fight to the death, against the enemy’s vastly superior army, the ranis Padmavati and Nagmati and the girls of Chittor immolated themselves in a vast flaming pyre. This suicide under dire circumstances is called Jauhar. Padmini and her girls have been immortalized in poetry and music which glorify their act.
The song is picturized on Waheeda Rehman in a sky mint colored saree.
The song is a celebration of a fresh look at life -- a rebirth!
काँटों से खींचके ये आँचल, तोड़के बँधन बाँधी पायल, कोई ना रोको दिल की उड़ान को दिल वो चला,
Having snatched this veil from thorns, and breaking (all) bonds, I tied (myself) ankle-bells.
Don’t anybody stop the flight of my fancy! (Lo), there goes my heart.
आ आ आ आ आ आ
आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना है; आज फिर मरने का इरादा है!
Today again I want to live it up; Today again I desire to die!
अपने ही बस में नहीं मैं, दिल है कहीं तो हूँ कहीं मैं, जाने क्या पा के मेरी ज़िंदगी ने, हँसकर कहा
I am not in my own control, My heart is somewhere and I am elsewhere, Wonder what my life perceived and said,
आ हा हा आ आ आ
आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना है, आज फिर मरने का इरादा है
Today again I want to live it up; Today again I desire to die!
मैं हूँ ग़ुबार या तूफ़ाँ हूँ? कोई बताए मैं कहाँ हूँ, डर है सफ़र में कहीं खो न जाऊँ मैं, रस्ता नया
Am I the dust or the storm? Somebody, do tell where I am. I fear I don’t get lost in the journey, the road is anew,
आ आ आ हा आ आ
आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना है, आज फिर मरने का इरादा है
Today again I want to live it up; Today again I desire to die!
कल के अँधेरों से निकलके, देखा है आँखें मलते-मलते, फूल-ही-फूल ज़िंदगी बहार है, तय कर लिया
Emerging from the darknesses of yesterday, and rubbing my eyes I saw, flowers everywhere, and decided Life is springtime!
आ आ आ आ आ आ
आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना है, आज फिर मरने का इरादा है
Today again I want to live it up; Today again I desire to die!
Love the poetry of Shailendra!