Bhagwaan ban’ne ka
Posted by: Atul on: June 5, 2014
This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular 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.
BHAJAN MALA – GOLDEN 50s (Pushp – 9)
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Today’s bhajan is from a film called Patit Pawan-1955.
The word Patit Paawan is generally used for Shri Ram. This is based on a story that, Ahilya, who was the wife of Rishi Gautam,was very beautiful and was cheated by Indra Dev. Smitten by her beauty, he comes disguised as Rishi Gautam, her husband and has a good time with her. When the real Rishi Gautam comes to know about it, he is so furious that he curses Ahilya and turns her into a stone and she would have to remain in that state till Sri Ram’s feet touched her when she would regain her human form. After a few years, Lord Shri Ram comes that way and touches the stone and thereby frees Ahilya from the curse and she regains her human form. Thus, a Patit (the fallen one) is made Paawan (is purified), hence the name Patit Paawan for Shri Ram.
However, today’s film story is not about Ahilya, but it is about a devotee called Nama. More about it later. The story of Ahilya was made into a film ‘ Patit Paawan ” aka Ahilya Uddhar”,in 1933. In this film Durga Khote was Ahilya, P.Jairaj was Indra and Krishnarao Gorey was Rishi Gautam. There is a very funny episode about this film.
Paidi Jairaj or P. Jairaj ( 28-9-1909 to 11-8-2000 ) was a very handsome and well built young man, when he joined films. After doing 11 silent films, he did his first Talkie, “Shikari” in 1932. It was produced by a Hyderabad company-Eastern Films. acted in 170 films and went on to receive the Phalke award and Padma Bhushan in 1980.
In the early phase of Talkie films, there used to be, on an average 15 to 20 songs in every film. It was compulsory for every Hero and Heroine to sing their own songs live( playback came in 1935 and became common in 38-39 only). To help the non singer actors, studios used to keep trained classical experts. Otherwise also most Music Directors in those days were classical singers themselves.
Thus, Jairaj too was expected to sing songs. He did not like singing, because he was horrible in singing. The Music Director of the film Patit paawan-33 was Prof.B.R.Deodhar, who was a classical singer himself. (Later on he established a musical school). he was determined to make Jairaj sing a song. Finally a song was recorded and filmed-“prem magan sakhi”. Jairaj had sung it so badly,that the song was removed from the film from the second show itself. Jairaj is probably,the only Hero of those days who never sang in films. Even as a lip syncer of songs (after playback singing became the norm),Jairaj has sung less than 20 songs on screen despite acting in nearly 170 movies!
Talking about ” Patit Paawan”-1955, it was a film produced by Hema Sapru, wife of actor Sapru, for their banner D.K.Films. The director was Vasant Painter and the Music Director was Jamal Sen. The name Vasant Painter is very obscure.
Vasant Anandrao Painter was born in a village near Kolhapur in 1913. By the time he became 20 year old, the Silent film era was in full swing and many films were made in Kolhapur, Poona and Bombay. He had a liking for painting, so he picked up poster painting work, first in Maharashtra Film company and later in Prabhat film company when it was started in Kolhapur. He did all jobs, including assisting in cinematography and direction.
His first break came when he was 33 year old. He got an opportunity to direct Prabhat’s film ” Gokul”-46 and later on ” Seedha Raasta”-47. After V.Shantaram had left Prabhat to start his own Rajkamal, Vassnt Painter remained in Prabhat loyally, so he got the reward. Actress Kamala Kotnis had floated a production company, Kamala Chitra Ltd. She invited Painter to direct her film,’Sati Ahilya’-49. Snehal Bhatkar was the Mujsic Director of this movie. Painter directed ‘ Bhishma Pratignya ‘-1950. This was probably ,the only Mythological film Nargis had acted in, with Shahu Modak.. His other films were, Murliwala, Devyani, Sajni, Patit paawan, Gokul ka chor, Pyar ki jeet-62 and Dagaa-77. Meanwhile he was producing and directing several Marathi films too. He won 9 awards, including the prestigious ” V.Shantaram Award”.
Vasant Painter died on 31-5-2006, leaving behind him 6 daughters and one son.
The music of Patit Paawan-55 was given by Jamal Sen. This name is not a famous name, because he gave music in just a few films, but the industrywallahs and lovers of classic music know him too well. He was one of those few ones who had immense capability, but like Sajjad Hussain,he too was stubborn, unbending, egoistic, outspoken and reserved. In an industry full of Chamchaas and cut throat competition, artistes like Jamal or Sajjad were misfits.
Lata Mangeshkar respected him so much that to sing in his films, she sent several feelers and messages to him till she was called by him.
If talent were the only criterion for a composer to succeed, Jamal Sen should have been the most successful music director of his time. But he was not.
His proficiency in singing, dancing (Kathak) and poetry, which lent a touch of completeness to his musical acumen and set him apart from the run-of-the-mill composers, became a liability for him in an industry which had no value for real class. The result: a composer who gave such brilliant scores as in Shokiyan and Daaera, died unsung, after a long spell of isolation.
In his last days Sen had but one friend, composer Ghulam Mohammed, who after being afflicted with a serious heart ailment, had shifted to Bombay’s far off suburb, Borivli, where he (Sen) was living in a dilapidated room.
Jamal Sen’s forefather Kesarji who hailed from Sujangadh in Rajasthan, was said to be a disciple of Tansen and was hence called Kesar Sen. The family tradition in music was passed on to Jamal at a very young age by his father Jeevan Sen, a court singer and an acknowledged Ustad. Jamal, who could sing and play various musical instruments was especially good on the dholak, tabla andpakhawaj.
While in Lahore, Jamal Sen was introduced by music director Shyam Sunder to Master Ghulam Haider, which marked the beginning of a fruitful association spanning 12 years. Sen’s knowledge of classical and folk music and his mastery over the dholak made him an asset to Ghulam Haider in films from Khazanchi (1941) to Majboor (1948), until Masterji migrated to Pakistan in the wake of Partition.
Then a chance meeting with director Kidar Sharma gave him a break in films as a composer, and he proved his virtuosity in his very first film, Shokhiyan in 1951.
The imaginative use of the raag Yaman Kalyan in Sapana ban sajan aaye (Lata Mangeshkar) was a testimony to the composer’s command over classical music. The songs — Raaton ki neend cheen li (Suraiya), a ghazal where melody is predominant, and Aai barkha bahar (Lata, Pramodini, chorus)—bore the richness of Rajasthani folk music. A Door des se aajare (Suraiya, Lata) is a classic example of folk and classical music intermingling to create an enchanting melodic pattern.
Shokhiyan was followed by Kamal Amrohi’s Daera in 1953. Though a flop, the film is remembered for the perennial appeal of the bhajan, Devta tum ho mera sahara, maine thama hai daman tumhara (Rafi, Mubarak Begum, chorus), in raag Bhoop. When the situation required, Sen could also compose a Western tune Sun sun meri kahani (Rafi) for Bhagwan’s Rangila!
Jamal Sen, who had begun his career as a singer on AIR, Calcutta—he was among the first to singVande Mataram on radio—should have stuck to a career in, classical singing. With his talent and lofty ideals, he was a misfit in films. His inability to manipulate and his refusal to compromise, made him a loner, and the mediocre films which he scored music for led to a colossal waste of his rich talent.
Later, when K. Asif announced Sasta Khoon Mehenga Paani, which had a Rajasthani backdrop, he-asked Jamal Sen to be an advisor to bring authenticity to Naushad’s compositions. But luck once again played traunt with him and the project never saw the light of day.
A proud and arrogant man, Jamal Sen never went out of his way to grab work. As a result, he was slowly relegated to the periphery of the music scene, and then to oblivion. Shokhiyan and Daerawere a thing of the past. A commerce-oriented cinema had little use for his talent. Under the circumstances, it was a poor consolation to him that his imaginative score in the documentary,Madhumakhi, won laurels abroad.
Jamal Sen knew his prowess. And was proud of it. Once, after hearing him sing, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan called him a `Tansen’ and a ‘Sur Ka Bichhu’, Ustad Amir Khan described him as ‘Sangeet Shastri’. Notwithstanding the impressive titles and tributes, Jamal Sen continued to exist in a state of penury, unwanted and uncared for.
In his later years, out of sheer frustration, he turned to liquor, and lived on the hope that his sons Shambhu Sen and Madan Sen would carry forward the family’s rich tradition in music. But Madan suddenly died of heart failure at the young age of 40. And he never recovered from the shock. Within a year, on April 12, 1979, he too died . ( This information is based on an article by Shri Nalin Shah.Thanks to him.)
Few years back I had read a book” Rahen na rahen hum” by Shantaram Mankikar.I had made some notes from this book. One of the notes is about Jamal Sen-
Jamal Sen knew Producer Director K.Asif for many years.Once they met somewhere and Asif took Jamal to the sets of Mughal-E Azam. There a dance sequence was to be shot and Gopikrishna was rehearsing the steps.Jamal saw everything but did not comment anything. As Asif knew him well,he suspected something and asked Jamal what was wrong. Jamal told him that the sets are absolutely appropriate but the dance steps and the ‘Bol’ were not comensurate with the period when Akbar was reigning. Asif asked him then and there to make new Dance steps,prepare the ‘Bol’ and make music for that sequence.
Jamal Sen did that and Asif was more than happy.
However that piece of Dance and music was not used by Naushad in the film.
Jamal sen fell isolated and lonely,due to his proud and arrogant nature.He never bent to beg for work and soon was thrown out of the Industry. Out of frustration,he took to Drinking .After his second son Madan died at 40 yrs of age,Jamal Sen took a shock and died within 6 months after that.
Jamal sen composed music for films like Shokhiyan,Dayara,Dharam Patni,Rangeela,Patit Pawan,Ritu Bahar,Amar Shaheed,Aalha Udal,Manchali,Sankalpa,Baghdad and Kasturi(with Pankaj Mallick).
The cast of the film Patit Paawan-55 was,Sapru,Sulochana,lalita Pawar,Hemavati,Ulhas,Vinod kumar (Child artist-who became a hero,Vinod mehra later on )jeewan,Dubey etc etc. The story of the film was built around Dama Shetty,who lived happily in a village with his wife Guniya,son Nama and daughter in law Raji. His son was married in his childhood only. Dama shetty was a very pious and good person who helped the needy. he was respected in nearby villages too. However Nama was opposite to him. he only played all day and never belived in God. Dama used to scold him so that he will improve. Instead,one day nama ran away to the jungle to avoid father’s admonishments every day. he was found by a dacoit’s gang. many years passed and now Nama was a famous and dreaded Dacoit. His wife was hoping that some day Nama would come back.
One day Raji came across Nama the dacoit. By now Dama Shetty had died. She told her about father’s death and gave him lot of advise to give up bad life and worship God. Nama’s mind changed and he decided to reform himself. he felt that he was the cause of father’s death. Nama gave up everything and started worshipping God.However the village purohit Parshuram Bhagwat did not believe him and banned his entry into the temple. Nama stayed outside and prayed. That year there was a terrible famine in the area. Nama decided to ask God’s help by fasting and he started his jaap and fasting till he almost became a dying person.
Seeing his devotion God was pleased and it started raining heavily. soon the villages prospered again and Nama the Patit (the fallen one) became Paawan (purified).
Song-Bhagwaan ban’ne ka Prabhu jhoothha bahaana chhod de (Patit Paawan)(1955) Singer-Rafi, Lyrics-Bharat Vyas, MD-Jamal Sen
Lyrics
Bhagwan ban’ne ka prabhu jhoothha bahaana chhod de
bhagwaan ban’ne ka prabhu jhoothha bahaana chhod de
mai patit hoon oon oon oon
mai patit hoon
tu patit paawan kahaana chhod de
bahaana chhod de
bhagwan ban’ne ka prabhu jhoothha bahaana chhod de
log kehte hain teri karuna se duniya bhar gayi
ek thoker se jo pathhar ki Ahilya tar gayi
main bhi aaya hoon oon oon oon
main bhi aaya hoon sharan
tu munh chupaana chhod de
bahaana chhod de
bhagwaan ban’ne ka prabhu jhootha bahaana chhod de
kya ye sach hai Draupdi ka
toone cheer badhaaya
kya toone cheer badhaaya
kya ye sach hai arjun ka rath
toone aap chalaya
kya toone aap chalaya
kya geeta mein karm yog ka
toone gyaan sikhaya
kya bhaarat me maha bhaarat ka
tune yudh rachaya
kya tune yudh rachaaya
ye ager sach hai ae ae ae ae
ye ager sach hai to
chhup chhup ke sataana chhod de
rulaana chhod de
bhagwaan ban’ne ka prabhu jhootha bahaana chhod de
chaahe andheri raat
chaahe barsaat chaahe toofaan ho
chaahe dolti ho dharti
aur garaj raha aasmaan ho
is mandir ke dwaar band kar
dikhlaate kya shaan ho
mere man mandir se niklo
to jaanoon bhagwaan ho o o
dwaar khol do o o
dwaar khol do o o
dwaar khol do o o
5 Responses to "Bhagwaan ban’ne ka"
June 5, 2014 at 4:47 pm
Arunji,
Thanks for the info on Jamal Sen. I was impressed by the marathon bhajan in 4/5 parts in Daera’ He is my fav MD.
Apart from the films cited by you he also sang in
a) Dharam Patni-1953> jiya lehar lehraya>Mashubala Jhaveri> Bharat V
b) Ritu Vihar-1954> aare re re bulund ke teer by Asha; Kavi Pradeep
c) Pehla Kadam-1980 > beeta hua ek sawan; lyrics by Kedar Sharma >classy
d) NFS by Rafi> arman machal rahe hai dil e beqarar me>beautiful
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June 5, 2014 at 5:48 pm
Nitin ji,
As far as I know, Jamal Sen NEVER sang any song.
-AD
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June 6, 2014 at 11:43 pm
Arunji,
Thanks for being facetious Sorry. I should have said gave music. Of course he was not a professional singer as we all know. Thanks
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June 6, 2014 at 4:39 am
Daeera will always remain favorite as far as Jamal Sen is concerned. Arun-ji; thanks very much for a detailed write-up on three artists.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
June 5, 2014 at 12:54 pm
Arunji,
Thanks for the post with valuable information. You have covered three artists, P. Jairaj, Vasant Painter and Jamal Sen….. in one post. Hats off to you. 🙂
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