PREM
DHAWAN’S NATIONALISM- MY
NATIONALISM
Prem Dhawan
the famous lyricist of hindi cinema wrote this song for Bimal Roy production movie -‘Kabuliwala’ :
Aye mere Pyare watan 1
Aye mere bichre
chaman
Tujhpe dil kurban.
Tuhi meri Aarzoo
Tuhi meri Aabroo
Tuhi meri jaan .
Tere daaman
se jo aaye un
hawaon ko salaam
2
Chuum loon mein us zubaan ko
jis pea aye tera
naam
Subse
pyari subah teri ,
subse rangi teri shaam
Tujhpe dil kurbaan…
Maan ka dil
banke kabhi sine
se lag jata hai tu 3
Aur
kabhi nanhi si beti ban ke
yaad aata hai tu
Jitna yaad aata hai mujhko utna tadpa ta hai tu
Tujhpe dil kurbaan.
Chod
kar teri zammeen
ko dur aa
pahunche hai hum 4
Phir
bhi hai yehi tamanna tere
zarroon ki kasam
Hum
jahan paida huein
hainn uus jagah
pe nikle dum
Tujhpe pe dil
kurbaan.
Aye
mere pyare watan…..
The film is based on the famous story of Gurudev
Ravindra Nath Tagore by the same name. It explores life of a Pathan (
played commendably by
Balraj Sahni ) who leaves
Afganistan ( Kabul) for work in Kolkata. He misses his young daughter very
much. During the course of his money lending business as he roams the streets
he comes close to a young girl who reminds him of his daughter . He develops an
emotional bond with her and she too is fond of him. There is drama and anxious
moments as he is jailed as a result of physical scuffle with one of the
lenders. On his return from jail he is
able to meet the young girl as she is about to be married. This song is sung by
one of his mates in the lodge where the Pathans reside.
The song
roughly translates in English as below:
O’
my beloved country 1
O’ my estranged Flower garden
I sacrifice my heart for you..
You
are my hope
You
are my honour
You
are my Life.
I
salute the wind
which flows from
You 2
I shall kiss that person
who mentions your very
name
Sweetest are your
mornings
Most
colourful are your evenings
O’
my beloved country
I
sacrifice my heart for you.
It
is you that I embrace
when I remember my mother 3
And
sometimes you are remembered as
my little daughter
The
more I remember you
the more I suffer
And
my heart longs
for you..
Leaving you
behind we have
come to distant
land 4
Then
too there this
desire, I swear by you
That
I shall breathe
my last on
the land of
my birth
O’
my beloved country my heart
longs for you…
The song is in four stanzas. It reflects deep yearning of the protagonist for his Mother land/ country/place of birth .
In the film it is the Kabuliwala from Kabul - A Pathan. Here he compares his country to a flower
garden and misses her very much-
Nature, fragrance, beauty. He is ever ready to sacrifice his heart for her. His land, his country is his hope and his honour.
He is so proud of it.
He remembers
the cool winds of his land. Looks at the direction from where it emanates. He
is keen to kiss that person who utters the name of his land. He longs for it so
much.
He recollects the mornings and evenings. The natural beauty of his country. His country is synonymous
to his mother and daughter. As he loves his mother so he loves
his country. Finally he desires to
return to her wherever he was and die on the land of his birth.
Therefore the love
of Nation is manifested in varying ways- love for one’s
Mother or daughter. The natural beauty. The famous poet Iqbal also highlights
the natural beauty of India- Gulistan, Himalyas, the rivers in his
famous song ‘Sare jahan se achha…’
Nationalism
is not limited to a few prescribed slogans or sermons. It flows from the heart
of an individual and is manifested sometimes in simple and sometimes in complex
manner.
