July 3, 2009

Mauja Hi Mauja - The Assamese Connection

We've all heard and loved Pritam's Mauja Hi Mauja from Jab We Met. Did you know that in addition to the Punjabi lyrics, it also has two or three lines from a popular Assamese song? The highlighted lines (see below) can be heard in Mauja Hi Mauja's background:

"Rodaali e' rod de
Aali kaati jaali dim
Bor pira paari dim
Taate bohi bohi rod de
Taate bohi bohi rod de"

Children, especially in villages, would sing this song when they are unable to go outdoors to play at the paddy fields due to incessant rain. They would try to 'please the Sun', hoping for some sunshine in return. This kind of a song is known as a Umala Geet in Assamese culture.

Mauja Hi Mauja is a brilliant blend of Punjabi and Assamese words for which credit must be given to the music arranger, Dhrubajyoti Phukan.

Surprisingly, when you search for Mauja Hi Mauja's lyrics on the internet, you don't find the Assamese lines anywhere. Click here for complete lyrics (missing lyrics added).

There are also songs known as Nichukoniya Geet which are the Assamese lullabies. One very popular lullaby is Aamare Moina Xuboe' (Our beautiful child will go to sleep). It appeared in one of the early Assamese films called Pioli Phukan in 1955 (composer: Dr. Bhupen Hazarika). You can listen to the original track below. Also check out a different version of the song composed by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika.

Aamare Moina
Version 1 from Pioli Phukan (1955):

Version 2:

10 comments:

  1. That's so true Bhargav. I have an Assamese roommate, and fortunately she's a singer herself.

    She too told me of this. Earlier I never believed because I thought if it'd actually be so, then why don't Assamese sue Pritam , but then later when she sang the song with her Assamese pals, I realized its true.

    And I guess, Pritam is smart rather than being a copycat. For he is smart enough to do what people don't retaliate or fight back.

    It isn't wrong.

    But anyways, cool info, very few people know.

    CHEERS!

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  2. hehe...ofcoz...me being an assamese knew about it the first time itself....but not many ppl here knows it...
    good job bhargav

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  3. I never knew this!

    Thanks for the info! ;)

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  4. i hate copiers... Its high time indian filmies give some kinda respect to originality...

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  5. Good job Bhargav !! ana-axomiya bilake gomei puwa nasil axomiya lyrics use korise buli :))

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  6. Thanks for putting this together. I've been looking all over the net to find out what they were saying. It makes perfect sense now.
    -Rob

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  7. Mumbaikars must learn to appriciate da work of assamese people.there are lot of assamese ppl who are striving hard and doing brilliant work in da film industry without any appreciation or recognition, mauja hi mauja is one example. Listen to lady gaga's 'eh eh' bollywood remix,its an assamese n english remix. Great job by assamese, m proud of them!

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  8. Proud to be an assamese..joi aai axom

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  9. Also check out the song 'aila re aila' from the movie Khatta meetha (2010)..

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