Shivaranjini?

When I’m in England, my day usually starts with music on the Bangla channel.  That is probably quite a telling reflection of the complex mishmash of influences that  has formed my  musical tastes and passions.

This morning, my soul was stirred by a wonderful Nazrul song Ogo Boishakhi Jhar.  Exquisitely plaintive, yearning, indescribably beautiful. But the little niggle at the back of my brain kept trying to figure out the raga . Gut instinct is to say Shivaranjini. I do not have enough expert or technical knowledge to tell for sure. My unreliable strategy  for diagnosis is to compare  with film songs whose raga base is familiar. Janey kahan gaye woh din is Shivaranjini. So is Kaheen deep jale kahi dil. But  the instrumental introduction has a worrying whiff of Kuhu kuhu boley koyeliya …   which is Sohini.

If you are an expert, please feel free to put me out of my misery. I will acknowledge your explanation!

The lyrics would be soppy and maudlin in the hands of a lesser poet. But here, set to this melody…it is hard not to be moved … pleading with the April storm to blow away  buds that have fallen off the tree before their time and been trampled underfoot.. Sob’n’gulp !! Do listen, even if you are not “into” Bengali music.  With your heart, and don’t let your brain interfere, as mine tried to.

 

Once I had Shivaranjini on my brain, I just had to share one of my all time favourite songs from Bees Saal Baad (1962).  Based on a Bangla thriller , and also  loosely on Hound of the Baskervilles. Spooky movie, with a seriously haunting song to match. Hemant Kumar uses the notes of Shivaranjini to terrific goose-bump effect. I am told that Shakeel Badayuni won an award for these lyrics.

The translations available on the internet are dire. I prefer to paraphrase rather than murder the poetry…All about the moth having to choose his  doom and destination  – both the lamp and the heart are aflame. Neither a dream, nor a secret …just an anguished voice begging the beloved not to delay any more. Much, much Uff  Factor. Exactly the right words in the right melody. ❤ ❤

And if it turns out to be NOT Shivaranjini?

What’s in a name? It pleases me, so it’s is Me-Ranjini .