The lap of mother nature is always fulfilling. When the artificiality of the material world puts us off, we seek solace in the bounty of nature and its elements. Prominent elements of nature saluted in Hindi film songs include the mountains & valleys, rivers & oceans, trees & flowers, clouds & rain and sunshine and breeze.
I am aware that the list of great songs on nature is very long and not all can be accomodated in a list of 10, so I do the next best thing here, which is to dedicate this review to such wonderful songs which missed my list. Notable ommissions include Hari Bhari Vasundhara, Mannn Kahe main jhoomon, Aawara Bhanware jo holey holey gaaye, Yeh raatein yeh mausam nadi ka kinaara, Phir chhidi raat baat phoolon ki.
Here is my list of 10 songs of nature:
1. **Phoolon mein jo khushboo hai, kaise woh aati hai.Ajooba Ajooba
*(Jeans/ Javed Akhtar/ A.R. Rahman /Sadhna Sargam & Hariharan)
This song wonderfully reflects the magic of nature: where from do the flowers get their fragrance, how come wind pumped into a flute produces music? The wonder of nature are mind boggling! Sample this:
Phoolon mein jo khushboo hai, kaise woh aati hai, Titli kahan se yeh saare rang laati hai,
Hawa ko baansuri banaati hai sangeet kaise, Koyal ne seekhe hain yeh itne saare geet kaise…
2. *Deewaana hua baadal
*(Kashmir Ki Kali /S.H. Bihari / O.P. Nayyar /Mohd. Rafi & Asha Bhonsle)
The mesmeric tempo of this robust romantic Shammi Kapoor song saluting the dark, rain-laden clouds almost makes you sniff the first rain of the season.(Since most of his songs have been picturized in the backdrop of hills, in my childhood days I used to think of Shammi Kapoor as a Kashmiri!)
Deewaana hua baadal, saawan ki ghata chaayi, Yeh dekh ke dil jhooma, li pyaar ne angadayee
*3.Thandi hawayein, lehra ke aayein
*(Naujawan /Sahir / S.D. Burman/ Lata Mangeshkar)
Set on an Arabian tune, the opening bars of the song make one’s heart flutter. And what follows is sheer magic:
Thandi hawayein, lehra ke aayein, Rut hain jawan, unko yahan, kaise bulaayein.
Chand aur tare, hanste nazaare, milke sabhi, dil mein sakhi, jadoo jagaayein, Thandi hawayein.
*4. Tum gagan ke chandrama ho, main dhara ki bhool hoon
*(Sati Savitri/ Bharat Vyas/ Laxmikant-Pyarelal / Lata Mangeshkar)
The raga based song uses elements of nature of depict the contrasts between a hopelessly in love damsel and her unmindful beau.
Tum gagan ke chandrama ho, main dhara ki bhool hoon,
Tum prano ke devtaa ho, main samarpit phool hoon…
Tum mahasagar ki seema, main kinaare ki leher,
Tum mahasangeet ke swar, main adhoori saans hoon
5. **Yeh dil aur unki nigaahon ke saaye
*(Prem Parbat /Jaan Nisar Akhtar / Jaidev /Lata Mangeshkar)
Amid cadence of santoor and flow of jharna, the first ray of sun touching the mountain peak and gentle breeze kissing the river, the mind takes its flight in the lap of nature. This song instantly teleports us to a Manali/Nainital type of hill-station. Try this:
Pahaadon ko chanchal kiran choomti hai, hawa har nadi ka badan choomti hai
Yahan se wahan tak, hain chaahon ke saaye, yeh dil aur unki nigaahon ke saaye
Lipat-te hain pedon se baadal ghanere, yeh pal pal ujaale yeh pal pal andhere
Bahut thande thande, hain raahon ke saaye, yeh dil aur unki nigaahon ke saaye
*6. Suhaana safar aur yeh mausam haseen
*(Madhumati /Shailendra /Salil Chowdhury /Mukesh)
What do I say about this one. The song says it on its own. Try this:
Yeh kaun hansta hai phoolon mein chhupkar, bahar bechain hai jiski dhun par
Kahin gumsum, kahi rumjhum ke jaise naache zameen, suhana safar aur yeh mausam haseen Yeh gori nadiyon ka chalna uchhalkar, ke jaise alhad chale pee se milkar…
Yeh aasman jhuk raha hai zameen par, yeh milan humne dekha yaheen par,
Meri duniya, mere sapne, mileinge shaayad yaheen, suhana safar aur…
*7. Oh re taal mile nadi ke jal mein, nadi mile saagar mein
*(Anokhi Raat /Indivar / Roshan/ Mukesh)
One of the most philosophical songs of all times, this was also the last composition of legendary composer Roshan(known to the present generation only as Hritik Roshan’s grand-father). And how beautifully Indivar sa’ab has juxtaposed elements of nature and cycle of life. Sample this:
Sooraj ko dharti tarse, dharti ko chandrama, Paani mein seep jaise, pyaasi har aatma,
Boond chhupi kis baadal mein, koi jaane na, oh re taal mile nadi ke jal mein,
Nadi mile saagar mein, Saagar mile kaun se jal mein, koi jaane na.
*8. Yeh raat, yeh chaandni phir kahan, sun ja dil ki daastaan
*(Jaal / Sahir / S.D. Burman /Hemant Kumar)
Here the call of love is draped in the elements of nature…pedon ki shaakon pe soi soi chaandni, aur thodi der mein thak ke laut jayegi, raat yeh bahaar ki, phir kabhi na aayegi.
And the song goes on:
Lehron ke honthon pe dheema dheema raag hai, Bheegi hawaaon mein thandi thandi aag hai,
Is haseen aag mein, tu bhi jal ke dekh le, zindagi ke geet ki dhun badal ke dekh le,
Khulne de ab dhadkano ki zubaan, sun ja dil ki daastaan. Yeh raat, yeh chandni.
*9. Aaha rimjhim ke ye pyaare pyaare geet liye
*(Usne Kaha Tha /Shailendra / Salil Chowdhury / Lata Mangeshkar & Talat Mahmood)
First shower of the monsoon, pleasant night, chirping birds and amidst all this are the two dreamy lovers. Perfect setting for a romantic evening.
Aaaha rimjhim key yeh pyaare pyaare geet liye, aayi raat suhaani dekho preeet liye
Meet mere suno zara hawa kahe kya, suno to zara, jhingur bole cheeki meeki cheeki meeki
Khoi si bheegi bheegi raat jhoome, aankhon mein sapno ki baraat jhoome,
Dil ki yeh duniya baadlon ke saath jhoome
*10. Tu chanda main chandni
*(Reshma aur Shera /Jaidev / Balkavi Bairagi / Lata Mangeshkar)
A great composition by Jaidev, very earthy lyrics by Balkavi Bairagi(instantly take you to Rajasthani dunes), and indeed great crooning by Lataji! And the Indianness in its orchestrization is just too good. The song has very different representation of natural elements:
Tu chanda main chandni, tu taruvar main shaakh re, Tu baadal, main bijuri, tu panthi main paat re…Na sarvar, Na baavdi, Na koi thandi chhaon, Na koyal, Na papeehara, aisa mera gaon re
Kahan bujhe tan ki tapan, O saiyya sirmour, Chandra kiran ko chhodkar, Jaaye kahan chakor
Jaag uthi hai saanware, Meri kunwari pyaas re, Angaare bhi lagne lage, Aaj mujhe madhumaas re
This completes the list of my favourite songs of nature. I hope you liked it.