Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya – Swana Sundari(1957)

Of late, it has been all rock and pop and fusion – mostly plagiarisms ruling the Indian film music industry. Gone are the days when film music was based on Indian classical music – either Hindustani or the Carnatic variety. In today’s post we’ll listen to two raga-based songs which had captured the imagination of the nation during the period when they were released.

Both these songs are based on the raga Sohini, of the thaat Marwaa. It is a pre-dawn raga, to be performed between 2am – 4am, and is said to be the favorite of Akbar and Man Singh.

The first song is from the film Swarna Sundari, a 1957 remake of the Telugu film Suvarna Sundari. What is interesting to note about this song is that its four verses are based on four different ragas. One of these is Sohini, the others are Bahaar (thaat: Asavari) , Jaunpuri (thaat: Asavari) and Yaman (thaat: Kalyan).

Music by P. Adinarayana Rao. Sung by Mohd. Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.

Lyrics:

[Raga Sohini]

Kuhu-kuhu bole koyaliya
Kunj-kunj mein bhanvre dole gun-gun bole

Saja singaar ritu aayi basanti
Jaise naar koi ho rasvanti
Sa ni dha ma dha ni sa ga ma ga ma dha ni sa
Re sa ni dha ni sa re sa ni sa re sa ni
Dha ni ni dha ni ni dha ni ma dha dha ma dha dha ma dha
Sa re ga ma dha na

Daali-daali kaliyon ko titaliyaan choomein
Phool-phool pankhadiyaan khole amrit ghole

[Raga Bahaar ]

Kaahe ghata mein bijuri chamke
Ho sakta hain megharaaj ne baadariya ka
Shyaam-shyaam mukh choom liya ho
Chori-chori man panchhi ude naina jude

[Raga Jaunpuri ]

Chandrika dekh chhayi piya chandrika dekh chhayi
Chanda se milke man hi man main muskaayi
Chhayi chandrika dekh chhaayi
Sharad suhavan madhu man bhavan
Virahi jano ka sukh sara saavan

[Raga Sohini ]

Chhaayi-chhaayi poonam ki ghataa ghoonghat hata

[Raga Yaman]

Saaras raat man bhaaye priyatama kamal-kamalini mile
Kiran haar damke jal mein chaand chamke
Man saanand, aanand dole re
Ni re ga ma dha ni sa dha ni sa sa ni sa ga re ga
Sa re ni sa dha ni ma dha sa ni re ni re
Dha ni dha ni ma dha ma dha ga ma ga ma
Ga ma dha ni sa ga ma dha ni sa dha ni sa