Himanshuprakash Roy, a student of Brahma Vidyalaya in Santiniketan, writes: “In those days when the boys would go out cheering in the torrential rain of Santiniketan, from time-to-time Gurudev himself would join in that boisterous, soaked game, dancing drunkenly, singing Aaj baari jhore jhoro jhoro”.
The song is composed in pure Iman raga. Rabindranath broke all conventional customs by using Iman in monsoon songs. But the effectiveness of this application can be easily felt from the song.
The exuberant joy of the rain’s flow, the rhythmic dance of the waves pounding the coast, the playful madness of the storm in the canopy of the sal tree, none of these are captured by Malhar or Megh ragas. That’s why the poet has quickly embraced the rapid rhythm of Iman along with the Teora meter to bring forth this special form of rain.
English translation (Lyrics) of the Rabindrasangeet: Aaj baari jhore jhoro jhoro
Today, in the midst of Bhadra, there is a torrential downpour,
The skies seem to descend in an unceasing cascade of rain.
The storm rages intermittently in the sal forest,
The flow of water meanders through the meadows.
Who is dancing today, blowing aside the cluster of clouds?
My mind is flowing along with the rain, sprawled in the storm,
At whose feet does the wave surmounting my breast fall?
The turmoil within me has broken all shackles,
The impassioned being in my heart has come alive
This day in the month of Bhadra,
Who is the soul that rejoices, without and within?
Some useful information on the Rabindrasangeet: Aaj baari jhore jhoro jhoro
Written on: August 30, 1909, at Bolpur
Age of the poet: 48
Published in: Manasi (1909)
Parjaay (Category): Prakriti (Nature)
Upa-parjaay (Sub-category): Barsha (Monsoon)
Taal: Teora
Raga: Yaman (Iman)
Notation: Ketaki
Swarabitan: Vol. 11
Notation by: Dinendranath Tagore
Purpose of this Rabindrasangeet presentation:
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Tagore’s music resonates with people from all walks of life. His songs are performed at cultural events, religious ceremonies and social gatherings, reflecting their enduring popularity. In an effort to bring home this treasure trove to the non-Bengali population and Bengalis around the globe, Brainware University offers a selection of Rabindrasangeet in this presentation. It is enriched with details on the songs and relevant anecdotes.
Sung By
Sri Phalguni Mookhopadhayay
Chancellor, Brainware University
Phalguni Mookhopadhayay is the founder-Chancellor of Brainware University, founder-Chairman and Managing-Director of Brainware Consultancy Private Limited and founder-Chairman of Webguru Infosystems Private Limited. He did his schooling at Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur, and graduated with honours in Economics from St Xavier’s College, Kolkata. He completed his masters in Economics from Calcutta University and MBA from IISWBM, before joining Hindustan Lever as a management trainee. He worked as a market planner for the ABP group for nearly a decade before striking out on his own and successfully launching two private limited companies and one University. Phalguni Mookhopadhayay is a self-taught digital artist, a versatile photographer, a filmmaker and a weekend singer who has already recorded 78 songs and is now immersed in a project to popularise Tagore songs among a global audience.
