Sakal Bana Saraso by Amir Khusro in Raag Bahaar (Lyrics, meaning, and more)
This song from Hiramandi has become famous and so has Raag Bahar. Here's the song and Amir Khusrow's poetry making magic. There's a bonus story on the pigment yellow, gomutra, and color bans.
This song is a big hit, and 700 years after its writing, the words have captured people’s imaginations yet again. While Hiramdee and its cast might have polarized the nation, this song did the opposite. In Bollywood, the songs are a prelude to the plot. This song describes the season of Spring, the time for new flowers and harvests. It also tells the timeless story of unrequited love.
Of all the human emotions, that of romantic love is closely tied to the changing seasons, each month bringing a special message to the beloved, every season a special reminder of the joys of love and longing, the changing seasons reflecting the varying moods of romantic love and the songs of the seasons echoing a melody that resonates through the heart of the lover and the beloved. - [Source]
The Words
Translated to Hindi and transliterated to English. Originally written by Amir Khusrow in Persian. Here’s a link to the urdu version.
सकल बन फूल रही सरसों
The entire forest is blooming with mustard flowers
बन बन फूल रही सरसों
Forest after forest, mustard is blooming
अम्बवा फूटे टेसू फूले
Mango trees have sprouted, flame of the forest (palash) has bloomed
कोयल बोले डार-डार
The cuckoo sings from branch to branch
और गोरी करत सिंगार
And the fair maiden adorns herself
मलनियाँ गढवा ले आईं कर सों
The gardeners have brought water pots in their hands
सकल बन फूल रही सरसों
The entire forest is blooming with mustard flowers
तरह तरह के फूल खिलाए
Various types of flowers have bloomed
ले गढवा हाथन में आए
They came with water pots in their hands
निजामुद्दीन के दरवज्जे पर
At Nizamuddin's door
आवन कह गए आशिक़ रंग
The colorful lovers said they would come
और बीत गए बरसों
And years have passed
सकल बन फूल रही सरसों
The entire forest is blooming with mustard flowers
Transliterated English Lyrics
Sakal bun phool rahi sarson, (or Saghan bhun)
Sakal bun phool rahi.....
Umbva phutay, tesu phulay, koyal bolay daar daar,
Aur gori karat singaar,
Malaniyan gadhwa lay aayin karson,
Sakal bun phool rahi.....
Tarah tarah kay phool lagaaye,
Lay gadhwa haathan mein aaye.
Nijamudin kay darwazay par,
Aawan keh gaye aashaq rung,
Aur beet gaye barson.
Sakal bun phool rahi sarson
Speakers of Hindi / Urdu will empathize with the song's meter, and several great explanations for its meaning are available online.
Meaning
This poem paints a vivid picture of Spring. Mustard flowers blooming everywhere, painting forests yellow. It contrasts what’s happening in nature with what happens with humans. It then mentions Nizaamuddin’s (Amir Khusrow’s teacher) door and lovers making promises. It's like saying, "Hey, life goes on, and spring always comes back around."
Raag Bahar
Categorized into the Kafi family of Raags, this raag is predominantly sung during the spring and early summer. It’s usually performed at midnight and is very reminiscent of Malhar. It shares the same notes but does not carry the long Meends and gravitas of Miya Malhar.
The chief features of Bahar are apprehended in the following:
S M , M P (M)g M, (P)n P M P (M)g M n D N S” (P)n P, n P M P (M)g M, (S)R S
As can be seen, strands of Bageshree and Kanada are co-opted and spliced in novel fashion to create an independent identity. The komal nishad dominates, the shuddha nishad is used only in prayogas of the type: M n D N S”; D N S” R” N S”; N S” R” S” n D
Bahar is rich in compositions in all genres. [by Parrikarji]
It’s an exuberant Raag and opens straight to mid-to-high octave (uttanga pradan). It also fits the description of a Spring raag well, in that, Shringar or romance comes through prominently in compositions as does the feeling of “fresh”ness you associate with a new harvest.
As for Sakala Bana, Bahar adds a mesmerizing allure to the words. You’ll find several versions of this from artists around the world. Coke Studio Pakistan covered this with Rizwan & Muazzam Ali Khan’s vocals. Yet again, I’m amazed by how we, as a populace, keep returning to words and melodies from 700 years back and still find them engaging and relevant to this era of music and stories.
Here are some other Songs in Raag Bahar for the curious
Kaliyana Sanga Karata Rangaraliya by Pt Sawai Gandharva, Pt D V Paluskar, and Bhimsenji.
Nayi Rut Ayi and a Tarana by Pt Rajguru
The Color Yellow (bonus section)
While picking paintings and images for this article, I came across several articles from Art historians and artists about Indian Yellow. It turns out that Yellow 🟡 , the pigment, originated in India sometime around the 1500s. It was first used in Mughal Era watercolors and illustrations to depict the Sun, Marigolds, sometimes gold, and other subjects of the time. My previous post on Raag Basant used a painting from the 1750’s with this color.
The pigment was first believed to have been developed in the 15th century and it was used liberally in Mughal, Rajasthani and Pahari miniatures as well as murals of that period. Some of the most glorious art of that period has been coloured using this pigment. Used to drape gods, in depictions of spring and summers, in flowers and animals, it is one of the most striking aspects of Indian painting.
The Indian Yellow, soon travelled to Europe and was transported through the ports of Calcutta. There it would be sold in compact balls, 2 to 4 ounces in weight, with a brown-green exterior and a rich yellow interior. The smell of these pigment balls has been described as being pungent and rank. [continue reading …]
There are countless rumors about the origin of the smell of the color yellow. For a long time, it was believed that Indian buffalos and cows were fed a diet of Mango leaves, and their bovine urine was dried and distilled to create the pigment. Owing to its cruelty, the British colonists even banned its production for a few years. Read some of the linked articles to know more.
Thank you for reading.
References
Indian Yellow: Science unlocks the mystery of a fabled pigment by Meena NS