Songs of Alankar: Women Obsessed With Jewellery?

Commemorating International Women’s Day

Last year around the time I wrote about the subtleties of female bonding on the International Women’s Day, a momentous event called “Pre-Wedding” was taking place at Jamnagar. It filled me with pride, as I am sure it would have many Indians, that at the bash hosted by an Indian tycoon the world’s top multi-billionaires and celebrities were landing up in their private jets at the Jamnagar ‘International’ Airport and dancing to his tunes, dressing up for multifarious events as per the given chart, and serving food to the guests with beaming smiles displacing the liveried waiters. Mark Zuckerberg for the first time in his life gave up his trademark T – the style statement of a Silicon Valley nerd – and ‘dressed up’ for the occasion. We also knew that some ladies were wearing on their person the GDP of some middle-sized countries.

Many months later, reverberations had not died down when I saw media reports that after the event emerald’s prices had shot up. The jewellers were busy with enquiries whether they could make an emerald and diamond necklace like the one worn by so and so at Jamnagar. If anyone had notions about gender issues, Jamnagar must have dispelled their misconception. The primary concern of modern women are dresses and jewellery.

They had a couple of more pre-weddings. The social media has some kill-joys who carp at someone having a nice time. So after the next one at Italy-Luxury Cruise-France, they decided to go low key, and held the third Pre-Wedding at Amchi Mumbai where the entertainer was some Justin Bieber and the theme was simply gold. This Justin fellow did not have a proper shirt, therefore, he was entertaining the guests in ganjee (vests).

Besides (golden) jewellery being viewed as a saving and investment instrument, there are ritual occasions like marriages, festivals, poojas, when the women are bedecked with jewellery aapadmastak (from foot to head). On such occasions there is also a tradition of gifting gold. Some ornaments are seen as a sine qua non for a suhagan (married woman). All these drive India as one of the largest consumers of gold, most of it imported. This gave rise to a plethora of films in which gold from Dubai landed at the Versova beach, and the receiver had to show one half of the currency note, the other half being in the carrier’s hand. Now they don’t make films like that. Gold smuggling has not stopped, but methods have become more straightforward. A minor starlet of Kannada films happens to be a stepdaughter of a DG Police. That gave her enough clout to have a free passage at the airport. Her numerous trips to the gulf aroused the suspicion of DRI and she was caught recently with crores worth of gold. Now she is cooling her heels in the jail.

Most jewellery shops have the word ’alankar’ in their name, to leave no doubt what they carry. Jewellery shops dotting marketplaces is a very Indian thing to cater to women. In Indian enclaves abroad – Little India in Singapore, Southall in London, Queens in New York City or Devon Avenue in Chicago – which transport you to Karol Bagh, you would find a row of jewellery shops in the midst of Saree shops and Matching Centres.

Our films and songs, among other things also reflect our culture and traditions. Hence we find many songs on every piece of jewellery. Let us see some important alankars from foot to head.

Payal
A silver anklet worn in the foot is a popular jewellery. It is even more popular in film music. As the woman moves about, the payal creates a sonorous sound. There are folk and semi-classical bandishes how even the tiptoe movement of a shy bride announces her rendezvous.

1. Jhan jhan jhan jhan payal baaje by Lata Mangeshkar from Buzdil (1951), lyrics Shailendra, music SD Burman

Made immortal by Ustad Faiyyaz Khan this traditional bandish in Raag Nat Bihag has been an eternal favourite of classical singers. This was also a great favourite of his protégé SD Burman who had sung it long ago. Lata Mangeshkar’s rendering as a film song is equally everlasting. The bandish is about the dilemma of an Abhisarika Nayika who is bothered how she would go to meet her lover amidst the clanking payal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFtr82lYWMM

2. Lapkat chamkat chali kamini…Payalwali dekhna yahin pe kahin dil hai pag tale aye na by Kishore Kumar from Ek Raaz (1963), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Chitragupta

Kishore Kumar is obviously in love with Jamuna. In a mix up of identities he is taken as the singer, but he does a competent job. Jamuna’s dancing is superb.

3. Payal ki jhankar raste raste dhoondhe tera pyar raste raste by Lata Mangeshkar from Mere Lal (1966), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Laxmikant Pyarelal

There are many songs on payal and there are many songs of street dancers. Here is a wonderful street dance song on payal. By that time Laxmikant-Pyarelal were creating waves with their music.

Bichhua
4. Dagar chalat chhanke bichhua kahun chup chup chup mane na by Lata Mangeshkar and Usha Mangeshkar from Ek Raaz (1963), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Chitragupta

When you hear ‘bichhua’ your thought first goes to Chadh gayo re paapi bichhua, or Sainya se wada tha nazuk ghadi thi..ki bichhua ne dank mara haye Ram. These refer to an insect whose sting is poisonous. Bichhua or bichhia is also an ornament – a modest silver toe ring. Its sound too announces the presence of a woman who is desperate that it should keep quiet.

Ghunghroo
Ghunghroo is heavier than payal. It comprises a number of small bells tied together with a string, generally worn by classical dancers in the foot to provide rhythmic sound. Kathak, being predominantly footwork, cannot be imagined without ghunghroos. Many films with the theme of middle-class morality have dealt with the image problem due to the ghunghroo’s association with the courtesan dancers on the kothas.

5. Ghoongarwa mora chham chham baaje by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Zindagi (1964), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Shankar-Jaikishan

This dance-song performance seems to be a part of the wealthy scion’s birthday celebrations. What a gorgeous dance by Mehmood and Helen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76mTIiBWtrE

6. Ghunghroo ki tarah bajta hi raha hun main by Kishore Kumar from Chor Machaye Shor (1974), music Ravindra Jain

Shashi Kapoor has landed up in a jail. He is not able to sleep as he remembers a ghunghroo (symbolising his beloved?), and sings this poignant song comparing his condition with the helpless ghunghroo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69WKhXjWBNE

Kangana/Choodi
Both are worn in the wrist. The choodi can be of lowly glass or similar low-cost material, such as lac. But they are nevertheless important for married women. If you go to Jaipur or Hyderabad, a visit to the lanes of their Choodi Bazaar is a must. Kangan made of gold and precious metal and stones signifies the same thing but it has a higher ritual hierarchy to be worn on occasions, such as marriages.

7. Mere hathon mein nau nau choodiyan hain by Lata Mangeshkar from Chandni (1989), lyrics Anand Bakshi, music Shiv Hari

Some songs acquire a cult status as this one has as a choodi song. Sridevi displays her nine bangles prominently and dances this fun song at a wedding function. No wonder Rishi Kapoor gets smitten by her.

8. Khanke kangana bindiya hanse by Lata Mangeshkar from Dr Vidya (1962), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music SD Burman

The fully bedecked bride on her fist night is waiting for her man and she mentions with joy how each piece of jewellery is full of delight. SD Burman creates wonderful music. My great favourite.

9. Aadhi raat ko khanak gaya mera kangana by Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi from Toofan Mein Pyar Kahan (1966), lyrics Prem Dawan, music Chitragupta

Talk of sweet music, and you think of Chitragupta. The bevy of girls, filling their pitchers at this water body and singing this absolutely melodious song is pure bliss.

Haar (Necklace)
As the name indicates it is an adornment of the neck. It is generally made of gold for its resale and investment value. Diamond is getting more popular nowadays among the younger generation. But with emerald and diamond sky is the limit. Every excess creates its own counterculture. Imitation jewellery is now in vogue in a big way, and for practical reasons. They look as good or even better and you don’t worry if it is stolen in a house teeming with assorted relatives and guests.

10. Phoolon ka haar le lo, roop ka singaar le lo, le lo le lo ji saajan ka pyar by Hemant Kumar from Inspector (1956), lyrics SH Bihari, music Hemant Kumar

Hemant Kumar sang a morose Humne to jab kaliyan maangi kaanton ka haar mila, but earlier he had sung of flower-necklace instead of necklace of thorns in this delightful song in which Ashok Kumar goes to the kotha as a florist.

Jhumka
Jhumka or ear-rings are an essential part of dressing up. From ear-tops to ear-rings to danglers as you go up in price and size, it also denotes the hierarchy of the occasion. There have been songs and songs, but Jhumka gira re always comes at the top of recall. Not exactly a song of jewellery, it is actually a street dance song by a gangsters’ mole to distract the people so that the dacoits go about their business. Kaan mein jhumka chaal mein thumka lage pachasi jhatke is not a satisfactory alternative. But here is a very pleasant song, and it has all the beauty of Salil Chowdhury 

11. Mila hai kisi ka jhumka by Lata Mangeshkar from Parakh (1960), lyrics Shailendra, music Salil Chowdhury

Bala
You can think of bala as a cousin of jhumka – to be also worn in ears, but of a round shape. In this song Vyjayanthimala asks Dilip Kumar to search her bala which must have got stuck up somewhere in the lovers’ revelry. As an aside, let me tell you searching for a jhumka can be a serious business as I wrote long ago in Some perspectives on Jhumka gira re.

12. Dhhondho dhoondho re saajna more kaan ka bala by Lata Mangehskar from Ganga Jamuna (1961), lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Naushad

Bindiya
The bindi or a small dot became an identity of Hindu women. At one point of time white racist gangs were active in the US calling themselves ‘Dotbusters’. There was no doubt who were their targets.

13. Tum kya jaano mere maathe ki bindiya ka mol from Shamshad Begum and GM Durrani from Kaneez (1949), lyrics Shatir Ghazanavi, music Ghulam Haider

We had ‘Ek chutki sindoor ki keemat tum kya jaano’ in the film Om Shanti Om. Many years before that, this song asks the man Tum kya jaano maathe ki bindiya ka mol. A very nice song sung by two great singers of the vintage era.

14. Bindiya chamkegi choodi khankegi by Lata Mangeshkar from Do Raaste (1969), lyrics Anand Bakhshi, music Laxmikant-Pyarelal

Laxmikant-Pyarelal were unstoppable now with their melodies which were becoming superhits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Aj5HvxyNmw

Kajal
Kohl was a lucky charm as well as the adornment of the eyes. Kajra has become a favourite of songsters. From Tohe kajra lagaun main rani (Bahen 1941, Anil Biswas) to Kajra mohabbatwala ankhiyon mein aisa dala, kajre ne le li meri jaan (Kismet, 1969, OP Nayyar), there is a long tradition of outstanding songs.

15. Thane kajaliyo bana lun by Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh from Veer Durgadas (1960), lyrics Bharat Vyas, music SN Tripathi

This Rajasthani folk song is a proof that language is not a barrier for enjoying good music. This enchanting song uses kohl as a metaphor and the lady sings she would make her man into kohl and trap him in her eyes.

Sindoor
The modest vermilion powder the married women put in their parted hair may not be a piece of jewellery, but Ek chutki sindoor ki keemat tum kya jaano Ramesh Babu put it on a high pedestal. It is the dream of every woman and the crown on the head of a married woman. There are regional variations in the importance given to the sindoor. A working modern woman may put just a speck of vermilion, but on festive occasions and rituals she would not be so abashed. Bengal has a very vigorous Sindoor Khela in weddings and Durga Puja. This ritual has also given birth to the phrase Khela Hobe in Bengal elections.

16. Sindoor khela scene

We have Sindoor Khela scenes in many films with Kolkata background. But Bengalis are not satisfied. They have made a full length feature film called ‘Sindoor Khela’ starring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta. There is also a Hindi film Suhag Sindoor (1961), starring Manoj Kumar and Mala Sinha. Here is a short clip showing Sindoor Khela during Durga Puja celebrations.

Nath-Nathni
Nath-nathni has quite an ambivalent place in our culture. On the one hand, we know Nath utarai is a big thing in the world of tawaifs. Thanks to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s series Heeramandi we are now more aware about their world, their rituals, and the rasm of nath utarai which is like the initiation ceremony of a girl when she is launched on the stage with a big fanfare. With that kind of association in mind, it was a bit of surprise for me when I realised it has a high ritual value in traditional weddings too.

17. Nathaniya ne haye Ram bada dukh deena by Shobha Gurtu from Sajjo Rani (1976), music Sapan-Jagmohan

Nathaniya ne haye Ram bada dukh deena has become indelibly identified with Shobha Gurtu. I was not aware that it has also figured in a film. The video shows its place in the world of tawaifs.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog claims no copyright over these which vests with the respective owners.