Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram

Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram (sometimes called Ram Dhun) is a notable bhajan (Hindu devotional song) that was widely popularized by Mahatma Gandhi.[1]

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Hinduism

Original Version

The original version was composed by Lakshmanacharya in Shri Rama Narayanam. The lyrics are as follows:[2][3]

Hindi Orignal Version:

रघुपति राघव राजाराम,
पतित पावन सीताराम।
सुंदर विग्रह मेघश्याम,
गंगा तुलसी शालग्राम।
भद्रगिरीश्वर सीताराम,
भकत-जनप्रिय सीताराम।
जानकीरमण सीताराम,
जयजय राघव सीताराम।

Transliteration (IAST)

Raghupati rāghava rājārām,
Patita pāvana sītārām.
Sundara vigraha meghashyām,
Gangā tulasī sālagrām.
Bhadra girīshwara sītārām,
Bhakata janapriya sītārām.
Jānakīramana sītārām,
Jaya jaya rāghava sītārām.


Gandhi's Version

The version that is most common was put to music by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar,[4] and was sung by Gandhi and his followers as they walked during the 241 mile Salt March to Dandi.[5]

The Hindi lyrics of the bhajan along with their translation, by historian and musicologist Guy Beck, are as follows:[6]

Hindi Created by Mahatma Gandhi

रघुपति राघव राजाराम,
पतित पावन सीताराम
सीताराम सीताराम,
भज प्यारे तू सीताराम
ईश्वर अल्लाह तेरो नाम,
सब को सन्मति दे भगवान
राम रहीम करीम समान
हम सब है उनकी संतान
सब मिला मांगे यह वरदान
हमारा रहे मानव का ज्ञान

Transliteration (IAST):

raghupati rāghav rājārām,
patit pāvan sītārām
sītārām, sītārām,
bhaj pyāre tu sītārām
ishwar allah tero nām
sab ko sanmati de bhagavān
rāma rahīm karīm samān
hama saba hai unaki santān
saba milā māṅge yaha varadān
hamārā rahe mānava kā jñān

Translation:

O Lord Rama, descendant of Raghu, Uplifter of the fallen.
You and your beloved consort Sita are to be worshipped.
All names of God refer to the same Supreme Being,
including Ishvara and the Muslim Allah.
O Lord, Please give peace and brotherhood to everyone,
as we are all your children.
We all request that this eternal wisdom of humankind prevail.

Elements of the chant were included in the song "Utho Utho he Bharat" in the movie Bharat Milap (1942) [7], the song "De Dii Hamen Aazaadii" in the movie Jagriti (1954) [8], Purab Aur Paschim (1970) and in the film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), in the Kannada film Gandhinagara (1968), and in the movie Gandhi (1982). It was also the title of a Tamil movie produced in 1977. Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram has been recorded by several well-known singers. Pete Seeger included it on his album "Strangers and Cousins" (1964) and performed it in Episode 10 of his television series Rainbow Quest. The song is an important motif in the 2006 Bollywood film, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, and is featured in the movie Gandhi, My Father. The game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories featured the song on one of the radio stations Radio Del Mundo. The 2013 film Satyagraha also has a song based on 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'. Rakesh Roshan's superhero film Krrish 3 contains a song named 'Raghupati Raghav'. The arrangement by Jyotishka Dasgupta is an official piece of Grade 2 Electronic Keyboard from Trinity College London, where it is simply named Bhajan. Sheila Chandra recorded a version titled Bhajan on her 1992 album Weaving My Ancestors' Voices. Many singers such as Lata Mangeshkar, Jagjit Singh, K.S.Chithra have recorded the song.

See also

References
  1. Dalton, Dennis (1993). Mahatma Gandhi: Nonviolent Power in Action. Columbia University Press. p. 109. ISBN 0-231-12237-3.
  2. "On Gandhi Jayanti, remembering Mahatma's most beloved hymns — from Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram to Lead, Kindly Light - Living News , Firstpost". Firstpost. 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  3. "History and significance of Raghu Pati Raghav Rajaram". www.radioandmusic.com. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  4. Sinha, Manjari (2008-08-08). "Tuned to excellence". The Hindu. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  5. "Dandi: Salt March". Lal, Vinay. University of California, Los Angeles. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  6. Guy L. Beck (17 July 2006). "Hinduism and music". In Guy L. Beck (ed.). Sacred Sound: Experiencing Music in World Religions. Wilfrid Laurier University Press. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-88920-421-8.
  7. Utho Utho He Bharat Tumhaare - उठो-उठो हे भरत तुम्हारे, retrieved 2020-06-28
  8. "दे दी हमें आज़ादी बिना खड्ग बिना ढाल - de dii hame.n aazaadii binaa khaD.hg binaa Dhaal / जागृति-(Jaagriti)". www.lyricsindia.net. Retrieved 2020-06-28.

Bibliography
  • Dalton, Dennis (1993). Mahatma Gandhi: Nonviolent Power in Action. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12237-3.
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