Lyric and background history of song ami rupe tomay bholabo na

Parjaay: Prem (90)

Upa-parjaay: Prem-Boichitra

Taal: Tritaal

Style: Kirtan-Tappa

Anga: Kirtan

Written on: 1910

Collection: Raaja

Swarabitan: 42 (Arupratan)

Notation by: Shailajaranjan Majumdar / Dinendranath Tagore

Notes: This song, in Nidhubabu's Tappa style, was was first published on 6th January, 1911. It was included in the play ‘Raaja’.

This was the last song that Rabindranath had sung on a stage on Calcutta, twenty five years after its composition. Shailajaranjan Majumdar writes in his book ‘Jaatrapather Aanondogaan’ –

… Arupratan was staged in Shantiniketan and in Calcutta as well in 1935. Gurudev was on the stage as an actor, for the last time. He was singing the song ‘Aami Rupe Tomay Bholabo Na…’. I had slipped out from the chorus on the stage quietly into the audience to listen to the song. After completing the song Gurudev had noticed my absence. I was rushing back towards the stage only to find him standing in front. He started rebuking me – I didn’t find you in the chorus! Where did you go? Where are you coming from?

I too was vocal in reply – I was just at the right place.

Then he asked in whispering – Was it loud and clear? …

… The reason for which Gurudev was worried, the absence of a microphone, had necessiated quite a few changes for stage management those days.

There is a controversy with the first word of the second line of Sanchari section. Whether it is ‘Sohag aamar maala kore’ or it is ‘Premke aamar maala kore’. Legendary singers like Kanika Bandyopadhyay, Prosad Sen have been in favour of ‘Premke’. Geetabitan and Swarabitan too would suggest ‘Premke’. Although, the fourth volume of the Rabindra Rachanabali, published by the Government of West Bengal, reads ‘Sohag’.

The song was written for the play ‘Raaja’, although it was not included in the first edition that was published on 6th January, 1911. It was added in the nineth volume of ‘Kabyagrantha’ published by Indian Press. The play was first enacted at Shantiniketan on 19th March, 1911. Sudhirranjan Das, Chief Justice of India, had enacted the role of Sudarshana. He was later adorned the post of the Vice Chancellor of Visvabharati University. Rabindranath himself played the role of Raaja.

The song contained the word ‘Sohag’ at that time. As Shantiniketan was an institution restricted for women at that time and male actors had to enact female roles and also sing as female singers. Hence, no objection was raised with the word ‘Sohag’. As soon as women started participating in acting and singing songs problem erupted. The word was found to be against Brahmo sophistication. Compelled by criticism from different corners Rabindranath had decided to supplement the word with ‘Premke’. The corrected version was published on the second edition on 12th April, 1921, ten years after the first edition. Metering was preserved along with refinement of the Brahmo class that was saved. However, it appears that poeticism was compromised a bit.

It would never be known what Rabindranath himself had sung on the stage – was it ‘Sohag’ or ‘Premke’.