Lyric and background history of song jwal jwal chita

Parjaay: Natya-geeti (1)

Taal: Ektaal

Raag: Bhupali

Written on: 1875

Swarabitan: 51

Notation by: Indira Debi Chowdhurani

Notes: This song was published in November 1875.

This was incorporated in the drama 'Sarojini' that was written by Jyotirindranath, Rabindranath's elder brother. The drama was published in November 1875 and Rabindranath was merely a boy of fourteen and half years. Reference of this song can be found in 'Jibonsmriti' the autobiography of Jyotirindranath. Historical evidences and contemporary documents suggest that the tune may not have been composed by Rabindranath as he was yet to start his own compositions. Reasons are there to believe that it was composed by Jyotirindranath.

-' young Rabindranath used to take lessons in Sanskrit from Ramsarbaswa in a room beside mine where I remained engrossed in finalising proof of the drama 'Sarojini'. While consulting with Ramsarbaswa Rabi used to add his comments on the play. Once we were talking about a scene where the Rajput ladies were to commit mass suicide by taking on the burning pyre, Rabi rushed from the side room and expressed his displeasure on a lecture that was programmed for the scene. He was in favour of a song that he thought was indispensable to the scene. In fact, not that I was against it but I argued for not having enough time to compose a new song. Rabi quickly wrote this song and it was an instant hit. ...

Members of Thakur-bari had lost hope by then for Rabindranath, a young boy, who was particularly indifferent with his school and education. After writing a successful song like this he was in fact awarded with a promotion. The man behind his achievement was clearly Jyotirindranath, a significant character for Thakur-bari.

... We had taken Rabi into confidence by then and three of us, Akshay, Rabi and myself worked in tandem. ...

Until the publication of 'Jibonsmriti' by Jyotirindranath in 1920 it was widely known that he was the writer of the song. 'Sangeet-kalpataru', a book published by Swami Vivekananda in 1887/88 included a portion of the song and the credit was given to Jyotirindranath. A collection of 'Bangalar Gaan' published by Durgadas Lahiri (1905) too has incorporated Jyotirindranath's name as the writer. The truth was revealed while after 37 years of the publication of the play while Jyotirindranath was elaborating his life to Basanta Kumar Chattopadhyay, the writer of his biography. The famous heroine Binodini describes in her book 'Aamar Kotha' how the awestruck audience watched scene in horror. She used to take the stage as 'Sarojini', the key role in this drama.

It is true that scene created a typical ambience and left the audience spellbound, and it is never an exaggeration by Binodini. Although, she was only fourteen at that time and had been acting on the stage for not more than two years. She had enchanted the audience in the show of 'Sarojini' that was premiered on 15th January 1876 at the Great National Theatre. In his book 'Sahitya-sadhak-charitmala' Brajendranath Bandopadhyay had referred to the immense popularity of the song among common people as it can be seen in most of the contemporary reviews of the drama.