Lyric and background history of song thamao rimiki jhimiki

Parjaay: Prakriti (109)

Upa-parjaay: Borsha (84)

Taal: Kaharwa

Raag: Hameer-Kedara

Written on: 1937

Published in: Probasi

Swarabitan: 58

Notation by: Shailajaranjan Majumdar

Notes: This song was first published in autumn, 1937.

Shantidev Ghosh, in his book 'Rabindra-sangeet', has written –

... 'Barsha-mangal', directed by Gurudev had been staged for the last time in Kolkata in 1937. A number of songs for the monsoon had been composed for the purpose at Shantiniketan. The program at Shantiniketan was a grand success and people had requested Gurudev to organise a similar program at Kolkata. Gurudev had agreed to the proposal and asked the artists at Shantiniketan to continue with the rehearsal while he had to move to Kolkata in order to meet some necessity. He had collected a group of female singers there and started coaching them with the songs. These singers had sweet but feeble voices, which could not be heard from the far-end of the hall while singing solo songs. Gurudev was visibly upset. 'All the hard work has gone in vain.' – he had said after returning home. His following arguments revealed his impression that he had held his inept compositions responsible for the disappointment of the audience. 'I had so far composed legato based songs with slower tempo, but now compositions with vigour and energy are needed.' – he would plead for despite people had tried to convince him that it was not the song but the singers who failed to deliver. He had penned a new song that night, completed it with a melody and assembled the singers to train them. He did not take rest until he was satisfied. The first line of the song was – 'Thaamao rimiki jhimiki borishan ...'. The song well reflects his state of mind at that time. ...

Some more information is there in 'Jatrapother Aanondogaan' written by Shailaja-ranjan Majumdar –

... It was revealed that the voice of the singers were not audible on the first day of Barsha-mangal. In order to recuperate from the setback he came up with a new composition for the male singers to be sung on the following day. It was – Thaamao rimiki jhimiki borishan ...'. The male artists stood on the stage to be loud enough so that they are audible from the far end of the auditorium. ...