New Delhi: As clouds hover above the blue hills of Nagaland’s Phek district, a drill instructor sings the 1970s hit ‘Dhal gaya din,ho gayi shaam‘ as his troop march on in unison. Matching the song’s beats to their march past, he also improvises it and guides an about-turn with this gem: ‘Aage jaake kya karega…peeche mur.’
A video of the group marching to the tunes the old Hindi song – starring Jeetendra and Leena Chandavarkar in the film Humjoli– was shared by Major Gaurav Arya (retd) on social media. It has since taken the internet by storm.
Confirming the clip to be of the Nagaland Police band, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju soon tweeted, saying “…Anything from NE means friendship & happy memories”.
Jeetendra’s son, actor Tusshar Kapoor, also took to Twitter to share this “epic” march.
Epic…old is gold…salute..#nagalandpolice #humjoli https://t.co/SCMMfi9Y4C
— Tusshar (@TusshKapoor) July 11, 2019
The Nagaland routine has endeared the force to many and throws the spotlight on an important aspect of the armed forces – regimental songs that reflect their history and identity.
Badluram ka badan zameen ke neeche
One of the most iconic regimental songs is the Assam Regiment’s Badluram ka badan, sung here by the regiment’s recruits at their passing out parade in Shillong’s Happy Valley.
Inspired by the American civil war song The Battle Hymn of The Republic, Badlurameven ends with a ‘shabaash, hallelujah’.
Legend has it that Badluram, a jawan, died during World War II but his quartermaster didn’t strike his name off the roster and continued to draw rations in his name. When his platoon was surrounded by Japanese troops (which entered India in 1944) and cut off supplies, this extra ration supposedly saw the rest of the men through the siege.
Hence the lyrics: “Badluram ka badan zameen ka neeche hai/ toh humey uska ration milta hai”.
Lt Gen Ashok Mehta, a former general officer commanding of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s and who served many years in the Gorkha regiment, said units often have songs that are adapted from folklore or popular music.
“Those from the Northeast, because of their flair in music, have many such songs – mostly composed by Nepali personnel,” Gen. Mehta told ThePrint.
He pointed out that military bands today are also able to play several jazz scores on social occasions because of this very flair.
“Regiments have their own songs but they are not officially sung while marching,” Major Arya told ThePrint, praising the Nagaland inspector’s “local method” that made a boring foot drill seem a lot less cumbersome.
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These ‘local methods’ and songs are what lives on in a particular regiment, not only among its soldiers but local residents too. Not surprising then that Badluram has managed to enter the schools and kitchens of Northeasterners.
“It’s a song that we would often sing in school, at class or in between breaks,” said an Assam resident, who did not wish to be named.
Yo Nepali Sir Uchali
While Badluram may be popular in the North-eastern hills, ‘Yo Nepali sir uchali’ cuts across borders. Besides the Indian Army, the Gorkha Rifles and Bengal Police, the Nepal Army too has its own rendition of the song.
Not known to be sung while marching, the tune of this popular number is a staple with military bands, especially the Gorkha regiments.
A former army officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “Some regimental centres use songs to break the tedium and help recruits march better but these are exclusive to the units.”
Col Harjeet Singh, who has authored books on military history and defence, told ThePrint, “Instructors use different methods to get recruits to drill effectively.”
Some other popular tunes are the Kumaoni folk song ‘Bedu pako baromasa’ – which has been used for a quick march – and the Mizo song ‘Haste lushai’.
“There is also an interesting bugle march titled ‘Bole so nihal…sat siri akal’ that I have seen performed but not by a marching detachment,” recalled the former army officer.
‘Indianised’ tunes and instruments
Gen. Mehta also pointed to the “Indianisation” of military music, especially during the Beating of the Retreat, a 45-minute-long celebration of military music performed by a variety of military and police bands as the last event of the Republic Day celebrations.
In 2015, at the Modi government’s first Republic Day, Indian classical instruments made a debut along with colonial-era organs during the Beating of the Retreat – sitar, santoor and tabla were heard for the first time. This was among other innovations introduced by the Narendra Modi government that year.
Mehta believes “ the solemnity of the occasion is compromised” when classical music is mixed up with martial sounds. “It sounds more like wedding music,” he added.
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Last year, 25 of the 26 tunes in the Beating Retreat ceremony were composed by Indians. The only so-called “English” composition that remained, a hymn from the Bible, was Abide with me, perhaps because the hymn was a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi.
This year’s Republic Day parade also saw the first martial tune based on Indian classical music. Called ‘Shankhanadh’, it is based on a poem written by Brig. Vivek Sohal and has been composed by Tanuja Nafade, a professor from Nagpur. The tune glorifies the achievements of the Mahar Regiment.
Squadron Leader Rana Chinna (retd), secretary at USI Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research, told ThePrint, “Nearly all military music in the past were written by western composers. But Indian composers have slowly begun to make music and composing tunes.”
Col Harjeet in his upcoming book on the Sikh Light Infantry gives a glimpse into the assimilation of western and Indian instruments.
“The bagpipe has been adopted by Indian music in a manner that would surprise most Scots… Marriages and other festivities often see a bagpipe being played by a pensioner bandsman to the accompaniment of the dhol,”says an extract from the book.