Indian Ocean – Des Mera

Indian Ocean has been one of the best fusion bands in India. I was deeply saddened when Asheem Chakravarthy their brilliant vocalist and percussionist passed away. So when they came up with the new song for the movie Peepli, I wanted to see if anything had changed in their musical style. Surprisingly Des Mera sounds like vintage Indian Ocean. I was wondering why that was so. The reason is pretty clear now! The song ‘Des Mera’ was a part of their older album ‘Jhini’. The present version doing the airwaves is just a rehashed Bollywood version of the older version. So I am still looking forward to the new direction that the band might.

Sample the rustic lyrics from the older version of their song, which was a part of their album Jhini:-

Des mera rangrez ye babu
ghaat ghaat yahaan ghat-ta jaadu
dhool gubar mein jantar mantar
bahar se bhola gehraa andar
india, sir, ye cheez dhurandhar
jeb daliddar, dil hai samundar
dhadkan jo pardesi jaana
is mitti ka hua deewana
har samundar, gopi chandar
doob ke jaan tu kitna paani.

The new one from Peepli is longer on lyrics and has been tweaked with a few paragraphs have been added:-

Des mera rang rez yeh babu
Ghaat ghaat yahan ghat ta jadoo
Des mera rang rez yeh babu

Des mera rang rez yeh babu
Ghaat ghaat yahan ghat ta jadoo
Des mera rang rez yeh babu
Ghaat ghaat yahan ghat ta jadoo

Gai bahad hai kankar shankar
Baat hai chhoti bada patangad
Gai bahad hai kankar shankar
Baat hai chhoti bada patangad
Arrey India sir yeh cheez durandar
India sir yeh cheez durandar
Rang rangeela parja tantar
Rang rangeela parja tantar

Saat rang satranga mera
Badranga sa pada jamela
Saat rang satranga mera
Badranga sa pada jamela
Gira gagan se khajoor mein jhela
Sukh dukh pakdam pakdi khela
Haye ek rang duniyo ka niraala
Ek rang agyaani
Rang rang mein odh lagi hai
Rang rangi mann maa ne

Des mera rang rez yeh babu
Ghaat ghaat yahan ghat ta jadoo
Des mera rang rez yeh babu
Ghaat ghaat yahan ghat ta jadoo

Sookhe naina rookhi akhiyan
Dhundla dhundla sapna
Aasu bhi namkeen hai pyaare
Jo tapke so chakhna
Sookhe naina rookhi akhiyan
Dhundla dhundla sapna
Aasu bhi namkeen hai pyaare
Jo tapke so chakhna
Dhundla dhundla sapna pyaare, dhundla dhundla sapna… (2)
Sookhe naina rookhi akhiyan, sookhe naina rookhi
Dhundla dhundla sapna pyaare, dhundla dhundla sapna
Des mera rang rez yeh babu.

I love this last paragraph that talks about failed dreams, its beautiful.