Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram

Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram (sometimes called Ram Dhun) is a popular bhajan (Hindu devotional song) that was a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi.^[1] These lyrics were taken from original Hindu text "Shri Nama Ramayanam" written by Lakshmanacharya.

Original lyrics:

रघुपति राघव राजाराम

पतित पावन सीताराम

सुंदर विग्रह मेघश्याम

गंगा तुलसी शालग्राम

भद्रगिरीश्वर सीताराम

भगत-जनप्रिय सीताराम

जानकीरमणा सीताराम

जयजय राघव सीताराम

Transliteration

Raghupati raghava rajaram

Patita paavana sitaram

Sundara vigraha meghashyam

Ganga tulasi salagram

Bhadra girishwara sitaram

Bhagat janapriya sitaram

Janaki ramana sitaram

Jaya jaya raghava sitaram

Gandhian Lyrics

The version that is most common was put to music by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar,^[2] and was sung by Gandhi and his followers as they walked during the 241 mile Salt March to Dandi.^[3]

The version popularized by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and the Gandhian movement:

Hindi

रघुपति राघव राजाराम,

पतित पावन सीताराम

सीताराम सीताराम,

भज प्यारे तू सीताराम

ईश्वर अल्लाह तेरो नाम,

सब को सन्मति दे भगवान

Transliteration (IAST):

raghupati rāghav rājārām,

patit pāvan sītārām

sītārām, jai sītārām,

bhaj tū pyāre sītārām

īśvar allāh tero nām,

sab ko sanmati de bhagavān

Translation:

Chief of the house of Raghu, Lord Rama,

Uplifters of those who have fallen, Sita and Rama,^{[note 1]}

Sita and Rama, Sita and Rama,

O beloved, praise Sita and Rama,

God Allah is your name,^{[note 2]}

Bless everyone with real wisdom, Lord.

In popular culture

Elements of the chant were included in the song "uTho-uTho he bharat" in the movie Bharat Milap (1942), the song "de dii hamen aazaadii binaa khaDg binaa Dhaal" in the movie Jagriti (1954), Purab Aur Paschim (1970) and in the film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), in the Kannada film Gandhi Nagara (1998), and in the movie Gandhi (1982). It was also the title of a Tamil movie produced in 1977. Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram has been recorded by several well-known singers. Pete Seeger included it on his album "Strangers and Cousins" (1964). The song is an important motif in the 2006 Bollywood film, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, and is featured in the movie Gandhi, My Father. The game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories featured the song on one of the radio stations Radio Del Mundo The 2013 film Satyagraha also has a song based on 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'. Rakesh Roshan's superhero film Krrish 3 contains a song named 'Raghupati Raghav'. The arrangement by Jyotishka Dasgupta is an official piece of Grade 2 Electronic Keyboard from Trinity College London, where it is simply named Bhajan. Sheila Chandra recorded a version titled Bhajan on her 1992 album Weaving My Ancestors' Voices.

See also

• Vaishnava jana to
• Hari Tuma Haro

Notes

1. The divine couple of Hinduism^[4]
2. Meaning that the supreme can be called by many names

References

1. Dalton, Dennis (1993). Mahatma Gandhi: Nonviolent Power in Action. Columbia University Press. p. 109. ISBN 0-231-12237-3.
2. Sinha, Manjari (2008-08-08). "Tuned to excellence". The Hindu. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
3. "Dandi: Salt March". Lal, Vinay. University of California, Los Angeles. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
4. A reference for the footnote.

Bibliography

• Dalton, Dennis (1993). Mahatma Gandhi: Nonviolent Power in Action. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12237-3.

External links

• Keyboard Notes of Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram