background to the project
Momer Putul is a song written by Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh. Nazrul was born in 1899 and wrote so many songs, poems, and stories that his music became a genre of its own. He wrote songs about Muslim and Hindu traditions and championed women’s rights.
He was in the British Indian army for three years, but eventually he became known as the Rebel Poet for his writings against British rule in India.
Being in the army allowed him to travel, and he continued to write songs at the time.
In this song about an Egyptian girl, Nazrul was influenced by Arab rhythms and melodies.
It is a very famous song and there are lots of versions of it on Youtube.
We have been working with singer Sohini Alam and her band Khiyo to devise the arrangement for our festival. Two schools will be working with Sohini and with dancer Arunimar Kumar to create a dance to go along with the song. There will be also movements for us all to learn.
how we will perform the song
Momer Putul is a song just for the primary choirs. We will be accompanied by the band Khiyo. There are sections for us all to sing, sections for just the two schools who have been working with Sohini and sections just for some solo singers.
Sohini has made videos to help with pronunciation. These will be available soon. It may look like a lot when it’s written down, but there are a lot of repeating sections – and quite a lot of the song won’t be sung by the massed choir.
Lyrics, transliterated lyrics and translation
Bangla Lyrics
মোমের পুতুল মমীর দেশের মেয়ে নেচে যায়
বিহবল চঞ্চল পায় x২
খর্জুর-বীথির ধারে
সাহারা মরুর পারে
বাজায় ঘুমুর ঝুমুর ঝুমুর মধুর ঝঙ্কারে
উড়িয়ে ওড়না ‘লু’ হাওয়ায়, পরী-নটিনী নেচে যায় x২
দুলে দুলে দূরে সুদূর x২
সুর্মা-পরা আঁখি হানে আস্মানে
জ্যোৎস্না আসে নীল আকাশে তার টানে
ঢেউ তুলে নীল দরিয়ায়, দিল-দরদী নেচে যায় x২
দুলে দুলে দূরে সুদূর x২
Transliterated Lyrics
Momer putul momir desher meyey nechey jayey
Bihubolo choncholo payey x2
Khorjur-bithir dharey
Shahara morur parey
Bajayey ghumur jhumur jhumur modhur jhonkarey
Uriyey orna lu hawayey, pori-notini neche jayey x2
Duley duley durey shudur x2
Shurma-pora ankhi haney asmaney
Jyotsna ashey neel akashey taar taney
Dheu tuley neel doriayayey, dil dorodi nechey jayey x2
Duley duley durey shudur x2
English Translation by Sohini Alam
The wax doll from the land of the mummies dances by
On mystified, restless feet
By the palm grove
On the edge of the Sahara desert
Her ankle bells play a sweet jingle
Tossing their scarves into the desert wind, fairies and nymphs dance by x2
Swinging, swinging, far, far in the distance x2
Kohl-rimmed eyes look towards the heavens
Drawn towards them the full moon appears in the blue sky
Waves arise on the blue river, the one who knows the heart dances by x2
Swinging, swinging, far, far in the distance x2
