Monkey's groundnuts..Halleluya!!!



Some songs get etched in your memory, only to discover one day, that you got the song wrong all these years!

I remember quite distinctly my cousins singing it, when we were children. They were just back from their winter break from the Assam-Nagaland area, and had learnt a brand new song from their uncle who was in the army.

The song sounded like it was about a monkey "Kalloram" who has stored peanuts under-ground. "Kalooram-ka badam zameen ka neeche hai!". The song had a wonderful interlude, sabash Helleluyah, and much later I came to know it used the popular tune of "the saints go marching on!"

Only today, I came to know the actual story behind the song and the lyrics, which were entirely different. It was about a soldier Badluram whose was buried in the earth"Badluram ka badan zameen ke neeche hai!"

Here goes actual lyrics and the transation of the song....


Ek Khuburat ladki thi…

Usko dekh ke rifleman…

Chindi khichna bhul gaya…

Havaldar Major dekh liya…

Usko pittu lagaya…

Badluram ek sipahi thaa…

Japan war me mar gaya…

Quarter Master smart thaa…

Usney ration nikala…

Badluram ka badan zamin ke nichey hain…

Toh humein uska ration milta hain…

Sabashh… hallelujah…

Toh humein uska ration milta hain…


Which means...

There once was a lovely young girl…

And when the rifleman saw her,

He forgot to tighten his pack straps…

The Havaldar Major spotted it,

And made him carry the full-load “pittu” as punishment…


Badluram was a faithful soldier,

Who fell during the war with Japan…

But the Quartermaster was clever—

He kept drawing ration in Badluram’s name…

Badluram now sleeps beneath the earth,

Yet his rations still keep us fed…

Bravo! Hallelujah!

Yes—his rations still keep us fed…


The Assam Regiment has this as their regimental song, "Badluram Ka Badan", which includes the line "Sabash! Hallelujah!" as a joyful exclamation of relief and victory. The song is a humorous yet respectful tribute to Rifleman Badluram, a soldier who died in World War II

And here goes a video of song....






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