"Ahe Nila Saila" (Odia: ଆହେ ନୀଳ ଶଇଳ, romanized: āhe nīḷa saiḷa, lit.'O blue mountain') is an Odissi classical song composed by the 17th-century saint-poet Salabega, addressing Jagannatha of Puri.[1]

"Ahe Nila Saila"
Song
LanguageOdia
Written17th century
GenreOdissi music
Lyricist(s)Salabega

Music edit

The traditional composition is set to the Raga Chinta Kamodi and the Tala Jati.[2]

It has been famously rendered by Pt Bhikari Charan Bal.[3]

Lyrics edit

Oh, Ahe Nila Saila (Oh Bluestone lord) is such a popular Jagannath Bhajan in Odisha! Oh, that’s great! The author of this piece is Bhakta Salabega. Oh, that’s interesting! This song is also featured in the Odia movie “Bhakta Salabega” released in 1982, starring Uttam Mohanty. In the song, the poet pleads to the deity Jagannatha to save him. Below, the song is transcribed in Odia and English.

ଆହେ ନୀଳ ଶଇଳ ପ୍ରବଳ ମତ୍ତ ବାରଣ
ମୋ ଆରତ ନଳିନୀ ବନକୁ କର ଦଳନ । ଘୋଷା ।
ଗଜରାଜ ଚିନ୍ତା କଲା ଥାଇ ଘୋର ଜଳେଣ
ଚକ୍ର ପେଷି ନକ୍ର ନାଶି ଉଦ୍ଧାରିଲ ଆପଣ । ୧ ।
ଘୋର ବନେ ମୃଗୁଣୀକି ପଡ଼ିଥିଲା କଷଣ
କେଡ଼େ ବଡ଼ ବିପତ୍ତିରୁ ରକ୍ଷାକଲ ଆପଣ । ୨ ।
କୁରୁସଭା ତଳେ ଶୁଣି ଦ୍ରୌପଦୀର ଜଣାଣ
କୋଟି ବସ୍ତ୍ର ଦେଇ ହେଳେ ଲଜ୍ଜା କଲ ବାରଣ । ୩ ।
ରାବଣର ଭାଇ ବିଭୀଷଣ ଗଲା ଶରଣ
ଶରଣ ସମ୍ଭାଳି ତାଙ୍କୁ ଲଙ୍କେ କଲ ରାଜନ । ୪ ।
ପ୍ରହଲ୍ଲାଦ ପିତା ସେ ଯେ ବଡ଼ ଦୁଷ୍ଟ ଦାରୁଣ
ସ୍ତମ୍ଭରୁ ବାହାରି ତାକୁ ବିଦାରିଲ ତକ୍ଷଣ । ୫ ।
କହେ ସାଲବେଗ ହୀନ ଜାତିରେ ମୁଁ ଯବନ
ଶ୍ରୀରଙ୍ଗା ଚରଣ ତଳେ କରୁଅଛି ଜଣାଣ । ୬ ।

āhe nīḷa saiḷa prabaḷa matta bārana
mo arata naḷinī banaku kara daḷana / ghosa/
gajarāja chintā kalā thāi ghora jaḷeṇa
chakra pesi nakra nāsi uddhārila āpaṇa /1/
ghora bane mruguṇi-ki paḍithila kasaṇa
keḍe baḍa bipatti-ru rakhyā kala āpaṇa /2/
kuru-sabhā tale suni dropadi-ra jaṇāṇa
koti bastra dei hele lajjā kala bāraṇa /3/
rābaṇa-ra bhāi bibhīsana gala saraṇa
saraṇa sambhāḷi tānku lanke kala rājana /4/
prahallāda pitā se je baḍa dusta dāruṇa
stambha-ru bāhāri tāku bidārila takhyaṇa /5/
kahe sālabega hina jāti-re mun jabana
srirangā charaṇa tale karu-achi jaṇāṇa /6/

O elephant of the blue mountain
vanquish the lotus-forest of my agonies. /refrain/
The king of elephants meditated on you in deep waters
you sent the chakra and saved him from the crocodile. /1/
Deep in the forest the doe was doomed,
you saved her from so great a danger. /2/
In the Kuru court Draupadi called you,
you sent her infinite cloth and saved her dignity. /3/
Ravana's brother Vibhishana sought your shelter
You not only sheltered him but made him the king of Lanka. /4/
Prahallada's father was a cruel, evil man
You emerged from the pillar and tore him apart. /5/
Says Salabega, I am a Yavana (=Muslim) by birth
Listen to my janāna (=message) under your lotus feet. /6/

References edit

  1. ^ Parhi, Dr. Kirtan Narayan (2009). "Odissi Music : Retrospect and Prospect". In Mohapatra, PK (ed.). Perspectives on Orissa. New Delhi: Centre for study in civilizations. pp. 613–626.
  2. ^ Panda, Pt. Gopal Chandra (December 2011). Odisi Raga Darpana (in Odia). Bhubaneswar.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ "The love for God". The Pioneer. Retrieved 30 June 2022.