Cocooned Dreams – Chhota Sa Ghar Hoga – Naukri

A riddle for you –

Ek anokha girah banaya
Upar neev niche ghar chhaya
Baans na balli bandhan ghane
Kaho Khusro ghar kaise bane

If Khusro was known for his poems and qawwalis, he was also known for some of his zanniest riddles. The given riddle is one such from Khusro himself.
Can you guess the answer? No?
It is the nest of weaverbird (Baya). Its nest is upside down (upar neev, niche ghar chhaya) with dense weaving and knots of small twigs and threads (Baans na balli, bandhan ghane). A bird as small as Baya takes so much trouble to build a beautiful nest which we see hanging upside down. It also prefers its nest to be built around water bodies. If local folks are to be believed, this weaverbird also catches fireflies and sticks them on mud blotches to light up the nest at night!!! Imagine a small bird taking so much care of its nest, its home. Then what about human beings? Their dreams too are as cocooned as the Baya’s nest. Along with these cocooned dreams they also have hopes and aspirations.
Dreams, hopes and aspirations. Everyone has dreams. Everyone has hopes. Everyone has aspirations. The above 3 can be driving forces in your life. When achieved will make you feel on top of the world. Whether big or small dreams are important for us. One always dreams about a painted picture, fulfilling the hopes and aspirations. Some of the aspirations come and go but dreams last forever. Some people may need a job and they dream about a job. Some dream about a house whether big or small it has to be their own. What sort of picture do you paint when asked about your dreams, hopes and aspirations? How do you see yourself in those? Dreams have no logic. But they might be prophetic sometimes. But dreaming and hoping about your future is logical. Can you paint a picture of your dreams in words? Well, Shailendra can!! Here’s how –

Chhota sa ghar hoga
Badalon ki chhaon mein
Asha deewani mann mein
Bansuri bajaye

Naukri (1954) directed by the giant called Bimal Roy, is a saga of an unemployed youth Rattan Chaudhary (Kishore Kumar). His dream to become big, to build a house, to give all the comforts to his family are brought forth in this very optimistic song.
Salil Chowdhury has the vibraphone tinkling in an optimistic way while on screen Kishore Kumar plays on the broken cup, a glass and a few steels bowls. The cheerful flute notes back his hope of becoming big one day while the percussion beats bring in the joy of those dreams.

Chhota sa ghar hoga
Badalon ki chhaon mein
Asha deewani mann mein
Bansuri bajaye
Hum hi hum chamkenge
Taaron ke uss gaon mein
Aankhon ki roshni
Hardam ye samjhaye

I dream of owning a small house, away from all the scorching difficulties, in the shelter of clouds. My hopes and aspirations might be crazy but yet I dream. Shailendra uses the flute (bansuri) as the metaphor for these hopes and dreams. Meaning – they might look hollow as the flute, but will be rich and melodic as the notes of a flute, when fulfilled. I’ll shine one day and become famous. My eyes are bright and hopeful with these dreams in them.
Kishore Kumar is singing in his humble home, where he stays with his mother (Achla Sachdev) and sister (Noor – Shakila’s sister, Johny Walker’s wife). He wants to give them all the comforts in life.

Chaandi ki kursi pe baithe
Meri chhoti behna
Sone ke sinhaasan pe baithe
Meri pyaari maa
Mera kya main padaa rahunga
Ammi ji ke paon mein
Aa aa ai re, aa aa ai re

He wants to provide them with everything they need and more. Buy for them the costliest and the choicest things which they have being dreaming of. But even after all this money, he’ll remain devoted and respectful towards his mother – that humbleness is so very Shailendra!!!

Meri chhoti behna
Naazon ki paali shehzaadi
Jitni bhi jaldi ho main
Kar dunga iski shaadi
Acchha hai ye balaa hamari
Jaaye duje gaon mein
Aa aa ai re aa aa ai re

He not only dreams and hopes about comforts in life but is also ready to take the responsibilities of the house. His younger sister is the apple of his eye. Yet he mischievously calls her a calamity which he’s ready to get rid by marrying her off as soon as possible. Kishore Kumar’s playfulness is a delight to watch. Being his early years in the industry, he’s subtle but impish. There are a few glances of the future naughty Kishore in this song and they are as playful as the solo flute which has been used in a subtle way. Just a touch and go.

Kahegi maa dulhan laa beta
Ghar soona soona hai
Mann mein jhoom kahunga
Maa itni jaldi kya hai
Gali gali mein tere
Raaj dulare ki charcha hai
Aakhir koi toh aayega
Inn naino ke gaon mein
Aa aa ai re

His mischief continues in this stanza too. Looking forward to getting married, he pushes it in the name of his mother. Just because his mother wants a daughter in law!! Blooming with happiness at this thought in his heart, he veils the happiness naughtily, knowing that he’ll be happily married one day. An absolute Bimal Roy touch when Kishore Kumar looks here and there for his mother before saying these lines (so that she shouldn’t hear).
Towards the end of the song Kishore Kumar is joined by Shaila Belle (female voice), when the brother-sister duo sing together.

The song also has a sad version by Hemant Kumar which makes us face the grave situation of those dreams which still remain unfulfilled (the reality). Same lyrics used in the sad version bring out the irony of this situation.

The song also has a Malayali version rendered by Vani Jayaram and Yesudas from the movie Air Hostess (1980).

https://youtu.be/DbyGsaF_owQ