Dum Maaro Dum – The Musical Marijuana – Hare Rama Hare Krishna

Hushhhhhhhhhh ting ting ting ting ting ting dum maaro dum, mit jaaye gham!!!!!

Did I miss out that distinctive drone sound? Never mind. I just had another hit of this musical marijuana. Addicted. Getting that high, listening to his music. What sort of drug is this? What a song!!!  An embodiment of youthful defiance. Instantly catchy. You just cannot ignore it.

Whenever there is a cinematic situation song, Pancham always went a step ahead of his contemporaries. He knitted the words in his maze like music piece. Converted it into a musical story. Just like this song. Hare Rama Hare Krishna, a cult classic, directed by Dev Anand. It dealt with the burning issue of youth culture in the 70s. Hippie culture had made its roads deep in the society and the drugs culture was causing a huge menace. Set against this backdrop, the film was handled very delicately. Extensively shot in Nepal, the film represented a new world phenomenon. It highlighted the harms caused by the drugs, broken homes, children suffering from it and the misunderstood youth. Zeenat Aman, played the melancholic daughter, who found solace in the hippie culture of drugs. It is in this one of the drug dens that she sings the iconic Dum Maaro Dum. The song which became the youth anthem.

As the song sets in, Pancham takes the lead in telling us the story with the help of Anand Bakshi’s words. A potful of boiling, rebellious words from Anand Bakshi gives you that feel of Devil-may-care attitude of the youth –
Duniyaa ne hum ko diyaa kyaa
Duniyaa se hum ne liyaa kya
Hum sab kii parwaa karen kyon,
Sab ne humaaraa kiyaa kya…..

Pancham sets in the mood for this song with his flamboyant and energetic music. Beginning with a drone sound created with the help of a transichord, followed by the dramatic guitar and the wild thumpings of the drum and the congas. All this is nailed in place as Asha’s ecstatic voice hits you. You are off your senses, when she sounds her craziest best while singing Dum maaro dummmmm aaa aaaaaa. You start feeling that potent effect it gives, almost taking you into the intoxicating world of Pancham’s music. The chillum is filled and you take on another puff, reaching the highest point with Asha going turu-tu-tu−tututuuu…aye-tara-tara-tara-raa and a full throttle of aaaa-aaa-aaaa-aa. Seductive, eccentric and bizarre. It causes euphoria. Revolt against the odds, blow away the helplessness, forget the sorrows. Take another hit, another puff of this musical marijuana!!

Husssshhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!