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Teaching India

Through the Music of "Lagaan"

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Indian Climate

In India the weather can be hot and dry most the year. Agriculturally based regions depend on the monsoon season to bring much needed rain for crops. The monsoons occur in most places between June and early October and can bring up to 80% of a region's annual rainfall. The village in "Lagaan" was located in central India. Use the map to find out when the monsoon should arrive.
	In Lagaan the rains had not yet come and this was causing a great hardship for the villagers. In modern day India there is a concern that climate change may threaten the monsoon and jeopardize the well-being of people who depend on this life-giving rainy season.
Watch the video "Ghanan Ghanan" and read the words below then answers the questions.	1. Identify elements of the monsoon. 2. How do the villagers feel about the coming rain? 3. What deep hopes and fears do they express in their song? 4. How would a drought affect the people of this village now and in the future?
Ghanan Ghanan ghanan ghanan ghir ghir aaye badra the clouds have accumulated ghan ghanghor kaare chhaaye badra very thick black clouds have shadowed the sky dhamak dhamak gunje badara ke danke the thump of the drums of clouds is echoing chamak chamak dekho bijuriya chamke see, the lightening is flashing man dhadkaayen badarwa the clouds are causing heart to beat worriedly man dhadkaayen badarwa man man dhadkaayen badarwa kaale megha, kaale megha paani to barsaao O black clouds! please shower the water bijuri ki talwar nahin, boondhoon ke baan chalaao please don't draw the sword of lightening, rather shoot the arrows of raindrops megha chhaaye, barkha laaye the clouds have accumulated and have brought rains ghir ghir aaye, ghir ke aaye these have accumulated kahe ye man machal machal the heart is saying this, so very persistingly na yun chal sambhal sambhal don't walk like this, so very carefully gaye din badal, tu ghar se nikal the days have got altered, you come out of your house barasane waala hain amrat jal the nectar like water is going to rain duvidhaa ke din beet gaye the says of dilemma have gone past bhaiya malhaar sunaao o brother! play the music of rainy season for me to listen ghanan ghanan ghir ghir aaye badra ras agar barsega, kaun phir tarsega when the juice will rain, who desires will then remain unfulfilled koyaliya gaayegi baithegi munderon par nightingale will sing, and will sit on the boundary wall	jo panchhi gaayenge, naye din aayengey when birds will chirp, novel days will arrive ujaale muskuraa dengey andheron par brightnesses will smile on the darknesses prem ki barkha mein bheege bheege tan man body and mind so very drenched in the rain of love dharti pe dekhenge paani ka darpan will see a mirror formed by accumulated water on the earth jaeeyo tum jahan jahan, dekhiyo wahan wahan wherever you might go, you please look there yahi ik sama, ki dharti yahan only this one is some scenery, the earth, here, hai pahne saat rangon ki chunariya is attired in a scarf of seven colors ghanan ghanan ghir ghir aaye badra pedon par jhule dhalo aur oonchi peng badhaao mount the swings on the trees and swing high on it kaale megha kaale megha paani to barsaao.. aayi hai rut matwaali, bichhaane haryaali the intoxicating season has arrived to spread greanery all over ye apne sang mein laayi hain saawan ko it has brought rainy season along with it ye bijuri ki paayal, ye baadal ka aanchal this anklet jewelery of lightening, this scarf of clouds sajaane laayi hai dharati ki dulhan ko it has brought these to adorn the bride of earth daali daali pehanegi phoolon ke kangan every branch of the tree will wear the bracelets of flowers sukh ab barsega aangan aangan the happiness shall now shower on every terrace khilegi ab kali kali, hansegi ab gali gali every bud shall now bloom, every lane shall now laugh hawa jo chali, to rut lagi bhali when the wind has blown, then weather is feeling comforting jala de jo tan man wo dhoop dhali the sunlight that was scorching body and mind has now set down kaale megha, kaale megha paani to barsaao ghanan ghanan ghir ghir aaye badra Translated and Posted to Y! Group by Rawat on Apr 5, 2001

This site was created by Era Pope at the NEH Summer Institute "Literatures, Religions, and Arts of the Himalayan Region," held at the College of the Holy Cross, Summer 2011.

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