Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma
As a part of the ongoing Indo-US Defence Cooperation, a joint military training exercise of both the armies called ‘Yudh Abhyas 2019’ is currently underway at Washington DC.
Recently, a video from the training programme went viral on social media, where soldiers of both the Indian and US Army can be seen singing and dancing to Badluram ka badan zameen ke neeche hai . The song is the marching song of the Indian Army’s Assam regiment which surprisingly has an uncanny resemblance to an American patriotic song.
What Does The Song Mean?
Badluram ka badan zameen ke neeche hai, aur humko uska ration milta hai.
During the passing out ceremony of every ‘Kasam Parade’, these are the lyrics of the marching song that new recruits of the Assam Regiment sing, dance, and stomp their feet to.
But like every other army story, this regimental marching song too, has a rich history behind it.
Legend has it that Badluram, a jawan, died one the job during World War II. His Quarter Master forgot to strike out his name from the list of recruits and continued to draw ration for him. The extra ration proved to be a blessing in disguise, as it helped the regiment survive when it was surrounded by Japanese soldiers who had cut off their supplies.
The battalion survived, and the song was born as a pay tribute to Badluram, who helped his brothers survive the siege.
Here are the lyrics of the song:
Ek khubsurat ladki thi,
Usko dekh ke rifleman,
Chindi kheechna bhul Gaya,
Havildar major dekh liya,
Usko pithoo lagaya,
Badluram ek sepahi tha,
Japan war mein mar gaya,
Quarter master smart tha,
Usne ration nikala
Badluram ka badan zameen ka neeche hai,
Badluram ka badan zameen ka neeche hai,
Badluram ka badan zameen ka neeche hai,
Toh humey uska ration milta hai
Shabaash, hallelujah
Shabaash, hallelujah
Tagra Raho ( Stay Strong)
Uncanny Resemblance To American Patriotic Song
An interesting observation is the how similar its tune is to that of American patriotic song, Battle Hymn of the Republic, which in turn features the melody John Brown’s Body, a song that was famous during the American Civil War, according to The Scroll.
(With Inputs from Scroll)
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