These are some patriotic songs that we usually don’t see on August 15 on any channel, but are very powerful.

1. Hum Karen Rashtra Aaradhan…

TV Serial: Chanakya; Lyrics: Jaishankar Prasad, Music/Singer: Unknown (Unfortunately, I was unable to find the singer or the music director. If anyone knows, please let me know)

This a song from a Doordarshan serial Chankya. The song was written by a very famous hindi poet Jaishankar Prasad, who wrote the magnum opus, Kamayani. His was not a very easy to understand hindi, mainly sankritised hindi, but was a giant of his time. In my opinion this is one of the most profound patriotic songs ever written. Enjoy this — I’m sure you will forget any other patriotic song. Thanks to Dr ChandraPrakash Dwiwedi for making this into a video.

Typing the lyrics in hindi as it makes no sense typing English.

हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन.. आराधन

तन से, मन से, धन से
तन मन धन जीवन से
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन.. आराधन

अंतर से, मुख से, कृति से
निश्चल हो निर्मल मति से
श्रद्धा से मस्तक नत से
हम करें राष्ट्र अभिवादन
हम करें राष्ट्र अभिवादन

हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन.. आराधन

अपने हँसते शैशव से
अपने खिलते यौवन से
प्रौढ़ता पूर्ण जीवन से
हम करें राष्ट्र का अर्चन
हम करें राष्ट्र का अर्चन

हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन.. आराधन

अपने अतीत को पढ़कर
अपना इतिहास उलट कर
अपना भवितव्य समझ कर
हम करें राष्ट्र का चिंतन
हम करें राष्ट्र का चिंतन

हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन.. आराधन

है याद हमें युग युग की
जलती अनेक घटनायें,
जो माँ की सेवा पथ पर
आई बन कर विपदायें,
हमने अभिषेक किया था
जननी का अरि षोणित से,
हमने श्रिंगार किया था
माता का अरि-मुंडों से,
हमने ही उसे दिया था
सांस्कृतिक उच्च सिंहासन,
माँ जिस पर बैठी सुख से
करती थी जग का शासन,
अब काल चक्र की गति से
वह टूट गया सिंहासन,
अपना तन मन धन देकर
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन.. आराधन

तन से, मन से, धन से
तन मन धन जीवन से
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन
हम करें राष्ट्र आराधन.. आराधन

2. Aye Mere Pyare Watan…

Film: Kabuliwala; Lyrics: Gulzar and Prem Dhawan; Music: Salil Chaudary; Singer: Manna Dey

What a song and what a singer, Manna da no one can sing like you. The music is so chilling and singing so powerful, you can feel the pain, the yearning every time you listen to this song. This is a pain of a Kabuliwala from Afghanistan who is in India and remembers his country. And not to forget Balraj Sahani, what a portrayal!  The lines, Maa kaa dil banke kabhi seene se lag jaataa hai tu, Aur kabhi nanhi si beti ban ke yaad aataa hai tuu are so beautiful that one definitely has tears in eyes. Chhod kar teri zameen ko door aa pahunche hain hum
Phir bhi hai ye hi tamannaa tere zarro.n kii qasam, Hum jahaan paidaa hue, Us jagah hi nikale dum, what a way to end the song. Gulzaar, sab!

Aye mere pyaare watan, aye mere bichhade chaman
Tujh pe dil qurbaan
Tu hi meri arzoo,
Tu hi meri aabaru
Tu hi meri jaan
Aye mere pyaare watan, aye mere bichhade chaman…

Tere daaman se jo aae un havaaon ko salaam
chuum lun main us zubaan ko jis pe aaye teraa naam
Sabase pyaari subah teri
Sabase ra.ngii. teri shaam
Tujh pe dil qurabaan …

Maa kaa dil banke kabhi seene se lag jaataa hai tu
Aur kabhi nanhi si beti ban ke yaad aataa hai tuu
Jitanaa yaad aataa hai mujhko
Utanaa ta.Tadpaataa hai tuu
Tujh pe dil qurabaan…

Chhod kar teri zameen ko door aa pahunche hain hum
Phir bhi hai ye hi tamannaa tere zarro.n kii qasam
Hum jahaan paidaa hue
Us jagah hi nikale dum
Tujh pe dil qurabaan…

3. Taqat Watan ki Hum Se…

Film: Prem Pujari; Lyrics: Neeraj; Music: SD Burman; Singers: Rafi and Manna Dey

Another forgotten song. Was a very popular song when released.

Taqat watan ki ham se hai, Himmat watan ki ham se hai
Izzat watan ki ham se hain

Insaan ke ham rakhwale

Pehredar himalay ke ham

Jhonke hain toofan ke

Sun kar garaj hamari

Seene phat jaate chattaan ke

Aa ha haaaa haaa ha ha ha

Seena hai faulaad ka apna

Phoolon jaisa dil hai

Tan me vindhyachal ka bal hai

Man me Taj Mahal hai

Aa ha haaaa haaa ha ha ha

De kar apna khoon seenchte

Desh ki ham phulwari

Bansi se bandook banate

Ham wo prem pujari

Aa ha haaaa haaa ha ha ha

Aa kar ham ko kasam de gayi

Rakhi kisi behan ki

Denge apna sheesh na denge

Mitti magar watan ki

Aa ha haaaa haaa ha ha ha

Khatare me ho desh are to

Ladna sirf dharam hai

Marna hai kya cheej

Aadmi leta naya janam hai

Aa ha haaaa haaa ha ha ha

Ek jaan hai Ek pran hai

Sara desh hamara

Nadiya chal kar sabhi ruki

Par kabhi na Ganga dhara

Aa ha haaaa haaa ha ha ha

Taqat watan ki ham se hai

Himmat watan ki ham se hai

Izzat watan ki ham se hain

Insaan ke ham rakhwale

4. Kandhon Se Milte Hain…

Film: Lakshya; Lyrics: Javed Akhtar; Music: Shankar Ehsaan Loy; Singer: Hariharan, Roop Kumar Rathod, Shankar, Sonu Nigam, Kunal Ganjawala

A relatively new song, and wasn’t that popular but a very good patriotic song.

A

Kandhon Se Milte Hain Kandhe, Qadmon Se Qadam Milte Hain
Ham Chalte Hain Jab Aise To, Dil Dushman Ke Hilte Hain …
Ab To Hamein Aage Badhte Hai Rahna
Ab To Hamein Saathi Hai Bas Itna Hi Kahna
Ab Jo Bhi Ho, Shola Banke Patthar Hai Pighlana
Ab Jo Bhi Ho, Baadal Banke Parbat Par Hai Chhaana
Kandhon Se Milte Hain….Dushman Ke Hilte Hain…

Nikle Hain Maidaan Mein, Ham Jaan Hatheli Par Lekar
Ab Dekho Dam Leinge, Ham Jaake Apni Manzil Par

Khatron Se Hans Ke Khelna, Itni To Ham Mein Himmat Hai
Modhein Kalayee Maut Ki, Itni To Ham Mein Taaqat Hai
Ham Sarhadon Ke Vaaste, Lohe Ki Ik Deewaar Hain
Ham Dushmanon Ke Vaaste, Hoshiyaar Hain Taiyar Hain
Ab Jo Bhi Ho..Par Hai Chhaana
Kandhon Se Milte Hain…Dushman Ke Hilte Hain

Josh Dil Mein Jagate Chalo, Jeet Ke Geet Gaate Chalo
Jeet Ki Jo Tasveer Banane Ham Nikle Hain
Apne Lahoo Se Hamko Usmein Rang Bharna Hai
Saathi Maine Apne Dil Mein Ab Ye Thaan Liya Ha
i Ya To Ab Karna Hai, Ya To Ab Marna Hai
Chahe Angare Barse, Ke Bijli Gire
Tu Akela Nahin Hoga Yaara Mere
Koi Mushkil Ho Ya Ho Koi Morcha
Saath Har Mod Par, Honge Saathi Tere
Ab Jo Bhi Ho…Par Hai Chhaana
Kandhon Se Milte Hain…Dushman Ke Hilte Hain

Ek Chehra Aksar Mujhe Yaad Aataa Hai
Is Dil Ko Chupke Chupke Vo Tadpata Hai
Jab Ghar Se Koi Bhi Kat Aaya Hai
Kaagaz Ko Maine Bheega Bheega Paaya Hai
Palkon Pe Yaadon Ke Kuchh Deep Jaise Jalte Hain
Kuchh Sapne Aise Hain, Jo Saath Saath Chalte Hain
Koi Sapna Na Toote, Koi Vaada Na Toote
Tum Chaho Jise Dil Se, Vo Tumse Na Roothe
Ab Jo Bhi Ho, Shola Banke Patthar Hai Pighlana
Ab Jo Bhi Ho, Baadal Banke Parbat Par Hai Chhaana
Kandhon Se Milte Hain …Dushman Ke Hilte Hain

Chalta Hai Jo Ye Kaarvan, Goonji Si Hain Ye Vaadiyan
Hai Ye Zameen, Goonji Goonji
Ye Aasman, Goonja Goonja
Hai Ye Hawa, Goonji Goonji
Hai Ye Samaa, Goonja Goonja
Har Raste Ne, Har Wadi Ne, Har Parbat Ne Sadaa Di
Ham Jeeteinge, Ham Jeeteinge, Ham Jeeteinge Har Baazi
Kandhon Se Milte Hain…Dushman Ke Hilte Hain…

5. Hoke Majboor…

Album: Haqaqeet; Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi; Music: Madan Mohan; Singers: Rafi, Manna Dey, Talat Mahmood, Bhupinder

And lastly, not exactly a patriotic song but I couldn’t drop it from my list. A platoon of soldiers stranded without food sing this song for their beloved and also for the country. Wonderful lyrics to convey what to a soldier thinks and feels when he thinks he is dying. He thinks about his family, his beloved…hoke majboor mujhe usne bhoolaya hoga.This song is very special in two ways; first because of its ensemble of singers Rafi, Manna,Talat and Bhupinder and second because you see the song picturised on Bhupinder, yes Bhupinder the singer.

Hoke majboor mujhe usne bhulaayaa hogaa
Hoke majboor mujhe usne bhulaayaa hogaa
Zahar chupke se davaa jaanke khaayaa hogaa
Hoke majboor mujhe usne bhulaayaa hogaa

Dil ne aise bhi kuchh afsaane sunaaye honge
Ashq aankhon ne piye aur na bahaaye honge
Band kamre mein jo khat mere jalaaye honge
Ek ek harf jabin par ubhar aayaa hogaa
hoke majboor mujhe usne bhulaayaa hogaa…

Usne ghabraake nazar laakh bachaayee hogi
Dil ki luti huyee duniyaa nazar aayee hogi
Mez se jab meri tasveer hataayee hogi
Har taraf mujhko tadaptaa huaa paayaa hogaa
Hoke majboor mujhe usne bhulaayaa hogaa…

Chhed ki baat pe armaan machal aaye honge
Gam dikhaave ki hansi mein ubal aaye honge
Naam par mere jab aaNsoo nikal aaye honge
Sar na kaandhe se saheli ke uthaayaa hogaa
hoke majboor mujhe usne bhulaayaa hogaa…

Zulf zid karke kisi ne jo banaayee hogi
Aur bhi gam ki ghataa mukhde pe chhaayee hogi
Bijli nazron ne kai din na giraayee hogi
Rang chehre pe kai roz na aayaa hogaa
Hoke majboor mujhe usne bhulaayaa hogaa
Zaher chupke se davaa jaanke khaayaa hogaa
hoke majboor mujhe….