Marathi Children's Songs and Nursery Rhymes

Just like the Aaji Bai in this song, my aaji too is very pious and religiously observes all holy days. This song is from the book Badbadgeete by Usha Khadilkar (published by Jyotsana Prakashan, Pune).

आजी बाई आजी बाई
कुठे निघाला?
जाणार कुठे मी
जाते देवाला!

आजी बाई आजी बाई
बेल कशाला?
आज आहे सोमवार
महादेवाला!

आजी बाई आजी बाई
दुर्वा कशाला?
आज आहे मंगळवार
गणपतीला!

आजी बाई आजी बाई
हार कशाला?
आज आहे गुरुवार
दत्तगुरूला!

आजी बाई आजी बाई
तांदूळ कशाला?
आज आहे शुक्रवार
अंबाबाईला!

आजी बाई आजी बाई
तेल कशाला?
आज आहे शनिवार
मारूतीला!

Blessed are those who enjoy the company of their aaji (grandmother). I find aajibai songs very cute as they remind me of my childhood days spent with my own grandmothers. My paternal grandmother turned 90 on December 20, 2009 and we marked the day with a gala celebration. Though she was against having a party and all that she wanted was her children and great grandchildren by her side, we finally persuaded her.
My aaji's hearing may be weak but her memory is still strong. Aaji is a repository of old Marathi songs, especially children's rhymes. She now keeps her great grandsons entertained with these rhymes.

I don't know the origin of this rhyme, but my great-grandmother used to sing this for my mother when she was a petite, little girl. 

सोना भरली सखु 
तू दारी जाउ नको
तुला पोर मारतील
तुझ्या झिंज्या ओढतील
तुझ्यात नाही बळ
तू चिमटे घेऊन पळ 

पाउस आला धो धो धो

(Paus Ala Dho Dho Dho)

पाउस आला धो धो धो

पाणी वाहील सो सो सो

पाण्यात बोट सोडली सोडली

दुबकन जाऊन बुडली बुडली

बोटीवर बसला बेडूक

तो म्हणाला

डराव डूक डराव डूक

दिवाळीतल्या अडचणी

A little girl talks about how she is all set to enjoy Diwali but has to face several problems like an elder sister who is acting too pricey to draw rangoli and a brother who prefers bombs over fuljhadis.

शाळा सुटली पाटी फुटली

A girl comes home from school and asks her mother for her favorite snack before she can run off to play in this Marathi children's song.

चंदाराणी का ग दिसतेस थकल्यावानी...

Children wonder why and express their concern on seeing a tired and listless moon. Surprisingly, this time the moon which is usually addressed as a male is being called chandarani!

मनीची पिल्ल...

A young girl describes tiny, cute kittens in this song. The girl is fascinated to watch the two kittens lovingly cuddling their mother and expresses her delight.

चांदोबा लपला झाडीत


The moon hides on seeing a little girl trying to look at him. But he quickly comes out when he sees a bowl of cream and sugar, in the girl's hand.
The hungry moon gobbles up the delicacy and runs away to the forest, leaving the girl bewildered.

परीताई ए परीताई

This is a song about a little girl who imagines meeting a fairy from her fairytale book. She pleads with the fairy to take her to the fairy land to witness all the mesmerizing sights.

ये रे ये रे पाउसा

One of the first Marathi nursery rhymes that we all learn. The song in this video is slightly different from the easy one we know -

ये रे ये रे पाउसा
तुला देतो पैसा
पैसा झाला खोटा
पाउस आला मोठा
ये ग ये ग सरी
माझे मडके भरी
सर आली धाउन
मडके गेले वाहून

In this song, a young girl asks the rain if it is upset with her and begs it to come back again. She promises to enjoy the rains thoroughly once it starts pouring and hopes that her school would shut down if rain comes down heavily.

Gori Gori Paan Lyrics

गोरी गोरी पान, फुलासारखी छान
दादा मला एक वहिनी आण

गोर्‍या गोर्‍या वहीनीची अंधाराची साडी
अंधाराच्या साडीवर चांदण्यांची खडी
चांदण्यांच्या पदराला बिजलीचा बाण

वहिनीला आणायला चांदोबाची गाडी
चांदोबाच्या गाडीला हरणाची जोडी
हरणाची गाडी तुडवी गुलाबाचे रान


वहिनीशी गट्टी होता तुला दोन थापा
तुला दोन थापा, तिला साखरेचा पापा
बाहुल्यांच्या परी होऊ, दोघी आम्ही सान
दादा मला एक वहिनी आण



Two sisters ask their brother to them a beautiful sister-in-law. The little ones recount their idea of the wife to their brother. (Sung by: Asha Bhosle)

चिमणी चिमणी वारा घाल...

Little ones ask the sparrow and crow to do their chores. In return, they promise the birds water and a strong nest...That's an intelligent barter deal!

टप टप पडती अंगावरती प्राजक्ताची फुले...

Flowers, swaying green grass, gusts of wind, play of shadows; everything under the sun inspires children to sing a song.

किलबिल किलबिल पक्षी बोलती...

This little girl envisages a village beyond boundaries with greenery and happiness abound. Birds fly in the open sky, animals freely mingle with humans and no one harms the other...Beautiful, wouldn't it be?

बेडूक शालेमध्ये गेला

Sorry, could not get the transliteration right for this one, only option available here is Hindi. So could not get 'la' from the marathi word 'kamal' right :-(

This is a cute song about the chaos that a frog who goes to school for the first time causes there.

Asava Sunder Chocolatecha Bangla is about a little girl's fantasy about a bungalow made of chocolates and biscuits.... Hmmm....Yummy in my Tummy :-)





 Asava Sunder Chocolatecha Bangla Lyrics
असावा सुंदर चॉक्लेटचा बंगला
चंदेरी सोनेरी चमचमता चांगला
चॉक्लेटच्या बंगल्याला टॉफीच दार
शेपटीच्या झुपक्यान झाडून जाईल खार
गोल गोल लेमनच्या खिडक्या दोन
हेलो हेलो करायला छोटासा फोन
बिस्कटांच्या गच्चीवर मोर छानदार
पेपेरमींटच्या अंगणात फूल लाल लाल
चांदीच्या झाडामागे चंदोबा रहातो
छोट्याश्या फुलाशी लपाछपी खेळतो
उंच उंच झोक्याचा खेळ रंगला
मैनेचा पिंजरा वर टांगला
किती किती सुंदर चॉक्लेटचा बंगला
चंदेरी सोनेरी चमचमता चांगला

ससा तो ससा...

The rabbit and tortoise story told in a song. Remember the proverb - Slow and steady wins the race!

बहुलीच लागिन...
A little girl laments how the groom she got her doll married to is throwing tantrums now. An innocent comprehension of what children think the institution of marriage is about.