Not too long back, I went on a trip to Kasauli, in Himachal Pradesh. It was a brief, pleasant little jaunt, and on the way back, I suggested that we stop—since it was on the way, in any case—at Pinjore Gardens. Later, back home and settled in, I posted some photos and wrote about the Pinjore Gardens on Facebook, and the post prompted fellow blogger Ava to remind me that several songs had actually been shot in the Pinjore Gardens.
That led me to think: it’s not just the Pinjore Gardens, but several other well-known gardens, that have been the settings for various songs. Some gardens—the ones in Kashmir, notably—are almost instantly recognizable, thanks to those distinct mountains and the towering chinar trees. Others are a little less obvious, but they are, too, quite obviously not just a set, not just a well-aimed, well-timed shot of flowerbeds in spring.
Here, then, are ten songs that have been picturized in well-known gardens. To make the challenge less of a sitter for myself, I added one rule: no two songs should be shot in the same garden. As always, these are all from pre-70s films that I’ve seen, and are listed in no particular order.
1. Kashmir ki kali hoon main (Junglee, 1961): Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar. Laid out by the Emperor Jahangir in 1619 CE; in 1630, it was extended—on Shahjahan’s orders—by the Governor of Kashmir, Zafar Khan. Generally considered the epitome of the art of Mughal garden architecture (or art, whatever you consider it).
To begin with, a garden I’m absolutely positive about, since one of the people who starred in this song named it in an interview. Saira Banu, talking about her first scene with Shammi Kapoor, said that it was during the shooting of Kashmir ki kali hoon main, in Shalimar Bagh (Saira, debuting in the film, was so nervous because of the gawping crowds of onlookers that Shammi snapped at her, “If you can’t act in front of a crowd, wear a burqa!”) But she managed it all right, eventually, and both of them seem to be having quite a time racing about the terraces, the lawns, and the flowerbeds of Shalimar.
(Interestingly, another relatively little-known but still lovely Kashmir garden appears as the location for another song from Junglee: Mere yaar shabba khair is picturized in the gardens at Verinag).
2. Maine ek khwaab sa dekha hai (Waqt, 1965): Nishat Bagh, Srinagar. Along with Shalimar, this is the other major Mughal garden of Srinagar. It was laid out in 1633 CE by the Empress Noorjehan’s brother, Asif Khan. Unlike the larger Shalimar Bagh, which has several large pavilions straddling the central water channel, Nishat has comparatively little in the way of buildings: its twelve terraces are mostly bare.
Maine ek khwaab sa dekha hai is not picturized completely in Nishat; in their rosy-hued dreams, the two lovers played by Sunil Dutt and Sadhana wander all over the place, from a snowy yard to a misty mountainside—but they do spend a good bit of the song in Nishat Bagh, amidst the flowers and beside the chaadar (the sheet of water rippling over a bed of carved stone as it falls from one terrace to the next). Much prettiness on display.
3. Pyaar se dil bhar de (Kab? Kyon? Aur Kahaan?, 1970): Chashm-e-Shahi Bagh, Srinagar. The smallest of the three extant Mughal gardens of Srinagar (if you don’t count Pari Mahal, which is primarily an observatory), Chashm-e-Shahi is named for a supposedly sacred spring that lies at its core. The garden was laid out by the Governor of Kashmir, Ali Mardan Khan, at the orders of Shahjahan.
Unlike Shalimar or Nishat, Chashm-e-Shahi seems to have been somewhat overlooked by Hindi filmmakers, so I decided I had to include this song, even though I personally don’t like Pyaar se dil bhar de too much. Like Maine ek khwaab sa dekha hai, this one too has the couple traipsing all across Srinagar and around—on the lawns of the erstwhile Oberoi Hotel (now the Lalit Grand); by the river (the Jhelum?); in an apple orchard—and in Chashm-e-Shahi, instantly recognizable by the building that houses the much-revered spring.
4. Aapko pyaar chhupaane ki buri aadat hai (Neela Akash, 1965): Lodhi Gardens, New Delhi. Formerly known as Lady Willingdon Park, this is one of my favourite outdoor places in Delhi, because it combines nature (lots of trees, birds, even a little pond) with plenty of history: it is home to some magnificent 15th and 16th century tombs of the Sultans of the Lodhi and Sayyid dynasties, besides having several other medieval buildings (including an Akbar-era bridge known as Athpula).
This is a teasingly romantic song, and I love the fact that the tombs form such a good backdrop to the gorgeousness of Dharmendra and Mala Sinha. (They dance about mainly between the Bada Gumbad and the Sheesh Gumbad opposite it). The scene begins on the steps leading up to the Bada Gumbad Mosque, which has easily the most exquisite incised plaster I’ve seen in Delhi.
5. Sayonara sayonara vaada nibhaaoongi (Love in Tokyo, 1966): Hibiya Park, Tokyo. Japan’s oldest westernized urban-style park, Hibiya Park was opened in 1903 on the site of what once consisted of the palace grounds of a feudal lord (before it served time as military drilling ground). Flower gardens, ponds, a wisteria trellis, and several copses of trees (elms and dogwood, in particular) dot the area.
To move on, outside India. Love in Tokyo had several songs picturized in gardens and parks, and Sayonara sayonara, while the song itself may not be as melodious as the sublime O mere shahekhubaan, is at least set in a park rather more recognizable: the Hibiya Park in Tokyo. Asha Parekh dances along in her kimono down the paths, along parterres, in front of (I’m sure curious and possibly astonished) locals, and leads her besotted admirer past one of Hibiya’s most distinctive sections, the Pelican Garden.
6. Itna hai tumse pyaar mujhe (Suraj, 1966): Brindavan Gardens, Krishnaraj Sagar Dam (Near Mysore). Considering it sits right next to a river (the Kaveri, across which the Krishnaraj Sagar Dam is built), it’s hardly surprising that the Brindavan Gardens—laid out between 1927-32—has lots of water, including its famous ‘dancing fountains’, besides the more usual flowerbeds and lawns and landscaping.
I’ll admit I am not a Rajendra Kumar fan, and Suraj was not a film I liked. But this song is nice, Vyjyanthimala is beautiful, and the Brindavan Gardens look lovely, especially with those fountains playing.
7. Dekho dekhoji sochoji kuchh samjhoji (Farz, 1967): Botanical Gardens, Ooty. Long a favourite for film production houses based in South India (and rightly so, because they’re beautiful) the Botanical Gardens at Ooty—or Udhagamandalam, if you want to be politically correct—date back to 1848. The gardens spread out across several terraces, and include interesting sections like the Italian Garden (first laid out by Italian POWs of World War I).
Songs like Aaja re mere pyaar ke raahi (Oonche Log) have also been picturized in the Ooty Botanical Gardens, but I chose Dekho dekhoji sochoji kuchh samjhoji not so much because of the music or lyrics (or, for that matter, even Babita or Jeetendra, neither of whom I particularly like), but for the fact that this song showcases the gardens fairly well, going all the way from the sloping lawns to paths winding through trees, and ending in a glasshouse crammed with flowers.
(PS. I hate the patently artificial flowers that somebody with a poor aesthetic sense has insisted on inserting here and there in the outdoor shots).
8. Mujhko apne gale lagaa lo (Humraahi, 1963): Lalbagh Botanical Garden, and Cubbon Park, Bangalore. One of India’s major botanical gardens, Lalbagh was commissioned in 1760 CE by the ruler Hyder Ali, whose son and successor Tipu Sultan completed it. Under the British, the gardens were expanded considerably, with a menagerie, a glasshouse (modelled on London’s Crystal Palace), an aviary and a bandstand being added.
Cubbon Park, also in Bangalore, is of much later origin: it was created in 1870 and is a mix of trees, lawns, and historical structures, including the Attara Kacheri and the Museum.
One song, which begins in a bedroom and shifts only halfway through the song to a garden—but when it does, it goes to not one, but two gardens. Rajendra Kumar and Jamuna’s characters first prance around in the bandstand at Cubbon Park, then move indoors, into the Glass House at Lalbagh, before finally going out to the bandstand at Cubbon Park again. (I have no idea why the film crew didn’t use the bandstand at Lalbagh itself, which is decent-looking too).
9. Dil toh pehle hi se madhosh hai (Bahaarein Phir Bhi Aayengi, 1966): Botanical Gardens, Calcutta. Officially known as the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose National Botanical Garden, this massive botanical garden is arguably India’s foremost when it comes to history and botany: it dates back to 1787, and today contains a whopping 12,000 species spread over 109 hectares. The major attraction of the Calcutta Botanical Gardens—as they’re commonly known—is the Great Banyan Tree, which is 330 mt in circumference and is one of the largest banyans in the world.
Dharmendra seems to have danced around and sung in some of the major gardens of India (four in this list, and I’ve not even counted the garden in which Mala Sinha’s character romances him in Milti hai zindagi mein mohabbat kabhi-kabhi). Here, he teams up with the lovely Tanuja at the Botanical Gardens. A lovely song, and an interesting setting: they wander past the lake, along an avenue, by the bank of the Ganga. And under the Great Banyan Tree, which is where this sadly grainy screenshot has been taken from.
10. Tere paas aake mera waqt guzar jaata hai (Neela Akash, 1965): Yadavindra Gardens, Pinjore. Laid out in the 17th century during the reign of Aurangzeb, these gardens were commissioned by a nobleman named Fidai Khan with the intention of making Pinjore a summer retreat. The villagers of the area did not like the idea of these fashionable city-dwellers ruining their peace, and hit upon a way of making Fidai Khan & Co. depart: by sending to work, at the gardens and the nobleman’s quarters, only those villagers who suffered from goitre (which, thanks to an iodine deficiency in the water here, was widespread). Fidai Khan’s ladies panicked and insisted on going back to Delhi soon after.
To end, a song set in the gardens that inspired this post in the first place. Known officially as the Yadavindra Gardens, the Mughal gardens at Pinjore feature in several songs—as Ava informed me—but the only one I could ferret out for myself happens to be one from Neela Akash, also the film which features Aapko pyaar chhupaane ki buri aadat hai. I love Tere paas aake mera waqt guzar jaata hai; Dharmendra and Mala Sinha look wonderful together, and the picturization of this song is a good showcase for the gardens: you can see several of the pavilions on the seven terraces of the gardens; you can see the water channel and some of the gently bubbling fountains—you can even see some of the extensive mango and cheekoo orchards which form a large part of the garden.
Please add to the list! More songs in these gardens, and more songs from other gardens. There are hundreds—probably thousands—of songs out there; I’d love to see more.
Dustedoff 
Nain so nain nahi milao- from Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje (1955) picturised in Brindavan Gardens, KR Sagar Dam, Mysore, comes to mind immediately!
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Ah. :-) Thank you for that! I was certain there must be plenty of other songs picturised there, but couldn’t say with certainty. The only time I’ve been to the Brindavan Gardens was more than 20 years back, and we arrived only at dusk, so my memories of the gardens are very vague.
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I’m happy to post the first comment. Your out-of-the-box thinking is very striking! Of course your readers will come up with more locations but thanks for another interesting post!
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Thank you! :-) I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
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Ok, while I was posting my comment, Nanjappa beat me to first place! No problem, I’m happy to be second!!!
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:-) And I’m happy that the two of you commented so quickly. Thank you!
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though not entirely, but this song, Har ghadi badal rahi hai from Kal ho na ho, features a very lovely park in the heart of one of the largest cities in the world, the Central Park in New York..and the song is not bad too…
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also, would you term places like Pari Mahal, Char Chinar as gardens?
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I would think so (in fact, I had Acchha toh hum chalte hain in my shortlist, though I dropped it later because the other gardens were larger and more prominent). But both Pari Mahal and Char Chinar do have a definite garden component, so feel free to post. :-)
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Nice! Thank you – I did hope there would be people who’d have foreign gardens to suggest as well! This fits beautifully, and yes, I like the song too. This film had some nice songs.
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Lovely post! Learnt a lot about the gardens here. Thank you, dear Madhu!
Sorry for not having been present on your blog. I was in India for a marriage and before that the end of the semester at work took its toll.
I remember the good times our group had together at Lodhi gardens and us singing tere pas aake mera waqt (confusing it for aapko pyar chupane ki) there. If I remember right, we even clicked some pictures there while singing or something on that lines.
Songs in gardens are quite a normal affair in Hindi films, but most of them have been shot at the Film City Complex.
The only gardens, which I distinctly remember to have been filmed at a well-known gardens and not included in your list and one which I instantly recognised are the Hanging Gardens of Bombay and the song is aaja tujhe pyar kar loon o jaan-e-jaana from Ehsan (1970).
There are some songs, which have been also filmed at the Gandhi tekdi garden on a hill at the National Park in Borivali, Bombay, but can’t remember any of them right now.
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“Sorry for not having been present on your blog.”
That is so sweet of you. No need to apologize, Harvey. :-)
Yes, we did have a good time at the Lodhi Gardens, didn’t we? I didn’t remember that we sang the wrong song from Neela Akash, but at least we got the film right.
I didn’t know that about the songs being filmed at the Film City Complex gardens. I suppose those are the ones we constantly see in songs like Jawaaniyaan yeh mast-mast bin peeye and Thandi-thandi hawa poochhe unka pata? Wide terraces, palms, lawns, flowers? Would you also know where Mere humdum mere dost (the title song) is picturised? I initially (before looking at it again) thought it was Kashmir, but of course not.
Thank you, especially, for Aaja tujhe pyaar kar loon. I was looking for a song at the Hanging Gardens – I was certain I’d seen the boot somewhere – but just couldn’t recall one.
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Yup, that is what I was thinking too, when I mentioned the Film City Complex songs. But to tell you the truth, I’m not completely sure. Maybe this comment of mine would provoke the truth to come out. :)
As for mere humdum mere dost, I would have thought it must be ssomewhere up in HP or what now is Uttarkhand, but since I myself have never been there, I couldn’t recognise it. Moreover, closer observation shows that it has been shot at least at two different locations.The video below starts somewhere in a hilly regionn, one can clearly see abundant confierous trees, then it moves to some plateau region, with acacia like tree canopies. At 1:21 they come again to the hilly region, terracing can be observed there. Then the swiftly move again to the place with petunias, bougainvilleas, cannas and at 2:16 you can see the acacia-like tree canopies once again. The palms are a clear indication that it must be some tropical place.
Beautiful gardens there, that is for sure.
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Yes, I realized that, too – that the gardens here go from the Himalayas to somewhere definitely in the peninsular area. That seems to have been the case with several songs. Laal chhadi maidan khadi is similar; it begins in Kashmir and ends up in a place with palm trees in the background. Also, if I remember correctly, Gunguna rahe hain bhanwre begins in Darjeeling and goes off elsewhere.
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I watched the song from Ehsan (1970) today and realised my mistake. I am sorry, these are not the Hanging Gardens from Bambay, but the gardens near the Vihar Lake in the National Park area, where the figures Humpty Dumpty are to be seen. The giant shoe is in the Hanging Gardens and Humpty Dumpty in the Vihar Lake Garden. Sorry for having misled you.
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No problem, Harvey. Thanks for correcting that. Not that I would have been any the wiser, but still…
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Harvey; you need to take a refresher course in Geography of Bombay in Relation to Films :)
I am sure the “Manmohan Desai School of Films GIRGAUM, Mumbai” probably offers it :)
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The epitome of Mughal garden architecture was supposed to be Shalimar Bagh Lahore & although I must have seen plenty of Pakistani songs filmed there, off-hand I can only remember Bawri chakori from Anarkali, which used a lot of historical Mughal locales
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Oh, thank you so much, Bawa! I wish this were in colour – I’d loved to have seen Lahore’s Shalimar Bagh in colour. But still, beautiful, and interesting to see that there seem to be a good number of trees around.
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ye mera prem patra padh kar was filmed at the gardens of the governor’s bungalow in Ooty. I think they are not open for the public, so I don’t know if they would qualify for the list and for that matter, they are also not famous.
Nevertheless, they are very beautiful and the song is too.
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I had no idea where this was filmed, so thank you for it, Harvey!
Yes, it may not be a famous garden, or open to the public, but at least it’s an identifiable garden (not just a patch of land that happens to have some pretty flowers on it). So I should say it qualifies.
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hi madhuji,
nice concept! I enjoyed the post.
though i havent seen many of the gardens, mentioned in the post!
the first song that came to my mind was Nain so Nain from Jhanak Jhank Payal Baaje.
but its already mentioned.
no other song i can think of immedaitely.
:-)
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Thank you! Yes, Nain so nain is a lovely song, and fits well in this theme. I haven’t seen the film, though, so couldn’t have included it. :-)
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oh, i just remembered a song picturised in a garden
(I hope, its a garden, as i couldn’t identify it)
Aayi baad e baharein leke from Noorjahan
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I had looked at this one (and Sharaabi-sharaabi yeh saawan ka mausam, also from the same film) while researching this post. But I couldn’t identify the gardens (Brindavan? I’m not sure), so I left it out. But both are lovely songs, in lovely settings.
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Hi madhu ji
I am a new visitor of your blog and though i’m too young for such hindi films
Bit your reviews keep stick to them
So nicely reviewed films ,songs ,characters etc
I enjoyed reading the reviews
Actually i came across to your blog when iwas searching for songs in which male lead plays the piano and serenades the actress .. Loved it
But i couldn’t get song for which i was searching
I vividly remember who was the male lead and actress i think it was either dharmendar or dilip ji singing a song on a piano in a party and the actress is feeling ashame or sort of shy and moving here and there trying to hide herself
(Not exactly hide ) hope you understand 😯
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Hi Ashee, thanks for commenting, and I’m so glad you like my blog. Please keep visiting!
I am sorry, but I cannot figure out which song you mean. Would you remember, at least, whether it’s in black and white or colour?
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Ah i remember it was in Colour
Just wishing would get it
Can u also review some old hindi films
1950_1960
Like i have recently watched kati patang
Devar .
They were so so calm, sober
There is no such filth.nasty.obscene.crude etc in those films .
Would you suggest me some movies unlike sholay ,the train..
I want that soft romantic movies without any foul 😊
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“Can u also review some old hindi films 1950_1960”
Do you mean beyond the ones listed here? This is the complete list of Hindi films reviewed on this blog (there are separate lists for English-language films and non-Hindi, non-English films):
https://madhulikaliddle.com/hindi/
I cannot recall a single film from the 50s or 60s that I would term ‘foul’, but my favourites would include Junglee, Professor, Prem Patra, Majhli Didi, Dekh Kabira Roya, Pyaar Kiye Jaa, Tere Ghar ke Saamne, Nau Do Gyaarah, Ittefaq… and many more. All immensely enjoyable and entertaining.
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Could this song be – Aaj ki raat mere dil ki salami lele. Dilip in Ram aur Shyam singing to Waheeda. Just guessing – Madhu would know.
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That might be the answer, Nishi.
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And then you find this garden, like here in aasman ke neece from Jewel Thief, which has been very often used in different songs. I presume, it must also be a part of Film City Complex or some other studios.
The gardens in the song tumhari mast nazar from Dil Hi To Hai are the Brindavan gardens, aren’t they? Or am I mistaken?
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Yes, the Aasmaan ke neeche gardens are all over the place! I’ve lost count of the number of songs – and across the decades, too – in which I’ve seen those. Usually with people running out from between the bushes and into the lawns in the middle.
The Tumhaari mast nazar setting definitely looks like Brindavan to me. Perhaps someone else will confirm this. The one time I’ve been to Brindavan, it was in the late evening (when the fountains are lit up with coloured lights), so my memories are coloured by that. I remember very little of the gardens other than that.
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well in that case Pari Mahal in Tum Aa Gaye Ho from Aandhi…
As a young teenager growing up in Kashmir, our standard joke was, tum aa gaye ho Noor aa gaya hai.. (sung) …JAved aur Hamid aate hi honge (spoken) :)
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I knew this was coming! Thank you for posting it – such a lovely song.
And I like that joke. ;-) Ours was Tum aa gaye ho, Noor aa gaya hai. Chalo, teenon picture chalein.
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The song mere aane se pehle from Henna (1990) has been partly shot in the gardens of the Schloss Heilbrunn in Salzburg, Austria.
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I have never seen this song (never watched the film, either) before, but I’ve been to Schloss Heilbrunn. Thank you for that, Harvey – I liked that!
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and this one from the Burning Train, Vaada Haan ji Vaada, is again shot in Brindaban Gardens , Mysore
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especially at night..
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That’s how I remember them! The only time I visited, it was after sunset, and the fountains were all lit up with coloured lights.
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Brindavan seems to have endured as a setting…
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And yesterday, while researching songs for another post, I came across two songs from Roop Tera Mastana, both of which are picturised in the Brindavan Gardens:
Dekho lo woh ghata:
And Aakaash pe do taare:
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Pehle pehle pyar ki mulaaqatein yaad hain from The Great Gambler (1979) was partly filmed at the Parque Eduardo VII in Lisbon.
I wonder if this would be eligible for the list, but it is a nice song.
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Why wouldn’t it be eligible? Okay, perhaps not for my list, since it’s from after the 60s, but I welcome very tangential stuff in the comments. :-) So this is more than welcome. Especially as (a) I love this song, and (b) That’s a garden I didn’t even know of, so now I’ve learnt something. Thank you!
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You have really brought home how many beautiful gardens have served as settings for romantic duets (mostly) in Hindi films!
This song was shot in Lalbagh, Bangalore (also, the male voice is a then leading singer from Karnataka):
“Chanda se hoga woh pyaara” from Main Bhi Ladki Hoon
The second half of this song is in Hanging Gardens, Mumbai:
“Yeh nayi nayi preet hai” from Pocket Maar
This one was picturised in Botanical Gardens, Ooty, I think:
“Teri pyaari pyaari soorat ko” from Sasural
Not sure where this one was shot – it is partly on a lake and there seems to be a garden adjoining the lake:
“Haal kaisa hai janaab ka” from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi
On a separate note – not a song, but a fairly long funny sequence from Padosan shot in Brindavan Gardens:
Suggestion for a future post – songs that have famous cultural / historical monuments as backdrop
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Oh, some really good songs! (And I’m hitting myself for not having remembered some of these – the songs from Pocketmaar and Main Bhi Ladki Hoon in particular). I have no idea where Haal kaisa hai janaab ka is filmed, either – I hope somebody can identify that. And thank you for the scene from Padosan. I’d recalled that when I was researching this post, and did hope someone would link to it.
“Suggestion for a future post – songs that have famous cultural / historical monuments as backdrop”
That was done, five years back:
https://madhulikaliddle.com/2012/04/18/celebrating-world-heritage-day-ten-songs/
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also your profile shot for this post..Lakhon hai nigah mein from Phir Wahi Dil Laya Hoon .. partly Nishat Bagh, partly the then Oberoi Palace gardens in Srinagar, the gardens called the Badam-Wari or the almond gardens..
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So glad to see this. :-) I love this song, as you can guess.
Just one question, is Badam-Wari the same as Badami Bagh? Or is it just the names that are synonymous? My school used to be in Badami Bagh.
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No Badami bagh is further down beyond dal-gate and Badam-vari is below the palace . I suppose both were almond gardens belonging to the maharaja before Badami bagh was handed to the army and made into a cantt.
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I see. Thanks so much for clarifying that!
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Lovely post idea. I’ve seen only some of these gardens, but it’s nice to see them in songs.
In Brindavan garden, Husnwale tera jawab nahin
http://melodiesinmymemory.blogspot.in/2017/06/husnwale-tera-jawab-nahin-koi-tujhsa.html
Part of this song Dekha ek Khwab to yeh silsile hue was shot at the tulip gardens in Kukenhof, Lisse, Holland
http://melodiesinmymemory.blogspot.in/2011/11/dekha-ek-khwab-to-yeh-silsile.html
I can’t remember the song, but there’s one shot at Brindavan garden which has classical dancing. Padosan? Navrang? If I can tease it out of memory I’ll post it.
Meena
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Meena, thank you so much for commenting! And thank you for two lovely songs – I’m especially happy that you suggested Dekha ek khwaab, because there seem to be so few identifiable gardens abroad that feature in songs.
“I can’t remember the song, but there’s one shot at Brindavan garden which has classical dancing. Padosan? Navrang? If I can tease it out of memory I’ll post it.”
Might you be thinking of Nain so nain naahin milaao from Navrang? A couple of people have mentioned it in their comments. And there’s a scene from Padosan which is set in Brindavan too.
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Thanks for replying!
I looked at the vidoe of Nain So Nain now, and indeed this is the song I was thinking of. Somehow my memory of the picturisation did not match with the melody, so I had been sure this was not the song!
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You’re welcome. Glad to know that got identified. It would’ve been frustrating if we hadn’t been able to figure out which song it was!
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Enjoyable and very informative post. And I loved your comment about the Japanese being curious and astounded at Asha Parekh in Kimono dancing all over the place:)
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Thank you!
I don’t think too many countries outside India – except Russia and some places in the Middle East and Africa – were really aware of Hindi cinema back then, so I should imagine that the locals in just about any exotic place where a film song was being shot would be taken aback. :-)
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So sorry to be late to this, Madhu. The theme matches your earlier post on heritage sites being used for songs. Haven’t seen most of the gardens you mention, but Brindavan Gardens is lovely, especially at night. Thanks for a virtual trip through the others. :)
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Thank you, Anu! I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. I haven’t seen all the gardens on my list, either – the ones I am yet to see are Hibiya Park, the Calcutta Botanical Gardens, and Cubbon Park. Someday… though if I ever get to go to Japan, I doubt if Hibiya Park will be among the places on my itinerary. ;-)
Brindavan Gardens does look lovely at night. :-)
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I am a fan of songs picturised in hill stations – particularly Srinagar and Darjeeling. I stayed at both these places for three years each and their natural beauty is etched in my mind. Though most people would have stopped at Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh, I appreciate you for mentioning the lesser known gardens of Chasme-Shahi and Verinag Gardens; and later one reader has added Pari Mahal also. I have strolled and picnicked in these gardens so many times that I can recognize their shots at a glance. Standing in Shalimar Bagh in the beginning of spring, you can see white melting snow on Zabarwan mountains in background, green foliage and brightly coloured flowers within the garden and the blue waters of Dal Lake in front – a rare combination in any part of world. In addition to gardens, many songs have been shot in the picturesque spots of Sonmarg, Gulmarg and Pahalagam around Srinagar. In fact the whole of Kashmir valley is a photographer’s delight.
I miss a song of Darjeeling in your list – may be a song from the movies ‘Hamraaz’ or ‘Professor’ could have been included.
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“I miss a song of Darjeeling in your list – may be a song from the movies ‘Hamraaz’ or ‘Professor’ could have been included.”
You have no idea how many hours I spent trying to fit whatever I could see from the songs of Professor, Humraaz, Hariyali aur Raasta and Mahal to whatever photos I could find of the gardens of Darjeeling. Since I’ve never been to Darjeeling, that was a tough task, and hardly surprising that I couldn’t be certain that a particular song was filmed in a particular garden. Would be grateful if you could post a song and tell us which Darjeeling garden it’s from.
I love the gardens of Srinagar too. I lived in Srinagar for three years, and picnics – or just visits, without even picnic baskets or anything – there were common. I love Srinagar in all seasons: so absolutely beautiful, whether it’s covered with snow or spring flowers, or the chinars turn red and brown in the autumn.
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has great info. about Darjeeling.
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Thank you for that. All the films listed from the 50s and 60s I had checked out, to try and put a definite name to any gardens I might see there – but no luck. It would’ve been nice, for instance, if someone could say which garden Shammi sings Ae gulbadan in, or where exactly Yeh duniyawaala poochhenge was shot.
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I found out one song partly shot in a garden in Darjeeling – ‘Main Chali Main Chali…’ from ‘Professor.’ It starts from Chowrasta square in Darjeeling, moves on to toy train, and then Shammi Kapoor and Kalpana disembark at the easily distinguishable Batasia Loop for rest of the song. Earlier I was not sure whether Batasia Loop could be called as a garden (it is more popular for its train loop) but the Darjeeling Tourism website mentions :
“There is no better place to get a 360 degree view of Darjeeling’s landscape including the hill own and the snow covered peaks of the Eastern Himalayas with the majestic Kanchenjunga on one side. And all this from the middle of a lovely flowering garden around which the toy train track is laid.”
So I think this song can qualify for this list.
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Thank you for this! Very informative. I had been wondering if any of the songs from Professor were in a specific garden (Ae Gulbadan seemed a prime candidate), but couldn’t find any – so this helps. Thanks.
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Khuli Palak is also in a garden…no idea which one though
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That was on my long list, but despite much searching and researching, I couldn’t figure out which garden that was, so I had to drop it.
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A lovely post ! My first garden song was dekha ek khwaab and than tum aa guye ho. after seeing this post mera dil baag baag ho guya.
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:-) Thank you!
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What !!! no Shammi, Dev or Rajesh in a Garden and a surplus of Joy M & Rajendra K ???. Shocked, Shocked Shocked :) :)
Allow me to rectify (since you have NOT explicitly stated in your rules that the Entire song has to be in the Garden) —
1) Chakke Pe Chakka; Film : Brahmachari (KamathiBaug or Maharaj Sayajirao Udyan in Baroda)
You can see signs in Gujrathi.
2) Raat Ke Humsafar; Film : An Evening in Paris(At least Bordering Tuileries Garden Paris; hope it somewhat qualifies)
3) O Mere Raja; Film : Johnny Mera Naam (ruins of Nalanda Gardens, may not be a garden now; but certainly was one in the past)
4) Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana; Film : Andaz (Hanging Gardens, Malabar Hill, Mumbai)
Of course, this song is all over Bombay, Hanging Gardens, Marine Drive, Gateway To India, Juhu Beach etc; but Hanging Gardens is there :)
5) Jaadugar Tere Naina; Film : Man Mandir (Hanging Garden, Malabar Hill, Mumbai)
More of Hanging Garden, including the iconic “boot”.
Absolutely loved this post; great information about Gardens; and wonderful additions by other comments.
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Sorry; just realized Shammi is right there in song #1; but since he does not sing; I mentally tuned him out :)
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Ah, just saw this. Yes. :-)
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No Shammi? What about Song #1? Okay, you can’t see his face in
the screenshot of Kashmir ki kali hoon main, but still… oh, and I like Joy Mukherji. Much more than Rajesh Khanna. And you do know that Dev Anand in the 70s riles me up like little else. ;-)
But yes, the Brahmachari song was on my shortlist. Raat ke humsafar too I’d toyed with including, but finally decided that it was too borderline-garden to qualify. The other three just hadn’t occurred to me (and Nalanda Gardens…hmm. I don’t think so. :-D)
Thank you for the songs, especially the last two! I went nuts trying to remember songs set in Hanging Gardens, because I was certain I’d seen that boot somewhere…
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Madhu,
Wonderful idea and great selection of songs, as always! I am so late to the party and I don’t think I have anything to add but I have always wondered what happens to tourists on those days when these pretty gardens are closed due to shoot..
I have not seen most of the gardens listed here besides Botanical garden in Ooty and BG in Mysore..
Looks like the Conjunctivitis song (Gulabi Ankhen) is set on a decent garden but I don’t recognize it.
Not sure if the lake and garden in this song (Khilte Hain Gul Yahan) are famous, Kashmir? Very pretty setting though..
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Thank you, Ashish! Glad you liked the songs, and thank you for the two you posted. I’m not sure if the garden that appears in Khilte hain gul yahaan is in Kashmir, but yes, the song itself is a lovely one. Gulaabi aankhen had been on my longlist too, but I couldn’t recognize the garden (Film City Complex? I wish someone would identify these for us), so had to leave it out.
“”I have always wondered what happens to tourists on those days when these pretty gardens are closed due to shoot..”
I can tell you that. My husband and I happened to be visiting Lodhi Gardens once when Fanaah was being shot there. They couldn’t cordon off the area, because these are public gardens and monuments, but they had men standing around forbidding tourists from entering a couple of the tombs “Kyunki shooting honewaali hai”” I wouldn’t have minded waiting briefly, but these guys expected the area ‘sanitised’ even when there was no sign of cameras or stars. Worse still (and how racist, how hypocritical this is), they allowed foreign tourists to wander around. My husband asked why, and was told that “Oh, they will provide the backdrop”. We got so annoyed at that that we simply brushed them aside and my husband said, “Then think of us backdrop too”, and we went in.
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“Oh, they will provide the backdrop”
How rude! I know this points to our (some of our folks) state of mind, even after 70 years of freedom.. Also, I feel in India, a lot is left to subjectivity. In other words, there are no standard rules that are given to the “enforcers” which leads to vagueness and allows them to choose on how to apply those rules. I also remember when we visited Taj about a decade ago, they were not letting us in one specific area without providing any explanation and we could see a few people in that area. Kids were surprised because they were not used to such vagueness.
Anyway, one common theme that appears out of all these beautiful songs is that gardens usually point to happy songs..
“Dharmendra seems to have danced around and sung in some of the major gardens of India”
I agree, Dharamendra somehow makes the garden look prettier. Here’s one that I love (Aek Haseen Sham ko from Dulhan Aek Raat Ki).. Don’t know if this is actually a garden or not..
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Yes, the vagueness is very annoying. And the fact that rules are summarily bent for no rhyme or reason for certain people. I remember going to Feroze Shah Kotla with my sister (who’s a historian) some years back. We wanted to go up to the Ashokan pillar there, which stands atop a pyramidical structure. The gate to the pyramid was locked, but through the railing that surrounds it, we could see that people had obviously been inside it recently – there were flowers, bowls of milk, etc inside. (The local populace, my sister told me, regard this as some sort of Sufi shrine and therefore leave offerings).
The guard, when we asked him to please let us in, absolutely refused, and did not offer an explanation as to why others could go in.
And then there is the Delhi Golf Club, which has some fabulous medieval tombs in its premises, but refuses to let anybody in to see them. Not even if you’re on semi-official work and armed with a letter, etc.
On a happier note, I love Ek haseen shaam ko, but had to leave that out too, since it wasn’t picturised in a garden, as far as I could see. I had hoped it would be, because this song as playing at Pinjore when we visited this time!
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It’s a shame that these “enforcers” get away with such behaviour because there is no place to report such incidences… it has to change..
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Yes. The sad part is that the ASI is mostly so unapproachable – seen only through their signs at monuments – that for the average visitor, even trying to report such behaviour becomes too tedious to even consider.
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so talking of delhi golf club, here is a song picturised there , with the glimpse of a dome at 0.50 and thereabouts in the background, later moving to IIC lawns (really ? they let them !! ) and finally Lodhi Garden :)
Jab bhi milti ho from Trishul
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Wow! That is a bonanza. I’ve seen this before, of course, but had forgotten all about it.
(I’m guessing the snooty clubs were probably paid well for the use of their grounds).
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Just back from my vacation in Delhi – so saw this post only now. As usual, Madhu has found another amazing topic! One song filmed in Botanical gardens, Lucknow – atleast started there not sure where it ended up – Mere Huzoor, Allah Allah Allah wo le gaya chandi challa
I also remember I saw the shooting of a song in the early 60s at Sims Park, Coonoor – unfortunately cannot remember which one it was!
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Thank you for identifying that, Nishi! This song had been on my longlist, but I wasn’t able to identify the gardens, so this is a bit of learning for me.
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Impressive post, Madhu. As you point out, songs filmed in gardens are ubiquitous in Hindi films, but I’m darned if I can ever figure out which garden. Even the gardens of Kashmir elude recognition so thank you for the first three songs in your post! :-) Wish I add something to add, but I can’t definitively identify any garden. So while I know “aye phoolon ki rani bharon ki malika” from Arzoo is shot in one (or more?) of the Mughal gardens in Srinagar, I can’t tell which one! :-(
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“So while I know “aye phoolon ki rani bharon ki malika” from Arzoo is shot in one (or more?) of the Mughal gardens in Srinagar, I can’t tell which one! :-(”
I had a look, too, and even I can’t tell. :-( The lake looks too close to the gardens for this to be either Shalimar or Nishat (and it’s certainly not Chashm-e-Shahi or Pari Mahal, both of which have a very distinct geography to them)… for a moment, I thought it might even be Char Chinar, but it looks too huge for that. Perhaps Anubha will notice this comment and provide some insight.
Glad you liked the post, Shalini! Thank you.
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It could be the Manasbal Lake garden and bits of Shalimar towards the end. at times i thought it was also naseem bagh, so a little hazy there..
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ok so naseem bagh and nishat is where i would plug it finally :)
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Thank you so much, Anubha! Now that I think about it, I don’t think I ever went to Naseem Bagh…
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and this is Lal Bagh in early days I think… plus a nice song!! yeh Jawani hai dewwani from filmJawani Deewani
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Lal Bagh has been around a long time. ;-) I’d forgotten this song was set in a garden. Thanks for this!
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and i thought this was the most evocative garden being planned followed by humming of a lovely song :) Dole Dole from Charulata..i tust this qualifies for this post !
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and it is picturised in a private garden :)
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That – the fact that it’s set in a private garden, not a public one – is what disqualifies it. :-) But a lovely song, and one of my favourite films. How brilliant this one was.
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yes. totally ! also the fact that amol and charu are planning a garden of their own !
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Yes! :-)
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Thanks for a really informative post .
1. “Haal kaisaa Hai Janaab ka ” is at Vihar Lake ( or at Powai lake )
2. Pleas, if anyone knows the gardens where the following two songs are shot. ,
” Ye Parbaton ke daayre ( from ” Vaasana” )
” Mera Pyaar bhi tu hai , ye bahar bhi u hai” ( Rajendrakumar & Vaijayanti)
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You’re welcome – and thank you for identifying the locale of Haai kaisa hai janaab ka.
Yeh parbaton ke daayre, from what I can see (and what I remember of the place) is in the grounds of Golconda Fort. Perhaps someone else can confirm this.
Mera pyaar bhi tu hai is shot across several gardens – the ones I can positively identify are the Oberoi Hotel gardens (in the beginning, with the circular pool and the trees around it) and Nishat Bagh (at the very end, with the long shot of the terraces connected by the flights of steps). I think Chashm-e-Shahi is also there (the section with the pavilion), but it’s from an angle I haven’t seen, so I could be wrong. Perhaps there’s another garden with a similar structure overlooking the lake.
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Thanks !!
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You’re welcome. :-)
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it is chashm-e-shahi
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Thank you!
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There were two songs shot in Botanical Gardens Otty in Loafer, starring Dharmendra and Mumtaz. 1. Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai and 2. Main tere ishq mein mar na jau kahi… the pair looks dashing in these songs in the beautiful gardens
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Thanks for those. I’d forgotten that they were picturised in Ooty Botanical Gardens. Nice songs, especially Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai.
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Just came across this song from Amar, which is shot in more than one garden. The first part of the song is in Lalbagh, Bangalore, and the second part is in Kashmir
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Thank you for Tere sadke balam. I had forgotten the picturization of this song, especially the details. There seems to be a fair bit of shooting at a set, too.
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I recently realized that part of the song “Jadugar Tera Naina” is in Hanging Gardens, Mumbai (I could only recognize it towards the end of the song). Not sure if the entire song is shot here (doesn’t look like it).
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Thank you so much, Ashish! I remember spending several hours trying to find songs set in Hanging Gardens, but since I’m not really familiar with the gardens (I’ve been there only once, back when I was in college, and didn’t venture too far inside)… I didn’t succeed. Thanks for this song.
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Hi!
I’ve just “arrived” here and have been almost mesmerised at the myriad songs picturised in gardens….
Thank you, all, and Madhu, in particular.
Here is one which I believe qualiifies for inclusion:
It is “Suhani chandni raatein ………”
(sung by Mukesh, lyrics: Anand Bakshi, music: R D Burman)
from “MUKTI” (1977, dir. Raj Tilak).
In this song,the garden(s), in Kashmir appear onscreen in a flashback sequence, with Shashi Kapoor and Vidya Sinha (at 01:14, and onwards).
Also seen in the song, are some beautiful winter landscapes in Kashmir…..
Would be nice if the garden(s) could be identified….
I know of this song, in particular, because a major part of this film was shot in Kashmir, in 1976, by cinematographer K K Mahajan.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x19595a
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Thank you for this song (and welcome to my blog – thank you for commenting!). I had heard Suhaani chaandni raatein plenty of times before, but had never seen it, so didn’t realize it was shot partly in Kashmir. I’m not sure where the beginning of the Kashmir section is set – possibly Verinag, but I wouldn’t bet on that. The one section that I can identify rather more precisely is the one with the spreading tree, the circular pool with the fountains, and the slope beside it: the Oberoi Hotel grounds (now the Lalit).
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can you please tell me where gulabi aankhen jo teri dekhi was shot? Which garden?
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Sorry, no idea. But this looks like a garden I’ve seen several times in other songs as well (I think Khuli palak mein jhootha gussa too). A friend had suggested it might be a garden that’s part of a film studio complex. I don’t know, really.
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The song Lakhon Hain Nigahon Mein, reminds me of Disney World.
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Interesting! Why? (I haven’t been to Disney World – have only seen it in photos and the odd clip here and there).
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Because it’s a jolly, merry, colorful song with so many beauties to see.
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Ah, that. Agree completely. :-)
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“Main chali, main chali dekho pyaar ki gali” from “Padosan” was picturized at the Krishnaraj Sagar Dam at Brindavan, Mysore. Someone mentioned that throughout the song India looked so clean and picturesque in those days and now it’s full of dirt and untidiness. And someone else mentioned that the mindsets of people in those days were also clean, unlike today !
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Thank you for identifying that one for me!
And yes, I agree with that person who talked about the mindsets of people today… sad but true. :-(
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A good compilation . I like your views and compilations.
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Thank you!
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Hi Madhulika, I am an avid reader of your blog and needless to say a great fan of yours.
Can you tell me where the following songs were shot?
1.Title song of mere humdum mere dost ie na jaa kahin ab na jaa
2. Mujhe kitna pyar hai tumse
3.Mera pyar bhi tu hai
4.Hum aur tum from daag
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Thank you for the appreciation! I’m so glad you enjoy this blog.
As for the songs you’ve asked about:
1. Na jaa kahin ab na jaa – No idea.
2. Mujhe kitna pyaar hai tumse – No idea, again, though I’d hazard a guess this was somewhere in the South? Those casuarina trees look very like Ooty, but from what I can tell, this isn’t the Ooty Botanical Gardens. In fact, I think the garden part is so little that it may not be a major garden anyway.
3. Mera pyaar bhi tu hai – Various gardens in Srinagar. It begins in the gardens of the then-Oberoi Hotel (now the Leela) in Srinagar, then what looks like Nishat Bagh.
4. Hum aur tum – I assume this is the song you mean:
In which case, I don’t see any garden. It’s just a hillside.
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Here’s a tamil song from the mid-2000s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuLc6Z4ID1U.
I think this was shot somewhere in Netherlands.
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Thanks. The video’s not available any more, but at least the name of the song is there.
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Love in Tokyo…o mere jane khuban…filmed in Miyajima Budhist Temple, Japan
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Thank you! I hadn’t known that.
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I think the song “Dil Bekarar tha, Dil Bekarar hai” from the movie “Teri meherbaniyan” is from the Pinjore Gardens. What do you think?
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Here’s the correct song. :-)
I don’t think these are Pinjore Gardens – Pinjore is not so wide across. It actually looks more like the Vrindavan Gardens near Mysore. I could be wrong, though. Not sure.
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Thanks a lot for information. Reading this made my day.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you!
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I am simply amazed at the amount of work you put in to identify the gardens. I have learned a lot about gardens now. Thanks.
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Thank you so much! That’s kind of you. I love gardens, so this was a labour of love.
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