The perspective will change after knowing the real meaning of ‘Mungra-Mungra’, even after 49 years people do not know the secret of this superhit song.

New Delhi . There are some songs in the history of Hindi cinema which do not become old with time, but maintain their popularity among every generation. The famous song ‘Mungda-Mungda’ from the film ‘Inkaar’, released in the year 1977, is also included in such evergreen songs. This song is still heard at wedding parties, cultural events and dance stages. Its popularity remains intact even after decades, but the interesting thing is that most of the people humming this song do not know the real meaning of its most important word ‘Mungda’.

The song became extremely popular due to its witty lyrics, catchy music and the powerful performance of actress Helen. The song was written by renowned lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri, while its music was composed by Rajesh Roshan. Singer Usha Mangeshkar’s voice gave this song a different identity. In the film, Helen made it memorable by performing in Lavani style inspired by Marathi folk culture.

With time this song became so popular that many people started associating the word ‘Mungada’ with some dance style or folk tradition. However, according to experts of language and folk culture, its meaning is something else. In Marathi colloquialism, the word ‘Mungala’ or ‘Mungada’ is considered to be related to a big ant. This word is also the key to understanding the entire concept of this song.

In the lyrics of the song, the heroine describes herself as ‘gur ki dali’ and addresses the person in front of her as ‘Mungada’ i.e. ant. This is a metaphor or a symbolic expression, in which the message is given that just as ants are attracted by the sweetness of jaggery and come around it, in the same way the feeling of love and attraction attracts people towards itself. This creative imagination of the song makes it different from the usual dance numbers.

Language experts believe that regional words have often been used in Indian folk songs and film songs. Many times these words become so popular that people hum them, but remain unaware of their real meaning. ‘Mungra’ is also one such word, which gained popularity due to its tune and presentation, but its original meaning hardly reached the common audience.

This song included in the film ‘Inkaar’ is counted among the biggest musical successes of that era. It received a lot of love from the audience in theaters and in later years it was used in many films and stage productions. Its reach to the new generation increased further when it was re-presented in a modern style. However, the popularity of the original song and its cultural identity still remain intact.

For music lovers, this song is not only a medium of entertainment but also an example of Indian linguistic diversity and creative writing. After knowing the real meaning of the word ‘Mungada’, this song is no longer just a popular dance number, but comes out as a beautiful amalgamation of folk culture, language and symbolic expression. This is the reason why even after almost five decades, this song maintains its special place in people’s memories and the world of music.