A long time ago, in Bengal and the regions around, there were two sects that existed. The Mahawats believed in celebrations through song & dance and idol-worship; and the Shariyats believed that prayer through song & dance was disrespectful. Shantanu was intrigued by this rift and decided to make this theme a part of his set.

This song was suggested by Bonnie Chakravarthy’s as Shantanu wanted to do something really traditional, about a side of Bengal that people had forgotten. Bonnie sings the song Baul-style which sets the perfect tone for its treatment & arrangement. 

Read the lyrics here:

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba,

geye chilen nobeer guno gaan

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba

geye chilen nobeer guno gaan

Ek din abar bodopeere

daakiye koy Khajare

baba tor bodon keno eto moleen

Ekdin alar bodopeere

daakiye koy Khajare

baba tor bodon keno eto moleen

Peerere koye Khajare din jaye onahare

Khaja koye peerere din jaye onahare

Ruherer khoraq shama qawwali gaan

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba

geye chilen nobeer guno gaan

Geye chilen nobeer guno gaan

Peerer haathe laathi diya

Zomi tare loye thamaiyya

Daan haath uppore koira

Thekaillo aashman

Peerer haathe laathi diya

Zomi tare loye thamaiyya

Daan haath uppore koira

Thekaillo aashman

Peere koi allah-e-allah

La-illaha-illelah

Peere koi allah-e-allah

La-illaha-illelah

Hoye jaey fanaa filla

Roohe qurbaan

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba

Geye chilen nobeer guno gaan

Geye chilen nobeer guno gaan

Gaan amar ishqer gaanjaa

Gaile hoye ruhu taaja

Na gaile paey shajaa

Banchena praan

Gaan amar ishqer gaanjaa

Gaile hoye ruhu taaja

Na gaile paey shajaa

Banchena praan

Aabil koy ei gaane

Aasheq hole mashek mile

Aabil koy ei gaane

Aasheq hole mashek mile

Aasheq mashek-e-mile

Shuddho kore parn

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba geychilen nobeer guno gaan

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba geychilen nobeer guno gaan

Geychilen nobeer guno gaan

Magan magan tan man dhan hari gun gao re

San san san sanana sanana basuri bajao re

Magan magan tan man dhan hari gun gao re

San san san sanana sanana basuri bajao re

Marhaba hoye marhaba ho khwaja marhaba

Marhaba hoye marhaba ho khwaja marhaba

Gao prabhu gaan gun gao re gun gao re

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba geychilen nobeer guno gaan

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba geychilen nobeer guno gaan

geychilen nobeer guno gaan

Khwajababa khwajababa

Khwajababa khwajababa

Khwajababa khwajababa

Khwajababa khwajababa

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba geychilen nobeer guno gaan

Khwajababa khwajababa

Marhaba Marhaba geychilen nobeer guno gaan

geychilen nobeer guno gaan

geychilen nobeer guno gaan!

CREDITS:

Composer: Folk song by Abul Sarkar Boyati with additional parts by Shantanu Moitra

Producer: Shantanu Moitra

Language: Bengali

Lyrics: Traditional Lyrics

Vocals: Bonnie Chakravarty & Pranav Biswas

Drums: Darbuka Siva

Keys: Aman Nath

Keys: Daniel B George

Bass: Brennon Denfer

Guitar: Shantanu Moitra

Guitar: Ankur Mukherjee

Guitar: Shubham Moitra

Percussion: Franco Vaz

Saxophone: Shirish Malhotra

Backing Vocalist: Rajdeep Chatterjee

Backing Vocalist: Ankush Chakraborty

Backing Vocalist: Meghodeepa Gangopadhyay

Backing Vocalist: Mirande Rajeev Shah

Recorded by: Steve Fitzmaurice, Ashish Manchanda (Flying Carpet Productions, Mumbai), assisted by Thorsten Muller

Mixed by Steve Fitzmaurice at the Pierce Rooms, London

Mastered by Bunt Stafford Clark at the Pierce Rooms, London