From Rajasthan to Bollywood: The fascinating journey of Nimbooda Nimbooda

The iconic Nimbooda Nimbooda song captivated audiences in the '90s and has since become a timeless classic. But has the song become so legendary that it now needs to be studied in a Class 5? Recently, in one of Odisha’s English textbooks, this popular Bollywood lyrics was printed line by line and as parents questioned this mishap online, it went viral.

Nimbooda Nimbooda in Class 5 syllabus? An editorial mishap spark widespread debate

Nimbooda Nimbooda is a Rajasthani folk song which was later popularized by the 1999 film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam that pictured Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the face of the song. Following the hit of the film and the song, it now has become a go-to party song.

And recently this song ended up being a topic of conversation around a major social and educational ignorance. It was mistakenly printed in a class 5 textbook which has further raised questions on the legitimacy of editorial in our country. Educational experts and parents have raised serious concerns over this major oversight, questioning how it managed to pass through so many editorial stages. 

While some responded with humour, others expressed concern over the quality of educational content being circulated in the country. One user wrote, “Can't believe such blunder in children's education book. We really need to be serious about this as children, what they learn today will be the nation's future”. Another added, “Odia pride is being destroyed by the half-baked government claiming to be a government—this is a stream of destruction across Odisha. One or two errors might be tolerable, but here over 2100 mistakes; if you search, you'll find even more”. 

Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, MP, Mumbai North Central, President, Mumbai Regional Congress Committee took a light-hearted route and commented, “Reminds me of the famous joke about a student who didn't study for exams so wrote the plot of the film Sholay in the answer sheet. This, however, is the syllabus writer version of it.”

About the song

The song Nimbooda Nimbooda has its roots in Rajasthan where it was sung during wedding or some happy occasion. The folk versions were not a single fixed song, but rather part of an oral tradition where verses change from region to region and singer to singer. But it was immortalized with Bollywood in 1999.

Our take

At the end of the day, regardless of how humorous it may sound, at the ground level this song was replaced with educational content in Odisha that could have been a genuine requirement in children’s learning. The Indian education system has often been criticised for focusing on content that is rarely used in real life. Perhaps this can serve as a reminder to officials that they can do better for the ones who would define the future of the country.

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