Narendra Modi remembers famous Bareilly 'jhumka'

Bareilly (UP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday referred to the lilting song 'Jhumka Gira Rey' from Hindi movie 'Mera Saaya' to strike an instant chord with the crowd assembled at Kisan Kalyan Rally here.

The song immortalised by veteran Bollywood actress Sadhana in her feisty dance performance in the 1966 Sunil Dutt starrer was quoted by Modi as he began addressing the gathering here.

"I had never been here in the past. But I have definitely heard 'Jhumka gira rey'," he said, citing amid applause the song, "Jhumka Gira Re, Bareli Ke Bazaar Mein" sung by Asha Bhosle.

Modi said he had also heard of 'Bareilly-wala surma' (kohl manufactured in Bareilly).

"I am told it gives the user a new vision," he said amid raptures from the crowd.

The Prime Minister perhaps recalled another Asha Bhosle song "Surma bareilly waala, ankhiyon mein aisa daala", in film Kismat.

Modi said that in his childhood days, the Bareilly manjha used to be in great deamnd for flying kites.

"Whenever a kite used to soar high, it would be a foregone conclusion that it must be flying with the help of Bareilly manjha string," he said amid repeated clapping from the audience.

Known as 'Manjha City', Bareilly has been manufacturing kite-strings for over a century.