Who Was Badluram And Why This Assam Regiment Song So Iconic?

Indian and the US Army soldiers, who are currently engaged in a joint military training programme exercise - Yudh Abhyas - 2019, performed in unison on Assam Regiment’s iconic marching song “Badluram ka badan zameen ke neeche hai.” 

In a video released by news agency ANI, the soldiers can be seen cheering, dancing and singing "Badluram ka badan zameen ke neeche hai aur humko uska ration milta hai". The group of soldiers could be seen singing and dancing on the Assam Regiment's marching song during the joint exercise 'Yudhabhyas' that was carried out at Joint Base Lewis, McChord in the United States.

Here’s the lyrics of the song: 

Ek khubsurat ladki thi…

Usko dekh ke rifleman…

Chindi khichna bhul gaya…

Havaldar Major dekh liya…

Usko pittu lagaya…

Badluram ek sipahi thaa…

Japan war me mar gaya…

Quarter Master smart thaa…

Usney ration nikala…

Badluram ka badan zamin ke nichey hain…

Toh humein uska ration milta hain…

Sabashh… hallelujah…

Toh humein uska ration milta hain…

Watch the video:

Who was Badluram and what is the history?

• Badluram, a rifleman in the Assam Regiment, was killed in the World War II in Japan. India was still under the British rule then. 

• Every soldier was entitled to ration (food supplies). The quarter master was supposed to report deaths of the soldiers to the authorities so that the ration for the martyred soldier could be stopped. 

• But he didn’t remove Badluram’s name from the list and continued to take rations on his name. Many, however, say that he forgot to remove the name.

• So, surplus food supplies as badluram’s rations kept coming until the Japanese Army surrounded them and cut off their supplies, 

• But, because of Badluram’s supplies the soldiers could remain alive.

• The lyrics are based on United States marching song Battle Hymn Of The Republic -- John Brown's Body. The original song John Brown's Body was quite popular during the American Civil War.