| Ahe Nila Saila | |
| Type: | song |
| Language: | Odia |
| Written: | 17th century |
| Genre: | Odissi music |
| Lyricist: | Salabega |
"Ahe Nila Saila" is an Odissi classical song composed by the 17th-century saint-poet Salabega, addressing Jagannatha of Puri.[1]
The traditional composition is set to the Raga Chinta Kamodi and the Tala Jati.[2]
It has been famously rendered by Pt Bhikari Charan Bal.[3]
Oh, Ahe Nila Saila (O Resident of the Blue Mountains) is a renowned Jagannath Bhajan in Odisha. It was composed by Bhakta Salabega, an Odia religious poet from the early 17th century who wrote devotional songs dedicated to Lord Jagannath. Despite being born a Muslim, his profound devotion to the Hindu deity is celebrated in folklore, which recounts how Lord Jagannath halted his Ratha Jātrā (Rath Yatra) to allow Salabega to have a darshan (glimpse) and offer his prayers.
In the song, the poet extols Lord Jagannath's magnanimity in aiding his devotees. He vividly depicts various situations where individuals in distress are rescued by the supreme lord. Furthermore, he beseeches the deity to eradicate all cardinal sins from his mind and relieve him from suffering. Below, the song is transcribed in both Odia and English.