Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #19

Before I begin today, let me tell you about the Annual Navy Veterans Lunch hosted by the C-in-C (West) that Lyn and I attended four days ago, on Sunday the 26th Nov 17 that is. I was pleasantly surprised to know many people access my blog daily for these songs and also those in Raaga Based Songs of the Day series. It also came out that people know me more as Sunbyanyname than my real name. Thank you for your abiding interest, ladies and gentlemen.

The nineteenth day of songs in this series.

In the last eighteen days, we have taken up songs of nine male singers: Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor, SD Burman and KL Saigal. We also took up songs of nine female singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Suman Kalyanpur, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt, Uma Devi (Tun Tun), Suraiya and Zohrabai Ambalewali and Sudha Malhotra.

Tonight, we shall take up a song of our tenth male singer: Pankaj Mullick and the song is my most favourite: Tere mandir ka hoon deepak jal raha, a bhajan.

Pankaj Mullick was one of the first few of Indian Cinema personalities who was awarded the highest: the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. As a matter of interest, the award was introduced in 1969 and was won by Devika Rani, the first lady of Indian Cinema. In 1970, it went to Birendranath Sircar (founder of two production companies International Filmcraft and New Theatres) followed by Prithviraj Kapoor in 1971. That makes Pankaj Mulick the fourth ever recipient of this award in 1972.

Pankaj Mullick was a composer, music director, one of the earliest playback singers and he also acted in a few movies. He was born in Calcutta on 10 May 1905 and he died on 19 Feb 1978. An important turning point in his life came when, after finishing his studies, he came in contact with Dinendranath Tagore, who was Rabindranath Tagore’s great-nephew. This led to Pankaj Mullick’s lasting interest in Rabindra Sangeet. Rabindranath Tagore, in turn, grew fond of him, and soon Mullick became known as one of the leading exponents of Tagore’s songs.

Some of my favourite songs that Pankaj Mullick either composed or sang are: Aayi bahaar aaj aayi bahaar (Doctor, 1940), Ai qaatib-e-taqadiir mujhe itnaa bata de, Do naina matwaare tihaare (Sung by KL Saigal on his composition in Meri Behan, 1944), Chale pawan ki chaal (an all time favourite from Doctor, 1941, sung and composed by him on Kavi Pradeep’s lyrics), Duniya rang rangeeli baba (Dharmatama, 1938), Jeevan naiya behati jaaye (beautiful song on the lyrics of Ali Sardar Jafri for Zalzalaa, 1952), Karun kyaa aas niraas bhayi (Kl Saigal in Dushman, 1939), Mehak rahi phulwari hamaari (Doctor, 1941 again. Incidentally, Pankaj Mullick also acted in the movie), Main kyaa jaanu jaadu hai (KL Saigal in Zindagi, 1940), Pawan chale zor lahar machaaye shor (again from Zalzalaa but penned by Satya Kumar; it was a Dev Anand starrer), Piya milan ko jaana (an all time favourite of mine from Kapala Kundala, 1939. It was Pankaj Mullick all the way as Lyricist, Composer, Singer and Actor), Ye kaun aaj aaya savere savere (lyrics by Munshi Arzoo, sung and composed by Pankaj Mullick, 1940. He acted in the movie too), Jab chaand mera nikala chhayin thi ghataayen (Non-film, penned by Faiyyaz Hashmi and composed by F Casanovas), Kaun des hai jaana baabu (Mukti, 1937; once again Pnkaj Mullick all the way), and Ye raaten ye mausam hasna hasaana (Non film, another all time favourite).

Piya milan ko jaana, one of my all time favourites of Pankaj Mullick. Song was penned, composed, sung and acted on by Pankaj Mullick in Kapala Kundala, 1939. Leela Desai shared the lead with him in the movie

Not many people know that Pankaj Mullick sacrificed his own interests in favour of KL Saigal. For example, the 1944 movie Meri Behan songs that I have listed above were actually recorded in the voice of Pankaj Mulick and he was already playing the lead role in the movie. Half way through, BN Sircar, the owner of New Theatres (I have already told you above that Sircar received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award two years before Pankaj Mullick) asked Pankaj Mullick to let KL Saigal sing the songs and be the lead actor in the movie. Pnakaj Mullick was more famous than KL Saigal at that time but he gracefully agreed.

The song Tere mandir ka hoon deepak was penned by Pt. Madhur. He was a writer, lyricist and producer. He wrote the following movies’ stories: Tulsidas (1954), Banjarin (1960), Parasmani (1963) and Mahabharat (1965). Some of his popular songs are: Chanda re mori patiya le jaa and Ek baar dharti pe aake dekh Bhagwan (Banjarin, 1960), Duniya ye duniya Toofan Mail, Rona hai bekaar pagli (Song sung by Kanan Devi in Jawab, 1942 on the composition of Kamal Dasgupta), Ho chand chamka andhere mein aaj hai (Humayun, 1945; song sung by Shamshad Begum on the composition by Ghulam Haider), Sanjh bhaye ghar aaya panchhi (Sanyasi, 1945; song composed by Naushad and sung by Shaam Kumar), Suno ji pyaari koyaliya bole (Also from Sanyasi, 1945 but sung by Zohrabai Ambalewali and Amar), and Zaara bolo kyaa logi is dil ka kiraaya (Song sung by Mukesh and Kusum and composed by Firoz Nizami in Us Paar, 1944).

The most popular song penned by Pt. Madhur was picturised on Kanchan Kamini and Manhar Desai in 1960 movie Banjaran and sung by Lata and Mukesh

The bhajan that I am giving you (this is the first song in the series that is a bhajan and a non-film one at that) is sung for Lord Krishna and talks about deep and abiding devotion to Him. In the first stanza, the devotee (Pankaj Mullick) asks the Lord if He is a stranger to the devotee’s ache for Him; if he is new to Him? In the second stanza, the devotee is longing to obtain just one glimpse of Krishna. The third stanza is by far the best. The devotee wants to change his destiny with that of Krishna’s Bansuri (Flute) since she is so close to the Lord.

Curiously, all the favourites of Krishna are in the lyrics of the song: the Kadamb tree in the second stanza, the Jamuna river in the last stanza, and thje Batasha sweet in the first stanza. Naturally, the song has lyrics that have been penned by Pt. Madhur who knew the history well. On top of that, Pankaj Mullick’s singing and composition not just bring out the dard of the devotee but instantly take you to the scenes that Krishna was popular for.

Please enjoy Pankaj Mullick sing on his own composition a non-film bhajan: Tere mandir ka hoon deepak jal raha….

तेरे मन्दिर का हूँ दीपक जल रहा
आग जीवन में मैं भर कर जल रहा, जल रहा
तेरे मन्दिर का हूँ दीपक जल रहा

क्या तू मेरे ददर् से अन्जान है
तेरी मेरी क्या नयी पहचान है
जो बिना पानी बताशा ढल रहा
आग जीवन में मैं भर कर …

इक झलक मुझ को दिखा दे साँवरे, साँवरे
मुझ को ले चल तू गधुम की छाँव रे, साँवरे
और छलिया आ आ आ
और छलिया क्यों मुझे तू छल रहा
आग जीवन में मैं भर कर …

मैं तो क़िसमत बाँसुरी के बाँछता
एक धुन से सौ तरह से नाचता
आँख से जमुना का पानी डल रहा
आग जीवन में मैं भर कर …

Bhajans are and have been my favourite genre of songs. I must be really passionate about this that I have always chosen this over Pankaj Mullick’s Piya milan ko jaana. Lord Krishna is not just our most beloved avatar of God but also close to my heart. There must be something that makes people of all ages, sex, religions and positions in life reach out to Him, long for Him and go through the pain (dard or peedha) of not having a glimpse of Him. I guess amongst various reasons for it, one prominent one is that Krishna as avatar of God is not on a high platform in heavens but lived the life in ordinary human form. All His extraordinary abilities run parallel with his ordinary, humane antics.

The bhajan is my favourite song of this great singer and composer. Another great, Lata Mangeshkar, paid tribute to Pankaj Mullick by singing the same bhajan on Pankaj Mulick’s composition. In the following video, Lata’s tribute starts from minute 3:14:

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #18

The eighteenth day of songs in this series.

In the last seventeen days, we have taken up songs of nine male singers: Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor, SD Burman and KL Saigal. We also took up songs of eight female singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Suman Kalyanpur, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt, Uma Devi (Tun Tun), Suraiya and Zohrabai Ambalewali. Naturally, stage is set up for taking up our ninth female singer.

Tonight, we shall take up a song of our ninth female singer: Sudha Malhotra. After the failed love affair with Amrita Pritam, Sahir Ludhianvi turned to Sudha Malhotra for loving support and she ended up singing many songs penned by him. This is one of them.

Sudha was born in Kurukshetra (now in Haryana) in 1954. Thanks to music director Ghulam Haider who discovered her as a child artiste, she sang her first song for Dilip Kumar starrer Arzoo at the age of 14. The song was milaa gaye nain. She was hailed as the next singing sensation in the country after Lata Mangeshkar. But then, at the height of her career, she suddenly left film industry after her marriage to Giridhar Motwani whose family owned the Chicago Radio Mike Company. Before her marriage she was romantically linked with Sahir Ludhainvi as far as grapevine is concerned. He had approached her for a song in 1959 movie Bhai Bahen. This led to this romantic linkage which was neither denied nor affirmed by the couple. However, the film industry was rife with rumours of his calling on her early mornings, which was chided by the industry as ‘morning alarm call’. She, however, admitted that the attention that he showered on her resulted in her getting unprecedented success. Some of my favourite songs of Sudha Malhotra are: Awaaz de raha hai koi asmaan se (Gauhar, 1953; song penned by Shakeel Badayuni), Ganga ki reti pe bangla chhavay de (Mirza Ghalib, 1954), Hari tum meri raakho laaj Hari (Dekh Kabira Roya, 1957), Kaise kahun man ki baat (Dhool Ka Phool, 1959), Manmohan mein ho tumhi (Kaise Kahoon, 1964; also penned by Shakeel Badayuni), Mohabbat ki dhun beqraaron se poochho (Dil-e-Nadaan, 1953; also penned by Shakeel), and Salaam-e-hasrat qabool kar lo (Babur, 1960).

Lets turn to Sahir Ludhianvi, the lyricist of this song. Of course, many of his songs were indicative of the situation between him and Sudha Malhotra. For example, this one from 1959 movie Didi. All that one has to do is to ascribe male lines to female and vice-versa and it fits in well with them. It was also rumoured that the Gumraah song Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jaayen hum dono was indicative of the ceasing of their affair after she married Motwani. But, then, such was the persona of Sahir Ludhianvi that many situations in the movies were supposedly based on his life: Pyaasa, Kabhi Kabhi are two examples. As far as my favourites penned by him are concerned, there are quite a few. However, here is a shorter list: Aaj ki raat piya dil na todo, Tadbeer se bigadi hui taqdeer bana le (Baazi, 1951), Aap aaye to khayaal-e-dil-e-nashaad aaya, Chalo ek baar phir se, Ye hawa ye fiza (Gumrah, 1963), Abhi na jaao chhod kar, Kabhi khud pe kabhi halaat pe rona aaya, Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya (Hum Dono, 1961), Ashqon ne jo paaya hai (Chandi Ki Deewar, 1964), Ai meri zohra zabeen, Chehre pe khushi chha jaati hai, Aage bhi jaane na tu, Ham jab simat ke aap ki baahin mein aa gaye (Waqt, 1964), Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko (Sadhana, 1964), Baabul ki duyayen leti jaa, Tujhako pukaare mera pyaar (Neelkamal, 1968), Bhool sakta hai bhala kaun (Dharamputra, 1961), Dhadakne lage dil ke taaron ki duniya, Tere pyaar ka assra chahta hoon (Dhool Ka Phool, 1959), Dil ki umange hain jawan, Jeewan ke safar mein rahi (Munimji, 1955), Dukhi man mere sun mera kehna (Funtoosh, 1956), Duniya kare sawaal to hum jawab dein, Log kehte hain tum se kinara kar lein, Sab mein shaamil ho magar (Bahu Begum, 1967), Door reh kar na karo baat (Amanat, 1975), Zindagi bhar nahin bhoolegi, Maayus to hoon waade pe tere, Na to karvaan ki talaash hai (Barsaat Ki Raat, 1960), Ham aapki aankhon mein, Tang aa chuke hain kashmakash zindagi se ham, Jinhe naaz hai Hind par woh kahan hain, Jaane kya tune kahi, Sar to tera chakraaye, Jaane wo kaise log the jinake pyaar ko pyar mila (Pyaasa, 1957), Husn haazir hai muhabbat ki saza paane ko (Laila Majnu, 1976), Iswar Allah tere naam sabako snmati de bhagwan (Naya Rasta, 1970), Jaayen to jaayen kahan (Taxi Driver, 1954), Jaan-e-bahaar husn tera bemissal hai (Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, 1963), Jise tu qabuul kar le, Kisako khacar thi kisako yakeen tha (Devdas, 1955), Jo waada kiya wo, Paaon chhu lene do, Zurm-e-ulfat pe hamen log saza dete hain (Taj Mahal, 1963), Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khayal aata hai, Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon (Kabhi Kabhi, 1976), Laaga chunari mein daag, Nigahen milane ko ji chahta hai (Dil Hi To Hai, 1963), Maang ke saath tumhaara, Ude jab jab zulfen teri, Ye desh hai veer jawano ka (Naya Daur, 1957), Mehfil se uthh jaane waalo, Phool gendwa na maaro (Dooj Ka Chand, 1964), Mera tujhase hai pehle ka naata koi (Aa Gale Lag Jaa, 1973), Tora man darpan kehlaaye, Chhu lene do naazuk hontho ko, Mere bhaiya mere chanda mere anmol ratan (Kajal, 1965), Mujhe gale se laga lo bahut udaas hoon main (Aaj Aur Kal, 1963), Na tu zameen ke liye hai na aasman ke liye (Dastaan, 1972), Parbaton ke pdho par shaam ka basra hai, Tum chali jaogi parchaayiyan reh jayengi (Shagoon, 1964), Pyaar par bas to nahin hai mera, Raat bhar ka hai mehmaan andhera (Sone Ki Chidhiya, 1958), Rang aur noor ki baraat kise pesh karun (Ghazal, 1964), Teri duniya mein jeene se behtar hai ke mar jaayen, Chup hai dharti chup hain chand sitaare (House No. 44), Thandi hawaayen lehra ke aayen (Naujawan, 1951), Tum ek baar mohabbat ka imtihaan to lo (Babur, 1960), and Ye raat ye chandini phir kahan (Jaal, 1952).

Kabhi khud pe kabhi halaat pe rona aaya is regarded by me as the best lyrics that he penned. It featured in Hum Dono, a movie with double-role of Dev Anand

Perhaps it would be better to go through my posts on Sahir Ludhianvi:

The Best Songs Of Sahir Ludhianvi – The ‘Magician’ Lyricist And Poet – Part I,
The Best Songs Of Sahir Ludhianvi – The ‘Magician’ Lyricist And Poet – Part II

Lets turn to the composer of this song: Sudha Malhotra herself. Actually, the music director of the movie was N Dutta who had worked with Sahir Ludhainvi in as many movies as Sahir did with SD Burman before the two broke up in 1957 after Pyaasa. However, N Dutta fell ill during the film’s making and then Suhda Malhotra came forward and helped with this song. Isn’t it a great coincidence that the song was composed by her in the raaga of my home-place: Pahadi and Tal Dadra? She actually made it into a memorable song.

The movie from which the song of this post has been taken is the 1959 movie Didi. The movie was directed by K Narayan Kale and produced by Sadashiv J Row Kavi. This was a remake of an iconic Marathi Movie “Vahininchya Bangadya”. A famous Telugu version also was made in the name of “Vadina Gajulu”. Didi was a story of brother-sister love, but NOT in a tear-tear way but in a very hilarious way. The main roles were done by Sunil Dutt and Shubha Khote(a perinnial sister of the Indian screen). This was also one of the rare films in which the Parsi sisters Honey and Daisy Irani were acting together and both were as boys.

Please enjoy Sudha Malhotra sing (with Mukesh): Tum mujhe bhool bhi jaao to ye haq hai tumako, meri baat aur hai maine to mohabbat ki hai….

सुधा: तुम मुझे भूल भी जाओ तो ये हक़ है तुमको
मेरी बात और है मैंने तो मुहब्बत की है

मेरे दिल की मेरे जज़बात की कीमत क्या है
उलझे-उलझे से ख्यालात की कीमत क्या है
मैंने क्यूं प्यार किया तुमने न क्यूं प्यार किया
इन परेशान सवालात कि कीमत क्या है
तुम जो ये भी न बताओ तो ये हक़ है तुमको
मेरी बात और है मैंने तो मुहब्बत की है
तुम मुझे भूल भी जाओ तो ये हक़ है तुमको

मुकेश: ज़िन्दगी सिर्फ़ मुहब्बत नहीं कुछ और भी है
ज़ुल्फ़-ओ-रुख़सार की जन्नत नहीं कुछ और भी है
भूख और प्यास की मारी हुई इस दुनिया में
इश्क़ ही एक हक़ीकत नहीं कुछ और भी है
तुम अगर आँख चुराओ तो ये हक़ है तुमको
मैंने तुमसे ही नहीं सबसे मुहब्बत की है
तुम अगर आँख चुराओ तो ये हक़ है तुमको

सुधा: तुमको दुनिया के ग़म-ओ-दर्द से फ़ुरसत ना सही
सबसे उलफ़त सही मुझसे ही मुहब्बत ना सही
मैं तुम्हारी हूँ यही मेरे लिये क्या कम है
तुम मेरे होके रहो ये मेरी क़िस्मत ना सही
और भी दिल को जलाओ ये हक़ है तुमको
मेरी बात और है मैंने तो मुहब्बत की है
तुम मुझे भूल भी जाओ तो ये हक़ है तुमको

Hindi movie industry has a number of love-affairs in real life that have been as famous and fascinating as some of the others in reel-life. Sahir Ludhainvi’s attraction for Sudha Malhotra was the subject of many rumours after the unrequited affair that he had with Punjabi poetess Amrita Pritam. I not only think of this song as the one about another affair that didn’t fructify. I also think of the most beautiful lyrics of this song that destiny directed that the object of his love should compose since the music director N Dutta fell ill. And Sudha not just sang it with passion but put her heart and soul into composing it in my favourite raaga and dhun Pahadi. The song often gives me goosebumps when I listen to it.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #86

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Aapki yaad aati rahi raat bhar….
Raag Bhairavi, Tal Hinch

Today is the eighty-sixth post in the series on Raaga Based Songs of the Day. As already planned, I had kept Bhairavi for special treatment until the end after giving you the first song in Bhairavi on the 11th day: Babul mora naihar chhooto hi jaaye (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #11’) I gave you songs in many other raagas and now when we approach our 100th song, I am into repeating some of the important raagas. I have given you a few songs composed by Shankar Jaikishan (Jaikishan had Bhairavi as his favourite raaga). Today, I give you a special one composed by Jaidev.

Before I do, let me reiterate that I am primarily a Lyrics person. My interest in music and raagas is only to the extent of their adding to the emotions expressed through the lyrics. The purists would tell you, with enough justification, that in the Indian Classical Tradition, the instruments were made to express emotions without any lyrics. I agree but it is merely a question of my passion. A painter can do away with both lyrics and notes and tell you that a painting is worth thousands of words and notes. And finally, a spiritual person can do away with all thoughts to merge with his Parmatma: no words, no notes, not even thoughts. One has to search for one’s starting point; my starting point is lyrics and has always been.

Let me, therefore, start with the poet of this great ghazal. His name was Makhdoom Mohiuddin, or Abu Sayeed Mohammad Makhdoom Mohiuddin Khudri. He was born in the village of Andole in Medak district, Hyderabad State on 04 Feb 1908. Most Urdu poets of that era (with the exception of my favourite Shakeel Badayuni) were part of the Marxist political movement in India and Progressive Writers Union. Makhdoom Mohiuddin, indeed, founded the Progressive Writer’s Union in Hyderabad, was active in Marxist movements, and in 1946-47, was in the forefront of Telengana Rebellion against the Nizam of Hyderabad. The then-ruler of Hyderbad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, had issued orders to kill him for awakening people for freedom and the abolition of Nawab (“princely”) rule. He soon earned the sobriquet of Shayar-e-Inquilab (Poet of Revolution) and is honoured as a freedom fighter. He is best known for his collection of poems entitled Bisat-e-Raqs (“The Dance Floor”), for which he was awarded the 1969 Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu.

Here is what Mir Ayoob Ali Khan wrote about him in The Times of India (Hyderabad edition) on 16 Aug 2015 in an article titled ‘Makhdoom – Poet of Labour and Love’:

“Several years ago Ali Sardar Jafri made a documentary on Makhdoom. The character of Makhdoom was played by Irrfan Khan and music scored by Jagjit Singh. It gave some insight into the man and his passions but that it was too little. What still lacks is a well-researched book on him, especially in English that narrates his complete story, not bits and pieces that we find in Urdu.”

His ghazals have been used in Hindi films. Some of these are: Ik chameli ke mandve tale (for the 1964 movie Cha Cha Cha), Aap ki yaad aati rahi raat bhar (Gaman, 1978), and Phir chhidi raat baat phoolon ki (Bazaar, 1982).

The ghazal, Aap ki yaad aati rahi raat bhar has a history of its own. Makhdoom Mohiuddin breathed his last on 25 Aug 1969. Faiz Ahmad Faiz, another Marxist revolutionary, another notable member of Progressive Writer’s Union, and recipient of Pakistan’s highest civilian award Nishan-e-Imtiaz, wrote the following in Makhdoom’s memory:

“Makhdoom ki yaad mein”–Faiz Ahmed Faiz

“Aap ki yaad aati rahi raat bhar”
chaandni dil dukhaati rahi raat bhar

The night was haunted by your memories
And the moonlights made my heart bleed all night long

gaah jalti hui, gaah bujhti hui
shamm-e-gham jhilmilaati rahi raat bhar

Restlessly, it flickered at times, at times it didn’t
The flame of sadness kept shining all night long

koi khushboo badalti rahi pairahan
koi tasveer gaati rahi raat bhar

A fragrance kept changing its body all night
And a portrait kept singing all night long

phir sabaa saaya-e-shaakh-e-gul ke talay
koi qissa sunaati rahi raat bhar

And again, in the shades of blossomed tree
A gentle breeze narrated some tales  all night long

jo na aaya use koi zanjeer-e-dar
har sadaa par bulaati rahi raat bhar

The chains of the courtyard, with every call,
Sought him, who did not turn up, all night long

eik ummeed se dil behalta raha
ik tamanna sataati rahi raat bhar

A hope kept my heart at bay
And a desire kept burning within all night long

Naturally, Faiz being a more accomplished poet, penned his tribute even better than Makhdoom’s, as many feel. However, the fact is that the original still belongs to Makhdoom.

We have completed eighty-five days of Raaga Based Songs of the Day. Our first post in the series was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #1’ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1970 Shakti Samanta movie Pagla Kahin Ka: Tum mujhe youn bhula na paoge.  It is in Raag Jhinjhoti, Tal Kaherava.

Our eighty-fifth post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #85’ and the song was a Mukesh song from the 1966 Abhi Bhattacharya (Shailendra production) movie Teesri Kasam starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman: Duniya banane waale kya tere man mein samayi. It is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava.

This blog has a number of posts on Raaga based songs in Hindi movies titled similarly; for example: ‘The Best Raaga Based Songs in Hindi Movies – Raaga Pilu – Part I’.

In the last eighty-five days of sharing Raaga based songs of the day, I have given you songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti, Gara, Bhimpalasi, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani, Bihag, Pahadi, Sarang, Pilu, Bhairavi, Khammaj, Charukesi, Kalyan or Yaman, Desh, Malgunji, Kirwani, Kedar, Bageshri, Megh Malhar, Bhupali, Ahir Bhairav, Malkaush, Mand, Adana, Kafi, Rageshri, Jaunpuri, Tilang, Janasammohini, Chayanat, Shuddha Kalyan, Gaur Sarang, Jogiya, Asavari, Maru Bihag, Durga, Lalit, Puria Dhanashri, Bhinna Sahdja, Sohani, Multani, Patdeep, Jaijaiwanti, Tilak Kamod, Hemant, Basant Mukhari, Gujri Todi, Kalavati, Hamir, Bhatiyar, Gawati, Shyam Kalyan, Gorakh Kalyan, Madhamat Sarang, Manj Khammaj, Darbari Kanada, Vibhas, Shankara, Bahar, Nand and Mian Ki Malhar; making it a total of 61 raagas. The raagas that have been repeated so far are Pahadi, the raaga of my home place in the Himalayas, Maru Bihag, Raag Kirwani, Jhinjhoti, Bhairavi, Gara, Basant Mukhari, Malkauns, Bhairavi, Mand and Sohani. Today, I am repeating Raag Bhairavi for the eighth time.

Today’s ghazal has been sung by Chhaya Ganguly on the lyrics of Makhdoom Mohiuddin and composition by Jaidev. As I said, it is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Hinch. The song is picturised on Smita Patil in the 1978 Muzaffar Ali movie Gaman, in his own production.

Incidentally, Jaidev who won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction in 1979 for his work and for the Song Aap ki Yaad Aati Rahi, Chhaya Ganguly won a National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer.

(Pic courtesy: Saregama)

Lets know a little more about them in reverse order. First, the singer Chhaya Ganguly. She is best described by the expression: ‘A Forgotten Voice’. Indeed, this is how The Indian Express described her in an article on 20 Apr 2014 in its New Delhi edition. The occasion was her performance as a part of 21st Ustad Chand Khan Music Festival presented by Sursagar Society in New Delhi. And to think that she actually won the National Award for her singing this ghazal. She could have pushed to remain centre stage for years. But, instead, she chose to remain in the background in a most self effacing manner.

Chhaya Ganguli trained with ghazal singer Madhurani, whom she met through Jaidev, who composed Gaman’s score. She also sang the ballad “Piya Piya” for Jaidev in Trikon Ka Chauttha Kon (1983).

As if shy of her success, Ganguli took a long break from films, returning in 1990 for the Amol Palekar film Thodasa Roomani Ho Jaayen. The title track, composed by Bhaskar Chandavarkar, captures a great return to form by her.

Her songs in non-film albums include filmmaker and composer Muzaffar Ali’s  Husn-e-Jaana (1997) and Paigham-e-Mohabbat (2000). She sang the poems of Ahmad Faraz, Ibn-E-Insha, Nazeer Akbarabadi and Mir Taqi Mir. One of her most popular Sufi songs is “Zihaal-e-Miskin” from the album Husn-e-Jaana. She sings the poetry of Amir Khusro with passion.

Jaidev Verma, the composer and music director was born on 03 Aug 1919 in Nairobi. He was brought up in Ludhiana. At the age of 15 years he ran away to Bombay to become a film star. As a child-star he acted in eight films for Wadia Film Company. It was Prof Barkat Rai in Ludhiana who had initiated him into music. Later, in Bomaby, he learnt music from Krishnarao Jaokar and Janardan Jaokar. Unfortunately, he had to leave his budding films career to return to his family after his father’s blindness. He assumed the sole responsibility to look after his family. After his father died, in 1943 he left for Lucknow to learn music under Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.

He started his career in Hindi films after Ali Akbar Khan took him as his assistant for Navketan Films Aandhiyan (1952) and Hum Safar. He was the first music director to have won three National Awards.

Some of my favourite songs composed by Jaidev are: Ab koi gulshan na ujade ab watan aazad hai, Nadi naare na jao Shyam, Raat bhi hai kuchh bheegi bheegi, Tere bachpan ko jawani ki dua deti hoon (Mujhe Teene Do, 1963); Abhi na jao chood kar, Allah tero naam, Kabhi khud pe kabhi halaat pe rona aaya, Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya (Hum Dono, 1961); Chand akela jaaye sakhi ri, Koi gaata main so jaata (Alaap, 1977); Chale jaa rahen hain mohabbat ke maare kinaare kinaare, Dekh li teri khudayi bas mera dil nhar gaya, Jab gham-e-ishq sataata hai to has leta hoon (Kinaare Kinaare, 1963); Dil ne tadap tadap ke tadpaana sikha diya (Faasla, 1974); Di deewane shehr mein (Gharaunda, 1977); Jaise suraj ki garmi se (Parinay, 1974); Tu chanda main chandini (Reshma Aur Shera, 1971); and Ye dil aur unaki nigaahin ke saaye (Prem Parbat, 1973).

(Pic courtesy: India Today)

A word about the actress, Smita Patil, on whom the song is picturised. Having been born on 17 Oct 1955 in Poona, she graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India and debuted in Shyam Benegal’s Charandas Chor in 1975. She soon became the favourite of Shyam Benegal. Her performances were often acclaimed, and her most notable roles include Manthan (1977), Bhumika (1977), Aakrosh (1980), Chakra (1981), Chidambaram (1985) and Mirch Masala (1985). Smita Patil was married to actor Raj Babbar. She died on 13 December 1986 at the age of 31 due to childbirth complications. Over ten of her films were released after her death. She won two National Awards for her roles in Bhumika and Chakra and three Filmfare Awards for her roles in Jait Re Jait, Umbartha and Chakra. For the intensity of her acting she was being hailed as a Meena Kumari in the making and then she died at a very young age of 31 years.

(Pic courtesy: Alchetron.com)

And lastly, lets know a little more about the producer and director of the 1978 movie Gaman: Muzaffar Ali. He was born on 21 Oct 1944 in Lucknow. is an Indian filmmaker, fashion designer, poet, artist, music-lover, revivalist, and social worker. Gaman (1978) was his first movie. He went on to direct Umrao Jaan (1981), Aagman (1982), Anjuman (1986), and Jaanisaar (2015). In the last movie he also acted as Meer Mohsin Ali. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2005 and Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award in 2014.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last five times onwards we started learning about some of the leading personalities in Indian Classical Music or Shastriya Sangeet. The first one that we took up was Ustaad Asad Ali Khan, the finest Rudra Veena player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Hari Parsad Chaurasia, the greatest Bansuri player in the country. Then we talked about Ali Akbar Khan, the greatest Sarod player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Ravi Shankar, the greatest Sitar player in the world. And finally, we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Carnatic tradition): MS Subbulakshmi. Today, we shall take up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Hindustani tradition): Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

(Pic courtesy: Cultural India)

Bhimsen Joshi was born on 04 Feb 1922 in Ron town of Gadag district of Karnataka. As a child itself he was fascinated by music and musical instruments such as harmonium and tanpura. His first music teacher was Agasara Channappa of Kurtakoti, who had trained with the veteran singer Inayat Khan. He learnt raagas Bhairav and Bhimpalasi from him. Bhimsen Joshi next went to Pandit Shyamacharya Joshi, who hailed from Bagalkot. It is through Pandit Shyamacharya that Bhimsen Joshi got his first break. Pandit Joshi had gone to Bombay to record songs for HMV and after recording a few he fell ill, returned to Bagalkot and asked Bhimsen Joshi to continue. This proved a majot breakthrough for Bhimsen Joshi.

He soon emerged as a singer of Khayal and for devotional songs such as Bhajans and Abhangas. If we look at the awards that he won, one can make out his career progression: Padma Shree in 1972, Sahitya Natak Akademi Award in 1976, Padma Bhushan and National Award for Best Male Playback Singer (for the film Ankahee in which Jaidev too won the National Award as Best Music Director) in 1985, Padma Vibhushan in 1999 and India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna in 2008.

The Addl. Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Shri A.E. Ahmad giving away the Bharat Ratna Award to Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, at Pune on February 10, 2009. (Pic courtesy: netindian.in)

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Hinch.

Raagmala painting of Raag Bhairavi (Pic courtesy: Chandrakantha)

Raag Bhairavi is the basic raag of the Bhairavi Thaat. Bhairavi makes use of all the komal swars, Rishabh, Gandhar, Dhaivat, Nishad. When singing compositions in Bhairavi raag, the singers however take liberty to use all the 12 swars. Bhairavi raag is named after the Shakti or feminine aspect of the cosmic life force, which is personified as a consort to Lord Shiva. Bhairavi is a powerful raag filled with devotion and compassion. Its Jati is Sampurna – Sampurna, which means all seven swar (heptatonic) both in Aaroha and Avaroha. I have already told you that in a concert Bhairavi is usually the concluding raaga since it is supposed to cure mistakes of the earlier performances. Hence, if a concert has started at night (which is usually the case), Bhairavi would be played in the wee hours of the morning.

A pleasant sobering atmosphere full of love and piety is created with this raag and one feels so close to the Supreme. Its compositions include several Thumris, Bhajans, Ghazals, Songs etc. Since it is an ocean of immense possibilities the melodic combinations can include all the twelve notes with skill.

I am not giving you again a list of songs composed in Raag Bhairavi as I have already given you this adequate number of times, this being the eighth time I am giving you a song in this raag.

About Tal Hinch, I can do no better than put up the link to a video explaining this:

Lastly, a word about the movie from where this song (ghazal) has been taken by me. The 1978 movie Gaman was produced and directed by Muzaffar Ali and starred Farooq Sheikh and Smita Patil. Farooq Sheikh, the gentlest actor in Hindi movies left us on 27 Dec 2013 at the age of 65 and Smita Patil died young at 31 years on 13 Dec 1986. The film deals with the issue of futility of urban migration, using the story of migrant from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai, who tries to find a foothold in his new life as a taxi driver. Farooq Sheikh as Ghulam Hasan, is from – hold your breath – Badayun in Uttar Pradesh (the town of my favourite lyricist and poet Shakeel Badayuni). He relocates to Mumbai and becomes a taxi driver through his friend Jalal Agha as Lallulal Tewari. He had to leave his ailing mother and wife Khairun (Smita Patil) behind in Badayun. And that’s how this song (ghazal) came about in the movie. With each note, word and each histrionic of Smita Patil the agony of the migration for better life from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai comes through so lucidly.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Hinch: Aapki yaad aati rahi raat bhar…

आप की याद आती रही रात भर
चश्म-ए-नम मुस्कुराती रही रात भर
आप की याद आती रही …

रात भर दर्द की शमा जलती रही
ग़म की लौ थरथराती रही रात भर …

बाँसुरी की सुरीली सुहानी सदा
याद बनबनके आती रही रात भर …

याद के चाँद दिल में उतरते रहे
चाँदनी डगमगाती रही रात भर …

कोई दीवाना गलियों में फिरता रहा
कोई आवाज़ आती रही रात भर …

Aap ki yaad aatee rahee raat bhar
Chashm-e-nam muskaratee rahee raat bhar

The night was haunted by your memories
And my teary eyes smiled all night long

Raat bhar dard ki shamma jaltee rahee
Gham ki lau thartharatee rahee raat bhar

The candles of pain kept the night awake
And the flames of sadness kept flickering all night long

Bansuri ki surilee suhanee sada
Yaad ban ban kay aatee rahi raat bhar

Ah, the sweet soulful yearning of the flute
Kept tugging at my memories all night long

Yaad kay chaand dil mein utartay rahay
Chandni jagmagatee rahi raat bhar

As the moons of a memory would set in my heart
The moonlight kept shining like a beacon all night long

Koee deevana galiyon mein phirta raha
Koee aawaz aati rahi raat bhar

A forelorn lover kept wandering the streets
And a voice could well be heard all night long

We have intended to learn about Raaga based music whilst we entertain ourselves with Raaga based songs. So, lets, once again, take stock of our collective learning so far:

  1. On the first day we learnt about the Raaga system devised by Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, which is the prevalent system in Hindustani Classical Music and based on ten Thaats.
  2. On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
  3. On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
  4. On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
  5. On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
  6. On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
  7. On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
  8. On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
  9. On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
  10. On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
  11. On the eleventh day, we learnt about why Bhairavi is the first raag to be taught to beginners and also why it is the last in a performance.
  12. On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
  13. On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
  14. On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
  15. On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
  16. On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
  17. On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
  18. On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
  19. On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
  20. On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
  21. On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
  22. On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
  23. On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
  24. On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
  25. On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
  26. On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
  27. On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
  28. On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
  29. On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
  30. On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
  31. On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
  32. On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
  33. On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
  34. On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
  35. On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
  36. On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
  37. On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
  38. On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
  39. On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
  40. On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
  41. On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
  42. On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
  43. On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
  44. On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
  45. On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
  46. On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
  47. On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
  48. On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
  49. On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
  50. On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
  51. On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
  52. On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
  53. On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
  54. On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
  55. On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
  56. On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
  57. On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
  58. On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
  59. On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
  60. On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
  61. On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
  62. On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
  63. On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
  64. On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
  65. On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
  66. On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
  67. On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
  68. On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
  69. On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
  70. On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
  71. On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
  72. On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
  73. On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
  74. On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
  75. On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
  76. On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
  77. On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
  78. On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
  79. On the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.
  80. On the eightieth day, we learnt about Tivra Tal.
  81. On the eighty-first day, we learnt about the greatest Rudra Veena player ever: Ustaad Asad Ali Khan.
  82. On the eighty-second day, we learnt about the greatest Bansuri player alive: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
  83. On the eighty-third day, we learnt about the best Sarod player in the country: Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan.
  84. On the eighty-fourth day, we learnt about the greatest Sitar player in the world: Pandit Ravi Shankar.
  85. On the eighty-fifth day, we learnt about the greatest Indian vocalist of Carnatic tradition: MS Subbulakshmi.
  86. And today, on the eighty-sixth day, we not just learnt about the greatest vocalist of Hindustani tradition: Pandit Bhimsen Joshi but also learnt about Tal Hinch.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #17

The seventeenth day of songs in this series.

In the last sixteen days, we have taken up songs of eight male singers: Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor and SD Burman. We also took up songs of eight female singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Suman Kalyanpur, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt, Uma Devi (Tun Tun), Suraiya and Zohrabai Ambalewali.

Tonight, we shall take up a song of our ninth male singer: Kundan Lal Saigal, not just the first Singing-Star in Hindi films but also the first Super-Star, much before Rajesh Khanna.

If you ask any person of my era, what is the commonest comment about Kundanlal Saigal that you are likely to hear. Only this: “My dad used to love his singing.” It was the same with my dad too. My dad’s favourite was Baabul mora naihar chhoto hi jaaye. I gave you that song as my first post on Raag Bhairavi in Raaga Based Songs Of The Day #11 since that is the finest example of Bhairavi in Hindi films songs.

So much is the popularity of this singer and actor that many people can’t imagine that he died on 18 Jan 1947 (at the age of 42 years only) when most people of our generation were not even born. He was born to Amarchand Saigal, a Tehsildar in the court of the Raja of Jammu and Kashmir. The singing influence on him was that of his mother Kesarbai Saigal. As a child he used to attend bhajans and kirtans with her. In his youth, he joined Remington Typewriter Company and had to travel all over India. In Shillong he came in touch with Mehrchand Jain who encouraged Saigal’s singing. In later years, KL Saigal credited Jain for having launched his career as a singer.

In the early 1930s, classical musician and music director Harishchandra Bali brought KL Saigal to Calcutta and introduced him to RC Boral who took an instant liking to his talents. Saigal was hired by BN Sircar’s Calcutta-based film studio New Theatres on a contract of Rs. 200 per month. There he came into contact with contemporaries like Pankaj Mullick, KC Dey and Pahari Sanyal.

Rest is history.

The first film in which Saigal had a role was the film Mohabbat Ke Ansu, followed by Subah Ka Sitara and Zinda Lash, all released in 1932. However, these films did not do very well. Saigal used the name Saigal Kashmiri for his first three films and used his own name Kundan Lal Saigal (KL Saigal) from Yahudi Ki Ladki (1933).

As a youngster, Lata Mangeshkar is alleged to have said that she wanted to marry KL Saigal after seeing his performance in Chandidas (1934).

Saigal picked up Bengali very well and acted in seven Bengali films, produced by New Theatres. Rabindranath Tagore first heard Saigal before giving consent for the first time to a non-Bengali singing his songs. Saigal endeared himself to the whole of Bengal through his 30 Bengali songs.

In Dec 1941 he moved to Bombay and in 1947, seven months before independence, he died. The over use of alcohol, which he took to in his later years, finally had its toll on him.

Parwana (1947) was his last film, released after his death, in which he sang under the baton of Khawaja Khurshid Anwar. The four songs which Saigal sang in Parwana are: “Toot gaye sab sapne mere”, “Mohabbat mein kabhi aisi bhi haalat”, “Jeene ka dhang sikhaae ja”, and “Kahin ulajh na jaana”.

Some of my favourite songs of KL Saigal are: Ai qaatib-e-taqadeer mujhe itnaa bata de, Do naina matwaare tihaare ham pe zulm karen (Meri Behan, 1944), Babul mora naihar chhooto hi jaye (Street Singer, 1938), Baag laga doon sajani, Barso re barso re, Diya jalayo jagmag jagmag (Tansen, 1943), Chaah barbaad karegi mujhe maaluum na tha, Gham diye mustaqil (Shahjehan, 1946), Duniya rang rangeeli baba (Dhartimata, 1938), Ek bangla bane nayaara (President, 1937), Kahe ko raad machayi (Lagan, 1941), Karun kyaa aas niraas bhaii (Dushman, 1939), Madhukar Shyam hamare chor (Bhakt Surdas, 1942), Main kyaa jaanu kyaa jaadu hai, and So jaa rajkumari so ja (Zindagi, 1940). Often as a singer-actor, KL Saigal played the title roles of the films in which he sang.

KL Saigal performing Ek bangla bane nyaara in the 1937 movie President

Presently, on my Facebook page Lyrical, I am engaged in covering Lyricist #5: Majrooh Sultanpuri under Remembering Great Lyricists series. I have kept my favourite Shakeel Badayuni out of this series since I already have a number of articles and tributes on him. So far I have covered: Shailendra, Rajendra Krishan, Kaifi Azmi and Sahir Ludhianvi. I have a long way to go before I complete the thirty top lyricists of our era.

Majrooh is the fifth of our lyricists who was a contemporary of Shakeel Badayuni. Out of all these six (*including Shakeel), three have been from Uttar Pradesh, which says something about that region producing some great poets and lyricists.

Majrooh Sultanpuri was born on 01 Oct 1919 as Asrar ul Hassan Khan in a Tarin Pashtun family, in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. His father was an officer in the police department, but, preferred to send his son for traditional madrasa (Urdu school) rather than provide him with English schooling.

He tried his hand at being a quack until he was noticed in a mushaira in Sultanpur.

He was a disciple of the great Urdu poet Jigar Moradabadi. When he visited Bombay in 1945 to participate in a mushaira, the director Abdul Rashid Kardar noticed him and invited him to write for the movies. Majrooh turned it down as he looked down upon movies! He was persuaded through his mentor Jigar Moradabadi and then there was no turning back.

Many traditionalists of the Urdu literature, however, felt that Majrooh sold his soul to the Hindi films and that he could have emerged a great poet in the likeness of Ghalib and Jigar.

The takhalus Majrooh means “injured” or “wounded”.

Majrooh was awarded, in 1993, the highest award – Dadasaheb Phalke award – for his lifetime contribution towards lyrics and poetry. He was the first lyricist ever to be given that award. For the film Dosti, that made Laxmikant Pyarelal famous, he was awarded the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award for the song: Chahunga main tujhe saanjh savere.

For someone who didn’t want to join Hindi movies, Majrooh emerged as a natural lyricist, very popular, very romantic without too deep poetry. I won’t like to compare him with Shakeel since Shakeel maintained the purity of Urdu lyrics and traditional Urdu poetry style.

Most of Majrooh’s songs are of Dil vil pyaar vyaar main kyaa jaanu, Baahon mein chale aao, Bangle ke peechhe, Ye raaten ye amusam nadi ka kinaara, and Dekho mausam kyaa bahaar hai. However, some of his lyrics are still comparable to Shakeel’s such as Hui shaam unaka khayaal aa gaya, Woh jo milate the kabhi, Rahe na rahe ham, Chhupa lo youn dil mein pyaar mera, Tu kahe agar jeevan bhar main geet sunaata jaayun, Mujhe dard-e-dil ka pata na tha, Hamaare baad ab mehfil mein afsaane bayaan honge, and the great song on eyes: Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kyaa hai.

The last one is from the 1969 movie Chirag. Hats off to Majrooh for writing this at the age of fifty! Hats off to Madan Mohan too for having composed it in Raag Jhinjhoti, the raag named after an apsara. There are two versions of this song: Mohammad Rafi singing for Sunil Dutt and Lata Mangeshkar singing for Asha Parekh.

The lyrics are exquisite and each word hangs on the notes of the composition like raindrops from green leaves.

Sunil Dutt lip-syncing to Asha Parekh Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kya hai. The song was penned by Majrooh and composed by Madan Mohan in raag Jhinjhoti and sung by Mohammad Rafi. The name of this 1969 movie is Chirag

The movie from which the song of this post has been taken is the 1946 movie Shahjahan. The movie was directed by Abdul Rashid Kardar and the song was composed by Naushad. These two personalities, one year later, launched the career of Shakeel Badayuni in their 1947 movie Dard and in the present series I have given you the first song of Shakeel in Hindi movies: Afsaana likh rahi hoon sung by Uma Devi who was to later become the comedienne Tun Tun (Please see: ‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #14’).

In his very first movie, Majrooh Sultanpuri penned exquisite songs:

  1. Jab dil hi toot gaya.
  2. Chah barbaad karegi hamen maluum na tha.
  3. Gham diye mustaqil.
  4. Mere sapno ki rani ruhi, ruhi ruhi.
  5. Jab usne gesu bikhraaye baadal aaye jhuum ke.
  6. Kar leejiye chal kar meri jannat ke nazare.
  7. Jawani ke daaman ko rangi bana le.
  8. Aag lagi dil mein.

The songs of the movie became so popular (amongst the best ever sung by KL Saigal) that KL Saigal wanted Jab dil hi toot gaya to be sung at his funeral.

The movie’s story is a fictionalised account of an episode during the reign of Emperor Shajahan: “Circa the Mugal rule in Hindustan, Shahjahan, the present emperor is approached by one of his subjects, whose daughter, Ruhi, is so beautiful, that her suitors have killed her to-be grooms, as well as two of her brothers, who came to her aid. He now seeks the Emperor’s assistance. Appalled at this, the Emperor confers with his Queen, Mumtaz, and upon her advise asks the father to bring his daughter to be a guest of the palace, and it is from here that a suitor will be chosen by none other than his royal majesty himself. The father does as asked, but one of the Queen’s aide is troubled by Ruhi’s august presence, that she fears that the Emperor may take a liking to her, and make her his begum. She plots a devious scheme so that Ruhi is promised to get married to Shiraz. The matter gets quite complicated as Ruhi has already been promised to Sohail. The Emperor and his Queen are so perturbed by this situation, that both become ill. The situation is resolved when Sohail decides to give Ruhi up so that she can marry Shiraz – but not until Mumtaz tragically passes away. Devastated and heart-broken by her death, Shah Jahan feels that she can be made immortal by the building of a royal tomb, and asks Shiraz to come up with such a Mahal. Watch as events begin to unfold, that will finally give rise to one of the seven wonders of the world – The Taj Mahal.”

Paidi Jairaj who played Shiraz in the movie Shahjahan

The story of the movie was penned by Kamal Amrohi. It starred KL Saigal as Sohail, Rehman as Shahjahan, Ragini as Ruhi and Nasreen as Mumtaz. P Jairaj, who palyed Bahadur Shah Zafar in the movie Laal Qila played Shiraz. He was an Indian film superstar, director and producer known for his works primarily in Hindi cinema, Marathi and Gujarati language films, and Telugu theatre. In the year 1980, he was awarded the highest award in Indian Cinema: the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Not many people know about it but Paidi Jairaj is the one who was involved in instituting Filmfare Awards in India.

Naushad Ali, the composer, lived between 25 Dec 1919 to 05 May 2006. He won only one Filmfare Award, for the music and songs of the 1952 Vijay Bhatt movie Baiju Bawra. However, he could have won many including for Mughal-e-Azam. Eventually, he was conferred with the highest, that is, Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1982 and Padma Bhushan in 1992. He is credited with having brought in Raaga Based Songs in the movies and Baiju Bawra is a fine example of that. Various singers and lyricists (especially Shakeel Badayuni) looked up to him as a guide and mentor. For example, he encouraged Mukesh to have his distinctive style of singing rather than imitate KL Saigal. He launched the careers of quite a few of them such as Zohrabai Ambalewali and Uma Devi. As far as my favourite songs of Naushad are concerned, I have penned volumes in this blog on them. As an example, just go through: ‘The Best Of Old Hindi Songs – Rafi, Shakeel, Naushad and Dilip Kumar Together’.

(Picture courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation)

Before we take up the song, lets learn a little about Abdul Rashid Kardar, the director of this movie from where the song has been taken. He was the pioneer in establishing film industry in Bhati Gate, Lahore (later Pakistan). In 1924, the first silent film (11 years after Dadasaheb Phalke made his first silent movie: Raja Harishchandra), The Daughters of Today was released in Lahore at a time when the city only had nine operational cinema houses. Most of the films shown in theatres in Lahore were either made in Bombay or Calcutta, besides ones made in Hollywood or London. The Daughters of Today was the brain-child of GK Mehta, a former officer with the North-Western Railway, who had imported a camera into the country for this very project from London. He asked Kardar to assist him as an assistant director on the project and ended up giving Kardar his début role in his film as an actor. Muhammad Ismail, his friend and fellow calligraphist, accompanied Kardar in the making of the film. Kardar shifted to Calcutta in 1930 and after working in various production houses, he made his own Kardar Studios in 1940 (he shifted to Bombay in 1937) and started making films under the banner Kardar Productions. His 1946 film Shahjehan starred KL Saigal and the songs were by Majrooh (debut movie) and Naushad Ali. He worked with Naushad in a number of movies including the unforgettable Dil Diya Dard Liya starring Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman and Pran.

Please enjoy KL Saigal sing: Jab dil hi tuut gaya….

जब दिल ही टूट गया, जब दिल ही टूट गया
हम जी के क्या करेंगे, हम जी के क्या करेंगे
जब दिल ही टूट गया – २

उलफ़त का दिया हमने, इस दिल में जलाया था – २
उम्मीद के फूलों से, इस घर को सजाया था – २
इक भेदी लूट गया, इक भेदी लूट गया
हम जी के क्या करेंगे, हम जी के क्या करेंगे
जब दिल ही टूट गया

(मालूम ना था इतनी, मुश्किल हैं मेरी राहें
मुश्किल हैं मेरी राहें ) – २
अरमां के बहे आँसू, हसरत ने भरीं आहें – २
हर साथी छूट गया, हर साथी छूट गया
हम जी के क्या करेंगे, हम जी के क्या करेंगे
जब दिल ही टूट गया

Imagine the songs of Majrooh Sultanpuri, in his very first movie; they became so popular that the great singing-star KL Saigal, the first super star of the Hindi movies, wanted that this song should be played at his funeral. Anyone who listens to this song is instantly reminded of his father. Also imagine that three of the personilities in this post were given the highest honour of Dadasaheb Phalke Award in later years: Majrooh Sultanpuri – the Lyricist, Naushad Ali – the Composer of this song and Music Director, and Paidi Jairaj – the actor – director for his portrayal of historical characters.

After Babul mora naihar chhooto ji jaye, this is the most popular song of KL Saigal and we kept listening to it during our childhood together with another great from the same movie: Gham diye mustaqil, itna naazuk hai dil ye naa jaana.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

KUCHH SOYE HUYE ARMAAN

आधी रात को जब उसने बुलाया “honey”,
बढ़ गयी तुरंत मेरी diabetes;
सांस का तेज हो जाना स्वाभाविक था,
दिल की धड़कन भी हो गयी increase.

सब कुछ बढ़ चढ़ के उछाले मारने लगा,
एक brain ही था जो हो गया था seize.
पैंतीस साल हो गए हमारी शादी को,
अभी भी हूँ मैं प्यार का मरीज़ I

गर्मा गर्मी में वो अरमान भी जाग उठे,
जो कल तक लेटे थे होके freeze.
आज तक कभी हिम्मत न हुई थी,
पर अब हमें भी जोश आ गया, please.

और हमने बढ़े इश्किया आवाज़ में  कहा:
कल देखेंगे, अब न करो हमें tease.
वो बोली: “खिड़की बंद करने के लिए जगाया था,
और तुम क्या समझे थे, बद्तमीज़?”

“मुझे खूब पता है तुम्हारी काबलियत का,
पुराने जोड़ो में अब नहीं है grease.”
बुढापा आ गया, हमने अंदाज़ ऐ ग़म में सोचा,
छूट गयी हमसे जवानी की दहलीज़।

एक ज़माना था बंद खिड़किया खोल देते थे हम,
अब बोलती बंद है, हम बने हैं नाचीज़।
काश कहीं से जवानी वापिस आ जाए,
और बन जाए मेरी मुस्तक़िल अज़ीज़ I

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #85

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Duniya banane waale kya tere man mein samaayi….
Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava

A few days ago, I had mentioned that time had come for me to give you songs in the favourite raaga of Shankar Jaikishan (especially Jaikishan, who named his daughter Bhairavi, the name of his favourite raaga). Since then, I have given you, two of their compositions: Sab kuchh seekha hamane (the title song of Anaadi; please see: Raaga Based Song Of The Day #79) and O sahama mujhe phoonk de (Aashiq; Please see: Raaga Based Song Of The Day #81).

Mukesh and Raj Kapoor: the actor with his ‘singing voice’ (Pic courtesy: anuradhawarrier.blogspot.com)

Today’s song too has been sung by Mukesh, the singer of the last Raaga Based Song Of The Day #84 when we broke off on 20 Oct 17. Mukesh sang for many actors but no one more than Raj Kapoor who called him his ‘Singing Voice’. Some of the memorable songs that Mukesh sang for Raj Kapoor are: Aaja re ab mera dil pukaara, Zindaa hoon is tarah ke gham-e-zindagi nahin (Aah, 1953 and 1948), Aansu bhari hain ye jeevan ki raahen (Parvarish, 1958), Awara hoon (title song of 1951 movie Awara), Ai sanam jisane tujhe chand si surat di hai (Diwana, 1967), Begaani shaadi mein Abdullah deewana, Hontho pe sachayi rehati hai, Mera naam Raju gharaana anaam, Pyaar kar le nahin to phansi chad jaayega (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, 1960), Bhule se mohabbat kar baitha, Tum agar mujhako naa chaho to koi baat nahin, Tumhaari mast nazar gar idhar nahin hoti (Dil Hi To Hai, 1963), Dam bhar jo udhar moonh phere, Ham tujh se mohabbat karke sanama, (Awara, 1951), Dil ki nazar se, Kisi ki muskraahton pe ho nisaar, Sab kuchh seekha hamane (Anaadi, 1959), Dost dost na raha, Har dil jo pyaar karega, Mere man ki Ganga aur tere man ki Jamuna ka (Sangam, 1964), Hamane tujhako pyaar kiya hai jitana, Mujhe kehte hain Kallu Qawaal (Dulha Dulhan, 1964), Ik din bik jaayega maati ke mol (Dharam Karam, 1975), Jane kahan gaye woh dil, Jeena yahan marna yahan, Kehta hai Joker saara zamaana (Mera Naam Joker, 1970), Jaane na nazar pehchaane jigar (Aah, 1953), Khayalon mein kisi ke is tarah aaya nahin karte (Bawre Nain, 1950), Kuchh shair sunaata hoon main (Ek Dil Sau Afsaane, 1963), Mehtaab tera chehra, O shama mujhe phoonk de (Aashiq, 1962), Ramaiyya vastavaiyya (Shree 420, 1955), Mere toote huye dil se (Chhaliya, 1960), Mujhako yaaro maaf karna main nashe mein hoon (Main Nashe Main Hoon, 1959), Mujhe tumase kuchh bhi na chahiye, Ruk jaa o jaanewali ruk jaa, Yaad aayi aadhi raat ko (Kanhaiya, 1959), Sajan re jhoot mat bolo, Sajanvaa bairi ho gaye hamaar  (Teesri Kasam, 1966), and Wo subah kabhi to aayegi (Phir Subah Hogi, 1958).  With so many memorable songs no wonder that Raj Kapoor held Mukesh as responsible for his success as an actor.

Raj Kapoor, as a mother-hen, with his complete songs team (from L to R): Hasrat Jaipuri, Shankar Jaikishan, Shailendra

The lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri has been called as the King of Romance. He has given us the best of songs on Love and Romance. This is a philosophical song and hence an exception for him. He really put his heart and soul into the song. The movie wasn’t a success at post office. This broke his fellow lyricisr  Shailendra’s heart to the extent that he took to heavy drinking, which ultimately led to his death. Hasrat addressed the present song to the Creator Himself and questioned Him in His motive in making the duniya (world). I often marvel at his bent of mind in the last stanza:

Priit banaake tuune jiinaa sikhaayaa, ha.nsanaa sikhaayaa,
Ronaa sikhaayaa
Jiivan ke path par miit milaae
Miit milaake tuune sapane jagaae
Sapane jagaake tuune, kaahe ko de dii judaaI
Kaaheko duniyaa banaaI, tuune kaaheko duniyaa banaaI

Indeed, this type of deep thinking is true of all songs of the 1966 movie Teesri Kasam. Shailendra had Basu Bhattacharya direct the movie. In later years (after the movie flopped at Box Office), people realised what a masterpiece it was. In any case, it won the National Award for Best Feature Film of that year. The film starring Raj Kapoor (there is a controversy about him delaying the film to ensure the success of his 1964 movie Sangam) and Waheeda Rehman is based on the short story Mare Gaye Gulfam by the novelist Phanishwarnath Renu. Mare gaye gulfam was also the title of a song in the movie and was also penned by Hasrat Jaipuri:

1. “Aa Aa Bhi Jaa” Shailendra Lata Mangeshkar 5:03
2. “Chalat Musafir” Shailendra Manna Dey 3:04
3. “Duniya Bananewale” Hasrat Jaipuri Mukesh 5:03
4. “Haye Ghazab Kahin Tara Toota” Shailendra Asha Bhosle 4:13
5. “Maare Gaye Gulfaam” Hasrat Jaipuri Lata Mangeshkar 4:00
6. “Paan Khaye Saiyan Hamaaro” Shailendra Asha Bhosle 4:08
7. “Sajanwa Bairi Ho Gaye Hamar” Shailendra Mukesh 3:51
8. “Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo” Shailendra Mukesh 3:43
9. “Lali Lali Doliya Mein Lali Re” Shailendra Asha Bhosle 3:11
10. “Kissa Hota Hai Shuru” Hasrat Jaipuri Shankar-Shambhu 2:57

Music Director Shankar Jaikishan were called the ‘house musicians’ of Raj Kapoor since the latter was responsible for having given them a break with his 1949 movie Barsaat. In the movie before that (the debut movie of Raj Kapoor as a director, the 1948 movie Aah, Shankar Jaikishan were assistants to music director Ram Ganguly. Raj Kapoor had a tiff with Ram Ganguly and hence invited S-J for Barsaat. The rest is history. Until Jaikishan died on 12 Sep 1971, Shankar Jaikishan had won the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director eight times (including for Mera Naam Joker in 1972). Considering that the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director started in 1954, it makes them win the coveted award on an average of every alternate year. Raj Kapoor maintained a music bank of their compositions even after Jaikishan died and in his later movies used those compositions though the credit was given to music directors such as Laxmikant Pyarelal.

S-J emerged as the toppers in various genre of music such as raaga based songs, party songs, and dance numbers. Amongst all the raagas, Bhairavi was their (Jaikishan’s) favourite.

Their music and compositions for the 1956 Raja Nawathe film Basant Bahaar (surprisingly they didn’t get Filmfare Award for it as they were competing with their own Chori Chori) have some of their best raaga based songs:

1 Badi Der Bhai (Pilu)
Mohd. Rafi
2 Bhay Bhajana Vandana Sun (Mian ki Malhar) Manna Dey
3 Duniya Na Bhaye (Todi)
Mohd. Rafi
4 Ja Ja Re Ja Balama (Jhinjhoti)
Lata Mangeshkar
5 Kar Gaya Re Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle
6 Ketaki Gulab Juhi (Basant Bahar)
Manna Dey, Bhimsen Joshi
7 Main Piya Teri Lata Mangeshkar
8 Nain Mile Chain Kahan Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey
9 Sur Na Saje (Pilu)
Manna Dey

 

Shankar Jaikishan master-minded Ketaki gulab juhi chamkaban phule, a duet between Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Manna Dey (singing for the hero Bharat Bhushan as Gopal). It is in Raag Basant Bahar and is considered one of the best raaga based songs in Hindi movies. The song too had lyrics by Shailendra.

We have completed eighty-two days of Raaga Based Songs of the Day. Our first post in the series was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #1’ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1970 Shakti Samanta movie Pagla Kahin Ka: Tum mujhe youn bhula na paoge.  It is in Raag Jhinjhoti, Tal Kaherava.

Our eighty-fourth post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #84’ and the song was a Mukesh song from the 1962 SN Tripathi movie Sangeet Samrat Tansen starring Bharat Bhushan in the title role and Anita Guha as his beloved Hansa: Jhumati chali hawa yaad aa gaya koi. It is in Raag Sohani, Tal Dadra.

This blog has a number of posts on Raaga based songs in Hindi movies titled similarly; for example: ‘The Best Raaga Based Songs in Hindi Movies – Raaga Jhinjhoti – Part II’.

In the last eighty-four days of sharing Raaga based songs of the day, I have given you songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti, Gara, Bhimpalasi, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani, Bihag, Pahadi, Sarang, Pilu, Bhairavi, Khammaj, Charukesi, Kalyan or Yaman, Desh, Malgunji, Kirwani, Kedar, Bageshri, Megh Malhar, Bhupali, Ahir Bhairav, Malkaush, Mand, Adana, Kafi, Rageshri, Jaunpuri, Tilang, Janasammohini, Chayanat, Shuddha Kalyan, Gaur Sarang, Jogiya, Asavari, Maru Bihag, Durga, Lalit, Puria Dhanashri, Bhinna Sahdja, Sohani, Multani, Patdeep, Jaijaiwanti, Tilak Kamod, Hemant, Basant Mukhari, Gujri Todi, Kalavati, Hamir, Bhatiyar, Gawati, Shyam Kalyan, Gorakh Kalyan, Madhamat Sarang, Manj Khammaj, Darbari Kanada, Vibhas, Shankara, Bahar, Nand and Mian Ki Malhar; making it a total of 61 raagas. The raagas that have been repeated so far are Pahadi, the raaga of my home place in the Himalayas, Maru Bihag, Raag Kirwani, Jhinjhoti, Bhairavi, Gara, Basant Mukhari, Malkauns, Bhairavi, Mand and Sohani. Today, I am repeating Raag Bhairavi for the seventh time.

Today’s song has been sung by Mukesh on the lyrics of Shailendra and composition by Shankar Jaikishan. As I said, it is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava. The song is picturised on Raj Kapoor as Hiraman in the 1966 Basu Bhattacharya movie Teesri Kasam, a Shailendra production.

Raj Kapoor – the greatest showman in Indian Cinema (Pic courtesy: The Economic Times)

At this stage, letss take up Raj Kapoor, the actor, producer and director. He was known as the greatest showman in Indian Cinema. He was born on 14 Dec 1924 in Kapoor Haveli in Peshawar (now in Pakistan). He died on 02 Jun 1988 at the age of 63 years. Before that, in 1987, he was conferred with the highest award in Indian Cinema: the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. In 1971, he was also awarded Padma Bhushan. He won three National Awards and eleven Filmfare Awards. Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award is named after him. Raj Kapoor made 18 movies with Shankar Jaikishan as Music Director, Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri as lyricists. This Teesri Kasam song is with Waheeda Rehman. However, the actress with whom he acted in most movies (16 of them) was Nargis.

Awara Hoon, the title song of Raj Kapoor’s 1951 movie Awara was also penned by Shailendra, composed by Shankar Jaikishan in Raag Bhairavi and sung by Mukesh was a huge international hit. In a May 2013 BBC poll, the song was rated the second-greatest Hindi films song of all time. The popularity of “Awaara Hoon” led to the creation of localized versions of the song in Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, the Soviet Union, China, and Romania.

Lets get to the movie: Teesri Kasam. As I said, this 1966 movie was the first and last production of the lyricist Shailendra and directed by Basu Bhattacharya. Basu Bhattacharya started as an assistant to Bimal Roy in Madhumati and Sujata and later married Bimal Roy’s daughter Rinki. Some of his memorable movies are: Anubhav, Aavishkar, Sparsh, Aastha and Griha Pravesh.  It is the story of a naive bullock cart driver Hiraman (Raj Kapoor) who falls in love with a dancer Hirabai (Waheeda Rehman) at nautanki, the popular folk theatre of the Bihar region. Hiraman takes two vows based on difficult situations in his life. After he meets and befriends Hirabai, a nautanki dancer, who is a passenger in his bullock cart, he takes a third vow never to get himself involved in such love again. And that’s why the name of the movie.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last four times onwards we started learning about some of the leading personalities in Indian Classical Music or Shastriya Sangeet. The first one that we took up was Ustaad Asad Ali Khan, the finest Rudra Veena player in the country. Then we took up Pandit Hari Parsad Chaurasia, the greatest Bansuri player in the country. Then we talked about Ali Akbar Khan, the greatest Sarod player in the country. And finally we took up Pandit Ravi Shankar, the greatest Sitar player in the world. Today, we shall take up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Carnatic tradition): MS Subbulakshmi.

(Pic courtesy: The Hindu)

MS Subbulakshmi lived between 16 Sep 1916 and 11 Dec 2004. She was the first music personality to be awarded the highest award: the Bharat Ratna. She was also the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, considered the Nobel Prize of Asia.

MS Subbulakshmi was born on September 16, 1916 in Madurai, to Veena player Shanmukavadiver Ammal and Subramania Iyer. Her grandmother Akkammal was a violinist. She started learning Carnatic music at an early age and trained in Carnatic music under the tutelage of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and subsequently in Hindustani music under Pandit Narayanrao Vyas. She gave her first performance at the age of 11 in the year 1927. This was inside the 100 pillars hall of Rockfort temple in Trichurapalli.

By the age of seventeen, Subbulakshmi was giving concerts on her own, including major performances at the Madras Music Academy.

She travelled to London, New York, Canada, the Far East, and other places as India’s cultural ambassador. Her concerts at

  • Edinburgh International Festival of Music and Drama in 1963
  • Carnegie Hall, New York; the UN General Assembly on UN day in 1966
  • Royal Albert Hall, London in 1982
  • Festival of India in Moscow in 1987

were significant landmarks in her career.

As far as films are concerned, she acted in Tamil films in her youth, the 1938 movie Sevasadanam being her first one. She also played the male role of Narada in Savitri (1941) to raise money for launching Kalki, her husband’s nationalist Tamil weekly. Her title role of Meera in the 1945 film gave her national prominence. This movie was re-made in Hindi in 1947.

MS Subbulakshmi as Meera in the 1945 Tamil movie that was remade into Hindi in 1947

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava.

Raagmala painting of Raag Bhairavi (Pic courtesy: Chandrakantha)

Raag Bhairavi is the basic raag of the Bhairavi Thaat. Bhairavi makes use of all the komal swars, Rishabh, Gandhar, Dhaivat, Nishad. When singing compositions in Bhairavi raag, the singers however take liberty to use all the 12 swars. Bhairavi raag is named after the Shakti or feminine aspect of the cosmic life force, which is personified as a consort to Lord Shiva. Bhairavi is a powerful raag filled with devotion and compassion. Its Jati is Sampurna – Sampurna, which means all seven swar (heptatonic) both in Aaroha and Avaroha. I have already told you that in a concert Bhairavi is usually the concluding raaga since it is supposed to cure mistakes of the earlier performances. Hence, if a concert has started at night (which is usually the case), Bhairavi would be played in the wee hours of the morning.

A pleasant sobering atmosphere full of love and piety is created with this raag and one feels so close to the Supreme. Its compositions include several Thumris, Bhajans, Ghazals, Songs etc. Since it is an ocean of immense possibilities the melodic combinations can include all the twelve notes with skill.

I am not giving you again a list of songs composed in Raag Bhairavi as I have already given you this adequate number of times, this being the seventh time I am giving you a song in this raag.

About Tal Kaherava, I told I have already told you adequately, this being the most commonly used Tal.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava: Duniya banane waale kya tere man mein samaayi….

(duniyaa banaane vaale, kyaa tere man me.n samaaI
kaaheko duniyaa banaaI, tuune kaaheko duniyaa banaaI ) – 2

kaahe banaae tuune maaTii ke putale,
dharatii ye pyaarii pyaarii mukha.De ye ujale
kaahe banaayaa tuune duniyaa kaa khelaa – 2
jisame.n lagaayaa javaanii kaa melaa
gup-chup tamaashaa dekhe, vaah re terii khudaaI
kaaheko duniyaa banaaI, tuune kaaheko duniyaa banaaI …

tuu bhii to ta.Dapaa hogaa man ko banaakar,
tuufaa.n ye pyaar kaa man me.n chhupaakar
koI chhavi to hogii aa.Nkho.n me.n terii – 2
aa.Nsuu bhii chhalake ho.nge palako.n se terii
bol kyaa suujhii tujhako, kaaheko priit jagaaI
kaaheko duniyaa banaaI, tuune kaaheko duniyaa banaaI …

priit banaake tuune jiinaa sikhaayaa, ha.nsanaa sikhaayaa,
ronaa sikhaayaa
jiivan ke path par miit milaae – 2
miit milaake tuune sapane jagaae
sapane jagaake tuune, kaahe ko de dii judaaI
kaaheko duniyaa banaaI, tuune kaaheko duniyaa banaaI …

We have intended to learn about Raaga based music whilst we entertain ourselves with Raaga based songs. So, lets, once again, take stock of our collective learning so far:

  1. On the first day we learnt about the Raaga system devised by Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, which is the prevalent system in Hindustani Classical Music and based on ten Thaats.
  2. On the second day we learnt about Tal or Taal.
  3. On the third day we learnt about characteristics of Raagas that included Swar, Jati, Thaat, Arohana and Avarohana, Vadi, Samvadi and Pakad.
  4. On the fourth day, we learnt about Sargam.
  5. On the fifth day, we learnt about notations used in Indian classical music or simply Swar Lipi.
  6. On the sixth day, we learnt about the Ras (sentiments) that Raagas evoke.
  7. On the seventh day, we learnt about various types of Swar: Shuddha, Achal, Vikrut, Komal and Teevra.
  8. On the eighth day, we learnt the parts of a composition in Indian Classical Music.
  9. On the ninth day, we learnt the names of some of the popular instruments used in Indian Classical Music.
  10. On the tenth day, we learnt about the sources of names of Raagas.
  11. On the eleventh day, we learnt about why Bhairavi is the first raag to be taught to beginners and also why it is the last in a performance.
  12. On the twelfth day, we learnt about Khammaj Thaat.
  13. On the thirteenth day, we learnt about Tal Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani.
  14. On the fourteenth day, we learnt about Alap.
  15. On the fifteenth day, we learnt about List of Raagas (Raagmala) in my favourite book: Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
  16. On the sixteenth day, we learnt about tips for raaga identification.
  17. On the seventeenth day, we learnt the basics of Gharana system.
  18. On the eighteenth day, we learnt about Filmi Sangeet.
  19. On the nineteenth day, we learnt about the commonest Tal in Raagas: Tintal.
  20. On the twentieth day, we learnt about the Kafi Thaat.
  21. On the twenty-first day, we learnt a little more in detail about the classification of Raagas.
  22. On the twenty-second day, we learnt the essential differences between Bhairavi and Bhairav.
  23. On the twenty-third day, we learnt a little more in detail about the Jati or Jaati of a raaga.
  24. On the twenty-fourth day, we learnt details of Thaat Bilawal, the most basic thaat in the Bhatkhande’s system of raagas.
  25. On the twenty-fifth day, we learnt about Tintal.
  26. On the twenty-sixth day, we learnt in detail about the Raaga – Samay linkage.
  27. On the twenty-seventh day, we learnt about Lehar.
  28. On the twenty-eighth day, we learnt about the history of the Hindustani Music.
  29. On the twenty-ninth day, we learnt about Dhrupad.
  30. On the thirtieth day, we learnt about Rupaktal that I was introduced to, a few months back, by my friend Anand Desai.
  31. On the thirty-first day, we learnt about Khayal.
  32. On the thirty-second day, we learnt about Thumri.
  33. On the thirty-third day, we learnt about Tappa.
  34. On the thirty-fourth day, we learnt about Tarana.
  35. On the thirty-fifth day, we learnt about Tal Dipchandi (Moghali).
  36. On the thirty-sixth day, we learnt about Tabla.
  37. On the thirty-seventh day, we learnt about Kirtan.
  38. On the thirty-eighth day, we learnt about Pakhawaj.
  39. On the thirty-ninth day, we learnt about Hori.
  40. On the fortieth day, we learnt about Dadra.
  41. On the forty-first day, we learnt about Kajri.
  42. On the forty-second day, we learnt about Chaiti.
  43. On the forty-third day, we learnt about Sarangi.
  44. On the forty-fourth day, we learnt about Shehnai.
  45. On the forty-fifth day, we learnt about Sarod.
  46. On the forty-sixth day, we learnt about Bansuri.
  47. On the forty-seventh day, we learnt about Ektal and Tanpura.
  48. On the forty-eighth day, we learnt about Veena.
  49. On the forty-ninth day, we repeated our learning of Veena with a small excitement added.
  50. On the fiftieth day, we learnt about Dilruba/Esraj.
  51. On the fifty-first day, we learnt about Jaltarang.
  52. On the fifty-second day we learnt about Qawwali.
  53. On the fifty-third day, we learnt about Sitar.
  54. On the fifty-fourth day, we learnt about Surbahar.
  55. On the fifty-fifth day, we learnt about Harmonium.
  56. On the fifty-sixth day, we learnt about Santoor.
  57. On the fifty-seventh day, we learnt about Swarmandal.
  58. On the fifty-eighth day, we learnt about the Shruti Box.
  59. On the fifty-ninth day, we learnt about Alankar.
  60. On the sixtieth day, we learnt about singing in Aakaar.
  61. On the sixty-first day, we learnt about the Classification of Indian Musical Instruments.
  62. On the sixty-second day, we learnt a little about Carnatic Music.
  63. On the sixty-third day, we learnt about Natya Shastra.
  64. On the sixty-fourth day, we learnt about evolution of musical instruments in India down the ages.
  65. On the sixty-fifth day, we learnt about Riyaaz.
  66. On the sixty-sixth day, we looked at a list of Raagas in Hindustani Classical Music.
  67. On the sixty-seventh day, we learnt about the health benefits of raagas.
  68. On the sixty-eighth day, we learnt a little more comprehensively about the moods and emotions that raagas evoke.
  69. On the sixty-ninth day, we learnt about a mobile application to help identify raagas.
  70. On the seventieth day, we learnt about Melakarta Raagas.
  71. On the seventy-first day, we learnt about Sangita Makarand.
  72. On the seventy-second day, we learnt about TaalMala an Android application for personalized accompaniment of musical instruments during Riyaaz or even during Concert.
  73. On the seventy-third day, we learnt about Indian Classical Ragas, an Android application for mobile phones.
  74. On the seventy-fourth day, we learnt about Saregama Classical, another application for Classical Raagas.
  75. On the seventy-fifth day, we learnt about a free online service available to learn Indian Classical Music.
  76. On the seventy-sixth day, we learnt about List of Hindustani Classical Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
  77. On the seventy-seventh day, we learnt about List of Carnatic Musical Festivals in India and Abroad.
  78. On the seventy-eighth day, we learnt about Jhaptal.
  79. On the seventy-ninth day, we learnt about Ektal.
  80. On the eightieth day, we learnt about Tivra Tal.
  81. On the eighty-first day, we learnt about the greatest Rudra Veena player ever: Ustaad Asad Ali Khan.
  82. On the eighty-second day, we learnt about the greatest Bansuri player alive: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
  83. On the eighty-third day, we learnt about the best Sarod player in the country: Ustaad Ali Akbar Khan.
  84. On the eighty-fourth day, we learnt about the greatest Sitar player in the world: Pandit Ravi Shankar.
  85. And today, on the eighty-fifth day, we learnt about the greatest Indian vocalist of Carnatic tradition: MS Subbulakshmi.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

HAM BADLAAV LAA SAKTE HAIN

मुल्क को क्या बनना था, और अब क्या बना,
यही वो नेता हैं जिन्हें हम सब ने था चुना ।

देश का विकास करेंगे, राम राज्य लेकर आएंगे,
याद है चुनाव प्रचार में हम सबने था सुना?

कोई अंतर नहीं है, सब एक ही डाल के पंछी हैं,
क्या आज तक कोई शैतान देवता है बना?

हम बदलाव ला सकते हैं, पार्टी का नहीं, क्वालिटी का,
इसके लिए अपना लालच और बेईमानी करने पड़ेंगे फना ।

पार्टी को वोट नहीं, अच्छे और काबिल इन्सान को दें,
इसी बात में छिपा है एक सच बहुत घना।

वरना गद्दी और पॉवर इनको प्यारी है,
हरामखोर हैं यह हम सबसे कई गुणा ।

चलो अगली बार अपना छोड़ मुल्क का सोचते हैं,
पैसे, जाति, धर्म  और खैरात को करते हैं मना ।

अपनी सरकार लाना, देश सेवक लाना हमारे हाथ में है,
अगर आवेश में नहीं पर सोच समझ के किसी को चुना ।

(Pic courtesy: Outlook India)

Mulk ko kyaa banana tha, aur ab kyaa bana,
Yahi wo neta hain jinhen ham sab ne tha chuna.

Desh ka vikaas karenge, Ram Rajya lekar aayenge,
Yaad hai chunaav prachaar mein ham sab ne tha suna?

Koi antar nahin hai, sab ek hi daal ke panchhi hain,
Kyaa aaj tak koi shaitaan devta hai bana?

Ham badlaav laa sakte hain, party ka nahin quality kaa,
Iske liye apna laalach aut beinmaani karne padhenge fanaa.

Party ko vote nahin, achhe aur kaabil insaan ko dein,
Isi baat mein chhipa hai ek sach bahut ghana.

Warna gaddi aur power inko pyaari hai,
Haraamkhor hain yeh ham sab se kayi guna.

Chalo agli baar apna chhod mulk ka sochte hain,
Paise, jati, dharam aur khairaat ko karte hain mana.

Apni sarkar laana, desh sewak laana hamare hath mein hai,
Agar aavesh mein nahin par soch samajh ke kisi ko chuna.

AANSU HAIN KE RUKTE HI NAHIN

कभी सोचा न था इक दिन ऐसा भी आएगा,
माँ के बगैर जग में रहना पढ़ जाएगा I

अभी तो माहौल – ए – मातम राज की माँ जी का था,
क्या खबर नया दिन नया ग़म लेकर आएगा I

क्यों नहीं हम होते इसके लिए कभी तैयार,
के इक दिन माँ का साया सर से उठ जाएगा?

और भगवान, इतनी भी क्या जल्दी थी तुम्हें,
हम उदास ओ मजबूर हुए, ये तुम्हे कौन समझायेगा?

हमारे भाई विश्वास को कुछ मुहतात तो कर देते,
माँ का आखरी वक़्त नज़दीक आ जाएगा I

अब आंसू हैं के रुकने का नाम ही नहीं लेते,
कौन अब इन्हें खुशियों में बदल पायेगा?

हे प्रभु, विश्वास को जल्द ही एहसास दिलाना,
माँ के जाने के बाद भी उनका संग रह जाएगा I

माँ वह फूल है जो कभी मुरझाता नहीं,
हर नया लम्हा नयी खुशबू चमन में लाएगा I

Kabhi socha na tha ik din aisa bhi aayega,
Maa ke bagair jag mein rehna padh jaayega.

Abhi to mahaul-e-matam raaj ki maa ji ka tha,
Kyaa khabar naya din naya gham lekar aayega.

Kyun nahin ham hote iske liye kabhi taiyyar,
Ke ik din maa ka saaya sar se uthh jaayega?

Aur Bhagwan, itani bhi kyaa jaldi thi tumhen,
Hum udaas o majbuur hue, ye tumhe kaun samjhaayega?

Hmaare bhai Vishwas ko kuchh muhtaat to kar dete,
Maa ka aakhri waqt nazdeek aa jaayega.

Ab aansu hain ke rukne ka naam hi nahin lete,
Kaun ab inhen khushiyon mein badal paayega?

He Prabhu, Vishwas ko jaldi hi ehsaas dilaana,
Maa ke jaane ke baad bhi unka sang reh jaayega.

Maa woh phool hai jo kabhi nahin murjhata,
Har naya lamha nayi khushbu chaman mein laayega.

 

MERE ‘CHHOTE’ NE BHI MAA KO KHO DIYA

दिल तड़प उठा फिर से, माँ की सुनके खबर,
फिर से टूट पढ़ा है प्याला – ए – सबर I

उन्हीं के आँचल में एहसास था जन्नत का,
फ़िज़ायों की ताज़गी, उन्ही का था असर I

रोतो को मुस्कराना उन्ही ने था सिखाया,
चलने का हौंसला दिया, उनकी ही थी डगर I

उनकी पकी चीज़ का स्वाद ही अलग था,
हर लम्हा उनके साथ प्यार की थी नज़र I

राज दत्ता और हमारी माँ नहीं है अलग,
उन्हीं के आँचल में था हमारा भी स्वर्ग I

ख़ाक को ख़ाक से मिल जाना है, कहते हैं,
पर फिर भी रह जाती है यादों की अगर I

राज, हम सब उदास हैं माँ के बिछड़ने से,
हमारी खुशियां और ग़म बंधे हैं ज़िन्दगी भर I

प्रभु, इस घड़ी में राज का हाथ थामे रहना,
हाथ थामने वाला उठ के चल दिया आपके शहर I

(Painting by Mitra Shafdar; Pinterest)

Dil tadap utha phir se, maa ki sunake khabar,
Phir se toot padha hai pyaala -e – sabar.

Unhin ke aanchal mein ehsaas tha jannat ka,
Fizaayon ki taazagi, unhi ka tha asar.

Roton ko muskraana unhin ne tha sikhaya,
Chalne ka haunsla diya, unhi ki thi dagar.

Unaki paki cheez ka swaad hi alag tha,
Har lamha unake saath, pyaar ki thi nazar.

Raj Dutta aur hamaari maa nahin hai alag,
Unhin ke aanchal mein tha hmaara bhi swarg.

Khaak ko khaak se mil jaana hai, kehte hain,
Par phir bhi reh jaati hai yaadon ki agar.

Raj, ham sab udaas hain maa ke bichhadne se,
Hamaari khushiyan aur gham bandhe hain zindagi bhar.

Prabhu, is ghadi mein Raj ka haath thaame rehna,
Haath thamne wala uthh ke chal diya aapke shehar.

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #16

The sixteenth day of songs in this series.

I shall pause here to thank you for the overwhelming response that I am receiving on this new series. Even though enormous research goes into the making of every post, especially in this series, it is still a work of love. It is due to the fact that these are actually the songs that have moved me all these years and all that I am doing is to open my own heart to you whilst those associated with the song – the singer, lyricist and composer – do it in their own inimitable ways.

In the last two weeks, we have taken up songs of eight male singers: Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor and SD Burman. We also took up songs of seven female singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Suman Kalyanpur, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt, Uma Devi (Tun Tun) and Suraiya.

Tonight, we shall take up a song of our eighth female singer: Zohrabai Ambalewali, amongst the first generation of playback singers in Hindi films.

In my early childhood, I don’t think another song that impinged on my senses more than this. Those days were different; we won’t hear songs being played over and over again on various channels of radio and television. Even at that, I would say that this song was so popular that one could hear it everywhere. Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar paid tribute to this song. Just about everyone seemed to sing it but no one could match the contralto or low voice range singing of Zohrabai Ambalewali.

(Poster courtesy: Wikipedia)

The song is from the 1944 movie Rattan, an Abdul Rashid Kardar production directed by M Sadiq, which starred Swaran Lata and Karan Dewan. The song Akhiyan milake jiya bharma ke chale nahin jaana was penned by DN Madhok and composed by Naushad. The songs of the movie made Naushad so famous that he started charging Rupees 25000 per movie. This was about one third of the production cost of the movie at that time. It is another fact that Swaran Lata, in an interview with Pakistan Television, claimed that the composition of this song was done by DN Madhok himself. The songs of the movie also made both the female playback singers Zohrabai Ambalewali and Amirbai Karnataki very famous. Here is a list of songs of the movie; the last song (duet) was equally popular:

  • “Akkhiyan Milake ” – Zohrabai Ambalawali
  • “Rimjhim Barse Badarwa” – Zohrabai Ambalawali
  • “Hindustan Ke Hum Hain” – Mohammad Rafi
  • “Milke Bichhad Gayii Akkhiyan” – Amirbai Karnataki
  • “Jab Tum Hi Chale Pardes Laga Kar Theis” -Karan Dewan
  • “O janewale Balamwa” – Amirbai Karnataki and Shyam Kumar
  • “Jab Tum Hi Chale Pardes Laga Kar Theis”
  • “Pardesi Balma Baadal Aaya”
  • “Sawan Ke Baadalo Unn Se Yeh Jaa Kaho”- Zohrabai Ambalewali and Karan Dewan

Zohrabai Ambalewali was from Ambala in Punjab. She was a classical singer of Hindustani Music trained under Ghulam Hussain Khan and Ustad Nasir Hussain Khan. Subsequently, she joined the Agra Gharana. She started singing at All India Radio at the age of 13.  Eventually she made her Hindi film debut as a playback singer with film Daku Ki Ladki (1933) with music by Pransukh Nayak. After initial years in Lahore-based film industry, she shifted to Bombay. As already mentioned, the movie Rattan’s songs made her famous. Some of the popular songs of Zohrabai Ambalewali are: Aankhon mein intezaar ki duniya liye huye (Caravan 1944), Ho meri baali umariya saanwariya (Nateeja 1947), Pardesi baalma saawan aaya (Rattan 1944), Rut rangeeli aayi chandini chhayi (Mirza Sahiban 1947), Shayad woh jaa rahe hain chhupkar meri nazar se (Mela 1948, Shakeel Badayuni), Suno ji pyaari kayaliya bole (Sanyasi 1945, also with Naushad), Udhan khatole pe udh jaayun (Anmol Ghadi 1946, Naushad), Ye raat phir na aayegi (with Rajkumari Dubey in Mahal 1949).

Zohrabai Ambalewali’s popular number Udhan khatole pe udh jaayun from the 1946 movie Anmol Ghadi, composed by Naushad on the lyrics of Tanvir Naqvi

Lets take up the lyricist DN Madhok at this stage. Just as Zohrabai Amablewali was one of the first generation of female playback singers, Dina nath Madhok was amongst the first generation of lyricists (1930s to 1950s). Kidar Sharma and Kavi Pradeep were the others. So fine was his art that he earned himself the sobriquet of Mahakavi Madhok. He started his career with the 1932 movie Radhey Sham and ended up penning about 800 songs. In addition he wrote screenplays and directed about 17 films including Baghdad Ka Chor (1934), Mirza Sahiban (1939), Biwamangal (1954) and Naata (1955). Here are some of my favourite songs penned by him: Aa ja balmaa raat andheri dar laage and Mere mundere na bol (Suraiya in 1947 movie Parwana), Aayi diwali aayi diwali (Zohrabai Ambalewali in 1944 movie Rattan), Beimaan tore nainva nindiya na aaye (Lata Mangeshkar in 1951 movie Taraana), Ham aankh macholi khelenge (Noorjahan, Khandan 1942), Ishq ka dard sohana (Vatsala Kumthekar, Ishaara 1942), Jab tum hi chale pardes laga ke thes (Karan Dewan, Rattan 1944), Jhuthe hain sab sapne suhaane (Manju, Rattan 1944), Kaagaz ki meri naav aur duur kinaara hai (Mukesh Suraiya, Do Dil 1947), Khamosh nigaahen ye sunaati hain kahaani (SD Batish, Daasi 1944), Madhukar Shyam hamare chor, Nis din barsat nain hamaare and Rain gayi ab huaa savera (KL Saigal, Bhakt Surdas 1942), Madhur Madhur ga re manwa and Panchhi bawra (Khursheed, Bhakt Surdas 1942), Meri zindagi mein tum kyun aaye (Suraiya, Goonj 1952), Mohe mera bachpan laa de (With Shakeel Badayuni in Kajal 1948; song sung by Suraiya), More sainya ji ne bheji chunari (Zohrabai Ambalewali, Pehle Aap 1944), Mohabbat ne kaise diye hamako dhokhe (Lata Mangeshkar, Oot Pataang 1955), Naa thamate hain aansu naa rukte hain naale (Mohammad Rafi, Meena Bazaar 1950), Naino mein naina mat dalo, and Pardesi baalma baadal aaya (Zohrabai Ambalewali, Jeewan 1944), O jaanewale baalmwa laut ke aa (Shaam Kumar and Amirbai Karnataki, Rattan 1944), Panghat pe more Shyam bajaaye muraliya (CH Atma, Bilwamangal 1954), Rum jhum barse baadarva (Amirbai Karnataki, Rattan 1944), Sawan ke baadlo unase ye jaa kaho (Zohrabai Ambalewali, Rattan 1944), Taare wahin hain chand wahin hai (Lata Mangeshkar, Anmol Ratan 1950), Tuut gaye sab sapne mere (KL Saigal, Parwana 1947), and Wo din kahan gaye bataa (Lata Mangeshkar, Taraana 1951).

DN Madhok’s Madhukar Shyam hamare chor was made famous by KL Saigal. It was also immortalised by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi
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Naushad Ali, the composer, lived between 25 Dec 1919 to 05 May 2006. He won only one Filmfare Award, for the music and songs of the 1952 Vijay Bhatt movie Baiju Bawra. However, he could have won many including for Mughal-e-Azam. Eventually, he was conferred with the highest, that is, Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1982 and Padma Bhushan in 1992. He is credited with having brought in Raaga Based Songs in the movies and Baiju Bawra is a fine example of that. Various singers and lyricists (especially Shakeel Badayuni) looked up to him as a guide and mentor. For example, he encouraged Mukesh to have his distinctive style of singing rather than imitate KL Saigal. He launched the careers of quite a few of them such as Zohrabai Ambalewali and Uma Devi. As far as my favourite songs of Naushad are concerned, I have penned volumes in this blog on them. As an example, just go through: ‘The Best Of Old Hindi Songs – Rafi, Shakeel, Naushad and Dilip Kumar Together’.

(Picture courtesy: Film Heritage Foundation)

Before we take up the song, lets learn a little about Abdul Rashid Kardar, the producer of this movie from where the song has been taken. He was the pioneer in establishing film industry in Bhati Gate, Lahore (later Pakistan). In 1924, the first silent film (11 years after Dadasaheb Phalke made his first silent movie: Raja Harishchandra), The Daughters of Today was released in Lahore at a time when the city only had nine operational cinema houses. Most of the films shown in theatres in Lahore were either made in Bombay or Calcutta, besides ones made in Hollywood or London. The Daughters of Today was the brain-child of GK Mehta, a former officer with the North-Western Railway, who had imported a camera into the country for this very project from London. He asked Kardar to assist him as an assistant director on the project and ended up giving Kardar his début role in his film as an actor. Muhammad Ismail, his friend and fellow calligraphist, accompanied Kardar in the making of the film. Kardar shifted to Calcutta in 1930 and after working in various production houses, he made his own Kardar Studios in 1940 (he shifted to Bombay in 1937) and started making films under the banner Kardar Productions. His 1946 film Shahjehan starred KL Saigal and the songs were by Majrooh (debut movie) and Naushad Ali. He worked with Naushad in a number of movies including the unforgettable Dil Diya Dard Liya starring Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman and Pran.

(Pic courtesy Flickr)

M Sadiq, the director of the highly successful movie Rattan from where this song has been taken was born on 10 Mar 1910 in Lahore and died on 03 Oct 1971 in Lohore. He was a director, writer and producer. Some of the other movies that he directed are: Jeewan (1944), Dak Bangla (1947), Anmol Ratan (1950), Shabaab (1954), Chaudhvinh Ka Chand (1960), Full Moon (1961), Taj Mahal (1963), Bahu Begum (1967) and Noorjehan (1967).

(Pic courtesy: Flickr)

Swaran Lata, the actress on whom this song is picturised, was born in a Siyal Khatri Sikh family in Rawalpindi. Her debut movie was the 1942 movie Awaaz. She married Nazir Ahmed, a famous actor, director and producer at that time. She converted to Islam at that time and assumed the name of Saeeda Bano. At the time of partition of India in 1947, she migrated to Pakistan with her husband after leaving everything they owned in Bombay. They started the Pakistani Film Industry from a scratch. By the time she shifted to Pakistan, in five years she had acted in as many as 16 Hindi movies. Her first movie in Pakistan was the 1948 movie Sachai. She was known as the Tragedy Queen much before Meena Kumari was so dubbed. This was mainly due to her emotional dialogue delivery. It is a delight to see her enact the song: Akhiyan milake jiya bharma ke.

And finally, Karan Dewan (Dewan Karan Chopra), the actor driving the tonga to whom Swaran Lata lip-syncs this song sung by Zohrabai Ambalewali. He was another Singing-Star. The movie Rattan was produced by his brother Jaimini Dewan under Kardar Productions. His song in the movie Jab tum hi chale pardes became popular. In a way, this movie was a defining movie for him too. He worked in the movies from 1941 to 1979. He married Manju, a character actress in Rattan, who too sang a song in the movie. He acted opposite Meena Kumari in 1948 movie Piya Ghar Aaja.

Please enjoy Zohrabai Ambalewali sing: Akhiyan milake jiya bharma ke chale nahin jaana….

(अखियाँ मिलाके जिया भरमा के
चले नहीं जाना, (हो चले नहीं जाना – २) ) – २

जाओ तो जाने ना दूंगी मैं रस्ता रोक लूंगी – २
हो सैंया के पैंय्या पड़ जाऊंगी रोके कहूंगी – २
अखियाँ मिला के …

आहों के बदले आहें लेना जी दगा नहीं देना – २
हां नैन भरे ना रोए रोए दिल ये कहे ना – २
अखियाँ मिला के …

जाने का नाम न लो राजा जी दिल बैठा जाए – २
हां देखो जी देखो दुखी दिल की परे ना हाय – २
अखियाँ मिला के …

First of all what can you say about a movie (Rattan) which was the defining movie of so many involved with the making of this song? Naushad Ali became a much sought after music director because of this movie. Zohrabai Ambalewali (the singer), DN Madhok (Lyricist), Swaran Lata and Karan Dewan (the lead actors) all became popular because of this movie and particularly because of this song. Here is Lata Mangeshkar’s tribute to Zohrabai Ambalewali for this song:

The song takes me back to that era when songs made or marred the movies and the success of this song and others in the movie Rattan made the movie itself successful. As I said, Naushad Ali started demanding Rupees 25000 per movie, which was one third of the production cost of the movie.

The song takes me back to my childhood days that I relive over and over again.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #15

The fifteenth day of songs in this series.

I am back after a few days break necessitated due to my course reunion at my home place: Kandaghat.

In the last two weeks, we have taken up songs of eight male singers: Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor and SD Burman. We also took up songs of six female singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Suman Kalyanpur, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt and Uma Devi (Tun Tun).

Tonight, we shall take up a song of our seventh female singer: Suraiya; a singing star.

In my other series: Raaga Based Songs Of The Day, we took up another song by the same singing star Suraiya on the tenth day (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #10’): Dhadakte dil ki tamanna ho mera pyaar ho tum.

(Poster courtesy: Wikipedia)

The 1949 movie Bari Bahen, from where this song has been taken, was a DD Kashyap movie. In addition to the direction, he wrote the screenplay too and was also the producer. The songs of the movie were penned by Rajinder Krishan and Qamar Jalalabadi. This one was by the latter. the songs as well as dialogues of the movie. The song was composed by Husnlal Bhagatram. Hindi movies first music duo. The movie starred Suraiya in the title role with Geeta Bali as her younger sister. The movie was all about the sacrifices of Suraiya as Badi Bahen for her sister who was in love with a rogue (Pran) and that led to her (Suraiya) causing massive misundertanding with her own lover Rehman. This song is Suraiya singing it for Rehman before the misunderstanding.

The earlier Suraiya song that I mentioned to you about above, was from the 1961 Lekhraj Bhakri movie Shama that had Nimmi in the title role and Suraiya as Roshan Ara. Both were in love with a poet Parvez or Parwana played by Vijay Dutt. Nimmi as Shama had a heartbreak (Dil gham se jal raha hai par dhuaan na ho) when she arranges his marriage with Suraiya as Roshan Ara. Indeed, in the song Dhadakane dil ki tamanna ho mera pyaar ho tum both give vent to their feelings of love for him in the same voice of Suraiya!

Nevertheless, who does the song remind you of most? I would say: Suraiya. Suraiya died on 31 Jan 2004, at the age of nearly 75 years, a spinster. And it is not that she didn’t want to get married. Her love affair with actor Dev Anand started with working together for the 1948 movie Vidya. Their love affair, one of the most intense love-affairs in the history of Hindi films, lasted for three years. In those three years, she willingly let go of singing many a song in her movies to Lata Mangeshkar so that she could spend more time with Dev Anand. The two of them were paired in seven films together; Vidya (1948), Jeet (1949), Shair (1949), Afsar (1950), Nili (1950), Do Sitare (1951) and Sanam (1951), all of which were successful at the box office. In all these movies’ credits, her name was shown before Dev Anand’s since she was a bigger star than him. The movie Vidya had a popular song: Kinaare kinaare chale jayenge. During the shooting of the song in the river, her boat capsized. And who do you think rescued her? Well, Dev Anand did and it was a story in the making in real life as well as in reel life. By the time they came to their fourth movie Afsar, they were so much in love that Dev Anand proposed to her with a diamond ring that cost all of Rupees 3000, a huge sum during those days. Her maternal grandmother, who didn’t like the alliance, threw the ring into the sea. During the shooting of Rana Pratap’s film Jeet, both Dev Anand and Suraiya, with the help of the film cast and crew, namely Durga Khote (actress), Dwarka Divecha (cinematographer) and others, had made plans for marriage in a temple, and elopement, but at the last minute, an assistant director, jealous of their marriage, informed Suraiya’s grandmother, who dragged her home from the scene. Speaking to journalist Sheila Vesuna, Suraiya said: “Eventually, my grandmother succeeded in separating us. Dev was deeply hurt and offended by my lack of courage. But I was afraid for him. In retrospect, I don’t think anything would have happened if I’d been bold enough. But I was terrified of my grandmother. And was heartbroken. But time is the greatest healer.” Here are pictures of the love bitten couple in their heydays before their love was cruelly broken by a domineering grandmother:

Some of my favourite songs of Singing – Star Suraiya are: Aap se pyaar hua jaata hai and Mast aankhon mein sharaarat kabhi aise to na thi (Shama 1961), Chahat ka bhulana mushkil hai (Khiladi 1950), Chale din ki duniya barbaad karke and Dil dhadake aankh mori phadke (Dard 1947, Shakeel Badayuni’s debut film), Dil-e-naadan tujhe hua kyaa hai, Rahiye ab aisi jagah, Aaah ko chahiye, Nuktacheen hai gham-e-dil, and Ye naa thi hamari kismat (Mirza Ghalib 1954), Hamen tum bhuul baithe ho and Kyaa cheez hai mohabbat koi mere dil se puuchhe (Shair 1949, another Shakeel Badayuni song), Ho ho ho chandini raat hai (Dak Bangla 1947), Holi khele Nandlala Birj mein (Maashooqa 1953), Il bewafa ki yaad ne tadapa ke maar daala (Char Din, 1949, Shakeel), Ik teri nazar ik meri nazar and Khushiyon ka zamaana beet gaya (Amar Kahani 1949), Jab se chale gaye hain wo zindagi zindagi nahin (Natak 1947), Jab tum hi nahin apne duniya hi begaani hai (Parwana 1947), Kaagaz ki meri naav aur duur kinaara hai (Do Dil 1947), Kinaare kinaare chale jaayenge (Vidya 1948), Man more hua matwaala and Nain deewane ik nahin maane (Afsar 1950), Mohabbat badha kar judaa ho gaye (Dastan 1950), Mujhe tumase mohabbat hai (Do Sitaare 1951), Nigaahen kyun milaayi thi agar youn chhod jaana tha (Lal Kunwar 1952), O duur jaanewaale (Pyaar Ki Jeet, 1948), Rahi matwaale tu chhed ik baar (Waris 1954), Raaton ki neend chheen li aankhon ke intezaar ne (Shokhiyan 1951), Tera khayal dil se bhuallaya na jaayega and Tuu mera chaand main teri chandini (Dillagi 1949, Shekeel), Tum man ki peedha kya samajho (Jeet 1949), Ye kaisi ajab dastaan ho gayi hai (Rustom Sohrab 1963), and Zara thehro main haal-e-dil suna luun (Inaam 1955).

Suraiya enacting Aapse pyaar hua jaata hai on her own singing in 1961 movie Shama

Lets turn to the lyricist Qamar Jalalabadi now. He was born as Om Prakash Bhandari on 09 Mar 1917, in the town of Jalalabad, near Amritsar in Punjab. To become a lyricist in Hindi movies he arrived in Pune in 1940s (he had started writing Urdu poetry at the age of seven). He wrote his first lyrics for the Pancholi Pictures movie Zamindar in which his song Duniya mein gareebon ko araam nahin milta, sung by Shamshad Begum became quite famous. You would recall his 1958 movie Howrah Bridge songs that sky-rocketed his career particularly Aaiye mehrabaan baithiye jaane jaan and Mera naam Chin Chin chu. Some of my favourite songs of Qamar Jalalabadi are: Chhaliya mera naam chhalna mera kaam, Chhota sa baalma, Dam dam digha digha mausam bigha bigha, Dekh ke teri nazar beqraar ho gaye, Deewano se mat puuchho, Din hai suhaana aaj pehli tareeq hai (That used to be played on Radio Ceylone on first of ewvery month), Ik dil ke tukade hazaar huye, Ik pardesi mera dil le gaya, Jab raat nahin katati, Main bewafa nahin huun tere pyaar ki kasam, Main soya akhiyan meeche, Main to ek khwaab hoon, Mere tuute huye dil se koi to aaj ye puuchhe, O duur jaane waale wada na bhool jaana (Suraiya in Pyaar ki Jeet 1948), Phir aane laga yaad wohi pyaar ka mausam, Phir tumhaari yaad aayi hai sanam, Piya piya na laage mora jiya, Rafta rafta woh hamare dil ke armaan ho gaye, Teri raahon mein khade hain dil thaam ke, Tum ruuthh ke mat jaana, Tumhin mere meet ho tumhin meri preet ho, Tu hai mera prem devta, and Ye kaisi ajab daastan ho gayi hai. I also like him due to his secularism in that he would quote from Bhagwad Geeta and Bible as much as he did from Koran.

Madhubala and Bharat Bhushan in Phagun enacting Qamar Jalalbadi’s Piya piya na laage mora jiya

Husnlal Bhagatram were not just one of the first music director in Hindi movies but also the first duo. They trained Shankar Jaikishan, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Khayyam and singer Mahendra Kapoor. They were born in Village Kahma, Jalandhar, Punjab in the Batish family. Husanlal was an accomplished violinist and a good classical singer and Bhagatram was an ace harmonium player. They were the brothers of the famous composer of the 40’s, Pandit Amarnath, and both worked as his assistants. They gave their first hit with ‘Do dilon ko yeh duniya milne bhi nahin deti’ sung by Manju. Some of my favourite songs of Husnlal Bhagatram are: Abhi to main jawan hoon, Bhagwan tumhaari duniya mein kyun dil thukraaye jate hain, Chand sitaare karte ishaare, Do dilon ki ye duniya, Ik dil ke tukade hazaar huye, Jo tum badle jahan badla, Kabhi panghat pe aa ja, Khushiyon ke zamaane aaye dil pyaar ke gaane gaaye, Mera dil tod kar jaane wale, Mohabbat ke dokhe mein koi na aaye, O duur jaane wale, Shaam-e-bahaar aayi kar ke singaar aayi, Thukra ke hamen chal diye begaana samajh kar, and Yaad aa raha hai dil ko bhoola huaa zamaana.

1951 movie Afsana song composed by Husnlal Bhagatram and picturised on Kuldeep Kaur and Pran. Gaafil Harnalvi was the lyricist

Please enjoy Suraiya sing: Woh paas rahen ya duur rahen nazaron mein samaaye rehate hain….

वो पास रहें या दूर रहें
नज़रों में समाये रहते हैं
इतना तो बता दे कोई हमें
क्या प्यार इसी को कहते हैं

छोटी सी बात मुहब्बत की
और वो भी कही नहीं जाती
कुछ वो शरमाये रहते हैं
कुछ हम शरमाये रहते हैं

मिलने की घड़ियाँ छोटी हैं
और रात जुदाई की लम्बी
जब सारी दुनिया सोती है
हम तारे गिनते रहते हैं

वो पास रहें या दूर रहें
नज़रों में समाये रहते हैं
इतना तो बता दे कोई हमें
क्या प्यार इसी को कहते हैं

Some of us have this impression that film-stars are the favoured lot whose real lives reflect the glamour, pomp and show of the tinsel world. The fact is that they are people like us. Suraiya’s dream of marrying her lover Dev Anand was shattered by her domineering maternal grandmother. She was so much in love with him that she never married in her lifetime. She craved to be with him on the sets of their movies so much that she even let go recording songs that were offered to her in favour of Lata Mangeshkar. People can think of many of her songs reflecting her situation with Dev Anand. I have chosen this though in the movie she sang it for Rehman. The song brings out the joy and excitement of first love in a girl’s life. The last stanza truly portrays what she must have felt about Dev Anand:

मिलने की घड़ियाँ छोटी हैं
और रात जुदाई की लम्बी
जब सारी दुनिया सोती है
हम तारे गिनते रहते हैं

In the mukhada of the song Suraiya asks:

इतना तो बता दे कोई हमें
क्या प्यार इसी को कहते हैं?

Yes, indeed, it is Love but in some cases it doesn’t lead anywhere. I get goose pimples every time I listen to the song.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

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