HAPPY NEW YEAR – LOOKING AT THE PAST WITH THE WISDOM AND CAPABILITIES OF TODAY

As Time moves on, there are instances when we would love to have frozen a past event or even a moment for posterity. On the other hand, we just let it go without (at that time) realising its true value. Lets say some sixth sense would tell us that a particular moment that we are uncomfortable about or even find detestable would bring us the greatest happiness in future, won’t we preserve it with more wistfulness than the attitude of get-it-over-with-ASAP that we often have?

Let me give you an example. We are sitting in the classroom. The teacher is going on and on whilst we look outside the window. Everything else outside appears more interesting. We want to complete our schooling as quickly as we can so as to get over the boring stuff and get on with some real stuff that makes life worth living. Now, if someone was to tell us that 90 percent of the people when asked about nostalgic moments of their lives mention school-time as the number one, won’t we have enjoyed those moments more?

Here is what a mother told her son who was making faces at her cooking: “Relish it, son. Years later you would be telling your wife how good it was in comparison to her cooking.”

When I was a young officer in the Navy, I remember having seen this movie called The Final Countdown. It was in the year 1980. The movie was directed by Don Taylor and starred Kirk Douglas as Captain Matthew Yelland, Commanding Officer of USS Nimitz, which had sailed from Pearl Harbour, in 1980, for a training sortie in the Pacific. The ship had a civilian observer on board: Warren Lasky, played by Martin Sheen. The ship passed through a strange storm-like vortex and suddenly went back in time to 6th Dec 1941, a day before the Pearl Harbour Attack by the Japanese Fleet. Even though the ship had gone back in time, it had all its armament, sensors and aircraft on board as in the present day (1980). Gradually, as the events unfolded, the ship and its crew realised that they had been transported back in time and that with the modern facilities available on board, just one ship, USS Nimitz, was enough to take on the entire Japanese Fleet that had wreaked havoc in Pearl Harbour on that fateful day. Captain Yelland had to decide whether to destroy the Japanese fleet and alter the course of history, or to stand by and allow history to proceed as normal. Nimitz launched a massive strike force against the incoming Japanese forces, but before it could reach the enemy armada, the time – storm returned. After a futile attempt to outrun the storm, Yelland recalled the strike force, and the ship and the aircraft returned to 1980 safely. History was unaltered.

(Poster courtesy: boredanddangerousblog.files.wordpress.com)

The movie was a fine example of how we can’t alter the past with the wisdom and capabilities of today. Every moment that we live has actually gone forever and there is no way one can alter it.

Many people have this fantasy about seeing their own funeral by traveling back in time even after death and seeing people cry and miss them and pour out their love that they never got the feel of when alive. Urdu poets have written volumes about consoling the love of their lives after death. Why just Urdu poets? Even the great Punjabi singer (greatest?) Asa Singh Mastana sang this ghazal about seeing mourners after his death: Jadon meri arthi utha ke chalange, mere yaar sab gunguna ke chalange (When they carry me in my funeral procession, all my friends would walk humming in sadness).

That’s why the New Year is so attractive; it, and every passing year, allows us to look at the past with the wisdom and capabilities of today. We rejoice in the nostalgia of our childhood and schooling, even forgetting those times when we wanted to fast-forward and get-it-over-with.

Even a person with average intelligence can make out that there is nothing really new in the new year. Each day is a new day caused by the rotation of the earth around its axis. This rotation, completed in 24 hours, makes the Sun appears on the horizon in the East and makes it set in the West, Who made the New Year? We made it. Who made Time? We made it; imagine your landing on some other planet or star that doesn’t rotate around its axis in 24 hours of the earth. What do you call this new Time? Does it have a relationship with Time on Earth? Just like Time varies around the earth (if it is New Year in Japan, it would be another six and half hours before it is New Year in India), now imagine it in the universe. Is it the same time of the day, or even day or year or century in, say, Venus?

Why should we worry about the universe? Ain’t we content about living on earth without having to worry about what happens elsewhere? The short answer is No, we ain’t. Just as Columbus sailed to discover India, we have ventured out to other celestial bodies to see if they are like us. When a mountain climber was asked, “Why did you climb this mountain?” his response made a lot of sense to me, at least: “Because, it is there.”

Imagine a scenario, say 500 years (Earth Years, that is) from now, when the following announcement is made on the Radio Station in Space: “We wish our listeners on Earth a Happy New 2518, on Mercury the continuation of unendable long winter, on Jupiter…….”

The scriptures are very fond of saying that God made Man in His own likeness. He gave the best to Man except, it appears, the ability to alter his past. But, hey, look again and you will know that even that is possible! Have I gone mad? Or madder than I normally am? Well, here goes:

The scriptures erred in one significant point and that is that we must live the present moment and not to live in the past (Please read: ‘Debatable Philosophies Of Life’). Actually, there is no present moment, you can’t live it. By the time you can even think of living it, it becomes past. Your past is, therefore, the most significant period of your life. However old the past is – one moment to several years – we always look at the past with the wisdom and capability of today or the next moment.

Hence, if your past is indeed the most significant period of your life, why not make it more beautiful, more memorable? You know you have to live with your memories more than with your hopes and aspirations (which too are indeed children of your past!). Dissipate all your energies and – hold your breath – time in making it beautiful and memorable. It is in your hands.

Once you make your past beautiful, it is attractive and welcome to recall it.

If you have done so, you would rue burning the effigy of the passing year. You would automatically say: Yes, 2018 would be very beautiful but 2017 was also beautiful; I didn’t want it to end.

And I am saying it despite my having lost my mother – the most precious part of my life – in 2017. She and I made exceedingly rich memories that would never die.

Lastly, ladies and gentlemen, if in the so called new year you are going to do nothing new, isn’t it wasted exactly in the same manner as the past year? Hence, just think of at least one thing new that you would do in the new year that you hadn’t ever done before. Good luck.

Think………………..that’s the biggest gift that God has given us. The second biggest being that He made every moment new and not just the new year.

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #88

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Kuchh to log kahenge….
Raag Khammaj, Tal Kaherava

Remembering Rajesh Khanna on His Birth Anniversary, 29th Dec

(Pic courtesy: The Hindustan Times)

Rajesh Khanna was born as Jatin Khanna in Amritsar on 29 Dec 1942. He died on 18 Jul 2012 in Mumbai. Millions of his fans were saddened by his death.

He was born to Lala Hiranand and Chandrani Khanna but was adopted and raised by Chunnilal Khanna and Leelawati Khanna, relatives of his biological parents. His interest in theatre during his school and college days (in Mumbai) led to his joining Hindi films. Nowadays talent contests are in hundreds.  However, during his days, in 1965, Rajesh Khanna was one of eight finalists from more than 10,000 contestants in the 1965 All India Talent Contest, organised by United Producers (BR Chopra, Bimal Roy, GP Sippy, HS Rawail, Nasir Husain, J. Om Prakash, Mohan Saigal, Shakti Samanta and Subodh Mukherji and others had created this organisation and were judges of the contest) and Filmfare.

As a result of winning the talent contest, he won acting in Chetan Anand’s 1966 movie Aakhri Khat and Ravindra Dave’s Raaz. Aakhri Khat was India’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 40th Oscar Academy Awards in 1967.

He soon emerged as a super-star and has record number of movies to his credit that consecutively became super-hits. Indeed, at one time in the seventies, anything that he touched became gold. Heroines lined up to act with him and he made all of them swoon with his irresistible charm. As an example, I do remember this anecdote when I went to see his 1970 movie Aan Milo Sajna with Asha Parekh. This was in Chandigarh where I was studying. When it came to the song: Achha to ham chalte hain, the moment he sang on the screen: “Phir kab miloge?”, hundreds of girls in the hall, in unison responded: “Jab tum kahoge”. Some of this magic has been recorded by his co-star of several movies: Sharmila Tagore.

Rajesh Khanna asking the question: Phir kab miloge? in the famous song Achha to hum chalte hain in 1970 movie Aan Milo Sajna

With his pimpled face and a little obese frame, he still gave the impression of being the most romantic hero that Hindi films ever saw. That was because of the strength of his adorable acting. Many people actually cried when he passed away on screen in Anand and Andaz. He did it so well. All of us loved Kaka (Rajesh Khanna’s nickname) and we couldn’t ever get enough of him.

Rajesh Khanna’s ‘death’ in the movie Anand

To see the comparison between him and the other super-star Amitabh Bachchan, you must see the song: Kahin door jab din dhal jaaye; AB stands there like a school kid in front of a maestro.

To remember him by I shall give you a song lip-synced by him in the 1972 Shakti Samanta movie Amar Prem: Kuchh to log kahenge.

(Pic courtesy: Wikipedia)

Shakti Samanta is in news these days, more than eight years after his death, for reasons other than what he used to be in news for; which was that he too was considered an alchemist: anything that he touched turned to gold. He made a super-hit movie literally every alternate year. Howrah Bridge, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening in Paris, Aradhana, Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Amanush, Pagla Kahin Ka, Ajanabee, Mehbooba, Anurodh and Aavishkar are some of the movie that he made.

If SD Burman did wonders for Shakti Samanta’s Aradhana, Sachin’s son Rahul Dev Burman did wonders for Amar Prem songs. Rahul Dev was well versed in both majot genre’s of music: the Western Beat or Pop and the Raaga Based. Here he preferred to compose it in Khammaj, the raaga Bengali composers were and are so much at home, with from Pandit Ravi Shankar himself (Mere to Giridhar Gopal) to Salil Chowdhary (O sajana barkha bahaar aayi), to SD Burman (Nazar laagi raja tore bangle pe, Piya tose naina laagi re and Deewana mastaana huaa dil), and Hemant Kumar (Sakhi re sun bole papiha).

One of my friends, Anand Desain quoted Pandit Bhimsen Joshi: “Anyone who does not listen to RD’s compositions does not know and understand what music is all about……. Look at Kuchh toh log kahenge…. Look how beautifully Kishore has rendered this difficult composition, hats off. Are you aware my dear friend that this song is purely based on Raag Khammaj in the beginning but beautifully dissolves into Raag Kalavati in-between? Brilliantly sung and what voice. We are thankful that Kishore never learned music and hence never ventured into our domain or else we classical singers would have found it extremely difficult to earn our bread and water”. Such was the admiration for Kishore and RD in the music fraternity.

We have completed eighty-seven 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-seventh post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #87’ and the song was a Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1965 Ramanand Sagar movie Arzoo starring Rajendra Kumar, Sadhana and Feroze Khan: Bedardi baalma tujhako mera man yaad karta hai. It is in Raag Charukesi, 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 Yaman – Part I’.

In the last eighty-six 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 Khammaj.

Khammaj, a Shadhav-Sampurna raag (In aaroha Rishab is varjaya) employs both Nishad: ie, Shuddha Ni in Aaroha and Komal Ni in Avaroha. The result is that it is well suited for both types of Shringar Ras: Uttan (Union) Shringar wherein Shuddha Ni is used and Vibralambh (Separation) where Komal Ni is used. Take the bhaav of this song itself: it has both sadness (separation) because people gossip and gossip is malicious. However, the underlying theme of the lyrics is also happy (chhodo bekaar ki baaton mein; that they are together despite the malicious gossip. One should remember Rajesh Khanna’s famous dialogue before the song, addressed to Sharmila Tagore: “Pushpa, I hate tears”!)

Khammaj is the representative raag of the Khammaj Thaat and the samay for singing it is the second prahar of the night: from 9PM to Midnight. Anyone listening to Khammaj or Khammaj based songs would know that the mood is light and enthralling but somewhere hidden in it is the pain (of separation). If one listens to O sajana barkha bahaar aayi, you get the same feelings: heart joyous at rain but full of ache for the lover.

Now, why did Pandit Bhimsen Joshi say that the song starts with Khammaj but dissolves into Raag Kalavati in between? The reason is that both Khammaj and Kalavati belong to Khammaj Thaat. Kalavati is a pentatonic raag (Audhav-Audhav); whereas Khammaj had Rishab varjaya in Aaroha (ascent) only, Kalavati has both Rishab and Madhyam vrajaya in both Aaroha and Avroha. The main similarity is the Komal Nishad found in Avaroha in Khammaj. In Kalavati, it is Komal in both Aaroha and Avroha.

Some of the Hindi films songs composed in Khammaj are:

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O Sajna
Jaao Re Jogi
Khanak Gayo HaayLaage Unki Suratiya
Kaanaha Raadha Hui
Tere Mere Milan Ki Ye Raina
Kuchh To Log Kahenge
Nazar Laagi Raaja
Aayo Kahan Se Ghanshyam
Kaise Din Beete
Kaanha Kaanha
Jeevan Daata
Saajh Savere
Suman Samaan
Kanha Main To
Chhavi Dikhla Jaa
Vaishnav Jan To
Tora Man Badav
Raat Naujawan Jhoomta
Mere To Girdhar Gopaal
Sudh Bisar Gai
Chori Chori Chupke Chupke
Chha Gaye Baadal
Tumhi Mere Sab Kuchh
Bahut Suna Hai Naath
Chaand Akela Jaaye
Kaahe Manwa Naache
Dhal Chuki Shaam
Gauri Gauri Chaand ke
Dheere Dheere Machal
Tore Naina Laagev
Kaahe Kaanha Karat
Hamari Kahi Maano
Ab Ke Saawan Ghar Aaja
Mai Zindagi Ka Saath
Jogan Ban Aayi Hoon
Ye Tanhaai Haye Re
Deewana Mastan Hua Dil
Nain Lad Jaiyen To
Soch Ke Ye Gagan
Mai Ri Mai To Madhuvan Me
Naina Dhoondhe Tohe Shyam
Hum Apna Unhen Bana
Parakh
Aamrapali
Rishte NateMaa Baap
Tumhare Liye
Abhimaan
Amar Prem
Kaala Paani
Buddha Mil Gaya
Anuradha
Shagird
Sharafat
Maadhvi
Kotwal Sahab
Shatranj Ke Khiladi
Shatranj Ke Khiladi
Narsi Bhagat
Ganga Jamuna
Geet Gaya Patthron Ne
Meera
Sangeet Samrat Tansen
Aap Ki Kasam
Chitralekha
Chhote Babu
Adhikaar
Aalap
Aalap
Kohinoor
Anita
Anupama
Mamta
Baawarchi
Dulhan Ek Raat Ki
Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje
Hum Dono
Shabaab
Tere Ghar Ke Saamne
Bambai Ka Babu
Ganga Jamuna
Jyoti
Chandralekha
Dil Ki Raahen
Bhanwara
Lata
Lata
LataLata
Asha
Lata, Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar
Asha
Manna Dey
Lata
Lata
Lata
Lata
Hemlata
Birju Maharaj
Rewa Muhuri
Manna Dey
Asha
Asha
Vani Jayram, Dinkar
Manna Dey
Lata
Rafi, Asha
Manna Dey, Lata
Lata
Yesudas
Lata
Rafi
Mukesh
Lata
Sandhya Mukherjee
Laxmi Shankar
Asha, Usha
Lata
Rafi
Lata
Lata
Asha, Rafi
Rafi
Manna Dey, Lata
Uma Devi
Manna Dey

The song I have taken for you today is from the 1970 Shakti Samanta movie Amar Prem starring Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore. It was penned by Anand Bakshi, composed by RD Burman and sung by Kishore Kumar.

I have already told you about Shakti Samanta, Rajesh Khanna and RD Burman. Let me tell you a bit about Anand Bakshi. We have already covered Kishore Kumar in Songs That Tug At Your Emotions #3 (Aa chal ke tujhe main le ke chalun),

Anand Bakshi was a master lyricist who matched his lyrics perfectly with the emotions of the protagonist. His most common  paired with Laxmikant Pyarelal with whom he worked in 302 movies. Here, he is with RD Burman, with whom he did the second highest movies of his career: 99. Amongst the old breed of lyricsts, Anand Bakshi was the only one who penned more than 3000 songs whilst lyricists like Sahir and Sahkeel only penned less than 800.

Anand Bakshi died on 30 Mar 2002 in Mumbai. However, the songs of Anand Bakshi with RD Burman kept appearing until the 2011 movie Dum Maaro Dum. They had started with the 1965 movie Teesra Kaun. Some of my favourite songs of the pair are: Pyaar ka fasaana bana de dil deewana (Teesra Kaun, 1965), Sharabi sharabi mera naam ho gaya (Chandan Ka Palna, 1967), Jis gali mein tera ghar na ho baalma, Mera naam hai Shabnam, Na loi umang hai, Pyaar deewana hota hai, Ye shaam mastani and Ye jo mohabbaty hai (Kati Patang, 1970), Gulabi aankhen jo teri dekhi (The Train, 1970), Aaj unase pehli mulaqaat hogi (Paraya Dhan, 1971), Chanda O chanda kisne churayi teri meri nindiya (Lakhon Mein Ek, 1971), Dum maro dum, Dekho O deewano aisa kaam na karo, Kanchi re kanchi re, Phoolon ka taaro ka sabka kehna hai (Hare Krishna Hare Raam, 1971), Badha natkhat hai re, Chingari koi bhadake, Kuchh to log kahenge, Raina beeti jaaye, Ye kya hua kaise hua (Amar Prem, 1971), Hawa ke saath saath (Seeta Aur Geeta, 1972), Jaan-e-jaan dhoondata phir raha, Ye jawani hai deewani (Jawani Deewani, 1972), Duniya mein logo ko dhoka kabhi ho jaata hai, Rona kabhi nahin rona, Sun  Champa sun Tara (Apna Desh, 1972), Neend chura ke raaton mein (Shareef Badmash, 1973), Main ek chor tu meri rani (Raja Rani, 1973), Jheel ke us paar (Jheel Ke Us Paar, 1973), Panna ki tamanna hai (Heera Panna, 1973), Diye jalate hain, Main shayar banaam, Nadiya se dariya dariya se sagar (Namak Haram, 1973), Bheegi bheegi raaton mein, Ek ajnabi haseena se, Hum dono do premi (Ajnabi, 1974), Chori chori chupke chupke, Karvate badalte rahe, Jay jay Shiv Shankar, Suno kaho kaha suna, Zindagi ke safar mein guzr jaate hain jo mukaam (Aap Ki Kasam, 1974), Do naino mein aansu bhare hain, O manjhi re (Khushboo, 1975), Jab taq hai jaan, Holi ke din, Mehbooba mehbooba, Ye dosti hum nahin chhodenge (Sholay, 1975), Ruk jaana O jaana (Warrant, 1975), Mere naina sawan bhaadon, Parbat ke peechhe (Mehbooba, 1976), Badhe achhe lagte hain (Balika Badhu, 1976), Aise na mujhe tum dekho seene se laga loonga (Darling Darling, 1977), Lallah lallah lori, Suhani chandini raaten hamen sone nahin deti (Mukti, 1977), Aati rahengi bahaaren, Kasme vaade nibhayenge hum (Kame Vaade, 1978), Ham bewafa hargiz na the, Lets do Cha cha cha (Shalimar, 1978), Do lafzon ki hai dil ki kahaani (The Great Gambler, 1979), Swan ke jhoole padhe (Jurmana, 1979), Maine poochha chand se (Abdullah, 1980), Pyaar karne wale pyaar karte hain shaan se, Yamma yamma ye khubsurat samaa (Shaan, 1980), Dekho maine dekha hai ek sapna, Yaad aa rahi hai teri yaad, Yeh ladki zara si deewani lagati hai (Love Story, 1981), Kya yahi pyaar hai (Rocky, 1981), E ri pawan dhoonde kise tera man (Bemissal, 1982), Jab ham jawan honge (Betaab, 1983), and Aur kya ahd-e-wafa hote hain (Sunny, 1984).

Rajesh Khanna and Zeenat Aman enacting Bheegi bheegi raaton mein, an Anand Bakshi – RD Burman creation for 1974 movie Ajnabi, also a Shakti Samanta movie.

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last seven times 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. Then we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Carnatic tradition): MS Subbulakshmi. Then, we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Hindustani tradition): Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Finally, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. Tonight, we shall learn about Annapurna Devi, a great Surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani Classical Music.

(Pic courtesy: iloveindia.com)

Annapurna Devi was born as Roshanara Khan on 16 Apr 1927 in Maihar (a princely state in British India, now in Madhya Pradesh) to Alauddin Khan who was a court musician of Maharaja Brijnath Singh. It was the Maharaja who named her Annapurna. Ali Akbar Khan, the greatest Sarod Player that we have already taken up, was her brother. She became an accomplished Surbahar player of the Maihar Gharana founded by her father (For learning more about Surbahar please see Raaga Based Song Of The Day #54). Her father, Alauddin Khan’s sitar student Pandit Ravi Shankar married her; he was 21 years old and she 14 years old at that time. She converted to Hinduism after marriage. Their marriage lasted for two decades. One of the reasons for the breakup of the marriage was because she used to get applauded more than him. After their divorce, she never performed in public again. She took to teaching music. Over the years she has had notable disciples: Hariprasad Chaurasia, Nityanand Haldipur, Nikhil Banerjee, Amit Bhattacharya, Pradeep Barot and Saswatti Saha (Sitar). In 1982 she married her student Rooshikumar Pandya. He died in 2013. In 1977 she was awarded Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilan award. In 1991 she was awarded the highest in performing arts: the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

Lastly, a word about the movie from where this song has been taken by me. The 1972 movie Amar Prem was produced and directed by Shakti Samanta and starred Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore, Vinod Mehra and Madan Puri. Sharmila Tagore was Pushpa in the movie, forced into become a courtesan by Madan Puri. Rajesh Khanna was Anand Babu. Fed up of the indifferent ways of his own wife, he used to love coming to her and listen to her sing (eg, Raina beeti jaaye). The story when it unfolded made some of our social values stand on their head and the audience just loved the silent love that gradually evolved between the two. This song is the representative of the hollowness of social values (viz: Hamako jo aane dete hain hum khoye hain in rang raliyon mein; hamane unako bhi chhup chhup ke aate dekha in galiyon mein). Superb lyrics by Anand Bakshi.

Please enjoy in Raag Khammaj, Taal Kaherava, Kishore Kumar sing a composition of RD Burman on the lyrics of Anand Bakshi in the 1972 Shakti Samanta movie: Kuchh to log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna…..

(कुछ तो लोग कहेंगे, लोगों का काम है कहना
छोड़ो बेकार की बातों में कहीं बीत ना जाए रैना ) – २
कुछ तो लोग कहेंगे, लोगों का काम है कहना

कुछ रीत जगत की ऐसी है, हर एक सुबह की शाम हुई – २
तू कौन है, तेरा नाम है क्या, सीता भी यहाँ बदनाम हुई
फिर क्यूँ संसार की बातों से, भीग गये तेरे नयना
कुछ तो लोग कहेंगे, लोगों का काम है कहना
छोड़ो बेकार की बातों में कहीं बीत ना जाए रैना
कुछ तो लोग कहेंगे …

हमको जो ताने देते हैं, हम खोए हैं इन रंगरलियों में – २
हमने उनको भी छुप छुपके, आते देखा इन गलियों में
ये सच है झूठी बात नहीं, तुम बोलो ये सच है ना
कुछ तो लोग कहेंगे, लोगों का काम है कहना
छोड़ो बेकार की बातों में कहीं बीत ना जाए रैना
कुछ तो लोग कहेंगे …

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. 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.
  87. On the eighty-seventh day, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustaad Bismillah Khan.
  88. And today, on the eighty-eighth day, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, the greatest Surbahar player in India.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

NA KHELO MERE DIL SE

ना खेलो मेरे अरमानो से, मेरे जज़्बातों से,
मेरे उदास दिनों से, मेरी सुनसान सियाह रातों से,

मुझे आदत सी पड़ गयी है रूखेपन की,
ना उलझायो मुझे प्यारी और मदहोश बातों से।

कुछ नहीं होगा, रहने दो मुझे तन्हा ओ बेज़ार,
ना ललचाओ माज़ी की सुहानी मुलाकातों से।

ज़िन्दगी सेहरा बन गयी है, और तुम अभी भी,
दिल की धरती सींच रहे हो कल की बरसातों से

मेरा कोई दोस्त, हमसफर, महबूब नहीं है,
ना बांधो मुझे झूठे रिश्तों से, फरेबी नातों से।

गमों के, अश्क़ों के, तनहाईयों के ख़ज़ाने दिए बेहद,
अब और ना बहलाओ वादा – ए – सौगातों से।

ज़मीन से आसमान, आसमानो से ज़मीन पे पटका यकायक,
हैरान रह गया हूँ तुम्हारी जादूगरी करामातों से।

हर सितम सहते रहे, तेरी बेवफाई का सनम,
आह भी ना निकली तेरा नाम गुनगुनातों से ।

Naa khelo mere armaano se, mere jazbaaton se,
Mere udaas dinon se, meri sunsaan siyah raaton se.

Mujhe aadat si padh gayi hai rukhepan ki,
Naa uljhaao mujhe pyaari aur madhosh baaton se.

Kuchh nahin hoga, rehane do mujhe tanha aur bezaar,
Naa lalchaao maazi ki suhaani mulaqaaton se.

Zindagi sehra ban gayi hai, aur tum abhi bhi,
Dil ki dharti seench rahe ho kal ki barsaaton se.

Mera koi dost, hamsafar, mehboob nahin hai,
Naa baandho mujhe jhhote rishton se, farebi naaton se.

Gamon ke, ashqon ke, tanhaayiyon ke khazane diye behadd,
Ab aur naa behlaayo waada-e-saugaaton se.

Zamin se aasman, aasmaanon se zamin pe patka yakayak,
Hairaan reh gaya hoon tumhaari jadugari karamaaton se.

Har sitam sehte rahe, teri bewafai ka sanam,
Aah bhi na nikali tera naam gungunaato se.

 

GEETKAAR NA BAN PAAYA TO KYAA?

काश तेरे लिए बन पाता शकील बदायुनी,
ग़ज़ल लिख पाता कोई ताज़ा अनसुनी I
चौदहवीं का चाँद कह के तुम्हें बुलाता,
खुशियां तेरी कर देता दूनी चौगुनी I

या फिर मैं रूप धारण करता शैलेन्द्र का,
तेरे मन की गंगा और मेरे मन की जमुना का,
मैं होता आवारा, और तुम होती अनुराधा,
दोनों मिल के गाते प्यार हुआ इकरार हुआ I

शायद तुम्हें पसंद आता, मैं होता हसरत जयपुरी,
मेरा प्रेम पत्र पढ़ के तुम्हे होती बेहद्द ख़ुशी,
सेहरा में भी अंदाज़ से आती मिलन की बेला,
और जीवन की राहें ना कभी होती आंसू भरी I

कितना अच्छा होता जो मैं होता रजिन्दर कृष्ण,
गीतों के ज़रिये सुनाता तुम्हें मुहब्बत की धड़कन,
मन – मौजी बनके हम करते लव इन शिमला,
फर्क नहीं गर तुम होती लड़की, आशा या पड़ोसन I

और काश कहीं मैं होता मजरूह सुल्तानपुरी,
नी सुल्ताना कह के तुम्हारे दिल पे चलाता छुरी,
भीगी रात में सुजाता बनके करती तुम मदहोश,
ओपेरा हाउस और टैक्सी स्टैंड में होती हमारी मश्हूरी I

कैफ़ी आज़मी बनके सुनाता वक़्त के हसीं सितम,
दोनों मिलके फिर भी जीत ही लेते बाज़ी हम,
झूम झूम ढलती हमारी हर एक रात,
हीर राँझा बनते या बनते शोला और शबनम I

आखिर कहीं मैं होता राजा मेहदी अली खान,
आप की परछाईयों पे दे देता मैं अपनी जान,
शोख नज़र की बिजलियाँ तुम दिल पे मेरे गिराती,
लग जाती तुम गले से, सुनाके अपनी दास्तान I

पर ये सब हैं ख़्वाबों की या ख्यालों की बातें,
यहीं हमारे दिन हैं और यही हमारी रातें,
ना तो मैं हूँ गीतकार, ना ही तुम हो फिल्म स्टार,
आम हमारी कहानी है, आम हमारी मुलाकातें I

लेकिन क्या जो बन ना पाया मैं मशहूर गीतकार,
आम सही पर अमर रहेगा हम दोनों का प्यार,
सालगिरह मुबारक Lyn, जो भी हूँ मैं तेरा हूँ,
तू मेरी महबूबा है, और मैं तेरा दिलदार I

Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #20

The twentieth day of songs in this series.

In the last nineteen days, we have taken up songs of ten male singers: Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor, SD Burman, KL Saigal and Pankaj Mullick. 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 eleventh male singer: Jagmohan ‘Sursagar’ and the song is another favourite: Mujhe na sapno se behlaao. I have chosen this non-filmy number over Jagmohan’s Meghdoot song: O varsha ke pehle baadal. By the way, both songs are by the same lyricist Faiyyaz Hashmi and same composer: Kamal Dasgupta.

(Pic courtesy: Asian Voice)

Jagmohan was born as Jaganmoy Mitra and as a composer and singer earned the title of ‘Sursagar’ (the ocean of notes (music)). The 1955 Gyan Mukherjee movie Sardar has one of his famous songs: Pyar ki talkhiyan jo na seh sakun karun main kya karun? It was sung by Lata Mangeshkar. As far as songs that he sang are concerned, the one from Meghdoot is his most famous one. However, there are the non-filmy songs by the team of Faiyyaz Hashmi, Kamal Dasgupta and Jagmohan. These include:

  • Dil de kar dard liyaa mai.n ne
  • Dil ko hai tumase pyaar kyo.n
  • Ek baar muskuraa do
  • Maaluum hai mujhako
  • Mat kar saaj si.ngaar sundari
  • Merii aa.Nkhe.n banii.n diwaanii
  • Mujhe Kaamosh rahane do
  • Niraas me.n aas prabhu meraa
  • Prem kii nayyaa ko milaa hai prem nadii kaa kinaaraa
  • Sapano.n me.n mujhako pyaar milaa
  • Su.ndar ho kitanii su.ndar ho
  • Tum mere saamane aayaa na karo
  • Us raag ko paayal me.n jo soyaa hai jagaa do
  • Ye chaa.Nd nahii.n terii aaratii hai

The Government of India honoured him with India’s fourth highest civilian award: Padma Shri. However, more than the award, Jagmohan has a cult-following and his fans swear by him and the title ‘Sursagar’.

(Photo courtesy: Saregama)

Komol or Kamal Dasgupta was born on 28 Jul 1912 in Kalia, Narail district of Bengal; now in Khulna, Bangladesh. He matriculated from Calcutta Academy, graduated in commerce from Comilla Victoria Government College. He did his doctorate in music from Benares Hindu University in 1943. The subject of his specialisation was Mira Bai. His early inspiration came from his father, Tara Prasanna Dasgupta. He took his first music lessons from his brother, Bimal Das Gupta. Later he studied under Dilip Kumar Roy, Kana Kesta, and Ustad Jamiruddin Khan. He emerged as a versatile musical genius. Raaga and Thumri were the main elements of his music. He was also a singer in Hindi, Bengali, Urdu and Tamil. He was a brilliant composer who composed nearly 8000 songs, mostly based on classical music. In 1956 he converted to Islam and took the name Kamal Uddin Ahmed. He married Feroza Begum, a renowned Nazrul Sangeet singer in the same year. Their second and third sons Hamin Ahmed and Shafin Ahmed are lead singers with Bangladeshi Band Miles.He died on 20 Jul 1974 in Dhaka.

Fayyaz or Faiyyaz Hashmi too was born in Calcutta in 1920.  His father, Muhammad Hussain Hashmi, was also a poet with pen name ‘Dilgeer’ as well as a writer of stage drama. Fayyaz Hashmi was employed as the resident lyricist by the British-owned Gramophone Company of India from 1943 to 1948. “Fayyaz Hashmi wrote his first verse, ‘Chaman mein ghuncha-o-gul ka tabassum dekhne walo – Kabhi tum ne haseen kalyon ka murjhana bhi dekha hai’, when he was in 7th class.” He wrote his very first full songs that Talat Mahmood sang in 1941 (Sab din ek samaan nahin tha) and the runaway hit Tasveer teri dil mera behla na sakay gi with music composed by Kamal Das Gupta. He is best known for his ghazal: Aaj jaane ki zid na karo. In 1951, he was transferred by his employer, Gramophone Company of India, to Lahore to organise the music scene in Pakistan. There he promoted many talented artists including Farida Khanum (who sang the ghazal Aaj jaane ki zid na karo), Saeen Marna, Saeen Akhtar and Saeen Budha. He died on 29 Nov 2011 in Karachi, Pakistan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBvdIsBmQ6g

The bhaav of these brilliant lyrics by Fayyaz Hashmi is that the lover is not carried away by showing him a dreamworld by his beloved. He wants it to be tangible; something that he can touch and own.

Please enjoy Jagmohan ‘Sursagar’ sing a composition of Kamal Dasgupta on the lyrics of Faiyyaz Hashmi: Mujhe na sapano se behlaao….

मुझे न सपनों से बहलाओ

( दूरी का दुख दिल पे सहूँ मैं
रह के पास भी दूर रहूँ मैं ) -२
छूना चाहूँ छू न सकूँ मैं -२
कौन ये रीत बताओ
है कौन ये रीत बताओ
मुझे न सपनों से बहलाओ

( गंगा से तुम आवो नहा के
केश सुखाओ बाँह फैला कर ) -२
मेरे तमन्नाओं पर छा कर -२
काहे फिर छुप जाओ
तुम काहे फिर छुप जाओ
मुझे न सपनों से बहलाओ

( रोज़ मेरे सपने में आना
नित नित रूप नया दिखलाना ) -२
रोज़ छुड़ा कर आँचल जाना -२
ऐसा ज़ुल्म न ढाओ
तुम ऐसा ज़ुल्म न ढाओ
मुझे न सपनों से बहलाओ -२

The whole world is Maya, they say, a mere dream or mirage. However much we enjoy it, it will always be transient. And yet, there is always this tendency to own, to possess, call something or someone your own, touch and feel. It is only human. This song transports me into that world, the world of earthly love that is incomplete without the physical part. In short, you can’t be married to a dream.

One of my favourite old English songs is Trini Lopez’s ‘What have I got of my own?’ It has matching lyrics to those of Hashmi though Lopez’s came much later in 1976:

What have I got of my own, my own?
What have I got of my own?
The castles I build when I lie in the sand,
Belong to a king in a fairy tale land.
The treasures I find, when I dream in my sleep,
Are gone in the dawn, not a thing I can keep.
What have I got of my own, my o~own?
What have I got of my own?
The stars all belong high in heaven above.
My heart belongs to the one that I love.
The rivers that flow all belong to the sea.
What have I got that belongs to me?
What have I got of my own, my o~own?
What have I got of my own?
I hope someday before too long
My heart will sing a happy song.
I’m tired of being lonely, unhappy and sad.
I wanna have the things that other men have.
What have I got of my own, my o~own?
What have I got of my own?
If I could choose one thing forever to hold,
I know I would never choose diamonds or gold.
Just give me one true love to be mine alone,
Then I’ll have all the things of my own, my own.
What have I got of my own?
My own.
What have I got of my own?

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await tomorrow’s song.

 

Raaga Based Song Of The Day #87

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Bedardi baalma tujhako mera man yaad karta hai….
Raag Charukesi, Tal Dadra

Shankar – Jaikishan again today, in the eighty-seventh post on Raaga Based Songs of the Day. Actually, I should say: the genius of Shankar Jaikishan again. And this time, I have chosen a song from a non-Raj Kapoor starrer. Also, I have chosen a Raaga other than their favourite Bhairavi: Charukesi, that is.

This is the second time I am giving you a song composed in this Raaga. The first was on the 13th day: Bainya na dharo, O balmaa (Please see: Raaga Based Song Of The Day #13).

The song I have taken for you today is from the 1965 Ramanand Sagar movie Arzoo starring Rajendra Kumar, Sadhana and Feroze Khan. It was penned by Hasrat Jaipuri, composed by Shankar Jaikishan and sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

Shankar Jaikishan were the best and my most favourite music-duo on several scales such as popularity, the number of Filmfare Awards that they bagged and were nominated for, and their range of compositions from classical music based, jazz, semi classical, piano based, party songs, sad songs, lively and lilting melodies, comic songs and even some foreign tunes. Let alone mukhadas and antaras of songs of their compositions, they paid particular attention to interludes. It is, therefore, not surprising that in addition to their songs, even their interludes became memorable. They hardly ever used the same interlude twice in a song. One of my favourites, when it comes to interludes, is the interlude after the mukhada in the Anaadi song: Tera jaana. Of course, Tera jaana is a piano based, Raaga based (Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava) sad song sung by Lata Mangeshkar for Nutan at the time when she is forced to break-up with Raj Kapoor, her only love, at the behest of her rich father. We must also acknowledge the genius of the arranger Sebastian D’Souza in making this interlude memorable. Have a look:

Did you notice what the interludes do to you? The first one is agitated one; it is as unnerving as it should be for Nutan to say good bye to the love of her life. The interlude is like as if someone is playing like crazy on the chords of her heart. There is a calming effect in the second interlude as if the helplessness of the situation and the acceptance thereof have made her numb and increasingly silent; as if hit by chilling waves. Ladies and gentlemen, now you would understand why I use the word genius whilst describing Shankar Jaikishan to you. As they said in 1962: “We have never thought of the public as the ‘masses’, but as individuals who want the best from us.” Tell me how many others have you come across who would go to this extent to give you a musical experience.

Lets try one more. This is the song Ye raat bheegi bheegi ye mast fizaayen in the movie Chori Chori; sung by Manna Dey for Raj Kapoor and Lata Mangeshkar for Nargis. It is in Raag Kirwani or Keerwani, Tal Kaherava. The scene is about Nargis having run away from her father (shipping tycoon) in Bombay to be with her lover Pran in Bangalore. On the way, she is helped by Raj Kapoor, a small time journalist. As they are on the run together, there is, for the first time, quite a flux of feelings from both the sides since they appear to be heading towards being lovers. In the first interlude the music helps to bring out how she has no control over her emotions; she is merely a doll or a puppet. The second interlude is renumerative because of contemplating whether she has finally found someone who she can call her own (Main dhuund rahi hoon apne ko). And the third interlude has a little sadness laced with what-if feelings by both.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1DZxkiMjRo

(Photo courtesy: wordpress.com)

Truly, in both the songs that I have given above, Shankar Jaikishan helped by their arranger Sebastian D’Souza find a perfect match between music, notes, compositions, interludes, voice and emotions. These are just examples of the extent to which they used to go in making songs.

Now why did I labour to give you so much about interludes when generally I have been focusing on the raaga, the tal and the lyrics only? It is because you would enjoy the song that I have chosen for you more if you pay attaention to the interludes too. Let me at the outset itself tell you that in Bedardi baalma, the first and the third interludes are repeated. It is rare for Shankar Jaikishan to do so. The complete lyrics of the song are about comparing her (Sadhana‘s) situation now that she is alone and melancholic with the happy past when in the same Srinagar valley, he (Rajendra Kumar) was there with her in loving and romantic togetherness. The first and last interlude both bring out that intense feeling of longing for him when she can’t find him. The second interlude is about her current situation of extreme melancholy with matching lyrics. Shankar Jaikishan were really masters of this art. I am sure many of us remember the first and the last interludes and these help us to feel for her whilst she lays bare her desapondency.

We have completed eighty-six 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-sixth post or the last post was titled Raaga Based Song Of The Day #86and the song was a Chhaya Ganguly song from the 1978 Muzaffar Ali movie Gaman starring Smita Patil and Farooq Sheikh: Aapki yaad aati rahi raat bhar; a ghazal penned by Makhdoom Moihuddin. It is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Hinch.

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 Todi.

In the last eighty-six 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 Charukesi.

Today’s song has been sung by Lata Mangeshkar on the lyrics of Hasrat Jaipuri and composition by Shankar Jaikishan. As I said, it is in Raag Charukesi, Tal Dadra. The song is picturised on Sadhana in the 1965 Ramanand Sagar movie Arzoo, in his own production.

We have already covered Shankar Jaikishan above.

Let me, therefore, come to Hasrat Jaipuri. Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri formed a team with Shankar Jaikishan. It was the most abiding team of Lyricists with Composer in Hindi movies. Although, Hasrat was a find of Prithviraj Kapoor who introduced him to his son Raj Kapoor, both the Filmfare Awards that he received were both non-Raj Kapoor movies: Andaz starring Rajesh Khanna and Shammi Kapoor and Suraj starring Rajendra Kumar. Hasrat Jaipuri was born as Iqbal Hussain in Jaipur, Rajashtan, on 15 Apr 1922. His schooling was entirely in English language and it is only later that he learnt Urdu and Persian. He came to Bombay at the age of 18 years and worked as a bus-conductor, similar to Johnny Walker. His first song was Jiya beqraar hai for the 1949 Raj Kapoor movie Barsaat, the debut film of Shankar Jaikishan.

Before penning lyrics for the songs, he was fond of poetry. Some of his poetry was written for his beloved in Jaipur: Radha including the famous song: Yeh mera prem patr padh kar ke tum naraaz na hona.

As far as my favourite songs of Hasrat Jaipuri are concerned, let me tell you first that what I regard as Lata Mangeshkar’s best song ever: Rasik balmaa, has been penned by him (Please see: My Favourite Songs Of Lata Mangeshkar). Some of the others are: Aa neele gagan tale (Badshah, 1954), the title song of my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne (Patita, 1953), Aansu bhari hain ye jeevan ki raahen (Parvarish, 1958), Aaye bahaar ban ke lubha kar chale gaye (Rajhath, 1956),  Awaaz de ke hamen na bulao (Professor, 1962), Ajahu na aaye baalma (Saanjh Aur Savera, 1964), Aji rooth kar ab kahan jaayiga, Chhalke teri aankho se (Arzoo, 1965), Rukh se zara naqaab utha do mere huzoor, Gam uthhane ke liye main to jiye jaayunga, Jhanak jhanak tori naaje payaliya, Jo guzr rahi hai mujhape use kaise main batayun, Kyaa kyaa na sahe hamne sitam aap ki khaatir (Mere Huzoor, 1968), Bat itani si hai kah do koi deevano se, Gori chalo na hans ki chaal (Beti Bete, 1964), Bahaaro phool barsaao (Suraj, 1966), Bhanvre ki gunjan hai mera dil (Kal, Aaj Aur Kal, 1971), Chale jaana zara thehro (Around The World, 1967), Chhod gaye baalam mujhe haay akela chhod gaye, Jiya beqraar hai chhayi bahaar hai, Meri aankhon mein bas gaya koi re (Barsaat, 1949), Dekho ruutha na karo, Tere ghar ke saamne ik ghar banayunga, Tu kahan ye bata is nasheeli raat mein (Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, 1963), Dheere dheere chal chand gagan mein (Love Marriage, 1959), Dil ek mandir hai, Ham tere pyaar mein saara aalam, Yahan koi nahin tera mere siva (Dil Ek Mandir, 1963), Dil ke jharokhe mein tujhako bithakar (Brahmachari, 1968), Mere yaar shab-ba-khair, Ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar, Jaa jaa jaa mere bachpan (Junglee, 1961), Duniya waalon se duur, Jhuumata mausam mast maheena, Tera jalwa jisne dekha (Ujaala, 1959), Ehsaan mere dil pe tumhaara hai dosto (Gaban, 1966), Falsafa pyaar ka tum kyaa jaano (Duniya, 1968), Gumnaam hai koi, Is duniya mein jeena hai to sun lo meri baat, Jaago sone waalo. Jaan-e-chaman shola badan pehlu mein aa jaao (Gumnaam, 1965), Ho maine pyaar kiya hai hai kya zurm kiya (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai, 1960), Ibtidaa-e-ishq mein ham saari raat jaage (Hariyali Aur Raasta (1962), Ichak daana bichak daana (Shri 420, 1955), Ik bewafa se pyaar kiya, Jabase balam ghar aaye (Awaara, 1951), Ik but banayunga tera, Tera mera pyaar amar, Tujhe jeevan ki dore se baandh liya hai (Asli Naqli, 1962), Is rang badalati duniya mein (Rajkumar, 1964), Jaane kahan gaye woh din (Mera Naam Joker, 1970), Le gayi dil gudiya Japan ki, Koi matwaala aaya mere dwaare, Sayonara waada nibhayungi (Love In Tokyo, 1966), Janam janam ka saath hai nibhane ko (Tumase Achha Kaun Hai, 1969), Jiya o, jiya o jiya luchh bol do (Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai, 1961), Kaun hai jo sapano mein aaya (Jhuk Gaya Asmaan, 1968), Kuchh sher sunaata hoon main (Ek Dil Sau Afsaane, 1963), Manzil wohi hai pyaar ke raahi badal gaye (Kathputli, 1957), Maare gaye gulfaam (Teesri Kasam, 1966), Main Ka karun Raam mujhe buddha mil gaya, O mehbooba tere dil ke paas hi hai (Sangam, 1964), Main kahin kavi na ban jaayun (Pyaar Hi Pyaar, 1968), Main piya teri tu maane ya na maane (Basant Bahar, 1956), Mere mehboob tere dam se hai duniya mein bahar (Bhai Bhai, 1970), Meri zindagi mein aate to kuchh aur baat hoti (Kanyadaan, 1968), Mujhako apne gale lagalo ai mere humraahi, Vo chale haan vo chale, Ye aansu mere dil ki zubaan hain (Hamrahi, 1963), Nain se nain naahi milao (Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje, 1955), Pankh hote to udh aati re, Taqdeer ka fasaana jaakar kise sunaayen (Sehra, 1963), Hai na bolo bolo (Andaaz, 1968), Parde mein rehane do (Shikar, 1968), Pyar aankhon se jataya to bura maan gaye, Tumhe aur kyaa doon main dil ke siva (Aayi Milan Ki Bela, 1964), Rungoli sajaao (Rungoli, 1962), Sau saal pehle mujhe tumase pyar tha, Teri zulfon se judaayi to nahin maangi thi (Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Sunate the naam ham jinaka bahar se (Aah, 1953), Suno chhoti si gudiya ki lambi kahani (Seema, 1955), Tere khayalon mein ham (Geet Gaya Pathron Ne, 1964), Teri pyari pyari surat ko (Sasural, 1961), Tujhe pyar karte hain karte rahenge (April Fool, 1964), Tuu mere saamne hai teri zulfen hain khuli (Suhaagan, 1964), Unake khayal aaye to aate chale gaye (Laal Patthar, 1971), Ye kya kar daal tune dil tera ho gaya (Howrah Bridge, 1958), and Ye raat bheegi bheegi (Chori Chori, 1956).

One of Hasrat Jaipuri’s best: Jhanak jahnak tori baaje payaliya (Mere Huzoor)

A word about the actress, Sadhana, on whom the song is picturised. As I have said many times earlier, some of Lata Mangeshkar’s best songs are picturised on her. These include: Aaja aayi bahar (Rajkumar, 1964), Aa jaan-e-jaan aa mera ye husn jawan, Geet tere saaz ka, Kaise rahun chup ke maine pi hi kya hai (Inteqaam, 1969), Aap youn hi agar hamase milate rahe (Ek Musafir Ek Haseena, 1962), Aji rooth kar ab kahan jayiyega (Arzoo, 1965), Ham

Lata with Hasrat Jaipuri and Jaikishan

jab simat ke aap ki baahon mein aa gaye, Kaun aaya ke nigahon mein chamak jaag uthi (Waqt, 1965), Jo hamane daastan apni sunayi, Lag jaa gale ke phir ye haseen raat, Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim (Woh Kaun Thi, 1964), Mere mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam (Mere Mehboob, 1963), Mila hai kisi ka jhumka, O sajana barkha bahaar aayi (Parakh, 1960), Nainon mein badra chhaye, Tu jahan jahan chalega (Mera Saya, 1966), Tera mera pyar amar, and Tujhe jeevan ki dore se baandh liya hai (Asli Naqli, 1962).

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last six times 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. Then we took up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Carnatic tradition): MS Subbulakshmi. Finally, we shall take up the greatest classical singer in the country (of Hindustani tradition): Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Today, lets learn a little more about the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan.

The name Bismillah Khan and Shehnai have become synonymous. Single handedly he elevated this simplest of instruments from just being played on weddings to the classical music heights. He was born Qamaruddin Khan on Mar 1913 in Damraon, Bihar. So strong was his passion that he was the third awardee of the highest civilian honour in India: the Bharat Ratna; the third personality to be given the honour after MS Subbulaxmi and Pandit Ravi Shankar. Between 1961 and 1980, the government of India also conferred on him the next three civilain honours: Padma Vibushan (1980), Padma Bhushan (1968) and Padma Shri (1961). And to think that he overcame his religion (Shia) considering music as haraam. When he died on 21 Aug 2006, his Shehnai was buried with him since he used to call it his begum. He was invited by the Indian PM Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru to play his Shehnai at the Red Fort in 1947, on the eve of India’s independence. Since then, for a number of years, the tradition of Bismillah Khan’s Shehnai Waadan, after PM’s speech on Independence Day continued. Khan had a brief association with movies. He played the shehnai for super star Dr.Rajkumar’s role of Appanna in the Kannada movie Sanaadi Appanna which became a blockbuster. He acted in Jalsaghar, a movie by Satyajit Ray and provided sound of shehnai in Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959).

Vijay Bhatt’s 1959 movie Goonj Uthi Shehnai came 7 yrs after the success of his another music based movie Baiju Bawra. Everytime Shehnai was played in the movie, it was Ustaad Bismillah Khan playing it.

As I said, today’s song is in Raag Charukesi, Tal Dadra.

Charukesi or Charukeshi is a raaga of Carnatic music. The raaga is called Tarangini in Muthuswami Dikshitar school; he was an early 19th century poet and composer.

Charukesi is also very popular in Hindustani music. The Jati of the raaga is Sampurna – Sampurna, that is all seven swar in Aaroha andAvroha. All swar are Shuddha except Dhaivat and Nishad, which are Komal. The samay for the raag is the second prahar of the morning (9AM to Noon). The mood of the raag is pathos (karuna) and devotion. Some of Hindi films most beautiful songs have been composed in it, such as Aaj dil pe koi zor chalta nahin (that was deleted from some versions of the movie Milan), Akele hain chale aao kahan ho, Bedardi balma tujhko mera man yaad karta hai, Bekhudi mein sanam, Chhod de saari duniya kisi ke liye, Ek tu jo mila, Kisi raah pe kisi mod par, Koi jab tumhaara hriday tod de, Shyam teri bansi pukaare Radha naam, Teri umeed tera intezar and karte hain.

About Tal Dadra, I have already told a number of times.

Lastly, a word about the movie from where this song (ghazal) has been taken by me. The 1965 movie Arzoo was produced and directed by Ramanand Sagar and starred Rajendra Kumar, Sadhana and Feroze Khan. The story revolved around Rajendra Kumar (Gopal) and Sadhana (Usha) meeting in Kashmir and falling in love. He has given his name as Sanju. She reveals to him how she hates the physically disabled. Later, he meets with an accident nad becomes disabled and avoids her, knowing her revulsion. His best friend Feroze Khan (Ramesh), not knowing about what has happened between Sanju and Usha, falls in love with Usha and they are about to be married. And then, it is revealed to her that Sanju and Gopal are the same person. The song came about when Sanju distances himself from Usha and she is melancholic about his absence from her life.

Please enjoy in Raag Charukesi, Tal Dadra, a superb composition of Shankar Jaikishan on the extraordinary lyrics of Hasrat Jaipuri, a song sung by Lata Mangeshkar: Bedardi baalma tujhako mera man yaad karta hai...

बेदर्दी बालमा तुझको मेरा मन याद करता है
बरसता है जो आँखों से वो सावन याद करता है

कभी हम साथ गुज़रे जिन सजीली रहगुज़ारों से
फ़िज़ा के भेस में गिरते हैं अब पत्ते चनारों से
ये राहें याद करती हैं ये गुलशन याद करता है

कोई झोंका हवा का जब मेरा आँचल उड़ाता है
गुमाँ होता है जैसे तू मेरा दामन हिलाता है
कभी चूमा था जो तूने वो दामन याद करता है

वो ही हैं झील के मंदर वो ही किरनों कि बरसातें
जहाँ हम तुम किया करते थे पहरों प्यार की बातें
तुझे इस झील का ख़ामोश दरपन याद करता है

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. 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.
  87. And today, on the eighty-seventh day, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustaad Bismillah Khan.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

SHASHI KAPOOR – PARDESIYON KO HAI IK DIN JAANA

The whole country must be saying this about him now that at about 5:20 PM today, the 4th Dec 17, he lost his battle with liver cirrhosis at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai. He had been ailing for a number of years.

However, ailing and battling for life is not something that we would want to remember him by. The song is one of his most popular songs. However, he wasn’t pardesi (stranger) to winning hearts and minds of his fans.

First, we have to imagine three of a family getting Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest award for cinematic excellence. Then we have to consider that since its inception in 1969 when Devika Rani got it, there have been only 47 recipients so far. Prithviraj Kapoor, the doyen of Kapoor family was the third recipient of it in 1971, his son Raj Kapoor received it in 1987 as the 18th recipient, and then Shashi Kapoor, the quintessential romantic boyish face got the 45th award in 2015.

Boyish Charm with Innocence and yet Superbly Romantic

Nevertheless, the very first song that has come to my mind about Shashi Kapoor is from the 1965 Suraj Prakash movie Jab Jab Phool Khile wherein he acted as Raja, the owner of a houseboat in Srinagar. He acted opposite Nanda, the actress that he claimed was the best that he acted with. She was Rita Khanna, in the movie, daughter of a rich man and he was the simple, innocent, sweet-faced and somewhat poor houseboat owner. They fell in love until she moved away with her own people and that’s the time he sang this song in the movie.

Little did anyone know that the mukhada of the song: Pardesiyon ko hai ik din jaana would be so apt at his own demise. It is sad to see him go. Whenever I go to Shimla, I remember both him and Jennifer for the renovation of the famous Gaiety Theatre. My uncle HS Dilgir presented many a play there. My wife and I, whenever we go to Shimla, make it a point to visit the theatre and have lunch in the restaurant there.

Here too, in Mumbai, we used to visit Prithvi theatre frequently during our young days, a legacy of his father that Shashi Kapoor took it upon himself to carry forward.

The song was put together by Anand Bakshi and Kalyanji Anandji and sung by Mohammad Rafi.

Lets remember Shashi Kapoor by this: Pardesiyon se na akhiyan milaana…(the song as fresh as the freshness of the acting that he brought about in the movies):

परदेसियों से ना अँखियां मिलाना
परदेसियों को है इक दिन जाना

आती है जब ये रुत मस्तानी
बनती है कोई न कोई कहानी
अब के बस देखे बने क्या फ़साना

सच ही कहा है पंछी इनको
रात को ठहरे तो उड़ जाएं दिन को
आज यहाँ कल वहाँ है ठिकाना

बागों में जब जब फूल खिलेंगे
तब तब ये हरजाई मिलेंगे
गुज़रेगा कैसे पतझड़ का ज़माना

ये बाबुल का देस छुड़ाएं
देस से ये परदेस बुलाएं
हाय सुनें ना ये कोई बहाना

हमने यही एक बार किया था
एक परदेसी से प्यार किया था
ऐसे जलाए दिल जैसे परवाना

प्यार से अपने ये नहीं होते
ये पत्थर हैं ये नहीं रोते
इनके लिये ना आँसू बहाना

ना ये बादल ना ये तारे
ये कागज़ के फूल हैं सारे
इन फूलों के बाग न लगाना

हमने यही एक बार किया था
एक परदेसी से प्यार किया था
रो रो के कहता है दिल ये दीवाना

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs9us0xln-M

He was born on 18 Mar 1938 as Balbir Prithviraj Kapoor to his father Prithviraj Kapoor who was not just the doyen of Indian theatre but also of Indian cinema and Kapoor family. He started his acting career as a child artiste. His most memorable performance was in Awaara wherein he played the younger version of Raj Kapoor.

It is not my intention to cover his biography or filmography. Both are really well-known. Today, like the song above, I shall give you songs by which I remember his acting the best.

Shashi Kapoor in Band-Gala, as Cute as Serious

After, giving you the boyish, innocent (even naive), but ever so romantic face of his in Jab Jab Phool Khile, I would like to draw your attention to his acting as a ghazal singer complete with band-gala achkan. He did this in a few movies including Jab Jab Phool Khile. But, for singing a song in a band-gala (achkan) I liked him best in 1968 Mohan Segal movie Kanyadaan wherein he acted opposite Asha Parekh.

This song has the excellence of composition by my favourite duo: Shankar Jaikishan and some really good lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri.

Once again, though elder brother Raj Kapoor relied upon Mukesh as his singing voice, Shammi and Shashi both had Mohammad Rafi singing for them; though some of Shashi Kapoor’s popular songs (like in Sharmilee) have also been sung by Kishore Kumar.

I liked to see Shashi Kapoor in the band-gala. He looked so cute!

Please enjoy: Meri zindagi mein aate to kuchh aur baat hoti whilst thinking of the departed soul….

उनकी ज़ुल्फ़ें उनके चेहरे से हटा सकता नहीं
दिल की बेताबी किसी सूरत छुपा सकता नहीं
कितनी दिलकश हैं मुहब्बत की जवाँ मजबूरियाँ
सामने मंज़िल है और पाँव बढ़ा सकता नहीं

मेरी ज़िन्दगी में आते ( तो कुछ और बात होती ) -२
ये नसीब जगमगाते ( तो कुछ और बात होती ) -२

कई बार मिल चुकी हैं ये हसीं-हसीं निगाहें -२
वो ही बेक़रारियाँ हैं न मिली ख़ुशी की राहें
मेरे दिल से दिल मिलाते ( तो कुछ और बात होती ) -२
मेरी ज़िन्दगी में …

मुझे क्या ग़रज़ किसी से हँसे फूल या सितारे -२
हैं मेरी नज़र में फीके ये जवाँ-जवाँ नज़ारे
अगर आप मुस्कराते ( तो कुछ और बात होती ) -२
मेरी ज़िन्दगी में …

ये ख़ुशी रहे सलामत यूँ ही जश्न हो सुहाना -२
जिसे सुन रही है दुनिया मेरे दिल का है तराना
मेरे साथ तुम भी गाते ( तो कुछ और बात होती ) -२
मेरी ज़िन्दगी में …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUT4Zeiu7mk

Mere Paas Maa Hai – Shashi Kapoor as my Namesake Ravi

This one is not a song. However, it has been voted as amongst the most popular dialogues in Hindi movies. And who was to deliver this dialogue in the 1975 Yash Chopra movie: Deewar? Shashi Kapoor. With this dialogue the difference in the heights of Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor was reversed; suddenly the Big B appeared small and diminutive in front of Shashi Kapoor. His name in the movie was my name. Now that, this year, less than five months back, Ravi, that is me, lost my mother, I can’t help remembering Ravi of Deewar delivering this dialogue with the kind of passion that it deserved. Here is that most remembered dialogue of Shashi Kapoor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KkHkggf_aU

His Charming, Forever Boyish and Even Comical Antics

I saw this movie before I joined the Navy. Shashi Kapoor acted as a young Army officer Captain Ajit in love with Rakhee as Kamini. Little did he know that Kamini, the slick and smart one had a twin sister Kanchan, as innocent as Shashi himself was in Jab Jab Phool Khile. In a bid to get married to Kamini, he accidentally got married to Kanchan and immediately rues it (Kaise kahen ham pyaar ne hamako kyaa kyaa khel dikhaaye). However, later he realises that Kanchan is the good girl and Kamini has a sinister history about her.

This song is sung by him to Rakhee as Kanchan. We would always remember him as this because this suited him the best.

The song was put together by Neeraj as lyricist, SD Burman as composer and singer Kishore Kumar.

Please notice that yellow is the most favourite colour for dresses of actors in the hills; I love it because it is the colour of Sunbyanyname!

Please enjoy Shashi Kapoor with his adorable antics: O meri, O meri, O meri sharmilee….

ओ मेरी ओ मेरी ओ मेरी शर्मीली
आओ ना तरसाओ ना
ओ मेरी ओ मेरी ओ मेरी शर्मीली

तेरा काजल लेकर रात बनी, रात बनी
तेरी मेंहदी लेकर दिन उगा, दिन उगा
तेरी बोली सुनकर सुर जागे, सुर जागे
तेरी खुशबू लेकर फूल खिला, फूल खिला
जान-ए-मन तू है कहाँ
ओ मेरी…

तेरी राहों से गुज़रे जब से हम, जब से हम
मुझे मेरी डगर तक याद नहीं, याद नहीं
तुझे देखा जब से दिलरुबा, दिलरुबा
मुझे मेरा घर तक याद नहीं, याद नहीं
जान-ए-मन तू है कहाँ
ओ मेरी…

ओ नीरज नयना आ ज़रा, आ ज़रा
तेरी लाज का घूँघट खोल दूं, खोल दूं
तेरे आँचल पर कोई गीत लिखूँ, गीत लिखूँ
तेरे होंठों में अमृत घोल दूँ, घोल दूँ
जान-ए-मन तू है कहाँ
ओ मेरी…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M2IYCuvnsY

Shashi Kapoor in My Home Place – Shimla Hills

In the 1973 Manmohan Desai movie Aa Gale Lag Jaa, he had Sharmila Tagore acting opposite him. Now, La Tagore started as a fresh face in the 1964 Shakti Samanta movie Kashmir Ki Kali wherein elder brother Shammi Kapoor wooed her. She had lost none of her girlish charm when Shashi Kapoor wooed her too. If Shammi did it in the freshness of Srinagar, Shashi did it in the freshmess of my home place: Shimla Hills. It was a long wooing. He started in Shimla Skating Rink with the song: Vaada karo nahin chhodoge tum mera saath. Here, in this song, they are at the skiing resort of Kufri but instead of skiing, they are skating there!

The song was put together by Sahir Ludhianvi, SD Burman and Kishore Kumar.

Once again, since it is a song in the hills, yellow colour is prominent.

Please enjoy: Mera tujhase hai pehle ka naata koi….

मेरा तुझ से है पहले का नाता कोई
यूँ ही नहीं दिल लुभाता कोई
जाने तू या जाने न
माने तू या माने न

धुआँ-धुआँ था वो समा
यहाँ-वहाँ जाने कहाँ
तू और मैं कहीं मिले थे पहले
देखा तुझे तो दिल ने कहा
जाने तू या जाने न
माने तू या माने न

तू भी रही मेरे लिए
मैं भी रहा तेरे लिए
पहले भी मैं तुझे बाहों में लेके
झूमा किया और झूमा किया
जाने तू या जाने न
माने तू या माने न

देखो अभी खोना नहीं
कभी जुदा होना नहीं
अब खेल में यूँही रहेंगे दोनों
वादा रहा ये इस शाम का
जाने तू या जाने न
माने तू या माने न

Marriage and Working with Jennifer Kendal

Shashi was as much a theatre man as he was a cinema person. As I said he had keen interest in Prithvi Theatre. In 1956, when he was helping his father as assistant stage manager as well as stage actor, Geoffrey Kendal’s Shakespearean group visited Bombay. He started seeing more and more of Geoffrey’s daughter Jennifer. Subsequently, they married in 1958. His alliance with Jennifer made him act in British and American films, such as for Merchant Ivory productions run by Ismail Merchant and James Ivory. Thus, some of the movies that came about were: The Householder (1963), Shakespeare Wallah (1965) (opposite his sister-in-law Felicity Kendal), Bombay Talkie (1970) and Heat and Dust (1982) in which he co-starred with his wife Jennifer Kendal.

In 1978, he set up his production house, Film Valas, which produced critically acclaimed films such as Junoon (1978), Kalyug (1981), 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981), Vijeta (1982) and Utsav (1984). I saw them all and have Utsav as a VHS cassette still with me for playing on my VCR. In Junoon, Jennifer acted with him in the movie that was based on Ruskin Bond’s A Flight of Pigeons. The movie was directed by Shyam Benegal.

 

Shashi Kapoor as Javed Khan, Jennifer (centre one of the three ladies) as Miriam Labadoor, Nafisa Ali to her left as her daughter Ruth and Ismat Chugtai (the writer; of amongst others, Garam Hawa) as her mother in the 1978 Shashi Kapoor production and Shyam Benegal directed movie Junoon

Shashi Kapoor Enacting one of My Boyhood Favourite Songs

I was studying in the hill station of Dharmashala (IPL cricket matches are held there these days) when this Nasir Hussain movie Pyar Ka Mausam was released in 1969. Nasir Hussain, of course, had his find Asha Parekh acting in the lead role. Shashi Kapoor acted opposite her. Both of them brought in incredible enchantment in the movie with, for example, Ni sultana re pyaar ka mausam aaya (the title song of the movie). But, the song that I was mad about was Tum bin jaayun kahan. It immediately became my favourite song. I was so enamoured by it that it became the talk of the college. Finally, a girl from my class sang it for me in the college tuck shop. The song had two versions. In the movie the Kishore Kumar version was sung by Shashi Kapoor’s father Bharat Bhushan. Mohammad Rafi sang it for Shashi Kapoor and sang it so well that it is still being thought of as one of the best picturised on Shashi Kapoor. The two others who deserve credit for the song are Majrooh Sultanpuri, the lyricist and RD Burman, the composer.

Please enjoy one of my all time favourites of Shashi Kapoor: Tum bin jaayun kahan….

तुम बिन जाऊँ कहाँ, के दुनिया में आके
कुछ न फिर चाहा कभी तुमको चाहके, तुम बिन …

देखो मुझे सर से कदम तक, सिर्फ़ प्यार हूँ मैं
गले से लगालो के तुम्हारा बेक़रार हूँ मैं
तुम क्या जानो के भटकता फिरा
मैं किस गली, तुमको चाह के …

अब है सनम हर मौसम, प्यार के काबिल
पड़ी जहाँ छाओं हमारी, सज गयी महफ़िल
महफ़िल क्या तनहाई में भी
लगता है जी, तुमको चाह के …

The first line of the first stanza described Shashi Kapoor fully: Dekho mujhe sar se kadam taq, sirf pyaar hoon mein. That’s the way we should always remember Shashi Kapoor: the quintessential lover boy who was not just a gentleman in reel life but in real life too. There is this anecdote about his directorial venture, the 1991 movie Ajooba starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor. It is reported that he went around with a stick in his hand so as to maintain discipline on the sets. Within no time, everyone knew that stick and Shashi Kapoor were strangers to each other and that he cared for his cast, crew, workers and junior artistes immensely.

Today evening, we have lost not just a superb actor and producer but Hindi movies great gentleman in Shashi Kapoor.

Aapke paas ab maa nahin hai, Ravi; maa ke paas aap hain.

Go rest in her lap; we shall never forget you.

 

TUM HO TO SAB KUCHH HAI, TUM NAHIN TO KUCHH BHI NAHIN

फूल हैं बड़े सुन्दर और रंगीले,
लाल, हरे, नीले और पीले I
इनसे अलग एक है सबसे प्यारा,
वह है सनम चेहरा तुम्हारा I
तुम हो तो ज़िन्दगी है चमन,
तुम नहीं तो ज़िन्दगी वीरान,
फूलों को भी पता है जान-ए-बहार,
तुम्ही तो हो फूलों की जान I

भँवरे बाग़ में गुनगुनाते हैं,
तितलियों संग मन लुभाते हैं I
पर सबसे दिलकश है तुम्हारा गीत,
जिसने मेरा दिल लिया है जीत I
तुम हो तो ज़िन्दगी है सुरीली,
तुम नहीं तो ज़िन्दगी सुनसान,
भंवरों को भी पता है जान-ए-मौसिकी,
तुम्ही तो हो भंवरों की जान I

झरने ताज़गी बरसा रहे हैं,
आशिकों के दिल तरसा रहें हैं I
पर फ़िज़ाएं जो चूमें तेरे रुखसार,
ले के आएं हसीं प्यार की बौछार I
तुम हो तो ज़िन्दगी में ताज़गी,
तुम नहीं तो ज़िन्दगी वीरान,
झरनों को भी पता है जान-ए-शादाब,
तुम्ही तो हो झरनों की जान I

सपनो की दुनिया लगती है रंगीन,
बादलों के ऊपर वह नगरी हसीन,
पर जिसने देखा तेरी आँख का नज़ारा,
ख्वाब-ए-जन्नत से कर बैठा किनारा I
तुम हो तो वो दुनिया पहचानी है,
तुम नहीं तो वो दुनिया अनजान,
सपनो को भी पता है जान-ए-ख्वाब,
तुम्ही तो हो सपनो की जान I

(Pic courtesy: www.aksharsamrat.com)

Phool hain bade sundar aur rangeele,
Laal, hare, neele aur peele.
Inse alag ek hai sabse pyaara,
Woh hai sanam chehra tumhaara.
Tum ho to zindagi hai chaman,
Tum nahin to zindagi veeraan,
Phoolon ko bhi pata hai jaan-e-bahaar,
Tumhi to ho phoolon ki jaan.

Bhanvre baag mein gungunaate hain,
Titliyon sang man lubhaate hain.
Par sabse dilkash hai tumhaara geet,
Jisane mera dil liya hai jeet.
Tum ho to zindagi hai sureeli,
Tum nahin to zindagi sunsaan,
Banvron ko bhi pata hai jaan-e-mausiki,
Tumhi to ho banvron ki jaan.

Jharne taazgi barsa rahe hain,
Aashiqon ke dil tarsa rahe hain.
Par fizaayen jo chume tere rukhsaar,
Le ke aayen hasin pyaar ki bochhar.
Tum ho to zindagi mein taazgi,
Tum nahin to zindagi veeraan,
Jharno ko bhi pata hai jaan-e-shadaab,
Tumhi to ho jharno ki jaan.

Sapno ki duniya lagati hai rangeen,
Baadlon ke ooper woh nagri haseen.
Par jisne dekha teri aankh ka nazaara,
Khwaab-e-jannat se kar baitha kinaara.
Tum ho to wo duniya pehchaani hai,
Tum nahin to wo duniya anjaan,
Sapno ko bhi pata hai jaan-e-khwaab,
Tumhi to ho sapno ki jaan.

TERROR WAS ALWAYS THERE!

The other day, on the 28th November 2017 to be exact, when my wife and I went for the Families Day at Sea for the Veterans, we saw that the Naval Dockyard (wherein the ship we had to board was berthed) had been converted into a fortress with armed guards everywhere. On board too, wherever the sentries used to be there with batons (Please read: ‘Awkward Sentry’), now they stand and move around with deadly weapons. Terror unleashed by our neighbourly country and its minions has ensured that there is now no rest in harbour too, whilst life at sea always was and is very tough (those who make exercise programmes think that sleep is an unnecessary impediment and can be largely wished away).

Gone are the days, you would think, when Navy was all about ‘Join the Navy – See the World’, and ‘Join the Navy – Meet the Girls’. Gone are the days, you would think, when the time in harbour was spent in partying and socialising. At the Lion Gate, there were any number of girls and ladies awaiting to be received by their hosts and many a times had found new hosts after learning that the actual hosts had gone sailing.

I would tend to differ. Yes, as seen by others, Navy always appeared to be a glamorous service, at that time, much patronised by the filmi-crowd. However, I would like to bring out that terror was always there. Hence, a safer place for all of us was at sea and life in harbour was as tough as it is today.

Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh aboard the Royal Barge as it comes in to dock at Regatta Point near the Floriade site in Canberra. (Please observe the Red Disc) (Pic courtesy: navy.gov.au)

Take for example a senior officer such as C-in-C or Fleet Commander’s barge or boat going past your ship or a number of ships. The colour of the disc (Red, Blue or White) displayed by the boat or barge would signify what kind of ceremonials the C-in-C would expect. Doing less or even more would get you hauled up for not being observant. Generally, on a ship, the best binoculars would be with the CO and then with dwindling visibility down the line. Hence, the poor quartermaster on duty had the binoculars that would show you stars even during daytime. As also, the quartermaster had to attend to a thousand different thing including outgoing and returning libertymen, and running the ship’s routine. In this scenario, as Officer of the Day (OOD), you had to keep praying that your quartermaster or someone on the upper decks would be able to see the correct colour of the disc and then not only know what to do but actually do it correctly.

Colours Guard being paraded on board INS Chennai (Pic courtesy: NewIndianExpress)

During the Colours ceremony (at 8 O’ Clock everyday), the Ensign and the National Flag are hoisted at the stern and the forepeak. The Ensign is hoisted with a Guard of Honour called the Colours Guard. Many a ship got Negative Bravo Zulu (Not well done) for piping or bugling ‘carry-on’ (after the ‘alert’ piped or bugled for the Colours Ceremony) before the senior ship.

Similarly, CO being received or seen off on/from the ship was such a ceremony that all work in the vicinity used to come to a stand-still. During those days, as OODs, we always carried a telescope tucked in the left armpit for everyday ceremonial. All hell broke loose in case we were espied by the CO resting the telescope anywhere else.

During my formative years in the Navy, ships invariably returned to anchorage. Now, at anchorage, you are as good as naked from all sides for all to see. One of the favourites of the C-in-C used to be to go around the ship in his barge, pointing out one thing or the other such as paint peeled off at places and requiring touching-up “now that you are back from your jolly at sea”. Guess what? Ships quickly learnt how to keep the C-in-C in good humour in this too. One ship, for example, had men lowered on stretchers for touching up the paint on port side when C-in-C’s barge went along that side. In the time taken by the boat to come to starboard side, the same men were then shifted to the starboard side. C-in-C was pleased that the ship’s company was hard at work immediately after “the jolly at sea”.

Two of my favourite guys who took terror with them wherever they went, both went on to become the Chiefs of Naval Staff: Ronald Lyndsale Pereira (Please read: ‘The Unforgettable Ronnie Pereira’) and Oscar Stanley Dawson (Please read: ‘Enter Cochin At Your Own Risk’). Incidentally, both headed the training command, that is, the Southern Naval Command. Do you remember what the Australian spinner Shane Warne (at that time rated as the best in the world) had to say about bowling to Sachin Tendulkar? He said he broke out in a sweat at nights thinking of how he was going to bowl to Jersey #10. Well, we would similarly break out in a sweat if we were to see these two either in person or in dreams (nightmares).

Ronnie would chase both officers and sailors if he found, whilst crossing them on the road, that they required proper haircut, were not in proper uniform or didn’t salute properly. Dawson had a commanding officer hauled up when he tried to contact him on residential phone (there were no cell phones during those days, thank God!) and the maid-servant couldn’t tell him where he was. He said residential telephones had been provided to important officers not for fun but so that they could be contacted in case of emergency. After this incident, the conversation between two newly appointed COs went like this:

CO1: They came and installed a phone at my residence today.
CO2: I haven’t still got it.
CO1: Lucky you!

When I was a young officer, two of my COs (both commanded the same ship over different periods of time) terrorised us on board. Both ran taut ships and both meant business. If, for example, Commander L (the HOD of the Electrical Department) was ever announced for to come to CO’s cabin, it was never for a glass of beer or some such nonsense. He would, whilst rushing to CO’s cabin, go over the mental drill, “Lights are working alright, so are alarms and other sensors…..then why has CO called me?”

One of my course mates (God rest his soul) was so terrified of this CO that when the latter asked him a question, he went into quite a spin and also suffered injury as a result of it though not in the manner in which you visualise. (Please read: ‘What’s The Contact Doing?’)

Another senior officer that I knew could roughly be compared with Mogambo of the movie Mr India except that the latter would probably still have some heart. This guy had taken it upon himself that he would keep alive one of the old navy’s uniforms (white shorts and stockings). Hence, wherever he went, he went in these shorts. He terrorised not just us ordinary folks but also a lady Governor of Tamilnadu when he called on her in his shorts. She couldn’t sleep properly for many nights after the meeting and even complained to the Ministry of Defence (Please read: Masala Tea And Knickers’).

The long and short of these guys terrorising us was that when Jihadi terror actually stuck us, we were totally prepared. Indeed, many an officer was heard commenting that nothing could be worse than such and such that we were already used to. I am reminded of this old RK Laxman cartoon about the state of affairs in Bihar. In a train, on the upper berth, a number of passengers dressed only in their under clothings were happily staring down at armed dacoits and telling them: “You must be new in Bihar; the train entered Bihar more than an hour back. We have already been looted.”

The terror that we had in the Navy of old proved to us the good old tenet: ‘The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war‘. I remember the Navy wherein we always sweated. Poor Jihadi terrorists; must have felt terribly let down. I could imagine some of them communicating to their handlers in Karachi or Islamabad or Muridke, “Janaab in Indian Navy waalon ko khauf se darr nahin hai. Yeh to har waqt khauf mein hi rehte hain.”

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