Category: Music and Cinema

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Jeet hi lenge bazi ham tum….
Raag Bhairavi, Tal Dadra

I am returning to Raaga based songs of the day after 02 Feb 18.

And, I am returning with the raaga most widely used in Hindi films songs: Bhairavi.

Today is the ninth time that I give you a song in this raaga. I took my time to give 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’). That, I believe is the best song composed in Bhairavi. As I went along, I gave you several others including some of the favourite songs composed by Shankar Jaikishan. The last song in Bhairavi was on the 86th day: Aapki yaad aati rahi raat bhar (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #86’).

We have completed ninety-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 ninety-second post or the last post here was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #92‘ and the song was an Asha Bhosle song from the 1963 SS Vasan production and Kishore Sahu directed movie Grahasti starring Ashok Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Rajshree, Nirupa Roy and Mehmood.. It is in Raag Sohani, Tal Tintal.

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 Bhairavi – Part III‘.

In the last ninety-two 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, Sohani, Madhuvanti and Shivaranjani. Today, I am repeating Raag Bhairavi for the ninth time.

Today’s song is from the 1961 Ramesh Saigal movie Shola Aur Shabnam starring Dharmendra and Tarla Mehta together with M Rajan, Abhi Bhattacharya and Vijayalaxmi. Its lyrics are by Kaifi Azmi that have been composed by Khayyam and sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. As in many other movies, this duet reminds the lovers of their childhood love.

It is amongst the hundred movies or so that I watched on the net, fascinated by its songs and for once, I was not disappointed though, in the second half, the movie does drag on a bit; which was the case with most movies of that era.

The story is about Dharmendra and Tarla being childhood friends, very close and in love. They grow up after having been separated at childhood. He is poor and his friend M Rajan gives him a much-needed job in his timber business. M Rajan is engaged to be married to Tarla. Dharmendra doesn’t recognise Tarla who has grown up. His friend M Rajan asks him to sing when they meet and he sings their childhood favourite. She joins in the second stanza.

Another song from the movie became very popular: Jaane kya dhoondati rehati hain ye aankhen mujh mein, which was Dharmendra’s way of telling Talrla that he couldn’t possibly return to their loving days since he owed it all to his friend and benefactor M Rajan.

The lyricist of the song is Kaifi Azmi. I have as many as three blog posts on him: ‘The Best Songs Of Kaifi Azmi – A Great Lyricist And Poet’, ‘Part II’ and ‘Part III’. He was the only famous lyricist whom I heard live in a mushaira (in my college Govt College Dharamshala). I have found his poetry and lyrics so powerful that I wonder how could he write these in such simple words.

Of all the lyricists that I know of, Kaifi Azmi mastered the art of giving vent to the most intense and most powerful emotions through simplest words. One author who did that is my favourite: Ernest Hemingway. Likewise, taste this from Kaifi in this song: 

मिलने की खुशी ना मिलने का गम, खत्म ये झगड़े हो जाएं
तू तू ना रहे, मैं मैं ना रहूँ
इक दूजे मैं खो जाएं
मैं भी ना छोड़ूं पल भर दामन
तू भी पल भर रूठे ना, प्यार का बंधन ..

These are the kind of simple words that take you another world altogether; the world of pure love and enchantment.

Now, about music director Khayyam, the composer of this delightful song.

Khayyam and his wife Jagjit Kaur are from the town of Rahon, near Nawanshahr in Punjab. This is close (14 Kms) from my maternal grandparents place in Urapur. Khayyam is not just the gentlest of the music directors, he has affinity towards the raaga of my place: Pahadi.

Mohammad Zahur Khayyam Hashmi decided to donate his entire wealth of about Rupees Ten Crores to the trust founded by him as KPJ Trust (K for Khayyam, P for their late son Pradeep (they lost him in 2012) and J for his wife Jagjit) to support budding artists and technicians in India.

In this song, he surprised us by composing it in Raag Bhairavi.

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 given this adequate number of times.

As far as Tal Dadra is concerned, Tal Dadra derives its name from Dadra style of singing prevalent in Dadra. It is a six or three beat Tal:
Clap, 2, 3, Wave, 2, 3; that is two vibhags of three matras each. The theka is:
Dhaa Dhin Naa Dhaa Tin Naa

I gave you a song in this Tal and Raag Bhimpalasi as m 3rd song in the series: Maine chand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi. After that I have given you several songs in the Tal such as: Tere sur aur mere geet (Bihag), Aaj ki raat piya dil na todo (Pahadi), Beqasi hadd se jab guzr jaay (Desh and Khammaj), Dukh bhare din beete re bhaiya (Megh Malhar), Kesariya Balma (Nand), Kuchh aur zamaana kehta hai (Gaur Sarang), Taqdeer ka fasaana (Desh), Bhooli hui yaadon (Kalyan), Benuravvat bewafa (Shankara), Jhumati chali hawa (Sohani), Dil Ke jharokhe mein (Shivaranjani), and Paan khaayo sainya hamaro (Kalyan). However, in the eight songs based on Raag Bhairavi that I have given you, there has never been one in this Tal; most of these have been in Tal Kaherava.

At this juncture, since we are re-starting after a long time, please do recall that I had given you an introduction to Tal (musical measure) on the second day itself. Some of you would recall that I had mentioned that Tal, Taal or Tala is a word that is variation of the word Taali (Clap). Before the advent of Tabla, the standard method of keeping the musical measure was with the clapping or tapping of one’s hand on the arm or thigh. Indeed, now that we have Tabla, this beat is still maintained by clapping and waving of hands. If you recall, I had also mentioned that whilst the Raaga sets the mood, time of day and season of a composition, Tal constitutes the time-cycle. Therefore, a Raaga and Tal go hand in hand. On the 14th Raaga Based Song of the Day, was the only occasion when we didn’t have a Raaga (Kalyan) accompanied by a Tal since the entire composition of Lagata nahin hai dil mera was in Alaap.

The rhythmic hand gestures used to denote Tal are called Kriyas. If you recall, I laid emphasis on something called Vibhag or sections or angas or parts of a Tal. In Hindustani music, the first beat of a Vibhag is Tali (Clap), whilst the empty beat (Khali) is indicated is indicated by the sideways wave of the dominant clapping hand. And thus, you would recall, I represented the Tal for you with Claps and Waves.

We had also learnt that a Tal doesn’t have a fixed tempo or laya. Hence, we had learnt three different tempos: Vilambit (delayed or slow), Madhya (medium) and Drut (fast).

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last eleven 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. Then, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. Then, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, a great Surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani Classical Music. Thereafter, we took up Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the grestest Santoor player in the country. Then we learnt a little more about Ustaad Alla Rakha Qureshi or simply Alla Rakha, the Tabla Maestro and father of Ustaad Zakir Hussain. Then we learnt about the master and one of the pioneers of fusion: Anand Shankar. And finally, we learnt about a Veena player who was also a great filmmaker: Sundaram Balachander.

Tonight, we shall take up the Sarod Player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, the recipient of second highest civilian award in India: the Padma Vibhushan. Indeed, Amjad Ali Khan is the recipient of the three awards in 2nd, 3rd and 4th position, that is, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.

Born on 9 October 1945 as Masoom Ali Khan Bangash, the youngest of seven children, to Gwalior court musician Hafiz Ali Khan and Rahat Jahan. His family is part of the Bangash lineage and Khan is in the sixth generation of musicians; his family claims to have invented the Sarod.

I have heard him live a number of times and it is sheer magic seeing him perform.

As far as the singers Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar are concerned, I have only this to say: People have brought out that the best duets are between A, B, and C. However, both Rafi and Lata have etched names for themselves as the best playback singers there ever were.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy in Raag Bhairavi Tal Dadra, Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar sing a composition of Khayyam on the lyrics of Kaifi Azmi in the 1961 Ramesh Saigal movie Shola Aur Shabnam starring Dharmendra and Tarla Mehta: Jeet hi lenge bazi ham tum…..

रफ़ी:
जीत ही लेंगे बाज़ी हम तुम, खेल अधूरा छूटे न
प्यार का बंधन, जन्म का बंधन, जन्म का बंधन टूटे न

मिलता है जहाँ धरती से गगन, आओ वहीं हम जाएं
तू मेरे लिये, मैं तेरे लिये – २
इस दुनिया को ठुकरायें – २
दूर बसा ले दिल की जन्नत – २
जिसको ज़माना लूटे ना, प्यार का बंधन

लता:
मिलने की खुशी ना मिलने का गम, खत्म ये झगड़े हो जाएं
तू तू ना रहे, मैं मैं ना रहूँ – २
इक दूजे मैं खो जाएं – २
मैं भी ना छोड़ूं पल भर दामन – २
तू भी पल भर रूठे ना, प्यार का बंधन …

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. On the eighty-eighth day, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, the greatest Surbahar player in India.
89. On the eighty-ninth day, we learnt about Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the greatest Santoor Player in the country.
90. On the ninetieth day, we learnt about Ustaad Alla Rakha, the Tabla maestro.
91. On the ninety-first day, we learnt about Anand Shankar, the great fusion musician from Bengal.
92. On the ninety-second day, we learnt about Sundaram Balachander, the great Veena player and film-maker.
93. And today on the ninety-third day, we learnt about Ustaad Amjad Ali Khan, the great Sarod player.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

The thirty-first song in this series.

Mera pyaar woh hai ke mar kar bhi tumako….

I am partial towards songs sung by a couple in a boat in a lake on a moonlit night. I go into another world, another life. Don’t ask me why; it must be something from my previous life. Hindi films have quite a few of these and one of my favourites is from Jaag Utha Insaan picturised on Sunil Dutt and Madhubala (in the second stanza they are in this fantasy scene of mine): Chand sa mukhada kyun sharmaaya. At one point in the scene, there is full moon right behind her competing with her radiance.

This one is different since this has an air not so much of wistfulness as of mystery about it. Just like me going into another world, another life, the story of the movie also does it for you.

The song is from the 1966 movie Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi, a movie directed by Brij and starring Sharmila Tagore, Biswajit, and Mumtaz. Now for the mystery part of it; no, not about my boat in a moonlit night fantasy – there is no mystery left in it when I told you that I like those songs. Ye Raat Phir Na Aayegi is a rivetting film about a woman’s two-centuries old skeleton mysteriously coming to life as Kiran, after it was excavated by Reeta (Mumtaz) and her assistant Rakesh (Sailesh Kumar) from a site of archaeological interest. Amid the passage of these surreal events, Reeta and her widower father come to know that Kiran (Sharmila Tagore) has resurfaced after two centuries to claim Suraj (Biswajit), her lover from the past life, who is presently engaged to Reeta as her fiance.

To help build up the story (the director Brij Kaltyal wrote the story himself), as was usual during those days, he took the help of Music Director Omkar Prasad Nayyar; and, like always, he delivered. During those days, movies owed their success to the songs and OP Nayyar has record number of hit songs in all his movies.

OP Nayyar was born on 16 Jan 1926 in Lahore (now in Pakistan). At the age of 23, OP Nayyar composed the background score for the movie Kaneez. Three years later, in 1952, he was a full fledged music director for the movie Aasman. OP Nayyar perfected songs whose beats (often horse-trot beat such as in 1957 movie Naya Daur‘s song Maang ke saath tumhaara) became so popular that people were often heard humming these everywhere. He also delved into raaga based songs although, in all humility, he claimed that he had no knowledge of classical music. Raag Peelu or Pilu, followed by Pahadi, were his favourite raagas in songs.

He didn’t like Lata Mangeshkar sing any of his songs as he didn’t find her voice sexy. Most of his female songs have been sung by Shamshad Begum, Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt. He depended heavily on Asha Bhosle and in a television interview he said, “She was almost like a wife to me.” OP Nayyar and Asha Bhosle parted in 1974. Soon after that, in 1974, she received Filmfare Best Female Playback Singer Award for his song: Chain se hamako kabhi aap ne jeene na diya that was intended to be used for the 1973 movie Praan Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye but didn’t find a place in the final cut.

OP Nayyar paired with major lyricists Majrooh Sultanpuri and Sahir Ludhianvi. With the latter he received the Filmfare Award for 1957 movie Naya Daur. However, he also worked with lesser lyricists like SH Bihari for 1962 movie Ek Mussafir Ek Haseena, 1964 movie Kashmir Ki Kali, and as many as three movies in 1966: Sawan Ki Ghata, Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi, and Mohabbat Zindagi Hai, 1974 movie Pran Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye, and 1978 movie Khoon Ka Badla Khoon.

Shamsul Huda Bihari, born in Arrah, Bihar, must rank amongst the most underrated lyricist in the Hindi films industry. And yet, it is pleasantly surprising to see the range and popularity of his songs. As far as OP Nayyar is concerned, he made all hit songs that include Bahut Shukriya Badi Meherbani, and Mujhe Dekhkar Aapka Muskurana (Ek Mussafir Ek Haseena, 1962); Diwana Huwa Badal, Hai Duniya Usi Ki, Isharon Isharon Mein Dil Lene Waale, Meri Jaan Balle, Phir Thes Lagi Dil Pe, Subhan Allah, Tarif Karun Kya Uski, Kisi Na Kisise Kabhi Na Kabhi, and Balamaa Khulii Havaa Mein (Kashmir Ki Kali, 1964); “Yehi Woh Jagah Hai, Phir Miloge Kabhi, Is Baat Ka Wada Karlo, Aap Se Maine Meri Jaan Mohabbat Ki Hai, Main Shayad Tumhare Liye Ajnabi Hoon, and Mera Pyar Woh Hai Ke (Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi, 1966); Zara Haulle Haulle Challo Mere Sajna, Zulfon Ko Hata Le Chehre Se, Aaj Koi Pyar Se, Meri Jaan Tum Pe Sadhke, Jo Dil Ki Tadap Na Jane, and Khuda Huzoor Ko Meri Bhi Zindagi De De (Sawan Ki Ghata, 1966); Raaton Ko Chori Chori, Na Jaane Kyon, Mehfil Mein,
Tumhari Mulaqat Se, Yeh Purnoor Chehra, Nazar Nazar Se Milaao, Tum Sab Se Haseen Ho and Kyar Cheez Ho Zaalim (Mohabbat Zindagi Hai, 1966); Chain Se Hamko Kabhi Aapne Jeene Na Diya, and Ek Tu Hai Piya Jis Pe Dil Aa Gaya (Praan Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye, 1974); Badan Gora Haseen Jalwe Tumko Deewaana Meri Jaan,Ghar Apna Bangaal Aur Bambai Mein Hai Sasuraal, Gham Yateemon Ke Jaisa Bhi Sansaar Main Koi Bachcha, Kisko Gale Lagaaye Dil Kiska Todiye, Pyaar Bhara Kajara Aankhiyon Mein Daal Ke, Saaqi Ki Nigaahon Seae Jee Hoga Kya Aage and Zulf Lehraayi To Saawan Ka Mahina Aa Gaya (Khoon Ka Badla Khoon, 1978).

Like the one above, some of the best male songs of OP Nayyar have been sung by Mohammad Rafi. However, after a disagreement with Mohammad Rafi (OP Nayyar was a strict disciplinarian), OP Nayyar had Mahendra Kapoor sing his male numbers. That’s how this number has been sung by Mahendra Kapoor.

Mahendra Kapoor was born on 09 Jan 1934 very close to where Mohammad Rafi was born, in Amritsar, Punjab. Indeed, he considered Mohammad Rafi as his mentor. He died on 27 Sep 2008 in Mumbai and was active playback singer from 1956 to 1999. Some of Mahendra Kapoor’s most notable songs were the ones he performed in B.R. Chopra’s films (Dhool Ka Phool, Gumrah, Waqt, Hamraaz, Dhund and Nikaah) and for Manoj Kumar (Upkaar, Purab Aur Paschim). Many of his songs became very popular such as for Gumraah: Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabee ban jaayen hum dono, Aap aaye to khayaale dil-e-nashaad aaya, and Tujhako mera pyar pukaare.

Besides the song that I am giving you, the movie Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi had other beautiful songs too. As I mentioned, SH Bihari – OP Nayyar combine ensured that all were hit songs:

1	“Meraa Pyaar Woh Hain Ke Mar Kar Bhee Tumko”	Mahendra Kapoor
2	“Huzurevaalaa Jo Ho Ijaazat To”	Asha Bhosle, Minoo Purushottam
3	“Phir Miloge Kabhi Is Baat Ka Vada Karlo”	Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle
4	“Mai Shaayad Tumhaare Liye Ajanabee Hoon”	Asha Bhosle
5	“Aapase Mainne Meri Jaan Muhabbat Ki”	Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle
6	“Har Tukda Mere Dil Ka Deta Hai”	Asha Bhosle
7	“Mohabbat Chiz Kya Hai”	Asha Bhosle
8	“Yehi Woh Jagah Hai, Yahi Woh Fizaye”	Asha Bhosle

Please enjoy Mahendra Kapoor sing a composition of OP Nayyar on the lyrics of SH Bihari a song from the 1966 Brij movie Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi, the song having been picturised on Biswajit singing his heart out to Sharmila Tagore:

मेरा प्यार वो है के, मर कर भी तुम को (slow)
जुदा अपनी बाहों से होने न देगा
मेरा प्यार वो है के, मर कर भी तुम को
जुदा अपनी बाहों से होने न देगा
मिली मुझको जन्नत तो जन्नत के बदले
खुदा से मेरी जां तुम्हें मांग लेगा
मेरा प्यार वो है

ज़माना तो करवट बदलता रहेगा
नए ज़िन्दगी के तराने बनेंगे
मिटेगी न लेकिन मुहब्बत हमारी
मिटाने के सौ सौ बहाने बनेंगे
हक़ीकत हमेशा हक़ीकत रहेगी
कभी भी न इसका फ़साना बनेगा
मेरा प्यार वो है के …

तुम्हें छीन ले मेरी बाहों से कोई
मेरा प्यार यूं बेसहारा नहीं है
तुम्हारा बदन चांदनी आके छूले
मेरे दिल को ये भी गवारा नहीं है
खुदा भी अगर तुमसे आके मिलेगा
तुम्हारी क़सम है मेरा दिल जलेगा
मेरा प्यार वो है के …

Now, what’s it about the song that tugs at my emotions. First, as I mentioned about my fantasy of a boat song in a moonlit night, performed by a couple in love. Secondly, I am Sunbyanyname but Chand (Moon) affects me in a huge manner. Thirdly, the powerful lyrics (I am but a Lyrical man) including the ultimate: Khuda bhi agar tum se aake mile to khuda ki kasam hai mera dil jalega. And finally, the picturisation: Full mean to provide wistfulness and then mist to shroud it with enigma. That really gets you.

Mahendra Kapoor has sung it with passion too.

I hope you too enjoyed it.

Please await the next song in the series.

The thirtieth song in this series.

Do ghadi woh jo paas aa baithe….

I thought of this song for two distinct reasons. One is that that three of the greats involved in the making of the song have their birth anniversaries in the month of June: Lyricist Rajinder Krishan who was born on sixth of June 1919; Music Director Madan Mohan who was born on 25th June 1924 and Actor Bharat Bhushan who was born on 14th June 1920. The others involved in the making of this song are: Actress Madhubala, and Singers Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.

Let me start with the Lyricist, Rajinder Krishan. Rajendra Krishan (that’s the second way his name is often written) shares his birthday with me: 6th June. He too spent his youth in Shimla. I have as many as four blog-posts on him; and not because of these coincidences or because he won Rupees 64 Lakhs as Jackpot in horse-racing (Please see: ‘The Best Songs Of Rajendra Krishan, The Richest Lyricist’, ‘Part II’, ‘Part III’ and ‘Part IV’). Some of Lata Mangeshkar’s best songs have been penned by him and composed by Madan Mohan.

The best thing about him was that he could pen both serious and sad songs such as Anarkali songs: Mohabbat aisi dhadkan hai, Ye zindagi usi ki hai, and Zindagi pyaar ki do chaar ghadi hoti hai as well as Westernised Songs, for example in Bhagwan Dada’s Albela (Shola jo bhadake, Sham dhale khidaki tale, and Dil dhadake nazar sharmaaye). His Jahan Ara songs (Main teri nazar ka saroor hoon, Teri aankh ke aansu pi jaayun, and Phir wohi shaam wohi gham wohi tanhaayi hai) and Adalat Songs (Unako ye shikayat hai hai ke ham kuchh nahin kehte, Youn hasraton ke daag mohabbat mein dho liye, and Jaana tha hamase door) are in sharp contrast with his, for example, Padosan songs (Ek chatur naar and Mere saamne wali khidaki mein). Some of my other favourites of his are in Dekh Kabira Roya (Meri veena tum bin roye, Hamase aay ana gaya, Kaun aaya mere man ke dwaare), Nagin (All songs including Jaadugar sainya), Main Bhi Ladaki Hoon (Chanda se hoga wo pyara), Manmauji (Chanda ja, and Main to tum sang nain mila ke) and Nai Roshnai (Kis tarah jeete hain ye log bata do yaaro).

 

Madan Mohan brought out the best in Lata’s singing. She used to be annoyed with Mohammad Rafi for making her sing in high-pitched voice, against her natural grain. However, Madan Mohan “bhaiya’s” composition ensured that the song was low pitched to her liking.

Madan Mohan was born on 25 Jun 1924 at Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, where his father Rai Bahadur Chunilal was working as an Accountant General with the Kurdistan Peshmerga forces. Madan Mohan spent the early years of his life in the Middle East. After 1932, his family returned to their home town of Chakwal, then in Jhelum district of Punjab, British India. He joined the Army as a Second Lieutenant in the year 1943. He served there for two years until end of World War II, when he left the Army and returned to Bombay to pursue his musical interests. In 1946, he joined the All India Radio, Lucknow as Programme Assistant, where he came in contact with various artists such as Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Begum Akhtar, and Talat Mahmood.

He was very fond of singing, and so in 1947 he got his first chance to record two ghazals penned by Behzad Lucknawi, Aane Laga Hai Koi Nazar Jalwa Gar Mujhe and Is Raaz Ko Duniya Jaanti Hai. Soon after, in 1948 he recorded two more private ghazals penned by Deewan Sharar, Wo Aaye To Mahfil Mein Ithlaate Huye Aaye and Duniya Mujhe Kahti Hai Ke Main Tujhko Bhoolaa Doon. In 1948, he got his first opportunity to sing a film duet Pinjare Mein Bulbul Bole and Mera Chhotasa Dil Dole with Lata Mangeshkar under composer Ghulam Haider (composer) for the film Shaheed (1948 film), though these songs were never released or used in the film. Between 1948 and 1949, he assisted music composers SD Burman for Do Bhai, and Shyam Sundar in Actress and Nirdosh.

As Music Director, he scored his first big break with the film Aankhen in 1950. He was soon to emerge as a music director par excellence especially for ghazals. Indeed, music director OP Nayyar once said about Madan Mohan that two of his ghazals were better than all that OP Nayyar composed. Some of the best songs of Lata Mangeshkar (she fondly called him “Madan Bhaiyya”) were composed by him on the lyrics of Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and Rajinder Krishan.

Some of my favourite songs of Madan Mohan are: Aaj soch to aansu bhar aaye, Betaab dil ki tamanna yehi hai, Tum jo mil gaye ho (Hanste Zakham 1973), Aapke pehlu mein aa ke ro diye, Naino mein badra chhaye, Jhumka gira re, Tu jahan jahan chalega (Mera Saya 1966), Aapki nazaron ne samajha, Hai isi mein pyaar ki aabru, Vo dekho jala ghar kisi ka (Anpadh 1962), Aapko pyaar chhupane ki buri aadat hai, Tere paas aake mera waqt nikal jaata hai (Neela Akash 1965), Agar mujhase mohabbat hai, Main nigaahen tere chehre se hatayun kaise (Aap Ki Parchhayiyan), Ai mere dil mujhe bata de (Bhai Bhai 1946), Ari vo shokh kaliyon muskara dena vo jab aayen (Jab Yaad Kisi Ki Aati Hai 1967), Baad muddat ke yeh ghadi aayi, Haal-e-dil youn unhe sunaya gaya, Jab jab tumhe bhulaya tum aur yaad aaye, Kisi ki yaad mein duniya ko jhain bhulaye huye, Main teri nazar ka saroor hoon, Phir wohi shaam wohi gham wohi tanhaayi hai, Teri aankh ke aansu pi jaayun, Wo chup rahen to mere dil ke daag jalate hain (Jahan Ara 1964), Hamare baad mehfil mein (Baghi 1953), Bainya na dharo O balma, Ham hain mataa-e-kuchcha-e-bazaar ki tarah, Mai ri main kaase kahun, Tumse kahun ik baat (Dastak, 1970), Bairan neend na aaye mohe (Chacha Zindabad 1959), Basti basti parbat parbat gaata jaaye banjara, Chand madham hai aasman chup hai, Dekh tere Bhagwan ki haalat (Railway Platform 1955), Bhooli hui yaado mujhe itna na satayo, Vo bhooli dastaan lo phir yaad aa gayi (Sanjog 1961), Chanda ja re ja re, Main to tum sang nain mila ke (Manmauji 1962), Chhadi re chhadi kaise gale mein padhi, Dil dhoondata hai fursat ke, Ruke ruke se kadam (Mausam 1975), Chhod kar tere pyar ka daaman, Jao hamane dastaan apni sunaayi, Lag jaa gale ke phir, Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim, Shokh nazar ki bijliyan  (Woh Kaun Thi 1964), Do dil toote do dil haare, Doli chadate hi Heer ne bain kiye, Milo na tum to ham ghabraayen, Ye duniya ye mehfil mere kaam ki nahin (Heer Ranjha 1970), Ham chal rahe the wo chal rahe the (Duniya Na Maane 1959), Ham pyar mein jalane waalo ko chain kahan (Jailor 1958), Hamsafar saath apna chhod chale, Tujhe kya sunayun main dilruba (Aakhri Dao 1958), Hamse aaya na gaya, Kaun aay mere man ke dwaare, Meri veena tum bin roye, Tu pyar kare ya thukraye (Dekh Kabira Roya 1957), Har taraf ab yahi afsaane hain, Hai tere saath meri wafa main nahin to kya (Hindustan Ki Kasam 1973), Hoke majbuur mujhe usne bhualaya hoga, Kar chale ham fida, Khelo na mere dil se, Main ye soch kar uske dar se, Zara si aahat hoti hai (Haqeeqat 1964), Husn haazir hai mohabbat ki saza paane ko, Is reshmi paazeb ki jhankar ke sadake, Tere dar pe aaya hoon (Laila Majnu 1976), Ik haseen raat ko dil mera kho gaya, Kabhi ai haqeeqat-e-muntazar, Sapano mein agar mere (Dulhan Ek Raat Ki 1966), Ishq ki garmi-e-jazbaat kise pesh karun. Mere mehboob kahin aur mila kar mujhase, Naghma o sher ki saugat, Rang aur noor ki baraat (Ghazal 1964), Jaa jaa re jaa saajna, Jaana tha hamse door, Unako ye shikayat hai, Youn hasaraton ke daag (Adalat 1958), Kabhi na kabhi kahin na kahin koi na koi to aayega, Mujhe le chalo aaj us jagah, Sawan ke mahine mein (Sharaabi 1964), Koi shikwa bhi nahin koi shikayat bhi nahin (Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhaare 1966), Main paagal mera manwa paagal (Aashiyana 1952), Meri yaad mein tum na aasnu bahana (Madhosh 1951), Na tum bewafa ho na ham bewafa hain (Ek Kali Muskaaye 1958), Sapne mein sajan se do baaten, Do ghadi wo jo paas aa baithe (Gateway Of India 1957), Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kya hai (Chirag 1969), Tumhari zulf ke saaye mein shaam kar loonga (Naunihaal 1967), Tu mere saamne hai teri zulfen hain khuli (Suhagan, 1964), and Vo jo milate the kabhi hamsase deewano ki tarah (Akeli Mat Jaiyo 1963).

Lets take up Bharat Bhushan, the actor, screen-writer and producer. He was best known for the portrayal of Baiju Bawra in the 1952 Vijay Bhatt movie by the same name. The first Filmfare Award for Best Actor was instituted in 1954 and Dilip Kumar got it for the 1952 movie Daag over his Baiju Bawra. However, he received the second such award for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Indeed, he was considered best suited for portrayal of historical and mythological characters in the Hindi movies. Such was his acting prowess that in the 1960s, he and Dev Anand (one each) were the only actors other than Dilip Kumar who won the awards; though Raj Kapoor too was nominated twice.

Lets turn to the actress of the song: Madhubala, a name (Honey belle) suggested to her by the first lady of Indian cinema and first recipient of India’s highest award in cinematic excellence – the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Madhubala was otherwise born on February 14, 1933 as Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi in Peshawar (in Pakistan); the same place wherein the love of her life, Dilip Kumar (born Yusuf Mohammad) was born. She would have married him except that Madhubala’s father Ataullah Khan first didn’t approve of the wedding and later wanted to convert the alliance into a business proposition that Dilip Kumar didn’t approve of. She, therefore, married Kishore Kumar on the rebound.

In 1954, she was diagnosed with a hole in the heart (ventricular septal defect), which eventually took her life, fifteen years later, on 23 Feb 1969. By this time, the beauty and charm of Madhubala had become legendary. She was often compared with Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe. On 10 August 2017, the New Delhi center of Madame Tussauds unveiled a statue of Madhubala, as the famous courtesan Anarkali (of Mughal-E-Azam fame) as a tribute to the legendary actress.

Today’s song is from a J Om Prakash movie of 1957 titled Gateway of India. Madhubala played Anju in the film, a woman running away from her killers and encountering many suspicious characters whilst on the run. That’s why in the song, you can see two suspicious characters waiting below the building wherein she is with her friend and lover Prakash played by Bharat Bhushan. It is a long wait for the ruffians chasing her since she has spent the whole night with Prakash. In the wee hours of the morning, they write a song together: he sings the lines she writes and vice versa. It is such an adorable romantic number and there is quite a bit of chemistry between them (Madhubala always had chemistry with her co-stars). In the final stanza, she doesn’t require any cues from him in pouring out her natural emotions.

Please enjoy Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar sing a composition of Madan Mohan on the lyrics of Rajinder Krishan, a song from the 1957 J Om Prakash movie Gateway of India: Do ghadi woh jo paas aa baithe….

रफ़ी : दो घड़ी वो जो पास आ बैठे
हम ज़माने से दूर जा बैठे

आशा : दो घड़ी वो जो पास आ बैठे
हम ज़माने से दूर जा बैठे

रफ़ी : (भूल की उनका हम्नशीं हो के
रोयेंगे दिल को उम्र भर खो के) – २
हाय! क्या चीज़ थी गँवा बैठे

आशा : (दिलको एक दिन ज़रुर जाना था
वही पहुँचा जहां ठिकाना था ) – २
दिल वही दिल जो दिल में जा बैठे

रफ़ी : (एक दिल ही था ग़मगुसार अपना
मेहरबां, खास राज़दार अपना ) – २
गैर का क्यों इसे बना बैठे

आशा : (गैर भी तो कोई हसीं होगा
दिल यूँ ही दे दिया नहीं होगा ) – २
देख कर कुछ तो दिल लगा बैठे

दो घड़ी वो जो पास आ बैठे
हम जमाने से दूर जा बैठे

Only about 15 of Madhubala’s over 70 movies were box-office hits; she wasn’t very selective about her roles. However, Bharat Bhushan was certainly more successful. Nevertheless, such was her appeal that she is remembered more than her. She didn’t receive a single Filmfare Award though she was nominated for Best Actress Award for her role as Anarkali in 1960 K Asif magnum opus Mughal-e-Azam.

She has certainly left a mark on this role. The lateness of the night is clearly visible in her eyes.

Rajinder Krishan and Madan Mohan made a very good pair and gave us really memorable songs especially those sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Here too their magic is pravalent in abundance.

The song belongs to that era when it was the done thing to make Hindi movies’ names in English such as Half Ticket, Howrah Bridge, China Town, Mr and Mrs 55, Leader, Blackmail, An Evening in Paris, Jewel Thief and Naughty Boy. The best part was that all of them had good songs.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await the next song in the series.

Friends,

Today I can share with you as to why I selected Waltzing numbers as the theme of the Live Fest in Kandaghat this year.

The day of the Fest, Saturday, 14th April, coincides with the Festival of Baisakhi or Vaisakhi. On this day, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji founded the Khalsa Panth. This day also coincides with the harvesting of crops in Punjab and the famous lines: Kanka di muk gayi raakhi, o jatta aayi baisakhi (We have finished looking after the wheat plants; now, baisakhi (harvesting) is there).

Now, you are bound to interject as to what Baisakhi has to do with Waltz. Well, the joy of the jatt (farmer) on harvesting is translated in the men and women getting together and performing the bhangra and the gidda. Both are peasant dances. So is Waltz! Next you are bound to ask me that Waltz is now a sophisticated ballroom dance and how come its origin is peasant dance? It is a fact. The noble of that era in Europe used to dance the minuet but found the close, vigorous, rhythmic dance of the peasants more inviting. Thus the dance called Walzer (German) of the farmers in Bavarai, Tyrol and Styria actually went into the ballrooms of the noble and delighted them. We have many equivalents in India of the elite following in the footsteps of the commoners.

Fests So Far

Our journey of Music Fests is FIVE AND A HALF YEARS old TODAY!
Here is a list of Music Fests that we have hosted so far on the group ‘Yaad Kiya Dil Ne’: 

1.Dec 2012  –  Chand Songs
2.Jan 2013  –  Shaam Ke Geet
3.Feb 2013  –  Dil Ki Awaaz Bhi Sun
4.Mar 2013  –  Boat Scene Songs
5.Mar 2013  –  Piano Scene Songs
6.Jun 2013  –  Songs of Rain
7.Jul 2013  –  Bhajans in Hindi Movies
8.Aug 2013  –  Funny, Comical and Anglicized Hindi Songs
9.Sep 2013  –  Sadhana Songs
10.Nov 2013  –  Mala Sinha Songs
11.Nov 2013  –  Story Telling, Kahani, Katha Songs
12.Dec 2013   –  Mohammad Rafi Songs
13.Jan 2014  –  Complementary Songs (same number repeated by Hero/heroine later in the movie)
14.Feb 2014  –  Qawwali Songs
15.Feb 2014   –  Nutan Songs
16.Mar 2014   –  Bicycle Scene Songs
17.Apr 2014   –  Flute Scene Songs
18.May 2014   –  Sapna, Khwaab, Dream Songs
19.Jun 2014   –  Maa, Maiyya, Mata, Maan Songs
20.Jul 2014   –  Raahi or Mussafir Songs
21.Aug 2014   –  Patriotic Songs
22.Sep 2014   –  Train Scene Songs
23.Sep 2014   –  Jeep, Car, Bus, Truck Scene Songs
24.Oct 2014  –  Deewana or Paagal Songs
25.Nov 2014  –  Hindi Flavour Songs
26.Dec 2014  –  Guitar Scene Songs
27.Jan 2015  –  Songs With Whistle
28.Jan 2015 II-  Zindagi (Happy or Sad) Songs
29.Feb 2015  –  Horse (Mule and Donkey too) Scene Songs
30.Feb 2015 II-  Flash Rain Scene Songs
31.Mar 2015  –  Neend Songs
32.Mar 2015 II-   Zamana or Duniya Songs
33.Apr 2015  –  Indoor Party Scene Songs
34.May 2015  –  Chaman Baag Bagiya Songs
35.May 2015 II-  Zulf Gesu Baal Songs
36.Jun 2015  –  Baadal Badra Songs
37.Jun 2015 II-  Mujra Songs
38.Jul 2015  –  Hawa Songs
39.Aug 2015  –  Shraabi Songs
40.Aug 2015 II-  Na or Nahin Songs
41.Sep 2015  –  Chal Chali Chalo Songs
42.Oct 2015  –  Kabhi Songs
43.Nov 2015  –  Dance Scene Songs
44.Dec 2015  –  Mil Milan Songs
45.Jan 2016  –  Khushi Hansi Muskaan Songs
46.Feb 2016  –  Geet Gaana Nagma Taraana Songs
47.Mar 2016  –  Bahaar Songs
48.Apr 2016  –  Funny Songs
49.May 2016  –  Hill Scene Songs
50.Jun 2016  –  Ghar Songs
51.Jul 2016  –  Kahin Kahan Songs
52.Aug 2016  –  Yellow Dress Songs
53.Sep 2016  –  Dost Dosti Songs
54.Oct 2016  –  Mera Apna Hamara Songs
55.Nov 2016  –  Songs in Headgear
56.Dec 2016  –  Ajanabee Songs
57.Jan 2017  –  Krishna Songs
58.Feb 2017  –  Husn Songs
59.Feb 2017 II-  Hot Songs of Lata Mangeshkar
60.Mar 2017  –  Rang, Rangeen Songs
61.Apr 2017  –  Raat or Din Songs Live Fest at Kandaghat
62.May 2017  –  Aansu Songs
63.Jun 2017  –  Koi Songs
64.Jul 2017  –  Combination Songs
65.Aug 2017  –  Not Held
66.Sep 2017  –  Maa Songs
67.Oct 2017  –  Chand & Chand Scene Songs
68.Nov 2017  –  Bada, Badi, Bade Songs
69.Dec 2017  –  Sajan, Sajani Songs
70.Jan 2018  –  Drunken Scene Songs
71.Feb 2018  –  Ek, Ik, One Songs
72.Mar 2018  –  Sridevi Songs

Counting that in the month of August 2017 no Fest was held, the Fest on Waltzing numbers is going to be our 72nd Fest.

Waltz

Waltz is defined as a ‘A gliding dance done to music having three beats to the measure’ or ‘the kind of music suitable for Waltzing’.

The basic Waltz is a box movement as given below:

With a couple, another way to look at the Waltz is:

One last look at Waltz Box before we move on:

For the beginners any number of online classes are available to learn Waltz. Here is one Demo Waltz for the beginners by Michael Thomas:

Waltz in Hollywood Movies and Music

Waltz has been a popular theme of music (and dance) for English movies. One of the most popular has been Lara’s Theme for the David Lean 1966 movie Doctor Zhivago with Omar Sharif in the title role and Julie Christie as Lara Antipova. The leitmotif was later adapted as the number Somewhere My Love and it was very popular indeed:

Another popular number has been Engelbert Humperdinck’s The Last Waltz:

Waltzing Numbers in Hindi Movies (Thanks Anand Desai for helping me with this):

“The Waltz a 3/4 beat or the Time Signature has been a very popular beat among Indian Music directors. The beat is divided into 2 Vibhags or
Cycles of 3 beats each i.e. 3 beats make 1 Bar.. Now since its played in a tempo cycle we call it 3/4 coz you would play it fully twice so have 4 bars.”

Ladies and gentlemen, if you look at the Waltz Box pictures that I provided, you will understand it better.

It is similar to Tal Dadra since that too is a 3 beat Tal divided into 2 Vibhags.

“The Hinch / Khemta or Udaliyo that one hears in Raas Garbas has 6 beats each of  two cycles and thus sounds similar but is not the same. Its a variation of the Dadra … Dha tin tin  Na dhin dhin again 6 beats make a  Bar  However one plays the total cycle twice so we have four bars.”

The first known appearance of waltz in a Hindi song is in “Hum Aur Tum Aur Yeh Khushi” from Ali Baba (1940) composed by the legendary Anil Biswas.

Music director Naushad, known for his brilliant Hindustani classical compositions, helped usher the waltz rhythm into Bollywood mainstream as early as with the tragic “Tod Diya Dil Mera” from Andaz (1949), “Ab Raat Milan Ki” from Jadoo (1951), and “Tara Ri Yara Ri” from Dastan (1952).

Hats off to Naushad to come up with Waltzing on a very sad number!

Anand Desai and his friends came up with a list of songs in Hindi movies based on the Waltzing beat:

1.Aaja panchhi akela hai

2.Aap ke haseen rukh pe aaj naya noor

3.Agar mujhse mohhobat hai

4.Ai dil hai mushkil jeena yahan

5.Bedardi balama tujhko mera maan yaad karta

6.Bhanwre ki gunjan

7.Chup hai dharti chup hai chand sitare

8.Dil ke jharaoko mein tujhko bithakar

9.Dil ki girah khol do chupp na baitho

10.Dil ki nazar se

11.Dil mein sama gaye saajan

12.Dilbar mere kab tak mujhe

13.Hum aapki aankhon mein

14.Humne toh dil ko aapke kadmon mein

15.Jeena yahan marna yahan

16.Jeevan ke din chhote sahi hum bhi bade dilwale

17.Kuchh na kaho

18.Lag jaa gale ke phir yeh haseen raat

19.Mai shayar toh nahi

20.Meri neendon mein tum

21.Mud mud ke na dekh mud mud ke

22.Na yeh chand hoga na taare rahenge

23.Pyar ki yeh kahani suno

24.Suniye kahiye

25.Tarari ara ri ara ri

26.Tera mera pyar amar

27.Tera mujhse hai pehele ka naata

28.Tum jo hue mere humsafar

29.Udhar tum haseen ho

30.Yeh dil tum bin kahin lagta nahi

31.Yeh raatein nayi purani

32.Yeh raatein yeh mausam

33.Zulfon ko hatale chehere se

My own favourite is Bhanwre ki gunjan that I shall be singing during the Fest (even though I hardly know how to sing). I am giving you the movie version of the song. After the Fest, I shall replace it with my own singing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aMH-zOmTh8

And now, friends, with this curtain-raiser for the Fest tomorrow, I must rush as my sister from Nagpur Manik will be arriving at the Kandaghat Railway Station shortly with her husband Sreehari and during the evening Vipan Kohli, Jaswant Lagwal and Kavita will arrive from Hamirpur.

I hope you know now as to why I selected this theme (I always have a reason!)

I am back after a long break caused by my blog having been hacked. It is absolutely alright now and back with you.

The twenty-eighth day of songs in this series.

In the last twenty-seven days, we have taken up songs of thirteen male singers: Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor, SD Burman, KL Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, Jagmohan ‘Sursagar’, Hariharan and Yesudas. We also took up songs of eleven female singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Suman Kalyanpur, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt, Uma Devi (Tun Tun), Suraiya and Zohrabai Ambalewali, Sudha Malhotra, Amirbai Karnataki and Kavita Krishnamurthy. We took up a duet between Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle in the last post. And lastly we took up a Talat Mehmood song: Phir wohi shaam wohi gham wohi tanhaayi hai. After that, on the twenty-sixth day we took up a Kishore Kumar song for Piya Ka Ghar: Ye jeevan hai. The twenty-seventh post was devoted to Shankar Jaikishan Foundation’s Mumbai Meet with the Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey song from Raat Aur Din: Dil ki girah khol do.

Today, I am back with Mohammad Rafi with one of the best of Laxmikant Pyarelal from the 1964 Satyen Bose movie Dosti, a movie whose songs made L-P one of the most loved music duos in India and a movie whose songs are still fondly remembered even today. Majrooh Sultanpuri penned the lyrics and L-P composed it in the raaga of my place: Pahadi.

Lets start with the movie. Bombay based Rajshri was founded by Tarachand Barjatya in the year 1947. However, Rajshri Productions Pvt Ltd engaged in films production came about in the year 1962. Its first film Arti, in 1962 was highly acclaimed. However, the grand success of its second production Dosti in 1964 included winning the National Award for Best Feature Film and as many as six Filmfare Awards: Best Film, Best Music Director (the debut Filmfare Award for L-P), Best Story: Ban Bhatt, Best Dialogue: Govind Moonis, Best Playback Singer: Mohammad Rafi for the song I am giving you today, and finally Best Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri for the same song.

Dosti was directed by Satyen Bose. It was Sanjay Khan’s debut film and had Sudhir Kumar Sawant, and Sushil Kumar Somaya in lead roles. The film focuses on the friendship between two boys, one blind and the other a cripple.

Laxmikant Pyarelal started off with 1963 movie Parasmani and they made such popular songs for their very first movie that these are fondly remembered even today:

1.	“Hansta Hua Noorani Chehra”	Asad Bhopali	Lata Mangeshkar, Kamal Barot	3:40
2.	“Mere Dil Mein Halki Si”	Asad Bhopali	Lata Mangeshkar	4:56
3.	“Ooi Maa Ooi Maa Yeh Kya Ho Gaya”	Asad Bhopali	Lata Mangeshkar	3:24
4.	“Salamat Raho Salamat Raho”	Indeevar	Mohammad Rafi	5:57
5.	“Woh Jab Yaad Aaye”	Asad Bhopali	Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar	4:43
6.	“Chori Chori Jo Tumse Mili”	Faruk Kaiser	Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar	4:01

The duet Woh jab yaad aaye was picturised on small time actors Mahipal and Geetanjali. However, even after 55 years, its popularity continues being as strong as it was when the film was released:

The duo that started off so outstandingly well in their very first movie had indeed great future ahead for them. Dosti was only their sixth movie (they did a total of 635 movies between 1963 to 1998) after Parasmani (1963), Harishchandra Taramati (1963), Sati Savitri (1964), Sant Gyaneshwar (1964) and Mr X in Bombay (1964). All these movies too had excellent and memorable songs; eg, Main ek nanha sa main ek chhota sa bachcha hoon and Suraj re jalte rehna from Harishchandra Taramati; Tum gagan ke chandrama ho main dhara ki dhool hoon, Jeevan dor tumhi sang bandhi, Sakhi ri pi ka naam naam na poochho, and Itni jaldi kya hai gori saajan ke sang jaane ki from Sati Savitri; Jaago re prabhat aaya, Jyot se jyot jalaate chalo, and Ek do teen chaar bhaiya bano hoshiyar from Sant Gyaneshwar; Mere mehboob qyaamat hogi, Khoobsurat haseena jaan-e-jaan jaan-e-mann, Chali re chali re gori paniya bharan ko, and Julmi hamaare saanwariya ho Raam from Mr X In Bombay.

The 1964 movie Dosti was a landmark for Laxmikant Pyarelal as the movie’s songs enabled them to receive their first Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. Out of the six songs of the movie, Mohammad Rafi sang six and Lata Mangeshkar sang one. These two playback singers, the best in their fields, stayed with Laxmikant Pyarelal till the end and even sang for them in low budget movies.

Here are the iconic songs that Majrooh Sultanpuri, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar made together for Dosti:

1.	“Chahoonga Main Tujhe Saanj Savere”	Mohammad Rafi	04:55
2.	“Meri Dosti Mera Pyar”	Mohammad Rafi	04:23
3.	“Rahi Manwa Dukh Ki Chinta”	Mohammad Rafi	04:07
4.	“Mera To Jo Bhi Kadam”	Mohammad Rafi	04:03
5.	“Gudiya Humse Roothi Rahogi Kab Tak Na Hasogi”	Lata Mangeshkar	03:31
6.	“Jaanewalo Zara”	Mohammad Rafi	04:06

Lastly, before we take up the song, lets for a minute talk about the lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri.

Presently, on my Facebook page Lyrical, I am engaged in covering Lyricist #5: Majrooh Sultanpuri under my 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.

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 and enchanting.

Laxmikant Pyarelal and Majrooh Sultanpuri paired in a number of movies to make songs: Dosti (1964), Mere Lal (1966), Dillagi (1966), Shagird (1967), Patthar Ke Sanam (1967), Duniya Nachegi (1967), Mere Hamdam Mere Dost (1968), Wapas (1969), Pyasi Sham (1969), Meri Bhabhi (1969), Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke (1969), Abhinetri (1970), Jal Bin Machli Nritya Bin Bijli (1971), Bikhre Moti (1971), Ek Nazar (1972), Anokhi Ada (1973), Imtihaan (1974), Mere Sajana (1975), Anari (1975), Aaj Ka Mahatma (1976), Dus Numbri (1976), Master Dada (1977), Kali Raat (1977), Parvarish (1977), Swan Ke Geet (1978), Naach Utha Sansar (1978), Phaansi (1978), Prayaschit (1979), Ladies Tailor (1981), Ek Aur Ek Gyarah (1981), Watan Ke Rakhwale (1987), Janam Janam (1988), Humshakal (1992), Badi Bahen (1993), West is West (2011) and Soundtrack (2011).

These movies that Majrooh and LP did together produced some really enchanting songs such as Bade miyan deewane, Dil wil pyar wyar, Kanha kanha aan padhi, Woh hain zara khafa khafa, Ruk ja aye hawa, and Duniya pagal hai ya main deewana (all from 1967 movie Shagird); Koi nahin hai phir bhi hai mujhako, Tauba ye matwali chaal, Mehboob mere, and Patthar ke sanam (all from 1967 movie Patthar Ke Sanam); Chhalkaye jaam, Chalo sajna jahan taq, Na jaa kahin ab na jaa, Allah ye ada kaisi, Hui shaam unka khyaal aa gaya, Hamen to ho gaya hai pyaar, and Tum jao kahin (all from 1968 movie Mere Hamdam Mere Dost); and Ye kaisa gham sajna and Yaaro mera saath nibhao (both from 1969 movie Pyasi Sham).

Before we take up the song, let me tell you briefly as to how it came about in the movie. Ramu (Sushil Kumar) is a cripple and good at playing harmonica. Thrown out of his home, crippled and penniless, he roams around the streets of Mumbai. Here he comes across Mohan (Sudhir Kumar), a boy who is blind and has a similar tale of woe. Mohan is a singer. Both meet on the streets of Bombay and form a good pair. One day, Ramu gets into trouble for no fault of his own and is bailed out on the condition that he would keep no contact with Mohan. That’s how this song came about.

Please enjoy Mohammad Rafi sing a composition of Laxmikant Pyarelal on the lyrics of Majrooh Sultanpuri, a song from the 1964 Satyen Bose movie Dosti: Chahunga main tujhe saanjh savere….

चाहूँगा मैं तुझे साँझ सवेरे
फिर भी कभी अब नाम को तेरे
आवाज़ मैं न दूँगा, आवाज़ मैं न दूँगा

देख मुझे सब है पता
सुनता है तू मन की सदा (२)
मितवा …
मेरे यार तुझको बार बार
आवाज़ मैं न दूँगा, आवाज़ मैं न दूँगा
चाहूँगा मैं तुझे साँझ सवेरे

दर्द भी तू चैन भी तू
दरस भी तू नैन भी तू
मितवा …
मेरे यार तुझको बार बार
आवाज़ मैं न दूँगा, आवाज़ मैं न दूँगा

I have been giving you Songs that Tug at your Emotions, off and on, since 04 Oct 2017. However, I don’t think other songs would tug at your emotions as much as songs of the 1964 movie Dosti that made Laxmikant Pyaralal very famous indeed. It was, first of all, the unlikeliest of the stories to succeed: a cripple and a blind boy; hardly any entertainment there. However, Majrooh, Laxmikant Pyarelal, and Mohammad Rafi created songs that went deep and touched your heart like nothing had ever done before.

Another song from the movie: Jaanewalo zara mudh ke dekho mujhe main bhi insaan hoon was a pointer towards how we treat cripples on our streets.

Chahunga main tujhe not just tugged at our emotions but rightly won so many awards for all three who made it possible.

I know I can never forget it.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await the next song in the series.

दिल की धड़कन रुक गयी सुनके आपके मरने की खबर,
लोग चाहे कुछ भी कहें, आपकी अदाकारी रहेगी अमर I

लाखों हैं मेरे जैसे जिन्होंने देखी हैं आपकी सब फिल्में,
कैसे ब्यान करें क्या होता था हम पे असर?

आपका बांकपन, अनोखी मासूमियत और दिलकशी हुसन,
और आँखों को देखते ही कोई चाहे भूल जाये दर बदर I

हम सबके दिलों में आपने यूँ बना ली थी जगह,
आपको देखते ही वक़्त जैसे जाता था ठहर I

चांदनी को देख के फिर जब आपको देखते थे,
आपके चेहरे का नूर झलकता था रात भर I

आपके रक़्स में भी एक अलग सा लचकपन था,
माधुरी ने भी नाच बनाया आपकी ही नक़ल कर I

सदमा में आपकी अदाकारी इतनी हुई थी मशहूर,
लोग फ़िदा थे आपकी मासूम और सेहमी अदाओं पर I

जब आप पहली अदाकारा सुपर स्टार बनी,
जहाँ होना चाहिए था आप पहुंच गयीं वहां पर I

सब मायूस, उदास, मजबूर और सदमे में हैं श्रीदेवी,
यकीन नहीं होता आप ऐसे चले जाएँगी छोड़ कर I

खुदा गवाह है वक़्त चालबाज़ निकला हम नहीं हैं,
वहीँ हम आपको आके ढून्ढ लेंगे खुदा के घर I

और हम सब देखेंगे फिर से अपनी हवा हवाई,
लक चिकी लक चिकी चिकी लक चुम कर I

Dil ki dhadkan ruk gayi sunake aapke marne ki khabar,
Log chaahe kuchh bhi kahen, aapki adakaari rahegi amar.

Laakhon hain mere jaise jinhone dekhi hain aapki sab filmen,
Kaise byaan karen kyaa hota tha ham pe asar?

Aapka baankpan, anokhi maasumiyat aur dilkashi husn,
Aur aankhon ko dekhte hi koi chaahe bhool jaaye dar badr.

Ham sab ke dilon mein aapne youn jagah bana li thi,
Aapko dekhte hi waqt jaise jaata tha thhehr.

Chandni ko dekh ke phir jo aapko dekhte the,
Aapke chehre ka noor jhalakta tha raat bhar.

Aapke raqs mein bhi ek alag sa lachakpan tha,
Madhuri ne bhi naach banaya aapki hi nakal kar.

Sadma mein aapki adakaari itani hui thi mashhur,
Log fida de aapki maasoom aur sehmi adayon par.

Jab aap pehli adaakara super star bani,
Jahan hona chahiye the aap pahunch gayi wahan par.

Sab maayus, udaas, majboor aur sadme mein hain Sridevi,
Yakeen nahin hota aap aise chale jaayengi chhod kar.

Khuda gwaah hai waqt chaalbaaz nikla ham nahin hain,
Wahin ham aapko dhoond lenge khuda ke ghar.

Aur ham sab dekhenge phir se apni Hawa Hawai,
Lak chikki lak chikki chiki lak chum kar.

 

Raaga Based Song of the Day: Jeevan jyot jale….
Raag Sohani, Tal Tintal

Today sees me returning to my favourite lyricist Shakeel Badayuni after a long time. And, he is with Ravi here – the composer and music director with whom he got two of his three Filmfare Awards for Best Lyricist.

Today is the third day that I am giving you a song based on Raag Sohani. The first time I gave you a Sohani based song was, I hope, a treat for you since I gave you Ustaad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan‘s rendition of it: Prem jogan ban ke, also penned by Shakeel for K Asif’s Mughal-e-Azam; however, composed by Naushad (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #42’). Exactly 42 more songs later, I gave you another song based on this raag: Jhoomati chali hawa yaad aa gaya koi; this time in Tal Dadra. This was penned by a great lyricist Shailendra on a composition by SN Tripathi in Tripathi’s own directed 1962 movie Sangeet Samrat Tansen (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #84’).

We have completed ninety-one 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 ninety-first post or the last post was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #91’ and the song was an Asha Bhosle song from the 1966 Shailendra production and Basu Bhattacharya movie Teesri Kasam starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman. It is in Raag Kalyan, 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 Bhairavi – Part II’.

In the last ninety 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, Sohani, Madhuvanti and Shivaranjani. Today, I am repeating Raag Sohani for the third time.

Sohani, also known as Sohni and Sohini,  is a raaga that belongs to Marwa Thaat. Its Jati is Audhav – Shadav, ie, five notes in Aaroha and six in Avroha. The time for performing this raaga is in the wee hours of the morning or last prahar of the night, that is, from 3 to 6 AM. In the Marwa thaat, Sohani is similar to Marwa and Puria raagas. In the Poorvi thaat, it is similar to Basant.

In the wee hours of the morning, you would find the atmosphere of dew. Hence, the mood of the raaga is the moist atmosphere that prevails in a tranquil and silent night.

Some of the other songs composed in Raag Sohani are:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Prem Jogan Ban Ke Jhoomti Chali Hawa Kuhu Kuhu Bole Jeevan Jyot Jale Saawan Ban Gaye Nain Muft Hue Badnaam Jhoote Zamane Bhar Ke Bedardi Nazarein Mila Ke Sajan Tori Preet Naina Hai Jadoo Bhare Payal Chham Chham

Mughal-E-Azam Sangeet Samrat Tansen Suvarna Sundari Grihasthi Karorpati Baraat Musafir Khana Aji Bas Shukriya Sagai Bedard Zamana Kya Jaane Basant

Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Mukesh Lata, Rafi Asha Asha Mukesh Nirmala Devi, Rafi Lata Asha Mukesh Asha

I had given you an introduction to Tal (musical measure) on the second day itself. Some of you would recall that I had mentioned that Tal, Taal or Tala is a word that is variation of the word Taali (Clap). Before the advent of Tabla, the standard method of keeping the musical measure was with the clapping or tapping of one’s hand on the arm or thigh. Indeed, now that we have Tabla, this beat is still maintained by clapping and waving of hands. If you recall, I had also mentioned that whilst the Raaga sets the mood, time of day and season of a composition, Tal constitutes the time-cycle. Therefore, a Raaga and Tal go hand in hand. On the 14th Raaga Based Song of the Day, was the only occasion when we didn’t have a Raaga (Kalyan) accompanied by a Tal since the entire composition of Lagata nahin hai dil mera was in Alaap.

The rhythmic hand gestures used to denote Tal are called Kriyas. If you recall, I laid emphasis on something called Vibhag or sections or angas or parts of a Tal. In Hindustani music, the first beat of a Vibhag is Tali (Clap), whilst the empty beat (Khali) is indicated is indicated by the sideways wave of the dominant clapping hand. And thus, you would recall, I represented the Tal for you with Claps and Waves.

We had also learnt that a Tal doesn’t have a fixed tempo or laya. Hence, we had learnt three different tempos: Vilambit (delayed or slow), Madhya (medium) and Drut (fast).

Teental or Tintal is the most popular Tal in North India/Hindustani Music. It is also the most symmetrical. It has 16 beats in four vibhags. The period between every two beats is the same. We already know that the first beat is called Sam (to be pronounced like the English word Sum) and the ninth beat is Khali or empty. To perform the kriya of Tintal, one has to clap on the first beat, clap on the 5th beat, then waves on the 9th beat and lastly again claps on the 13th beat; these three claps give the rhythm its name: Teental or Tintal.

The Theka for Tintal

dha	dhin	dhin	dha	|	dha	dhin	dhin	dha	|
x					2
dha	tin	tin	ta	|	ta	dhin	dhin	dha	|
o					3

This can also be shown using the following figure:

Taal signs	X				2				0				3
Maatra	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
Bols	dha	dhin	dhin	dha	dha	dhin	dhin	dha	dha	tin	tin	ta	ta	dhin	dhin	dha

The song I have taken for you today is from the 1963 SS Vasan production and Kishore Sahu movie Grahasti starring Ashok Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Rajshree, Nirupa Roy and Mehmood. As I said, it was penned by Shakeel Badayuni, composed by Ravi and sung by Asha Bhosle. “Grahasti was the first film to “start the trend” of family dramas being made in South India. The story revolves around Harish Khanna (Ashok Kumar) who leads a dual life, having two sets of families in different cities. The effect the exposure has on him and his family forms the basis of the story.”

The music composer Ravi won an award for the song Jeevan Jyot Jale. It was adjudged the Best Classical Composition in the Sur-Singar Film Awards for 1963. He won the Swami Haridas Award, while Asha Bhosle won the Mian Tansen Award as the singer. The song was cited as the best song of 1963 out of the 544 songs released that year from a total of 77 films. Of course, Ravi has won the Filmfare Award only twice out of seven nominations and in 1964 (the awards after the movie was made), he lost out to Roshan for Taj Mahal and joined other losers: Naushad Ali for Mere Mehboob and Shankar Jaikishan for Dil Ek Mandir.

I don’t have to give you more about Shakeel Badayuni since this blog has as many as sixteen posts about and involving him. I won’t even give you a list of my favourite songs penned by him since all his songs and ghazals are my favourite. I indulge in writing poetry in Hindustani/Urdu and many of these are on this blog. My fervent wish is that sometime or the other I shall write something as good as Shakeel Badayuni.

For Music Director Ravi to compose one of the finest raaga based songs was nothing short of miracle since he had no formal education in Raagas at all. He learnt music by listening to his father sing bhajans. He worked as an electrician to support the family whilst learning harmonium and other classical instruments entirely on his own. He shifted to Bombay to become a singer in the movies and continued to work as an electrician for the railways. How tough life was for him can be made out from the fact that he had no house/room in Bombay and he used to sleep at Malad Railway Station.

Ravi is my namesake and my favourite singer Hemant Kumar gave him a break in 1952 to sing the vocals of his composition Vande Mataram in the 1952 Hemen Gupta movie Anand Math. Within three years he emerged as an independent music director for Albeli, a 1955 movie starring Pradeep Kumar and Geeta Bali. Ravi got his first Filmfare Award for the 1962 movie Gharana. Two years before that he gave Shakeel his first Filmfare Award for Chaudhvinh Ka Chand. For a musician without any formal training in music, Ravi came a long way. Some of the Sitar based songs of Ravi are classics such as Tora man darpan kehlaaye for the 1965 movie Kaajal (Please see: ‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #9’).

As far as Asha Bhosle, the singer of this song is concerned, I am one who thinks of Asha Bhosle as a complete singer and not just a singer of sexy and sensuous numbers. Have a look at some of the sad and serious numbers that she has sung: Phir thes lagi dil mein phir yaad ne tadpaaya (Kashmir Ki Kali), Ye khaamoshiyan ye tanhaayiyan mohabbat ki duniya hai kitani jawan (Ye Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke), Wo subah kabhi to aayegi (Phir Subah Hogi), Tang aa chuke hain kashm-e-kash zindagi se ham (She sang the same song of Sahir Ludhianvi in 1958 movie Lighthouse as was sung by Mohammad Rafi in 1957 movie Pyaasa), Sun le pukaar aayi (Phool Aur Patthar), Sawan aaye ya na aaye (Dil Diya Dard Liya), Sach huye sapne tere (Kaala Bazaar), Raaton ko chori chori bole mera kangana (Mohabbat Zindagi Hai), Raat ke hamsafar thak ke ghar ko chale (An Evening In Paris), Puuchho na hamen ham unake liye kyaa kyaa nazraane laaye hain (Mitti Mein Sona), Piya piya na laage mora jiya (Phagun), Mujhe gale se laga lo bahut udaas hoon main (Aaj Aur Kal), Mere bhaiya mere chanda mere anmol ratan (Kaajal), Main jab bhi akeli hoti hoon tum chupake se aa jaate ho (Dharmputra), Koi aaya dhadkan kehati hai (Lajwanti), Koi shikwa bhi nahin koi shikaayat bhi nahin (Neend Hamari Khwaab Tumhaare), Kali ghata chhaye mora jiya tarsaaye (Sujata), Jab chali thandi hawa (Do Badan), Jaa jaa re jaa saajana (Adaalat), Ik pardesi mera dil le gaya (Phagun), Ham intezzar karenge tera qayaamat taq (Bahu Begum), Ham tab simat ke aapki baahon mein aa gaye (Waqt), Do ghadi woh jo paas aa baithe (Gateway Of India), Dil ki tamanna thi masti mein (Gyaarah Hazaar Ladkiyan), Dekh hamen awaaz na dena (Amardeep), Chain se hamako kabhi aap ne jeene na diya (Pran Jaaye Pazr Vachan Na Jaaye), Chand sa mukhada kyun sharmaaya (Insaan Jaag Uthja), Bachchon tum taqdeer ho kal ke Hindostan ki (Didi), Aur is dil mein kyaa rakha hai (Imaandaar), Ashkon mein hamane tasveer banayi hai (Dekh Kabira Roya), Ab ke baras bhej bhaiya ko babul (Bandini), Aapse maine meri jaan mohabbat ki hai (Ye raat phir na aayegi), and Aaj ki raat badhi shok badhi natkhat hai (Nai Umr Ki Nai Fasal).

Before we actually take up the song, first, lets take up the value added learning of today. From the last ten 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. Then, we learnt about the Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan. Then, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, a great Surbahar (bass sitar) player of Hindustani Classical Music. Thereafter, we took up Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the grestest Santoor player in the country. Then we learnt a little more about Ustaad Alla Rakha Qureshi or simply Alla Rakha, the Tabla Maestro and father of Ustaad Zakir Hussain. And finally, we learnt about the master and one of the pioneers of fusion: Anand Shankar.

Tonight, we shall take up a personality who represents both the worlds: that of classical Veena player as well as that of an accomplished filmmaker: Sundaram Balachander. He was born on 18 Jan 1927 to V Sundaram Iyer and Parvathi alias Chellamma in Mylapore, Madras Presidency. British India. His elder brother S Rajam was a well-known singer and teacher, and a gifted artist as well. His elder sister is S Jayalakshmi (who later acted as MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar’s pair in Sivakavi), S Saraswathi was his younger sister, followed by the twins S Karpagam and S Gopalaswami.

From the age of five, Sundaram Balachander showed an interest in classical music and his first musical attempt was with the kanjeera, which is a small, circular percussion instrument. Within a year he was accompanying his brother and other musicians on the kanjeera during regular concert engagement, in Sabhas, in temple festivals, in devotional congregations, etc. From age six on his career achieved steady growth. He also learnt to play tabla, mridangam, harmonium, bulbul tarang, dilruba, and shehnai. On the sitar, Balachander was a fully fledged solo concert artist by age twelve and it is interesting to note that he performed South Indian Carnatic music on that instrument. And then Veena entered his life. Falling in love with the instrument, from the beginning he felt that it deserved his undivided attention and every skill. Without a tutor or master to guide him, within two years he was an established concert veena player.

He travelled all over the world, and won international fame as an instrumentalist of rare repute. The famous electric bassist Mark Egan cites Balachander as a major influence on his music. At one time, Balachander held the record for cutting the highest number of records (21 in India, and 6 outside India). The 12-LP set encompassing the 72 melakartas is a piece of work that has no parallel. Magic Music of India (World Pacific), Sounds of the Veena (WPS), Veena Virtuoso (World Music Library), Immortal Sounds on the Veena (Oriental Records), veeNa (EMI), The Music of the Veena (JVC, Japan), and The Music of India (Nonesuch Explorer) are some his releases that have been best-sellers worldwide.

He is also known for his work in cinema, his writing and his polemics. Balachander was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1982.

As far as movies are concerned, he began as a child artist in Tamil film Seetha Kalyanam in 1934 as a child musician in Ravana’s court. His other Tamil movies that he acted include Devaki (1951), Rajambal (1951), Rani (1952), Inspector (1953), Penn (1954), Kodeeswaran (1955), Doctor Savitri (1955) and Maragadham (1959). In addition to acting and composing film music, from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s Balachander directed a number of Tamil films. He had acted, directed, composed music and sang in Idhu Nijama (1948), En Kanavar (1948) and Kaidhi (1951). A number of Telugu movies followed. In the 1960s, he formed his own production company called SB Creations where he made 3 movies, produced, directed, composed music and sang in Avana Ivan (1962), Bommai (1964) and Nadu Iravil (1965).

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy in Raag Sohani Taal Tintal, Asha Bhosle sing a composition of Ravi on the lyrics of Shakeel Badayuni in the 1963 SS Vasan Production and Kishore Sahu directed movie Grahasti: Jeevan jyot jale…..

जीवन ज्योत जले
कोउ न जाने कब निकसे दिन
और कब रात ढले
जीवन ज्योत जले …

भोर भये तो मन मुस्काये
सँझ भये तो नीर बहाये
एक पल मान करे संसारी
एक पल हाथ मले
जीवन ज्योत जले …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UemDW8KonE8

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. On the eighty-eighth day, we learnt about Annapurna Devi, the greatest Surbahar player in India.
89. On the eighty-ninth day, we learnt about Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, the greatest Santoor Player in the country.
90. On the ninetieth day, we learnt about Ustaad Alla Rakha, the Tabla maestro.
91. On the ninety-first day, we learnt about Anand Shankar, the great fusion musician from Bengal.
92. And today, on the ninety-second day, we learnt about Sundaram Balachander, the great Veena player and film-maker.

There is much more still to be learnt and enjoyed.

Please stay tuned!

The twenty-seventh day of songs in this series.

This is, however, not a routine post. It is my appreciation of the conduct of the Shankar Jaikishan Foundations’ Mumbai Meet, Saturday, 03 February 2018.

Before I come to the song – Dil ki girah khol do – put together by the Lyricist Shailendra, Composers and Music Directors Shankar-Jaikishan, and Singers Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey, let me tell you about the Meet and what led to my thinking of this song to show my apreciation.

My curtain raiser of the SJMF Mumbai Meet was the song Paan khaye sainya hamaro in Raag Kalyan, Tal Dadra (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #91’) since yesterday also happened to be the 80th birthday of the Living Legend Waheeda Rehman and this was one song that she did with Shailendra and S-J which was very popular.

About the Foundation

About six years ago SJ fans, lovers of the golden period of the Hindi Film Music gathered and decided to create a Registered Trust in the fond memory of the greatest music maestro of the Hindi Film Industry SHANKAR – JAIKISHAN. A trust named SHANKAR JAIKISHAN FOUNDATION was Registered on Dt. 11-5-2012 with Registration No.e/19925/Ahmedabad thus, a dream came true of the sj fans and the SHANKAR JAIKISHAN FOUNDATION became the first SJ Memorial Trust in the world. They have a web page http://shankarjaikishansjmf.com/ and a Facebook page Shankar Jaikishan Foundation, Ahmedabad. They have conducted a number of events and meets in various parts of the country.

As for as the city of Mumbai is concerned, they conducted their First Meet in June 2016. Yesterday was the second such meet. My wife and I joined them from the time of the First Mumbai Meet and we are proud that the leading lights of SJMF: Shri Chirag Patel, Shri Snehal Patel, Shri Padmanabh Joshi, Shri Anand Desai, Shri Valmik Rawal, and Shri Hiren Patel have graciously accepted us as lifelong members of SJMF.

About the Second Mumbai Meet

Just like the 2016 Meet, this was held at Oneup Banquets, 1st Floor of Palm Spring Building, Link Road, Malad West.

Lyn and I started the New Year being ill and bed-ridden and we nearly didn’t make it to the Meet. However, after we dragged ourselves across, Anand and others made us feel so much at home that illness was soon forgotten.

To start with everyone met over a cup of tea and renewed acquaintances. It was a delight to meet both old and new participants not only because the love of Shankar Jaikishan music binds us as a family (as Shri Padmanabh Joshi said in his concluding address) but also, because as I looked around I found that everyone is so aware of and well versed with the nuances of S-J’s music.

We were regaled by the following events during the Meet, ably compered by Shri Valmik Rawal:

• Welcome address by Shri Chirag Patel.
• Some Raaga Based Songs of S-J. This was a delightful presentation by the group called Rewind who do lot of research and showcase the rich legacy of Indian Film Music as an art form. The presentation by Shri Archisman Mozumdar, ably assisted by Shri Shankar Iyer and Shri Balaji Ramachndran was so interesting that we wanted it to go on and on. S-J’s love for raagas and the liberties that they took by changing the swars so as to get at popular tunes produced some really memorable songs. If the presentation was interesting and informative, I was stunned to see the audience response; as Archie would introduce a raaga, at once three or four would jump up to predict the songs (s). One or two of them even tried to correct the presenters. My day was made with Archie spending considerable time over my favourite Jao jao Nand ke Lala in Raag Bageshri, Tal Kaherava (Please see: ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #19‘). Rewind can be reached on www.rewind.co.in, and Rewind_hfm on Facebook.
• S-J, the Trendsetter. This treat of a presentation was given by Shri Kushal Gopalka. Why I call it a treat is because the speaker ventured into his personal observations backed by apt examples rather than on information that is widely available on the net and elsewhere. How S-J went past their mentors Husnlal Bhagatram (the first music duo in films) and gave prominence to music in general and rhythm in particular in their compositions, how they didn’t accept the arrangement of sad songs which were prevalent until they started ruling the film music scene, how their popular tunes were adored by millions around the world (and it seemed like that they made only popular tunes), how they built up the careers of Lata Mangeshkar, Raj Kapoor and Mukesh, their mastery over dance based songs, and how their songs were packaged well were some of the findings of the speaker. Kushal also gave us a short brief about the music activities that he spearheads including the forthcoming one on 14-15 Apr 18.
• Lunch Break.
• Instrumental Music by Shri Iqbal Darbar (Saxophone) and Shri Anil Gode (Accordion). This was for 30 minutes only. Most of us agreed that it appeared to be for only about a few seconds only because just as we were getting the groove of it, it got over. Truly, 30 minutes are never enough to listen to the songs of S-J. They (Shri Iqbal and Shri Anil) regaled us with such songs as Teri pyaari pyaari surat ko, Dil ki nazar se, Ajeeb dastaan hai ye, Sunate the naam jinaka bahaar se, Bedardi baalma, Aji rooth kar ab kahan jaayiega, Dil ki girah khol do, and Badan pe sitaare lipete huye. Here is my recording of them playing today’s song: Dil ki girah khol do:

 

• After that, there was a presentation about Shailendra’s lyrics by Shri Murlikrishna Kasturi, a writer from Hyderabad who has written 38 books on various films personalities. He brought out various facets of Shailendra’s lyrics: He was purely a lyricist as opposed to others of era who were poets turned lyricists, his songs started off with lyrics unique to the protagonist in the movie and in the end there would be universal comment befitting the complete humanity, he built up the image of Raj Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar etc and yet, his lyrics reflected his own personality, he used simplest of words to describe in-your-face thoughts without any metaphor etc, he was very profound in his thinking and so on.
• We were fortunate that like last year, we had the presence of Shri Kishore Desai, the great mandolin player in S-J’s orchestra. He related two anecdotes: one about Jaikishan questioning him about the notations of the song Pyar karle nahin to phaansi chadh jaayega, and Shashi Kapoor, his school junior not knowing that he could play Sarod too.
• Concluding address and vote of thanks by Shri Padmanabh Joshi.
• Release of Book संगीतभावनामृत शंकरजयकिशन, भाग प्रथम written by Shri Shyam Shanker Sharma. All the participants were given a copy of the book free. Shri Shyam Shanker Sharma was kind enough to autograph copies for all of us.

About the Song and its Relevance for the Meet

Out of all the songs of Shankar-Jaikishan, I found it with the best lyrics and composition to describe our Meet at Mumbai. People had arrived from nine different cities in India to be at the Meet. Because of our common love for Shankar Jaikishan, महफ़िल में अब कौन है अजनबी? None of us behaved like strangers even though some of us were meeting for the first time.

मिलने दो अब दिल से दिल को, मिटने दो मजबूरियों को
शीशे में अपने डुबोदो, सब फ़ासलों दूरियों कोI

And why was that? In the movie, the 1967 Satyen Bose movie Raat Aur Din, the National Award winning (for this movie) actress Nargis suffered from MPD, ie, Multiple Personality Disorder. In the daytime (Din part of the title of the movie) she was a normal housewife. However, in the night (Raat) she was transformed into Peggy, and she walked the streets of Calcutta. In real life, we too, the Shankar Jaikishan fans, have our normal individual lives. However, during the Meet, we are transformed into the make-believe world of Shankar Jaikishan, Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri, Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey. And suddenly, there is Mehfil, Song, Music, Excitement, Hope, Dreams.

In the last twenty-six days, we have taken up songs of thirteen male singers: Talat Mahmood, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor, SD Burman, KL Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, Jagmohan ‘Sursagar’, Hariharan and Yesudas. We also took up songs of eleven female singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Suman Kalyanpur, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt, Uma Devi (Tun Tun), Suraiya and Zohrabai Ambalewali, Sudha Malhotra, Amirbai Karnataki and Kavita Krishnamurthy. Then took up a duet between Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle. And then we took up a Talat Mehmood song: Phir wohi shaam wohi gham wohi tanhaayi hai. Finally, we took up Kishore Kumar song for Piya Ka Ghar: Yeh jeevan hai, is jeevan ka yehi hai rang roop.

One of the fans commented on these songs, “The songs that you are giving us are everyone’s favourites.” The truth is that songs often remind us of days gone by and fill us with nostalgia both happy and sad.

I am sure thousands of you would be filled with strong emotions remembering this song. I am sure that those of you, who attended the Shankar Jaikishan Foundation Meet at Mumbai yesterday would not just remember this great S-J song from the movie Raat Aur Din, but would also recall the delightful rendition of it by Anil Gode and Iqbal Darbar during the meet.

About the Movie

Lets start with the movie. Raat Aur Din, as I said earlier, is a 1967 Satyen Bose movie starring Nargis as Varuna, the woman with multiple personality disorder; the acting of which role won her the National Award for Best Actress and a nomination for Filmfare Award for the same reason. She was supported in the movie by Pradeep Kumar as her husband Pratap. Their marriage was also out of ordinary. Pratap was on his way to Shimla for a marriage proposal when his car broke down and he was forced to stay at Varuna’s house. So, instead of getting married to a girl of his mother’s choice, he returned to get married to Varuna.

Varuna, gets headaches at night, dances to loud music and appears to be under some childhood trauma. In this scene from the party, she dances with a stranger Feroze Khan as Dilip, but when Pratap confronts her, she doesn’t remember anything of it. Dilip remembers it and admits it to Pratap.

One of the recurring nightmares for Varuna is falling off a cliff. In the end, it comes out that, when Varuna was small, her mother had a cardiac arrest because of which, the car that she was driving, went over a cliff. Recalling that finally, Varuna is cured.

About the Music Duo Shankar Jaikishan

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.

About the Lyricist Shailendra

The lyricist Shailendra has been called by me as lyricist beyond compare (Please see: ‘The Best Songs Of Shailendra, The Lyricist Beyond Compare – Part I‘ and ‘Part II‘). Unlike almost all poets turned lyricists of that era, Shailendra was solely a lyricist; lyrics were his life and he put his life and soul into it. His lyrics always made you think, frequently with their deeper meaning.

Shri Kasturi yesterday, very aptly, told us a lot about Shailendra. Of course, what Shri Kasturi didn’t tell us, is actually the most significant aspect of Shailendra’s lyrics, which is that Shailendra often made the listeners/viewers imagine the meaning of his lyrics. Now, one can say that every lyricist is supposed to do that. However, what is unique in Shailendra’s case that even after you see the video, there is still an enigma about what exactly he meant. Examples: Main nadiya phir bhi main pyaasi bhed ye gehra baat zara si, Taaron ki ote se muskara gaya koi, and Khil gayi kaliyan duniya jaane lekin na jaane bagiya ka mali. Here is his famous song with the line: Main nadiya phir bhi main pyaasi:

I also feel that whilst other Shailendra songs must also be about himself, there is one song in which he couldn’t hide his own feelings and that’s the song from the movie 1965 Chhoti Chhoti Baatein, just before the release of his own movie Teesri Kasam, the outcome of which killed him:

दुनिया ने हमें बेरहमी से
ठुकरा जो दिया, अच्छा ही किया
नादान हम समझे बैठे थे
निभती है यहाँ दिल से दिल की
कुछ और ज़माना कहता है …

About the Singers Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey with S-J

As soon as Lata Mangeshkar arrived on the scene of Hindi movies, she dethroned playback singers of the earlier era such as Suraiya, Amirbai Karnataki and Shamshad Begum from the top. And the movie that made it possible was the 1949 Raj Kapoor movie Barsaat, the debut movie of Shankar Jaikishan. S-J were responsible for taking her to the top. They actually increased the range and even pitch of her singing. Out of 171 films for which Shankar-Jaikishan composed music, Lata Mangeshkar sang for them in 124 films, singing over 450 songs for them of which over 300 were solos. Her best songs with S-J are dance numbers; she was of course, no strager to their party songs: In Sangam itself there are two: Har dil jo pyaar karega with Mukesh and Mahendra Kapoor and a solo O mere sanam O mere sanam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EagBXY4TqKI

 

As far as Manna Dey is concerned, unlike Mukesh being identified with Raj Kapoor, and Mohammad Rafi being identified with Dilip Kumar, he wasn’t identified with any hero. And yet, he made some great songs with S-J. One of the foremost that comes to mind is his Ketaki gulaab juuhii champakaban phuule in 1956 movie Basant Bahaar, in which Manna Dey, much against his will, had to commit “the sacrilege” of winning a singing dual against Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. His most memorable S-J song is, of course, Pyar hua iqraar hua. But, there are others too such as: Aa ja sanam madhur chandini mein hum, Ye raat bheegi bheegi, and Tu pyar ka sagar hai.

Please enjoy Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey sing a composition of Shankar Jaikishan on the lyrics of Shailendra a song from the 1967 Satyen Bose movie Piya Ka Ghar: Dil ki girah khol do, chup na baitho, koi geet gao….

दिल की गिरह खोल दो, चुप न बैठो, कोई गीत गाओ
आ आ आ आ, महफ़िल में अब कौन है अजनबी,
तुम मेरे पास आओ
दिल की गिरह खोल दो …

मिलने दो अब दिल से दिल को, मिटने दो मजबूरियों को
शीशे में अपने डुबोदो, सब फ़ासलों दूरियों को
आँखों में मैं मुस्कुराऊं तुम्हारे, जो तुम मुस्कुराओ
आ आ आ आ, महफ़िल में अब कौन है अजनबी
तुम मेरे पास आओ …

हम तुम न हम तुम रहें अब, कुछ और ही हो गए अब
सपनो के झिलमिल नगर में, जाने कहाँ खो गए अब
हम राह पूछें किसीसे, न तुम अपनी मंज़िल बताओ
आ आ आ आ, महफ़िल में अब कौन है अजनबी
तुम मेरे पास आओ …

कल हमसे पूछे न कोई, क्या हो गया कल था तुम्हे कल
मुड़कर नहीं देखते हम, दिल ने कहा है चला चल
जो दूर पीछे कहीं रह गए अब उन्हें मत बुलाओ
आ आ आ आ, महफ़िल में अब कौन है अजनबी
तुम मेरे पास आओ …

Shankar Jaikishan were the greatest music-duo for many genre’ of music; but, they were indeed the best for party songs. Many a times, their party songs reflected the reality of the life and/or had message for life. My profile song on Facebook is a party song: Sab kuchh seekha hamne na seekhi hoshiyari. Taste these lines regarding the universality of lyrics about people in the world around us:

हमने हर जीने वाले को
धन दौलत पे मरते देखा
दिल पे मरने वाले मरेंगे भिखारी

It is the same with this great song. As she waltzes along singing this song, you are overcome with emotions whether anyone of us is a normal or balanced human being. We apply the song’s lyrics to ourselves and lo, we find, the song is not about Nargis or Pradeep Kumar or Feroze Khan but it is about ourselves:

कल हमसे पूछे न कोई, क्या हो गया कल था तुम्हे कल
मुड़कर नहीं देखते हम, दिल ने कहा है चला चल
जो दूर पीछे कहीं रह गए अब उन्हें मत बुलाओ

I remember having seen Jack Nicholson starrer One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and I was never the same person again after seeing the movie. It is the same with this movie, particularly this song.

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await the next song in the series.