Category: Poems and Lyrics

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

This is the Song #38 in the series. I hope you liked Song #37 – Gumsum nisha aayi.

Song #38
Tum pukaar lo
Theme-word: Khwab chun rahi hai raat, Beqraar hai

Hemant Kumar

Hemant Kumar has been my favourite singer since my boyhood days and yet I am often very shy writing about him; just like I am writing about Mere Mehboob Tujhe.

Anyway, you will probably agree with me that some of the best songs sung by Hemant Kumar are on his compositions. This is one of them. What is more is that the movie Khamoshi of 1970 was also produced by him. He commissioned Asit Sen (not the comedian) to direct it for him.

Many of Hemant Kumar songs are to do with Khamoshi, Chup, Sannata and the like; Bus ye chup si lagi hai comes to your mind straightway and so does Chup hai dharti chup hai chand sitaare.

The fact is that for someone trained in Rabindra Sangeet (there is never a jarring note), Silence and Tranquillity come easily to Hemant Kumar. Picture this, for example:

पेड़ों की शाखों पे सोई सोई चाँदनी
तेरे खयालों में खोई खोई चाँदनी
और थोड़ी देर में थक के लौट जाएगी
रात ये बहार की फिर कभी न आएगी

Do you get the impression that there would be loud music? Or do you get the impression that the song in Raag Kafi would descend upon you like dew does in the night?

So, I think you have got the point: that’s Hemant Kumar for you; not only fond of Silence but asking of you to find your song (and hence your soul) in this Khamoshi. At this stage, I am often inspired to give you Wordsworth:

“The stars of midnight shall be so dear,
For her and she shall lean her ear,
In many a secret place;
Where rivulets dance their wayward round,
And beauty born of murmuring sound,
Shall pass into her face.”

Wordsworth could have written this about Hemant Kumar songs!

Khamoshi – 1970 Movie

This Asit Sen movie starred Rajesh Khanna as the man who has lost his noodles after being cheated in Love. Waheeda Rehman is a nurse at a mental asylum. Whereas, other nurses have found it beyond them to handle such cases, Waheeda Rehman has been the nurse of choice because of her empathy and sensitive handling.

Here the only problem is that closeness to Rajesh Khanna makes her dream too and then in the end, there is…..well….Khamoshi!

This is the main song of the theme of the movie. It was penned with great sensitivity by Gulzar and sung by Hemant Kumar as if playing gently with your own emotions:

तुम पुकार लो, तुम्हारा इन्तज़ार है,
तुम पुकार लो
ख़्वाब चुन रही है रात, बेक़रार है
तुम्हारा इन्तज़ार है, तुम पुकार लो

होंठ पे लिये हुए दिल की बात हम
जागते रहेंगे और कितनी रात हम
मुक़्तसर सी बात है तुम से प्यार है
तुम्हारा इन्तज़ार है, तुम पुकार लो

दिल बहल तो जायेगा इस ख़याल से
हाल मिल गया तुम्हारा अपने हाल से
रात ये क़रार की बेक़रार है
तुम्हारा इन्तज़ार है, तुम पुकार लो

My Own Poetry

I simply called it:
Sound of Silence

शोर ओ गुल में रूह की आवाज़ को भी सुन,
नूर ओ रंग में इस दबे राज़ को भी सुन।

बहुत दिलकश हैं ज़िन्दगी के हसीन नग़मे,
पर दूर कहीं बज रही है यह हल्की सी धुन।

फरेब-ऐ-नज़र है, सराब है, महज़ ग़ुबार है दुनिया,
जागते सोते चंद रोज़ के खवाइश-ऐ-ख्वाब न बुन।

रिश्ते, मुहबतें, याराने सब दिल ओ दिमाग की हैं बातें,
शहनाई की मुबारक धुन, घुंघरू की यह रूण झुन।

हमसफर रहे हैं अभी तक लालच, अना और खुद गर्ज़ी,
दौरान-ए-हयात में अब रहमत ओ रूहानियत भी चुन।

हंगामा-ए-जंगल में आवाज़ें बहुत रही हैं बुलंद,
गौर से, रवि, अब इस नन्हे परिंदे की भी सुन।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Tum pukaar lo, Tumhara intezzaar hai…

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #38.

Please await Raat or Din Song #39- Raaton ko chori chori bole mora kangana.

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 23 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

Last time, I gave you Beautiful Duet #37 – Main duniya bhula doonga. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #38
O shama mujhe phoonk de

Raag Bhairavi in 1962 Movie Aashiq

The favourite raag of Shankar Jaikishan again for the simple reason that there are dozens of beautiful songs composed by them in it and I haven’t given you anywhere close to enough. The 1962 movie Aashiq had something in common with the 1959 movie Anari in that both were directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Both being Raj Kapoor starrers had no surprises in lyricists, composers and music directors, and singers. The songs of the movie were penned by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra, composed by the greatest music duo in Hindi films: Shankar Jaikishan, and sung by Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar.

If you were wondering as to why I brought the coincidence of Hrishikesh Mukherjee being the director of both the movies whose songs in Raag Bhairavi I have given in quick succession, then here is the main reason:
Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Raj Kapoor had a very close friendship. The most talked about movie of Hrishikesh Mukherjee was the 1971 movie Anand starring Rajesh Khanna in the title role and Amitabh Bachchan as his doctor Bhaskar Banerjee. Anand’s character was inspired by Raj Kapoor who was sick then. So fond was Hrishikesh Mukherjee of Raj Kapoor that he was fearful of losing him then. He said Raj Kapoor used to call him Babumoshai as Anand’s character calls the doctor in the film. Hence, we know that Amitabh Bachchan’s Bhaskar Banerjee is based on Hrishikesh Mukherjee himself, keeping the Bengali identity as a clue, and Rajesh Khanna was Anand Saigal, a Punjabi, like Raj Kapoor. That was the extent of their friendship.

Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar

Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar, the singers of the duet that I am giving you, made some of the most enchanting duets in Raj Kapoor movies. I had a Facebook group called Dil Ki Nazar Se based on the title of their duet in 1959 Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Anari. Some of the other are: Aa ab laut chalen, Dum bhar jo udhar moonh phere, and Aaja re ab mera dil pukaara.

Raj Kapoor and Padmini

The song has been sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh on the lyrics of Shailendra and composition by Shankar Jaikishan. As I said, it is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Kaherava. The song is picturised on Raj Kapoor and Padmini. A word about them at this stage:

Raj Kapoor acted with Nargis in as many as 17 movies, from 1947 movie Aag to 1956 movie Chori Chori. Once the Raj Kapoor-Nargis era got over, Raj Kapoor was looking for a replacement. During the shooting of Chori Chori in Madras, Raj and Padmini came close as she was working in the next studio. After that they met in Moscow where Raj Kapoor had gone to attend Karlovy Vary Award Function and she was there with her sister Ragini for a Youth Festival. After the sudden departure of Nargis from Moscow, when Raj Kapoor fell ill, it was Padmini who nursed him. Raj Kapoor told his friends that he made the 1960 movie Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai with Padmini to express his gratitude to her. Rumours started abounding that Raj Kapoor was besotted with her due to her ample physicial assets. A proof of that was that Raj Kapoor turned to display her sensuousness in the movies, something that he hadn’t done with Nargis; eg, the song Ho maine pyar kiya picturised on Padmini in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai was done in a swim suit and focussed on her cleavage and sexuality. Padmini was pregnant when she acted with Raj Kapoor in 1962 Hrishikesh Mukherjee Aashiq that was produced by Bunny Reuben and VK Dubey. There were rumours galore when she delivered in the 8th month of her marriage though most of these were later proved to be unfounded.

The Lyrics

ओ शमा मुझे फूंक दे
मैं न मैं रहूँ, तू न तू रहे
यही इश्क़ का है दस्तूर
परवाने जा है अजब चलन
यहाँ जीते जी अपना मिलन
क़िस्मत को नहीं मंजूर

शाम से लेकर रोज़ सहर तक तेरे लिए मैं हर रात जली
मैंने तो हाय ये भी न जाना कब दिन डूबा कब रात ढली
फिर भी है मिलने से मजबूर
ओ शमा मुझे…

पत्थर दिल है ये जगवाले, जाने न कोई मेरे दिल की जलन
जबसे है जनमी प्यार की दुनिया, तुझको है मेरी मुझे तेरी लगन
तुझ बिन ये दुनिया है बेनूर
परवाने जा है…

हाय री क़िस्मत अंधी क़िस्मत, देख सकी न मेरी-तेरी ख़ुशी
हाय री उल्फ़त बेबस उल्फ़त, रो के थकी जल-जल के मरी
दिल जो मिले किसका था क़सूर
ओ शमा मुझे…
परवाने जा है…

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: O shama mujhe phoonk de…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #38.

Please await Beautiful Duet #39- Ye kaali kaali aankhen.

RRR Songs (Songs of Regret, Repentance and Ruefulness)

I started this new series on 17 Jan 21 on my Facebook Group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne. My efforts failed to involve people in writing their own stuff about songs and music rather than copying and pasting from here and there or worse, just sharing url of songs from YouTube. Hence, I had decided to give the group a burial that it deserved rather than making it like thousands of groups on Facebook about songs with nothing unique about them at all.

Hence this series shifted to my page Lyrical.

I hope you liked RRR Song #17: Bhooli huyi yaadon mujhe. Here is the next song:

Song #18
Mujhe le chalo aaj phir us gali mein

Sharabi – 1964 Movie

When it came to women, the roles in which each one of them had to show their mettle were as courtesans and the ones in which they could dance in wet saree.

Men also had equally cliched roles. One of these was to act sharabi (intoxicated). One would feel that great actors did justice to this in many films: Raj Kapoor (eg, Ruk jaa o jaane wali ruk jaa, perhaps the only song that he addressed to a liquor bottle, Dilip Kumar (eg, Mujhe duniyawalo sharabi na samajho), Raaj Kumar (Chhu lene do naazuk honthon ko), Rajendra Kumar (eg, Chhalke teri aankhon se sharaab aur zyadah), Shammi Kapoor (eg, Ye duniya usi ki zamaana usi ka) and Dev Anand.

It appears that Dev Anand was particularly suited for this since he was asked to do it gain and again; whether in a put up drunkenness in Kaala Pani with the song: Hum bekhudi mein tumko pukare chale gaye or in Manzil Yaad aa gayin woh nasheeli nigaahen. Lets face it; he was good at it. In his own movie Guide, for example, when he sang Din dhal jaaye haay raat na jaaye, most people had their paisa wasool.

This 1964 Raj Rishi movie had the complete movie with him as Sharabi; obsessed with liquor. Though he tried to make amends, his love for Madhubala and liquor won over everything.

This Song

It is considered by me as the best song of the movie competing with other drunken songs such as Kabhi na kabhi, kahin na kahin, koi na koi to aayega and Sawan ke maheene mein.

First of all, it is a super slow song of Rafi in league with such slow numbers as Main ye soch kar uske dar se utha tha of Haqeeqat. Secondly, it talks about the first time when he fell in love and stumbled. Thirdly, the lyrics of Rajinder Krishan and composition of Madan Mohan have the requisite regret and repentance. You don’t know whether to hate him or love him for what he had become.

Lets take the extraordinary lyrics:

मुझे ले चलो, आज फिर उस गली में
जहाँ पहले-पहले, ये दिल लड़खड़ाया
वो दुनिया, वो मेरी मोहब्बत की दुनिया
जहाँ से मैं बेताबियाँ लेके आया
मुझे ले चलो …

जहाँ सो रही है मेरी ज़िंदगानी
जहाँ छोड़ आया मैं अपनी जवानी
वहाँ आज भी एक चौखट तज़ा
मोहब्बत के सजादों की होगी निशानी -२
मुझे ले चलो …

वो दुनिया जहाँ उसके नक़्श-ए-कदम हैं
वहीं मेरी खुशियाँ, वहीं मेरे ग़म हैं
मैं ले आऊँगा खाक उस रहगुज़र की
के उस रहगुज़रा की, तो ज़र्रे सनम है -२
मुझे ले चलो …

वहाँ एक रँगेएं चिलमन के पीछे
चमकता हुआ उसका, रुख़सार होगा
बसा लूँगा आँखों में वो रोशनी मैं
यूँ ही कुछ इलाज-ए-दिल-ए-ज़ार होगा -२
मुझे ले चलो …

मुझे ले चलो, आज फिर उस गली में
जहाँ पहले-पहले, ये दिल लड़खड़ाया
वो दुनिया, वो मेरी मोहब्बत की दुनिया
जहाँ से मैं बेताबियाँ लेके आया
मुझे ले चलो …

My Own Poetry

Here is how to correct the mistake Dev Anand did with Madhubala in this movie:

Mujhe Peene Do

रुह कांप गयी उसे जब चला पता,
घर में आज शराब खत्म है;
कैसे हो गई यह शर्मनाक खता?
खता नहीं हक़ीक़त में सितम है।

पूरे घर को छान मारा,
कहीं न मिले गांधी वाले नोट,
सोचा आज करते हैं मय से किनारा,
हालांके दिल पे लगेगी चोट।

फिर देखा बीवी गयी है नहाने,
बाहर छोड़ गई है सोने की चेन,
बाद में उसके सुनेंगे ताने,
पहले हो जाये शराब का लेन देन।

बोतल गयी अंदर, झूम गया आलम,
बन गए कल्लू मियां तानसेन,
बीवी ने पूछा सुनते हो बालम,
कहाँ गयी मेरे सोने की चेन?

“भूल जाओ आज ज़िन्दगी के गम” वो गाये,
“चेन से तुम कई गुना हो हसीं”
बीवी चिल्लाई: “मैं मर गयी, हाय,
इसकी भी शराब तो न पी ली कहीं?”

रसोई से बीवी ने बेलन उठाया,
और दिया कल्लू के सर पर मार;
तानसेन झट हो गया पराया,
उतर गया फितूर ए खुमार I

भाईयो इसमें छुपी है एक गहरी सीख:
गरीबखाने में गर शान से जीना,
और मांगनी न पड़े किसी से भीख
तो बीवी को भी सिखा दो पीना।

गोल्ड चेन के सारे ख्वाब,
उसके चले जायेंगे दूर;
हसीं लगेगी उसको भी शराब,
चढ़ा रहेगा हरदम सरूर।

देर मत कीजिये, बीवी को है सिखाना,
आज ही शुरू करें online class,
Women empowerment का है ज़माना,
उसके लिए अलग बोतल और गिलास।

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Mujhe le chalo aaj phir us gali mein…

I hope you liked Song #18 in this series.

Please await Song #19: Tumhen zindagi ke ujaale mubarak.

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

This is the Song #37 in the series. I hope you liked Song #36 – Toot gayi hai mala moti.

Song #37
Gum sum nisha aayi
Theme-word: Nisha (Raat) in the mukhada itself

Remembering Bhupen Hazarika on His Death Anniversary 05 Nov

We lost him on this day in the year 2011. He did Assam proud by having been awarded two of the highest awards by the government of India: the Bharat Ratna, eight years after his death and Padma Vibhushan, one year after his death.

Award numbers three and four, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri were won by him much earlier in 1977 and 2001.

He was an Indian playback singer, lyricist, musician, poet and filmmaker. He earned the sobriquet of Sudhakantha (nectar throated).

One of the most popular songs of his was for the 1993 movie Rudaali directed by Kalpana Lajmi: Dil hoom hoom kare ghabraye.

Daman – 2001 Movie and Raveena Tandon

The other day I gave you, in the Beautiful Duets series a song that made Raveena Tandon the “Mast mast girl”. That was in the 1994 movie Mohra. Seven years later, her role in 2001 movie Daman, also a Kalpana Lajmi movie, won her the National Film Award for Best Actress. I am sure, she and us would value it even more than the “mast mast girl” title.

The film is about marital violence. When I acted in and directed in a private show (for the navy audience) Mahesh Dattani play ’30 Days of September’ about Incest, it came out from the mouth of Renuka Chaudhary, the Indian Minister for Women and Child Welfare that the incidence of incest in Indian families was as high as 51 percent! Well, the incidence of marital violence must be even higher. It has been, for ages, a male dominated society and you would have seen thousands of Hindi movies wherein the place of an Indian wife is shown at the feet of the husband (“Ab hamen aap ke kadmon mein hi rehna hoga”!)

Raveena Tandon as Durga is a poor girl and she is married to Sanjay (Sayaji Shinde), the son of a very wealthy Saikia family in Assam. He is very hot tempered and subjects Durga to both physical and mental torture.
To complicate things, she becomes pregnant and Sanjay accuses her that the father is his brother Sunil (Sanjay Suri). The child is also a daughter and Sanjay’s male supremacy is hurt to have a wife who would deliver “only a girl”.

You can see for yourself how this song fits in the plot.

Night, Raat, Nisha or Shab

These are all synonyms of Night. The other day I told you about how Shabnam literally means Night Dew.

Lyricist and Director

The lyricist of this song is Maya Govind, a lyricist who had earlier worked as lyricist for such movies as Haqeeqat (1995), Miss 420 (1998) and Yaraana (1995) and Inaamdaar (1987).

Kalpana Lajmi, as Director of the movie needs no introduction. She debuted in 1978 as Director of D.G. Movie Pioneer. However, her work in 1993 movie Rudaali really made her famous. She was the producer and director of 1997 Darmiyaan before taking up this movie that not only won Raveena Tandon the National Film Award but the Government of India decided to take it upon itself to distribute the movie.

The Song

It was sung by Kavitha Krishnamurthy and composed by Bhupen Hazarika.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Gum sum nisha aayi…

Gum Sum Gum Sum Nisha Aayi
Maun Ke Dhago Se Bun Bun Kar
Chadar Nili Layi
Chadar Ki Komal Silwat Main
Sanso Ki Garmayi
Preet Jiwant Jiwant Chhayi
Gum Sum Gum Sum Nisha Aayi
Maun Ke Dhago Se Bun Bun Kar
Chadare Nili Layi
Kamna Ke Rang Me Range
Aaj Ke Gahre Garbh Me
Kamna Ke Rang Me Range
Aaj Ke Gahre Garbh Me
Niramarm Warsha Lekar
Sawan Bhado Barse
Badal Ki Bhige Aachal Me
Sanso Ki Garmayi
Preet Jiwant Jiwant Chhayi
Gum Sum Gum Sum Nisha Aayi
Maun Ke Dhagi Se Bun Bun Kar
Chadar Nili Layi
Prem Bhare Swar Tere
Ashk Uthe Ek Gunj Liye
Jharte Hai Jhar Jhar Preet
Jharte Hai Jhar Jhar
Par Vidhi Vihin Sangam
Ttaw Re Adhar
Kape Hai Thar Thar Priye
Kape Hai Thar Thar
Niyam Todne Ka Niyam
Niyam Todne Ka Niyam
Aakash Aakash Path Hai
Komal Aghar Parti Aghat
Komal Aghar Parti Aghat
Natak Nili Nisha Ka
Dur Artnad Ki Nadi
Dur Artnad Ki Nadi
Ghat Paranand Swar Kon Sone
Jab Paya Alingan Ka Sagar
Alingan Ka Sagar
Jiski Alingan Me Payi
Sanso Ki Garmayi
Jiwant Jiwant Chhayi
Gum Sum Gum Sum Nisha Aayi
Maun Ke Dhagi Se Bun Bun Kar
Chadar Nili Layi.

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #37.

Please await Raat or Din Song #38- Tum pukar lo.

 

Today is the death anniversary of the greatest singer: Mohammad Rafi. I am going to reproduce three of his songs in each of the series that I am running. This was put up on 01 Jan 2021 as follows:

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Oct 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

I hope you liked my choice for Song #36 – Hawas naseeb nazar ko kahin in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #37.

Song #70 (#42 of mine)
Ek haseen shaam ko dil mera kho gaya
Theme-word: Muddaton se aarzoo thi zindagi mein koi aaye

Happy New Year Sisters and Brothers

I am both excited and sad about the New Year 2021. This is the year that we look forward to that will end all the misery caused by the Corona virus of 2019 that continued to sicken and kill people throughout the year 2020.

I am sad because in this year on 08 March we shall finally say good-bye to the YKDN group, which I thought we cherished as a family but which was displayed as and proved to be an option for the majority. I kept the group alive only for Manik Lakhkar Chava to complete her posting of every second song of her favourite lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi as countdown to his Birth Centenary on 08 March, which also coincides with the International Women’s Day.

The Lyrics of This Song

These were penned by my second most favourite lyricist: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. Almost all the sites giving lyrics don’t even mention this as Zindagi song since they have (they copy from one another all the time) shown the theme-word line as:

मुद्दतों से आरज़ू थी
मेरे दिल मे कोई आये

The correct line is Mudaaton se aarzu thi, Zindagi mein koi aaye. The fact is that when I call a Lyricist favourite, I recall most of his lyrics without having to rely on a site. From the time I saw this movie Dulhan Ek Raat Ki in 1966 with my parents in the hill town of Dalhousie I recall the lyrics as what I have written.

Here are, therefore, the corrected lyrics that you won’t find on the net:

इक हसीन शाम को दिल मेरा खो गया
पहले अपना हुआ करता था
अब किसीका हो गया

मुद्दतों से आरज़ू थी
ज़िन्दगी मे कोई आये
सूनी सूनी ज़िन्दगी में
एक शम्मा झिलमिलाये
वो जो आये तो रोशन ज़माना हो गया
इक हसीन …

मेरे दिल के कारवां को
ले चला है आज कोई
शबनमी सी जिसकी आँखें
थोड़ी जागी थोड़ी सोयी
उनको देखा तो मौसम सुहाना हो गया
इक हसीन …

Why This Song as My First One This Year?

I ended the last year with sad and poignant songs in keeping with the spirit of the year. This year (except for doing away with this group) would usher in Love and Joys for all of us. This song reflects that. It is a very gentle composition by the maestro Madan Mohan (some of the most memorable songs in Hindi movies were by this pair, particularly those sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

Mohammad Rafi for Dharmendra

He was the only playback singer who sang in the style of the actor he was providing playback for. Here, he sings for Dharmendra in the same Dharmendra style as he song many others such as Jeet hi lenge baazi hum tum.

Lets say you listened to this song and didn’t know the movie etc. Simply by listening to the song you’d be able to guess it is Rafi singing for Dharmendra.

My Own Poetry

Shaam is a very serious and soulful period for my poems. Here is the only light-hearted poem that I wrote with Shaam:

UNKE KHAYAAL DIL MEIN MEHMAAN BANKE REHATE HAIN

उनके ख़याल दिल में मेहमान बन के रहते हैं,
क्या क्या सितम हम उनके लिए सुबह ओ शाम सहते हैंI

मैंने तो घर खाली करने का notice भी दे दिया,
“दो रोज़ और रहेंगे” हर बार यही कहते हैंI

सूखी वीरान बस्ती की शिकायत वह करते हैं,
कैसे कहूँ के अश्क़ मेरे ज़ार ज़ार बहते हैं?

दिल के गरीबखाने पे ताला लगा दूँ मैं क्या?
पर उनहे कैसे बेदखल करूँ जो पहले ही से रहते हैं?

मेरे ही घर में मुझको अब पनाह नहीं कबूल,
मेरे ही दिल से मुझको जाने के लिए कहते हैंI

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Ek haseen shaam ko dil mera kho gaya…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #37 in the series.

Please await Song #38 –  Kahan jaa raha hai tu.

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 23 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

Last time, I gave you Beautiful Duet #36 – Teri mehfil mein kismat aajma kar. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #37
Main duniya bhula doonga

Rebellious Love Always Wins

Anarkali screamed in the court of Mughal e Azam, Emperor Akbar: Pyar kiya to darna kya. So what, if she was only a courtesan and the object of her love was Prince Salim. Prince Salim rebelled against his own father: Akbar, was defeated and sentenced to death. She saved his life by offering her own. It wasn’t a happy ending for the couple. It was a rare case.

However, most often than not rebellious Love wins, whether in Indian Love Story or that based on Eric Segal’s novelette.

In Mahesh Bhatt’s 1990 movie Aashiqui (He had to rely on this name since Love Story and Prem Kahani had been made too many times before), the rebellious couple were Rahul Roy and Anu Agarwal. He rebelled against his dad for marrying another when his mother was still alive. She ran away from an oppressive girls hostel run by Tom Alter who felt that his command was law.

Naturally, both meet and both fall in love. Naturally, all kinds of forces are working against their union, love or aashiqui. Naturally, in the end, they overcome all. However, until they do, there is scope for a few songs.

Sameer, Nadeem Shravan, Kumar Sanu and Anuradha Paudhwal
Sameer (son of Anjaan whose birth anniversary we celebrated yesterday) is in the Guinness Book of World Records for writing more songs than anyone else in the world ever did. Songs are to him what breathing is to any of us. He writes a song at the drop of a topi. He wrote this song when he was nowhere near the world record.

Nadeem Shravan composed his songs for the movie and came up with super hit songs for a super hit movie:

1. Main duniya bhula doonga, that I chose over:
2. Dheere dheere meri zindagi mein aana.
3. Bus ek sanam chahiye.
4. Nazar ke saamne.
5. Tuu meri zindagi hai.
6. Dil ka aalam.

This happens to be my most favourite and I chose it over Dheere dheere meri zindagi mein aana.

The Lyrics

मैं दुनिया भुला दूँगा तेरी चाहत में
मैं दुनिया भुला दूँगा तेरी चाहत में
हो, दुश्मन ज़माना, मुझे ना भुलाना
मैं खुद को मिटा दूँगा तेरी चाहत में
मैं दुनिया भुला दूँगी तेरी चाहत में
मैं दुनिया भुला दूँगी तेरी चाहत में
तेरा साथ छूटा, ये वादा जो टूटा
मैं खुदको मिटा दूँगी तेरी चाहत में
मैं दुनिया भुला दूँगा तेरी चाहत में

मेरी साँसें, तेरी खुशबू
मेरे दिल में तेरी धड़कन
मेरी महफ़िल, तेरी बातें
मेरी आँखें, तेरा दर्पण
बिन तेरे कुछ भी नहीं मैं
बिन तेरे कुछ भी नहीं मैं
मैं सब कुछ लुटा दूँगा तेरी चाहत में
हो, दुश्मन ज़माना, मुझे ना भुलाना
मैं खुदको मिटा दूँगा तेरी चाहत में
मैं दुनिया भुला दूँगी तेरी चाहत में

सीने से लग जा तू
मैं हूँ तेरा दीवाना
मुझे तुझसे मिलने से
रोकेगा क्या ज़माना
छोडूँगा ना साथ तेरा
छोडूँगा ना साथ तेरा
मैं हर ग़म उठा लूँगी तेरी चाहत में
तेरा साथ छूटा, ये वादा जो टूटा
मैं खुदको मिटा दूँगी तेरी चाहत में
मैं दुनिया भुला दूँगा तेरी चाहत में
मैं दुनिया भुला दूँगी तेरी चाहत में
हाँ, तेरी चाहत में, हो, तेरी चाहत में

Superb. Indeed, lines like Meri saanse, teri khushbu are the ones that give you goosebumps. The song and the movie had that effect.

My Own Poetry

I am a person who has devoted Life to Love and hence it is alright for me to write such a poem:

Meri Duniya Hi Aur Hai

दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो दुनिया से डरते हैं,
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो रह रह के मरते हैं,
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो दुनिया का दम भरते हैं,
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो यह करते हैं और वह करते हैं.
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो दुनिया से दौड़ते हैं दूर
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो जीने से हैं मजबूर
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो अपने आप में हैं मग्रूर
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जिनका दुनिया नहीं है दस्तूर.
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जिन्हें दुनिया से है रंजिश
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जिन्हे दुनियादारी लगती है बंदिश
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जिन्हे हर बात में लगती है साजिश
दुनिया उनके लिए नहीं जो करते हैं दुनिया की गुज़ारिश
दुनिया तो सिर्फ बेखबर मत्वालों के लिए है,
हर इक लमहा शान में जीने वालों के लिए है
जो हर बात दिल पे न लें ऐसे दिल्वालों के लिए है
हर हाल में मुत्मैन रेहने वालों के लिए है
दुनिया उनकी है जो वक्त की रफ्तार समझते हैं
हर इन्कार को जो दुनिया का ईकरार समझते हैं
जंग – ओ – जदल को भी जो प्यार समझते हैं
बेकार कचरे को जो हुसन – ए – शिन्गार समझते हैं
दुनिया में रह के जो जानते हैं दुनिया का सबब
दुनिया उन्ही को करती है झुक झुक के अदब
हम तो हैरान हैं, ये कैसा है गज़ब :
हस्ती उन्ही की है जो दुनिया में हैं जज्ब

फिर भी:
क्या करेंगे दुनिया में दुनिया के हो के ?
जल जल के मर के, घुट घुट के रो के,
नंगे ज़खम अपने आंसुयों से धो के
टूटे हुए जज्बात नज्मों में पिरो के
देख लो ए दुनिया, हम दुनिया को नहीं मानते,
तुम्हारे बनाए कानून हम नहीं पहचानते
चढा दो हमें फाँसी, हम यह नहीं जानाते:
कयुं दुनिया वाले रब्ब ओ इमान को नहीं पहचानते?

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy a beautiful duet that reflects my own life: Main duniya bhula doonga teri chahat mein…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #37.

Please await Beautiful Duet #38- O shama mujhe phoonk de.

RRR Songs (Songs of Regret, Repentance and Ruefulness)

I started this new series on 17 Jan 21 on my Facebook Group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne. My efforts failed to involve people in writing their own stuff about songs and music rather than copying and pasting from here and there or worse, just sharing url of songs from YouTube. Hence, I had decided to give the group a burial that it deserved rather than making it like thousands of groups on Facebook about songs with nothing unique about them at all.

Hence this series shifted to my page Lyrical.

I hope you liked RRR Song #15: Muft huye badnaam. Here is the next song:

Song #16
Bhooli huyi yaadon mujhe itna na satayo

Rajinder Krishan with Madan Mohan

As luck would have it, the most RRR Songs that I have put up have been composed by Madan Mohan. Some of Madan Mohan’s best songs were penned by Rajinder Krishan and Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. This was penned by Rajinder Krishan for the 1961 movie Sanjog.

Sanjog

This was a Pramod Chakravorty movie starring Pradeep Kumar and Anita Guha.

Pramod Chakravorty started his career as Director with the 1958 movie 12 O’ Clock starring Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman. Sanjog was only his second movie. He went on to make such successful movies as Ziddi, Love In Tokyo, Tumse Achha Kaun Hai, Jugnu, Dream Girl, Azaad and Barood (twice).

This Song

As I said, it was penned by Rajinder Krishan and composed by Madan Mohan in Raag Kalyan. It was sung by Mukesh for Pradeep Kumar and is among his best.

Here are the lyrics:

भूली हुई यादों, मुझे इतना ना सताओ
अब चैन से रहने दो, मेरे पास न आओ
भूली हुई यादों …

दामन में लिये बैठा हूँ, (टूटे हुए तारे – २)
कब तक मैं जियूँगा यूँही, (ख्वाबों के सहारे – २)
दीवाना हूँ, अब और ना दीवाना बनाओ
अब चैन से रहने दो, मेरे पास न आओ
भूली हुई यादों …

लूटो ना मुझे इस तरह, (दोराहे पे लाके -२ )
आवाज़ न दो एक (नयी राह दिखाके – २)
संभला हूँ मैं गिर-गिरके मुझे, फिर ना गिराओ
अब चैन से रहने दो मेरे पास ना आओ
भूली हुई यादों, मुझे इतना ना सताओ
अब चैन से रहने दो, मेरे पास न आओ
भूली हुई यादों …

My Own Poetry

PHIR YAAD NE TADPAAYA

आज फिर तसव्वर में उनका दीदार हो गया
खुदा की रहनुमाई पे फिर से ऐतबार हो गया

ना मेरे करीब हैं वो ना मुझसे दूर रहते हैं
फिर से दिल की अफरा तफरी का आसार हो गया

ज़िन्दगी सेहरा बनी थी उनकी अलैहदगी में
उनके मिलते ही आलम गुलज़ार हो गया

हमने माना करामात-ऐ- ख्याल ही था लेकिन
चंद लम्हों के लिए दिल खुशगवार हो गया

मुझे यकीन है तग़ाफ़ुल मुझे वह नहीं करते
उनकी खामोशी से ही इश्क़ का इज़हार हो गया

हैरत तो उनको खूब होगी मेरे अंदाज़-ऐ-वफ़ा पे
अब मुझे अपनी तन्हाई से भी प्यार हो गया

Please enjoy: Bhooli huyi yaadon mujhe itna na satao…

I hope you liked Song #17 in this series.

Please await Song #18: Mujhe le chalo aaj us gali mein.

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Oct 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

I hope you liked my choice for Song #35 – Aaj sajan mohe ang laga le in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #36.

Song #36
Hawas-naseeb nazar ko kahin qaraar nahin
Theme-word: Occurs thrice in the ghazal, the first one in the misra: Abhi hayat ka mahaul khushgavar nahi

The Advantages I Gained in My Formative Years

I lived during my childhood and boyhood in Himachal since my father was posted there. After the primary school, we had to take up Urdu as the second language. This helped me a lot to understand the intricacies of this language that I call ‘The Language of the Heart‘ (If you have time, please go through two of my essays on it: 1. Urdu – A Language of the Heart  and 2. Hasya Panktiyan of the Day #48 – Zaalim Ustaad Urdu Ka

It doesn’t end there. Having been born in a Sikh family, I acquired the love for Sri Guru Granth Sahib from my parents. Among other things, this helped me gain a basic understanding of Raagas (there are sixty raagas in SGGS including the one devised by the ninth Guru: Guru Tegh Bahadur).

Most Hindi songs of the era were penned in Urdu or at least contained considerable Urdu words. Even typically Hindi poets and lyricists like Neeraj and Bharat Vyas too delved in Urdu. It wasn’t considered necessary to leave this indigenous language of India only to a particular community.

These advantages, therefore, brought me closer to lyricists and poets who wrote beautifully in Urdu. Thanks to this love, my favourite continues being Shakeel Badayuni and others such as Sahir, Majrooh, Hasrat Jaipuri and Raja Mehdi Ali Khan continued to influence me throughout.

Ghazals of Sahir Ludhainvi

Sahir Ludhianvi
(08 Mar 1921 – 25 Oct 1980)

Sahir was his takhallus. If Shakeel means Handsome, Sahir means Magician. He was born as Abdul Hayee on 08 Mar 1921 in Ludhiana (Punjab). He emerged as one of the greatest poets and lyricists of his era. If his poetry and lyrics often favoured women and women’s causes, eg, his famous poem/song Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko; there was a strong reason for it. He was only 13 when his father married again. His mother, Sardar Begum, took the bold step of leaving his father renouncing all rights in the property. The father was not satisfied and wanted possession of young Abdul. As early as in 1935 in India, the mother won!

I know a number of anecdotes of his in Khalsa High School, Ludhiana. He was fined Rupees Five for sitting with a female in principal’s lawn. He took out ten rupees and said he would do it again! He was expelled and shifted to Lahore.

His most talked about love affair was with the writer Amrita Pritam who became an ardent fan of his poetry.

He has written some of the finest lyrics for Hindi movies such as Taj Mahal, Hum Dono, and Gumraah.
His non filmy ghazals and nazams are equally famous.

Here I give you a favourite of mine (I reckon it is his greatest).
As a Lyricist, your ambit is small (as dictated by the plot). However, as a Poet your writings often reflect the state of your mind and your own personal emotions. I would urge you to consider that whilst reading further.

HAWAS NASEEB NAZAR KO KAHIN QARAAR NAHIN

Havas-nasib nazar ko kaheen qarar nahi
Main muntazir hun magar tera intazar nahi
(Havas-nasib = destined for lust; qarar = rest, repose; muntazir = expectant)

Hamin se rang-e-gulistan hamin se rang-e-bahar
Hamin ko nazm-e-gulistan pe ikhtiyar nahi
(rang-e-gulistan = colour of garden; rang-e-bahaar = colour of spring; nazm-e-gulistan = poem of garden; ikhtiyaar = control)

Abhi na chhed mohabbat ke geet ae mutarib
Abhi hayat e mahaul khushgavar nahi
(mutarib = singer, minstrel; hayat = life; mahaul = atmosphere; khushgavar = agreeable, pleasant)

Tumhare ahd-e-wafa ko ahad main kya samajhun
Mujhe khud apni mohabbat ka aitabar nahi
(ahd-e-wafa = promise of fidelity; ahd = promise; aitbaar = belief)

Na jane kitne gile is mein muztarib hai nadim
Wo ek dil jo kisi ka gilagusar nahi
(Gile = complaints; muztarib = restless; nadim = favourite courtier of a king; gilagusar = complainant)

Gurez ka nahi qayal hayat se lekin
Jo sach kahun to mujhe maut nagavar nahi
(Gurez = escape, evasion; qayal = agree, consent; hayat = life; nagavar = unpleasanr)

Ye kis maqam pe pahuncha diya zamane ne
ki ab hayat pe tera bhi ikhtiyar nahi
(maqam = place, position; hayat = life; ikhtiyaar = control)

My Own Poetry

MERA WAFA PE SHAQ NA KARNA

अपनी ही ज़िन्दगी पर अब मुझे इख़्तियार नहीं,
इलाज ए मरीज़ मेरा हो, मुझे इंतजार नहीं ।

दिल की बेक़रारी जब मुझे समझ आने लगी,
देखता क्या हूँ मैं अब दिल – ए – बेक़रार नहीं ।

जाने क्या राख के ढेर में खोजते रहते हो,
इन खिज़ाओं में अब कहीं कोई बहार नहीं ।

मोहब्बत में बस यही रह गया था देखने को,
अपनी ही मुहब्बत पर मुझे ऐतबार नहीं I

जाम तेरा लब पे आने से पहले ही सूख गया,
फिर भी तेरे मैखाने से मैं बेज़ार नहीं I

मेरे मरने के बाद तुम्हे खुद एहसास होगा,
जुर्म हुआ ज़रूर है, पर मैं गुनहगार नहीं I

तमन्नाओं का किया खून, आरज़ूओं को जला डाला,
अपने किये का मैं फिर भी शर्मसार नहीं I

तू न समझे पर लोग समझ जायेंगे, रवि,
मैंने मर के भी निभाई है, मैं बेवफा दार नहीं I

The Ghazal

Ladies and gentlemen, for once I have tried not to give you Mohammad Rafi’s rendition of the greatest ghazal by this great poet and lyricist. I am giving you the one sung by Bharathi Vishwanathan.

Please enjoy: Hawas naseeb nazar ko kahin qaraar nahin…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #36 in the series.

Please await Song #37 –  Ek haseen shaam ko dil mera kho gaya.

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

This is the Song #36 in the series. I hope you liked Song #35 – Yashomati maiya se bole Nandlala.

Song #36
Toot gayi hai mala moti bikhar chale
Theme-word: Do din reh ke saath jaane kidhar chale

Remembering Prithviraj Kapoor on His Birth Anniversary 03 Nov

He was born on this day in 1906 in Tehsil Samundri, Lyallpur District of that part of Punjab, which is in Pakistan now.

He was a pioneer of Indian theatre and of Hindi Films Industry. He started as an actor during the silent era of films, in 1928. So fond was he of stage acting that. in 1944, he started Prithvi Theatre in Bombay.

He was the doyen of a family that has made the greatest contribution to Hindi cinema. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which was later awarded to two of this three sons too.
His eldest son Raj Kapoor was born in 1924 and three years later the family moved to Bombay.

Harishchandra Taramati

This 1963 movie was directed by BK Adarsh and starred Prithviraj as Harishchandra and Jayamala as Taramati, his wife.
I would have loved to give you the song Jagat bhar ki roshni ke liye Suraj re tu jalte rehna except for the need to have theme-word in the song.

Today, also happens to be the Birth Anniversary of Laxmikant. Laxmikant Pyarelal composed songs for this movie too in 1963, the same year that they composed songs for Parasmani whose song Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye I have given you in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs today.

Except for one song that was penned by Bharat Vyas, all the other songs of the movie were written by Kavi Pradeep; this one too.

The Song

This song was sung too by Kavi Pradeep. Prithviraj didn’t go about singing and dancing in his movies. However, there are many songs picturised on him.

If you know the story of Harishchandra, the king of Ikshvaku dynasty, Harishchandra, in order to honour the word that he gave to Vishwamitra (He was known as Satyavadi), sold off his family, gave away his kingdom and agreed to be a slave.

This song depicts that transformation.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Toot gayi hai mala moti bikhar chale…

टूट गयी है माला २
मोटी बिखर चले दो दिन रह कर
साथ जाने किधर चले टूट गयी है मालामिलन की दुनिया छोड़ चले
ये आज बिरह में सपने २
खोये खोये नैनों में हैं
उजड़े उजड़े सपने २व्याध की गठरी लिए झुकाये नज़र चले
दो दिन रह कर साथ जाने किधर चलेटूट गयी है माला अब तो ये
जग में जियेंगे आँसू पिटे पिटे २जैसी इनपे बीती वैसी और किसी पे न बीते २
कोई मत पूछो इन्हें के ये किस डगर चलेदो दिन रह कर साथ जाने किधर चले
टूट गयी है माला मोटी बिखर चले
दो दिन रह कर साथ जाने किधर

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #36.

Please await Raat or Din Song #37- Gum sum nisha aayi.

 

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 23 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

Last time, I gave you Beautiful Duet #35 – Tu cheez badi hai mast mast. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #36
Teri mehfil mein kismat aajma kar hum bhi dekhenge

Everyone Deserves Shakeel Badayuni

I am so fond of Shakeel Badayuni, my favourite lyricist, that I keep writing something or the other for and of him. On my blog, there is already a post on the unforgettable songs of Mughal-e-Azam (Songs like Mohe panghat pe and Jab pyar kiya to darna kya have inspired other songs, hymns and even movies). However, this qawwali or song must find a mention in the Beautiful Duets series.

There is a saying that in every life a little rain must fall. I feel that in every life, a little of Shakeel must be there; else your life won’t be complete!

Bahar and Anarkali Vying with Each Other for Salim’s Affection
Bahar and Anarkali were two courtesans in the court of Mughal-e-Azam Emperor Akbar. His son Prince Salim Played by Dilip Kumar) had fallen in love with Anarkali (played by Madhubala). However, Bahar (played by Nigar Sultana) still had hopes since she considered herself as the senior and more accomplished courtesan.

This qawwali has both of them openly courting favours from him. They have Minoo Mumtaz and Vijay Chaudhary (of Satta Bazar fame: Tumhen yaad hoga kabhi hum mile the) in their chorus.

Lata Mangeshkar sang for Madhubala and Shamshad Begum for Nigar Sultana.

The Lyrics

Shakeel’s lyrics, as was the case more often than not, were composed by his mentor Naushad Ali:

(आलाप)
स: तेरी महफ़िल में किस्मत आज़मा कर हम भी देखेंगे
घड़ी भर को तेरे नज़दीक आकर हम भी देखेंगे – २
अजी हां हम भी देखेंगे – २

ल: तेरी महफ़िल में किस्मत आज़मा कर हम भी देखेंगे
तेरे कदमों पे सर अपना झुका कर हम भी देखेंगे – २
अजी हां हम भी देखेंगे – २

स: बहारें आज पैग़ाम-ए-मोहब्बत ले के आई हैं
बड़ी मुद्दत में उम्मीदों की कलियां मुस्कुराई हैं
बड़ी मुद्दत में अजी हां
बड़ी मुद्दत में उम्मीदों की कलियां मुस्कुराई हैं
ग़म-ए-दिल से जरा दामन बचाकर हम भी देखेंगे – २
अजी हां हम भी देखेंगे

ल: अगर दिल ग़म से खाली हो तो जीने का मज़ा क्या है
ना हो खून-ए-जिगर तो अश्क़ पीने का मज़ा क्या है
ना हो खून-ए-जिगर हां हां
ना हो खून-ए-जिगर तो अश्क़ पीने का मज़ा क्या है
मोहब्बत में जरा आँसू बहाकर हम भी देखेंगे – २
अजी हां हम भी देखेंगे

स: मोहब्बत करने वालो का है बस इतना ही अफ़साना
तड़पना चुपके चुपके आहें भरना घुट के मर जाना
तड़पना चुपके चुपके हां हां
तड़पना चुपके चुपके आहें भरना घुट के मर जाना
किसी दिन ये तमाशा मुस्कुरा कर हम भी देखेंगे – २
तेरी महफ़िल में किस्मत आज़मा कर हम भी देखेंगे
अजी हां हम भी देखेंगे

ल: मोहब्बत हमने माना ज़िन्दगी बरबाद करती है
ये क्या कम है के मर जाने से दुनिया याद करती है
ये क्या कम है अजी हां हाँ
ये क्या कम है के मर जाने से दुनिया याद करती है
किसी के इश्क़ में दुनिया लुटाकर हम भी देखेंगे – २
तेरी महफ़िल में किस्मत आज़मा कर हम भी देखेंगे

ल: तेरे कदमों पे सर अपना झुकाकर आ आ …
स: घड़ी भर को तेरे नज़दीक आकर आ आ …
दोनों: तेरी महफ़िल में किस्मत आज़मा कर हम भी देखेंगे
स: अजी हां हम भी देखेंगे
ल: अजी हां हम भी देखेंगे

The Song

So who’s the winner? It is easy to assume that simplicity and devotion wins over resolve and challenge. If Anarkali hadn’t won, we won’t have had this story at all!

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Teri mehfil mein kismat aajma kar hum bhi dekhenge…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #36.

Please await Beautiful Duet #37- Main duniya bhula doonga.

 

RRR Songs (Songs of Regret, Repentance and Ruefulness)

I started this new series on 17 Jan 21 on my Facebook Group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne. My efforts failed to involve people in writing their own stuff about songs and music rather than copying and pasting from here and there or worse, just sharing url of songs from YouTube. Hence, I had decided to give the group a burial that it deserved rather than making it like thousands of groups on Facebook about songs with nothing unique about them at all.

Hence this series shifted to my page Lyrical.

I hope you liked RRR Song #15: Muft huye badnaam. Here is the next song:

Song #16
Maine chand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi

Sahir Ludhianvi Whose Birth Centenary We Celebrate on 08 March 2021

He was born on 08 Mar 1921 in Karimpura, Ludhiana, Punjab. A few years ago NDTV did a debate on who was the best lyricist in Hindi movies: Sahir or Shakeel or Majrooh or Gulzar. It was undecided because each one had (has in case of Gulzar) his strong points. However, one can make out that each one was capable of extraordinary imagination.
Sahir Ludhianvi shares his birth date with the death anniversary of the first woman in Indian movies: Devika Rani who was also the first ever recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest in cinematic excellence.

There were poets and lyricists who would get flashes of extraordinary brilliance. Sahir and these others that I have mentioned, maintained this excellence all throughout.

Sample a few:

Kaun rota hai kisi aur ki khatir ai dil,
sabko apni hi kisi baat pe rona aaya.

Ye duniya jahaan aadami kuchh nahin hai
Wafaa kuchh nahin, dosti kuchh nahin hai
Jahaa pyaar ki kadr hi kuchh nahin hai
Ye duniya agar mil bhi jaaye to kya hai?

Lehron ke hontho pe dheema dheema raag hai
Thandi hawayon mein bheegi bheegi aag hai
Is haseen aag mein tu bhi jal ke dekh le
Zindagi ke geet ki dhun badal ke dekh le
Khulne de ab dhadaknon ki zubaan

Maine jazbaat nibhaaye hain usulon ki jagah
Apne armaan piro laaya hoon phulon ki jagah
Tere sehre ki ye saugaat kise pesh karu
Ye muraadon ki hasin raat kise pesh karun, kise pesh karun?

A mere sampling tells you that Sahir, if not the greatest lyricist ever in Hindi movies, was certainly capable of expressions that are hallmark of the greatest.

This Song

It is from the 1956 movie Chandrakanta starring Bharat Bhushan and Bina Rai. Let’s start with the beauty of the lyrics of this song full of RRR: Regret, Repentance and Ruefulness:

(मैं ने चाँद और सितारों की तमन्ना की थी
मुझको रातों की सियाही के सिवा कुछ न मिला ) – २
मैं ने चाँद सितारों …

मैं वो नग़मा हूँ जिसे प्यार की महफ़िल न मिली
वो मुसाफ़िर हूँ जिसे कोई भी मन्ज़िल न मिली
ज़ख्म पाएं हैं बहारों की तमन्ना की थी
मैं ने चाँद सितारों …

किसी गेसू किसी आँचल का सहारा भी नहीं
रास्ते में कोई धुँधला सा सितारा भी नहीं
मेरी नज़रों ने नज़ारों की तमन्ना की थी
मैं ने चाँद सितारों …

मेरी राहों से जुदा हो गई राहें उनकी
आज बदली नज़र आती हैं निगाहें उनकी
जिससे इस दिल ने सहारों की तमन्ना की थी
मैं ने चाँद सितारों …

प्यार माँगा तो सिसकते हुए अरमान मिले
चैन चाहा तो उमड़ते हुए तूफ़ान मिले
डूबते दिल ने किनारों की तमन्ना की थी
मैं ने चाँद सितारों …

दिल में नाकाम उम्मिदों के बसेरे पाये
रोशनी लेने को निकला तो अंधेरे पाये
रंग और नूर के धारों की तमन्ना की थी
मैं ने चाँद और सितारों …

You will agree with me that very few would be able to write such strong emotions with ease.

Raag Bhimpalasi, Taal Dadra

This song is such a favourite of mine that I had put it up as Song #3 in my Raaga Songs of the Day series.

Bhimpalasi is a raag of the afternoon. Its mood is often an upbeat one (eg, Aaj mere man mein sakhi) before one gets into the sunset, evening and night raagas with their essential sadness.

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

To get the similarity of Raag and Tal, compare it with another favourite of mine: Khilte hain gul yahan khil ke bikharne ko and Hemant Kumar’s Kohra song: O beqraar dil.

Sahir was breaking up with SD Burman at that time (he did so after 1957 movie Pyaasa) and latched on to N Dutta and this beautiful song was thus composed by N Dutta.

The movie

As I mentioned, it is from the 1956 GP Sippy movie Chandrakanta starring Bharat Bhushan and Bina Rai.

Here is the story that enabled this song:

“Veerjal vanqishes Chandrakanta’s (Bina Rai) father and takes over his kingdom. On insisting on seeing the most beautiful girl in the land, he is told it is none other than Chandrakanta. To get her to come to him, he whips her father till Chandrakanta voluntarily comes to him and executes a dance at the end of which she is unsuccessful in her attempt to kill Veerjal. He responds by killing Chandrakanta’s father in front of her eyes. She escapes swearing revenge. Landing up in a remote ashram, she meets and falls in love with Kunal(Bharat Bhushan). When news reaches her of Veerjal’s increasing tyranny, she remembers her vow and rouses the people against Veerjal. Finally all’s well that ends well as Veerjal is killed and Chandrakanta and Kunal are united.”

My Own Poetry

BEWAFAI KA INTEQAAM

हरदम खुशी की तमन्ना की थी तेरे प्यार में,
ज़िन्दगी भर के ग़म मिल गए उधार में।

खिज़ा आने का इंतज़ार भी ना किया,
हम तो लुट गए काफिला-ए-बहार में।

मुहब्बत में हो गए रुस्वा कुछ इस तरह,
नज़र आने लगी तौहीन-ए-उल्फत हर जगह,

तेरी महफ़िल में बदनाम होना यकीनन था,
हंसने लगे हम पे सब लोग बेवजह।

ना समझे इस में हमारा क्या था कसूर,
मानते हैं मुहब्बत की थी हमने ज़रूर,

पर इसकी इतनी बड़ी मिलेगी सज़ा,
यह बात तो दिल के बहुत ही थी दूर।

हम लेंगे तेरी बेवफाई का इन्तकाम,
तेरी रुसवाई का भी कर लेंगे इंतज़ाम,

फ़ना हो जाएंगे तेरे प्यार में इस कदर,
के लोग तुझको भी कर देंगे बदनाम।

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Maine chand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi…

I hope you liked Song #16 in this series.

Please await Song #17: Bhooli huyi yaadon mujhe.

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Oct 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

I hope you liked my choice for Song #34 – Bus ek chup si lagi hai in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #35.

Song #35
Aaj sajan mohe ang lagalo
Theme-word:: Janam safal ho jaaye

Love, Krishna and Zindagi

From the time I gained consciousness in this world, I noticed that I am a Love person. My life revolves around Love. What I think of Love is way beyond me.

Everything of mine actually reflects this. It is, therefore, not surprising that my favourite avatar of God is Krishna. He descended on earth, from heavens, as a Man, only to teach us Love; so much so that God, Krishna and Love are synonymous. Indeed, looking at His life on earth, you can easily conclude that Love is all that you need to know about God and His Creation.
Yesterday, I was overwhelmed because of Evani Leela’s choices of songs in the three series. This is what she did:

As a Raat or Din song she selected a Surdas bhajan sung by Lata Mangeshkar very very beautifully in Raag Jogkauns: Nis din barsat nain hamare (I have now lost count of the number of times I listened to it since the time she put it up).

As a Beautiful Duet, she put up Aan milo Shyam sung by Geeta Dutt on the lyrics of Sahir and composition of SD Burman in 1955 Bimal Roy movie Devdas. The song is sung by Geeta Dutt and Manna Dey for Nana Paslikar and Dulari as street singers for a young Paro (Parvati) enacted by Baby Naaz. I immediately thought of this song as entirely similar (I had planned to put it up about a month later) to Kaanha re kaanha beautifully rendered by Lata Mangeshkar for the 1970 movie Truck Driver.

Pyaasa – 1957 Movie – And This Song

This is one of the most important songs of the movie Pyaasa, a 1957 movie produced and directed by Guru Dutt. The movie is all about Love. In 2005, Time magazine rated it among the 100 Top Movies of All Times. In 2011, the same Time magazine rated it among the Top 10 Romantic Movies of all time.

This song has outstanding direction. Here is why:

All throughout the movie, Guru Dutt as Vijay is Pyaasa because of the need to be accepted and loved as a poet and as a person. In this song, Waheeda Rehman, as a prostitute Gulabo is the one who suddenly finds herself Pyaasi. It reminds you of Madhumati: मैं नदिया फिर भी मैं प्यासी!

This is what Love can do to you. In its holistic sense, there is no difference between your Love and God (Saanwariya or Krishna). To understand this better, you ought to have a look at the lyrics by Sahir:

सखी री बिरहा के दुखड़े सह सह कर जब राधे बेसुध हो ली
तो इक दिन अपने मनमोहन से जा कर यूँ बोली

आज सजन मोहे अंग लगालो
जनम सफ़ल हो जाये
हृदय की पीड़ा देह की अग्नि
सब शीतल हो जाये

करूं लाख जतन मोरे मन की तपन
मोरे तन की जलन नहीं जाये
कैसी लागी ये लगन कैसी जागी ये अगन
जिया धीर धरन नहीं पाये
प्रेम सुधा … मोरे साँवरिया
प्रेम सुधा इतनी बरसा दो जग जल थल हो जाये
आज सजन …

मोहे अपना बनालो मेरी बाँह पकड़
मैं हूँ जनम जनम की दासी
मेरी प्यास बुझा दो मनहर गिरिधर, प्यास बुझा दो
मैं हूँ अन्तर्घट तक प्यासी
प्रेम सुधा … मोरे साँवरिया
प्रेम सुधा इतनी बरसा दो जग जल थल हो जाये
आज सजन …

कई जुग से हैं जागे
मोरे नैन अभागे) \२
कहीं जिया नहीं लागे बिन तोरे
सुख देखे नहीं आगे \२
दुःख पीछे पीछे भागे
जग सूना सूना लागे बिन तोरे
प्रेम सुधा, मोरे साँवरिया, साँवरिया
प्रेम सुधा इतनी बरसा दो जग जल थल हो जाये
आज सजन …

He was a very spiritual poet and lyricist and these lyrics are regarded by me among his best. For once he wrote entirely about Love though the same movie has any number of his songs about social inequities, his favourite subject.

To add to the outstanding direction, Guru Dutt has facilitated Waheeda expressing her Love emotions through a minstrel (street singer) just as in Devdas. Of course Geeta Dutt who sang for Waheeda in many movies, sang for the street singer in this.

My Own Poetry

My behna Manik Lakhkar Chava, God bless her and her resolve, is writing about Sahir Song A Day for 365 days as countdown to his Birth Centenary on 08 Mar 2021. I wrote a poem a day (of my own). The last few poems are about Love. Here is my 364th poem:

God made with Love His creation,
And then looked at it with elation.
Let Love be everywhere,
And be the answer to a prayer,
And be, of life, the only foundation.

Hence, there is Love in water, wind, earth and sky,
Indeed, in everything in the universe you come by.
It is in all the beings everywhere,
Not meant for possessing but to share,
And we already know that it will never die.

You may love everything and everyone,
But still your job on earth isn’t done.
You need to love the Maker or God,
And His Creation you need to applaud,
That everything, through Love, can be won.

Even God is, to our Love, a slave,
This power to everyone He freely gave:
“Just try Love and get me,
I bow to every loving devotee,
He can be a king and I can be a knave.”

Shailendra, if you recall, called God as तू प्यार का सागर है
तेरी इक बूँद के प्यासे हम!

That’s what this song is all about! Yeh boond mil jaaye to Janam safal ho jaaye. Pyaasa no more!

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Aaj sajan mohe ang laga lo…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #35 in the series.

Please await Song #36 –  Hawas naseeb nazar ko kahin.

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

This is the Song #35 in the series. I hope you liked Song #34 – Ghazab kiya tere waade pe.

Song #35
Yashomati maiya se bole Nandlala
Theme-word: Kali andhiyari raat mein tu aaya

Happy Birthday Padmini Kolhapure – 01 Nov

Raj Kapoor was used to making films that were ahead of their times. Mera Naam Joker was one and this 1978 film Satyam Shivam Sundaram was another.

Roopa (Zeenat Aman had the right side of face and neck burnt by boiling oil when she was a child). She was the daughter of village priest. She was, otherwise, very pretty if one didn’t look at her right side of face which she had become used to keeping covered.

Rajeev (Shashi Kapoor) falls in love with her; more specifically, her beauty until he is face to face (literally) with her burnt and ugly side.

Padmini Kolhapure (13 years old when the movie was released), acted as the child Roopa.

Since, she was the priest’s daughter she was used to singing bhajans and she had a very enchanting voice. Indeed, Rajeev fell in love, first with the beautiful voice and assumed the person with such beautiful voice would be really very beautiful.

Padmini Kolhapure did very well in some of her movies. For example, four years later, she acted in Prem Rog and won the Filmfare Best Actress Award only at the age of 17 years.

Somehow, she didn’t consolidate her success afterwards and just vanished from limelight.

Laxmikant Pyarelal

Pandit Narendra Sharma penned the lyrics and the song was composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal and sung by Lata Mangeshkar for Padmini Kolhapure and Manna Dey for her father.

Raj Kapoor, after the success of his first movie with Shankar Jaikishan had vowed that he wouldn’t make a movie without his favourite music director (known as his “house musicians”). However, Jaikishan died on 12 Sep 1971, at the age of just 41 years and Raj Kapoor then turned to Laxmikant Pyarelal who delivered in the very first movie with him: the 1973 movie Bobby that launched his son Rishi Kapoor. Songs of this movie became as super hits as those of Bobby, especially this one, the title song and Bhor bhaye panghat pe.

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Yashomati maiya se bole Nandlala…

यशोमती मैया से बोले नंदलाला
राधा क्यों गोरी मैं क्यों काला
बोली मुस्काती मैया ललन को बताया
काली अंधियरी आधी रात में तू आया
लाडला कंहैया मेरा काली कमली वाला
इसी लिए काला

बोली मुस्काती मैया सुन मेरे प्यारे
गोरी गोरी राधिका के नैन कजरारे
काले नैनों वाली ने ऐसा जादू डाला
इसी लिए काला

इतने में राधा प्यारी आई इठलाती
मैं ने न जादू डाला बोली बलखाती
मैया कन्हैया तेरा जग से निराला
इसी लिए काला

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #35.

Please await Raat or Din Song #36- Toot gayi hai mala moti.

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 23 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

Last time, I gave you Beautiful Duet #34 – Usko nahin dekha hamne kabhi. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #35
Tu cheez badi hai mast mast

Happy Birthday Raveena Tandon – the “Mast Mast Girl” – 26 October

Divya Bharti was to do this role in 1994 Rajiv Rai movie Mohra. But then she died after just five working days on the movie. In stepped Raveena Tandon and the popularity of this song made her “mast mast girl” virtually overnight. No matter what she did after this song, she is still known by this sobriquet.

Why This Song Became the Most Popular Song of 1994?

Bada is a male fantasy. From the time we were small, we used to boast about ‘My father BIGGER’ and how one thing or the other that we have is actually bigger than others. One commercial ad that capitalised on it was Tata’s OK Soap Ad with the caption: “OK nahane ka bada sabun”. Some of you would recall that.

Anand Bakshi and Viju Shah

Whatever you say, Bada, Badi, Bade has fascination. Hence, in the 1994 Rajiv Rai movie Mohra (some spell it as Mohraa), when Anand Bakshi had to describe the beauty of the woman (in this case Raveena Tandon, the winner of National Films Award for Best Actress for her role in Kalpana Lajmi’s Daman), he didn’t go the Shakeel Badayuni or Sahir Ludhianvi way. He called her a Cheez that is Badi Mast Mast.

Anand Bakshi always had an ear for the changing times and this was the biggest hit song of that year. We simply couldn’t get enough of it!

One reason for the success of the song was not just Anand Bakshi (it is just that Lyrics for me are the Bada part of the songs!). It was music by Viju Shah, the son of Kalyan Virji Shah of Kalyanji Anandji fame. What did he do to compose the song? He took the popular genre of music in temples and especially gurudwaras called Kirtan and composed the song in that. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan had done it for Dam mast qalandar mast mast.

Difference Between Bhajan and Kirtan

Now, many of you, generally understand what a Bhajan is and what Kirtan is. Let me elaborate. Bhajan genre of music came to us through the Bhakti movement and in Hindustani Music, it soon became one of the most popular form of music. It would be a delight to people like Atul Dhabe since as compared to raagas, though Bhajans too would be based on raagas (such as Man tadpat Hari darshan ko aaj is a Bhajan in Raag Malkauns), it has no rigid rules and has freer form.

Now what is the difference between Bhajan and Kirtan. Bhajan can be sing either individually or by the gathering. In a Kirtan, there is a lead voice and the chorus either repeats the lines after the lead singer or sings the alternate lines. One example is the Raag Ramkali in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, especially Mohalla Teeja or as composed by the third guru, Sri Amardas ji. You would have noticed the Kirtan format. The head raagi sings: Anand bhaya meri maaye Satguru main paaya and the congregation sings the next line: Satguru tanh paaya sehaj seti mann wadhiya wadhayiyan. And so on.
Viju Shah took this format to compose the Mohra song and achieved unprecedented success. The reason is not difficult to find; we all resonate with the notes of the Kirtan. Now a secret. Actually, not so much a secret. Which is this: How to make out a Sardar like me? Easy, watch him during Kirtan in a Gurudwara. He would be drumming the floor with his fingers. The Vedic tradition of Kirtan is in the blood of the Sikhs. Indeed, there is a sub-caste of Sikhs called Bedis. They got their name from singing the Vedas (Vedis). In Punjabi, V is pronounced as B and hence Bedis and not Vedis (similar to Guru Gobind Singh ji).

Udit Narayan and Kavita Krishnamurthy

Now what did Udit Narayan and Kavita Krishnamurthy do to the song? They would have been two of the most unlikeliest people for singing Kirtan. However, they did it so well that you feel like singing with them (that’s the effect of Kirtan and how the lead voice or voices of the Raagis inspire you to sing along).

It is my job as an Admin to bring to you different genres of music and to start the day I couldn’t think of anything more different than this.

My Own Poetry

Have a written something in this light-hearted genre’? Well, I guess so!
It is titled: HUSN WAALON KO NA DIL DENA

नींद में आती हो तो नींद हो जाती है दूर,
ख्वाब बन के उठते हैं और हो जाते हैं चूर.

आज तक भूला नहीं है तेरी नज़रों का सरूर,
मैं मदहोश अब भी हूँ, मेरा ही है यह जुनून ओ फितूर.

मुन्तजिर हूँ आज रात मेरे घर आना ज़रूर,
रोशनी के लिए काफी है तेरे चेहरे का नूर.

तेरे इश्क से पहले ना थे हम यूं मजबूर,
तेरे इश्क के बाद हुए हैं अब बेहद्द मश्हूर.

माना हमारा घुट घुट के मरना भी नहीं मन्जूर,
यहाँ हम सज्दे में हैं वहाँ तुम हो मग्रूर.

या खुदा समझ गए तेरी दुनिया का दस्तूर,
कत्ल वह करते गए, ये भी मेरा ही था कसूर.

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen,
Please enjoy Udit Narayan and Kavita Krishnamurthy sing a composition of Viju Shah on the lyrics of Anand Bakshi, in the 1994 Rajiv Rai movie Mohra: Tu cheez badi hai mast mast….

प नि स नि स म प …
तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त मस्त तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त (२)
(नहीं तुझको कोई होश होश – २ ) उसपर जोबन का जोश जोश
नहीं तेरा नहीं तेरा कोइ दोश दोश
मदहोश है तू हर वक्त वक्त
को: तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त मस्त तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त – २
आशिक़ है तेरा नाम नाम – २
दिल लेना देना काम काम
मेरी बाहें मेरी बाहें मत थाम थाम
बदनाम है तू मदमस्त मस्त
तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त मस्त तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त – २
नि स ग म …
बोल ज़रा तू जाने महबूबी मुझमे ऐसी क्या है खूबी – २
तू एक रेशम की डोर डोर तू एक रेशम की डोर डोर
तेरी चाल पे आशिक़ मोर मोर
तेरी ज़ुल्फ़ घनी तेरी ज़ुल्फ़ घनी चितचोर चोर
घनघोर घटा मद मस्त मस्त
तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त मस्त तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त – २
को: प नि स …
ये दिल तेरी आँखों में डूबा बन जा मेरी तू महबूबा – २
मत तीर नजर के मार मार – २
ये चोट लगेगी आर पार
आसान आसान समझ मत यार यार ये प्यार बड़ा है सख्त सख्त
तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त मस्त तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त – २
नहीं तुझको कोई होश होश उसपर जोबन का जोश जोश
नहीं तेरा नहीं तेरा कोई दोश दोश नहीं …
मदहोश है तू हर वक़्त वक़्त
तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त मस्त तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त – २
आशिक़ है तेरा नाम नाम
दिल लेना देना काम काम
मेरी बाहें मेरी मत थाम थाम
बदनाम है तू मदमस्त मस्त
तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त मस्त तू चीज़ बड़ी है मस्त – ४
(aalaap in the background )

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #35.

Please await Beautiful Duet #36- Teri mehfil mein kismat.