Category: Poems and Lyrics

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 #11: Jis dil mein basa tha pyar tera. Here is the next song:

Song #12
Rehte the kabhi jinake dil mein

Mamta – 1966 Movie

The movie happens to have story similar to 1958 Kalidas movie Adalat starring Nargis, Pradeep Kumar and Pran. That movie had some of the greatest songs of Madan Mohan on the lyrics of Rajinder Krishan.

Surprisingly, this one is not a plagiarised story. It is a remake of Asit Sen’s Bengali 1963 movie Uttar Falguni. It appears that women being wrongfully forced into prostitution was a common theme all over India.

This Asit Sen movie (remember Asit Sen? He was the director of Hemant Kumar’s Khamoshi) starred Suchitra Sen as the one forced to become a courtesan after Ashok Kumar’s family refused to own her up after Ashok Kumar left for England to get education to become a barrister.

Until that time, to become a barrister was thought of as a noble profession for the intellectual. We had the most famous barrister of them all: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who was so noble that he is addressed as Mahatma (Saint). Nowadays, law is considered an outlet for those who want to make quick buck at the expense of others.

Similarly, courtesans are nowadays the women of worthless character and morals.

Nihar Ranjan Gupta and Krishan Chander wrote the story and in the final stages gave it a twist from Adalat by having a child who was never to be seen earlier and thus justifying the name Mamta.

Courtesans and prostitutes with golden heart are an obsession with Hindi films industry and everyone is happy with the situation especially lyricists and music directors.

Majrooh and Roshan

This movie had Majrooh and Roshan doing to its songs what Rajinder Krishan and Madan Mohan did to Adalat songs. They made the following:

1. “Chahe To Mera Jiya Lele” Lata Mangeshkar
2. “Chupa Lo Yun Dil Mein Pyar Mera” Lata Mangeshkar, Hemant Kumar
3. “Hum Gavanwa Na Jayibe Ho” Lata Mangeshkar
4. “Rahen Na Rahen Hum (solo)” Lata Mangeshkar
5. “Rahen Na Rahen Hum (duet)” Mohammed Rafi, Suman Kalyanpur
6. “Rahte The Kabhi Jinke” Lata Mangeshkar
7. “In Baharon Mein” Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle

Majrooh has laid nice and thick whilst writing the lyrics; her hopelessness is adequately laced with self pity:

रहते थे कभी जिनके दिल में
हम जान से भी प्यारों की तरह
बैठे हैं उन्ही के कूचे में
हम आज गुनहगारों की तरह – २

दावा था जिन्हें हमदर्दी का
खुद आके न पूछा हाल कभी – २
महफ़िल में बुलाया है हम पे – २
हँसने को सितमगारों की तरह – २
रहते थे…

बरसों से सुलगते तन मन पर
अश्कों के तो छींटे दे ना सके – २
तपते हुए दिल के ज़ख्मों पर – २
बरसे भी तो अंगारों की तरह – २
रहते थे…

सौ रुप धरे जीने के लिये
बैठे हैं हज़ारों ज़हर पिये – २
ठोकर ना लगाना हम खुद हैं – २
गिरती हुई दीवारों की तरह – २
रहते थे…

My Own Poetry

WAQT GAYA BAAT GAYI

बातों बातों में बात निकल जाती है,
वह मिलते नहीं, मुलाकात निकल जाती है।

इंतज़ार करते करते आंख कुछ ऐसे लगे,
खुलते ही देखा हैयात निकल जाती है।

सदियों से पड़े हैं तन्हा और बेकसी में,
लोग क्यूं कहते हैं मजबूरी ए हालात निकल जाती है?

घर के सामने खड़े थे उनकी उम्मीद में हम,
वह नहीं निकले पर बारात निकल जाती है।

सामने होंगें तो ज़रूर पूछूंगा ऐ खुदा,
मुझे अकेला छोड़ के कहां कायनात निकल जाती है?

जब भी भीगने की ख्वाहिश उठी, रवि,
उसी वक़्त देखा बरसात निकल जाती है।

The Song

Lata Mangeshkar has sung it as well as any of Adalat songs.

Please enjoy: Rehte the kabhi ham jinake dil mein…

I hope you liked Song #12 in this series.

Please await Song #13: Woh jo milate the kabhi.

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 #30 – Har khushi ho wahan tu jahan in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #31.

Song #31
Aapki nazaron ne samajha
Theme-word: Has ke apni zindagi mein kar liye shaamil mujhe

Anpadh – The Way We Treated Women

This 1962 movie directed by Mohan Kumar (almost all his movies starting with the letter A such as Aas Ka Panchhi, Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Aap Ki Parchhayiyan, Aman, Anjana, Aap Aaye Bahar Aayi, Avtar, Amba, All Rounder and Amrit (This is a fad in Hindi films industry; numerology and astrology plays a big role in selecting titles of movies), reflected the way we treated women. Being literate wasn’t considered necessary as long as they were well versed in wifely duties (cooking and embroidery and keeping a good and clean house). In this movie, Balraj Sahni as the brother of Mala Sinha felt that as long as they had enough money, being uneducated wasn’t important.

He was wrong. She married Dharmendra, who himself and his family, laid a great store for education. The moment they found out, after wedding, that Mala Sinha was Anpadh, they looked down on her completely and she became a pariah at home.

Only, Dharmendra was not just educated but kind-hearted too. He took pity on her and started teaching and loving her. And that’s how this song came about.

Madan Mohan and Raja Mehdi Ali Khan

Madan Mohan was the Music Director for women. He made some of the most memorable songs Lata Mangeshkar (who was very fond of “Madan bhaiya”). I feel that in the top ten songs of Lata composed by Madan Mohan, these are equally divided between Rajinder Krishan and Raja Mehdi Ali Khan as lyricists; both of them being extraordinarily aligned to the emotions of women. If Raja would have Lag jaa gale ke phir, Rajinder Krishan would have Unako ye shikayat hai ke ham kuchh nahin kehte. Outstanding combinations both.

This one was penned by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and Lata Mangeshkar herself has acknowledged this to be among her top songs.

Raag and Tal

Madan Mohan was very fond of Raaga based songs, eg, Lata’s favourite in Bhimpalasi: Naino mein badra chhaye. If at all he was inclined more towards a Raag, I feel it was Dardari. Here is why: In Aap Ki Parchhayiyan, he had two songs on same raag: Agar mujhase mohabbat hai and Main nigaahen tere chehre se hatayun kaise.

Therefore, it is not surprising, that for this song he chose Adana, which is, the way Madan Mohan composed it, as close to Darbari as possible. Try singing all the three songs and you’ll know what I have brought out.

The Tal here is Rupaktal.

I have given you, in my Raaga based series, two songs in Adana: Manmohan mein ho tumhi (Tintal) and Ai dil mujhe aisi jagah le chal (Kaherava) and you’d know that Aap ki nazazron ne samajha sounds different.

The only thing that I know about Rupaktal I have learnt from Anand Desai who, for reasons known best to him, has distanced himself for the last two years. Whereas Tintal is symmetrical (each vibhag of four is similar; 16 beats symmetrically arranged in four)), Rupaktal has the vibhags different (seven beats in three vibhags and starting one is not Taali but Khaali (Wave and not a clap).

Lyrics

Lyrics for me are even more important than compositions. Here are these penned by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan (He introduced ‘Aap’ in his songs):

आप की नज़रों ने समझा, प्यार के काबिल मुझे
दिल की ऐ धड़कन ठहर जा, मिल गई मंज़िल मुझे
आप की नज़रों ने समझा

जी हमें मंज़ूर है, आपका ये फ़ैसला – २
कह रही है हर नज़र, बंदा-परवर शुकरिया
दो जहाँ की आज खुशियाँ हो गईं हासिल मुझे
आप की नज़रों ने समझा …

आप की मंज़िल हूँ मैं मेरी मंज़िल आप हैं – २
क्यूँ मैं तूफ़ान से डरूँ मेरे साहिल आप हैं
कोई तूफ़ानों से कह दे, मिल गया साहिल मुझे
आप की नज़रों ने समझा …

पड़ गई दिल पर मेरी, आप की पर्छाइयाँ – २
हर तरफ़ बजने लगीं सैकड़ों शहनाइयाँ
हँसके अपनी ज़िंदगी में, कर लिया शामिल मुझे
आप की नज़रों ने समझा …

My Own Poetry

Aapke Ehsaano Ki Hadd Paar Ho Gayi

आप के एहसानो की हद्द पार हो गयी,
गरीब की यह दुनिया माला – माल हो गयी

तन्हाईयों की दौलत का न था नाम – ओ – निशाँ,
अब यूं मिली है कि शाम शर्मसार हो गयी

यूं तो ज़िन्दगी में ग़म यहाँ वहां पढ़े थे,
तुमने दिए कुछ ऐसे कि ग़म – ए – बहार हो गयी

अपने ही अश्क़ों की कीमत का न था हमें एहसास,
आँख खुश्क हुई तो देखा तंग – हाल हो गयी

मासूमियत – ए – मोहब्बत पे बहुत नाज़ था हमें,
तेरी महफ़िल में जाने क्यों गुनाहगार हो गयी

दिल की धड़कन को अपनी ज़मानत समझते थे,
रफ्ता रफ्ता वह भी तेरी तरफदार हो गयी

सोचता हूँ, रवि, कैसे बचा रखूं इसे,
मेरी ज़िन्दगी की दौलत सर – ए – बाज़ार हो गयी

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Aap ki nazaron ne samajha pyar ke kabil mujhe…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #31 in the series.

Please await Song #32 –  Aaja ke intezaar mein.

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 #31 in the series. I hope you liked Song #30 – Jab raat nahin katati.

Song #31
Raaton ko chori chori bole mera kangana
Theme-word:In the mukhada itself

SH Bihari – OP Nayyar – Asha Bhosle

It is rare for me to give you a song that has the theme-word in the mukhada itself. However, I have been meaning to put up this song for some time now.

I have liked all the lyrics of Shamsul Huda Bihari; particularly those that have been composed by OP Nayyar. One straightway thinks of Kashmir Ki Kali, Ek Mussafir Ek Hasina, Sawan Ki Ghata, and Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi.

OP Nayyar. of course, is best remembered for his songs with horse-trot beat such as Maang ke saath tumhara, Laakhon hain yahan dilwale and Phir wohi dil laya hoon. His movies had the largest number of hit and super hit songs. He claimed not to know much about raagas and the like and yet some of his songs were very well composed in raagas; his favourite being Raag Peelu or Pilu and next favourite being Pahadi.

He refused to have Lata sing any of his songs and hence Asha Bhosle was the hot favourite with him together with Geeta Dutt and Shamshad Begum.

Mohabbat Zindagi Hai – 1966 Movie

This movie was directed by Jagdish Nirula and starred Dharmendra, Rajshree, Chand Usmani and Mehmood.

The story was very interesting indeed. Rajshree’s father passes away and it is revealed in his will that Rajshree would inherit his property if she’d marry within three months of his dying.

She has a quick way out. She selects Dharmendra as an opportune husband because he is on the death row and would die and she would enjoy the riches of her dad without being encumbered by her spouse.

However, Dharmendra is pardoned and is free to go and that makes the background of the story to follow.

I have not been able to make out anywhere (since I didn’t see the movie) as to how Chand Usmani is singing this song at one end and on the other end Rajshree is in her bed. If any of you have seen the movie, please thrown some light on it.

The Song

I have always been fond of OP Nayyar’s compositions. He has done an exceedingly good job here to make it into a memorable song, Of course, SH Bihari’s lyrics are extraordinary:

रातो को चोरी चोरी बोले
मोरा कगना…
अब के जो बरखा आयी आएगे
सजना…
रातो को चोरी चोरी बोले
मोरा कगना…

कैसी अनोखी प्यारी होगी
वो राते
जबकि पिया से होगीे
मनवा की बाते…
दो चॉद चमकेगे मोरी
अटरिया …-२
एक तो कबर मे होगा दुजा
मोरे अगना
रातो को चोरी चोरी बोले
मोरा कगना…

विरहा अगन बैरी मन को
जलाय-२
बरखा की रिमझिम आग
लगाये
बदरो से केहदे कोइ अब के
बरसिया…-२
आ जाये सइया घर तो जम के
बरसना
रातो को चोरी चोरी बोले
मोरा कगना…
अब के जो बरखा आयी आएगे
सजना…

My Own Poetry

Raat Se Nahin Badalte Haalaat

कसम है तुम्हारी ऐसा लगा कल रात,
जैसे हमारे प्यार में कुछ बने यूँ हालात;
चांद से तुम उतरी, मैं ज़मीन से उठा,
फलक पे हमारी हो गयी मुलाकात।

दिल धड़कने की आवाज़ बनी शहनाई,
साथ में थी हसीं चांदनी की बारात,
फरिश्तों ने बरसाए फूल कई रंग के,
दुल्हन की तरह सजी थी सारी कायनात।

दिल की उमंगे कुछ इस कदर थी बुलंद,
लब खुले पर हो न पाई कोई बात;
बादल गरजे, बिजली चमकी और ऐसा लगा,
थमेगी न कभी इश्क़ की बरसात।

और फिर….

बिखर गए ख्वाब, टूट गए सपने,
तन्हाई की फिर से हो गयी शुरुआत;
हम वहीं खड़े थे जहां तुमने फना किये थे,
रफ्ता रफ्ता गुंचा-ए-दिल-ए-जज़्बात।

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Raaton ko chori chori bole mera kangana…

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #31.

Please await Raat or Din Song #32- Tera jaana.

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 #30 – Ye dil deewana hai. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #31
Dekho mausam kya bahaar hai

Our Fascination for Western Tunes/Instruments

The musical heritage that India has is by far the oldest in the world. However, our fascination for Western things is really fascinating. We copy (plagiarise) tunes and introduce Western concepts in our songs at the drop of the hat; or more appropriately the drop of the Gandhi topi.

Having been married to a Catholic, Jim Reeves was a favourite singer in our household. Year after year, he was popular with us for Christmas carols. In addition to Christmas carols, his other songs were popular with us and the one song that used to play over and over again in our house was Bimbo.

Having been written in 1948 and popularised by Jim Reeves in 1953, its popularity was never on the fade.

Chitragupt was one Music Director who was known for fusion; I have already given you his fusion song Jodi hamari jamega kaise Jani? Just like all our MDs (without exception) he wasn’t beyond copying tunes from abroad. He just lifted the tune for Dekho mausam kya bahaar hai from Bimbo:

Bimbo, Bimbo, where ya gonna go-e-o
Bimbo, Bimbo, whatcha gonna do-e-o
Bimbo, Bimbo, does your mommy know
That you’re goin’ down the road to see a little girleo.

Opera House – 1961

Not just foreign tunes and instruments, we were taking large strides into movies with English names: China Town, Modern Girl, Railway Platform, House Full and even Dream Sequence.

Opera House was one such murder mysteries that we were churning out dime a dozen. B Saroja Devi is an actress of Tamil, Kannada and Telugu movies and took a plunge in Hindi movies with a family drama in 1960: Sasural wherein she acted with Rajendra Kumar.

In PL Santoshi’s Opera House too he started out being the typical Indian woman called Saroj from my behna Manik Lakhkar Chava’s home place Nagpur. She seeks job in Bombay as a singer/dancer. Later she becomes Mary D’Souza when she is back in Nagpur. In Bombay itself, she had fallen in love with Ajit Rai (Ajit). He comes chasing her in Nagpur and discovers that she is now Mary D’Souza. Why? The poor girl had seen the murder of Chunilal and the killers are after her! This theme was repeated in Hindi movies so many times that Guineess people approached Hindi movies that this must be a world record for using the same theme in hundreds of movies. By the time, we tricked the Guinness people by changing the name of Hindi movies to Bollywood!

Majrooh, Chitragupt, Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar

Majrooh didn’t allow himself into being typified; from a typical Urdu poet he often went into all kinds of songs whether Western or Indian.

To give credit to Chitragupt, he made this too into fusion song for the stanzas are totally in Indian tune after the mukhada being copy of Bimbo by Jim Reeves.

Mukesh sang for Ajit and Lata Mangeshkar for B Saroja Devi and truly a magical duet was produced.

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Dekho mausam, kya bahar hai…

मु : देखो मौसम
ल : क्या बहार है
मु : सारा आलम
ल : बेक़रार है
मु : ऐसे में क्यूँ हम
ल : दीवाने हो जाएं ना
छलकी-छलकी
मु : चाँदनी भी है
ल : हल्की-हल्की
मु : बेखुदी भी है
ल : ऐसे में क्यूँ हम
मु : यहीं पर खो जाएं ना

ल : गाती सी हर साँस में बजती सी शहनाइयाँ
मु : साया दिल पे डालती तारों की परछाइयाँ
ल : झांके चन्दा
मु : आसमान से
ल : छेड़े हमको
मु : जान-जान के
ल : ऐसे में क्यूँ हम …

मु : दरिया की हर मौज में अरमानों का ज़ोर है
ल : दिलवालों के गीत का लहका-लहका शोर है
मु : लहरें डोलें
ल : झूम-झूम के
मु : साहिल का मुँह
ल : चूम-चूम के
मु : ऐसे में क्यूँ हम …

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #31.

Please await Beautiful Duet #32- Ishaaron ishaaron mein dil lene waale.

 

 

 

 

 

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 #10: Aakhri geet mohabbat ka suna loon to chalun. Here is the next song:

Song #11
Jis dil mein basa tha pyar tera

Saheli – 1965 Movie

It was an Arjun Hingorani movie starring Pradeep Kumar as Kailash, Kalpana as Reshma and Vijaya Choudhary as Bela.

The songs of the movie were penned by Indeevar and composed by Kalyanji Anandji.

1. Jis Dil Me Basa Tha Pyar Tera Us Dil Ko Kabhi Ka Tod Diya (Male) Mukesh
2. Itna To Keh Do Humse Tumse Bhi Pyar Hai Lata Mangeshkar, Hemant Kumar
3. Bahane Kyo Karti Ho Hampe Tum Bhi Marti Ho Mohammed Rafi
4. Jis Dil Me Basa Tha Pyar Tera Us Dil Ko Kabhi Ka Tod Diya (Female) Lata Mangeshkar
5. Khushi Bhi Aayi To Kuch Aisi Adaa Se Aayi Lata Mangeshkar
6. Kaahe Tu Been Bajaye Lata Mangeshkar

As you can make out the this song sung by Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar separately was the best song of the movie.

Lyrics

Indeevar had written the lyrics at a time when he used to write very good and sensitive lyrics and when he hadn’t tied up with Bappi Lahiri to write some 500 trash songs for him for the lure of money.

Here are the most beautiful lyrics:

जिस दिल में बसा था प्यार तेरा
उस दिल को कभी का तोड़ दिया, हाय, तोड़ दिया
बदनाम न होने देंगे तुझे
तेरा नाम ही लेना छोड़ दिया, हाय, छोड़ दिया
जिस दिल में बसा था प्यार तेरा

जब याद कभी तुम आओगे
समझेंगे तुम्हें चाहा ही नहीं
राहों में अगर मिल जाओगे
सोचेंगे तुम्हें देखा ही नहीं
जो दर पे तुम्हारे जाती थीं
उन राहों को हमने छोड़ दिया हाय, छोड़ दिया
जिस दिल में बसा था प्यार तेरा

हम कौन किसी के होते हैं
कोई हमको याद करेगा क्यूं
अपने दो आंसू भी हम पर
कोई बरबाद करेगा क्यूं – २
उस मांझी को भी गिला हमसे
मंझधार में जिसने छोड़ दिया, हाय, छोड़ दिया
जिस दिल में बसा था प्यार तेरा …

Raag Bhairavi

We have seen the handling of Raag Bhairavi by Jaikishan (SJ fame). Here it is Kalyanji Anandji who have thought of Bhairavi to compose it.

Mukesh

When it comes to RRR songs or Songs of Regret, Repentance and Ruefulness, one singer that comes to mind is Mukesh. He was the best in this genre’. Here too he has done a remarkably beautiful job of it.

My Own Poetry

MUFT HUYE BADNAAM

जिन के लिए हम हो गए बदनाम,
उन्हें याद भी नहीं हमारा नाम।

“कौन हो तुम, क्या चाहते हो?”
उनके लबों से सुना यह पयाम।

आपको आंच न आने देंगे,
दूर से ही हम करते हैं सलाम।

गलती हमने प्यार में कर ली,
कभी न सोचा था अंजाम।

पहले पता होता तो कभी न करते,
ऐसा एहसान फरामोश यह काम।

प्लीज हमें अब माफ करो जी,
इश्क़ का नहीं लेंगे कभी भी नाम।

नज़्म लिखते लिखते हो गयी,
सुबह से अब अंधेरी शाम।

रवि हमारा नाम था लेकिन,
आपने बना दिया गुमनाम।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Jis dil mein basa tha pyar tera…

I hope you liked Song #11 in this series.

Please await Song #12: Rehte the kabhi jinke dil 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 #29 – Mohabbat ki jhooti kahani pe roye in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #30.

Song #30
Har khushi ho wahan tu jahan bhi rahe
Theme-word: Zindagi ho wahan tu jahan bhi rahe

Being a Woman

My association with women (particularly my mom) has taught me that being a woman is the most difficult task on earth. I have penned several poems on the subject.

There is this current trend to treat them as equals. I disagree. How can a woman be treated as an equal (as if doing a favour to her) when, for all intents and purposes she is greater. I recall when mom and us used to climb hills. On return we would all be fatigued. Not she; she would have to cook for all of us. These days – indeed, all these years – I am trying to follow in her footsteps and become the stronger gender and still be full of love and sacrifice.

My favourite book, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, describes the purest form of Love for God as from a Woman towards her Man. I entirely agree.

With this small introduction, please read the lyrics of this song penned by Prem Dhawan. He is at the border and see what she wishes and prays for him (only a woman can do so. I have highlighted the part that tugs at my emotions):

हर ख़ुशी हो वहां
तू जहां भी रहे
हर ख़ुशी हो वहां
तू जहां भी रहे
ज़िन्दगी हो वहाँ
तू जहां भी रहे
हर ख़ुशी हो वहाँ
तू जहां भी रहे

ये अँधेरे मुझे
हो हो हो
ओ ओ ओ
ये अँधेरे मुझे
इस लिए हैं पसंद
इन में साया भी अपना
दिखाई न दे
इन में साया भी अपना
दिखाई न दे
रौशनी हो वहाँ
रौशनी हो वहाँ
रौशनी हो वहाँ
तू जहां भी रहे
ज़िन्दगी हो वहाँ
तू जहां भी रहे
हर ख़ुशी हो वहाँ
तू जहां भी रहे

चाँद धुँधला सही
हो हो हो
ओ ओ ओ
चाँद धुँधला सही
ग़म नहीं है मुझे
तेरी रातों पे रातों का साया न हो
तेरी रातों पे रातों का साया न हो
चांदनी हो वहाँ
चांदनी हो वहाँ
चांदनी हो वहाँ
तू जहां भी रहे
ज़िन्दगी हो वहाँ
तू जहां भी रहे
हर ख़ुशी हो वहाँ
तू जहां भी रहे.

Bozo’s First Desh-Prem Movie

The 1967 movie Upkar was Bozo’s first desh-prem movie. The emotive reception to it goaded him to make himself into Bharat (the role he played in this) and laugh all the way to the bank besides being considered for Dadasaheb Phalke Award. The theme was so emotional that bad acting didn’t come in the way of its resounding success.

Yesterday only I mentioned to Evani Leela that Bozo also ensured that his movies had the best songs and so did Upkar. His in-your-face patriotism, therefore, was ably supported by excellent songs.

Indeed, much after the movie, when asked to comment upon his favourite scene in the movie, he mentioned about this song. A woman can do wonders. If you think I am overdoing it, I shall like to remind you that when a woman and her infant were buried in a rubble in an earthquake in USSR and they were rescued more than 48 hours later, she had kept her infant alive by feeding it her own blood. That’s a woman for you. Weaker sex? Haha.

The Song

It was put together by Prem Dhawan, Kalyanji Anandji and Lata Mangeshkar singing for Asha Parekh praying for Bozo.

My Own Poetry

I have taken the title from a famous dialogue of the movie Anand:

“Babumoshai, Zindagi Aur Maut Uparwale Ke Haath Mein Hai Jahanpanah”

जाने कब सांस रुक जाए, गर्म खून हो जाए सर्द?
यह जो महल हमने बनाये हैं, कब हो जाएँ गर्द?
जाने कब फरमान आ जाए मौत के शेहन-शाह का?
कौन जाने कहाँ है मुकाम ज़िन्दगी की राह का?

तिनका तिनका बटोर कर बनाया है जो आशियां,
हमसफ़र ओ रहबरों का बढ़ता हुआ ये कारवां,
कठपुतलियां हैं सब, जाने किस को वह उठा ले?
आज, कल या परसों, कब, कैसे, कहाँ?

मजबूरी ओ उदासी ने बाँध दिए हैं हाथ,
दोस्तों और आशिकों का है पल दो पल का साथ;
अभी तो सुहाना दिन है, रंग है और नूर है,
जाने कब बन जाए यह सियाह अँधेरी रात?

आज हमारी बज़म से जाने कहाँ वह जाते हैं?
कल हम ज़ुबान थे, आँख अब चुराते हैं,
मेला है भाई, भीड़ में भी सब अकेले हैं,
दुनिया यूँ ही चलती है, लोग आते हैं, जाते हैं I

यही हकीकत है तो आता है ख्याल मन में,
क्यों ना खुशियों के बूटे उगाएं दिल के आँगन में?
दोस्ती हो सबसे दुश्मनी का नाम ही न हो,
सब ही खुश आमदीद हों अपने नशेमन में I

ज़िन्दगी मिल जुल के प्यारी ओ हसीन हो,
दोस्तों की यादें खूबसूरत और रंगीन हों,
ज़िन्दगी ज़िंदादिली से जियें हम ऐसे,
के मौत को भी हमारी ज़िन्दगी पर यकीन हों I

ज़ेहन में न रंजिश किसी के वास्ते हो,
“छोटी सी ये दुनिया, पहचाने रास्ते” हों,
वफायें हों, जफाओं से कोई नाता ही न हो,
दिल में गर्माहट हर किसी के वास्ते हो I

मौत के फ़रिश्ते को पुर उम्मीद मिलें हम,
वक़्त आने पे हमारे हँसते हुए निकले दम,
छोड़ जाएँ खुशियां सब अपनों के लिए,
न आंसू हों, न पशेमानी, न ख़ौफ हो, न ग़म I

ऐ खुदा, तेरा ‘रवि’ हर दम तैयार हो,
मुस्कराते ले जाना, न के जब बिमार हो,
जीते जी मेरे अपनों का हो घर संसार,
मेरे मरने पे भी उनकी ज़िन्दगी में बहार हो I

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Har khushi ho wahan, Tu jahan bhi rahe….

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #30 in the series.

Please await Song #31 –  Aapki nazaron ne samajha.

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 #30 in the series. I hope you liked Song #29 – Savere wali gaadi se chale jaayenge.

Song 30
Jab raat nahin katati, Ek raat nahin katati, Zindagi kaise kategi?

A Zindagi Song as Raat Song

The other day, I preferred to put Farida Khannum’s Aaj jaane ki zidd na karo as Zindagi song and not as Raat song. That’s because whilst Fayaz Hashmi talked about Raat, his lesson or focus was life.

In this song, I feel the focus is Raat.

A friend of mine would have killed two birds with one stone and put it up as a song in both the series. Busy people do have their ways. Thank God, I never was too busy to see things.

Lata Mangeshkar, Qamar Jalalabadi and Hansraj Behl

My dad was very fond of Hansraj Behl. He used to sing this song even though it was a female song (Lata Mangeshkar singing for Bina Rai). Two years later we saw Bhangra, the Punjabi movie and then my dad’s adoration for Hansraj Behl went up to zenith. The fact is that even I recall most of the songs of Bhangra, thanks to my dad.

This song was penned by Qamar Jalalabadi.

Changez Khan – 1957 Movie

It was a Kedar Kapoor movie made during the times when we went out and explored the world to make Hindi movies; eg, Kabuli Khan about Afghani immigrants, Yahudi about the condition of Jews in Rome and so on.

Changez Khan had Sheikh Mukhtar in the title role. After a military campaign against the Tatars, the Mongols under Changez Khan (Genghis Khna) gather in their camp and look at the loot and prisoners: young men and women.

Changez is not satisfied since he had fallen in love with Tatar princess Azra (Bina Rai). So besotted is he with her that he is ready to lay waste everything in order to get her.

He lets out a reign of tyranny against the Tatars so as to win Azra. Tatar Commander is Sherwa (Prem Nath) is captured by him but escapes.

Finally one day he takes some women prisoners and Azra is one of them. He is overjoyed but it turns out that she is Azra’s twin sister: Zohra.

Finally, after a long winding story he has Azra and offers that he would give up his tyrannical ways if she should marry him.

The song, for you, is the hint.

The Song

All four deserve credit for the song: Here are the lyrics of Qamar Jalalabadi:

जब रात नहीं कटती
एक रात नहीं कटती
ज़िन्दगी कैसे कटेगी

जो आग़ लगी दिल में, अश्क़ों ने बुझाई है,
अश्क़ोन ने जो भड़काई आग़ वो कैसे बुझेगी

दे-दे के हमें आँसू, ये दुनिया ख़ुशी मांगे,
जो शाख़ से टूटी हो, कली वो कैसे खिलेगी

ऐ दर्द ज़रा दम ले, मरने की दुआ कर लूँ,
गर हम न मिटे ऐ दिल, मौत फिर कैसे जियेगी

Hansraj Behl’s composition is simply awesome and so is Lata’s singing. Bina Rai of Anarkali fame enacted it.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Jab raat nahin katati, Ek raat nahin katati, Zindagi kaise kategi…

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #30.

Please await Raat or Din Song #31- Raaton ko chori chori.

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 #29 – Pyar hua iqraar hua. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #30
Yeh dil deewana hai, dil to deewana hai

Ishq Par Zor Nahin

It was a 1970 Ramesh Saigal movie. Who was Ramesh Saigal? He was the one who gave us 1948 Dilip Kumar – Kamini Kaushal starrer Shaheed with the popular Raja Mehdi Ali Khan song: Watan ki raah mein watan ke naujwan shaheed hon. He also gave us 1950 spy thriller Samadhi starring Ashok Kumar and Nalini Jaywant, 1953 Dilip Kumar starrer Shikast with Shankar Jaikishan’s music and Wjahat Mirza’s story and dialogues, 1955 Sunil Dutt starrer Railway Platform, 1958 Raj Kapoor starrer Phir Subah Hogi with Sahr’s inspirational song Woh subah kabhi to aayegi, 1961 movie Shola Aur Shabnam with my all time favourite song Jeet hi lenge baazi hum tum and Jaane kya dhoondati rehti hain and then this movie in 1970; ie, nnine years after his last one: Shola Aur Shabnam.

Ramesh Saigal managed three things in the movie:

1. The only movie in which Sadhana starred with Dharmendra.
2. The only movie in which Biswajeet starred with Sadhana.
3. One of the 13 movies in which Anand Bakshi wrote songs for SD Burman to compose; AB had Laxmikant Pyarlelal compose his songs in 302 movies; a record for any pairing of lyricist with MD.

And She Married the Postman!

We used to have a joke about a lover writing love letters to his beloved that were delivered by the same postman. Every time the postman delivered the love-letter, she started liking him more and more and finally married him.

In this movie too, Biswajeet is a rich guy. He is to marry Sadhana and she too knows it. However, Biswajeet asks his poor friend Dharmendra to write his love letters for him. Sadhana mistakenly believed that Dharmendra, the writer of these mails is actually her intended lover and falls for him. After that, well, ishq par zor nahin.

The first time he is devising the love letter for his friend is through a song Mehbooba teri tasveer kis tarah main banayun? Since Biswajeet’s vehicle is parked where Dharmendra is singing the product of his imagination, she, Sadhana, takes it for granted that that’s her intended life partner and falls for him.

This Song

This duet has been sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar; the best pair for duets. It was composed as a rare song by Sachin Dev Burman who introduced Santoor for the first time in any movie until then. The lyrics and composition are thus unique.

The actors have to rely on just histrionics as there is very limited body movement. She was in any case expert in this a la Lag ja gale with Bozo. He (Dharmendra) had mastered this too in, say, Jaane kya dhoondati rehti hain early in his career. The result is sheer magic. The song transports you to another world.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Yeh dil deewana hai, dil to deewana hai…

ये दिल दीवाना है, दिल तो दीवाना है
दीवाना दिल है ये दिल दीवाना

कैसा बेदर्दी है, इसकी तो मर्ज़ी है
जब तक जवानी है, ये रुत सुहानी है
नज़रें जुदा ना हों, अरमां खफ़ा ना हों
दिलकश बहारों में, छुपके चनारों में
यूं ही सदा हम तुम, बैठे रहें गुमसुम
वो बेवफ़ा जो कहे हमको जाना है ये दिल,
ये दिल दिवाना है …

बेचैन रहता है, चुपके से कहता है
मुझको धड़कने दो, शोला भड़कने दो
काँटों में कलियों में, साजन की गलियों में
फ़ेरा लगाने दो, छोड़ो भी जाने दो
खो तो न जाऊंगा, मैं लौट आऊंगा
देखा सुने समझे अच्छा बहाना है ये दिल,
ये दिल दिवाना है …

सावन के आते ही, बादल के छाते ही
फूलों के मौसम में, फूलों के मौसम में
चलते ही पुरवाई, मिलते ही तन्हाई
उलझाके बातों में, कहता है रातों में
यादों में खो जाऊं, जल्दी से सो जाऊं
क्योंके साँवरिया को सपनों में आना है ये दिल,
ये दिल दिवाना है …

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #30.

Please await Beautiful Duet #31- Dekho mausam kya bahar hai.

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 #9: Woh tere pyar ka gham. Here is the next song:

Song #10
Aakhri geet mohabbat ka suna loon to chalun

Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and Madan Mohan

If you look up the You Tube, you would find that some of the most popular and best songs of Lata Mangeshkar have been crafted by the duo. Lets recall songs like Lag jaa gale se of Mera Saya, Agar mujhase mohabbat hai of Aap Ki Parchhayiyan and Aapki nazaron ne samajha pyar ke kabil mujhe of Anpadh.

Raja Mehdi Ali Khan replaced Tum with a respectful Aap in his songs; eg, Phir aapke naseeb mein yeh raat ho na ho and Aapki nazaron ne samajha.

As far as Madan Mohan is concerned, it is for adequate reason that he was called maestro. It is not just Lata Mangeshkar’s songs composed by him that are popular eg those of Adalat (with Rajinder Krishan) Unako ye shikayat hai, Yun hasaraton ke daag and  Jaana tha hamse door bahane bana liye. It is a fact that some of the best songs of Mohammad Rafi were also composed by him such as Main ye soch kar usake dar se utha tha, Kabhi na kabhi kahin na kahin koi to koi to aayega, and Ek haseen shaam ko dil mera kho gaya.

This too was sung by Mohammad Rafi for Dharmendra as the Dulhan Ek Raat Ki song: Ek haseen shaam ko. This is from the 1965 Rajendra Bhatia movie Neela Aakash with Mala Sinha as Neela and Dharmendra as Aakash and thus the title.

More than anything else, have a look at the most beautiful lyrics:

आखिरी गीत मुहब्बत का सुना लूँ तो चलूँ,
मैं चला जाऊंगा, दो अश्क़ बहा लूँ तो चलूँ,
मैं चला जाऊंगा

आज वो दिन है के तूने मुझे ठुकराया है,
अपना अंजाम इन आँखों को नज़र आया है,
वहशे-ऐ-दिल मैं ज़रा होश में आ लूँ तो चलूँ,
मैं चला जाऊंगा

आज मैं गैर हूँ, कुछ दिन हुए मैं गैर ना था,
मेरी चाहत मेरी उल्फत से तुझे बैर ना था,
मैं हूँ अब गैर यकीं दिल को दिला लूँ तो चलूँ,
मैं चला जाऊंगा

तेरी दुनिया से मैं एक रोज़ चला जाऊंगा,
और गए वक़्त की मानिंद नहीं आऊंगा,
फिर ना आने की क़सम आज मैं खा लूँ तो चलूँ ,
मैं चला जाऊंगा

My Own Poetry

I seem to be having a poem of my own for every song that I have given you.

Here is one:

CHALO INTEZAAR KARTE HAIN

तू भी देखना एक ऐसा भी दिन आएगा,
आंसुओं से मेरे तेरा दिल पिघल जाएगा
मेरी ना श से तुझे कोई शिक्वा ना होगा
तेरे दिन तो क्या जहान संवर जाएगा

प्यार और इश्क़ मुझे करना ही ना था
घुट घुट रोज़ मुझे मरना ही ना था
अब सोचता हूँ क्यों चला गया वहां
तेरी राहों से मुझे गुज़रना ही ना था

सोचा था ज़िन्दगी का हमसफ़र मिला है
मेरी तनहा रातों का सहर मिला है
हम जिसे पीते रहे दवा जान के, ऐ दिल,
अब पता चला के ज़हर मिला है

खैर ग़म- ऐ-इश्क़ की कोई तो होगी मंज़िल
यह बेवफा निकली, यह हर वक़्त रही संगदिल
यह ज़िन्दगी तो रो रोके गुज़ार दी हमने
आने वाली ज़िन्दगी शायद ना हो मुश्किल

चलो इंतजार करते है! चलो इंतज़ार करते हैं!
ठोकर खा चुके हैं फिर भी प्यार करते हैं
तेरे वादे पे तो तमाम उम्र गुज़र गयी लेकिन
हम अब मौत की वफ़ा का ऐतबार करते हैं|

Dharmendra

Many people identify with him as Jatt yamla pagla deewana. However, from a very early stage he has shown a penchant for serious roles and these are most memorable. For example, one of his earlier movies Shola Aur Shabnam had this sad and serious song: Jaane kya dhoondati rehti hain ye aankhen mujh mein. Not just the most handsome man in the Hindi films he was the most intense too. Recall his Anupama song: Yaa dil ki suno duniya waalo. Lets, listen to the voice of his heart.

Please enjoy: Aakhri geet mohabbat ka suna loon to chalun…

I hope you liked Song #10 in this series.

Please await Song #11: Jis dil mein basa tha pyar tera.

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 #28 – Ye raat ye chandni phir kahan in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #29.

Song #29
Mohabbat ki jhooti kahani pe roye
Theme-word: Last line: Jiye to magar zindagani pe roye

Baring My Soul Again

You would notice that it has become a habit with me; once a month I lay bare my soul through a song. You would recall Rahgir song: Tumhare nain dekh ke suna hai log jogi ho gaye. Then you may recall the Aandhi song: Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa to nahin. Both the songs I put up in Raat Or Din songs series.

What is there to notice in this song that stirs such strong emotions in me? Precisely the line containing the theme-word: Jiye to magar zindagani pe roye.

There comes a time in one’s life when it happens. Rajinder Krishan brought it up in words even stronger than these in Jehan Ara’s song:

मरने की आरज़ू में हो हम जी रहे हैं ऐसे
हम जी रहे हैं ऐसे
जैसे की लाश अपनी खुद ही कोई उठाए

Mughal – e – Azam

Anarkali would have never imagined that Love would get her this: bondage. Her first reaction is this. In her next, when she is in shackles, she prays to Almighty: Bekas pe karam keejiye Sarkar – e – Madina.

K Asif’s Mughal – e – Azam had Madhubala as Anarkali, a courtesan in the court of Mughal – e – Azam Akbar. She had, she felt in this song, erred in falling in love with Prince Salim.

The songs of the movie were penned by Shakeel Badayuni and are among the most memorable songs in Hindi movies. Composition is that of Naushad Ali. This was sung by Lata Mangeshkar for Madhubala:

मुहब्बत की झूठी कहानी पे रोये
बड़ी चोट खाई (जवानी पे रोये – २)
मुहब्बत की झूठी …

न सोचा न समझा, न देखा न भाला
तेरी आरज़ू ने, हमें मार डाला
तेरे प्यार की मेहरबानी पे रोये, रोये
मुहब्बत की झूठी …

खबर क्या थी होंठों को सीना पड़ेगा
मुहब्बत छुपा के भी, जीना पड़ेगा
जिये तो मगर ज़िन्दगानी पे रोये, रोये
मुहब्बत की झूठी …

Raag

Naushad composed it in – look at the masterstroke – Raag Darbari Kanada; the dignified Raag of the court of Akbar brought from South by one of his Navratnas: Tansen.

It is so ironical that Anarkali should sing her tale of woes in this Raag. Only Naushad could think of it.

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, since yesterday, Facebook has made it very difficult compose posts since as opposed to earlier, now the space available to compose the draft is just a few lines as on a mobile phone. I have written to them extensively in the transitory period but they haven’t relented since the focus for them in the new Facebook appears to be money.

Anyway, if it continues, why this group, I shall be leaving Facebook altogether. As it is, the draft of this post has been prepared by me on Microsoft Word and not here on Facebook. It is so tedious.

Please enjoy: Mohabbat ki jhooti kahani pe roye…. (It can very well be: Facebook ki jhooti kahani pe roye!)

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #29 in the series.

Please await Song #30 –  Har khushi ho wahan tu jahan.

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 #29 in the series. I hope you liked Song #28 – Ek din bik jaayega.

Song #29
Savere wali gaadi se chale jayenge
Theme-word: Yeh mela do ghadi ka do dinon ki hai bahar

Remembering Shammi Kapoor on His Birth Anniversary 21 Oct

With this, I would have posted all three songs from my ongoing series as tribute to Shammi Kapoor on his Birth Anniversary: Zindagi or Jeevan Song, Beautiful Duet and now Raat or Din Song.

Kashmir Valley Again

I have given you first two songs from Kashmir Ki Kali and the third is from the 1967 Hari Walia movie Latt Saheb, also shot in Kashmir.

The movie starred Shammi Kapoor as Jangu whose mother Lalita Pawar keeps fearing for his safety; indeed, she gets a premonition that he’d die after Dussehra. He does nothing to assuage his mother’s fears; eg, he fights with and kills a man-eating tiger, and rescues his employer’s daughter Nikki (Nutan) twice whilst risking his own life. Nikki starts loving him that brings the worst in Prem (Prem Chopra) who was promised her hand by her father. Anyway, Shammi Kapoor plods on, including in this song about the transience of life. Later, the same mother wishes he’d be dead!

Shailendra, Shankar Jaikishan and Mohammad Rafi

Shailendra wrote the lyrics in such a way so that they can be taken at the light-hearted level of Shammi Kapoor and yet have very deep meaning. He used the same simile as Shakeel Badayuni had used many years earlier in the title song of Mela: Ye zindagi ke mele duniya mein kam na honge, Afsos ham na honge.

Mohammad Rafi’s singing in the characteristic style of Shammi Kapoor is really good; at all times you feel Shammi Kapoor is singing and not Rafi.

Look at the greatness of the lyrics:

सवेरे वालि गाड़ी से चले जायेंगे -४
कुछ ले के जायेंगे
हो कुछ दे के जायेंगे
सवेरे वालि गाड़ी से चले जायेंगे -२

( ये मेला दो घड़ी का दो दिनों की है बहार
समय की बहती धार कहती जाती है पुकार ) -२
पुकार हाय हाय हाय-हाय
महमान कब रुके हैं कैसे रोके जायेंगे -२
कुछ ले के जायेंगे
हो कुछ दे के जायेंगे
सवेरे वालि गाड़ी सवेरे वालि
को: सवेरे वालि गाड़ी से चले जायेंगे -२

र: ( मिलो तो मिलो प्यार से बोलो तो मीठी बात
हमारे बड़े भाग हुई तुमसे मुलाकात ) -२
मुलाकात हाय हाय हाय
मिलेगा कुछ तो दिल जो यहाँ खो के जायेंगे
कुछ ले के जायेंगे
हो कुछ दे के जायेंगे
सवेरे वालि गाड़ी हाँ सवेरे वालि होय-होय
को: सवेरे वालि गाड़ी से चले जायेंगे -२

र: ( निशानी कोई प्यार की तो छोड़ जायेंगे
कहानी कोई प्यार की तो जोड़ जायेंगे ) -२
तो जोड़ जायेंगे हाय हाय
बनेंगे किसी के किसी के हो के जायेंगे
कुछ ले के जायेंगे
हो कुछ दे के जायेंगे
सवेरे वालि गाड़ी सवेरे वालि
को: सवेरे वालि गाड़ी से चले जायेंगे -२
कुछ ले के जायेंगे
कुछ दे के जायेंगे
सवेरे वालि गाड़ी से चले जायेंगे
हो सवेरे वालि गाड़ी से चले जायेंगे

My Own Poetry

I have taken the title from a dialogue in the Rajesh Khanna movie Anand:

“Babumoshai, Zindagi Aur Maut Uparwale Ke Hath Hai Jahanpanah”

जाने कब सांस रुक जाए, गर्म खून हो जाए सर्द?
यह जो महल हमने बनाये हैं, कब हो जाएँ गर्द?
जाने कब फरमान आ जाए मौत के शेहन-शाह का?
कौन जाने कहाँ है मुकाम ज़िन्दगी की राह का?

तिनका तिनका बटोर कर बनाया है जो आशियां,
हमसफ़र ओ रहबरों का बढ़ता हुआ ये कारवां,
कठपुतलियां हैं सब, जाने किस को वह उठा ले?
आज, कल या परसों, कब, कैसे, कहाँ?

मजबूरी ओ उदासी ने बाँध दिए हैं हाथ,
दोस्तों और आशिकों का है पल दो पल का साथ;
अभी तो सुहाना दिन है, रंग है और नूर है,
जाने कब बन जाए यह सियाह अँधेरी रात?

आज हमारी बज़म से जाने कहाँ वह जाते हैं?
कल हम ज़ुबान थे, आँख अब चुराते हैं,
मेला है भाई, भीड़ में भी सब अकेले हैं,
दुनिया यूँ ही चलती है, लोग आते हैं, जाते हैं I

यही हकीकत है तो आता है ख्याल मन में,
क्यों ना खुशियों के बूटे उगाएं दिल के आँगन में?
दोस्ती हो सबसे दुश्मनी का नाम ही न हो,
सब ही खुश आमदीद हों अपने नशेमन में I

ज़िन्दगी मिल जुल के प्यारी ओ हसीन हो,
दोस्तों की यादें खूबसूरत और रंगीन हों,
ज़िन्दगी ज़िंदादिली से जियें हम ऐसे,
के मौत को भी हमारी ज़िन्दगी पर यकीन हों I

ज़ेहन में न रंजिश किसी के वास्ते हो,
“छोटी सी ये दुनिया, पहचाने रास्ते” हों,
वफायें हों, जफाओं से कोई नाता ही न हो,
दिल में गर्माहट हर किसी के वास्ते हो I

मौत के फ़रिश्ते को पुर उम्मीद मिलें हम,
वक़्त आने पे हमारे हँसते हुए निकले दम,
छोड़ जाएँ खुशियां सब अपनों के लिए,
न आंसू हों, न पशेमानी, न ख़ौफ हो, न ग़म I

ऐ खुदा, तेरा ‘रवि’ हर दम तैयार हो,
मुस्कराते ले जाना, न के जब बिमार हो,
जीते जी मेरे अपनों का हो घर संसार,
मेरे मरने पे भी उनकी ज़िन्दगी में बहार हो I

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy a song sung by Mohammad Rafi for Shammi Kapoor in the 1967 movie Latt Sahib; Shailendra having penned the song and Shankar Jaikishan having composed it: Savere wali gaadi se chale jayenge…

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #29.

Please await Raat or Din Song #30- Jab raat nahin katati.

Beautiful Duet Series

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 #28 – Aankhon mein kya ji, rupahla baadal. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #29
Pyar hua ikraar hua hai, Pyar se phir kyun darta hai dil

Remembering Shankar Singh Raghuwanshi on His Birth Anniversary

In the Raat Or Din Song #59 today: O mere sanam, O mere sanam, I brought out how Shankar Jaikishan were and are never thought of separately. This happened even after Jaikishan left us early (not yet 42 years when he died on 12 Sep 1971) and the name of the Music Director continued being Shankar Jaikishan.

I gave you a song in Raag Shivaranjani, the known favourite raag of Shankar Jaikishan: O mere sanam, O mere sanam. Now, I give you a song that was so favourite with them that movies would have as many as four songs composed in Bhairavi. Jaikishan even named his daughter Bhairavi.

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. 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.

SJ composed most of the title songs of the movies in Raag Bhairavi. Hence, there was a song: Awara hoon from 1951 movie Awara. This song became an international hit and was also in Raag Bhairavi. Then there was Barsaat mein hamase mile tum sajan from 1949 movie Barsaat, also in Raag Bhairavi. Sab kuchh seekha hamne from 1959 movie Anari and has the title of the movie in the mukhada is also in Raag Bhairavi. Even the song Satyam Shivam Sundaram had the title of the 1978 movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram in it, though composed in Darbari Kanada by Laxmikant Pyarelal after Jaikishan was no more. The song Mera naam Raju gharana anaam had the name of the 1960 movie Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai and was also in Raag Bhairavi. One can safely conclude that it was more of a rule than exception.

This Iconic Song

I can think of only one word to describe this duet: Iconic. Its pull was and is so strong that many other duets are shot as this was: under the umbrella, that is.

It is from the 1955 Raj Kapoor film Shree 420 starring him in the title role with the heroine of 17 of his movies, Nargis opposite him.

It was sung by Manna Dey for Raj Kapoor and Lata Mangeshkar for Nargis. Shailendra wrote the unforgettable lyrics:

प्यार हुआ इक़रार हुआ है
प्यार से फिर क्यों डरता है दिल
(कहता है दिल, रस्ता मुश्किल
मालूम नहीं है कहाँ मंज़िल ) – २
प्यार हुआ इक़रार हुआ …

दिल कहे इस मांग को, मैं तारों से संवार दूँ
तुमसे नया संसार लूँ, तुमको नया संसार दूँ
चाँद और सूरज, दीप गगन के
इस धरती पे उतार दूँ
आहा हा आहा हा, आ …
प्यार हुआ इक़रार हुआ …

रातों दसों दिशाओं से, कहेंगी अपनी कहानियाँ
प्रीत हमारे प्यार की, दोहराएंगी जवानियाँ
मैं न रहूँगी, तुम न रहोगे
फिर भी रहेंगी निशानियाँ
आहा हा आहा हा, आ …
प्यार हुआ इक़रार हुआ …

Raj Kapoor was a master of histrionics in limited space (here under the umbrella); he could enact long songs just standing in front of mike; eg, Hamane tujhako pyar kiya hai jitana Kaun karega itana.

She was an actress par excellence. Her role in Mehboob Khan’s Mother India is the most iconic role she ever enacted.

The combination has made this one of the most beautiful duets ever made in Hindi films.

Finally The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy on the Birth Anniversary of Shankar, a beautiful duet from the 1955 Raj Kapoor movie Shree 420 starring Raj Kapoor and Nargis; the song having been penned by Shailendra and composed in Raag Bhairavi by Shankar Jaikishan: Pyaar hua ikraar hua hai….

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #29.

Please await Beautiful Duet #30- Ye dil deewana hai.

 

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 #8: Jaane kahan gaye woh din. Here is the next song:

Song #9
Woh tere pyar ka gham

An Acceptance of One’s Kismet or Destiny

My favourite book Sri Guru Granth Sahib calls it Keerat or something that has been pre-ordained for you. There are people who opposed this concept by the Concept of Free Will that tends to say that everyone is a master of one’s destiny. However, even sages like Swami Vivekanand accepted that the Concept of Free Will is intrinsically flawed and that one has to travel outside the universe to be able to exercise Free Will.

Either way, we accept the diktats of Destiny in varying degrees. We accept that Destiny plays a significant role in the Life of a Man.

Anand Bakshi

Until Sameer (Anjaan’s son) came on the scene as a Lyricist, Anand Bakshi had been the most versatile lyricist in Hindi movies. With Laxmikant Pyarelal alone, he wrote songs for 302 movies, with another hundred or so with RD Burman.

In this song, he brings out this concept of Destiny, albeit in a defeatist manner, the favourite genre of singing for Mukesh. The ruefulness in this song is palpable.

Have a look at the lyrics:

वो तेरे प्यार का ग़म, एक बहाना था सनम
अपनी क़िस्मत ही कुछ ऐसी थी
के दिल टूट गया

ये ना होता तो कोई दूसरा ग़म होना था
मैं तो वो हूँ जिसे हर हाल में बस रोना था
मुस्कुराता भी अगर, तो छलक जाती नज़र
अपनी क़िस्मत ही कुछ ऐसी थी
के दिल टूट गया…

वरना क्या बात है तू कोई सितमगर तो नहीं
तेरे सीने में भी दिल है कोई पत्थर तो नहीं
तूने ढाया है सितम, तो यही समझेंगे हम
अपनी क़िस्मत ही कुछ ऐसी थी
के दिल टूट गया…

वो तेरे प्यार का ग़म, एक बहाना था सनम
अपनी क़िस्मत ही कुछ ऐसी थी
के दिल टूट गया…

Here, Anand Bakshi, writing for Shashi Kapoor in the 1970 S Sukhdev movie My Love (with Sharmila Tagore) blames his broken heart in Love to his Destiny. Indeed, he adds that if it hadn’t been this sorrow, it would have been some other but he was destined to face sorrows!

Daan Singh – The Composer

At first, a few words about its composer Daan Singh (1927-2011). He was one of the most neglected music directors of Hindi films, yet he composed many everlasting melodies, especially the ones with Mukesh.

Daan Singh received musical training from the composer Khemchand Prakash. It’s said that he was taught only Raag Bhairavi for the first 18 months! His professional career started with AIR Jaipur before he shifted to Bombay and started working as Prakash’s assistant. He did get work as a music director for a number of 1960’s movies incl. Bhool Na Jaana, Bahadur Shah Zafar and Matlabi; but none of these see the light of day! However, many songs of Bhool Na Jaana (with Lyrics by Gulzar), became very popular, including three Mukesh solos Pukaro Mujhe Naam Lekar Pukaro, Gham-e-Dil Kisse Kahoon, and Gora Tera Mukhda. He then had a few movies that finally made it to the public before “My Love”. But, despite his huge talent, he couldn’t get much money or name in the Bombay atmosphere, went back to Jaipur and retired there as the Station Music Director.

The 1970 movie “My Love”, directed by S. Sukhdev, didn’t do particularly well at the box office despite its cast that included Shashi-Sharmila duo, Laxmi Chhaya (for multiple dances), Azra, Rajendra Nath, Madan Puri, Nirupa Roy, Jayant and Raj Mehra. Both of the lead actors showed excellent acting and emoting. There was so much else to attract the public including its beautiful scenes of Kenya, the wild life and the world-famous East African Safari. And, it’s soundtrack of seven songs, with many of these becoming very popular.

Daan Singh’s special talent with Mukesh received special acclaim with two iconic songs of this movie. In addition to this soulful heart-wrenching Mukesh song/ghazal (full of pathos and deep anguish that Mukesh had a unique knack of bringing out), the movie had another memorable one: “Zikar hota hai jab qayamat ka, tere jalwon ki baat hoti hai”. During a function in memory of Mukesh, he had said “Mukesh ji understood the Lyrics very well. Anyone, be it a singer, composer, movie director or sound recordist, can excel in his field if he has such deep knowledge of lyrics.”

Mukesh, the legend, will always stay with us through his magical songs. And, we can only plead with him “O Jaanae Wale Ho Sake To Laut Ke Aana”!

My Own Poetry

Powers of Mind Vs Destiny

Today I want to talk about Mind again,
Even if it appears I’ve said it before.
Each one has been given a most powerful brain,
All that we need to do is its powers to explore.
The entire universe exists because of it,
A man without it is a total misfit.

It has been given powers to remember and record.
An equally great power is to forget.
Generations of data it has in it stored,
Both the powers can be liability or asset.
Mind can travel much faster than Light,
It can see far beyond the eyesight.

Mind is far ahead of the computers it designs,
It’s powers appear to be unlimited.
It breaks the shackles of all confines,
It can be slave to the wise and master to the dim-witted.
It can be trained to give what you demand,
Or it can enslave you under its command.

Those who know how to conquer their Mind,
Have in their control the whole universe.
They’re not to their destiny resigned.
Imagination for them is never a curse.
Mind helps its owner to find its Creator,
Mind knows there is no one who’s greater.

The Song

Please enjoy: Woh tere pyar ka gham….

I hope you liked Song #9 in this series.

Please await Song #10: Aakhri geet mohabbat ka suna loon.

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 #27 – O Palanhare Nirgun Aur Nyare or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #28.

Song #28
Ye raat ye chandni phir kahan
Theme-word: Zindagi ke geet ki dhun badal ke dekh le

Remembering Dev Anand on His Death Anniversary 03 Dec

This was a negative role by Dev Anand (not a good guy but a con-man Tony) and the only movie in which the director Guru Dutt used religion (Catholic faith of Goan fisherwoman Maria played by Geeta Bali (superbly portrayed by her) to resist the seduction of Dev Anand as the deceitful man Tony Fernandez.

Sahir Ludhianvi, SD Burman and Hemant Kumar

However, the movie was a super hit and this song is my #1 song of Hemant Kumar singing for Dev Anand. As far as Sahir is concerned, I feel the best he ever wrote was also picturised on Dev Anand in Hum Dono: Kabhi khud pe kabhi halaat pe rona aaya. However, this is the most adorable and popular. SD Burman composed it in the folk based raaga: Kafi.

This song is a perfect combination of the irresistible urge of lyrics, composition, music, atmosphere and acting by both Dev Anand and Geeta Bali. In its seduction it reminds you of Santana’s Black Magic Woman.

Hemant Kumar sang only 17 songs (duets included) that were picturised on Dev Anand. And yet, each one is unforgettable. Chup hai dharti, chup hai chand sitaare, Teri duniya mein jeene se to behtar hai ke mar jaayen, and Hai apna dil to awaara are some that easily come to mind in addition to the two that I have mentioned.

Lyrics

ये रात ये चाँदनी फिर कहाँ
सुन जा दिल की दास्ताँ
ये रात…

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
दो एक पल और है ये समा, सुन जा…

लहरों के होंठों पे धीमा धीमा राग है
भीगी हवाओं में ठंडी ठंडी आग है
इस हसीन आग में तू भी जलके देखले
ज़िंदगी के गीत की धुन बदल के देखले
खुलने दे अब धड़कनों की ज़ुबाँ, सुन जा…

जाती बहारें हैं उठती जवानियाँ
तारों के छाओं में पहले कहानियाँ
एक बार चल दिये गर तुझे पुकारके
लौटकर न आएंगे क़ाफ़िले बहार के
आजा अभी ज़िंदगी है जवाँ, सुन जा…

My Own Poetry

Tu Nahin To Chandni Raat Kya Kare?

चांदनी रात है पर तूं मेरे साथ नहीं,
बात तो कुछ है लेकिन वह बात नहीं।

भीगी फिजायें छू लेती हैं आके रुखसार,
उनसे क्या हो जब दिल में बरसात नहीं।

एक ज़माना था शाम ओ सेहर मिलते थे हम,
अब कभी मिलें ऐसे तो हालात नहीं।

लहरे उठती हैं उठ के चली जाती हैं,
दिल की धड़कन को बढ़ा दें इनकी औकात नहीं।

पेड़ों की छाओं में बैठे भी तो क्यूं हो जादू,
ठहरे कैसे ये समां जब हाथ में तेरा हाथ नहीं।

नज़रें रह रह के ढूंढती हैं तेरी नज़रें,
कहाँ है तू इतनी तो अंधेरी रात नहीं।

कैसे अब प्यार हमारा मुकाम तक पहुंचे,
ना तो तुम से न मुझ से जब शुरुआत नहीं।

हम नहीं मिलते यह ज़माने की है पाबंदी,
क्यूं कहती हो, रवि, तेरे दिल में जज़्बात नहीं।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Ye raat ye chandni phir kahan…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #28 in the series.

Please await Song #29 –  Mohabbat ki jhooti kahani pe roye.