You can give a man some money,
At his job, you can give him a raise,
But to really make him feel sunny,
Just convey to him a word of praise.
You can see that a little appreciation,
Can actually make your loved ones fly;
If you seek of this proof or illustration,
Why not give it a one time try?
Today, let those close to you know,
That you admire what they are doing;
You can see their confidence grow,
And see their spirits and zeal renewing.
(Image courtesy: appreciation.guru
You’d then enjoy your own power,
To make people around you smile;
When you, on people, joys shower,
These happily return to you in a pile.
Praise, like mercy, is double blessed,
It blesses both the giver and the receiver;
In gods’ own robes it is always dressed,
Converting each one of us into a believer.
Happy Tuesday, my valued friends,
In my life important roles you play;
I hope our friendship never ends,
Today, this greeting comes your way.
A good thing linked to these odes,
Is that we take one day at a time;
Rather than the weight of life, in loads,
In bits, these give us reason and rhyme.
Life is really meant to be lived this way,
By breaking into many a convenient part;
We are just to do our best every day,
And then wait for a brand new day to start.
The most important part of life, thus,
Becomes each single day to be lived well;
No anxiety, no worry, no pain, no fuss;
No useless thinking of heaven and hell.
Don’t lets worry about tomorrow and its needs,
Lets fold our hands and to God lets pray;
“Give me today my best thoughts and deeds,
Let me be happy and content just for today.”
Stay focused on one small step, each day,
And not on the Life’s Journey as a whole;
This is by far the most pragmatic way,
In which we progress to our life’s goal.
I wish you the best plan and resolve,
To live today to your total satisfaction;
With each day, may your life evolve,
As the one with purpose and direction.
Wish you a Monday that is anything but mundane and monotonous.
When everything appears wrong for me,
I often listen to my favourite song;
And lo! suddenly, sadness turns to glee,
It appears right what was till then wrong.
Of all the things that God has gifted,
Music invariably stirs my soul;
Listening to it I feel truly uplifted,
Soon I start feeling like a whole.
Like Love, Music doesn’t have a language,
That’s understood only by a few;
On the other hand there is an adage,
That music can cross barriers, old and new.
Look at the place it occupied in Indian culture,
Music and Raagas were our ways to pray,
Gods would come alive from stone sculpture,
And with the music would dance and sway.
Lets start this Sunday on the right note,
And let Music touch your inner heart;
Each one of us needs a way to emote,
In it, let music play its rightful part.
Today I want to talk about Love,
The greatest feeling on earth;
It comes directly from God above,
Even there they know its worth.
Sometimes when you have nothing,
Love is really all that you need,
You don’t want, in the world, anything,
Other than the best one indeed.
It makes you warm inside and out,
It brings smile to your loved one’s face;
It leaves you with hardly any doubt,
Love is the only one to win the race.
All the world’s greatest achievements,
Are made possible by the power of love;
After you’ve had your biggest attainments,
All you want to see is that lovely dove.
Love is also the strongest potion,
To cure the worst of the diseases;
It is the most powerful emotion,
With the goodwill that it releases.
So, let Love be your guide today,
To make this day the best so far:
Let its flame truly light your way,
Better than that of the brightest star.
Share it freely with all you meet,
Let them know you have it in tons;
Reach for God whilst still on your feet,
And ask Him to bless all your loved ones.
As you wake up from your slumber,
And look at the miracle that is new born;
You should not just go by its number,
But look at the beauty of the new morn.
As the shades of black and grey,
Change to crimson, orange and yellow,
You witness the birth of a new day,
The whole atmosphere is just mellow.
You hear the rooster’s alarm,
And the chirping of the birds;
Then the Nature reveals its charm,
To describe which, you don’t have words.
And imagine it is just the daybreak,
What about the rest of the day?
If this isn’t miracle, for God’s sake,
What else can you call it or say?
I think it is a great blessing from Him,
That another day, to our lives, is added;
A morning is anything but sad and grim,
Admittedly a night is often dreaded.
So, prepare yourself to receive a new day,
As if it is the first morning you’d ever see;
Bask in the glory of the newest sun-ray,
And remember this magic comes to you free.
We start with the month of August now,
And hope it turns out to be august for you;
You should see a rainbow and say: “Wow,
Look, in the rain, the sun is out too.”
That’s the way life is, my friends,
In every life a little rain must fall;
But then God always makes amends,
When you feel you’re up against the wall.
So have faith and trust in God’s plan,
I believe that He is loving and kind;
There are things that only God can,
So put all doubts and anxieties behind.
Chin up, eyes gleaming and face the day,
And trust you have someone close to you;
Yes, it is God to whom you always pray,
He is the Master but your friend too.
Minutes makes hours and hours make a day,
Even after they are gone their memories stay;
Isn’t it important that I make them happy,
Lest in useless longings these should go away?
Let me be content with what is dealt to me,
After all, these come to me absolutely free,
God has given me a most valuable lesson,
Just three little words called: ‘Let it be‘.
(Pic courtesy: AliExpress.com)
What is involved in making my days joyous?
To get there, do I have to make a lot of fuss?
It is simple, it is always there within me,
If I can’t find it I would have missed the bus.
So, Open your hearts and find that happiness,
That’s reflected in the day and its loveliness,
You have it within what makes a day beautiful,
Good morning, friend, you are awesomeness.
I hope you live, very well, your day,
And you are a roaring success;
But, God will still have something to say,
Let me see if you can actually guess.
Here is something He’d want to ask,
Though you think you’ve won the race:
“Did you, only in your own glory, bask,
Or did you bring smiles to someone’s face?”
The caring person that you really are,
You’d know your duty towards humanity:
“Without kindness I can’t get too far,
God, I really don’t revel in useless vanity.”
“I thank you for making this day grand,
And giving me the good sense to know,
No man, however great, is an island,
He must also make the community grow.”
With that you’d have deep contentment,
Of patting yourself for a job well done;
Yes, it is good to have a day’s enjoyment,
But, it is also important to cheer someone.
Why should each day be greeted anew,
Ain’t they the same as all the others?
Well, apply this logic to all babies too,
And see the reactions of their mothers.
Likewise, each day is His unique creation,
No two days were and will be the same;
In each God puts that little variation,
So that each is worthy of a different name.
Hence, to think of days as just dates,
Is not really being all that smart;
Would you like to think of your mates,
As numbers or each being a class apart?
I suggest you think of the new days,
As the best that have happened so far; Good, nice, happy, are some of the ways,
And then against some you can put a star.
And lo, suddenly your life looks exciting,
For what is life but days put together?
Your each day now becomes inviting,
For each day, in your cap, you add a feather.
This was the title song of the 1966 movie: Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya that was produced by BL Rawal, written by GL Rawal and directed by CL Rawal. The movie starred Dharmendra, Nutan and Rehman in a complex triangle.
I saw the movie with my parents in the hill town of Dalhousie where I had gone with my parents from Chamba (about 45 Kms away). My father was posted as a Horticulture Development Officer there.
To understand the song one has to know the story and I shall straightway tell you that:
Dharmendra as Ashok is in love with and wants to marry Nutan as Ashoo. In the toy store wherein Ashok works, he has a close friend Amjad (Rehman). Rehman’s marriage has been fixed with Shabnam (also played by Nutan though Ashok doesn’t know this).
As the story progresses, Ashok goes to the village to marry Ashoo and finds she has been abducted by his brother Bhagat (Jeevan) after killing her brother Bhagwan. Ashok successfully rescues Ashoo and they head to the city to attend Amjad’s wedding with Shabnam.
The train that they travel by meets with an accident. Ashok survives but Ashoo dies. Amjad finds that his friend Ashok is under tremendous shock and asks Shabnam to act like Ashoo with Ashok. Ashok suspects that Ashoo has changed (he doesn’t realise it is Shabnam) and that’s how this song came about.
He starts singing this song (Mohammad Rafi sings for him) in a boat rowed by him where his friend Amjad and Shabnam sit opposite him. He reminds her of the past which is no more there now. Suman Kalyanpur sings for Shabnam (as Nutan) and tells about the cards that fate played to her (she having reluctantly agreed to act as Ashoo at the behest of her would-be husband Amjad (Rehman). Finally, in the song, Mukesh sings for Amjad (Rehman) and he tells about his own emotions.
The song’s lyrics were written by GS Rawal who also wrote the lyrics for the 1968 CL Rawal movie Aabroo starring Ashok Kumar, Vimi and Rehman. Finally, he wrote the songs of the 1971 CL Rawal movie Ladki Pasand Hai starring Mumtaz, Deepak Kumar and Jeevan. All his songs were composed by Sonik Omi.
A complete list of his songs is (Songs #1 to 10 for this movie, 11 to 17 for Aabroo and 18 to 25 for Ladki Pasand Hai):
1″Aaja Re Pyar Pukare”Lata Mangeshkar
2″Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya”Mohammed Rafi, Mukesh, Suman Kalyanpur
3″Main Suraj Hoon Tu Meri Kiran”Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle
4″Lo Chehra Surkh Sharab Hua”Mohammed Rafi
5″Hamen To Khushi Hai”Asha Bhosle
6″Kaliyon Ne Ghunghat Khole”Mohammed Rafi
7″Yeh Dil Hai Mohabbat Ka Pyasa”Mukesh
8″Yun Chaal Chalo Na Matwali”Mohammed Rafi
9″Humne Jalwa Dikhaya To Jal Jaoge”Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle
10″Main To Naina Ladake”Usha Khanna, Usha Mangeshkar, Krishna Kalle
11 “Aap Se Pyaar Hua Aap Khafa Ho Baithe” Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle
12 “Aap Se Pyaar Hua Aap Khafa Ho Baithe” Mohammed Rafi
13 “Meri Aankhon Ke Ujale” Mohammed Rafi
14 “Yeh Dil Nahin Ki Jiske Sahare Jeete Hain” Mohammed Rafi
15 “Jinhen Ham Bhulna Chaahein Woh Aksar Yaad Aate Hain” Mukesh
16 “Aai Aai Re Holi” Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey
17 “Yeh Vaadi-E-Kashmir” Mohammed Rafi
18″Tu Kar De Nazar Se Mastana Main Cheez Hai Kya” – Hemlata, Mukesh
19″Maan Bhi Jao Sanam Ruth Ke Jaya Na Karo” – Mohammed Rafi
20″Vafaa Ke Naam Par Mitanaa, Agar Tu Aabaru Apani” – Mukesh
21″Zulfon Me Chupana Kya, Main Apne DilMein” – Hemlata, Mohammed Rafi
22″Jawani Phir Na Aayegi mahobbat phir” – Hemlata
23″Pappa Humse Pyar Karo” – Hemlata, Sulakshana Pandit, Usha Timothy
24″Ho Bhala Pyar Ka Ek Ho Gaye Begane Do” – Mahendra Kapoor, Mumtaz
25″Kaha Le Kar Jaye Ye Tuta Hua Dil” – Lata Mangeshkar
One of GS Rawal – Sonik Omi’s best is the Aaabroo song by Mukesh: Jinhen hum bhoolna chahen woh aksar yaad aate hain
Sonik Omi, the composers and music directors have been associated with many more movies than the three that GS Rawal wrote the songs of. The duo consists of Master Sonik and his nephew Om Prakash. Some of their best-known works are Bhakti Mein Shakti, Dharma, Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya (1966), Sawan Bhadon, Aabroo, and Raftaar.
Besides the songs that they composed for GS Rawal, some of the their other popular songs are: Raaz ki baat keh doon to (Dharma), Kaan mein jhumka and Sun sun sun O gulabi kali (Sawan Bhadon), Lehnga manga de mere babu (Beti), and Donon ne kiya tha pyar magar (Mahua).
The Mahua song of Sonik Omi that was very popular
As far as the lead pair of Dharmendra and Nutan is concerned, they acted together in five movies: The 1962 Rajnish Behl movie Soorat ASur Seerat was their first in the year 1962. One year later they were together in Bimal Roy’s Bandini though she continued being in love with Ashok Kumar in the movie. Then they were together in this movie and one year after that they were together in DD Kashyap movie Dulhan Ek Raat Ki with a favourite Lata Mangeshkar song of mine: Sapnon mein agar mere tum aao to so jaayun and a beautiful Rafi song: Ek haseen shaam ko dil mera kho gaya. In 1988 they were somewhat together in a masala film: Sone Pe Suhaaga.
I saw three of them: Bandini, Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya and Dulhan Ek Raat Ki and in the last two of these Rehman acted with them. Hats off to him for he could so easily fit into a variety of roles: Hero, side-hero, and even villain.
Please enjoy Mohammad Rafi, Suman Kalyanpur and Mukesh sing a composition of Sonik Omi on the lyrics of GS Rawal in the 1966 CL Rawal movie Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya with the actors Dharmendra, Nutan and Rehman thrown into a situation beyond their control: Dil ne phir yaad kia….
दिल ने फिर याद किया बर्क़ सी लहराई है
फिर कोई चोट मुहब्बत की उभर आई है
दिल ने फिर याद किया …
वो भी क्या दिन थे हमें दिल में बिठाया था कभी
और हँस हँस के गले तुम ने लगाया था कभी
खेल ही खेल में क्यों जान पे बन आई है
फिर कोई चोट मुहब्बत की …
क्या बतायें तुम्हें हम शम्मा की क़िसमत क्या है
आग में ग़मे के जलने के सिवा मुहब्बत क्या है
ये वो गुलशन है कि जिस में न बहार आई है
दिल ने फिर याद किया …
हम वो परवाने हैं जो शम्मा का दम भरते हैं
हुस्न की आग में खामोश जला करते हैं
आह भी निकले तो प्यार की रुसवाई है
फिर कोई चोट मुहब्बत की …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRnI2xb2biI
Often, my first requirement of a song that tugs at my emotions is its lyrics. These should be so powerful that these can stand without any composition. You would agree with me that GS Rawal created a classic here. It won’t have been an easy task considering that both Nutan and Rehman can only bare their hidden emotions without letting the cat out of the bag. GS Rawal has done a great job of giving vent to the emotions of these two and, in the first stanza, of Dharmendra who thinks that his beloved is behaving differently (not knowing that she died).
Sonik Omi’s composition and music have significantly added to the emotions of this impossible situation in which the three find themselves. It has notes of regret, ruefulness, hurt innocence and that remarkable enigma.
And finally, you would agree with me that the three singers: Mohammad Rafi, Suman Kalyanpur and Mukesh have excelled without taking anything away from one another. If you were to choose a winner I am sure you would choose all three.
In every possible aspect, the song goes deep in your heart and makes a niche there and refuses to leave.
Lastly, the scene of the song: in a boat in a lake with Dharmendra trying to be in control of the boat whereas the other two are helpless for having lost all control.
If a doctor were to tell you this secret:
Spreading goodwill makes you healthier;
Won’t you then be filled with regret,
You missed a chance to be wealthier?
If you think it takes hours to do this,
You assume it to be a full-fledged chore;
Let me tell you that to get this bliss,
You require only a moment and no more.
Kindness for others can be part of routine,
That you follow in your life everyday;
In return hundreds of smiles can be seen,
As you meet them at work or at play.
Suddenly, thanks to you, happiness multiplies,
And you reap the harvest you’ve sown;
Life appeared difficult but now it simplifies,
And you watch how your blessings have grown.
It might just be most profitable investment,
That would surprise you with its returns;
You become richer, you get an increment,
And nowhere there are any heart burns.
This one was sung by Jagjit Singh on his own composition on the lyrics of Chaman Lal Chaman.
First regarding the lyricist of this song. Chaman Lal Chaman is a London -based Punjabi poet, lyricist and broadcaster. The song Saun da Mahina came about in 1979 and made both Chaman Lal Chaman and the singer Jagjit Singh very popular.
If you have been following the singing careers of Jagjit Singh and his wife Chitra Singh you would know that he wrote many songs for them including the most popular Tumako dekha to yeh khayal aaya.
You would also remember him for having written the Bhangra song Balle Balle for Gurinder Chadha’s 2004 movie Bride and Prejudice that was composed by Anu Malik and sung by Sonu Nigam and Gayatri Iyer.
As far as the singer and composer Jagjit Singh (born Jagmohan Singh Dhiman on 08 Feb 1941) is concerned, when he died on 10th Oct 2011, at the age of 70 years, he left behind a legacy as India’s best known Ghazal Singer who had a style of his own. He earned the sobriquet of ‘Ghazal King’. In 1998 he was awarded the Sahitya Academy Award for popularising the writings of Mirza Ghalib. Five years later, the Government of India awarded him the third highest civilian honour: Padma Bhushan.
Jagjit Singh and his wife Chitra have touched the hearts of millions of Indians. In 1990 when their only son Vivek (18 years old) died in a road accident, the whole country wept with them. Monica, Chitra’s daughter from her first wedding committed suicide in 2009, adding to their already overflowing cup of sorrows.
Amomgst my favourite ghazals of the Ghazal King are: Woh kaagaz ki kashti woh barish ka pani, Honthon se chhu lo tum, Chitthi na koi sandesh, Jhuki jhuki si nazar, Tum itna jo muskara rahe ho, Kal chaudhvin ki raat thi, and his Mirza Ghalib ghazals.
Jagjit Singh has sung ghazals in many Hindi movies. Here is a scne from his ghazal Jhuki jhuki si nazar (penned by Kaifi Azmi) in the 1982 Mahesh Bhatt movie Arth
Amongst my favourite Punjabi songs of Jagjit and Chitra Singh are: Dhai din na jawani naal, Eh mera geet kise ne naa gaana (Shiv Batalvi’s), Tappe, Boliyan, Maye ni main ik shikra yaar (Shiv Batalavi’s), and Chhadeyan di joon buri.
Saun da Mahina is his best known Punjabi song. Chaman Lal Chaman, in the lyrics of the song, takes you to rustic Punjab and all the little family and romantic activities that take place during the monsoons. The song hits you both with its simplicity and nostalgic appeal.
It is most relevant these days since it is the Saun da Mahina now too.
Please enjoy: Saun da mahina yaaro….
Saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
ambraan ch vaal koi jhaad di hasina ae
ambraan ch vaal koi jhaad di hasina ae
ik ik bund koi motti te nagina ae
bhiji bhiji silli silli paun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
Dharti de mukhde nu dhon da mahina ae
te tip tip kotheyan de chonn da mahina ae
dharti de mukhde nu dhon da mahina ae
te tip-tip tip-tip tip-tip
tip tip kotheyan de chonn da mahina ae
te dila vich, dila vich kujh kujh hon da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
Mithe mithe sur atte taal da mahina ae
mithe mithe sur atte taal da mahina ae
mithe mithe sur atte taal da mahina ae
kule kule phul muskan da mahina ae
te kise utte dil aa jann da mahina ae
kise kise utte dil aa jaan da mahina ae
te russe hoye yaara nu manaun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
Bharke ranjhe nal nakko nakki ranjheya nu
bada hi hairaan kare mahina eh te ganjeya nu
bada hi hairaan kare mahina eh te ganjeya nu
baar-baar launa pawe kothe utton manjeya nu
dhilli kade kassi hoyi
dhilli kade kassi hoyi doan da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
Ambraan ch vaal koi jhaad di hasina ae
ambraan ch vaal koi jhaad di hasina ae
ik ik boond koi moti te nagina ae
bhiji bhiji silli silli paun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
saun da mahina yaaro, saun da mahina ae
Dharmendra as Ashok is in love with and wants to marry Nutan as Ashoo. In the toy store wherein Ashok works, he has a close friend Amjad (Rehman). Rehman’s marriage has been fixed with Shabnam (also played by Nutan though Ashok doesn’t know this).
First regarding the lyricist of this song. 
As far as the 
