Sunbyanyname

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.

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 #14: Waqt ne kiya kya hasin sitam. Here is the next song:

Song #15
Muft huye badnaam kisi se haay dil ko laga ke

Baraat – 1960 Movie

It was a movie directed by K Amarnath and starred Ajit and Shakila. Ajit had been a hero before he took up the villain’s role with such popular dialogues as “Ise liquid oxygen mein daal do; oxygen ise marne nahin dega aur liquid ise jeene nahin dega.” He had beautiful songs to his credit such as Dekho mausam kya bahar hai, Aaja ke intezaar mein, and this beautiful number.

K Amarnath had an early start in the movies. He started with movies of the silent era; his first one was the 1936 movie Matwali Jogan. He directed 37 movies in all with such names to his credit as Chashmawali in 1939, Bulbul-e-Bghdad in 1941, Mehbooba in 1954 and Kabli Khan in 1963.

“Ajit (Ajit Khan) acted as a hero in 7 of the movies directed by K.Amarnath – Beqasoor, Meharbani, Sarkaar, Bara-Dari, Bada Bhai, Baraat and Kabli Khan. In fact, it was K.Amarnath who had suggested that he change his long name of “Hamid Ali Khan” to a shorter name. The first movie with his name changed to “Ajit” was “Beqasoor” -1950.”

This Song

This song was penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri and composed by Chitragupt in Raag Pahadi, the raag of my place in the hills. As is with many RRR songs, it was sung by Mukesh.

First of all, lets have a look at the lyrics:

मुफ्त हुए बदनाम
किसी पे हाय दिल को लगा के
जीना हुआ इल्जाम
किसी पे हाय दिल को लगा के
मुफ्त हुए बदनाम

गए अरमान लेके
लुटे लुटे आते है
लोग जहां में कैसे
दिल को लगाते है
गए अरमान लेके
लुटे लुटे आते है
लोग जहां में कैसे
दिल को लगाते है
दिल को लगाते है
अपना बनाते है
हम तो फिर नादाँ
हम तो फिर नादाँ
किसी पे हाय दिल को लगा के
मुफ्त हुए बदनाम

समझे थे साथ भेजा
किसी का सुहाना ग़म
उसी जो नज़र को देखा
तनहा खड़े है हम
समझे थे साथ भेजा
किसी का सुहाना ग़म
उसी जो नज़र को देखा
तनहा खड़े है हम
तनहा खड़े है हम
दिल भी रहा है काम
रस्ते में हो गयी शाम
रस्ते में हो गयी शाम
किसी पे हाय दिल को लगा के
मुफ्त हुए बदनाम.

My Own Poetry

Here is my own: 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।

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Muft huye badnaam…

I hope you liked Song #15 in this series.

Please await Song #16: Maine chand aur sitaaron ki tamanna.

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 #33 – Main to aarti utaarun re in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #34.

Song #34
Bas yeh chup si lagi hai
Theme-word: Koi anokhi nahin aisi zindagi lekin khoob na ho, Mili jo khoob mili hai

Hemant Kumar and Tranquillity

Having been an ardent follower of Rabinder Sangeet, there is never a jarring note in his singing or compositions. Both descend on you like gentle snow. Both touch you like whispers of breeze. There is never Band Baaja Baraat; but…

पेड़ों की शाखों पे सोई सोई चाँदनी
तेरे खयालों में खोई खोई चाँदनी
Or even…

चुप है धरती, चुप हैं चाँद सितारे
मेरे दिल की धड़कन तुझको पुकारे

Or this one that touches the chords of your heart:

लहरों पे लहर, उल्फ़त है जवां
रातों की सहर, चली आओ यहाँ
सितारे टिमटिमाते हैं, तू आजा आजा
मचलती जा रही है ये हवाएं आजा आजा

I think you get my point. Love and Finding Yourself are both about Silence. The reason is not difficult to find. It is because both involve Listening as compared to Talking, Shouting, Screaming. That’s Hemant Kumar for you.
There Lyricists who understood this intense desire for Tranquillity in Hemant Kumar songs. Lets take some of them:

Shakeel

ऊँचे गगन से कोई बुलाये
लायीं हैं परियां डोला सजाये
सजन से मिलने दूर चली जा
उड़के तू निंदिया फुरर् चली जा
उड़के तू निंदिया फुरर् चली जा
चन्दा पुकारे आजा चकोरी
झूला झूलाऊँ निंदिया को तोरी

Kaifi Azmi

रात हसीं ये चाँद हसीं
पर सबसे हसीं मेरे दिलबर
और तुझसे हसीं, और तुझसे हसीं तेरा प्यार
तू जाने ना

Gulzar

He is the lyricist of the present song. Here is another one from him:

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

You can’t think of Hemant Kumar without touching tranquillity; especially on his own compositions.

It was said, “If God would sing to us, He would sing in the voice of Hemant Kumar.” And to think that we beat drums and blare bhajans through loudspeakers and yet, even our scriptures tell us, God is to be found in Silence.

Sannata – 1966 Movie

It was a Mohinder Sabbarwal movie starring Anil Chatterjee and Tanuja. In this song they are in a boat in Hoogly, somewhat similar to Rajesh Khanna and Waheeda Rehman in Hemant Kumar’s own production Khamoshi: Woh shaam kuchh ajeeb thi.

The names of the movies are also indicative of what Hemant Kumar’s songs evoke.

I could have very well given this song as a Raat Song but preferred it as Zindagi song.

This one has Hemant Kumar singing on his own composition of Gulzar’s lyrics:

बस एक चुप सी लगी है नहीं उदास नहीं
कहीं पे साँस रुकी है नहीं उदास नहीं
बस एक चुप सी लगी है

कोई अनोखी नहीं ऐसी ज़िंदगी लेकिन
खूब न हो
मिलि जो –
खूब मिली है.
नहीं उदास नहीं
बस एक चुप सी लगी है …

सहर भी ये रात भी दोपहर भी मिली लेकिन
हमीं ने शाम चुनी
हमीं ने –
शाम चुनी है
नहीं उदास नहीं
बस एक चुप सी लगी है …

वो दासताँ जो हमने कही भी
हमने लिखी
आज वो –
खुद से सुनी है
नहीं उदास नहीं
बस एक चुप सी लगी है

My Own Poetry

I am an ardent fan of Silence. There are any number of essays from me on the Religious Noise in India and how far it takes us from God.

Here is one on the kind of Silence that we must seek:

So, you’ve finally managed silence around you,
But your inner self is full of noise.
The peace that you’ve found is untrue,
Since you still haven’t regained your poise.
If you’re looking for complete tranquility,
The noise in your mind is a liability.
The chatter of your thoughts can be very loud,
Really high on the decibel scale.
Your inside feels like being in a crowd,
Whilst outside total calm may prevail.
The noise inside is more difficult to tame,
And you have no one else to blame.
Slow breathing and meditation are the two ways,
To make your mind become silent.
Initially, you may encounter a haze,
And your thoughts continue being violent.
But gradually when you train your mind,
Your inner peace you can easily find.
Try making your mind silent once in a day,
And see how the real benefits accrue.
Slowly your commands your mind learns to obey,
And you find a new friend within you.
Silence is golden you already know,
Now your inner noise too you can let go.

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Bas ek chup si lagi hai…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #34 in the series.

Please await Song #35 –  Aaj sajan mohe ang laga lo.

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 #34 in the series. I hope you liked Song #33 – Pardesiyon se na akhiyan milana.

Song #34
Ghazab kiya tere waade pe aitbaar kiya
Theme-word: Tamaam raat qayamat ka intezaar kiya

Daagh Dehlivi’s Ghazal

Nawab Mirza Khan lived between 25 May 1831 to 17 Mar 1905. He was born in Kucha Ustad Dagh in Chandini Chowk, Delhi. Poets like to keep a takhallus (pen-name) and Mirza kept his as Daagh. Since he was from Delhi he came to be known as Daagh Dehlvi.

Daagh emerged as one of the leading exponents of ghazal (He started reciting poetry at the age of ten!) His work comprises four volumes consisting of 16000 couplets.

This Ghazal

It is one of his best and I am giving you the full ghazal (Mohammad Rafi and others sang a few of these couplets) with translation (you may need it). This translation is from https://urduwallahs.wordpress.com/…/ghazab-kiya-tere…/:

Gazab kiyaa, tere vaade pe aitabaar kiyaa
Tamaam raat qayaamat kaa intezaar kiyaa
Such an error it was to trust your promises
Through the night I waited, for this tragedy

Hansa hansaa ke shab-e-vasl ashk-baar kiyaa
Tasaliyaan mujhe de-de ke beqaraar kiyaa
With all the laughter, you filled our night of union with tears
After falsely comforting and consoling me, you left me restless

Ham aise mahv-e-nazaaraa na the jo hosh aataa
Magar tumhaare taghaful ne hoshiyaar kiyaa
I was so immersed in your love, I was unaware of any deceit
But it was your indifference that made me aware of your deception

Fasaana-e-shab-e-Gam un ko ek kahaanii thhii
Kuchh aitabaar kiyaa aur kuchh naa-aitabaar kiyaa
My tale of sadness from that night was but a story for you
As if it was fiction, you believed in some and disbelieved in others

Ye kisne jalvaa hamaare sar-e-mazaar kiyaa
Ki dil se shor uThaa, haa_e! beqaraar kiyaa
Who is this who has graced the head of my tomb with their presence
My heart has cried out, even in my grave you have made me restless

Tadap phir ai dil-e-naadaan, ki Gair kahate hain
Aakhir kuchh na banii, sabr ikhtiyaar kiyaa
The world is asking me again, to feel the pain, dear innocent heart of mine
When nothing else worked, I embraced the path of patience

Bhulaa bhulaa ke jataayaa hai unko raaz-e-nihaan
Chhipaa chhipaa ke mohabbat ko aashakaar kiyaa
In trying to forget, I have exposed the secrets buried deep in my heart
After ages of hiding I have finally revealed my love for you

Tumhen to vaadaa-e-deedaar ham se karna thaa
Ye kyaa kiyaa ke jahaan ko ummiidavaar kiyaa
I thought you wanted to meet only me, when I made a promise to make an appearance
What is this you have done…now the whole world expects to see me

Ye dil ko taab kahaan hai ke ho maalandesh
Unhone vaadaa kiyaa ham ne aitabaar kiyaa
Where does this heart have the strength to doubt you or think of outcomes
You promised and I believed you

Na puuchh dil kii haqiiqat magar ye kehte hain
Vo beqaraar rahe jisane beqaraar kiyaa
Do not ask the reality of this heart, but they say
The one who made you restless, will remain troubled themselves

Kuchh aage daavar-e-mahashar se hai ummeed mujhe
Kuchh aap ne mere kehne kaa aitabaar kiyaa
As we move on, the only expectations I have is from God
But you did believe what I had to say.

Mohammad Rafi as Ghazal Singer

Today, both my songs have been sung by Mohammad Rafi. This ghazal has been sung by many including Mehdi Hassan. But, in each genre’ of singing, it comes out that the best has been rendered by Rafi; eg, he has the best raaga based song in movies, best duet, best children’s song and the best romantic and sad songs. Makes you marvel at what Manna Dey had to say about Rafi when Manna Dey was asked what he felt was Rafi’s ranking in singers: “I rank Rafi 1 to 10”. By this he meant that all other singers, including he himself, were at least ten places below him!

This one has been composed by Khaiyyam, the gentlest of composers.

The Ghazal

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Ghazab kiya tere waade pe aitbaar kiya…

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #34.

Please await Raat or Din Song #35- Yashomati maiya se.

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 #33 – Tu jo mere sur mein. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #34
Usko nahin dekha hamne kabhi

Remembering Manna Dey on His Death Anniversary 24th October

As I said, the Zindagi or Jeevan song today: Tu pyar ka sagar hai, we lost this great singer on this day in 2013. Of course, he was awarded all the best civilian awards in our country (other than Bharat Ratna): Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan and the highest in cinematic excellence the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and several other awards in other states and languages.

I also mentioned that in addition to some of the best raaga based songs in the movies, he also delved in comical song and there are quite a few of these.

As far as duets are concerned, he paired with Lata, Asha Bhosle etc.
However, this duet that I have taken has him pairing with Mahendra Kapoor.

Daadi Maa – a 1966 Movie

The movie was produced and directed by LV Prasad and had Ashok Kumar, Bina Rai, Tanuja and Durga Khote in the lead role. Durga Khote was, in the movie, Ashok Kumar’s step mother. Bina Rai as Parvati tried to patch up things between them by taking her sister-in-law’s baby as her own. Hence, her own baby, the actual heir to the throne (Ashok Kumar acted as Raja Pratap Rai) was brought up as a servant! Great sacrifice. That’s what mothers do for the sake of their husbands.

Who was LV Prasad. He lived between 17 Jan 1908 and 22 Jun 1994. He too was a recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

He was an actor in India’s first talkie: the 1931 movie Alam Ara. He also acted in the first talkies of Tamil and Telugu movie too.

Therefore, in this 1966 movie Daadi Maa with Durga Khote in the title role, it was actually the maa: Bina Rai, who stole the show; especially in this song where she is with her actual son and the sister-in-law’s son.

The Song

The song owes its creation to Majrooh Sultanpuri for its lyrics (my most favourite subject: Maa) and Roshan for its composition. The two sons in the song with Bina Rai are: Kashi Nath and Dileep Raj. Bina Rai is so overwhelmed with the praise that they are bestowing on her that she breaks down half way through. Any mother would:

महे: उस को नहीं देखा हमने कभी
पर इसकी ज़रूरत क्या होगी
दोनो: ऐ माँ, ऐ माँ तेरी सूरत से अलग
भगवान की सूरत क्या होगी, क्या होगी
उस को नहीं देखा हमने कभी…

मन: इनसान तो क्या देवता भी
आँचल में पले तेरे
है स्वर्ग इसी दुनिया में
कदमों के तले तेरे
ममता ही लुटाये जिसके नयन, हो…
दोनो: ममता ही लुटाये जिसके नयन
ऐसी कोई मूरत क्या होगी
ऐ माँ, ऐ माँ तेरी…

महे: क्यों धूप जलाये दुखों की
क्यों ग़म की घटा बरसे
ये हाथ दुआओं वाले
रहते हैं सदा सर पे
तू है तो अंधेरे पथ में हमें, हो…
दोनो: तू है तो अंधेरे पथ में हमें
सूरज की ज़रूरत क्या होगी
ऐ माँ, ऐ माँ तेरी…

दोनो: कहते हैं तेरी शान में जो
कोई ऊँचे बोल नहीं
भगवान के पास भी माता
तेरे प्यार का मोल नहीं
हम तो यही जाने तुझसे बड़ी, हो…
हम तो यही जाने तुझसे बड़ी
संसार की दौलत क्या होगी
ऐ माँ, ऐ माँ तेरी…

My Own Poetry

As I told you Maa is my favourite subject. I have more poems on Maa than on any other person. I have selected one at random:
I wrote this on the third anniversary of my mom’s device on 09 Aug this year:

Maa Nahin To Kuchh Bhi Nahin

वक़्त बीत गया तो क्या अब यादें नहीं आएंगी,
मां की प्यारी प्यारी बातें क्या मन ना लुभाएंगी?

उन्हीं की गोद में बड़े हो गए क्या इस कदर,
कि उंगली पकड़ कर वह चलना ना सिखाएंगी?

आंखें तकती रहती हैं उस तरफ जहां वह गई हैं,
इशारे से क्या वह अपने पास ना बुलाएंगी?

ज़िन्दगी के बोझ तले गिरने के अब बाद भी,
ज़िन्दगी के माइने क्या अब वह ना समझाएंगी?

दिखता नहीं उनको के नींद खो बैठे हैं हम,
क्या अब वह हमें अपनी गोद में ना सुलाएंगी?

जाने से पहले हमें यह भी ना बता के गईं,
किस घड़ी वह हमारे संग लौट के आएंगी?

वही जिन से तबस्सुम की झलक आती थी,
वही यादें क्या ज़िन्दगी भर हमें रुलाएंगी?

तन्हाइयां हैं, बेबसी सी है, अंधेरे ही अंधेरे हैं,
सब दूर तब होंगे जब वह मुस्कराएंगी।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy a beautiful duet between Mahendra Kapoor and Manna Dey (on his death anniversary today): Usko nahin dekha hamne kabhi…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #34.

Please await Beautiful Duet #35- Tu cheez badi hai mast mast.

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 #13: Woh jo milate the kabhi. Here is the next song:

Song #14
Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam

Movies and Songs Are Reflections of One’s Emotions

This was the last movie that Guru Dutt produced and directed. He commissioned Abrar Alvi to write the story that he had earlier asked to write Sahib Bibi Aur Gulam and Pyaasa. Another thing common in this movie was Waheeda Rehman, the actress of choice for Guru Dutt so much so that rumours were rife about their real life romance being reflected in their reel life. To complicate it further, Guru Dutt’s wife Geeta (nee’ Roy) used to be the singing voice for Waheeda Rehman.

This complex scenario, some feel, resulted in first Guru Dutt and later Geeta Dutt killing themselves with drinks and emotions.

Pyaasa, the 1957 Guru Dutt movie wherein Waheeda Rehman is depicted as the prostitute with a golden heart whom Guru Dutt seeks after being disappointed with the valueless and even meaningless world.

Pyaasa had some of the best lyrics of Sahir Ludhianvi, whose centenary we shall be celebrating on 08 March this year. And since Guru Dutt was depicted as a poet (with Sahir’s poetry), Pyaasa was also thought of a biographical movie for Sahir.

Kaagaz Ke Phool from where this song is taken may be an attempt to depict Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman’s actual aspirations and emotions.

This Song

SD Burman of Pyaasa continued in Kaagaz Ke Phool. However Burman and Sahir had fallen apart and hence Kaifi wrote the lyrics. In this song, he may have penned his greatest:

वक़्त ने किया क्या हंसीं सितम
तुम रहे न तुम हम रहे न हम
वक़्त ने किया…

बेक़रार दिल इस तरह मिले
जिस तरह कभी हम जुदा न थे
तुम भी खो गए, हम भी खो गए
एक राह पर चलके दो क़दम
वक़्त ने किया…

जाएंगे कहाँ सूझता नहीं
चल पड़े मगर रास्ता नहीं
क्या तलाश है कुछ पता नहीं
बुन रहे हैं दिल ख़्वाब दम-ब-दम
वक़्त ने किया…

Kaifi Azmi, of course, was the poet and lyricist, who used minimal and most simplistic words to convey the strongest emotions. You can make out that he did here too.

The Light and Shadow Dance

The effect of the song, difference between aspirations and what came about (regret or ruefulness) was sought to be conveyed through light and shadow done very cleverly. It looks ethereal but highly effective. All of us have bodies but the self is something within and Guru Dutt used light and shadows to convey this.

My Own Poetry

HUM RAHE NA HUM…

तनहाई है, उदासी है, पर इतना शोर क्यूं है?
मुहब्बत अच्छी है तो इश्क पे इतना ज़ोर क्यूं है?
चांद निकला नहीं, वही अंधेरी रात है लेकिन,
यहां कोने में खड़ा मुस्कराता चकोर क्यूं है?
उसकी जुल्फें खुली ना थी, ना ही लहराईं,
चारों तरफ फिर यह काली घटा घनघोर क्यूं है?
खुदा ने बख्शी है आदमी को ताकत ओ मजबूती,
फिर प्यार में उसी का दिल इतना कमज़ोर क्यूं है?
अब मिलते नहीं, न ही मिलने की उम्मीद बाकी है,
फिज़ा अब भी उन्हीं की ओर क्यूं है?
कहने को तो सब लोग खुद इन्हिसार और आज़ाद हैं,
ऊनके हाथों में, रवि, फिर मेरी डोर क्यूं है?

Please enjoy: Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam…

I hope you liked Song #14 in this series.

Please await Song #15: Muft huye badnaam.