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 #14 – Jeevan mein piya tera saath rahe. So here, then, is the next one:
Song #15
Dum bhar jo udhar moonh phere, O chanda…
Dedication to the Composers of Millennium – Shankar Jaikishan
Shankar Jaikishan Foundation, Ahmedabad, particularly my friends Chirag Patel, Snehal Patel, Rajan Bedke, and Uday Joglekar are doing an outstanding job to make us forget Corona restrictions and giving us superb programmes of SJ songs to enjoy in Live Fests on Facebook and You Tube.
What is it about Shankar Jaikishan that doesn’t let a day go by when we don’t think of their remarkably beautiful music? The fact is that we can go on and on and still not do full justice to their mastery.
Recently, to them, I commented upon one attribute of theirs that, I think, stands out: it is to do with their imagining, in advance, the effect of their music on the common audiences in the halls.
Take me, for example, I gave you in this series and named a Music Group after what I feel is a perfect duet: Dil ki nazar se. This group is named after another memorable duet of theirs” Yaad kiya dil ne kahan ho tum.
Shailendra
Dil ki nazar se too was penned by him and Yaad kiya dil ne by Hasrat Jaipuri. Hats off to the team that Raj Kapoor made: Shankar Jaikishan, Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra; they never competed against one another but always complemented one another’s efforts. Whereas Hasrat Jaipuri would take you into romance, Shailendra would take you a little deeper until you feel your soul is connected to the emotions of the song. They are so many memorable songs that you sit entranced watching them.
Raj Kapoor and Nargis
He was 26 years old when this movie, Awaara, was shot and she was 21 years old. The way they have enacted the song makes them appear much younger. Of course, she in her ribbons actually gives the appearance of being with her first Love and he is amused that she’d choose an Awaara as her lover!
Look at the mastery of Shailendra; she is the one who wants Chanda (Moon) to look the other way whilst she loves him and he, the Chor (Thief) wants the Chanda to look their way so that he can be witness to their love! Only, Shailendra could have thought of something as unique as this: she as the thief for stealing his heart and he needing someone to stand witness to the act!
Outstanding indeed!
For me, being in the Navy, Nargis had already won my heart by being in a nautical shirt complete with anchors and their choosing to voice their love for the first time in a boat (compare this with another boat in Meena Kumari’s Ajeeb dastaan hai yeh and then Dil apna aur preet prayi.
Can’t let sea and boats get out of Love!
My most memorable in this is my fantasy song’s second stanza: Chand sa mukhada kyun sharmaya, hold your breath, also penned by Shailendra.
The Lyrics
लता: दम भर जो उधर मुँह फेरे
दम भर जो उधर मुँह फेरे, ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर लूंगी, बातें हज़ार कर लूँगी
दिल करता है प्यार के सजदे – २
और मैं भी उनके साथ
चाँद को चन्दा रोज़ ही देखे
मेरी पहली रात, हो … मेरी पहली रात
बादल में अब छुप जा रे ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर …
मुकेश: दम भर जो इधर मुँह फेरे
दम भर जो इधर मुँह फेरे, ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर लूँगा, नज़रें तो चार कर लूँगा
मै चोर हूँ काम है चोरी – २
दुनिया में हूँ बदनाम
दिल को चुराता आया हूँ मैं
येही मेरा काम, हो … येही मेरा काम
आना तू गवाही देने ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर लूँगा, नज़रें तो चार कर लूँगा
लता: दिल को चुराके खो मत जाना – २
राह न जाना भूल
इन कदमों से कुचल ना देना
मेरे दिल का फूल, हो … मेरे दिल का फूल
ये बात उन्हें समझा दे ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर लूँगी …
Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh
He has been the singing voice of Raj Kapoor even in Dil ki nazar se. Lata has sung here for Nargis and Dil ki nazar se for Nutan. The magic is the same.
My Own Poetry
Chand is my most favourite theme and here is why:
Chand Mere Liye Kya Hai?
कैसे बतायूँ किसीको चांद मेरे लिए क्या है,
चांदनी प्यार बन के बिखरी है उसी की तो दुआ है।
होने को ज़िन्दगी में बहुत कुछ हो चुका, लेकिन
जब जब चांद निकला, लगता तभी कुछ हुआ है।
उनकी आंखों में झलक उठती है किरण माहताब की,
मैं कुछ कहूँ तो कहते हैं जाईये यह सिर्फ हया है।
लोग कहते हैं सदियों से ऐसे ही उगता रहा है,
मेरे दिल में नज़र डालो, हर चांद कुछ नया है।
दिल के ख़ज़ाने रौशन हुए यह चांद की खिदमत है,
पूछते हैं वह चांद ने तुम्हें दिया ही क्या है।
तन्हाई में मुझे और मेरी कलम को इक सहारा मिला,
चांद न हो तो जीने में क्या मज़ा है।
डगमगाता हूँ चांदनी रातों में कुछ ऐसे, रवि,
जैसे चांदनी चांदनी नहीं इक अजब सा नशा है।
Please enjoy: Dum bhar jo udhar moonh phere…
I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #15.
Please await Beautiful Duet #16- Ye wada karo chand ke saamne.
