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.
