Today is the death anniversary of the greatest singer: Mohammad Rafi. I am going to reproduce three of his songs in each of the series that I am running. This was put up on 01 Jan 2021 as follows:
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 #36 – Hawas naseeb nazar ko kahin in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #37.
Song #70 (#42 of mine)
Ek haseen shaam ko dil mera kho gaya
Theme-word: Muddaton se aarzoo thi zindagi mein koi aaye
Happy New Year Sisters and Brothers
I am both excited and sad about the New Year 2021. This is the year that we look forward to that will end all the misery caused by the Corona virus of 2019 that continued to sicken and kill people throughout the year 2020.
I am sad because in this year on 08 March we shall finally say good-bye to the YKDN group, which I thought we cherished as a family but which was displayed as and proved to be an option for the majority. I kept the group alive only for Manik Lakhkar Chava to complete her posting of every second song of her favourite lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi as countdown to his Birth Centenary on 08 March, which also coincides with the International Women’s Day.
The Lyrics of This Song
These were penned by my second most favourite lyricist: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. Almost all the sites giving lyrics don’t even mention this as Zindagi song since they have (they copy from one another all the time) shown the theme-word line as:
मुद्दतों से आरज़ू थी
मेरे दिल मे कोई आये
The correct line is Mudaaton se aarzu thi, Zindagi mein koi aaye. The fact is that when I call a Lyricist favourite, I recall most of his lyrics without having to rely on a site. From the time I saw this movie Dulhan Ek Raat Ki in 1966 with my parents in the hill town of Dalhousie I recall the lyrics as what I have written.
Here are, therefore, the corrected lyrics that you won’t find on the net:
इक हसीन शाम को दिल मेरा खो गया
पहले अपना हुआ करता था
अब किसीका हो गया
मुद्दतों से आरज़ू थी
ज़िन्दगी मे कोई आये
सूनी सूनी ज़िन्दगी में
एक शम्मा झिलमिलाये
वो जो आये तो रोशन ज़माना हो गया
इक हसीन …
मेरे दिल के कारवां को
ले चला है आज कोई
शबनमी सी जिसकी आँखें
थोड़ी जागी थोड़ी सोयी
उनको देखा तो मौसम सुहाना हो गया
इक हसीन …
Why This Song as My First One This Year?
I ended the last year with sad and poignant songs in keeping with the spirit of the year. This year (except for doing away with this group) would usher in Love and Joys for all of us. This song reflects that. It is a very gentle composition by the maestro Madan Mohan (some of the most memorable songs in Hindi movies were by this pair, particularly those sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
Mohammad Rafi for Dharmendra
He was the only playback singer who sang in the style of the actor he was providing playback for. Here, he sings for Dharmendra in the same Dharmendra style as he song many others such as Jeet hi lenge baazi hum tum.
Lets say you listened to this song and didn’t know the movie etc. Simply by listening to the song you’d be able to guess it is Rafi singing for Dharmendra.
My Own Poetry
Shaam is a very serious and soulful period for my poems. Here is the only light-hearted poem that I wrote with Shaam:
UNKE KHAYAAL DIL MEIN MEHMAAN BANKE REHATE HAIN
उनके ख़याल दिल में मेहमान बन के रहते हैं,
क्या क्या सितम हम उनके लिए सुबह ओ शाम सहते हैंI
मैंने तो घर खाली करने का notice भी दे दिया,
“दो रोज़ और रहेंगे” हर बार यही कहते हैंI
सूखी वीरान बस्ती की शिकायत वह करते हैं,
कैसे कहूँ के अश्क़ मेरे ज़ार ज़ार बहते हैं?
दिल के गरीबखाने पे ताला लगा दूँ मैं क्या?
पर उनहे कैसे बेदखल करूँ जो पहले ही से रहते हैं?
मेरे ही घर में मुझको अब पनाह नहीं कबूल,
मेरे ही दिल से मुझको जाने के लिए कहते हैंI
The Song
Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Ek haseen shaam ko dil mera kho gaya…
I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #37 in the series.
Please await Song #38 – Kahan jaa raha hai tu.
