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 #41 – Zulmi zamane ne itna sataya hai in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #42.
Song #42
Zindagi kaisi hai paheli haay
Theme-word: The first word.
Remembering Rajesh Khanna on His Birth Anniversary 29 Dec
Having been born on this day in 1942 in Amritsar (Punjab), Rajesh Khanna (Jatin Khanna at birth) won the national wide Talent Hunt by United Producers of Hindi Films and hence his first movie in 1967 was offered to him as a prize: Aakhri Khat.
Very soon he emerged as a super star and this movie of 1971: Anand, a Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie (written by Gulzar) came at the height of his career as super star.
He was Anand Sehgal (a role meant to be done originally by Kishore Kumar) suffering from lymphosarcoma of intestines and hence terminally ill. His oncologist Bhasker (Amitabh Bachchan; originally meant for Mehmood) and others around Anand notice that he, Anand, had decided to live life to the fullest and share happiness with others rather than the sadness of his terminal disease.
And this song depicts his view of life (in another similar role (Safar, that is, he spread sadness by Zindagi ka safar hai ye aisa safar koi samajha nahin koi jaana nahin. Indeed, he has three excellent Zindagi songs picturised on him; the third one being: Zindagi ek safar hai suhana. They do get typified, don’t they?).
Lyrics
So, at the outset, lets look at the lyrics penned by Yogesh to understand Anand’s views on Life:
ज़िंदगी …
कैसी है पहेली, हाए
कभी तो हंसाये
कभी ये रुलाये
ज़िंदगी …
कभी देखो मन नहीं जागे
पीछे पीछे सपनों के भागे
एक दिन सपनों का राही
चला जाए सपनों के आगे कहाँ
ज़िंदगी …
जिन्होने सजाए यहाँ मेले
सुख-दुख संग-संग झेले
वही चुनकर ख़ामोशी
यूँ चली जाए अकेले कहाँ
ज़िंदगी …
He is by himself on a beach and give out what is there in his mind rather than putting up the act of Joie de’ vivre’.
My Own Poetry
I am all about Love only and hence, it is not surprising to find my own views about Zindagi:
ZINDAGI MIL JAAYEGI DOBARA
बारिश कभी रुक जाए,
यकायक बरसते बरसते।
ज़ुबान कभी हो जाए खुश्क,
एक बूंद को तरसते तरसते।
दिल कभी खामोश हो जाए,
ऐसे ही धड़कते धड़कते।
नजरें बन जाएं पथरीली,
दो पल बहकते बहकते।
बादल अचानक छंट जाएं,
चमक के गरजते गरजते।
शमा बुझने को हो तैयार,
सारी रात लरजते लरजते।
आंखों की नमी हो जाए खत्म,
आंसूओं को झटकते झटकते।
मेरे कदम हो जाएं साकिन,
तेरी गलियों में भटकते भटकते।
हाथ थाम लेना मेरा, सनम,
अपने हाथों में थरकते थरकते।
आगोश में मेरे आ जाना,
शर्मा के सरकते सरकते।
खुशी खुशी मर जाऊंगा मैं,
ज़िन्दगी को यूं तरसते तरसते।
जैसे उमड़ के लाए हों सैलाब,
बादल रुके थे जो बरसते बरसते।
My Own Singing
Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the song composed by Salil Chowdhury and sung by Manna Dey for the super star Rajesh Khanna on his birth anniversary on 29 Dec: Zindagi kaisi hai paheli haay…
I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #42 in the series.
Please await Song #43 – Aanewala pal jaanewala hai.
