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 #40 in the series. I hope you liked Song #39 – Raaton ko chori chori bole mera kangana.
Song #40
Ek woh bhi diwali thi
Theme-word: Samajho na ise raat yeh hai gham ka savera
Nazrana – 1961 Movie
It was a CV Sridhar movie (in direction and story). It starred Raj Kapoor and Vyjayanthimala, Usha Kiran and Gemini Ganesan (who has to be there in movies directed by Sridhar).
Songs and dialogues were penned by Rajinder Krishan and the songs were composed by Ravi. Diwali was quite important in the movie, Beside this song, there was another song on Diwali: Mele hain chiragon ki diwali sung by Lata Mangeshkar. There was a beautiful duet in the movie sung by Mukesh and Lata: Bikhra ke zulfen chaman mein na aana, And then there was a superb Mohammad Rafi number: Baazi kisi ne pyar ki.
How Did This Song Come About?
Raj Kapoor (Raj) was in love with Vyjayanthimala (Vasanti). However, her sister Usha Kiran (Geeta) too falls in love with him and Vyjayanthimala sacrifices her love for her sister’s sake. Later, after Vyjayanthimala engineers it, Raj Kapor marries Usha Kiran and they have a child. When Vyjayanthimala visits them, it doesn’t take Usha Kiran much to find out her husband and her sister were former lovers. She dies of guilt in breaking up their love. And now Raj Kapoor and Vyjayanthimala are back together and a Nazrana from her sister: her son.
The Lyrics
एक वो भी दीवाली थी
एक ये भी दीवाली है
उजड़ा हुआ गुलशन है
रोता हुआ मालि है
एक वो भी दीवाली थी
एक ये भी दीवाली है
उजड़ा हुआ गुलशन है
रोता हुआ मालि है
बाहर तो उजाला है
मगर दिल में अँधेरा
समझो न इसे रात
ये है ग़म का सवेरा
बाहर तो उजाला है
मगर दिल में अँधेरा
समझो न इसे रात
ये है ग़म का सवेरा
क्या दीप जलाएं हम
तक़दीर ही काली है
उजड़ा हुआ गुलशन
है रोता हुआ मालि है
ऐसे न कभी डीप
किसी दिल का बुझा हो
मैं तो वो मुसाफ़िर हूँ
जो रास्ते में लूट हो
ऐसे न कभी डीप
किसी दिल का बुझा हो
मैं तो वो मुसाफ़िर हूँ
जो रास्ते में लूट हो
ऐ मौत तू ही आ जा
दिल तेरा सवाली है
उजड़ा हुआ गुलशन
है रोता हुआ मालि है
एक वो भी दीवाली थी
एक ये भी दीवाली है
उजड़ा हुआ गुलशन है
रोता हुआ मालि है
एक वो भी दीवाली थी
एक ये भी दीवाली है
उजड़ा हुआ गुलशन है
रोता हुआ मालि है.
My Own Poem
Here is another contrast between two Diwalis:
HAPPY DIWALI
She, a girl of five,
In tattered clothes,
And shattered hopes,
Tugged at her mother’s torn sari nervously.
Diwali; it was their big day..
For begging along the Marine Drive.
Rich people who came here
To burst crackers, huge bombs and rockets
That burst and filled the sky
With myriad colours
Were always in good mood
To let the beggars have
A miniscule part of the money
That went up in flames and sounds.
Each bomb, rocket, cracker, flower-pot
Cost several times Montek’s Thirty Two Rupees,
That separated them from becoming rich.
Seventy three rupees and fifty paise
They had already collected
And three empty whisky bottles
And two un-burst bombs
And two empty boxes of sweets
Empty for the rich but..
With remnants of sweets still sticking on edges
Enough for the girl and mother
To have a Happy Diwali feast.
Tonight was the night when
They could collect enough
For the next few days
Even after paying half to the beat-cop on duty.
In the din of crackers
And daze of sparklers
The little child and mother
Couldn’t help thanking
Lord Ram for having returned to Ayodhaya
Several centuries ago
And given them reason
To rejoice;
And sleep, after days
With stomachs nearly full
“Shubh Deepawali, maa” the child whispered.
“Shubh Deepawali, Lakshmi”, the mother responded,
“Let’s await Christmas, to have more….fun ”.
The Song
Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Ek woh bhi diwali thi…
I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #40.
Please await Raat or Din Song #41- O sajana barkha bahar aayi.
