I have done a long stint in the Indian Navy that lasted for nearly thirty seven years; I rose as far as my somewhat rebellious and irreverent nature allowed me to. On retirement, in Feb 2010, the first thing that occurred to me, and those around me, was that I Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (you will find an article with this title in this blog) and hadn't lost all my noodles and hence thought of a blog titled 'This 'n That'. I later realised that every third blog is called 'This 'n That' and changed the name to 'Sunbyanyname'. I detest treading the beaten track. This blog offers me to air 'another way' of looking at things. The idea is not just to entertain but also to bring about a change. Should you feel differently, you are free to leave your comments. You can leave comments even when you agree and want to share your own experience about the topic of the blog post. Impudent or otherwise, I have never been insousciant and I am always concerned about the betterment of community, nation and the world. I hope the visitors of this blog would be able to discern it.
These blogs, one part in a week, have been reconstructed from my Facebook Page: Lyrical whereat I am attempting a four week tribute to Shakeel Badayuni leading up to his Birth Centenary on 03 Aug 2016.
I love the date of 03 Aug 1916 when my favourite poet and lyricist Shakeel Badayuni was born in the small town of Badayun in Uttar Pradesh state. That part of the country was milling with all kinds of poets at that time and Shakeel (literally ‘Handsome’) was greatly influenced by this poetical atmosphere.
His father, Mohammed Jamaal Ahmed Sokhta Qadiri, arranged tuition for Shakeel in the prevalent languages of that time: Urdu (a language indigenous to India), Arabic, Persian, and Hindi.
Shakeel appeared to have given his heart to learning these so well that the greatest ghazal (in Urdu) of its times, Aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya (sung by Begum Akhtar), and the greatest Hindi bhajan of all times, Man tadpat Hari darshan ko aaj, were both penned by him.
In the Aligarh Muslim University, whereat he received his college education, he frequently took part in mushairas and won.
The first one to sign him for the movies was someone who stayed as his friend, guide and mentor for his life: Naushad Ali. This was for the 1947 AR Kardar movie Dard.
I feel that the name of the movie itself portended the genre’ of songs and ghazals that he excelled at: there was always love, always dard, always gham, and always great deal of irony.
Even if he had written nothing else, other than Aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya, he would have obtained adequate glory to be counted amongst the best. But, he wrote and wrote and excelled in all genres of songs, including children’s songs, bhajans, ghazals and songs depicting the beauty of a woman (husn).
Here is my own attempt at why we love his poetry:
Hamen Shakeel ki shayari kyun pasand hai? Dil ke taar baja kar woh chala jaata hai, Phir ham chain o neend apni kho dete hain Guzra hua zamaana hamen yaad aata hai Kyaa rang tha, kyaa noor tha, gham-e-aashiqi thi Woh aalam dil-e-jahan pe chha jaata hai Door kahin Naushad ki mausiqi ki dhun bajti hai Dil khud-ba-khud gaata hai aur sunaata hai Waah Shakeel, mar ke bhi tum zinda hi rahe Har haseen naghma tumhaari Yaad dilaata hai.
Day #1 of 31 Song #1
Let me start with his song (I am initially not going to put up songs in any order; but, the way and the time they impinge on the chords of my heart) that Naushad Ali composed in the Raaga of my home in the hills: Raag Pahadi.
It is also appropriate to start with this Raag since some of Shakeel’s best songs were set in this Raaga such as Chaudhvinh Ka Chand (for which he got his first Filmfare Best Lyricst award in 1961, though with Ravi), Aaj ki raat mere dil ki salaami le le (Ram Aur Shyam), Koi pyaar ki dekhe jaadugari (Kohinoor), and O door ke musaafir (Udan Khatola).
The tal in this song is Kaherava.
Only yesterday, my friend Anand Desai, whilst giving his third post on the musical instruments used in Hindi songs, in our Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne, wrote about the trumpet. This is what he had to say about the song:
“Accomplished Trumpeters use a blocker called the “Mute” for a subtle and a muzzled effect which allows the player to depict the mood on the screen… examples of this Mute effect are in Awaaz de kahan hai; Suhani raat dhal chuki naa jaane tum kab aaoge).”
And then I saw the video of the live singing of this song, the link to which I am giving here.
Of course, Pahadi is not so much a Raaga as a ‘dhun’. Soundofindia.com describes Raag Pahadi as: “The raga is like a lover, unruffled in union, serene in separation, powerful enough to achieve eternal union, but resigned to the painful parting ordained by destiny.”
This description of Raag is as if describing this most enchanting song put together by Shakeel, Naushad and Rafi.
nazaare .a .a .a apanii mastiyaa.n
dikhaa dikhaa ke so gaye
sitaare .a .a .a apanii raushanii
luTaa luTaa ke so gaye
har ek shammaa jal chukii
naa jaane tum kab aaoge
suhaanii raat Dhal chukii …
ta.Dap rahe hai.n ham yahaa.N – 2
tumhaare i.ntazaar me.n – 2
(khizaa kaa ra.ng, aa chalaa hai
mausam-e-bahaar me.n ) – 2
mausam-e-bahaar me.n
havaa bhii rukh badal chukii .a .a .a
naa jaane tum kab aaoge
suhaanii raat Dhal chukii
naa jaane tum kab aaoge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nfG4vmyhds
Song #2
He started writing songs for the Hindi movies, as I said, with the 1947 movie Dard when Naushad Ali took him up as the lyricist for the songs of the movie. His very first song became a popular song of those times: Afsana likh rahi hoon.
The movie was directed by Abdul Rashid Kardar and was a movie of Kardar Productions house. Munawwar Sultana was the main lead of the movie and Suraiyya as the second lead.
(Pic courtesy: mio.to)
Some people say that Shakeel was “lucky” to get unprecedented success in his very first movie itself. I, being amongst his biggest fans, am not surprised at all! Shakeel, throughout his life, never seemed to have written with pen and paper. I feel that he wrote from heart directly to our hearts. Here is my own take on that:
Kalam ka kalaam to bahut shaayar likhate the, Shakeel to dil se dilon ke taar milaate the, Waise to duniya mein sukhanwar ki kami naa thi, Shakeel nazaara-e-naghma hu-ba-hu dikhate the.
There were as many as ten songs in the movie Dard:
1 “Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon” Uma Devi
2 “Aaj Machi Hai Dhum” Uma Devi
3 “Yeh Kaun Chala Yeh Kaun Chala” Uma Devi
4 “Betaab Hai Dil Dard-E-Mohabbat Ke Asar Se” Uma Devi, Suraiya
5 “Beech Bhanvar Men Aan Phansa Hai” Suraiya
6 “Dil Dhadke Aankh Meri Phadke” Suraiya
7 “Hum Thay Tumhare Tum Thay Humare” Suraiya
8 “Chale Dil Ki Duniya Barbaad Kar Ke” Suraiya
9 “Yeh Afsana Nahin Zalim Mere Dil Ki Haqeeqat Hai” Shamshad Begum
10 “Ham Dard Kaa Afsana Duniya Ko Suna Denge” Shamshad Begum
Uma Devi, of course, later got recognition as the obese comedy actress Tun Tun. But, here she sang for Shakeel and Naushad.
The lyrics of the song are as if telling the tale (afsaana) of the future life of Shakeel as the lyricist par excellence, if you change from female to male, ie, instead of likh rahin hoon to likh rahan hoon!
jab tuu nahii.n to kuchh bhii nahii.n hai bahaar me.n
nahii.n hai bahaar me.n
jii chaahataa hai muu.Nh bhii
jii chaahataa hai muu.Nh bhii na dekhuu.N bahaar kaa
aa.Nkho.N me.n rang bhar ke tere i.ntazaar kaa
afasaanaa likh rahii huu.N
haasil hai.n yuu.N to mujhako zamaane kii daulate.n
zamaane kii daulate.n
lekin nasiib laa_ii
lekin nasiib laa_ii huu.N ik soGavaar kaa
aa.Nkho.N me.n rang bhar ke tere i.ntazaar kaa
afasaanaa likh rahii huu.N
aajaa ki ab to aa.Nkh me.n aa.Nsuu bhii aa gaye
aa.Nsuu bhii aa gaye
saaGar chhalak uThaa
saaGar chhalak uThaa mere sabr-o-qaraar kaa
aa.Nkho.N me.n rang bhar ke tere i.ntazaar kaa
afasaanaa likh rahii huu.N
Song #3
Nearly two years before Shakeel was born, Akhtari Bai Faizabadi was born in the same state of Uttar Pradesh, not very far from Badayun. It is as if God had intended that if He would put on earth such an eloquent poet and lyricist, the people deserve a heavenly voice to sing those ghazals. Akhtari Bai Faizabadi soon came to be known as Begum Akhtar, the khitaab of Begum signifying that she was known as Mallika-e-Ghazal (Queen of Ghazal).
Shakeel would have deserved nothing less!
Jazbaat ka ghazal taq laana Shakeel ka tha kaam, Tarannum mein use sajaana Begum ka tha payaam, Dard-e-dil ki daastaan ka agaaz to sab ne suna hai, Gaur farmaayiye ishq-e-muhabbat ka anjaam.
I don’t think that you require any more guessing as to what I am leading to.
This is not on the music of Naushad but that of Murli Manohar Swarup.
Please enjoy: Aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya…..
Ai mohabbat tere a.njaam pe ronaa aayaa jaane kyuu.N aaj tere naam pe ronaa aayaa
yuu.N to har shaam umiido.n me.n guzar jaatii thii aaj kuchh baat hai jo shaam pe ronaa aayaa
kabhii taqadiir kaa maatam kabhii duniyaa kaa gilaa ma.nzil-e-ishq me.n har gaam pe ronaa aayaa
jab hu_aa zikr zamaane me.n mohabbat kaa ‘Shakeel’ mujhako apane dil-e-naakaam pe ronaa aayaa
Day #2 of 31 Song #4
What an era it was when we used to go to movies whose songs were penned by Shakeel Badayuni, composed by Naushad Ali, sung by Mohammad Rafi and lip-synced by Dilip Kumar; each one of them being the best in their particular fields.
Shakeel Badayuni was elder to Naushad by three years, Dilip Kumar by six years and Mohammad Rafi by eight years.
Those were the days when the success of the movie depended largely on its songs. Whilst Naushad Ali was considered the greatest composer of those times, considerable credit must go to Shakeel for having given the soul to those songs.
As I go along, I shall give you the names of the movies. However, even if you recall just a few of them such as Baiju Bawra, Mother India, Udan Khatola, Mughal-e-Azam, Ganga Jamuna, Leader, Ram Aur Shyam, Dulari, Ghughat, Kohinoor, Son of India, Do Badan and Dil Diya Dard Liya, you would know that you are being transported into a world from where you don’t want to return.
It was common for people to forget all aspects of the movie but remember the lyrics. They might have even forgotten his name but lyrics would still be remembered.
In my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne, for example, one of the friends brought out that her favourite ghazal was Aye mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya. However, she remembered it as Begum Akhtar’s ghazal and was surprised when I told her that the poet is Shakeel!
Yesterday, I re-introduced Begum Akhtar to you as god-sent to sing his ghazals. Mohammad Rafi, however, needs no introduction. My friend Binu Nair, the founder of Rafi Foundation, is fond of quoting Manna Dey when he said that when it came to the rankings amongst male playback singers, position #1 to #10 were occupied by Mohammad Rafi. No one could hold a candle to him. He sang, it appeared to us, effortlessly. But, when you try to sing some of his songs, it occurs to you how difficult these are.
One such song is from the 1952 movie Baiju Bawra, the only movie for which Naushad Ali received the Filmfare Best musician award.
(Poster courtesy: www.youtube.com)
The movie was directed by Vijay Bhatt who made such movies as Ram Rajya (1943), Vikramadita (1945), Ramayan (1954), Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959), Haryali Aur Raasta (1962) and Himalaya Ki God Mein (1965).
All songs of Baiju Bawra were penned by Shakeel Badayuni and each one was composed by Naushad in a classical raga. Have a look:
1. “Tu Ganga Ki Mauj” (Raga Bhairavi) Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar
2. “Aaj Gawat Man Mero Jhoomke” (Raga Deshi) Ustad Amir Khan, D. V. Paluskar
3. “O Duniya Ke Rakhwale” (Raga Darbari) Mohammad Rafi
4. “Door Koi Gaye” (Raga Desh) Lata Mangeshkar, Shamshad Begum & chorus
5. “Mohe Bhool Gaye Sanwariya” (Raga Bhairav with traces of Raga Kalingda) Lata Mangeshkar
6. “Jhoole Mein Pawan Ki Aai Bahar” (Raga Pilu) Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar
7. “Man Tarpat Hari Darsan Ko Aaj” (Raga Malkauns) Mohammad Rafi
8. “Bachpan Ki Muhabbat” (Based on Maand) Lata Mangeshkar
9. “Insaan Bano” (Raga Todi) Mohammad Rafi
10. “Tori Jai Jai Kartar” (Raga Puriya Dhanashree) Ustad Amir Khan
11. “Langar Kankariya Ji Na Maro” (Raga Todi) Ustad Amir Khan, D. V. Paluskar
12. “Ghanana Ghanana Ghana Garjo Re” (Raga Megh) Ustad Amir Khan
13. “Sargam” (Raga Darbari) Ustad Amir Khan
We are going to take up O duniya ke rakhwaale in Raag Darbari. This raag was believed to have originated in Kanada region and brought to Emperor Akbar’s court by Mian Tansen. The movie has Baijnath Mishra (called Baiju Bawra, or Baiju the Crazy) seeking revenge on Tansen for the death of Baiju’s father by defeating him in singing!
Rafi has set such high standards in singing this song, that no one has ever attempted to sing it alive in a concert. The high pitched ending is just out of this world.
It was all made possible by the exquisite lyrics of Shakeel.
Please enjoy: O duniya ke rakhwaale….
bhagavaan, bhagavaan … bhagavaan
o duniyaa ke rakhavaale, sun dard bhare mere naale
sun dard bhare mere naale
aash niraash ke do ra.ngo.n se, duniyaa tuune sajaaI
nayyaa sa.ng tuufaan banaayaa, milan ke saath judaaI
jaa dekh liyaa harajaaI
o … luT gaI mere pyaar kii nagarii, ab to niir bahaa le
ab to niir bahaa le
o … ab to niir bahaa le, o duniyaa ke rakhavaale …
aag banii saavan kii barasaa, phuul bane a.ngaare
naagan ban ga_ii raat suhaanii, patthar ban gae taare
sab TuuT chuke hai.n sahaare, o … jiivan apanaa vaapas le le
jiivan dene vaale, o duniyaa ke rakhavaale …
chaa.nd ko Dhuu.NDhe paagal suuraj, shaam ko Dhuu.NDhe saveraa
mai.n bhii Dhuu.NDhuu.N us priitam ko, ho naa sakaa jo meraa
bhagavaan bhalaa ho teraa, o … qismat phuuTii aas na TuuTii
paa.nv me.n pa.D gae chhaale, o duniyaa ke rakhavaale …
mahal udaas aur galiyaa.n suunii, chup-chup hai.n diivaare.n
dil kyaa uja.Daa duniyaa uja.Dii, ruuTh gaI hai.n bahaare.n
ham jiivan kaise guzaare.n, o … ma.ndir girataa phir ban jaataa
dil ko kaun sambhaale, o duniyaa ke rakhavaale …
o duniyaa ke rakhavaale
rakhavaale
rakhavaale
rakhavaale … (throat bleeding pitch !!)
Song #5
What a song that was in Raag Darbari!
In my own words:
Shakeel naghmagar (lyricist) nahin, the ek awwal sunaar, Geet aise likhe hain jaise heeron se jadhe hon haar, Har ek lafz ki alag pehchaan aur chamak hai, Dil chahata hai sune aur dekhen baar baar.
One such song that we would like to listen to over and over again was written by him for the 1962 movie Bees Saal Baad that was produced by my favourite singer Hemant Kumar and directed (debut) by Biren Nag.
A song from the movie Kahin deep jale kahin dil won Shakeel Badayuni his third Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist.
But, the song that we shall never get tired of listening to is Beqraar karke hamen youn naa jaayiye. Of course, one must admire the remarkably impressive singing by Hemant Kumar and also his composition and music. But, what I wrote about each word being a gem to be arranged in a necklace is very much evident in this song.
In just one song of three stanzas, Biswajeet was able to convey to Waheeda Rehman the effect of her beauty, cautioned her about going alone in a garden full of her fans such as roses and moths, and finally suggesting to her to have him as her companion for life!
(beqaraar karake hame.n yuu.N na jaaiye
aapako hamaarii kasam lauT aaiye ) – 2
dekhiye vo kaalii kaalii badaliyaa.N
zulf kii ghaTaa churaa na le kahii.n
chorii chorii aake shokh bijaliyaa.N
aapakii adaa churaa na le kahii.n
yuu.N qadam akele na aage ba.Dhaaiye
aapako hamaarii…
(dekhiye gulaab kii vo Daaliyaa.N
ba.Dhake chuum le na aap ke qadam ) – 2
khoe khoe bha.Nvare bhii hai.n baaG me.n
koii aapako banaa na le sanam
bahakii bahakii nazaro.n se khud ko bachaaiye
aapako hamaarii…
zindagii ke raaste ajiib hai.n
iname.n is tarah chalaa na kiijiye
khair hai isii me.n aapakii huzuur
apanaa koii saathii Dhuu.NDh liijiye
sunake dil kii baat naa muskuraaiye
aapako hamaarii…
Song #6
Whilst Beghum Akhtar sang some of his non-filmy ghazals, the best filmy ghazals of Shakeel Badayuni were sung by both Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. But, the fact is that they sang some of his non-filmy ghazals too.
Here is one of my favourites by Lata Mangeshkar: Aank se aankh milata hai koi…
Aa.Nkh se aa.Nkh milaataa hai ko_ii
Someone is making his eyes rest on mine
Dil ko khii.Nche liye jaataa hai ko_ii
Someone is tugging at my heart
Vaa-e-hairat ke bharii mahafil me.n
Alas in this party full of wonder
Mujh ko tanhaa nazar aataa hai ko_ii
I find someone is alone
Sub.h ko KHunuk fanaa.oñ ki qasam
I vow by the happy weather of the morning
Roz aa aa ke jagaata hai ko_ii
Someone comes again and again to awaken me
Manzar-e-husn-e-do-aalam ke nisaar
Offering of the spectacle of the beauty of two world
Mujh ko aa-iina dikhaataa hai ko_ii
Someone is showing me the looking-glass
Chaahiye Khud pe yaqiin-e-kaamil
One should have firm belief on oneself
Hausalaa kis kaa ba.Dhaataa hai ko_ii
Who is there to provide encouragement?
Sab karishmaat-e-tasavvur hai “Shakeel”
All are miracles of imagination, Shakeel
Varanaa aataa hai na jaataa hai ko_ii
Else no one comes, no one goes
Appreciating Good Lyrics Song #1
Now that I have started putting up posts on my Facebookl page ‘Lyrical‘ (shared here as well as in Facebook group ‘Chalta Hai’) as part of the Countdown to the Birth Centenary of Shakeel Badayuni on 03 Aug, I have also decided to give you matching lyrics by other great lyricists.
I am, as you already know, a ‘Lyrical’ man in the same sense (though lacking in equivalent excellence) as my friend Anand Desai is an Instrumental man.
I also feel – and I was just responding to a comment by Ashwani Sharma, whose dad was a great Urdu poet – that Lyricist and Poets are not horses in a race; to be bet upon and cheered to win every time. Hence, if someone is a favourite lyricist or a poet of yours, it simply means that you appreciate all good lyrics and the lyrics of this particular one best synchronise with your emotions and memories.
In the era when I was brought up, good lyrics simply ruled the scene. We may not remember the story-line of a movie after so many decades, but we do remember the lyrics. I gave Ashwani Sharma several examples, such as Rajinder Krishan’s:
“Ghar se chale the ham to khushi ki talaash mein,
Gham raah mein khade the wahin saath ho liye,
Khud dil se dil ki baat kahi aur ro liye.”
If you have seen the movie Adaalat, you would know how aptly the lyrics fit with the story-line and the emotions of Nargis.
Shailendra Kesarilal was one such lyricist. He was born on 30th Aug 1921 in Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan). He and Hasrat Jaipuri associated with Shankar Jaikishan to create some of the best known songs in the Hindi movies.
His son Dinesh Shankar Shailendra brought out to us during the Shankar Jaikishan Music Foundation’s Mumbai meet that amongst all of them, Shailendra was the only one who knew English and hence all contracts for the S-J and Hasrat were perused by him for correctness before asking them to sign!
If Raj Kapoor hadn’t noticed his poetry in a mushaira in Bombay in the year 1947, Shailendra would have probably continued working in the railways! And then first Aag (1948) and then Barsaat (1949) took place. Shailendra thereafter took us on a better journey than he would have in the Indian Railways.
There are hundreds of his lyrics to appreciate. I am particularly fond of Patita’s Mitti se khelte ho baar baar kis liye and this from the 1965 movie Chhoti Chhoti Baatein that starred Nadira and Motilal.
The movie was written, produced and directed by Motilal. As some of you would know, Motilal died before the movie was released.
You would also appreciate the setting of this great song (and I urge you to see it please) in a boat.
Whilst giving you the description of Raag Sarang in Lyrical, I had mentioned the various names by which Sarang is known, the most popular being Brindavani Sarang. This is, however, composed in Gaur Sarang by Anil Biswas and the tal is Dadra.
Singing for Nadira is Meena Kapoor. She became famous for her 1957 movie Pardesi song: Rasiya re man basiya re. She was, of course married to Anil Biswas. Many people used to comment upon the likeness of her voice to Geeta Dutt with whom she was a friend.
But, this song has to be appreciated most for its exquisite lyrics by Shailendra!
Please enjoy: Kuchh aur zamaana kehta hai…..
kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai, kuchh aur hai zidd mere dil kii
mai.n baat zamaane kii maanuu.N, yaa baat sunuu.N apane dil kii
kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai …
duniyaa ne hame.n berahamii se
Thukaraa jo diyaa, achchhaa hii kiyaa
naadaan ham samajhe baiThe the
nibhatii hai yahaa.N dil se dil kii
kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai …
inasaaf, muhabbat, sachchaa_ii
vo raham-o-qaram ke dikhalaave
kuchh kahate zubaa.N sharamaatii hai
puuchho na jalan mere dil kii
kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai …
go bastii hai insaano.n kii
insaan magar Dhuu.NDhe na milaa
patthar ke buto.n se kyaa kiije
fariyaad bhalaa TuuTe dil kii
kuchh aur zamaanaa kahataa hai …
Day #3 of 31 Appreciating Good Lyrics Song #2
The era in which Shakeel Badayuni was active, belonged to Lyricists. Since the success of the movies’ success primarily depended upon their songs, and since songs were appreciated for their lyrics, the Lyricists were centre stage.One such lyricist of that era was Rajinder Krishan (he also wrote his name as Rajendra Krishan). I think of him as ‘Simla boy’ (my home station) since although he was born in Jalalapur Jatan (that part of Gujarat, which is now in Pakistan), his boyhood and early manhood was spent in Simla where he was a clerk in the municipal office.
I share another interesting thing with him, in that a quarter of century later after he was born, I too was born on the 6th of June!
Even before I was born, he left Simla (now Shimla) and came to Bombay (now Mumbai) to try his luck in the Hindi film industry that had shifted there from Calcutta (now Kolkata).
One of the first music directors that he was associated with as Lyricist (initially, he tried his hand as a screenwriter) was C Ramchandra.
The movie from which I have taken this song to tell you about matching lyrics with Shakeel Badayuni was the 1953 movie Anarkali (earlier he wrote lyrics for the songs of Amar Kahani (1949; with MD Husanlal Bhagatram), Albela (1951; with C Ramchandra), Araam (1951; with Anil Biswas) and Ladki (1953; with R. Sudarsanam and Dhaniram).
Ananrkali was his second movie with C Ramchandra. Initially the MD was Vasant Prakash and after his death C Ramchandra took over. Its 11 songs were penned by four lyricist: Rajinder Krishan penned four of them and the others were by Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri and Jaan Nisar Akhtar (Jawed Akhtar’s father).
Some of you would tell me that Rajinder Krishan’s best lyrics are to be found in Adaalat (1958) and Jahan Ara (1964). But, those we shall come to later. Lets get on with 1953 movie Anarkali.
The story is thew same as that of Mughal-e-Azam (which came later) and hence I shall not repeat that. Pradeep Kumar acted as Prince Salim, Bina Rai as the courtesan Anarkali in the court of Emperor Akbar and Noor Jahan as Nur Jehan.
I feel that Rajinder Krishan excelled in the lyrics of this song in the very early stages of his career. The third stanza is so exquisite that at least I am rendered speechless with its simple beauty.
One more thing. Seven years later, Shakeel and Naushad created the songs of Mughal-e-Azam and they became iconic. However, Anarkali songs are as fondly remembered as of Mughal-e-Azam.
Please enjoy: Mujhase mat poochh tere ishq mein kyaa rakha hai….
dil kii lagii hai kyaa, ye kabhii dil lagaake dekh
aa.Nsuu bahaake dekh kabhii muskaraake dekh
paravaanaa jal rahaa hai magar jal rahaa hai kyaa
ye raaz jaananaa hai to khud ko jalaake dekh
mujh se mat puuchh mere ishq me.n kyA rakhaa hai
ek sholaa hai jo siine me.n chhuupaa rakhaa hai
daag-e-dil daag-e-jigar daag-e-tamannaa lekar (2)
mai.n ne viiraan bahaaro.n ko sajaa rakhaa hai
mujh se mat puuchh
hai zamaanaa jise betaab miTaane ke liye (2)
mai.nne us yaad ko siine se lagaa rakhaa hai
mujh se mat puuchh
bhUlanevaale tujhe dard-e-muhabbat kii kasam (2)
mai.n ne is dard me.n duniyA ko bhulaa rakh hai
mujh se mat puuchh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdm-YmBriS0
Song #7
You would have noticed, ladies and gentlemen, that I have started giving you (one post a day titled ‘Appreciating Good Lyrics’). This is intended to contrast his poetry/lyrics with other contemporaries such as Rajinder Krishan, Shailendra, Sahir Ludhianvi, Kaifi Azmi, Hasrat Jaipuri, and Jaan Nisar Akhtar. The idea is to show you that Shakeel was active during a time when songs were appreciated because of their good lyrics as the primary requirement. Enjoy those posts too.
Writing about Shakeel Badayuni is to relive that era when great stories, dialogues, histrionics, and songs made the movies into what they were.
Lets take one of Shakeel’s early movies: the 1951 movie Deedar. It was one of the earliest movies in which Shakeel wrote the songs, Naushad composed them, Mohammad Rafi sang and Dilip Kumar enacted.
The movie stars both Nargis and Nimmi opposite Dilip Kumar (Shamu) as Mala and Champa respectively. The story was that of unfulfilled love between two childhood friends: Shamu and Champa, whose love was nipped in the bud due to class inequalities. Traumatised and blinded, he earns living singing but deep down he searches for his childhood love to have her Deedar (face to face).
The story was repeatedly mentioned by Vikram Seth in his popular novel A Suitable Boy. A remake of this story was done by Raj Khosla at the behest of Manoj Kumar and this was called Do Badan. Interestingly, even Do Badan had songs written by Shakeel Badayuni, though composed by Ravi.
Deedar’s songs were composed by Naushad and have a look at the list:
1. Bachpan Ke Din Bhoola Na Dena – Male Mohammad Rafi
2. Hue Hum Jinke Liye Barbad – I Mohammad Rafi
3. Hue Hum Jinke Liye Barbad – II Mohammad Rafi
4. Naseeb Dar Pe Tera Aazmane Aya Hon Mohammad Rafi
5. Meri Kahani Bhoolne Wale Mohammad Rafi
6. Dekh Liya Maine Kismat Ka Tamasha Mohammad Rafi & Lata Mangeshkar
7. Tu Kon Hai Mera Kehde Balam Lata Mangeshkar
8. Le Ja Meri Duayeein Le Ja Lata Mangeshkar
9. Duniya Ne Teri Duniyawale Lata Mangeshkar
10. Bachpan Ke Din Bhoolana Dena – Female Shamshad Begum & Lata Mangeshkar
11. Chaman Mein Rakhe Verana Shamshad Begum
12. Nazar Phero Na Humse Shamshad Begum & G. M. Durrani
You would have noticed two things in the above list. One, that GM Durrani, who was Mohammad Rafi’s guru, also sang with him in the same movie!
Two, that whenever you post a song of Shakeel Badayuni, you have to sadly and automatically think of all the others that you ain’t putting up!
Mohammad Rafi sang this for Dilip Kumar.
Naushad, who was really very well versed with Raagas, set this in Raag Tilang that I haven’t yet taken up with you here on Lyrical.
All those, like me, who have read and routinely read Sri Guru Granth sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, would be familiar with this Raag. In the SGGS, there are as many as 20 hymns in this Raag, that has its origin in Sufi tradition and has fair sprinkling of Islamic vocabulary: Guru Nanak (6 hymns), Guru Ram Das (3), Guru Arjan(5), Guru Tegh Bahadur (3), Kabir (1) and Namdev (2).
Raag Tilang has intrinsic sense of yearning in it (it belongs to the Khammaj thaat) and it is reflected very well in this song.
Please enjoy: Meri kahaani bhoolne waale, tera jahan aabaad rahe….
mere giit sune duniyaa ne magar
meraa dard koI na jaan sakaa
ek teraa sahaaraa thaa dil ko
par tuu bhii na mujhe pahachaan sakaa
bachapan ke vo giit puraane aaj tujhe na yaad rahe
merii kahaanii
mai.n apanaa fasaanaa kah na sakaa
mere dil kii tamannaa dil me.n rahii
lo aaj kinaare par aake
aramaano.n kii kashtii Duub ga_ii
qismat ko ma.nzuur yahii thaa lab par mere fariyaad rahe
merii kahaanii
Song #8
The era that I was talking about not just belonged to Shakeel, Naushad, Rafi, Lata, but any attempts to discount the effect of their priceless creations is an effort to rewrite that nostalgia imprinted on our minds.
Lets take one of Lata Mangeshkar at this stage.
The 1955 movie Uran Khatola was indeed produced by the music director Naushad and hence you can be assured of the best of the songs in the movie. Dilip Kumar acted opposite Nimmi.
The story was repeated in Hindi movies a number of times and Dilip Kumar starrer Taraana with Madhubala has almost the same story.
Here is the story from Wiki:
“Kashi (Dilip Kumar) travels by an ill-fated plane, which crashes on the outskirts of an isolated city that is ruled by women, who worship Sanga, their God. Kashi is rescued by pretty Soni (Nimmi) and taken to her home, where she lives with her widowed dad, and brother, Hira (Agha). Since the roads are blocked, Kashi is unable to return home, and in order to continue to stay here, he must first obtain permission from the Raj Rani (Surya Kumari), the ultimate ruler. He meets with her and she finds him attractive and charming, and invites him to stay with her at her palace and sing for him, which he does. Kashi and Soni have given their hearts to each other, they meet secretly, with Soni disguised as a man, Shibu. Raj Rani finds out that a Kashi is ignoring her love for a mere peasant.
And….it is in this song!
Naushad composed the song in Raag Bihag. We have already taken up this Raag on Lyrical when I told you that the mood of the Raag is celebratory and is normally played at marriages.
If you recall Lyrical’s cover picture showed the song ‘Tere sur aur mere geet’ from Goonj Uthi Shehnai.
Please enjoy: Hmaare dil se na jaana, dhoka na khaana, duniya badhi beimaan….
hamaare dil se na jaanaa,dhokaa na khaanaa,duniyaa ba.Dii beimaa.n
o piyaa duniyaa badii beimaa.n
hamaare dil se na jaanaa,dhokaa na khaanaa,duniyaa ba.Dii beimaa.n
hamaare
(mai.n huu.n jii pyaar kii pahalii nishaanii)-2
(aa.Nkho.n se aaj kahuu.n dil kii kahaanii)-2
o~oo~ sun lo jii pai.nyaa pa.Duu.N ho~oo~
(dekho jii vinatii karuu.n)-2
ho~oo~,hamaare ghar laaj nibhaanaa
dil na dukhaanaa
balamaa kahanaa meraa maan
oo~ piyaa duniyaa ba.Dii beimaa.n
hamaare …
(miiThe do bol yahaa.n,mushakil hai bolanaa)-2
(duniyaa kii riit(?) kabhii,man ke na kholanaa)-2
o~oo~ jhuuTii hai priit yahaa.n,ho~oo~
(koii na miit yahaa.n)-2
ho~oo~,buraa hai aaj zamaanaa
TuuTe jiyaa naa
ulajhan me.n hai merii jaan
oo~ piyaa duniyaa ba.Dii beimaa.n
hamaare …
Song #9
If you notice, I have been giving you two songs followed by a ghazal everyday.
The cover picture shows only one ghazal singer: Begum Akhtar who sang several of his ghazals.
Another singer who added his name into the list of immortal ghazal singers was Talat Mehmood. Coincidentally, Talat being almost eight years younger to Shakeel Badayuni was also from Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow. His kind of romantic and tragic singing suited the lyrics of Shakeel.
Here is he singing Shakeel’s famous ghazal: Meri zindagi hai zaalim tere gham se aashkara…
Merii zindagii hai zaalim, tere Gam se aashkaaraa
My life is a manifestation of your sorrow, O tyrant
Teraa Gam hai dar-haqiiqat mujhe zindagii se pyaaraa
The truth is that your sorrow is dearer to me than my life
Vo agar buraa na maane to jahaa.N-e-rang-o-buu me.n
If she won’t mind then in this world of colour and fragrance
Mai.n sukuun-e-dil kii Khaatir koii Dhuu.NDh luu.N sahaaraa
May I search for support for the sake of peace of my heart?
Ye fulak fulak havaaye.N ye jhukii jhukii ghaTaaye.N
These happy winds, these low rain bearing clouds
Vo nazar bhii kyaa nazar hai jo samajh na le ishaaraa
What kind of eye is that which can’t take this hint?
Mujhe aa gayaa yaqii.n saa yahii hai merii ma.nzil
I have come to believe that this is my destination
Sar-e-rah jab kisii ne mujhe daffa’atan pukaaraa
On the road when someone called me spontaneously
Mai.n bataauu.N farq naasih, jo hai mujh me.n aur tujh me.n
I can tell you my counsellor, the difference between you and me
Merii zindagii talaatum, terii zindagii kinaaraa
My life is like a sea-storm, your life is like a shore
Mujhe guftaguu se ba.Dakar Gam-e-izn-e-guftaguu hai
More than the conversation, I have grief of permission to converse
Wahii baat puuchhte hai.n jo na kah sakuu.N dobaaraa
She asks me about that thing that I can’t repeat
Koii aye ‘Shakeel’ dekhe, ye junuu.N nahii.n to kyaa hai
Someone should see this, Shakeel, isn’t it madness
Ke usii ke ho gaye ham jo na ho sakaa hamaaraa
That I became hers but she couldn’t be mine
Day #4 of 31 Appreciating Good Lyrics Song #3
In the last two days I have given you lyrics as under:1. Shailendra’s: Kucch aur zamaana kehta hai.
2. Rajinder Krishan’s: Mujhase mat poochh tere ishq ne kyaa rakha hai.
Lets take one of Kaifi Azmi today. His real name was Sayyid Akhtar Hussein Rizvi. He was born in a village Mizwaan in the district Azamgarh of Uttar Pradesh. His daughter Shabana is a celebrated actress in Hindi movies and son Baba a cinematographer.
Kaifi Azmi was a known poet in the mushairas of that era and as late as in 1970, when I was studying in Government College Dharamshala in Kangra District of Himachal, I heard him in a mushaira in our college.
I like Kaifi’s lyrics and poetry for one unique quality: he’d use very simple words to convey very strong and deep thoughts. Rather than trying to impress you with the different and complex words in the Urdu language, he’d rely more on the play of words.
I am fond of giving this example from Hanste Zakhm:
Dil ki naazuk ragen tootati hain, Yaad itana bhi koi na aaye.
Or, from Kohra (the song picturised on Biswajeet’s first licentious wife, before he married Waheeda rehman):
Haal ye hai masti kaa, saans lagi thamane Utane rahe pyaase ham jitani bhii pi hamane
Or from Guru Dutt’s movie Kaagaz Ke Phool:
Jaaenge kahaan poochhataa nahin Chal pade magar raastaa nahin Kyaa talaash hai kuchh pataa nahin Bun rahe hain dil khvaab dam-ba-dam
Let me take you now to the 1961 movie Shola Aur Shabnam, which had the first major role by Dharmendra though he had acted in two movies before that: Dil Bhi Tera Ham Bhi Tere and Boy Friend.
The film, directed and written by Ramesh Saigal was about a young man (my namesake Ravi played by Dharmendra) torn between love for his long lost childhood sweetheart (Tarla Mehta), and devotion towards a friend (M Rajan) who has helped set him up in his career.
This song brings out the feelings of Ravi (Dharmendra) so well in such simple words. Pay particular attention to the last lines:
Kaise baazaar ka dastoor tumhen samjhaayun, Bik gaya jo woh khareeddaar nahin ho sakta.
Khaiyyam, who was known to give the gentlest of the music, made equally gentle music for these powerful lyrics of Kaifi Azmi. Hats off to Dharmendra that in his first major movie he should attempt such serious and sad role.
By this time, you would have already seen my bias towards the Raag of the hills, my home station, and I am not going to deny it. This too has been set by Khaiyyam in Raag Pahadi in Tal Dadra.
Please enjoy one of Kaifi’s best: Jaane kyaa dhoondati rehati hain ye aankhen mujh mein….
jaane kyaa Dhuu.NDhatii rahatii hai.n ye aa.Nkhe.n mujhame.n
raakh ke Dher me.n sholaa hai na chi.ngaarii hai
ab na vo pyaar na usakii yaade.n baakii
aag yuu.N dil me.n lagii kuchh na rahaa kuchh na bachaa
jisakii tasviir nigaaho.n me.n liye baiThaa ho
mai.n vo diladaar nahii.n usakii huu.N khaamosh chitaa
zi.ndagii ha.Ns ke na guzaratii to bahut achchhaa thaa
khair ha.Ns ke na sahii ro ke guzar jaayegii
raakh barabaad muhabbat kii bachaa rakhii hai.n
baar-baar isako jo chhe.Daa to bikhar jaayegii
aarazuu jurma vafaa jurma tamannaa hai gunaaha
ye vo duniyaa hai jahaa.N pyaar nahii.n ho sakataa
kaise baazaar kaa dastuur tumhe.n samajhaauu.N
bik gayaa jo vo khariidaar nahii.n ho sakataa …
Day #4 of 31 Song #10
We have already taken up a song from the 1952 movie Baiju Bawra. So strong was thew focus on songs and ghazals in the movies that the makers of the movies sought to have singing hero or heroines in the movies. Bharat Bhushan himself acted in singing roles in several of his movies. Besides Baiju Bawra in which he had the title role, he acted in the title role in the 1954 movie Mirza Ghalib. In 1956 movie Basant Bahar, he as Gopal, the son of an astrologer wasn’t interested in astrology but in music. He did the title role in 1959 movie Kavi Kalidas. He was a shayar in 1960 movie Barsaat Ki Raat and finally as the great musician Tansen in 1962 movie Sangeet Samrat Tansen.
The people lapped up all the movies based on music and poetry.
Two years after the success of Baiju Bawra, Bharat Bhushan (typified as the poet/shayar/musician in Hindi movies, in the same manner as Amitabh Bachchan was typified as the angry-young-man) acted in the 1954 movie Shabaab (Youth). Nutan acted as the female lead.
The movie was made, like Baiju Bawra, to bring out the power of music. Bharat Bhushan is the musician. He falls in love with a lost princess, Nutan. Love always had enemies during those days. The king and his men oppose their love. In the end, Bharat Bhushan wins the heart of Nutan but loses his life.
When Shakeel and Naushad are together, you can laways expect magic and it did happen in the movie. Have a look at the list of the songs:
1. Daya Kar He Giridhar Gopal – Amir Khan – Raga Multani
2. Mehlon Mein Rahne Wale – Mohammed Rafi
3. Mar Gaye Ham Jeete Ji Malik – Lata Mangeshkar
4. Bhagat Ke Bas Mein Hai Bhagwan – Manna Dey
5. Jogan Ban Jaungi Saiyan Tore Karan – Lata Mangeshkar
6. Lagi More Man Ki O Sajna – Shamshad Begum
7. Yehi Armaan Lekar Aaj Apne Ghar Se – Mohammed Rafi
8. Jo Main Janti – Lata Mangeshkar
9. Man Ki Been Matwari Baje – Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar – Raga Bahar with a trace of Raga Basant
10. Chandan Ka Palna Resham Ki Dori – Lata Mangeshkar, Hemant Kumar
11. Aaye Na Balam Wada Karke – Mohammed Rafi
Today, whilst writing about the other contemporary lyricists, I wrote about the simplicity of the lyrics of Kaifi Azmi. Shakeel excelled in this too.
Lets take up a favourite (also since it is sung by Hemant Kumar) song of mine. Both Lata and Hemant have sung it. The Raag is another very popular raaga in the Hindi movies: Raag Pilu. The taal is Dipchandi (lamplight) also known as Chanchar or Chochar. Some of the other songs that I like in Dipchandi taal are: Ishaaron ishaaron mein dil lene waale, Allah tero naam, Ab ke baras bhej bhaiyya ko baabul, and Piya tose naina laage re that was on Rupak as well as Dipchandi taal.
Please enjoy: Chandan ka palna, resham ki dori….
sa.ngiit hai shakti ii{sh}var kii har sur me.n base hai.n raam
raagii ko sunaaye raag madhur, rogii ko mile aaraam
The last song must have surely put you to sleep and taken you to the dreamworld across the skies. Chandan ka palna, being the best lullaby, has that effect. If Bharat Bhushan was typified as a musician/shayar/poet in the movies, Nutan was often portrayed as the one who had lost her sleep. She did that in Milan, in Dulhan Ek Raat Ki and here in Shabaab!
Lets go back a little to 1949 AR Kardar movie Dillagi.
Another thing that I want to bring out, in addition to the strong stress on lyrics in the songs, was that for a movie to be successful at the box-office, it’d better be tragic! Mughal-e-Azam’s success, to a great extent, has been traced by film analysts to strong underlying tragedy.
Dillagi was a romantic tragedy too based on Emile Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, that was later adapted into Dil Diya Dard Liya, which was another of Shakeel-Naushad movies.
The actor Shyam gave his life-time’s bast performance in Dillagi. Suraiyya acted opposite him.
As always, lets have a look at the list, to reinforce the fact about the primacy of songs in the movies of that era:
1 Tu Mera Chand Suraiya
2 Is Duniya Mein Dil Ka Lagana Kheil Nahin Mohammed Rafi
3 Murliwale Murli Baja Suraiya
4 Char Din Ki Chandni Thi Phir Andheri Raat Hai Suraiya
5 Duniya Kya Jaane Suraiya
6 Nirala Mohabbat Kaa Dastur Dekha Suraiya
7 Tera Khayal Dil Se Bhulaya Na Jayega Suraiya
8 Le Ke Dil Chupke Se Kiya Majboor Suraiya
9 Tu Mera Chand, Mein Teri Chandani Shyam, Suraiya
10 De Dhil De Dhil O Ree Sakhi Uma Devi, Shamshad Begum
Lets take up this duet of Shyam and Suraiyya singing for themselves. The song is on a theme that’s always close to my heart.
Please enjoy: Tu mera chand main teri chandini……
tuu meraa chaa.Nd mai.n terii chaa.Ndanii
mai.n teraa raag tuu merii raaginii
o, nahii.n dil ka lagaanaa koii dillagi, koii dillagi
saath hii jiinaa saath hii maranaa
ulfat kii hai riit, haa.N, ulfat kii hai riit
pyaar kii muralii haradam gaaye terii lagan ke giit
mai.n teraa raag tuu merii raaginii
tuu meraa chaa.Nd mai.n terii chaa.Ndanii
o, nahii.n dil ka lagaanaa …
bhuul na jaanaa rut ye suhaanii
ye din aur ye raat, haa.N, ye din aur ye raat
jab tak chamake chaa.Nd sitaare, dekho chhuuTe na saath
tuu meraa chaa.Nd mai.n terii chaa.Ndanii
mai.n teraa raag tuu merii raaginii
o, nahii.n dil ka lagaanaa …
Song #12
Now that I have given you two of his songs on Chand and Chandini, I should probably end with a Chand ghazal. In his characteristic style, it is a sad ghazal.
There wasn’t a poet and lyricist like him. Probably, there won’t ever be. He used words as a goldsmith uses gold to make beautiful ornaments.
This is his second best ghazal sung by Shanti Heranand. She was a disciple of Begum Akhtar who was fired with the desire to popularise the genre’ of singing of her idol.
Please enjoy: Nazar Nawaz nazaron mein ji nahin lagata….
Nazar nawaaz nazaron mein ji nahin lagata,
Woh kyaa gaye ki bahaaron mein ji nahin lagata.
My heart cannot find joy in sights that are pleasing to the eye
She left and now spring cannot amuse me
(Nazar nawaaz=Pleasing to the eye)
Shab-e-firaaq ko ai chaand aa ke chamka de,
Nazar udaas hai taaron mein ji nahin lagata.
Only moon (her) can come and brighten the night of separation
My sight is sad, stars cannot amuse me
(Shab-e-firaaq=Night of separation/longing)
Gham-e-hayaat ke maare to ham bhi hain lekin,
Gham-e-hayaat ke maaron mein ji nahin lagata.
Even I am a victim of sorrow of life, but
I do not find amusement in the midst of other victims of sorrow of life.
(Gham-e-hayaat=Sorrow of life)
Na poochh mujhase tere gham mein kyaa guzarti hai,
Yahi kahunga hazaaron mein ji nahin lagata.
Don’t ask me how I spend my time in your sorrow
I shall say only this that I don’t find amusement in the midst of thousands
Kuchh is qadar hai gham-e-zindagi se dil maayus,
Khizaan gayi to bahaaron mein ji nahin lagata.
In this manner is the heart saddened by sorrow of life
That when autumn was over, spring doesn’t amuse me
Fasaana-e-shab-e-gham khatm hone waala hai,
Shakeel chand sitaaron mein ji nahin lagata.
Story of the night of grief is about to end now
Shakeel, (now) moon and the stars don’t amuse me anymore
(Fasaana-e-shab-e-gham=Story of the night of grief)
Day #5 of 31 Appreciating Good Lyrics Song #4
These posts started three days ago to bring home the point that whilst we genuinely love everything that Shakeel wrote, many other contemporary poets and lyricists were also good and popular.
So far, we have taken up in the last three days:
1. Shailendra with his Kuchh aur zamaana kehta hai.
2. Rajinder Krishan with his Mujhase mat poochh mere ishq mein.
3. Kaifi Azmi with his Jaane kyaa dhoondati rehati hain ye aankhen mujh mein.
Tonight we take up Sahir Ludhianvi‘s.
Sahir was born as Abdul Hayee on 8th March 1921. Sahir means ‘Wakeful’ or ‘Magician’ and this poet from Karimpura, Ludhiana actually awakened us with his poetry as a magician.
His mother Sardar Begum suffered at the hands of his father who eventually remarried. Some of Sahir’s poetry reflects that angst about the treatment of women. Sahir gained fame in his college (Khalsa College, Ludhiana) reading out his poems and giving his fiery speeches.
Sahir didn’t marry though he was romantically inclined to Amrita Pritam and later to the singer Sudha Malhotra.
Sahir’s style of poetry was different from Shakeel’s. Indeed, Shakeel was exclusively a poet of Love whereas almost all other poets of that era, including Sahir, wrote about the social conditions prevalent in the country including poverty.
For example, if Shakeel wrote for a Leader song, about Taj Mahal:
“Ek Shehanshah ne banwa ke haseen Taj Mahal, Saari duniya ko mohabbat ki nishaani di hai, Iske saaye mein sadaa pyaar ke charche honge Khatam jo ho naa sakegi wo kahani di hai”
Sahir’s was to be critical of Shahjehan for the ostentation:
“Ek Shaehanshah ne banwa ke haseen Taj Mahal, Ham gareebon ki mohabbat ka udhaaya hai mazaak, Mere mehboob kahin aur mila kar mujhako.”
Many of his fans consider Sahir Ludhianvi as the greatest poet and lyricist of that era.
These do not include me though I was brought up in a place close to Sahir’s. As I told you a favourite is not someone like a horse who wins all races for you. A favourite is the one who comes closest to your emotions and moods. Shakeel does that for me.
Sahir received Filmfare awards for Best Lyricist twice: once for the Taj Mahal song: Jo waada kiya wo nibhaana padhega; and once for the title song of Yash Chopra’s Kabhie Kabhie, which some feel was tailored on his own biography in part.
Lets take a very expressive song from his 1958 BR Chopra movie Sadhana that starred Vyjayanthimala as a prostitute in love with a professor Sunil Dutt.
The film was about rehabilitation of prostitutes and stirred the conscience of the society towards them.
Datta Naik composed the song almost like a nazm, which it was.
Please enjoy: Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko, mardon ne use bazaar diya….
aurat ne janam diyaa mardo.n ko, mardo.n ne use baazaar diyaa
jab jii chaahaa kuchalaa masalaa, jab jii chaahaa dutkaar diyaa
tulatii hai kahii.n diinaaro.n me.n, bikatii hai kahii.n baazaaro.n me.n
na.ngii nachavaaii jaatii hai, aiyyaasho.n ke darabaaro.n me.n
ye vo beizzat chiiz hai jo, ba.nT jAtI hai izzatadaaro.n me.n
mardo.n ke liye har zulm ravaa.N, aurat ke liye ronaa bhii khataa
mardo.n ke liye laakho.n seje.n, aurat ke liye bas ek chitaa
mardo.n ke liye har aish kaa haq, aurat ke liye jiinaa bhii sazaa
jin hoTho.n ne inako pyaar kiyaa, un hoTho.n kaa vyaapaar kiyaa
jis kokh me.n inakaa jism Dhalaa, us kokh kaa kaarobaar kiyaa
jis tan se uge kopal ban kar, us tan ko zaliil-o-khAr kiyaa
mardo.n ne banaayii jo rasme.n, unako haq kaa faramaan kahaa
aurat ke zindaa jal jaane ko, kurbaanii aur balidaan kahaa
qismat ke badale roTii dii, usako bhii ehasaan kahaa
sa.nsaar kii har ek besharmii, gurbat kii god me.n palatii hai
chakalo.n me.n hii aa ke rukatii hai, faako.n me.n jo raah nikalatii hai
mardo.n kii havas hai jo aksar, aurat ke paap me.n Dhalatii hai
aurat sa.nsaar kii qismat hai, fir bhii taqadiir kii hotii hai
avataar payambar janatii hai, phir bhii shaitaan kii beTii hai
ye vo badaqismat maa.N hai jo, beTo.n kii sez pe leTii hai
Day #5 of 31 Song #13
I gave you a list of all ten songs of Shakeel’s first movie, the 1947 movie Dard with Music Director Naushad. I hope you noticed a curious fact that all ten songs were sung by women: Uma Devi (Tun Tun), Suraiyya and Shamshad Begum.
Lets take his second movie: the 1948 movie Anokhi Ada and have a look at the songs:
1 Kyun Unhe Dil Diya Surendra, Suraiya Shakeel Badayuni
2 Kahe Jiya Dole Ho Kaha Nahi Jaye Uma Devi (Tun Tun) Shakeel Badayuni
3 Ye Pyaar Ki Baaten Ye Safar Bhul Na Jaanaa Mukesh Shakeel Badayuni
4 Jale Na Kyun Parwana Surendra Anjum Pilibhiti
5 Bade Bhole Bhale Hai Dil Lene Wale Surendra Anjum Pilibhiti
6 Aaj Kaha Jaa Ke Nazar Shamshad Begum Shakeel Badayuni
7 Nazar Mil Gayi Jane Kiski Nazar Se Shamshad Begum Shakeel Badayuni
8 Bhulane Vaale Yaad Na Aa Mukesh Shakeel Badayuni
9 Bhool Gaye Kyo De Ke Sahara Mukesh, Shamshad Begum Shakeel Badayuni
10 Kabhi Dil Dil Se Mukesh Shakeel Badayuni
11 Manzil Ki Dhun Me Jhumate Gaate Chale Chalo Mukesh Shakeel Badayuni
12 Dil Ko Laga Kar Humne Kuchh Bhi Na Paaya Uma Devi Shakeel Badayuni
Please notice the following:
A. Two of the songs were penned by Anjum Pilbhiti.
B. Mohammad Rafi, who excelled in singing Shakeel-Naushad songs had still not entered the scene with them.
C. Surendra and Mukesh vied with each other to sing Shakeel-Naushad.
This song and the dialogues in between are seven and half minutes of fascinating interplay of emotions in a love traingle between Naseem Bano, Surendra and Prem Adib, and I urge you to please see it. It would tell you how, Shakeel Badayuni, in his very first movie wherein he could express both male and female emotions in the songs, excelled (his first movie Dard, as I said, had only female songs).
Naushad composed this song in Raag Darbari Kanada and taal Kaherava.
Please enjoy: Kabhi dil se dil takraata to hoga….
kabhii dil dil se Takaraataa to hogaa-2
unhe meraa Khayaal aataa to hogaa-2
naa rukate ho.nge jab aa.Nkho.n me aa.Nsuu-2
aa.Nkho.n me aa.Nsuu
to paimaanaa to paimaanaa chhalak jaataa to hogaa
unhe …
vo paa lete to ho.nge dil pe kaabu, dil pe kaabu-2
unhe ye bhii-2 kamaal aataa to hogaa
kabhii dil …
Song #14
I forgot to mention in the last song from 1948 movie Anokhi Ada that it was the first movie in which Mehboob Khan took Shakeel as the lyricist. He repeated this in his Aan (1952), Amar (1954), Mother India (1957), and Son of India (1962) which was his last movie as director.
We jump to Shakeel-Naushad’s 1950 movie Babul and once again notice in the list of songs that I shall give you that Mohammad Rafi hadn’t yet arrived on the scene!
The movie starred Dilip Kumar, Munnawar Sultana and Nargis. It was produced by Naushad and was directed by FU Sunny.
Have a look at the songs:
1 Duniya Badal Gayi Talat Mahmood, Shamshad Begum 3:30
2 Dhadke Mera Dil Shamshad Begum 3:37
3 Chhod Babul Ka Ghar Shamshad Begum 3:15
4 Kisi Ke Dil Men Rahna Tha Shamshad Begum, Lata Mangeshkar 3:37
5 Lagan More Man Ki Lata Mangeshkar, Munawar Sultana 3:12
6 Mera Jeevan Saathi Bichhad Gaya Talat Mahmood 3:40
7 Milte Hi Ankhen Dil Hua Diwana Shamshad Begum, Talat Mahmood 3:11
8 Panchhi Ban Mein Lata Mangeshkar 3:03
9 Husn Walon Ko Na Dil Do Talat Mahmood 3:31
10 Jadoo Bhare Nainon Men Shamshad Begum, Dilip Kumar 3:29
11 Na Socha Tha Yeh Shamshad Begum 3:32
You would agree with me that each one is a gem. Chhod babul ka ghar became the standard song for the bidaai in all weddings. Kisi ke dil mein rehna tha, Mera jeevan saathi bichhad gaya, and Milte hi aankhen dil hua diwana kis ka all became popular hits.
However, for the lyrical excellence, I have chosen for you this number sung by Talat Mehmood. You would enjoy the light-hearted, carefree acting by Dilip Kumar rather than the tragic and sad one that he was branded as.
Please enjoy: Husn waalon ko na dil do mitaa dete hain….
husn vaalo.n ko na dil do ye miTaa dete hai.n
zi.ndagii bhar ke liye rog lagaa dete hai.n
khuub karate hai.n ye biimaar-e-muhabbat kaa ilaaj
dard ba.Dhataa hii rahe aisii davaa dete hai.n
haay kuchh in kii muhabbat kaa bharosaa hii nahii.n
pahale dil lete hai.n phir dil ko bhulaa dete hai.n
dil lagaaye na zamaane me.n hasiino.n se ko_ii
log kahate hai.n ki ye dil ko dagaa dete hai.n
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AragPXmpGnU
Song #15
Naushad was the music director for fourteen of AR Kardar’s movies; the 1947 movie Dard being the first one in which he took Shakeel as the lyricist. The 1951 movie Jadoo was AR Kardar’s second last movie with Naushad. After that Naushad was MD only for Deewana (1952), the same year when Naushad also did Baiju Bawra, the only movie for which he received the Filmfare Best Music Director award.
Here is from Wikipedia:
“The film revolves around a young singer and dancer, Sundari (Nalini Jaywant), who is involved with crooks, but falls in love with a police constable, Pritam (Suresh). The plot of the film was inspired from The Loves of Carmen (1948), directed by Charles Vidor and starring Rita Hayworth.”
The movie was the second of the Shakeel-Naushad duo movies (the first one being the 1949 movie Dulari with the song Suhaani raat dhal chuki) in which Mohammad Rafi sang a song (solo) and another with Shamshad Begum and Zohra Ambalewali.
Have a look at the songs that Shakeel wrote:
1 Pyar Ke Sagar Se Nikli Mohammed Rafi
2 Ulajh Gaya Jiya Mera Nainon Ke Jaal Me Lata Mangeshkar
3 Gin Gin Taare Main Haar Gai Raat Ko Lata Mangeshkar
4 Lo Pyar Ki Ho Gayi Jeet Lata Mangeshkar
5 Insan Badalte Rehte Hain Lata Mangeshkar
6 Jab Nain Milein Nainon Se, Laaraa Lu Shamshad Begum
7 Ek Do Tin Chaar, Roop Ki Dushman Paapi Duniya Shamshad Begum
8 Ae Ji Thandi Sadak Hai Thandi Sadak Shamshad Begum
9 Lelo Lelo Phuldani Lelo Shamshad Begum, Zohrabai Ambalewali, Mohammed Rafi
Pyar ke sagar se nikli is an important song for me since it is just the second movie song that Mohammad Rafi sang solo in a movie with the duo of Shakeel Badayuni and Naushad.
Please enjoy: Pyar ke sagar se nikli moti ke badle ret…
pyaar ke saagar se nikalii motii ke badale ret
ab pachhataaye kyaa hoye jab chi.Diyaa.N chug ga_ii.n khet
o
ek jhuuTh hai
ek jhuuTh hai jisakaa duniyaa ne
rakhaa hai muhabbat naam
are rakhaa hai muhabbat naam
dhokhaa hai jise
dhokhaa hai jise kahate hai.n wafaa
bas dekh liyaa anjaam
are bas dekh liyaa anjaam
( paanii sii nazar, patthar saa jigar
bedard tujhe pahachaan gaye ) -2
ham pyaar kii nagarii me.n aa kar
dastuur yahaa.N ke jaan gaye
milatii hai Kushii
milatii hai Kushii dam bhar ke liye
rone ko hai subah-o-shaam -2
haay bas dekh liyaa
bas dekh liyaa anjaam
( na puuchh hu_aa jo haal meraa
ek terii nazar ke dhokhe se ) -2
jaise ko_ii jalataa diip bujhe
bas ek hawaa ke jho.nkhe se
dil de ke hame.n
dil de ke hame.n kuchh bhii na milaa
bekaar huye badanaam
haay bas dekh liyaa
bas dekh liyaa anjaam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEcln91GjkY
Day #6 of 31 Appreciating Good Lyrics Song #5
As you are aware. I started these posts four days ago to bring home the point that whilst we genuinely love everything that Shakeel wrote, many other contemporary poets and lyricists were also good and popular.
So far, we have taken up in the last four days:
1. Shailendra with his Kuchh aur zamaana kehta hai.
2. Rajinder Krishan with his Mujhase mat poochh mere ishq mein.
3. Kaifi Azmi with his Jaane kyaa dhoondati rehati hain ye aankhen mujh mein.
4. Sahir Ludhianvi with Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko.
Tonight we take up Majrooh Sultanpuri‘s.
Majrooh is the fifth of our lyricists who was a contemporary of Shakeel Badayuni. Out of all these six (*including Shakeel), three have been from Uttar Pradesh, which says something about that region producing some great poets and lyricists.
Majrooh Sultanpuri was born on 01 Oct 1919 as Asrar ul Hassan Khan in a Tarin Pashtun family, in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. His father was an officer in the police department, but, preferred to send his son for traditional madrasa (Urdu school) rather than provide him with English schooling.
He tried his hand at being a quack until he was noticed in a mushaira in Sultanpur.
He was a disciple of the great Urdu poet Jigar Moradabadi. When he visited Bombay in 1945 to participate in a mushaira, the director Abdul Rashid Kardar noticed him and invited him to write for the movies. Majrooh turned it down as he looked down upon movies! He was persuaded through his mentor Jigar Moradabadi and then there was no turning back.
Many traditionalists of the Urdu literature, however, felt that Majrooh sold his soul to the Hindi films and that he could have emerged a great poet in the likeness of Ghalib and Jigar.
The takhalus Majrooh means “injured” or “wounded”.
Majrooh was awarded, in 1993, the highest award – Dadasaheb Phalke award – for his lifetime contribution towards lyrics and poetry. He was the first lyricist ever to be given that award. For the film Dosti, that made Laxmikant Pyarelal famous, he was awarded the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award for the song: Chahunga main tujhe saanjh savere.
For someone who didn’t want to join Hindi movies, Majrooh emerged as a natural lyricist, very popular, very romantic without too deep poetry. I won’t like to compare him with Shakeel since Shakeel maintained the purity of Urdu lyrics and traditional Urdu poetry style.
Most of Majrooh’s songs are of Dil vil pyaar vyaar main kyaa jaanu,. Baahon mein chale aao, Bangle ke peechhe, Ye raaten ye amusam nadi ka kinaara, and Dekho mausam kyaa bahaar hai. However, some of his lyrics are still comparable to Shakeel’s such as Hui shaam unaka khayaal aa gaya, Woh jo milate the kabhi, Rahe na rahe ham, Chhupa lo youn dil mein pyaar mera, Tu kahe agar jeevan bhar main geet sunaata jaayun, Mujhe dard-e-dil ka pata na tha, Hamaare baad ab mehfil mein afsaane bayaan honge, and the great song on eyes: Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kyaa hai.
The last one is from the 1969 movie Chirag. Hats off to Majrooh for writing this at the age of fifty! Hats off to Madan Mohan too for having composed it in Raag Jhinjhoti, the raag named after an apsara. There are two versions of this song: Mohammad Rafi singing for Sunil Dutt and Lata Mangeshkar singing for Asha Parekh.
The lyrics are exquisite and each word hangs of the notes of the composition like raindrops from green leaves.
Please enjoy: Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kyaa hai….
terii aa.Nkho.n ke sivaa duniyaa me.n rakkhaa kyaa hai
ye uThe.n subah chale, ye jhuke.n shaam Dhale
meraa jiinaa meraa maranaa inhii.n palako.n ke tale
terii aa.Nkho.n ke sivaa …
(rafii)
palako.n kii galiyo.n me.n chehare bahaaro.n ke ha.Nsate hue
hai.n mere Kaabo.n ke kyaa-kyaa nagar iname.n basate hue
ye uThe.n subah chale …
iname.n mere aanevaale zamaane kii tasviir hai
chaahat ke kaajal se likhii huii merii taqadiir hai
ye uThe.n subah chale …
(lataa)
Thokar jahaa.N maine khaaI inho.nne pukaaraa mujhe
ye hamasafar hai.n to kaafii hai inakaa sahaaraa mujhe
ye uThe.n subah chale …
ye ho.n kahii.n inakaa saayaa mere dil se jaataa nahii.n
inake sivaa ab to kuchh bhii nazar mujhako aataa nahii.n
ye uThe.n subah chale …
Day #6 of 31 Song #16
We were talking about the 1952 movie Deewana, the last of the fourteen movies of AR Kardar for which Naushad was the music director.
With Shakeel, the first one, the 1947 movie Dard, had no male songs. The second one, the 1951 movie Jadoo had only one solo by Mohammad Rafi: Pyar ke sagar se nikli moti ke badle ret.
The third one too had just one solo song from Mohammad Rafi but it turned out to be a great one.
As usual, have a look at the lsit of songs:
1. Mora Nazuk Badan – Suraiya
2. Dil Mein Aa Gaya Koi – Suraiya
3. Jeene Diya Na Chain Se – Suraiya
4. Lagi Hai Manmandir – Suraiya
5. Mere Chand Mere Lal – Suraiya, Lata Mangeshkar
6. Tasveer Banata Hoon Teri – Mohammed Rafi
7. Teer Khate Jayenge – Lata Mangeshkar
8. Yeh Duniya Kaisi Hai – Hridayanath Mangeshkar
9. Humein Jo Koi Dekhle – Shamshad Begum
It is only after this that Mohammad Rafi would arrive in a big way with the 1952 movie Baiju Bawra with songs like Man tadpat Hari darshan ko aaj and O duniya ke rakhwaale, and Tu Ganga ki mauj.
After the success of the all time popular and Mohammad Rafi’s first song with Shakeel: Suhaani raat dhal chuki, here is the next popular hit of Rafi with Shakeel.
Please enjoy: Tasveer banaata hoon teri khoon-e-jigar se….
tasaviir banaataa huu.N terii Kuun-e-jigar se
Kuun-e-jigar se
dekhaa hai tujhe mai.n ne muhabbat kii nazar se
are, muhabbat kii nazar se
jitane bhii mile ra.ng vo sabhii bhar diye tujh me.n
haay, bhar diye tujh me.n
ik ra.ng-e-vafaa aur hai, laa_uu.N vo kidhar se
are laa_uu.N vo kidhar se
tasaviir banaataa huu.N terii …
saavan terii zulfo.n se ghaTaa maa.Ng ke laayaa
haay, maa.Ng ke laayaa
bijalii ne churaa_ii hai ta.Dap terii nazar se
are, ta.Dap terii nazar se
tasaviir banaataa huu.N terii …
mai.n dil me.n biThaa kar tujhe ruKsat na karuu.Ngaa
haay, ruKsat na karuu.Ngaa
mushkil hai teraa lauT ke jaanaa mere ghar se
are jaanaa mere ghar se
tasaviir banaataa huu.N terii …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvs7V66eGck
Day #6 of 31 Song #17
You must have seen my obsession with tracing the history of Mohammad Rafi singing Shakeel’s songs. It is as if Shakeel wrote his best only for him.
It is not true. The first of Shakeel’s is sung by Uma Devi (Tuntun) and Mohammad Rafi arrived only two years later with Suhaani raat dhal chuki in 1949 Dulari. Even two years later, Rafi had sung only two solos of Shakeel Badayuni.
I am giving you this background because many of us believe that the best songs in Hindi movies have been made by the quartet of Shakeel-Naushad-Rafi-Dilip and yet Rafi took quite some time in arriving on the scene.
When he did in a big way with 1952 movie Baiju Bawra, it wasn’t a Dilip Kumar movie but a Bharat Bhushan movie with Meena Kumari who bagged the Best Actress award for the movie.
I have already given you a song from the movie: O duniya ke rakhwaale composed by Naushad in raag Darbari Kanada.
Now, with the short biography of Shakeel Badayuni that I have given you, you have to imagine him writing for Baiju Bawra‘s songs wherein he is told not to write in Urdu, his strong point!
This was exactly the greatness of this greatest poet and lyricist. He delightfully surprised everyone by writing in shudh Hindi.
Indeed, the song that I have to give you now is regarded as the greatest Hindi bhajan ever written in Hindi movies. It is considered the standard for bhajans.
The song was composed by Naushad in Raag Malkauns, a derivation of Malkaush, a combination of Mala (garland) and Kaushik (serpents). Naturally, the Raaga is a Shiva Raag; believed to have been composed by Parvati to calm down an enraged Shiva.
In the movie Baiju Bawra too, one has to admire the musical acumen of Naushad to have composed in this raag since here too it has a calming effect on Baiju’s Guru Hari.
The tal is Tintal.
Without further ado, please enjoy: Man tadpat Hari darshan ko aaj….
man ta.Dapat hari darasan ko aaj
more tum bin biga.De sakal kaaj
aa, vinatii karat, huu.N, rakhiyo laaj, man ta.Dapat…
tumhare dvaar kaa mai.n huu.N jogii
hamarii or nazar kab hogii
sun more vyaakul man kii baat, ta.Dapat harii darasan…
bin guruu GYaan kahaa.N se paauu.N
diijo daan harii gun gaauu.N
sab gunii jan pe tumhaaraa raaj, ta.Dapat harii…
muralii manohar aas na to.Do
dukh bha.njan more saath na chho.Do
mohe darasan bhikshaa de do aaj de do aaj, …
Day #6 of 31 Song #18
It is almost criminal not to listen to all the songs of Baiju Bawra, once one has started. However, it is just a month long tribute as a countdown to his Birth Anniveray on 03 Aug, with less than a hundred songs that I can give you.
Still, I cannot resist giving you this number that Naushad composed in Raag Bhairavi, by that time, the favourite Raaga of another great music director (the greatest duo the world has ever seen) Shankar Jaikishan.
Please see in this song, how well Naushad could get the beat right in taal Dadra.
And Shakeel, he just made this song an iconic song in Hindi movies, the kind that you can’t get out of your system.
Please enjoy in Raag Bhairavi: Tu Ganga ki mauj main Jamuna ka dhaara….
akelii mat ja_iyo raadhe jamunaa ke tiir
o jii o
tuu ga.ngaa kii mauj mai.n jamunaa kaa dhaaraa
ho rahegaa milan, ye hamaaraa
ho hamaaraa tumhaaraa rahegaa milan
ye hamaaraa tumhaaraa
agar tuu hai saagar to majhadhaar mai.n huu.N, majhadhaar mai.n huu.N
tere dil kii kashtii kaa patavaar mai.n huu.N, patavaar mai.n huu.N
chalegii akele na tumase ye naiyaa, na tumase ye naiyaa
mile.ngii na ma.nzil tumhe bin khevaiyaa, tumhe bin khevaiyaa
chale aao jii, chale aao jii
chale aao maujo.n kaa le kar sahaaraa, ho rahegaa milan
ye hamaaraa tumhaaraa rahegaa milan, ye hamaaraa tumhaaraa
bhalaa kaise TuuTe.nge ba.ndhan ye dil ke, ba.ndhan ye dil ke
bichha.Datii nahii.n mauj se mauj milake, hai mauj mil ke
chhupoge bha.Nvar me.n to chhupane na de.nge, to chhupane na de.nge
Dubo de.nge naiyaa tumhe.n Dhuu.NDh le.nge
banaaye.nge ham, banaaye.nge ham
banaaye.nge tuufaa.N ko lekar kinaaraa, ho rahegaa milan
ye hamaaraa tumhaaraa rahegaa milan, ye hamaaraa tumhaaraa
DIL BHAR AAYA
I must be a bundle of emotions!
Today, I had to put up the Baiju Bawra songs as part of my ongoing tribute for Shakeel Badayuni. Knowing what happened to me last year when I saw the movie, I was careful to finish putting these songs before going for my evening walk.
But, then…I made the mistake (I would never do it with Mere Mehboob) of listening to Tu Ganga ki mauj. Tears came naturally again! Where has that era gone? Why can’t we have it again? You have to play the song to feel the emotions.
Here were my Facebook Group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne‘s reactions to it when I felt the same way last year: Go through them nostalgically.
As you are aware, I started these posts five days ago to bring home the point that whilst we genuinely love everything that Shakeel wrote, many other contemporary poets and lyricists were also good and popular.
It is, therefore, worth recalling their lyrics too in addition to Shakeel’s. It was the era of good lyrics.
So far, we have taken up in the last four days:
1. Shailendra with his Kuchh aur zamaana kehta hai.
2. Rajinder Krishan with his Mujhase mat poochh mere ishq mein.
3. Kaifi Azmi with his Jaane kyaa dhoondati rehati hain ye aankhen mujh mein.
4. Sahir Ludhianvi with Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko.
5. Majrooh Sultanpuri with Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kyaa hai.
Tonight we take up Jaan Nisar Akhtar‘s.
Jaan Nisar Akhtar was born a little more than two years before Shakeel, on the 18th Feb 1914 in Gwalior. Unlike Shakeel, who was the first to venture into poetry (only a distant uncle was a poet), Jaan Nisar Akhtar’s father Muztar Khairabadi was poet as was his father’s elder brother, Bismil Khairabadi.
Like many other poets of that era, including Shakeel, he was part of Progressive Writers Movement.
He shifted to Bhopal from Gwalior where he took up job as Head of Department for Urdu and Persian.
In 1949 he shifted to Mumbai and met progressive writers like Rajider Singh Bedi and Mulk Raj Anand. It was only six years later, when he was 41 years old that success came his way when he wrote lyrics of the songs for the movie Yasmin.
And then for the next three and half decades he penned lyrics in the movies until his death on 16 Aug 1976. His son Jawed Akhtar is also a lyricist in the movies.
My friend Vipan Kohli wants me to come straightway to his Shankar Hussain song: Aap youn faaslon se guzarte rahe. But, Shankar Hussain was a 1977 movie and we are still at some early stages.
I, therefore, give you a song from his first movie, the 1955 Yasmin, written, produced and directed by Abdul Rashid Kardar and starring Vyjayamthimala, Suresh and Jayant.
This was composed by C Ramchandra.
The voice is that of Lata Mangeshkar.
Please enjoy: Mujhape ilzaam-e-bewafai hai….
mujhape ilzaam-e-bewafaaii hai
ai muhabbat terii duhaaii hai
mujhape ilzaam-e-bewafaaii hai …
usane Thaanii hai zulm Dhaane kii
mujh me.n himmat hai Gam uThaane kii
Kush ho, ai dil! tujhe miTaane kii, miTaane kii
aaj usane qasam to khaaii hai
ai muhabbat terii duhaaii hai
mujhape ilzaam-e-bewafaaii hai …
tuu huaa dil se kab judaa kah de
mujhase kyuu.N ho gayaa Kafaa kah de
tuu hii i.nsaaf se zaraa kah de, zaraa kah de
kisane shart-e-wafaa bhulaaii hai
ai muhabbat terii duhaaii hai
mujhape ilzaam-ebewafaaii hai …
hai gawaaraa teraa sitam mujh ko
har jafaa hai terii karam mujh ko
jaan jaae, nahii.n hai Gam mujh ko
jab muhabbat pe baat aaii hai
ai muhabbat terii duhaaii hai
mujhape ilzaam-e-bewafaaii hai …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ7wx4KnBL0
Day #7 of 31 Song #19
The success of 1952 movie Baiju Bawra did wonders for the career of Shakeel Badayuni. Ghulam Mohammad, although seven years older to Naushad was an assistant to Naushad in Diwana and emerged on his own in 1952 movie Ambar or Amber (Sky) that starred Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Shakeel was asked by Ghulam Mohammad to pen the songs and he did the following:
1 “Hum Tum Yeh Bahar Dekho Rang Laya Pyar” Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi
2 “Shama Jali Parwana Aaya” Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi
3 “Dhoom Dhadaka” Mohammed Rafi, Shamshad Begum
4 “Churakar Dil Ko Chale Jaana” Mohammed Rafi
5 “Duniya Mein Nahin Koi Yaar” Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi
6 “Tootegi Na Pyar Ki Dor” Lata Mangeshkar
7 “Rote Hain Naina Gham Ke Maare” Mohammed Rafi, Shamshad Begum
8 “Ham Pyar Tumhin Se Karte Hai” Lata Mangeshkar
9 “Dil Deke Sanam Tumhe Pachhtaye” Lata Mangeshkar
10 “Duniya Mein Nahin Koi Yaar” Lata Mangeshkar
The movie was a suspense thriller with Nargis as Rajkumari Amber trying to avenge the murder of her estranged father. Baby Tanuja played Nargis as a child initially.
Some of the best duets in the Hindi movies are between Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. Lets take up a delightful one from this movie: Hum Tum Yeh Bahar, Dekho Rang Laya Pyar.
ra : ( ham-tum ye bahaar
dekho ra.ng laayaa pyaar
barasaat ke mahiine me.n
la : rimajhim ye phuhaar
dil gaaye re malhaar
ik aag liye siine me.n ) -2
do : ho
ra : ho
la : ho
ra : ( terii zulfo.n kii ye ra.ngat hai
jo baadal banake chhaa_ii hai ) -2
jo baadal banake chhaa_ii hai
la : terii aa.Nkho.n kii ye mastii hai
jo saawan banake aa_ii hai
ra : meraa dam jab tak
rahe pyaar kii chamak
mere dil ke nagiine me.n
ham-tum yah bahaar …
la : rimajhim ye phuhaar
dil gaaye re malhaar
ik aag liye siine me.n
la : o
ra : o
la : ( duniyaa ko hamaarii ho na Kabar
aa.Nkho.n me.n ishaare ho jaaye.N ) -2
aa.Nkho.n me.n ishaare ho jaaye.N
ra : ulafat bhii chale aisaa jaaduu
dushman bhii hamaare ho jaaye.N
la : Gam dil se ho duur
naa ho ko_ii majabuur
phir aaye mazaa jiine me.n
do : rimajhim ye phuhaar
dil gaaye re malhaar
ik aag liye siine me.n
ham-tum ye bahaar
dekho ra.ng laayaa pyaar
barasaat ke mahiine me.n
rimajhim ye phuhaar
dil gaaye re malhaar
ik aag liye siine me.n
ho
ho
Day #7 of 31 Song #20
From the next movie, the 1952 movie Aan (Pride), Shakeel started an association with a great movie director and producer Mehboob Khan that lasted for several movies including Amar, Mother India, and Son of India.
Aan was India’s first techniclour movie. It had Dilip Kumar, Nimmi and Premnath in lead roles, together with Nadira in her debut role as a replacement for Nargis, the original choice. Nadira was the haughty princess Rajshree whose horse was tamed by Jai Tilak (Dilip Kumar), a commoner, who finally was able to tame the arrogant princess too!
Naushad and Shakeel gave us the following songs in the movie:
1 Maan Mera Ehsan Mohammed Rafi Shakeel Badayuni 02:48
2 Dil Mein Chhupake Pyar Ka Mohammed Rafi 02:55
3 Tujhe Kho Diya Hamne Lata Mangeshkar 03:14
4 Aaj Mere Man Mein Sakhi Lata Mangeshkar 03:55
5 Mohabbat Choome Jinke Haath Mohammed Rafi 03:36
6 Gao Tarane Man Ke Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar & Shamshad Begum 04:41
7 Takra Gaya Tumse Mohammed Rafi 03:44
8 Khelo Raang Hamare Sang Lata Mangeshkar & Shamshad Begum 04:18
9 Aag Lagi Tan Man Mein Shamshad Begum 03:32
10 Mein Raani Hoon Raja Ki Shamshad Begum
Lets take the most popular of these, the first one. Please notice that by now Mohammad Rafi is with Sahkeel and Naushad in a huge manner.
Please enjoy: Maan mera ehsaan, are nadaan….
maan meraa ahasaan are naadaan ke maine
tujhase kiyaa hai pyaar
maine tujhase kiyaa hai pyaar
merii nazar kii dhuup na bharatii ruup to hotaa
husn teraa bekaar
maine tujhase kiyaa hai pyaar
maan meraa …
ulafat na sahii nafarat hii sahii
is ko bhii muhabbat kahate hai.n
tuu laakh chhupaae bhed magar ham
dil me.n samaae rahate hai.n
tere bhii dil me.n aag uThii hai jaag zabaa.n se
chaahe na kar iqaraar
maine tujhase kiyaa hai pyaar
merii nazar kii …
apanaa na banaa luu.N tujhako agar
ik roz to meraa naam nahii.n
patthar kaa jigar paanii kar duu.N ye
to koii mushkil kaam nahii.n
chho.D de ab ye khel tuu kar le mel mere sa.ng
maan le apanii haar
maine tujhase kiyaa hai pyaar
maan meraa …
Day #7 of 31 Song #21
Okay, back to a AR Kardar movie, the 1953 movie Dil-e-Nadaan. I have already told you that Diwana of 1952 was Naushad’s last of the 14 movies with AR Kardar. Hence, in this movie, his protege Ghulam Mohammad took over with Shakeel.
The movie starred Talat Mehmood and Shyama.
Ghulam Mohammad’s compositions in this movie included some of the finest numbers of Talat Mehmood. Here is the list of those songs:
1 Zindagi Denewale Sun, Teri Duniya Se Dil Bhar Gaya Talat Mehmood
2 Jo Khushi Se Chot Khaye, Woh Jigar Kaha Se Laaun Talat Mehmood
3 Ye Raat Suhani Raat Nahin Ae Chand Sitaron So Jao Talat Mehmood
4 Muhabbat Ki Dhun Bekararo Se Poochho Talat Mahmood, Sudha Malhotra, Jagjit Kaur
5 Teri Khaatir Sitam Dil Par Talat Mahmood
6 Chanda Gaye Ragni Cham Cham Barse Jagjit Kaur
7 Khamosh Zindagi Ko Ek Afsana Mil Gaya Jagjit Kaur
8 Na Wo Humare Na Dil Humara Sudha Malhotra
9 Lijo Babul Hamara Salaam Re Asha Bhosle
I am going to give you the second song since it has some remarkably fine lyrics by Shakeel and also because it happens to be a favourite of my late father.
Please enjoy Talat Mahmood sing Shakeel’s: Jo khushi se chot khaaye wo jigar kahan se laayun….
terI khAtir sitam dil pe gavaaraa kar liyaa mai.nne
kahaa kisane muhabbat se kinaaraa kar liyaa mai.nne
jo khushI se choT khaaye,
vo jigar kahaa.N se laauu.n – 2
kisii aur ko jo dekhe,
vo najar kahaa.N se laauu.n – 2
jo khushI se choT khaaye
mujhe terI aarazuu hai,
mere dil me.n tuu hii tuu hai – 2
base gair jisame.n aa kar,
mai.n vo ghar kahaa.N se laauu.n – 2
jo khushI se choT khaaye
terI berukhii pe sadake,
terI har adaa pe kurbaa.n – 2
kare aur ko jo sajade,
mai.n vo sar kahaa.N se laauu.n – 2
jo khushI se choT khaaye
vo jigar kahaa.N se laauu.n – 2
jo khushI se choT khaaye
Appreciating Good Lyrics Song #7
This has come last here, rather than at the beginning of the day since on Day #1 of my Countdown, I didn’t think of including other lyricists, as a comparison.
As you are aware, I started these posts six days ago to bring home the point that whilst we genuinely love everything that Shakeel wrote, many other contemporary poets and lyricists were also good and popular.
It is, therefore, worth recalling their lyrics too in addition to Shakeel’s. It was the era of good lyrics.
So far, we have taken up in the last six days:
1. Shailendra with his Kuchh aur zamaana kehta hai.
2. Rajinder Krishan with his Mujhase mat poochh mere ishq mein.
3. Kaifi Azmi with his Jaane kyaa dhoondati rehati hain ye aankhen mujh mein.
4. Sahir Ludhianvi with Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko.
5. Majrooh Sultanpuri with Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kyaa hai.
6. Jaan Nisar Akhtar with his Mujhape ilzaam-e-bewafai hai.
Tonight we take up our seventh lyricst, Hasrat Jaipuri‘s creation.
Hasrat and Shailendra were two of the lyricists that were noticed by Prithviraj Kapoor/raj Kapoor and took up making lyrics for the music duo of Shankar-Jaikishan. S-J earned the sobriquet of being “House Musicians” of Raj Kapoor. Most often than not, in Raj Kapoor movies the songs were penned by either Shailendra or Hasrat.
How poor the lyricists were was narrated to us by the director Sudhakar Sharma during the Shankar Jaikishan Music Foundation Meet in Mumbai on 19th June. He had written some songs for Shankar for the film Gori. One day, he wanted to get from Shankar his own songs. But, he was in Mahim and Shankar’s studio in Kala Ghoda in Bombay. So, Sudhakar said, he sold kerosene from his stove so that he could buy a return fare ticket by local train to Churchgate and then walk to Kala Ghoda. He said when he reached there, Shankar was not there and he was shoed away even though he introduced himself as the lyricist of the song that was playing in the studio. He said that on his way down he chanced to meet Shankar who gifted him four LPs and a few cassettes of his own songs!
Well, same was the case with Hasrat! Even though he started writing at the age of 12 years (he was born on 15 Apr 1922, six years after Shakeel), when he moved to Bombay at the age of 18, he worked as a bus-conductor at a monthly salary of 11 rupees a month!
Hasrat’s first song for the 1949 movie Barsaat (the debut movie of Shankar Jaikishan too and Shailendra too) made him famous: Jiya beqraar hai. Even the sad song picturised on Nimmi: Chhod gaye baalam was also his creation.
He was awarded Filmfare Best Lyricst award twice, both times for non-Raj Kapoor movies: for the song Baharon phool barasaao for Rajendra Kumar in the 1966 movie Suraj, and for Zindagi ek safar hai suhaana for Rajesh Khanna for the 1971 movie Anadaz.
Of course what I regard as the best song of Lata Mangeshkar, Rasik balmaa, has been penned by him. He maintained the excellence of his lyrics all along his long career that lasted until 1971 when after Jaikishan’s death Raj Kapoor turned to other lyrcisrs. Hasrat died on 17th Sep 1999.
As far as matching lyrics to Shakeel are concerned, Hasrat gave us several songs starting with his first movie Barsaat and going on to Sehra and Suhagan. His Tum mujhe youn bula na paaoge for Shammi Kapoor in Pagla Kahin Ka is a personal favourite.
But, perhaps the song that is iconic is from a Raj Kapoor starrer Parvarish. I used to hear it often in the parties in our colony in Mandi town of Himachal.
The 1958 movie Parvarish was directed by S Bannerjee and starred Mala Sinha opposite Raj Kapoor.
The song also happens to be the best of singer Mukesh.
Music Director Dattaram composed it in Raag Kalyan (a raag of the evening) in Jhaptaal Taal. Marvel at the lyrical excellence of the line:
Shabnam bhi roye main woh aasmaan hoon (that’s Hasrat’s imagination for you).
Please enjoy: Aansu bhari hain ye jeevan ki raahen….
aa.Nsuu bharii hai.n ye jiivan kii raahe.n
koii unase kah de hame.n bhuul jaae.n
aa.Nsuu …
vaade bhulaa de.n qasam to.D de.n vo – (2)
haalat pe apanii hame.n chho.D de.n vo
unhe.n ghar mubaarak hame.n apanii aa.Nhe.n
koii unase kah de …
barabaadiyo.n kii ajab daastaa.N huu.N – (2)
shabanam bhii roe mai.n vo paasabaa.N huu.N
aise jahaa.N se kyuu.N ham dil lagaae.n
koii unase kah de …
aa.Nsuu …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyK-ZNZ7T-E
With that we come to the end of the first week of Countdown to the Birth Centenary of Shakeel Badayuni.
Please await the Part II with the second week of the Countdown.
No, this article is not about the 1970s British sitcom by the same name. Nowadays, in Mumbai, for example, it is common to see a man sharing a house with two single women (all students or all in their early careers); the women preferring the man’s presence for safety and security. However, in the 70s sitcom, starring Richard O’Sullivan, Paula Wilcox and Sally Thomsett, it was considered a very daring idea.
This article is about the fantasy that the wives in the armed forces have about having their husbands home and what actually happens when this dream is realised.
If you read my piece titled ‘Selfing’ – An ‘Evolutionary’ Way For Navy Wives? , you would have known (if you ain’t from the Navy, that is; else, you would have known without any articles reminding you) that any further neglect of wives by their husbands would eventually force the wives into doing everything by themselves. The husbands are so busy sailing and doing (or not doing) a motley of things on the ships and in the offices that the wives are virtually on their own.
From the comments on that post by my friends I could make out that the situation is no different in the other two armed forces. The percentage of husband’s contribution in the running of the households in the armed forces is what was believed to have been discovered by Aryabhata in the fifth century AD: Zero.
The armed forces personnel’s wives are, therefore, always day-dreaming that a day would come when their husbands would retire (like I did six years ago) and be a man about the house, helping her tackle a number of things that she had hitherto been tackling all by herself.
And, God, satisfied with her relentless prayers, gives her her heart’s desire. He is retired from the Navy and at home, finally.
As she walks by his side, tugging at his shirt-sleeve, and happily tripping over his feet, she wants the whole world to take notice of the fact that finally her husband is all hers and not married anymore to her sauten (a Hindi word that translates into co-wife or the other wife): the Navy.
The entire evening and the night is spent in wistfulness. Late in the night, she, as she revels in his presence in the bed next to her, is filled with those what-if feelings. “What if”, she thinks, “The Navy guys could finish their day’s work at some earthly hours and then I could’ve had more of him”. It starts a chain of thoughts, “What if the Navy would retire its officers early so that they could be of some use to their wives and children?” And so on.
The next morning she is already in the kitchen when he saunters along. “You should have stayed in bed”, she tells him, “I would bring tea for you in the bed”. He ignores it by saying, “No, no, no and no. I don’t want to do that now that I have retired. I want to help, something that I missed doing with all the work the Navy gave me…….ah, what do I see here? A leaking tap.”
She: “You don’t have to worry about that, darling. During the forenoon, the plumber will be coming to set it right”.
He: “Plumber? Plumber? When I, your husband, am around? No, no, no and no (looks like he loves this expression that has been borrowed from his Fleet Commander when he used to suggest he could go on leave). For what do you think I bought that complete plumber’s kit including wrenches of all sizes during my foreign cruise? I shall have this leak behind us within no time.”
She has that look of foreboding on her face, but he, with the sweep of his hand, reassures her: “Darling, do you know anything about NBCD and DC? No, you don’t? Well, NBCD is Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, Defence and DC is Damage Control. We have exercised these on the ships any number of times. A leaking faucet is nothing. Just watch me for a minute and you would know that a Navy man is a plumber, electrician, carpenter, painter, odd-job-man, all rolled into one.
She watches him as he fiddles with the wrench and soon there is water everywhere. To end a long story short, she has to make an emergency call to the Society office to stop all water to the building and send the plumber immediately to arrest leak from a badly broken pipe.
(Pic courtesy: www,flickr.com)
She feels thankful that there was nothing wrong with the cooking gas stove, lest he should have offered to help there too. It could have been serious.
It takes her hours to clear up the mess, what with his helping suggestions on how to clean up. By this time, the jhaadu-bota (broom and mop) bai (maidservant) comes along and the retired husband’s helpful suggestions are now directed at her, through the wife, “You know, darling, during the annual inspection of ships, it was the favourite of the Fleet Commander to lift up the carpets and find dust underneath. I lifted up our drawing-room carpet and found tons of dust under that. I am sure the bai is doing a magnificent job but, I think, I should tell her where all the dust normally settles….”
He has endless suggestions for the cooking maid too, “From very young age in the Navy, ever since I was an AOOD (Assistant Officer of the Day), I have been tasting food in the sailors galleys so that they would get wholesome, well cooked, delicious food. We are experts in this area too. Abhi dekho amma, tum ne kya kiya? Tumane gas on karke pan chadha diya par tumahaare baaki samaan ready nahin. Gas waste jaa raha hai. Ise pehle band karo…..(Now look here, amma, what you did? You turned on the gas and put on a pan but the rest of your stuff is not ready. Gas is being wasted. First turn it off…”
And to the jhaadu-bota bai, “Dusting ghar ke liye bahut zaroori cheez hai. Hamaare ship mein to jo achha dusting karta tha, hum use inaam dete the….dekho wahan chhoot gaya….arre pehle sookhe kapade se aur phir geele kapade se karo na….aur brass shells ko daily brasso karo (Dusting is very essential for the house. On my ship the one who used to do dusting well, I used to give him an award….see, you left some dust there….you should first try a dry mop and then a wet one…. and brass shells need to be shined with brasso everyday)”
(Cartoon courtesy: www.cartoonstock.com)
And in the children’s room, “What do we have here? Watching Television? During our days (another favourite expression of the Fleet Commander), television was allowed only for half an hour each day…..in fact, if I recall correctly, we didn’t have television at all….So what? Napoleon didn’t have television, Nelson didn’t have, Kanhoji Angre didn’t have, Kunjali Marakkar never heard of it….and they still became great…”
And during all this, she goes about doing her work like any other day….not really like any other day since she couldn’t play the music of her choice because he listened to his songs. As it is those stupid Hemant Kumar songs don’t make any sense to her; but, he insisted on playing them over and over again and as loud as they could get. And she decided that if he were to play zindagi kitani khoobsurat hai (How beautiful life is), one more time, she would tell him!
All the helping that he has done the whole day, assisted by the beer in the afternoon and his favourite Navy rum in the night, whilst listening to those idiotic songs, makes him tired and he goes to sleep early with the resolve that next day he’d sort out more things in and around the house.
Late in the night, as she lies awake in her side of the bed, she whispers to God, “God, I had a good thing going for me all this while and I didn’t know about it. Now, do me a favour: Find him a job….. urgently, PLEASE.”
Armed forces are called uniformed services. Many uninformed (not the opposite of uniformed) people feel that they are called so only because of the uniform that they wear: olive-green for the army, white for the navy and the sky blue for the air-force. Of course, that’s right but it is only a small part of the uniformity obtained in the services. The major part is to do with the uniformity of training, operations and responses. What it then boils down to is that, a uniformed person, in dress and in every other sense, is a disciplined person with as standard or near standard responses to situations as possible.
We Indians are as far from being uniformed or disciplined as possible. We are creative in our responses and approach, which makes us destructive in our outlook. The best example to understand this is our traffic sense or more aptly: traffic non-sense. Continuing in one lane for anything more than a few seconds gets on our nerves and mars our creativity and sense of adventure. So we leave the relative safety of our lane and venture out in other lanes or in-between areas to see if we can speed up things a bit. From experience we know that it doesn’t help. But, so sure we are of our traffic skills that rather than experience teaching us, we can teach the bally experience a thing or two.
In India, therefore, we offer lip-service to the services and publicly (because of the acute sense of jingoism that we possess, something which can only be called Indianness) extol their discipline and sense-of-purpose. However, privately we hate their guts for being what they are. And that’s precisely the reason why in our country there is so much of chasm between the society and the armed forces. Any number of WhatsApp forwards, for example, tell us how abroad the politicians, bureaucrats and general public have deep respect for their armed forces; but, here in India no one gives a damn.
Here is, therefore, a fantasy (nightmare). After having made relentless abortive attempts so that some of the civilians in our country, if not the majority, would become like the uniformed armed forces, the armed forces decide to follow the dictum when in Rome do as the Romans do. Politically, it doesn’t mean to follow Sonia Gandhi; it simply means that the armed forces decide to adopt the civilian ways of doing things. Here are some of the scenarios thought of by my creative mind:
Scenario I
Kargil War II
CO: We have received orders to capture the Tiger Hill…. Officer1 (Cutting him short): I know, Sir, that Tiger is our national animal and all that. However, too much focus on one animal, to the exclusion of others, is not good. The PM has shown Lion as the prominent symbol of Make in India. Why can’t we go and capture Lion Hill?
(Pic courtesy: ideasmakemarket.com)
Officer2 (Cheerfully): Simply because there is no Lion Hill anywhere in the vicinity. Officer1 (Not giving up so easily; no Indian ever does): That’s no excuse. What’s the use of ‘Make in India‘ campaign if we can’t even make a Lion Hill? Lets make one, Sir (this is said with the same resolve as the one employed by a passenger with the railway conductor to somehow find him a seat even though he has no reservation but merely a heavy wallet). CO (Straightway seeing a flaw in this. Even though these days COs are elected rather than selected, he is quick to see this flaw): But, for us to capture Lion Hill, the enemy should have occupied it. Officer3 (Dismissing this as something insignificant): That’s hardly a problem, Sir. If we can do match-fixing in cricket right in front of thousands of people sitting in the stadium, here it shouldn’t be any problem. Let me call my friend Abbas on the cellphone and ask them if they are willing to occupy a fictional Lion Hill so that we can evict them in return for our first occupying and then being evicted from the Markhor Hill. CO (Reaching a quick decision; people in the higher echelons are adept at quick decisions): Alright guys, we shall capture Lion Hill and make a report to the HQ that Tiger Hill wasn’t occupied and hence we had no choice but to capture Lion Hill. 2nd-in-Command (Understanding his duty well and with determination; they are paid to do precisely this): I think I should get on with the citations for the gallantry awards after the successful match-fixing – sorry – successful operations.
Scenario II Somewhere in the Arabian Sea (Renamed Bhartiya Samundra after the Modi government took up the issue at the United Nations)
Signal Communication Officer (SCO) (To CO on the Bridge of a warship): Sir, on the Tactical Primary we have just got a signal asking us to proceed on course 270 at a speed of 14 knots. CO (with a chuckle): Splendid (the standard response of acknowledging messages by saying Very Good has been done away with long time back and now officers use all kinds of adjectives. Only the other day, on the communication circuit, instead of asking for ‘Say again your last’, someone got the brain-wave (at sea you get all kinds of waves) of using the more creative “mukarrar”. The South Indian communication operator on the other end responded to it by a safe, “Same to you, over”), I was expecting it. Can we quickly check up with the quartermaster in the wheelhouse and engineers in the engine room if they have any objection to it. I must carry everyone along. Quartermaster in the Wheelhouse on the Conning Intercom: I overheard that, Captain Sir. I am from Delhi and must advise against this politically incorrect course. You see, Sir, probably the Fleet Commander has forgotten about the fact that today is an odd day and courses and speeds must conform with Kejriwal’s odd day directives. I would suggest steering 269 or 271 until midnight at least. Machinery Control Room: Captain Sir, I have called a meeting of all concerned to ask we can do 14 knots and for how long. With the staggered lunch timings of between 1 to 3:30 PM, I hope to have an answer by about 4 PM. We are at it, Sir, and we shall inform you if we can proceed at 14 knots. Else, we shall suggest to you the speed that we can do. CO: Beautiful, lovely, remarkable. What I love about this ship is the spirit. I wouldn’t be surprised if we eventually get the Most Spirited Ship trophy this year. I mean, just look at it this way: it has been less than ten minutes since we were asked to steer course 270 and proceed at 14 knots and already we are about to take a decision whether we can do it or not. Many of my engine room sailors would probably have to let go of their siesta. But, for us, the country comes first, the ship next and our own welfare last. Alright, SCO, make a signal to the Fleet Commander that by about 1615 hrs today we shall let them know what course and speed we would be doing. SCO: Never mind Sir, they have cancelled their last order and are asking for suggestions as to what course or courses the Fleet should do.
The uniform formations of the Indian Navy ‘at one time’ (Pic courtesy: nausena-bharati.nic.in)
Scenario III Fly-Past for the Republic Day Parade
Commentator: For the last about nine and half hours we have been witnessing smart march-past by the smartly dressed soldiers, sailors and airmen. The nine and half hours were required due to jawans trickling in as and when they had time to do so. But, it is still better than last year when the 26th January parade spilled over to 27th January. The Department of Diversity and LGBT has given the first prize to a sailor who came dressed as a banana (he nearly added: the fruit that describes best the present state of our armed forces). And now we are all expecting the grand-finale of Fly-past by the IAF aircraft that would appear at the end of the Raj Path or any other path as is hereinafter mentioned. Please keep your eyes glued for the aircraft in all kinds of possible directions. It is as much a surprise for them as for you. Commentator (after much wait): And now as you can see, one lone aircraft has appeared over the horizon. And what do we see? It is a commercial flight that has been re-routed safely over the Raj Path since the IAF planes are going all over the place. We may actually see more commercial flights over this route……ah, here is another….and hold your breath….this one is from Pakistan, which should have flown over Islamabad on 14th Aug but is competing with IAF in creativity.
How we used to enjoy these R-Day Fly-pasts until the Air-Force became non-uniform! (Pic-courtesy:
Scenario V
The Aftermath
As the modern young officers, men and women of the three services have all become more non-uniformed, independent-minded and independent-actioned, there is a small bunch of veterans sitting in the most uniformly disciplined manner and chanting slogans in unison. These are the men and women who are still protesting against the anomalies in OROP and the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. An old, wrinkle-faced, former Major General of the Indian Army, raises a feeble hand high in the air and screams: Sadda haq (Our right).
And a few dozen veterans, equally feeble, respond weakly but with determination and in unison: Ithe’ rakh (Keep it here).
They are the last of the men and women who have any kind of faith and pride in being uniformed and disciplined.
An orderly conduct of an OROP Rally! Even agitation has to be done in ‘disciplined manner!
Post-Script
By the way, the Roget’s Thesaurus gave me the following antonyms of Uniform:
disorderly
flexible
pliable
pliant
soft
unmethodical
unsystematic
yielding
abnormal
broken
changeable
changing
corrupt
different
dishonest
disloyal
eccentric
imbalanced
inconsistent
inconstant
intermittent
irregular
rough
uncommon
unconventional
uneven
unfair
unfixed
unstable
unsteady
untrustworthy
unusual
variable
varying
wobbly
deviating
dissimilar
divergent
unalike
unlike
varied
God save us all. However, in keeping with the non-uniform practices, it should be gods (thousands of them) save us all.
As you are already aware, these blogs are being recreated from the posts on my Facebook page Lyrical wherein I started with this theme of giving you the best raaga based songs in Hindi movies on the 8th of Aug 2015. Presently, I am on my 24th Raaga: Raag Kafi. I have already given you blogs on Raaga Bhairavi (Part I, II and III), Yaman or Kalyan (Part I, II and III), Jhinjhoti (Part I, II), Darbari Kanada (Part I, II, and III), Bhimpalasi (Part I and II) Raag Khammaj, Raag Todi, and Raag Pilu Part I, which make only seven and a half of the twenty-four Raagas. This means that I have to make a determined effort to catch up. I had therefore decided to start giving you Raagas even as I put up on Lyrical, in addition to the back-log.
With this, lets start with our Ninth Raaga here (the 23rd Raaga on Lyrical): Raag Jaijaivanti.
The cover picture on Lyrical is from the 1955 movie Seema with Lata Mangeshkar singing for Nutan a great composition by Shankar Jaikishan, the best music duo in Hindi films who were very adept with Raaga based songs; Raag Bhairavi being their favourite. This song has special value for me now having attended Shankar Jaikishan Music Foundation Mumbai meet on Sunday, 19th June whereat Dinesh Shailendra Singh, son of lyricist Shailendra was present amongst other luminaries.
I belong to all the religions in the world. But, I am a Sikh by birth. Here is a Raag composed by the ninth guru of the Sikhs: Guru Teg Bahadur.
Raag Jaijaivanti is also spelled as Raag Jaijaiwanti. I have often given you the ten fundamental thaats of the Indian classical music. Raag Jaijaivanti belongs to the Khamaj Thaat.
Those of you, like me, who are familiar with the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, would know that Raag Jaijaivanti is considered a blending of two raagas that happen to come in the middle of SGGS of 1430 pages. However, the raag is not mentioned in the Raagmala at the end of SGGS on pages 1429-30. This raaga is also not mentioned in the list of raagas in any ancient scriptures about Indian classical music.
The time of the raaga is evening time. frpm 6 to 9 pm. Normally the season is summer season.
“A soul in whose life dawn has come finds its path. Duality has ended and soul has merged with God and garland of victory will be put around the neck of that soul. Four shabads recited by Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji in Raag Jaijawanti have come at the end. Soul has been freed from ‘Love for Body’ for ever. By giving new appearance, new shape and new musical form, Guru Sahib has caused a big new expansion and made it a tool to achieve peace for the soul.”
Song #1
Manmohna bade jhoote….
As far as Hindi movies are concerned, the first song that comes to mind in this Raaga, as I have already said above whilst describing the cover picture, is from the 1955 movie Seema starring Balraj Sahni and Nutan.
The movie, directed by Amiya Chakravarty had a very intense plot. Here is the story from Wikipidea:
“After her parents pass away, teenager Gauri (Nutan) goes to live with her paternal uncle, Kashinath (Shivraj), and his wife. She is ill-treated there, made to do all the housework, and verbally abused by her aunt. She is made to work as a servant for meager wages in another household, and her earnings are taken away by her aunt. One day, Kashinath is summoned to the Police Station where he is told that since Gauri has been convicted of stealing a necklace from her employer, she is placed under his care for 12 months. Kashinath undertakes to look after her, but she manages to escape, and beats up Bankelal (CS Dubey), who had originally accused her of stealing the necklace. The Police are summoned again, and this time Gauri is placed with Shree Satyanand Anathalaya, an orphanage run by a compassionate Manager, Ashok (Balraj Sahni). Gauri revolts against all the rules imposed upon her and she is placed in solitary, where she ends up breaking all the windows and furniture. Then one day she escapes, beats up Bankelal severely, and returns. She is once again placed in solitary. Then Ashok and his associate Murlidhar (Surender) find out that Bankelal had framed Gauri, and they inform the Police, who make Bankelal confess. In this way, Gauri gets a pardon, and is asked to leave the orphanage, but she refuses to do so and stays on after promising that she will always obey Ashok. When Ashok has a heart attack, she proposes to stay and look after him, but Ashok wants her to leave and get married to Murlidhar. The question remains, will Gauri disobey Ashok or keep her promise and get married to Murlidhar?”
The song portrays, as I said above, the excellence of the best music duo in Hindi films Shankar Jaikishen in Raaga based songs. Lyrics are, predictably, by Shailendra. The tal is Ektal.
Jaikishan (of Shankar Jaikishan music duo) with Shailendra (Pic courtesy: flickrhivemind.net)
The singer is Lata Mangeshkar.
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Man mohna bade jhoothe…
manamohanaa ba.De jhuuThe
haar ke haar nahii.n maane
manamohanaa …
bane the khilaa.Dii piyaa
nikale anaa.Dii piyaa
mose beimaanii kare
mujhase hii ruuThe
manamohanaa …
tumharii ye baa.Nsii kaanhaa
banii galaa phaa.Nsii
taan sunaake meraa
tan man luuTe
manamohanaa …
Song #2
Yeh dil ki lagi kam kya hogi…
The second song of the Raaga composed by the ninth guru of the Sikhs: Guru Teg Bahadur.
Anyone at all knowing me knows that when a new Raag is started, as soon as possible, I return to Shakeel Badayuni and Naushad.
I had put up this song in Raag Gara too but some feel that it belongs to Raag Jaijaivanti.
Do you remember this part of the story of Mughal-e-Azam? Madhubala as Anarkali buys the life of her love Prince Salim (Dilip Kumar) from Emperor Akbar (Prithviraj Kapoor) by offering her own in exchange. She is granted one last wish; which is that she could spend a night with Prince Salim but must drug his drink so that he won’t resist when she is taken to the dungeon.
Life is just one night of love… (Pic courtesy: www.amazon.com)
Shakeel Badayuni, the king of Irony, wrote the lyrics that are as ironical as they sound joyous. Naushad has composed them and Lata Mangeshkar sang it.
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Ye dil ki lagi kam kyaa hogi…
ye dil kii lagii kam kyaa hogii
ye ishq bhalaa kam kyaa hogaa
jab raat hai aisI matavaalii – 2
phir subah kA aalam kyaa hogaa – 2
naGamo se barasatii hai mastii
chhalake hai.n khushI ke paimaane – 2
aaj aisI bahaare.n aaii hai.n
kal jinake bane.nge afasaane – 2
ab ise jyaadaa aur hasii.n ye pyaar kA mausam kyaa hogaa – 2
jab raat hai aisI matavaalii
phir subah kA aalam kyaa hogaa – 2
ye aaj kA ra.ng aur ye mahafil
dil bhI hai yahaa.N diladaar bhI hai – 2
aa.Nkho.n me.n kayaamat ke jalave
siine me.n sulagataa pyaar bhI hai – 2
is ra.ng me.n koI jii le agar marane kA use Gam kyaa hogaa – 2
jab raat hai aisI matavaalii
phir subah kA aalam kyaa hogaa – 2
haalat hai ajab dIvaano.n kii
ab khair nahii.n paravaano.n kii – 2
anjaam-e-mohabbat kyaa kahiye
laya ba.Dhane lagI aramaano.n kii – 2
aise me.n jo paayal TuuT gayii phir ai mere hamadam kyaa hogaa – 2
jab raat hai aisI matavaalii – 2
phir subah kA aalam kyaa hogaa – 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vLKhdjXBkg
Song #3
Bairan ho gayi raina…
‘Bairan ho gayi raina’ is the title of our third and last song for tonight. It is from the 1957 movie Dekh Kabira Roya. Although the movie was a lighthearted comedy, it had some excellent songs thanks to the lyrics by Rajinder Krishan and compositions by Madan Mohan. Today, as I write this, it happens to be the Birth Anniversary of this great composer and music director.
This was sung by Manna De who excelled in classical and semi classical songs in Hindi movies.
Manna Dey (Pic courtesy: www.indianexpress.com)
Please enjoy: Bairan ho gayi raina….
bairan ho ho gayi raina
bairan ho ho gayi raina
bairan ho ho gayi raina
raina raina bairan ho ho gayi raina
bairan ho ho gayi raina, bairan ho
aawan kah gaye aur na aaye
piya bin kari rain daraye
baat sakat are nain
bairan ho ho gayi raina, bairan ho
bairan ho aa aa ho gayi raina
bairan ho ho gayi, bairan ho
bairan ho aa aa bairan ho
ho gayi raina aa aa aa
bairan ho ho gayi, bairan ho
bairan ho, bairan ho
Song #4
Tere mere sapne ab ek rang hain…
We started with our 23rd Raag yesterday, a raag composed by Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth guru of the Sikhs.
When two people fall in love, even their dreams become of the same hue. That’s the underlying theme of this song from the 1965 Dev Anand classic movie Guide directed by his brother Vijay Anand and which is listed at #4 in the Best Hindi Movies of all times.
The movie was based on a story by RK Narayan with the same title. A great deal of the success of the movie owes to its songs penned by Shailendra and composed by Sachin Dev Burman who directed music in most of Dev Anand movies.
SD Burman (Pic courtesy: movies.ndtv.com)
Have a look at the songs of this movie:
“Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna” Lata Mangeshkar Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman
“Din Dhal Jaaye” Mohammed Rafi Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman
“Gaata Rahe Mera Dil” Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman
“Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya” Mohammed Rafi Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman
“Piya Tose Naina Laage Re” Lata Mangeshkar Waheeda Rehman
“Saiyaan Beimaan” Lata Mangeshkar Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman
“Tere Mere Sapne” Mohammed Rafi Dev Anand & Waheeda Rehman
“Wahan Kaun Hai Tera” Sachin Dev Burman Dev Anand
“He Ram Hamare Ramchandra” Manna Dey & Chorus Dev Anand
“Allah Megh De Paani De” Sachin Dev Burman Dev Anand
I have selected for you this one by Mohammad Rafi singing for Dev Anand and telling Nalini (Waheeda Rehman) that now that they are in love (to hell with the taboo about a married woman (she had a wretched marriage with the archaeologist Kishore Sahu who was more interested in ruins than in her) re marrying), they better see the world through the same eyes.
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Tere mere sapane ab ek rang hain…
tere mere sapane ab ek ra.ng hai.n
ho jahaa.N bhii le jaae.n raahe.n, ham sa.ng hai.n
tere mere dil kaa, tay thaa ik din milanaa
jaise bahaar aane par, tay hai phuul kaa khilanaa
o mere jiivan saathii…
tere dukh ab mere, mere sukh ab tere
tere ye do nainaa, chaa.nd aur suuraj mere
o mere jiivan saathii…
laakh manaa le duniyaa, saath na ye chhuuTegaa
aa ke mere haatho.n me.n, haath na ye chhuuTegaa
o mere jiivan saathii…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNkpApxkqhk
Song #5
Meri aankhon se koi neend liye jaata hai…
Next, I turn to this really beautiful Neend song from the 1964 AVM Production Pooja Ke Phool directed by Bhim Singh. The movie starred Ashok Kumar, Mala Sinha, Dharmendra, Pran, Nimmi and Leela Chitnis.
It had the genius of the pair of Rajinder Krishan as lyricist and Madan Mohan as music director who composed its songs. Some of Lata Mangeshkar‘s top songs were created by the duo. This is one of them.
“Brother and sister” jodi of Madan Mohan with Lata Mangeshkar (Pic courtesy: www.thequint.com)(
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Meri aankhon se koi neend liye jaata hai….
Meri aankhon se koi neend liye jaata hai
Door se pyar ka paighaam diye jaata hai
Raatbhar jaagenge hum tumse chhup chhupke sanam
Aankh jhapke na kabhi chand taaron ki qasam
Dil mera aaj iqrar kiye jaata hai
Door se pyar ka paighaam diye jaata hai
Meri aankhon se koi neend liye jaata hai
Baat jo unse chali woh idhar aake ruki
Naam jab unka liya ek khushboo si udi
Ek tasavvur hai jo madhosh kiye jaata hai
Door se pyar ka paighaam diye jaata hai
Meri aankhon se koi neend liye jaata hai
Song #6
Muhabbat ki raahon mein chalna sambal ke….
The best of old Hindi songs, as I have mentioned any number of times, are with the quartet of Shakeel Badayuni as lyricist, Naushad as composer, Mohammad Rafi as singer and Dilip Kumar as actor. This happened in many movies. One of these was the 1955 movie Udan Khatola in which Nimmi acted opposite Dilip Kumar.
(Pic courtesy: munshimaniac.wordpress.com)
This song has Shakeel’s irony at its best; he brings out the uselessness of Love!
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Mohabbat ki raahon mein chalna sambhal ke…
muhabbat kii raaho.n me.n
chalanaa sambhal ke
yahaa.N jo bhii aayaa
gayaa haath mal ke
na paaii kisii ne muhabbat kii ma.nzil
qadam Dagamagaae, zaraa duur chal ke
hame.n Dhuu.NDhatii hai, bahaaro.n kii duniyaa
kahaa.N aa gae ham, chaman se nikal ke
kahii.n Duub jaae na, hasarat bharaa dil
na yuu.N tiir fe.nko, nishaanaa badal ke
Song #7
Zindagi aaj mere naam pe sharmaati hai…
Third day of Raag Jaijaivanti based songs.
Lets begin, once again, with my favourite lyricist Shakeel Badayuni. This is from the 1962 movie Son of India, a movie that Mehboob Khan made after the 1957 iconic movie Mother India, which lost at the Academy Awards by just one vote. Mehboob Khan took up, in Son of India, relatively minor actors Kamaljit, Simi Grewal, Jayant and Kumkum.
(Producer-Director Mehboob Khan who made such movies as Mother India, Son Of India, Andaz, Anmol Ghadi, Aan, Amar, and Roti. (Pic courtesy: www.indianetzone.com)
He however, retained the team of Shakeel Badayuni as lyricist and Naushad Ali as Music Director and composer and they didn’t fail him in the excellence of the songs. This one was sung by Mohammad Rafi.
The movie had the following songs including the ever popular patriotic song: Nanha munha raahi hoon:
1. “Aaj Chhedo Mohabbat Ki” Lata Mangeshkar 3:57
2. “Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar” Shanti Mathur 3:58
3. “Chal Diye Peeke Gham” Lata Mangeshkar 3:05
4. “Dil Todne Wale” Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi 4:28
5. “Diya Na Bujhe Ri Aaj” Lata Mangeshkar, Chorus 3:14
6. “Insan Tha Pehle Bandar” Shanti Mathur 2:47
7. “Mujhe Huzoor Tum Se” Geeta Dutt 2:18
8. “Nanha Munna Rahi Hoon” Shanti Mathur, Chorus 4:13
9. “Zindagi Aaj Mere Naam” Mohammed Rafi 3:48
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Zindagi aaj mere naam se sharmaati hai….
zindagii aaj mere naam se sharamaatii hai
apane haalaat pe mujhe khud hii ha.Nsii aatii hai
zindagii aaj mere …
ek Gam chain se jiine nahii.n detaa mujhako -2
ek ulajhan hai jo aksar mujhe ta.Dapaatii hai
zindagii aaj mere …
is tarah chho.D ke nikalaa huu.N mai.n apanii ma.nzil
jaise hasarat ko_ii siine se nikal jaatii hai
zindagii aaj mere …
raah chalate hu_e kuchh soch ke ruk jaataa huu.N -2
har qadam par ko_ii bhuulii hu_ii yaad aatii hai
zindagii aaj mere …
Song #8
Pyaare darshan dijo aaye…
The 1979 movie Meera starred Hema Malini in the title role of the Rajasthani princess Meerabai who was born in a royal family but she renounced everything in her deep devotion and love for Lord Krishna.
The 16th century Rajasthani princess Meerabai who renounced everything in her devotion for Lord Krishana (Pic courtesy: www.youtube.com)
The movie itself was extraordinary in that it had Pandit Ravi Shankar, the sitar maestro as the music director. The songs/bhajans were sung by Vani Jairam, one of the finest exponents of Indian classical music. Of course, the bhajans were all written by Meerabai herself.
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Pyaare darshan dijo aaye…
pyare darshan dijo aaye
tum bin jiyo na jaaye, darshan dijo jaye
pyare darshan dijo aaye
jal bina kamal chanda bina rajani
aise tum dekhe bin sajani
jal bina kamal chanda bina rajani
aise tum dekhe bin sajani
aakul byakul firu re din
biraah kalejo khaayo
darshan dijo aaye
pyare darshan dijo aaye
bivas na bhukh nind nahi raina
mukh su kahat na awe baina
kaha kahu kuchh kahat na aawe
milkar tadap bujhaye
kyu tarso antaryami
aaye milo kripa kar swami
kyu tarsao antaryami
aaye milo kripa kar swami
meera dasi janam janam ki
meera dasi janam janam ki
padi tumhare paaye
darshan dijo aaye
tum bin jiyo na jaaye, darshan dijo jaye
pyare darshan dijo aaye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7efN9y44U2o
Song #9
Maare gaye gulfam….
For the last song of the evening, I am going to take a song from Teesri Kasam for the sole reason that yesterday I was honoured to meet Shailendra’s son Dinesh Shailendra at Shankar Jailkishan Music Federation Meet at Mumbai. The movie was produced by the lyricist Shailendra and starred Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman.
The movie wasn’t a commercial success even though it won the National Award for Best Feature Film. However, many years later, it was critically acclaimed as a very fine movie.
The lyrics that Shailendra wrote for the songs of the movie are amongst his greatest, eg:
1. Sajan re jhoot mat bolo khuda ke paas jaana hai.
2. Duniya banane waale kya tere mann mein samaayi.
3. Chalat musaffir moh liyo re pinjare waali muniyaa.
4. Sajanva bairi ho gaye hamaar.
5. Paan khaayo sainyaa hamaro.
Shankar Jaikishan outperformed themselves in the compositions of the songs. So strong were the bonds between Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri, S-J and Raj Kapoor that Shailendra asked Hasrat Jaipuri to pen two songs for the movie.
And which songs? The movie’s story was based on a short story Maare gaye gulfaam by Phanishwarnath Renu. So, in asking Hasrat Jaipuri to pen this song, Shailendra virtually gave him the title song in his own production that was directed by Basu Bhattacharya.
(Pic courtesy: www.indianetzone.com)
It was sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
One little thing more about the song. Yesterday, Yunus Khan, in an interactive audio based session referred to three of the songs of S-J as what he called as: “Happy-Sad Songs”; meaning that even though these were sad songs, these had lively music. Songs such as Anaadi’s Tera jaana fitted into this definition.
This one is another one that fits in with the description. It is fast paced and Waheeda could dance on it. However, it is a song that carried a sad emotion.
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Maare gaye gulfaam….
is pyaar kii mahafil me.n
wo aaye muqaabil me.n
( wo tiir chale dil par
halachal sii hu_ii dil me.n ) -2
halachal sii hu_ii dil me.n
chaahat kii sazaa paa_ii
Tonight lets start with Sahir Ludhianvi for a change. As is often the case with Sahir Ludhianvi, this has been composed by Roshan. The singers are several: Mohammad Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Meena Kapoor and Manna De.
Mahendra Kapoor, Yash Chopra, N Dutta and Sahir Ludhianvi (Pic courtesy: www.livemint.com)
The name of this 1963 movie is Taj Mahal that starred Pradeep Kumar as Shah Jehan and Beena Roy as Mumtaz. Everyone knows their historic love story that ended in Shah Jehan erecting the Taj Mahal in her memory; one of the seven wonders of the world.
One of the most wonderful things about the movie was its songs. These are some of the best by the team of Sahir Ludhainvi with Roshan:
1. “Jo Baat Tujh Mein Hai” Mohammed Rafi
2. “Jo Wada Kiya Wo” Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar
3. “Jurm-E-Ulfat Pe” Lata Mangeshkar
4. “Qhuda-E-Burtur” Lata Mangeshkar
5. “Na Na Na Re Na Na, Haath Na Lagana” Suman Kalyanpur, Minoo Purshottam
6. “Paaon Chhoo Lene Do” Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar
7. “Chandi Ka Badan” Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle, Meena Kapoor
8. “Husn Se Duniya Hansi” Asha Bhosle
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Chandi ka badan sone ki nazar…
Male:
chaa.Ndii kaa badan sone kii nazar
us par ye nazaakat kyaa kahiye
ejii kyaa kahiye
kis kis pe tumhaare jalvo.n ne
to.Dii hai qayaamat kyaa kahiye
ejii kyaa kahiye
chaa.Ndii kaa badan sone kii nazar
Female:
gustaaKh zubaa.N gustaaKh nazar
ye ra.ng-e-tabiyat kyaa kahiye
ejii kyaa kahiye
aise bhii kahii.n is duniyaa me.n
hotii hai muhabbat kyaa kahiye
ejii kyaa kahiye
GustaaKh zubaa.N gustaaKh nazar
Male:
aa.Nchal kii dhanak ke saaye me.n
ye phuul gulaabii cheharo.n ke
ye phuul gulaabii haaye gulaabii cheharo.n ke
is vaqt hamaarii nazaro.n me.n
kyaa chiiz hai jannat kyaa kahiye
ejii kyaa kahiye
is vaqt hamaarii nazaro.n me.n
tumase nazare.n jo milii.n
diin-o-duniyaa se gaye
ik tamannaa ke sivaa
har tamannaa se gaye
mast aa.Nkho.n se jo pii
jaam-o-miinaa se gaye
zulf laharaa_ii jahaa.N
ham bhii laharaa se gaye
huure.n milatii hai.n kise
is kii paravaah se gaye
is kii paravaah se, paravaah se, paravaah se gaye
is vaqt hamaarii nazaro.n me.n
kyaa chiiz hai jannat kyaa kahiye
ejii kyaa kahiye
chaa.Ndii kaa badan sone kii nazar
Female:
yuu.N garm nigaahe.n mat Daalo
ye jism pighal bhii pighal bhii sakate hai.n
ye jism pighal bhii sakate hai.n
u.De na kahii.n ruup kii shabanam *
garm nigaahe.n Daalo kam-kam *
aadaab-e-nazaaraa bhuule ho – 2
tum logo.n kii vahashat kyaa kahiye
ejii kyaa kahiye
tum hame.n jiit sako
is kaa imkaan nahii.n
Khud ko badanaam kare.n
ham vo naadaa.N nahii.n
ko_ii marataa hai mare
ham pe ehasaan nahii.n
un se kyuu.N baat kare.n
jin se pahachaan nahii.n
tum ko aramaa.N hai to hai
ham ko aramaan nahii.n
ham ko aramaan ke aramaan ke aramaan nahii.n
aadaab-e-nazaaraa bhuule ho
tum logo.n kii vahashat kyaa kahiye
ejii kyaa kahiye
gustaaKh zubaa.N gustaaKh nazar
Male:
jin logo.n ko tum Thukaraa ke chalo *
vo log bhii qismat vaale hai.n *
tum jis kii tamannaa kar baiTho *
un logo.n kii qismat kyaa kahiye *
ejii kyaa kahiye
ye javaanii ye adaa **
kyo.n na maGaruur ho tum **
farsh par utarii hu_ii **
arsh kii huur ho tum **
shoKh jalvo.n kii qasam **
sholaa-e-tuur ho tum **
ko_ii dekhe to kahe **
nashe me.n chuur ho tum **
tum jis kii tamannaa kar baiTho *
un logo.n kii qismat kyaa kahiye *
ejii kyaa kahiye
chaa.Ndii kaa badan sone kii nazar
Female:
din raat duhaa_ii dete hai.n
ye haal hai in diivaano.n kaa
jahaa.N dekhii na_ii suurat machal baiThe
yahii, yahii, yahii le.nge
ye haal hai in diivaano.n kaa diivaano.n kaa
Male:
jin kii Khaatir Gam sahe.n aur ro-ro jaa.N gavaaye.N
haay rii qismat u.nhii.n ke muu.Nh se diivaane kahalaaye.N
Female:
in aashiqo.n ke haath hai
ai zi.ndagii bavaal
in kaa kare.n Khayaal ke
apanaa kare.n Khayaal
har lab arz-e-shauq to
har aa.Nkh hai savaal
ye Gam se beqaraar hai
vo dard se niDhaal
arey ye haal hai in diivaano.n kaa
ye haal hai in diivaano.n kaa
Male:
merii nii.nd ga_ii meraa chain gayaa
vo jo pahale thii taab-o-tabaan ga_ii
yahii ra.ng rahaa yahii Dha.ng rahaa
to ye jaan lo jaan kii jaan ga_ii
ye haal hai in diivaano.n kaa – 2
Female:
kisii ko Khud-Khushii kaa, shauq ho to, kyaa kare ko_ii
Male:
davaa-e-hijr de, biimaar ko, achchhaa kare ko_ii
Female:
ko_ii bevajah sar pho.De to kyo.n paravaah kare ko_ii
Male:
kisii majabuur-e-Gam kaa haal kyo.n aisaa kare ko_ii
Female:
mazaa to hai ke jab tum,
tum ta.Dapaa karo,
dekhaa kare ko_ii
Male:
mare.n ham aur tum par,
ke tum par Khuun kaa
daavaa kare ko_ii
Song #11
Badle badle mere sarkaar nazar aate hain….
And, after Sahir Ludhianvi, who was good no doubt, lets return to the best: Shakeel Badayuni. This is from Guru Dutt’s 1960 movie Chaudhvinh Ka Chand, which starred the ‘Living Legend” Waheeda Rehman in the title role. This song, a sad song after love went sour between them, was composed by Ravi and sung by Lata Mangeshkar for Waheeda Rehman.
Mohammad Rafi recording a song with the music director Ravi (Pic courtesy: www.hamaraphotos.com)
Marvel at the mastery of each word crafted by the master craftsman: Shakeel (Handsome).
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Badle badle mere sarkar nazar aate hain….
badale badale mere sarakaar nazar aate hai.n -2
ghar kii barabaadii ke aasaar nazar aate hai.n
badale badale mere sarakaar nazar aate hai.n
badale badale
Duube rahate the mere pyaar me.n jo shaam-o-sahar -2
mere chehare se na haTatii thii kabhii jinakii nazar
merii suurat se vo bezaar nazar aate hai.n -2
ghar kii barabaadii ke …
vo jo badale to zamaane kii hawaa bhii badalii -2
dil kii Kushiyaa.N bhii ga_ii.n ghar kii fazaa bhii badalii
suune suune dar-o-diiwaar nazar aate hai.N -2
ghar kii barabaadii ke …
mere maalik ne muhabbat kaa chalan chho.D diyaa -2
kar ke barabaad mere dil kaa chaman chho.D diyaa
phuul bhii ab to mujhe Kaar nazar aate hai.n -2
ghar kii barabaadii ke …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjf9ORFDwQA
Song #12
Dhal chuki shaam-e-gham muskara le sanam…
I will tell you one major concern that I have whenever I put up Shakeel Badayuni; which is that how does one get out of the mood or the atmosphere that his lyrics create?
At the time when Chaudhvinh Ka Vhand was made, another 1960 movie was made and it was called Kohinoor. The movie was primarily made to get Dilip Kumar out of the depression that constantly playing sad and tragic roles had caused him.
(Pic courtesy: songsmp3.info)
If he was the tragedy king, Meena Kumari was an equivalent tragedy queen and she too needed a lighthearted role to get out of the sadness.
This song by Shakeel, therefore, gave hope rather than putting them in further gham and misery that his songs normally caused.
Naushad composed it and the God of Songs: Mohammad Rafi sang it.
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Dhal chuki shaam-e-gham muskara le sanam…
Dhal chukii shaam-e-Gam muskaraa le sanam
ik na_ii subah duniyaa me.n aane ko hai
pyaar sajane lagaa saaj bajane lagaa
zindagii dil ke taaro.n pe gaane ko hai
Dhal chukii shaam-e-Gam …
aaj paayal bhii hai naGmaa-e-dil bhii hai
ra.ng-e-ulfat bahaaro.n me.n shaamil bhii hai
aa ga_ii hai milan kii suhaanii gha.Dii
vaqt kii taal pe ( naachatii hai Kushii ) -2
ghu.Ngharu_o.n kii sadaa ra.ng laane ko hai
Dhal chukii shaam-e-Gam …
jhuumate aa rahe hai.n zamaane na_e
hasarate.n gaa rahii hai.n taraane na_e
aaj dil kii tamannaa nikal jaa_egii
giit hogaa vahii ( lay badal jaa_egii ) -2
ik nayaa raag qismat sunaane ko hai
Dhal chukii shaam-e-Gam …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bzh9FyAoPE
Song #13
Sooni sooni saans ke sitaar par….
The other day – 19th June, Sunday to be exact – during the Shankar Jaikishan Music Foundation Meet in Mumbai, it was talked about how most of S-J’s songs were penned by Shailendra or Hasrat Jaipuri and how, only in later years that lyricists like Neeraj stepped in.
This is a song of the 1971 movie Laal Patthar in which Hema Malini had her only negative role in the movies. She, as Saudamani, acted as a jealous mistress of Zamindar Kumar Bahadur Gyan Shankar Rai played by Raaj Kumar. Raaj Kumar married Sumita played by Rakhee; although he was in love with Sadamani (whom he called Madhuri), he never married her and kept in his palace as a mistress. Later he found out that Sumita was earlier in love with Shekhar (Vinod Mehra) and hence the plot to get rid of him.
A scene from the 1971 movie Laal Patthar, which had the only negative role of Hema Malini (Pic courtesy: www.rediff.com)
The movie had excellent songs composed by S-J, which included an outstanding one Unake khayaal aaye to aate chale gaye, which we have already covered in Raag Gara.
This one has been sung by Asha Bhosle.
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Sooni sooni saans ki sitaar par….
suunii suunii saa.Ns kii sitaar par
bhiige bhiige aa.Nsuo.n kii taar par
ek giit sun rahii hai zi.ndagii
ek giit gaa rahii hai zi.ndagii
suunii suunii saa.Ns kii sitaar par …
pyaar jise kahate hai.n
khel hai khilonaa hai
aaj ise paanaa hai kal ise khonaa hai
suunii suunii saa.Ns kii sitaar par
bhiige bhiige aa.Nsuo.n kii taar par
ek sur milaa rahii hai zi.ndagii
ek sur vbhulaa rahii hai zi.ndagii
suunii suunii saa.Ns kii sitaar par …
koii kalii gaatii hai
koii kalii rotii hai
koii aa.Nsuu paanii hai
koii aa.Nsuu motii hai
suunii suunii saa.Ns kii sitaar par
bhiige bhiige aa.Nsuo.n kii taar par
kisii ko ha.Nsaa rahii hai zi.ndagii
kisii ko rulaa rahii hai zi.ndagii
suunii suunii saa.Ns kii sitaar par …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OzEIS4Rix8
Song #14
Dil shaam se dooba jaata hai….
Now that you had a song from 1971 movie Laal Patthar that brought out the singing excellence of Asha Bhosle, here is another of approximately a decade and a half before that.
It is from the 1958 movie Sanskaar starring Anant Kumar with Ameeta. Sarshar Sailani penned the lyrics. Other than this movie, he wrote lyrics for the songs of the 1949 movie Rakhi including Babul ka ghar chhod ke gori ho gayi aaj prayyi re, and 1952 movie Bewafa.
Anil Biswas composed the song.
Anil Biswas with Lata Mangeshkar (Pic courtesy: chandrakantha.com)
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Dil shaam se dooba jaata hai….
dil shaam se Duubaa jaataa hai -2
raat aa_egii to kyaa hogaa -2
jab naagan banakar tanahaa_ii -2
Das jaa_egii to kyaa hogaa -2
dil shaam se Duubaa …
jab pyaas mere aramaano.n kii
har saa.Ns pe ba.Dhatii jaa_egii -2
ye kashtii jab tuufaano.n se -2
Takaraa_egii to kyaa hogaa -2
dil shaam se Duubaa …
raah takate agar thak jaa_e nazar
detii hai tasallii aas magar -2
jab aas tasalii de-de kar -2
thak jaa_egii to kyaa hogaa -2
dil shaam se Duubaa …
Song #15
And to end with Raag Jaijaivanti based songs tonight, this song is not from a Hindi movie but a Pakistani movie. Noorjehan sang for herself in the 1959 movie Koel or Koyal that starred her opposite Aslam Parvez.
Noorjehan with Aslam Parvaiz (Pic courtesy: cineplot.com)
Tanvir Naqvi who gave us that remarkably beautiful number in the 1956 movie Shirin Farhad (sung by Lata Mangeshkar): Guzara hua zamaana, aata nahin dobara, also penned this song.
Khurshid Anwar composed it.
Please enjoy in Raag Jaijaivanti: Dil ka diya jalaaya…..
dil kaa diyaa jalaayaa,
mai.n ne dil kaa diyaa jalaayaa
tujh ko kahii.n na paayaa,
tujh ko kahii.n na paayaa
kahii.n naa bahalaa dil bechaaraa,
kahii.n milaa naa mujh ko sahaaraa
aas ke taare Duube saare,
ghor a.ndheraa chhaayaa
tujh ko kahii.n na paayaa
dil kaa diyaa jalaayaa, mai.n ne dil kaa diyaa jalaayaa
biit gayaa hai ek zamaanaa,
kahii.n milaa na teraa Thikaanaa
tak tak haare nain bechaare,
kuchh bhii nazar na aayaa
tujh ko kahii.n na paayaa
tujh ko kahii.n na paayaa …
dil kaa diyaa jalaayaa,
dil kaa diyaa jalaayaa
mai.n ne dil kaa diyaa bujhaayaa
There that is my list of fourteen Best Songs in Hindi movies and one in Pakistani movie composed in our 23rd Raaga on Lyrical: Raag Jaijaivanti. I hope you liked the selection.
Please await my post regarding the next Raaga based songs in Hindi movies.
Jal Vayu (Navy, Air Force) colonies, through AFNHB (Air Force Navy Housing Board with head-office in New Delhi) are meant to provide affordable housing to officers and other ranks of IAF and Navy). Here is from the Home page of AFNHB site:
“AFNHB generally constructs two categories of dwelling units, one for the officers category and the other for airmen / sailors category of Air Force and Navy. The funding for the dwelling units is through Self Financed Schemes with an approximate of 10% of the expected price of the flat being deposited at the time of registration and balance in easy installments.
The Air Force Naval Housing Board (AFNHB) as a Service Welfare Body is committed to serve the housing needs of the Naval and Air Force community purely on ‘No Profit No Loss’ basis. This Board was registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, with an objective to promote housing schemes in cities all over the country as per the demand of the Naval and Air Force personnel.
AFNHB can proudly claim to have a clientele of over 18,000 allottees and by the turn of the millennium, it had completed handing over of almost 14,000 dwelling units and farm units.”
JVDE Phase I, Kharghar was advertised by AFNHB as an Officers’ Colony though over a period of time it has mixed clientele of officers, other ranks and even civilians.
Whilst the colony (due to the focus on Societies Act, these days it is convenient to call a colony as a ‘society’) residents enjoy the facilities and privileges as planned by AFNHB, being a defence housing society, it has a responsibility of becoming an ideal society or a role model that people all around should look up to.
Regrettably, due to raging environment of animosity between the members for over five years now (ranging from strong under-currents to open fist-fighting hostilities), the ordinary members like me have suffered. I joined the scheme in 1994-5 itself and my serial number in the scheme was KHA0004 (the fourth member to have joined the scheme!) On retirement from the Indian Navy on 28th Feb 2010, I looked forward to a peaceful, officer-like atmosphere. Sadly, within no time it was made home to me that the atmosphere was more like a melee. In the Annual General-body Meets of the Society (that used to last for days and even nights), all the proceedings used to be video recorded so that in case of serious injuries due to free-for-all there would be some legal record for the police and other authorities. Everyone used to hurl something called bye-laws at one another. Everyone used to look at everyone suspiciously. People had formed various camps and the only agenda that members followed was to somehow sort out the other party/camp.
During one such melee, I got up to speak and requested everyone to behave like officers (the word, that to me, is always synonymous with gentlemen). The mike that I held was rudely snatched from my hands and the person snatching the mike spoke with ferocity, “That’s exactly what is wrong with this Society; officers think that they are the only ones staying here. We ain’t officers; we are sailors and we have every right to be here.”
That put an end to my active participation in any discussion or debate in the AGMs. I find it rather lowly to win an argument with lung power and noise. But, then we have quite a few experts in the Society who revel in noise (Please also read: ‘Noise Is The Newest Form Of Devotion’) and blasting the day-lights out of other members for them is routine).
I silently (I have always done it in this manner) pray to God to let good sense return to the JVDE, Kharghar Society.
However, for the time being, there is a major camp that is forever drilling into all of us, a la political parties style debates in the media: Yes, we did some mistakes and we were bad. But, we weren’t as bad as the new management committee that you have elected.
Then there is a camp of the new MC that is seeking to set right every wrong that was earlier done and lead the Society into better days.
And then there is a small camp (you can call it a camp but we ain’t formally organised as the other two) of people like me who wish that we would actually live in harmony and work towards making JVDE, Kharghar the best colony ever.
Lets look at some of the issues that have divided us and made us choose, sometimes unwittingly, one or the other camp. Most often people start taking sides without understanding the issues. I may not be right in the kind of legalese that has come to prevail in our colony now. However, I do know that I am factually right and have, as always, no axe to grind.
Encroachments. These were made into such a huge issue. At one time it was made to look like that the very existence of JVDE was dependent upon removing the so called encroachments. Anyone listening to the term and the ensuing heated discussions and fist-fights would have thought that somehow members of JVDE had become so unlawful that they thought of nothing but encroaching upon what was called as common areas. Basically, if my memory serves me right, the issue first came up in an SGM of 2012 when an agency called MM Consultants were asked by the then MC to carry out a survey to establish the extent and nature of encroachments. Two internal committees were constituted too; one of them to see if any structural concerns were there. Meanwhile, it appeared to most people that people were targeted (this approach of putting the other party in its place became a way of life). Whilst it was said that CIDCO had pointedly objected to such encroachments, it later came out that we ourselves went to CIDCO repeatedly with the list of encroachments until they’d take notice. This aa-bail-mujhe-maar (Come-bull-hit-me) approach finally divided the entire community. Curiously, it came out that two opposite flats being combined together was done by AFNHB themselves in their show-case flats and AFNHB itself sought from CIDCO regularisation of the same. However, some 18 members who emulated AFNHB were made to feel like worms and repeatedly and publicly humiliated. With this issue, with each of the two major camps relentlessly approaching CIDCO and AFNHB, it was amply demonstrated that we had no vision towards a harmonious, ideal, and happy society, but that, we considered ego and prestige issues above the welfare of everyone. This non-issue also kept us away from discussing issues that we should have been discussing to make ours as the best colony.
Fire-Safety. Having divided the community squarely on the above issue of Encroachments, the next thing was to scare the hell out of all of us by combining the issue of encroachments with that of Fire-Safety. I have been a keen listener during the heated discussions (having been shut-up by absolutely rude conduct by some of the other members). It was repeatedly told, in the anti-people approach that was perfected, that the Maharashtra Fire Safety Rules were flouted by members indiscriminately by encroachments and that our Fire Insurance of Rupees 17 Lakhs was wasted because of the self-serving approach of these members. Flower-pots, shoe racks, foot-mats were all targeted. It finally came out that what stood in the way of Fire Insurance wasn’t so much as these items but the deficiencies that were to be made up in the Fire-equipment. Somehow, in the prevailing spy versus spy atmosphere that prevailed, the significant issues were put under the carpet. Take for example the fact that MSEB had taken a complete transformer sub-station and we were not bothered to get it back, which would have ensured that every two buildings had a transformer instead of at that time four buildings per transformer. However, we were fighting amongst ourselves in our holier-than-thou attitude.
Water Shortages. In relentless attempt to divide the society and hence prove that the earlier camp of the MC was a better proposition, this issue came in handy. The timing of this was perfect; most acute water shortages were noticed when the transition took place last year. Passions were so strong that no one wanted to go into the reasons for it but spew his/her venom with impunity. In the midst of constant din and vitriol, the problem was sorted out by resorting to firstly, overall cleaning and upkeep of the pump-house; secondly, upgrading the water treatment plant; and lastly, replacement of about 75 metres of pipeline from CIDCO pipe to our pump-house.
Conveyance Deed. Everyone is concerned about the fact that the Conveyance Deed of the Land and the Buildings hasn’t yet taken place between the AFNHB and the JVDE Society. This is a little complex issue than meets the eye. During the period 1996-99, there is an unregistered agreement between AFNHB and CIDCO (for a 60 years lease deed) and it should always have been AFNHB’s intention to pass it on to us when the society would be registered. However, it seems that between Dec 2010 and Jul 2011, some change of thought-process has taken place. Also, the CIDCO project accounts were finalised only in 2012. AFNHB has been, in the meantime, earning money on resale of flats and it is estimated that it has made some Rupees 14 Lakhs so far (for each resale of flat, the JVDE and AFNHB get Rupees 20000 each and CIDCO gets Rupees 10000). Meanwhile, two other issues have made the matter a little more complicated: One, that AFNHB has written to CIDCO to regularise the alterations to flats (some of which was being touted heatedly as Encroachment issue) that it did at that time. And two, residents of Gulab building took HCC, AFNHB, and Architect Kukreja to Consumer Court and won an award of Rupees 8.59 Lakhs to compensate them for poor construction. This money cannot be paid out of Society funds as it is discriminatory against those who haven’t gone to the court (all the other buildings) though they too face issues of similar poor construction. Now that AFNHB has been caught on the wrong foot on a number of these issues, there is quite a bit of softening of their earlier stand. We must, therefore, get the best deal in favour of the society from both AFNHB and CIDCO.
It can thus be seen that the issues that engage our attention most of the times, at present, are really not the issues that we should dissipate extensive time and energy on unless it is a viable argument that an eye for an eye and one-upmanship are the correct approach for the Society.
Here are some of the issues that should really be worthy of our consideration in order that JVDE should become an ideal society:
Water re-cycling.
Rainwater harvesting.
Waste management leading to composting and zero waste.
Long term structural issues of buildings.
Roofs over terraces of all buildings in the manner of Tulip and Daffodil.
Flogging dead horses is a hobby fit for those who want to win popularity contests and let ego rule over everything. On the other hand, time has come for all of us to abandon camps and one-upmanship and truly become participants in the management of our society and lead it to become the best colony anywhere.
Our colony is really very beautiful with its central lawn and landscaping, thanks to all those earlier and now who have managed the affairs of our colony. Lets all pull together and focus on positives rather than being constantly surrounded by negatives all the while and pull in different directions.
Four years ago, when I wrote an essay about my home-station Kandaghat, titled ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is – Kandaghat In Shimla Hills‘ little did I know that it would be the venue for a meet of our Facebook Group ‘Yaad Kiya Dil Ne‘, on the 24th April 16; and that, I would be writing another photo and video essay about this meet.
There are many Song and Music groups on the Facebook; but, ‘Yaad Kiya Dil Ne‘ is different. Most other groups simply have members putting up urls of songs from YouTube and other sources and then members congratulate the choice of the one who has posted by such comments as “Wow”, “I love this too”, “Really nice” and so on.
‘Yaad Kiya Dil Ne‘ is different and unique. It is a successor to my group ‘Dil Ki Nazar Se‘, which I had to abandon when some of the members insisted on just putting up urls from YouTube with very little or no contribution of their own. Here is the description o ‘Yaad Kiya Dil Ne‘:
“A group for serious music lovers who not just relish putting up and listening to songs but also identify these with Lyricists, Music Directors, Singers and Actors who brought the songs to us. The group pays tributes to these four classes of people on their birth and death anniversaries. The group is also interested in sharing knowledge about all aspects of songs including Raagas. The group also has thematic Music Fests at least once in a month. If you are a casual copy-paste music lover who can copy-paste ten songs (urls) from You Tube in ten minutes, this group is NOT recommended for you.
The name of the group has been derived from the title of a duet between Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar from the 1953 movie Patita starring Dev Anand and Usha Kiran.”
From its inception in Nov 2013, the group has come a long way off. Many of the members research everything about the song that they are going to put up, write descriptions that can compete with the best blogs, and everyone is on a learning curve of knowing more about songs and music.
Now who says Facebook is for dumbos only?
Here is my description of the leading lights of YKDN, written during one of the monthly Fests’ Results:
RESULTS OF CHAL SONGS FEST
12 – 13 SEP 15
Sincere thanks to you, dear Vipan,
It is finally YOU who has won,
You proved it, my dear friend,
A fest, without Ravi, can actually be done.
Your total conduct in this entire fest,
Was by far most praiseworthy and best,
You chose me the winner, I am humbled,
I would ANY TIME choose one of the rest:
I’d choose Raj Dutta, my dear brother,
There isn’t, like him, another;
I’d choose Sumedha Nair, whose posts,
Can bring to life long-dead ghosts.
I’d choose Evani Leela, whose junoon
Is the best under any sun or moon.
I’d happily choose Surekha, the greatest,
Who makes worthwhile, every fest.
I won’t err in choosing Surinder Grewal,
In passionate music lovers, he stands tall;
Or else, I’d choose Sumona, his pretty wife,
She brings to fest, loads of life.
I would readily put my money on Nitin,
It is just a matter of time before he’d win.
Then there is Maj Vishwas, whose selections,
Takes him to unimaginable directions.
And what about our new find, Sanjay Menon?
The Hindi avatar of John Lennon.
Or Hemalata Ayyagari, the debutante,
There is nothing that she can’t.
Manik, my behna, isn’t down the line,
Her presence in the fest is simply benign.
I would choose Manju, whose golden oldies,
Are amongst the best melodies.
What about our youngster Hauptmann?
I am, of his choices, already a fan.
One cannot ignore Amitabh Nigam,
You missed him as winner, how come?
And then what about Anindya Chatterjee?
He is at least ten times better than me.
And lastly, you yourself Vipan,
Is by far the best under the sun.
So, whilst as a “winner”, I must rejoice,
At the same time, let me forcefully raise my voice,
You are good, Vipan, really good,
But, I have to strongly contest your choice.
I am not saying this for effect,
Sorry, for being so brash and direct,
I am not worthy of being a winner,
When you have the galaxy from where to select.
My sincere thanks to you, once more,
Your sagacity and hard-work, I adore,
YOU are the WINNER of the Fest, pal, Ravi, your poor choice, you can simply ignore.
Since that time, we have had hardly any contribution from Varun Hauptmann and Amitabh Nigam and only scanty contribution from Manju Saigal. However, another bright star emerged in the YKDN sky: Jaswant Singh Lagwal. Here is a fresh tribute for him:
Long after we are gone, they’d recall,
Our newest star: Jaswant Singh Lagwal,
He came like a whiff of hilly fresh breeze,
And is already in YKDN’s Fame’s Hall.
Also, my course-mate and gentlest person on earth, Milind Madhav Hastak was missing from the Chal Songs Fest in Sep 15 and hence I failed to put up a tribute for him. So here it is:
Milind‘s favourites are Mukesh and Raj Kapoor,
Wherever he is, he is never, from the group too door,
He is a teetotaler and never drinks alcohol,
But, is often intoxicated with puraane geeton ka saroor.
Why Whispering Winds as the venue of the Meet?
Here it is in the words of Vipan Kohli:
“Now 24 Apr 2016 was a red letter day in the history of YKDN. Not because a few of us met and had a get together. Not because we had a great time. Not because we met for the first time. But because of all this and more over, it was the first get together hosed by Ravinder, Lyn and Mummyji. It was for the first time the get together was organised at Whispering Winds Kandaghat. I consider Whispering Winds Kandaghat as a monument. A monument built by Dr Mani Singh. Mani (gem) he really was. A horticulturist with a heart of a soldier. He built a house in the company of most picturesque surroundings with trees on both sides. Overlooking the horticulture research centre @ Kandaghat Dr Mani Singh ensured that he could oversee what he had nurtured with so much love and labour. He and his
family aptly named it Whispering Winds. Why was it named Whispering Winds? Ravi has brought out in his blog (Home is where the heart is)- because of being in the Ghats with perpetual winds in the area, which tended to tell tales of far lands. Ravi spent most of his boyhood in Whispering Winds.Due to all these reasons I consider Whispering Winds a monument of YKDN. So attending a Milan (Meet, get together etc are too common for what it was. It was truly a Milan) at the monument of YKDN was what made 24 Apr 2016 a red letter day.”
Surekha Saini had this to say:
“Ladies and Gentlemen …. I feel blessed to pay SHRADHANJALI to Dr S Mani Singh ji father of Ravinder PS Ravi. .. who united us together through his love for music. I wrote BARSI. . instead I always write death anniversary… bcz after visiting His house Whispering Winds at Kandaghat I found Him present between us as I saw the photo of Dr S Mani Singh ji in drawing room. Such a Noorani or Tejassvi personality as if he was talking to us telling us about his Empire.
When Ravi veer ji was showing me n my children his beautiful house, Mani Singh uncle was there with us ..felt Him saying, ” Look Surekha..I m a self made King and I established this wonderful Empire with my own hardwork. I m proud of my Son Ravi who has kept my DHAROHER as I wanted to maintain it.”…Whispering Winds is a beautiful place with heavenly surroundings and Ravi veer ji has maintained it’s divinity and originality. …imagine a person who loves his first car so much that he is still keep it with him..hw much he can love people related to him…this is bcz of the SANSKARAS give to him by his parents. ..S Mani Singh and Herkrishan Kaur…regards to both of them.”
Whispering Winds, Kandaghat, in short is a place whereat the winds speak to you, sing to you and remind you of all those “bhoole bisre geet or bhooli dastaan” as Raj Dutta put it as. Have a look at the surroundings that became the theme of next month’s Music Fest:
The idea of the Meet to be at Whispering Winds, Kandaghat, was conceived by Vipan Kohli as follows:
Vipan Kohli to Yaad Kiya Dil Ne March 28, 2016
Dear Friends on YKDN,
It is proposed to have a YKDN get together at Kandaghat on 24 April 2016 from 1200 noon. We shall try to wind up by 3.00 pm so that those who wish to return to Palma to catch the Palma mail can depart well in time. All those who are keen to attend please intimate the following :-
(a) Whether attending Y/N
(b) Whether spouse accompanying Y/N
(c) Travel details
(d) Whether accommodation required Y/N
(e) Food preference V/NV
Please intimate the above details asap so that necessary arrangements can be made.
Thanks
41 Comments (10 Surekha Saini, Evani Leela and 8 others) later, we had the Meet planned.
After it happened, here is my immediate chronicle about it, on 24th April itself:
Ravinder PS Ravi to Yaad Kiya Dil Ne April 24, 2016
Yaad Kiya Dil Ne Kandaghat Meet
Sunday, 24th June 16
Ladies and Gents,
Today history was made. We had our second get-together at Whispering Winds Kandaghat. The idea was conceived by our dear friend and able co-administrator Vipan Kohli who went to all kinds of tribulations to reach here from Delhi.
Vipan waiting at the Delhi Jn. Railway Station on the night of 23/24 April 16 when Howrah Kalka Mail, the train that he was scheduled to travel by was reported to be more than four hours late.
He was accompanied in the morning by another dear friend and one of the gentlest persons that I know: Surinder Grewal from Ludhiana and two of his friends: Dr Sukhinder Gill from Chandigarh and Dr Avatar Padda from Chandigarh.
No sooner had we finished breakfast that Jaswant Singh Lagwal, his wife Kavita and son Neeraj arrived from Hamirpur. Jaswant came like Santa Claus: a shawl for Herkrishan Kaur, my mom, Kulu caps for the complete gathering and an idol of Goddess Saraswati.
The last to arrive was my sister Surekha Saini, her son Aakash, daughter in law Aarti, and grandson Angad and granddaughter Seerat. Surekha brought a pair of exquisite lamp stands and home (Aarti) made cookies.
We cut the Yaad Kiya Dil Ne cake before lunch and got our friends Manik Lakhkar Chava, Evani Leela, Raj Dutta, Maj Vishwas Mandloi and Nitin Shringarpure on conference call when Kavita being youngest lady blew the candles and cut the cake. The highlight of this moment was all of us singing Yaad Kiya Dil Ne in unison. Vishwas piped in on Harmonica and Leela with her exquisite Nightingale voice.
Here is the video of the song that we all sang together:
Here are some more pictures of the get together.
Thank you, everyone, for making it happen and making my mom Herkrishan Kaur, Marilyn Ravi and I walk on clouds.
Raj Dutta, my brother, put up two excellent videos of the get-together. Here are these:
Vo bhuli daastaa lo phir yaad aa gayi….. Sanjog
(na jaane inse kyo mil kar, nazr sharma gyi…1st stnza, 5th Line)
Dear YKDNians, Whispering Winds have whispered that History has been made on 24th Apr 2016, with successful MILAN of some lucky YKDN members….….History shall repeat again may be in near future…But until then vo daastan unn sab ko yaad aati rahegi….as this was the first ever Milan of YKDN in Ravi’s Kandaghat abode….It was memorable no doubt for the people who attended, but even those who could not and watched from the side-lines, our virtual presence was always with them– Ravinder PS Ravi, Marilyn Ravi, Herkrishan Kaur Mummyji, Vipan Kohli, Surinder Grewal, Surekha Saini, Jaswant Singh Lagwal and their family members.
Lets watch this distinct MSOD, which you are likely to like !! Amen.
LYRICS
vo bhuli daastaa lo phir yaad aa gayi
nazar ke saamane ghata si chha gayi
vo bhuli daastaa lo phir yaad aa gayi
nazar ke saamane ghata si chha gayi
kaha se phir chale aaye, vo kuchh bhatake hue saaye
vo kuchh bhule huye nagame, jo mere pyaar ne gaaye
vo kuchh bikhari hui yaade, vo kuchh tute hue nagame
paraaye ho gaye to kyaa, kabhi ye bhi to the apane
na jaane inse kyo mil kar, nazar sharma gayi
vo bhuli daastaa lo phir yaad aa gayi
ummido ke hansi mele, tamannaao ke vo rele
nigaaho ne nigaaho se, ajab kuchh khel se khele
hava me zulf laharaayi, nazar pe bekhudi chhaai
khule the dil ke darvaaze, muhabbat bhi chali aai
tamannaao ki duniya par javaani chha gayi
vo bhuli daastaa lo phir yaad aa gayi
bade ragin zamaane the, taraane hi taraane the
magar ab puchhta hai dil, vo din the ya fasaane the
faqat ik yaad hai baaki, bas ik fariyaad hai baaki
vo khushiya lut gayi lekin, dil-e-barbaad hai baaki
kaha thi zindagi meri, kaha par aa gayi
vo bhuli daastaa lo phir yaad aa gayi
nazar ke saamane ghata si chha gayi
nazar ke saamane ghata si chha gayi
vo bhuli daastaa lo phir yaad aa gayi
vo bhuli daastaa lo phir yaad aa gayi
And the second is about the venue: Whispering Winds, Kandaghat:
This meet was summed by Surinder Grewal in this manner:
“The Kandaghat Milan was great thing that happened in our lives…We knew each other so well but were meeting one another for the first time..In the people there we found a sweet mother who made us bring a tear in our eyes remembering our own mother…we found brothers, sisters, friends in the small gathering…and above all Ravi is so energetic I could not believe; you feel him everywhere in the party”.
Here is a neat summing up by someone who wasn’t there in the meet but keenly watches the proceedings of YKDN; I am talking about Baljit Ahluwalia, our respected senior:
“I have been watching with awe and admiration the recent happenings which culminated with the gathering of the core group of YKDN at Ravinder PS Ravi’s place in Kandaghat. The warmth and hospitality was so palpable that I could feel it from such a distance. Many of you met each other for the first time – but that was not a problem at all. It seemed that long lost friends were meeting after decades. The posting of status updates and participation in the various contests had broken the barriers long ago and it seemed that you knew each other intimately. The small video clippings and the exchange of gifts made it a Punjabish affair.
This only goes to show that bonding and camaraderie extends beyond uniformed people; it is an integral part of a well woven group which relies on each other for trivial issues. In fact, at certain times, a few comments by a few about the others can only be accepted if there is a tremendous amount of understanding.
A word about the Leader of the group – Ravinder PS Ravi in the last few years has ignited the passion and love for music and has been instrumental in raising a few FB groups. The manner in which he encourages others – young and old and the respect that he showers is only to be seen to be believed. I have not met him – but it seems that we have known each other for years. Some day the twain shall meet – and there will be outpourings galore.
I have been a distant observer of the various contributions because I am a keen follower of music over the years. I have often made my two pence contribution and have struck a strange bond with Raj Dutta, Vipan Kohli, Surekha Saini, Manik Lakhkar Chava and Evani Leela and other integral members of these groups. They are truly genuine friends and bask in each others’ glory.
On this memorable occasion, I can only wish each one of you many glorious years in the future. May your bonds become stronger and may you all contribute to the inimitable Bollywood music. GOD BLESS.”
There will be many more sunsets and sunrises across Whispering Winds, Kandaghat. Ladies and gents, please do remember that we shall await the next Meet of YKDN there; for, you can have these meets anywhere, but, your heart will tell you:
याद किया दिल ने कहाँ हो तुम
झूमती बहार है कहाँ हो तुम
प्यार से पुकार लो जहाँ हो तुम – २
(ओ, खो गये हो आज किस खयाल में
ओ, दिल फ़ंसा है बेबसी के जाल में ) – २
मतलबी जहाँ मेहरबां हो तुम
याद किया दिल ने कहाँ हो तुम
प्यार से पुकार लो जहाँ हो तुम – २
(ओ, रात ढल चुकी है सुबह हो गयी
ओ, मै तुम्हारी याद लेके खो गयी ) – २
अब तो मेरी दास्ताँ हो तुम
याद किया दिल ने कहाँ हो तुम
प्यार से पुकार लो जहाँ हो तुम – २
(ओ, तुम तो मेरे ज़िंदगी के बाग़ हो
ओ, तुम तो मेरी राह के चिराग़ हो ) – २
मेरे लिये आसमाँ हो तुम
याद किया दिल ने कहाँ हो तुम
प्यार से पुकार लो जहाँ हो तुम – २
This article is written in jest only. When we were in the Navy, many of us were at the receiving end of a number of these weirdos’ intended or unintended jest. It is, therefore, alright to recall some of their eccentricities in sheer nostalgia. When you get a rotten tooth pulled out, you sometimes miss the slow ache the tooth used to cause and your tongue goes to the void every-time and feels its absence.
A Weirdo is a person whose dress or behaviour seems strange or eccentric. When I was in the Navy, I came across many such persons; I am sure every profession or group has at least one such person.
It is, sometimes, awkward and embarrassing to deal with weirdos. Many a times, it is downright frustrating. However, in all cases, life is interesting because of weirdos; there is always something to talk about, something to bemoan, something to be amused about.
Why am I reminded of him today? Well, recently (on the 31st May to be exact), we have a new Chief of the Naval Staff. Admiral Sunil Lanba is not a weirdo. I am reminded of the weirdo who nearly made it to the CNS. His weirdness became even more acute when he came to know that he was nearly there (by that unique navigation expression called: time and space) and yet so far (by his predecessor CNS having been kicked out by the last BJP government and thus upsetting the apple-cart or the succession plan for him).
When you become very very senior in the armed forces, succession-plan becomes your favourite plan and you would do anything to have this plan, at least, go your way (like General VK Singh did; please also read: Army Chief’s Age – The Other Issues; Hats Off To General VK Singh; and Indian Army Before And After Operation Vijay). In the last sentence, if you would have noticed, I used the expression ‘at least‘; thereby implying that all your other plans are likely to be thrown out of the porthole the moment you swallow the anchor. This is actually true since most armed forces persons are good at reinventing the wheel (Please read Reinventing The Wheel, Armed Forces Style).
This gentleman, rich in the puss that oozed out of his super-ego, in the OK Corral Model, placed himself in the center of the one-up position (quadrant) with everyone, called by Eric Berne and several other transactional analysis people as: I am OK, You are not OK position. When he talked to any of his men and women, they were made to feel smaller than worms.
He had a reason for every one of his eccentricities. A la Kejriwal style (many years before Kejriwal became a phenomenon), this gentleman had his entire command divided into just two kinds of people: those who were facing Boards of Inquiry and Courts Martial for such serious crimes as having taken a few kgs of extra chicken for themselves or for their ships; and those who conducted these BoIs and CMs (whilst awaiting their own turn for sitting on the other side). He gave the reason for each one of these: ‘If I can’t trust him with chicken, how can I trust him in war?’
Another of his fads was to investigate (more torturous than the Spanish Inquisition) from which of the Ship’s Funds were Greeting Cards paid for; which he termed as “utterly wasteful expenditure”. Most of us had learnt the hard way never to send him any greetings whatsoever. However, youngsters sometimes didn’t know about such embargoes. One of my young commanding officers once sent him a New Year Greeting card. I was immediately summoned to his office to participate in the Inquisition. It went like this:
Rich-in-puss: “What’s this?” (he asked pointing derisively towards the offending card on the table) Me (Poor in everything including puss): “Looks like a greeting card, Sir”. (I silently prayed that it should be none of my men/women. God, didn’t listen to me that day.) Rich-in-puss: “It is a New Year greeting card sent to me by your CO_____”. Me (with resolve): “Give me sometime, Sir. I shall investigate and find out”.
He dismissed me with the sway of his hand, which I was quick to translate as: you can’t be trusted to find out even the most basic things; but, nevertheless, go and do your bit whilst I conduct my independent investigation into this very serious misdemeanour.
Just one hour later I was back. It was obvious from the expression on his face that his independent investigators had also given him similar report. I mentioned to him with unconcealed glee that CO____ had actually purchased the greeting cards with his own money.
My glee was short-lived when I heard him thus, “It is still utter wasteful expenditure. We are living in a country that doesn’t have resources to feed millions of poor or to give them shelter. And here we have CO____ indulging in such ostentatious splurging of money as to send greeting cards. Put a stop to this immediately.”
After returning to office, it was now my turn to summon CO____. I told him: “When the greeting mood ever overwhelms you, as it does with so many human beings who are humane, you should send these to people in all corners of the world but never – please say after me N-E-V-E-R, never – to the C-in-C or any of his friends or kith and kin, near or distant. I also have to discuss the forthcoming sailing and exercise programme with you. But, first let this important lesson sink in with you and we could discuss those relatively less important issues after the sailing tomorrow.”
The Rich-in-puss had indefatigable energy though. Let us say you are CO of a Seaward Defence Boat (SDB) and your SDB is deployed for patrol in the Palk Bay. Lets say you, during this patrol, start feeling really important as a CO with nothing between you and the skies, nothing around and below you but the sea. Suddenly you hear a whirring sound. Lo and behold a Chetak helicopter hovers over you. Who do you see winching down from the helo? You guessed it; the C-in-C himself to remind you of your smallness. As you go to bed that night, one thought that calls for your attention, like the whirring of the helicopter is: there is no escape from God and C-in-C; He is everywhere.
One such incident took place with me too. One day I had an ex colleague of mine who had flown into the port with his Islander aircraft. I was going to sail with my flotilla. I arranged with D to have an Islander sortie with us to exercise avanguard procedure with us (to provide attack information to my missile boats; they with their low freeboards being unable to get target information at long ranges on their own radars). We exercised with D for many runs. At the end of the day, since my ETA (Expected Time of Arrival) at the port was drawing close, I altered the course of the Flotilla to head home. D still had some more time with us. Hence, I instructed D on the net, to provide us with target information in the direction of the port. He insisted on targets in the opposite direction. I thought he was not understanding my intention and hence, over the net, I used my call-sign as Senior Officer to direct him to go the other way. To my frustration, he used a strange call-sign to tell me that he was going ahead with the earlier targets. We went through the call-sign book and found it was C-in-C’s. D told me later that he was on the runway, about to take off for us, when he saw C-in-C’s car approaching. C-in-C got into the other seat and breezily told him, “Lets go”!
Islander aircraft of the Indian Navy
I was reminded of a lady complaining to the lift operator, after pressing the button for the lift several times, “Where have you been?” And the lift-operator replying, “Ma’am, where can you go in a lift?” Similarly, we in the Fleet and the Flotilla, were never too far from the Rich-in-puss.
In the definition of a weirdo in the beginning, I had said that Weirdo is a person whose dress or behaviour seems strange or eccentric. You would have noticed that I concentrated only on the behaviour. Here is about the dress.
The dress that was his favourite was Dress #8 or white shorts and shirt and white stockings for officers and blue stockings for sailors. Before he made this dress compulsory for all ships and submarines, the daily orders would read ‘Dress for the Day’ as ‘No.8s/8As’, the latter being with white trousers. Hence. there was a choice given. Rich-in-puss felt that giving choice was akin to losing total control, a la Asrani, the angrezon-ke-zamaane ka jailer in the 1975 movie Sholay. Hence, personnel had no choice but to be wearing it day after day. He himself wore it except whilst sleeping and bathing. Once he called on the Governor of Tamilnadu, Justice M Fathima Beevi, dressed in his shorts, shirt and stockings. She was totally scandalized, she not being used to the nautical manner of dressing. Her tenure lasted for four and half years. She declined to meet any other navy officer during this period lest she should be exposed to further mortification.
Weirdos generally have other outstanding attributes. People like me, for example, grudgingly admitted that he had elephantine memory, remarkable intelligence, professionalism and all other qualities that make great leaders. However, it is a fact that we do remember weirdos more for their idiosyncrasies than for those other attributes. In this particular case, except for the fact that he totally destroyed you in case you ever differed with him, he didn’t mean any other harm to you.
During his farewell, he gave the Command an empty bottle of champagne, glass-cased. He said this was the same bottle that he had with his officers when it was rumoured that he wasn’t making it to a Rear Admiral from a Captain!
The intent of this essay is to start a healthy debate on the subject of expert versus common knowledge, the pros and cons, that is, of each.
First of all, those of you who don’t know the meaning of the second word, here it is from Wikipedia:
“Ultracrepidarianism is the habit of giving opinions and advice on matters outside of one’s knowledge.
The term ultracrepidarian was first publicly recorded in 1819 by the essayist William Hazlitt in an open Letter to William Gifford, the editor of the Quarterly Review: “You have been well called an Ultra-Crepidarian critic.” It was used again four years later in 1823, in the satire by Hazlitt’s friend Leigh Hunt, Ultra-Crepidarius: a Satire on William Gifford.
The term draws from a famous comment purportedly made by Apelles, a famous Greek artist, to a shoemaker who presumed to criticise his painting. The Latin phrase “Sutor, ne ultra crepidam“, as set down by Pliny and later altered by other Latin writers to “Ne ultra crepidam judicaret“, can be taken to mean that a shoemaker ought not to judge beyond his own soles. That is to say, critics should only comment on things they know something about. The saying remains popular in several languages, as in the English, “A cobbler should stick to his last”.
(Slide courtesy: slideplayer.com)
A charlatan, we all know, is a person falsely claiming to have special knowledge or skill.
In ancient India, we had the Hindu Varna system or a classification of all society into four varnas or classes:
the Brahmins: priests, scholars and teachers.
the Kshatriyas: rulers, warriors and administrators.
the Vaishyas: cattle herders, agriculturists, artisans and merchants.
the Shudras: labourers and service providers.
A Shudra, for example, was not supposed to fight battles like a Kshatriya and was not expected to even enter the temples like a Brahmin. The Varna system ensured that the son of a Vaishya would become a Vaishya and so on. This wasn’t the caste system or the Jati system. It was simply vocation based classification.
Gradually, as knowledge became more widely and evenly spread, people started learning skills beyond the Varna system. Basically, all professions became open to everyone on merit and reservation was only for the backward classes. Hence, we did away with the elitist Varna system and in order to ensure that a Shudra family could also produce an engineer or a doctor, we provided anti-elitist reservation (affirmation) to the Shudras to catch up with the rest. However, since records of professions (Varnas) were not so easily available as those of Jati (Caste), the political classes thought of combining Scheduled Castes with Scheduled Tribes rather than with Varnas.
The present day reversal of pyramid notwithstanding, it is a fact that those that belonged to higher Jati and Varna resisted the encroachments into their Jati and Varna by the lower classes and castes. How could, they reasoned, anyone mar their exclusivity? We are all aware of the havoc caused in our society by, for example, the practice of untouchability.
There were experts all along and then there were those who guarded their exclusive turf. Those who learnt or tried to learn skills by themselves were looked down upon, jeered, made to feel miserable and in the case of Eklavya of Mahabharata, had his arching thumb cut as a guru-dakshina (Offering to the Teacher) for Dronacharya since he learnt archery keeping a clay model of Drona when the latter declined to take him up as his disciple.
Eklavya made to cut off his arching thumb by Drona as ‘Guru Dakshina’ (Pic courtesy: mug.shainsingh.com)
And now cut to the modern age of free-knowledge and free-skills availability everywhere especially on the Internet. The Varna system has collapsed in many ways though vested interests want to keep the Jati or Caste system alive to perpetuate . You could be selling tea and yet you could lead the country as a Prime Minister. You could, as Indra Nooyi, be born in a Tamil speaking family in Madras and yet make it to be the CEO of PepsiCo, the second largest food and beverage business in the world.
And yet, the turf-guarders are always on their guard. They would tell you that you need more and more experts to solve problems, to repair, to rectify, to manage, to control, to heal, to do anything and everything. The lawyers, for example, make sure that they make legalese and court procedures so complicated and complex that the average citizen would have no choice but to call them to save his or her soul; in a repeat of the popular 1975 movie Sholay’s dialogue by the evil dacoit: Gabbar se tumhen ek hi aadmi bacha sakta hai, woh hai Gabbar khud (Only one man can protect you from Gabbar and that is Gabbar himself). The doctors circulate any number of videos on social-media mocking all those who learn about their ailments from the net. Most of the videos cleverly mix human skills with expert knowledge of ailments and cures making the so called ultracrepidarians look like buffoons, doing immense damage to themselves through their half-baked knowledge. They do forget the fact that the most difficult and responsible medical skill in the world – of being a parent – is learnt by most of us on the job and that for every failed unskilled parent there is a failed expert parent.
The Internet indeed is a great equalizer in a world wherein institutionalised training has been brought to its knees by the self-learners. One of the most spectacular examples of this is something that we grudgingly acknowledge: that is, how the most powerful armed forces have found their equal in self-trained terrorists; in many cases the latter having an edge over the former. We can have a debate about the means and the intent of the latter as opposed to the armies. But, the fact is that the Eklavyas of today, such as they are, don’t lose their thumbs in Guru-Dakshina but demand the heads of the elite trainers.
Last year I wrote a piece titled ‘All Photographers And Writers, No Viewers And Readers’. Just a few decades earlier, photographers and writers were an elite lot. Now everyone is one or the other. Everyone has an opinion and the Apelles of the world ridiculing shoemakers for expressing opinions about works of art have been simply outnumbered.
Lets look at the case of doctors predicting dire consequences for those who self-diagnose and self-medicate their ailments. There are counter views of course; the least of them is that doctors are known to fleece you and make your ailment really big and complex (requiring MRIs and other expensive tests) if you have no knowledge of your ailment.
Also, why only doctors? If we have to let only the experts do their job, then how come, these days:
Everybody is a national security expert.
Everybody knows how to run the country.
Other than the 13 cricketers in the field, everybody knows how to play.
Everyone knows how to get rid of terrorists.
Everybody knows how to act on screen or stage.
Everybody is a scientist.
Many people know how to make a bomb from the net.
We used to have a funny anecdote of an Engineer and the Captain of the ship exchanging their jobs, if only to win a bet. After an hour of this exchange, the Captain-turned-Engineer called the Bridge on the Intercom and said, “I am afraid the engines have stopped turning.” At this the Engineer-turned-Captain responded, “Oh, that’s alright since we just ran aground.”
Getting into non-expert fields is fraught with great risk. And yet, the most powerful navy in the world – the US Navy, that is – follows Line Officer Concept or Officer of the Line Concept.
What then is the answer? Do we require experts or not? What about the charlatans pretending to possess skills that they do not actually possess? In my last job in India’s largest corporate, we had a great and practical industrial security expert leading a proud team of officers, men and women in the best industrial security organisation in the country. However, his communication and image-building skills were just average. The management, therefore, brought in a person who had these skills in abundance but little knowledge of practical industrial security. Within a year the complete edifice that was painstakingly built in last twenty years crumbled. However, great sounding talks, write-ups and power-point presentations proliferated.
To build up the answer to the questions whether we require experts or not, and how to deal with ultracrepidarians and charlatans, I think intent is the key. If by acquiring common and free knowledge, one is thinking of doing away with the expert when his services become indispensable, then there is something wrong. Also, if the intent is to expose the expert to ridicule just as the expert holds the half-baked-knowledge ignoramuses in ridicule, then too it is wrong. However, if the intent is to assist in making a more detailed examination which would have perhaps escaped the attention of the expert; or to fore-arm yourself whilst being fore-warned, then perhaps it makes sense.
I dealt with ultracrepidarians and charlatans in my ‘One Good Advice Deserves Another’ soon after I started this blog on 02 Mar 10. Admittedly, I didn’t even know that such a word as ultracrepidarian existed (I learnt about the word on WhatsApp only recently) and admittedly the piece is merely on the humorous side; however, I hasten to add that sometimes the advice of the non-experts throws open a perspective that was hitherto missed. I invite you to read an interesting bit I brought out in my ‘Being Non-Sensical May Be Far Sighted’.
There are no easy answers. Little knowledge is a dangerous thing is to be carefully balanced against Ignorance is bliss. As I mentioned in the beginning of this essay, the intent here is to start a debate about the pros and cons of expertise versus common knowledge. Please do give your views in the comments below. I am not an expert and I don’t want to have the final say on this.
Love and Life are two four-lettered words about whom volumes have been written by poets and writers alike. And yet, like writing about Nature, God and Beauty, there is always something more to write.
There is a great deal of confusion whether Love is a selfless emotion or the most selfish of the emotions. It is selfless because when you love, in near absolute terms, you come to a point when you are oblivious about yourself, your needs and desires. Amongst the popular lovers of yore, Majnu was so much in love with his Laila that when asked to write God’s name in school, he wrote Laila. He was caned so hard by his teacher (maulvi) that it was feared that his hands would start bleeding. Lo and behold, the hands that started bleeding were those of Laila. Love is so selfless that you can lose your identity in love and assume the identity of your beloved.
“Duniya pukarti hai mujhe tere naam se…”
It is also a selfish feeling since you love a person to the exclusion of others and that person is called ‘my love’, ‘my life’ etc. As the holy book of the Sikhs, Sri Guru Granth Sahib brings out, my is roughly tranlated to ‘haume’ and loving someone to the exclusion of others is like claiming something for yourself and hence has an element of selfishness about it.
A mother’s love for her child has both elements in it: the selfishness and selflessness. A few decades back, in an earthquake in USSR a woman was buried with her child under the rubble for three full days and nights. She kept her child alive by feeding it her blood! It is a feeling of supreme selflessness. However, the feeling with her, “The life that I am saving is my child, my creation, my life, my love. If I die it would die. So I have to keep myself too alive”, is indeed a selfish feeling.
Lets put it this way: would you expect Laila to bleed for the entire humanity? No, she bled for her own love. Would you expect the mother in USSR to do such a sacrifice for other children? No, she would do it for her own children.
Selfless or selfish or a mixture of both, Love brings out the best in human beings. Yes, one has to get rid of ‘haume‘, as per the scriptures. However, the highest attainments of Leadership through Love are only possible if there is ‘haume’ (my-ness or ego) involved. Soldiers lay down their lives for the love of their country. Cricketers win matches, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat by having the feeling of my-ness for their team, province, state or country. Getting rid of ‘haume‘ is to be rid of belonging and attachment. However, if you are rid of it Love dies for everyone except for paramatma (Supreme soul) or God.
So, don’t think too much whether it is Selfish or Selfless to love. If you are thinking of it, you are aware of ‘Self’! It can’t be the purpose of Life to reach back to God. To love one another may also be the will of God.
I have always challenged the oft-held views. In my ‘An Alternate Philosophy of Life‘, for example, I have challenged our obsession with seeking God for ourselves. I have, on the other hand, suggested that we get out of this obsession and think of the society, the way the Westerns do. In India, most people love God but are not so prone to love one another, cleanliness (despite the renewed stress on Swachchh Bharat (clean India), and values. We would if there was some self-interest or ‘haume’ involved in these.
Here are some of the things that I suggest that we love:
1. Love Life. The greatest gift that God has given us is that of Life. We should love ours and those of others. As Indians, when we drive, pardon my saying so, but, it isn’t apparent whether we love ours’ and those of others. Perhaps we should demonstrate it in more ways than the present one of furiously honking and abusing another person off the road. Each one of has the feeling of self-preservation in some degree or the other. Yes, it is selfish to love one’s own life. However, if you don’t love your own and value it, you cannot be expected to value others’. Last year’s Alejandro Inarritu movie The Revenant (a movie that I didn’t like because of its raw and relentless violence) won him the Best Director’s Award as well as Best Actor award for Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie is all about the quest for survival under extreme harsh conditions for Hugh Glass whilst seeking revenge against John Fitzgerald, a fellow trapper who left him (Hugh Glass played by DiCaprio) as dead after stabbing him. Take the opposite extreme, that of a Jehadi or a Mujahid. He doesn’t value his own life and those of others in the mistaken belief that by killing himself and others he would, perhaps, serve some purpose of God. Loving Life is the first signs of gratefulness towards God for having created beings, mountains, plains, rivers, seas, etc.
2. Love Nature. God made the Universe very beautiful indeed. We are part of it and we are beautiful too. However, Nature is more beautiful than all of us individually and collectively. It is our beloved. It is not ashamed to have a bath right in the open and emerge even more beautiful. It doesn’t bore us with the same shape, colour, fragrance and hue all the times. One of the most enchanting things about Nature is that it is forever changing. Just when we feel that we have seen the most alluring part of it, it unashamedly reveals another even more fascinating. Nature reflects the endless attribute of God Himself in case we are used to personifying God.
3. Love Music. It doesn’t matter what kind of music you like or love; be it classical, instrumental, Western, Raaga based, or even punk. However, I would be very suspicious of a person who doesn’t like music and considers all music as jarring noise. Music is the expression of the soul. There must be some expression of your own inner self that finds resonance with some music. My family and I consider life without music to be no life at all.
4. Love Children. God gave us innocence at birth and even before it. We had it when we were children. But then, we plunged into worldly knowledge and lost it gradually. That’s the reason that we, with all our knowledge, are farthest from God and little children with their innate innocence are God-like (Please read: ‘How Unbiased Or Innocent Can We Become?’). Therefore, it makes sense to love the child in you as also to love children.
5. Love Animals. Many of you must have seen the most successful South African movie ever: the 1980 movie ‘Gods Must Be Crazy’. The movie is about the simple bushmen of Kalahari Desert in Botswana who are happy and content with what God has given them until they are exposed to a Coca Cola bottle (symbolic of the modern world) having been thrown close to them from a plane. And now, the single coca-cola bottle is the source of envy, jealousy, anger, frustration and violence that they had never experienced before. The animal world is like the world of the bushmen as seen in the movie. There is no fear, danger, jealousy, greed and guile. If you can’t be in the wilderness, the next best thing to do is to have a pet and then you suddenly start realising that God made all His beings in His own liking. You can’t help loving them. Indeed, nowadays, scientific and psychological studies have shown that loving a pet relaxes you and enriches your life.
7. Love the Jawan (Soldier). As long as there is ‘haume’, there is violence. As long as there is violence, someone needs to protect us from being subjugated by violence. That chosen one of God is the Jawan or the Soldier. Whilst others have a profession or vocation, his is a devotion, a sacrifice and way of life. To love a Jawan is to thank him for risking his own life whilst protecting ours. No money, awards, gratitude on earth can ever repay him for what he does 24/7, 365 days in a year.
8. Love India. We Indians are the most vociferous jingoists in the world. We carry our patriotism on our shirt-sleeves for everyone to see. But, do we really love our country? The answer is a big NO. The person who loves his or her country as his or her own home won’t do any of the following, for example:
Dirty it relentlessly and expect someone else to clean up the mess.
Indulge in everyday petty corruption and short-cuts knowing that it makes the country weaker.
Whiling away time at work knowing that the country’s well-being is dependent upon each one of us working at full efficiency and dedication.
Sell the country’s interests both overtly and covertly to the enemies of the country within and without.
Have no respect for the law of the land.
There, I have given you my short list of things that we ought to love as our own and cherish that we were given these to love.
As you are already aware, these blogs are being recreated from the posts on my Facebook page Lyrical wherein I started with this theme of giving you the best raaga based songs in Hindi movies on the 8th of Aug 2015. Presently, I am on my 22nd Raaga: Raag Lalit. I have already given you blogs on Raaga Bhairavi (Part I, II and III), Yaman or Kalyan (Part I, II and III), Jhinjhoti (Part I, II), Darbari Kanada (Part I, II, and III), Bhimpalasi (Part I and II), Raag Khammaj, and Raag Todi which make only seven of the twenty-two Raagas. With the last post on Raag Todi, I have made a determined effort to catch up. I decided to start giving you Raagas even as I put up on Lyrical, in addition to the back-log. Now that I gave you the last Raag based songs’ post, let me also give you one from the back-log.
With this, lets start with our Eighth Raaga here (the 6th Raaga on Lyrical): Raag Pilu.
The cover picture in this Raag is from the 1958 movie Phagun starring Madhubala and Bharat Bhushan. The music director of the movie OP Nayyar was so fond of this Raaga that roughly about half the songs of the movie have been composed by him in Pilu or Peelu. This was OP Nayyar’s favourite raga.
Raga Pilu is a light classical raga or thumri that is quite varied. Like Bhairavi, all the 12 notes can be used in a composition. Since the structure of the raga is left to the artist’s style and interpretation, it is sometimes referred to as Misra Pilu (“mixed version of Pilu“) which incorporates not only the main notes but grace notes like komal re, suddha Ga, tivra Ma, komal dha, and both Nis.
Moods: Bhakti, Ebullience of folk love (often samuh-gaan, with clapping of hands). Many Krishna bhajans are in this raga.
Song #1 Piya piya naa laage mora jiya….
Lets take the first song composed in this raag from the 1958 moviePhagun directed by Bhibhuti Mitra. As with most other movies for which OP Nayyar was the music director, Phagun too had a large number of hit songs that were penned by Qamar Jalalabadi and sung by Asha Bhosle and Mohammad Rafi:
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu, a song sung by Asha Bhosle: Piya piya naa laage mora jiya….
piyaa piyaa na laage moraa jiyaa
aajaa chorii chorii ye bai.nyaa.n gorii gorii
ta.Dap uThii re tere pyaar ko
piyaa piyaa …
ek ban kii kalii matavaalii nagarii me.n aaii khilane
ja.ngal kii moranii aaii baago.n ke mor se milane
milane ho milane, mor se milane
haay … apanaa banaa le sai.nyaa ho
piyaa piyaa …
o baa.Nke nainaa vaale o paradesii matavaale
tuu muralii mujhe banaa le ho.nTho.n se haay lagaa le
muralii banaa le ho.nTho.n se lagaa le
haay … apanaa banaa le sai.nyaa ho
piyaa piyaa …
Song #2 Jhoole mein pawan ke aayi bahar…
Matching OP Nayyar note by note in the Phagun jhoola song is Naushad, six years before Phagun in his best ever movie Baiju Bawra. Baiju (Bharat Bhushan) and Gauri (Meena Kumari) grow up and are in love. This song is sung to show them having grown up and in love.
Interestingly, each one of the Baiju Bawra’s 13 song-tracks was based on a classical raaga.
The great Shakeel Badayuni penned the lyrics and it was sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar for Bharat Bhushan as Baiju and Meena Kumari as Gauri. Naushad received his only Filmfare Best Music Director award for this movie.
My choice of the greatest music director in Hindi movies: Naushad Ali (Pic courtesy: hamaraforums.com)
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Jhule mein pawan ke aayi bahaar….
do : jhuule me.n pawan ke aa_ii bahaar
naino.n me.n nayaa ra.ng laa_ii bahaar
pyaar chhalake ho pyaar chhalake
la : o
Dole man moraa sajanaa
Dole man moraa
ra : ho jii ho
la : Dole man moraa sajanaa
chuunariyaa baar-baar Dhalake
do : jhuule me.n pawan ke aa_ii bahaar
pyaar chhalake ho pyaar chhalake
ra : o o o
merii taan se uu.Nchaa teraa jhuulanaa gorii -2
la : mere jhuulane ke sa.ng tere pyaar kii Dorii -2
do : tuu hai jiivan si.ngaar
pyaar chhalake
jhuule me.n pawan ke aa_ii bahaar
pyaar chhalake ho pyaar chhalake
ra : o o o
baadal jhuum ke aaye gaagar pyaar kii laaye -2
la : koyal kuukatii jaaye ban me.n mor bhii gaaye -2
do : chhe.De.n ham-tum malhaar
pyaar chhalake
aa aa aa
chhe.De.n ham-tum malhaar
jhuule me.n pawan ke aa_ii bahaar
naino.n me.n nayaa ra.ng laa_ii bahaar
pyaar chhalake ho pyaar chhalake
ho ho pyaar chhalake -3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS0h73s0XyI
Song #3 Mat maaro Shyam pichkari….
Did you get a good idea of what the Raag Pilu is all about from the first two songs: one each from Phagun and Baiju Bawra.
Let me add to your knowledge by giving you a song from the 1956 movie Durgesh Nandini based on the novel by that name by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.
This was composed by my favourite Hemant Kumar on the lyrics of Rajinder Krishan. Lata Mangeshkar sang it.
Hemant Kumar recording a song with Lata Mangeshkar (Pic courtesy: mrandmrs55.com)
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Mat maaro sham pichkaari….
mat maaro shaam pichakaarii
morii bhiigii chunariyaa saarii re…
naajuk tan moraa ra.ng na Daaro shaamaa
a.ng-a.ng mora pha.Dake
ra.ng pa.De jo more gore badan par
ruup kii jvaalaa bha.Dake
kit jaa_uu.N mai.n laaj kii maarii re
mat maaro shaam…
kaah karuu.N kaanhaa, ruup hai bairii meraa
ra.ng pa.De chhil jaaye
dekhe yah jag mohe, tirachhii najariyaa se
moraa jiyaa ghabaraaye
kit jaa_uu.N mai.n laaj kii maarii re
mat maaro shaam…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wEEX3Ox75o
Song #4 Sur na saje kya gaayun main….
The second day of our sixth Raag: Raag Pilu or Peelu. We have so far taken up compositions of OP Nayyar whose favourite raag was Pilu, Naushad and Hemant Kumar.
We turn now to Shankar Jaikishen. I have taken this from their composition in 1956 movie Basant Bahaar starring Nimmi and Bharat Bhushan. As is usual with S-J songs, this one has been penned by Shailendra. It has been sung by Manna Dey
Manna Dey, the greatest singer of classical songs in Hindi movies.
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Sur naa saje kyaa gaayun main….
sur nA saje kyA gAU.N mai.n – 2
sur ke binA, jIvan sUnA – 2
sur nA saje kyA gAU.n mai.n
sur nA saje …
jalate gayaa jiivana meraa -2
is raat kaa na hogaa saveraa -2
sur naa saje …
dono.n jahA.n, mujhase rUThe – 2
tere binA ye gIt bhI jhUThe – 2
sur nA saje …
taT se lagii nadiyaa gaave -2
pii tum kahaa.N papiihaa gaave -2
sur naa saje …
(sa.ngIt man ko pa.nkh lagAe
gIto.n me.n rimajhim ras barasAe ) – 2
svar kI sAdhanA – 2
paramesh{}var kI
sur nA saje …
Song #5 Tere bin soone nayan hamaare….
Now that I have given you a beautiful composition by Shankar Jaikishen, I have to give you a matching and somewhat similar one by Sachin Dev Burman. It is regarded, by many, as the best Raaga based song ever in Hindi movies.
It is from the 1963 movie Meri Soorat Teri Aankhen. The movie had a beautiful story with a lesson for all of us. Raj Kumar (Ishwarlal) is a wealthy businessman and dislikes everything ugly. When his wife, Kamla (Achla Sachdev), becomes pregnant and gives birth to an ugly son, he asks the attending Dr. Mathur (Tarun Bose) to inform his wife that their child was still-born. Dr. Mathur places the child in the hands of Rahmat (Kanhaiyalal Chaturvedi) and his wife, Naseeban (Paro), who welcome him with open arms. But misfortune follows them, as the child, who is named Pyare (Ashok Kumar), accidentally burns their dwelling down, killing Naseeban. Rahmat then re-locates to his village when he teaches Pyare the skills required to play musical instruments and sing. Years later, Rahmat passes away, and informs Pyare that he is really a Hindu. Dr. Mathur fills the rest of the blanks for Pyare, and arranges a song and dance play and hopes that Raj will overcome his dislike for his now-grown son. But that does not happen, instead, Raj offers to pay some compensation so that Pyare can look after himself. When Pyare goes to Raj to return the money, Kamla sees him and asks him not to leave and adopts him as her son. Then misfortune visits the Raj family when their other son, Sudhir (Pradeep Kumar) , is abducted and held for ransom for 4 Lakh rupees. Sudhir’s fiancée (Asha Parekh as Kavita) believes that Pyare is behind this abduction. Finally, they all learn that Pyaare saves Sudhir’s life by sacrificing his own.
This song is sung when Pradeep Kumar and Asha Parekh are in the wilderness. Asha Parekh listens to Ashok Kumar sing this song from a distance and is enchanted by his voice.
Shailendra is the lyricist. The song has been sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar for Ashok Kumar and Asha Parekh respectively.
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Tere bin soone nain hamaare….
tere bin suunii, nain hamaare
haay! tere bin suunii
baaT takat gaye saa.Njh sakhaare
haay! tere bin suunii
raat jo aaye Dhal jaaye pyaasii
din kaa hai duujaa naam udaasii
nindiyaa na aaye ab mere dvaare
haay! tere bin suunii …
jag me.n rahaa mai.n jagase paraayaa
saayaa bhii meraa mere saath na aayaa
ha.Nsane ke din bhii roke guzaare
haay! tere bin suunii …
o anadekhe, o anajaane
chhup ke na gaa ye prem taraane
kaun hai tuu mohe ab to bataa re
haay! tere bin suunii …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYmpRsVKjkw
Song #6 Tu jo mere sur mein sur mila le….
I was thinking that I would not be able to find a third song matching the first two this evening: Sur naa saje kyaa gaayun main, and Tere bin soone nain hamaare.
And then I thought of Ravindra Jain! I have written several times that putting up songs, for me, is like dominos: one leads to the other.
This song sung by Yesudas and Hemlata became very popular. It has lyrics too by Ravindra Jain and is from the 1976 movie Chitchor.
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Tu jo mere sur mein sur mila le…..
ye: tuu jo mere sur me.n -2
sur milaa le, sa.ng gaa le
to zi.ndagii ho jaae safal
he: tuu jo mere man kaa -2
ghar banaa le, man lagaa le
to ba.ndagii ho jaae safal
dono.n: tuu jo mere sur me.n
ye: chaa.Ndanii raato.n me.n, haath li_e haatho.n me.n
he: chaa.Ndanii raato.n me.n, haath li_e haatho.n me.n
dono.n: Duube rahe.n ek duusare kii, ras bharii baato.n me.n
ye: tuu jo mere sa.ng me.n -2
muskuraa le, gunagunaa le
to zi.ndagii ho jaae safal
he: tuu jo mere man kaa…
dono.n: tuu jo mere sur me.n…
he: kyo.n ham bahaaro.n se, khushiyaa.N udhaar le.n
ye: kyo.n ham bahaaro.n se, khushiyaa.N udhaar le.n
dono.n: kyo.n na milake ham khud hii apanaa jiivan sudhaar le.n
he: tuu jo mere path me.n -2
diip gaa le o ujaale
to ba.ndagii ho jaae safal
ye: tuu jo mere sur me.n -2
sur milaa le, sa.ng gaa le
to zi.ndagii ho jaae safal
Song #7 Pardesiyon se na akhiyan milana….
Two days of one of the most popular raagas amongst Hindi songs composers had us take up the compositions of OP Nayyar, Naushad, Hemant Kumar, Shankar Jaikishen, SD Burman and Ravindra Jain.
Let me start tonight with a very popular number composed by Kalyanji Anandji for the 1965 movie Jab Jab Phool Khile starring Shashi Kapoor and Nanda.
It was one of the most popular songs of its era. Anand Bakshi penned the lyrics and Mohammad Rafi sang it.
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Pardesiyon se na akhiyan milana……
paradesiyo.n se naa a.Nkhiyaa.n milaanaa
paradesiyo.n ko hai ik din jaanaa
aatii hai jab ye rut mastaanii
banatii hai koii na koI kahaanii
ab ke bas dekhe bane kyaa fasaanaa
sach hii kahaa hai pa.nchhii inako
raat ko Thahare to u.D jaae.n din ko
aaj yahaa.N kal vahaa.N hai Thikaanaa
ye baabul kaa des chhu.Daae.n
des se ye parades bulaae.n
haay sune.n naa ye koI bahaanaa
hamane yahii ek baar kiyaa thaa
ek paradesii se pyaar kiyaa thaa
aise jalaae dil jaise paravaanaa
pyaar se apane ye nahii.n hote
ye patthar hai.n ye nahii.n rote
inake liye naa aa.Nsuu bahaanaa
naa ye baadal naa ye taare
ye kaagaz ke phuul hai.n saare
in phuulo.n ke baag na lagaanaa
hamane yahii ek baar kiyaa thaa
ek paradesii se pyaar kiyaa thaa
ro ro ke kahataa hai dil ye diivaanaa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kld8HZ-8j2g
Song #8 Na jahtako zulf se paani…,
How about my namesake Ravi as a composer in Raag Pilu? It happened in 1964 movie Shehnai starring Biswajeet and Rajshree. Lyricist is Rajinder Krishan and the singer is Mohammad Rafi.
Music Director Ravi (Pic courtesy: america.pink)
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Na jhatako zulf se paani ye moti toot jaayenge…..
naa jhaTako sulf se paanii yah motii TuuT jaaye.nge
tumhaaraa kuchh na biga.Degaa magar dil TuuT jaaye.nge
naa jhaTako sulf se paanii …
ye bhiigi raat ye bhiigaa badan ye husn kaa aalam
ye sab andaaz mil kar do jahaa.N ko luuT jaaye.nge
naa jhaTako sulf se paanii …
yah naazuk lab hai.n yaa aapas me.n do lipaTii huI kaliyaa.N
zaraa inako alag kar do, tarannum phuuT jaaye.nge
naa jhaTako sulf se paanii …
hamaarii jaan le legaa yah niichii aa.Nkh ka jaduu
chalo achchha huaa mar kar jahaa.N se chhuuT jaaye.nge
naa jhaTako sulf se paanii …
Song #9 Tere pyaar ka aasra chahata hoon….
Going ahead with the mood set with the other two songs tonight, viz, Pardesiyon se na akhiyan milaana, and Na jhatako zulf se panni; I give you a composition by N Dutta for the 1959 movie Dhool Ka Phool starring Rajendra Kumar and Mala Sinha. They are participating in a college mushaiyra and are at their best on the stage. Mahendra Kapoor and Lata Mangeshkar have sung for them respectively.
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Tere pyaar ka aasra chahata hoon….
tere pyaar kaa aasaraa chaahataa huu.N
vafaa kar rahaa huu.N vafaa chaahataa huu.N
hasiino se ahad-e-vafaa chaahate ho
ba.De naasamajh ho ye kyaa chaahate ho
tere narm baalo.n me.n taare sajaa ke
tere shokh kadamo.n me.n kaliyaa.n bichhaa ke
mohabbat kaa chhoTaa saa mandir banaa ke
tujhe raat din pUjanaa chaahataa huu.N, vafaa …
zaraa soch lo dil lagaane se pahale
ki khonaa bhii pa.Dataa hai paane ke pahale
ijaazat to le lo zamaane se pahale
ki tum husn ko pUjanaa chaahate ho, ba.De …
kahaa.N tak jiye.n terii ulfat ke maare
guzaratii nahii.n zindagii bin sahaare
bahut ho chuke duur rahakar ishaare
tujhe paas se dekhanaa chaahataa huu.N, vafaa …
mohabbat kii dushman hai saarii khudaaii
mohabbat kii taqadiir me.n hai judaaii
jo sunate nahii.n hai.n dilo.n kii duhaaii
unhii.n se mujhe maa.Nganaa chaahate ho, ba.De …
dupaTTe ke kone ko mu.Nh me.n dabaa ke
zaraa dekh lo is taraf muskuraa ke
mujhe lUT lo mere nazadiik aa ke
ki mai.n maut se khelanaa chaahataa huu.N, vafaa …
galat saare daave.n galat saarii kasame.n
nibhe.ngii yahaa.N kaise ulfat ki rasme.n
yahaa.N zindagii hai rivaazo.n ke bas me.n
rivaazo.n ko tum to.Danaa chaahate ho, ba.De …
rivaazo.n kii paravaah naa rasmo.n kaa Dar hai
terii aa.Nkh ke faisale pe nazar hai
balaa se agar raastaa purkhatar hai
mai.n is haath ko thaamanaa chaahataa huu.N, vafaa …
Song #10 Aaj ki raat badi shokh badi natkhat hai….
Fourth day of our sixth raag: Pilu after we have taken up the following Raagas already:
1. Bhairavi.
2. Yaman or Kalyan.
3. Darbari Kanada.
4. Raag Bhimpalasi.
5. Raag Khammaj.
In the present Raag Pilu, so far, we took up the compositions of OP Nayyar, Naushad, Hemant Kumar, Shankar Jaikishen, SD Burman, Ravindra Jain, Kalyanji Anandji, Ravi and N Dutta.
Lets take up our tenth composer in this raag: Roshan. This is a favourite of mine penned by Neeraj and sung by Mohammad Rafi. It is from the 1965 movie Nai Umr Ki Nai Fasal that starred Tanuja with Rajeev and was shot in the campus of Aligarh Muslim University.
Even after 50 years, the songs of the movie are fondly remembered:
“Aaj Ki Raat Badi De Se Aayee Hai” – Mohd Rafi
“Aaj Ki Raat Badi Shaukh Badi Natkhat Hai” – Mohd Rafi & Asha Bhosle
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Aaj ki raat badi shokh badi natkhat hai….
aaj kii raat ba.Dii shokh ba.Dii naTakhaT hai
aaj to tere binaa nii.nd na aayegii
ab to tere hii yahaa.N aane kaa ye mausam hai
ab tabiiyat na Kayaalo.n se bahal paayegii
dekh vo chhat pe utar aayii hai saavan kii ghaTaa
de rahii dvaar pe aavaaz kha.Dii puravaaii
bijalii rah rah ke pahaa.D.n pe chamak uThatii hai
suunii aa.Nkho.n me.n koii Kvaab le jyo.n a.nga.Daaii
kaise samajhaa_uu.N?
kaise samajhaa_uu.N ki is vaqt kaa matalab kyaa hai
dil kii hai baat
ho dil kii hai baat na ho.nTho.n se kahii jaayegii
aaj to tere binaa nii.nd nahii.n aayegii …
ye bhaTakate hue jugunuu ye diye aavaaraa
bhiigate pe.Do.n pe bujh-bujh ke chamak uThate hai.n
tere aa.Nchal me.n Take salame.n sitaare jaise
mujh se milane ko binaa baat damak uThate hai.n
saaraa aalam
saaraa aalam hai giraftaar tere husn me.n jab
mujhase hii kaise
ho, mujhase hii kaise ye barasaat sahii jaayegii
aaj to tere binaa nii.nd nahii.n aayegii …
raat raanii kii ye bhiinii sii nashiilii khushabuu
aa rahii hai ke jo chhan chhan ke ghanii Daalo.n se
aisaa lagataa hai kisii DhiiTh jhakhore se lipaT
khel aayii hai tere ulajhe hue baalo.n se
aur bezaar
aur bezaar na kar, mere ta.Dapate dil ko
aisii ra.ngiin
ho, aisii ra.ngiin Gazal raat na phir gaayegii
aaj to tere binaa nii.nd nahii.n aayegii …
Song #11 Dheere se aaja akhiyan mein…
Our eleventh music director is C Ramchandra and he composed one of the best lullabies in Hindi movies in this Raag. So enchanting is this lullaby that a few months back I saw the 1951 movie Albela starring Bhagwan and Geeta Bali on my computer so as to see the lullaby. Rajinder Krishan penned the lyrics and the lullaby has been sung by both Lata Mangeshkar and C Ramchandra.
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu: Dheere se aaja ri akhiyan mein nindiya….
Comments: An excellent and classic lullaby. The song is in two parts.
The duet version is a sadder song. Chitalkar just sings the mukha.Da
and Lata sings the two antaraas. The tune is the same for both versions.
dhiire se aajaa rii a.Nkhiyan me.n
ni.ndiyaa aajaa rii aajaa, dhiire se aajaa
chhoTe se nainan kii bagiyan me.n
nindiyaa aajaa rii aajaa, dhiire se aajaa
o …
lekar suhaane sapano.n kii kaliyaa.N, sapano.n kii kaliyaa.N
aake basaa de palako.n kii galiyaa.N, palako.n kii galiyaa.N
palako.n kii chhoTii sii galiyan me.n
nindiyaa aajaa rii aajaa, dhiire se aajaa
dhiire se …
o …
taaro.n se chhup kar taaro.n se chorii, taaro.n se chorii
detii hai rajanii cha.Ndaa ko lorii, cha.Ndaa ko lorii
ha.Nsataa hai cha.Ndaa bhii nindiyan me.n
nindiyaa aajaa rii aajaa, dhiire se aajaa
dhiire se …
Sad / Duet version
dhiire se aajaa rii a.Nkhiyan me.n
ni.ndiyaa aajaa rii aajaa, dhiire se aajaa
chhoTe se nainan kii bagiyan me.n
nindiyaa aajaa rii aajaa, dhiire se aajaa
o …
aa.Nkhe.n to sab kii hai.n ik jaisii
jaisii amiiro.n kii, gariibo.n kii vaisii
palako.n kii suunii sii galiyan me.n
nindiyaa aajaa rii aajaa, dhiire se aajaa
dhiire se …
o …
jagatii hai a.Nkhiyaa.N sotii hai qismat, sotii hai qismat
dushman gariibo.n kii hotii hai qismat, hotii hai qismat
dam bhar gariibo.n kii kuTiyan me.n
nindiyaa aajaa rii aajaa, dhiire se aajaa
dhiire se …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h94Qg1g-JI
Song #12 Dhadakte dil ki tamanna ho mera pyaar ho tum….
Now that I have given you a favourite from C Ramchandra, I might as well give you another from Ghulam Mohammad. It has lyrics by Kaifi Azmi and has been sung by Suraiyya for herself in the 1961 movie Shama.
Here is the story-line:
Lucknow-based poet Parvez (Vijay Dutt) lives a wealthy lifestyle along with his parents. Also living in this household is an orphaned distant relative, Shama (Nimmi), who secretly loves him. He does confide in her that he is attracted to Roshan Ara (Suraiyya), and she, though heartbroken, arranges his wedding with her. After the wedding, Roshan’s brother, Dilawar (Tarun Bose), wants to wed Shama and Parvez’ father accepts this alliance. Anger, rage and bitterness will surface when Shama will not only reject Dilawar but also refuse to marry anyone. But the worst is yet to come when the family will be told the real reason why she wants to remain single.
Ghulam Mohammad, though older to Naushad Ali, took the latter as his mentor for many years. He was music director for 1954 movie Mirza Ghalib, 1961 movie Shama and finally 1972 Pakeezah. The last one was so much delayed that when the movie was finally released Ghulam Mohammad was no more. Pakeezah has some of the most stunningly popular songs in Hindi movies and elegantly composed. However, Ghulam Mohammad wasn’t given the Filmfare Best Music Director for it. Character actor Pran declined to receive his own Best Supporting Actor award in protest against Ghulam Mohammad having been overlooked for his award.
Music Director Ghulam Mohammad
Please enjoy in Raag Pilu; Dhadakate dil ki tamanna ho mera pyaar ho tum….
dha.Dakate dil kii tamannaa ho meraa pyaar ho tum
(mujhe qaraar nahii.n) – 2
(jab se beqaraar ho tum) – 2
dha.Dakate dil kii tamannaa ho meraa pyaar ho tum
(khilaao phuul kisii ke kisii chaman men raho) – 2
jo dil kii raah se (guzarii hai vo bahaar ho tum) – 2
(zah-e-nasiib ataa kii jo dard kii sauGaat) – 2
vo Gam hasiin hai jis (Gam ke zimmedaar ho tum) -2
dha.Dakate dil kii tamannaa ho meraa pyaar ho tum
cha.Daauu.N phuul yaa aa.Nsuu tumhaare qadamo.n me.n
merii vafaao.n ke (ulfat kii yaadagaar ho tum) – 2
dha.Dakate dil kii tamannaa ho meraa pyaar ho tum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M64silP33xY
That brings us to the half-way mark of two-dozen best songs in Hindi movies based on Raag Pilu. Please await the Part II with the other dozen songs.
As you are already aware, these blogs are being recreated from the posts on my Facebook page Lyrical wherein I started with this theme of giving you the best raaga based songs in Hindi movies on the 8th of Aug 2015. Presently, I am on my 22nd Raaga: Raag Lalit. I have already given you blogs on Raaga Bhairavi (Part I, II and III), Yaman or Kalyan (Part I, II and III), Jhinjhoti (Part I, II), Darbari Kanada (Part I, II, and III), Bhimpalasi (Part I and II) and Raag Khammaj, which make only six of the twenty-two Raagas. This means that I have to make a determined effort to catch up. I have therefore decided to start giving you Raagas even as I put up on Lyrical, in addition to the back-log.
With this, lets start with our Seventh Raaga here (the 21st Raaga on Lyrical): Raag Todi.
Todi (Hindi: तोडी) is a Hindustani classical raga which gave its name to the Todi thaat, one of the ten modes of Hindustani classical music. Ragas from the Todi raganga include Todi (a.k.a. Miya ki Todi) itself, Bilaskhani Todi, Bahaduri Todi, and Gujari Todi.
The equivalent raga in Carnatic music is Shubhapantuvarali. The Carnatic raga Todi is the equivalent of Bhairavi and does not have any similarity to the Hindustani Todi.
Todi is a raaga of the late morning.
As can be seen in the profile picture of the Raag, Todi is nearly always shown as a gentle, beautiful woman, holding a veena and standing in a lovely green forest, surrounded by deer. Kaufman cites the Sangita-Darpana “With a fair erect body like the white lotus, and delicate like the gleaming dew drop, Todi holds the vina and provides fun and frolic to the deer deep in the forest. Her body is anointed with saffron and camphor.”
Rasa in Indian classical music is understood as mood of the raga. Miyan ki todi predominantly is mostly pervaded by a pensive, mournful mood which is then relieved in the drut (faster tempo) part, by a festive piece, possibly to alleviate the heavy pathos in the earlier stages of rendering, though not always. The composition is such as to afford an artist of high calibre to mould it in either the inherent pensive mood or to entirely present a festive mood.
Song #1 Ae ri main to prem diwani mera dard na jaane koye….
The cover picture that I have put up is that of Hema Malini in the 1979 movie Meera in which she was in the title role. She is singing a Meerabai bhajan: Ae ri main to prem diwani. It comes close to the description of the Raaga.
Pandit Ravi Shankar composed the bhajan and Vani Jairam sang it.
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Ae ri main to prem diwani mera dard na jaane koye….
aeri mai to prem diwani mera dard na jane koi
aeri mai to prem diwani mera dard na jane koi
aeri mai to prem diwani
jurm aisa janti prit piye dukh ka
nagar dhidhora pitti preet na jane koi
mera dard na jane koi
aeri mai to prem diwani mera dard na jane koi
aeri mai to prem diwani mera dard na jane koi
aeri mai to prem diwani
We started with our 21st Raag today that gave birth to a Thaat having been named after it; one of the ten fundamental thaats in Hindustani stream of music.
It is a raaga of the late morning.
Song #2 Insaan bano….
As soon as I start with a Raaga, as is usual for me, I think of the combine of Shakeel Badayuni with Naushad Ali. The 1952 movie Baiju Bawra was the only movie for which Naushad was given the Filmfare Award. Each one of its songs is based on some Raag or the other.
Shakeel Badayuni (Sitting) and Naushad (Standing)
Insaan Bano was sung by Mohammad Rafi for Bharat Bhushan who acted in the title role. When a group of dacoits attack the village in which he and Gauri (Meena Kumari who got the Filmfare award for Best Actress for the movie, one of the four that she got) live, Baiju sings this song to them to appeal to them to spare the village and become human. In the end, they take him away and spare the village.
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Insaan bano….
nirdhan kaa ghar lUTane vaalo.n
luuT lo dil kaa pyaar
pyaar vo dhan hai jisake aage
sab dhan hai bekaar
insaan bano, insaan bano karalo bhalaaI kaa koI kaam
insaan bano
duniyaa se chale jaaegaa rah jaaegaa badanaam insaan bano
o …
is baag me.n sUraj bhii nikalataa hai liye Gam
phUlo.n kii ha.Nsii dekh ke ro detii hai shabanam
kuchh der kii khushiyaa.N hai.n to kuchh der kaa maatam
kis nii.nd me.n ho …
kis nii.nd me.n ho jaago zaraa dekh lo anjaam, insaan bano
o …
laakho.n yahaa.N shaan apanii dikhaate hue aaye
dam bhar ko rahe naach gaye dhUp me.n saaye
vo bhUl gaye the ke ye duniyaa hai saraay
aataa hai koI …
aataa hai koI subah ko jaatA hai koI shaam, insaan bano
o …
kyo.n tumane bichhaaye hai.n yahaa.N zulm ke Dere
dhan saath na jaayegaa bane kyo.n ho luTere
piite ho gariibo.n kaa lahuu shaam savere
khud paap karo …
khud paap karo naam ho shaitaan kA badanaam, insaan bano
Song #3 Sun rasiya, sun rasiya, kaahe ko jalaaye jiya aaja….
The 1954 movie Nagin had some of the best music by Hemant Kumar. The movie starred Pradeep Kumar and Vyjayanthimala as children of two rival snake venom catchers groups with such intense enmity between them that a match between them was an impossibility. However, in the end, as always, Love wins.
The movie had the magical been sound by Kalyanji who was at that time assistant to Hemant as music director. Lyrics of this song that I have selected, the characteristic pensive mood of Raag Todi, were by Rajinder Krishan and Lata Mangeshkar sang it for Vyjayanthimala.
Kalyanji Veerji Shah was assistant to Hemant Kumar in Nagin and created the famous been tune of the movie
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Sun rasiya, sun rasiya, kaahe ko jalaaye jiya aaja….
sun rasiyaa -2
kaahe ko jalaa_e jiyaa aajaa
( likh likh haarii balam tohe patiyaa.N
tum bin kaise bitaa_uu.N kaarii ratiyaa.N ) -2
sun rasiyaa kaahe ko jalaa_e …
( kab hogaa puuraa sajan meraa sapanaa
piyaa tum aa ke kahoge mujhe apanaa ) -2
sun rasiyaa kaahe ko jalaa_e …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lHUJjG0jg4
Song #4 Watan pe jo fida hoga….
The 1963 movie Phool Bane Angaare starred Mala Sinhaas Usha. Based in Santa Cruz, Bombay, Usha undertakes to look after her family consisting of her widowed mother and younger brother, Ashish (Ashish Kumar), and even decides to not marry her army officer sweetheart, Captain Rajesh (Raj Kumar), so that she can look after them. Rajesh is called to the front in Korea, her mom passes away, and she brings up Ashish on her own. Years later, Rajesh has still not returned, Ashish gets married to Kamla (Nasreen), much to Usha’s chagrin. Shortly after the marriage, Kamla humiliates Usha and she decides to leave. The question remains where will a lone woman re-locate, and what prevented Ashish from coming to her assistance.
The movie has a beautiful Mukesh number: Chand aahen bharega phool dil thaam lenge.
The other is this patriotic song composed in this raag. Anand Bakshi penned the lyrics and Kalyanji Anandji composed the song.
Pic shows Anand Bakshi with Kalyanji, Anandji, Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor (Pic courtesy: memsaabstory.com)
I was very fond of the song when I was a boy. During those days, all of us were proud of being patriotic and to sing such songs wasn’t considered passe’.
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Watan pe jo fida hoga….
himalya ki bulandi se suno aawaj hai aayi
kaha maao se de bete kaho behno se de bhai
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
rahegi jab talak ye duniya ye asfana bayaa hoga
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
himalya kah raha hai is vatan ke naujawano se
khada hu santh veer ban ke mai sarhad pe jamano se
bhala is vaqt dekhu kon mera pasbaan hoga
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
chaman walo ki gairat ko hai saiyado ne lalkara
utho har phul se kah do ke ban jaye vo angara
nahi to dosto rusva humara gulistan hoga
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
humare ek padosi ne humare ghar ko luta hai
humare ek padosi ne humare ghar ko luta hai
bharam ek dost ki dosti ka aise tuta hai
ki ab har dost pe duniya ko dusman ka guman hoga
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
sipahi dete hai aawaj matao ko behano ko
hame hathiyar la do bech do apne gehno ko
ki is kurabn bekuraban vatan ka har naujawan hoga
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
rahegi jab talak ye duniya ye asfana bayaa hoga
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
himalya ki bulandi se suno aawaj hai aayi
kaha maao se de bete kaho behno se de bhai
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
rahegi jab talak ye duniya ye asfana bayaa hoga
vatan pe jo fida hoga amar vo naujawan hoga
Now that I have given you a song in Raag Todi composed by Kalyanji Anandji, let me tell you that this duo of brothers learnt music because someone owed money to their father and paid in kind by teaching the sons music. They made some very popular numbers, for example, in Jab Jab Phool Khile: Pardesiyon se na akhiyan milana, Ye sama, sama hai pyaar ka, Ek tha gul aur ek thi bulbul and Yahan main ajnabee hoon.
Their 1965 movie Himalaya Ki God Mein had equally super-hit numbers such as Chand si mehbooba ho meri, Ek tu jo mila, ek tu na mila, O tuu raat khadi thi chhat pe, Kankariya maar ke jagaaya, and the number that I am presenting now: Main to ek khwaab hoon.
Main to ek khwaab hoon is the finest creation ever of Lyricist Qamar Jalalabadi, Music Director Kalyanji Anandji, and singer Mukesh. It has been shot in Kulu-Manali.
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Main to ek khwaab hoon….
mai.n to ek khvaab huu.N, is khvaab se tuu pyaar na kar
pyaar ho jaae to, phir pyaar kaa izahaar na kar
mai.n to ek khvaab huu.N …
ye havaae.n sabhii chupachaap chalii jaae.ngii
lauT kar phir kabhii gulashan me.n nahii.n aae.ngii
apane haatho.n me.n havaao.n ko gariftaar na kar – 2
mai.n to ek khvaab huu.N …
shaakh se TuuT ke gunche bhii kabhii khilate hai.n
raat aur din bhii zamaane me.n kahii.n milate hai.n
bhuul jaa jaane de taqadiir se taqaraar na kar – 2
mai.n to ek khvaab huu.N …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_jJgXflpUg
Song #6 Jaago re prabhat aaya….
Anybody who has been following Lyrical for some time would know that one genre’ of music that I am really fond of is Bhajans. Amongst these, the 1964 movie Sant Gyaneshwar‘s bhajan: Jyot se jyot jagate chalo is a favourite one.
Sant Gyaneshwar is a 1964 film directed by Manibhai Vyas, starring Sudhir Kumar, Surekha, Babloo and Shahu Modak. The film is on the life of Sant Gyaneshwar. Dnyaneshwar or Dnyandev (IAST: Jñāneśvar) (1275–1296) was a 13th-century Marathi saint, poet, philosopher and yogi of the Nath tradition whose Dnyaneshvari (a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita) and Amrutanubhav are considered to be milestones in Marathi literature.
Now, when it comes to singers of Raaga based songs, there was none to beat Manna Dey.
This song that I have selected for you has been penned by Bharat Vyas, composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal and sung by Manna Dey.
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Jago re prabhat aaya….
har nayi kiran ke sath mangal sandesh laya
jago se jago parbhat aaya parbhat aaya
har nayi kiran ke sath mangal sandesh laya
jago se jago parbhat aaya parbhat aaya
angna me khele karishan kanahiya
angna khele khele
angna me khele karishan kanahiya
hai dhanya wo dhara jaha swam gyan aaya
jaha gyan jagmagaya
jago re jago re jago re parbhat aaya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEVz3Aq1F8w
Song #7 Kuchh log mohabbat karke ho jaate hain barbaad…
Third day of Raag Todi.
Love or mohabbat brings different things for different people. There are some who get all the joys of life through love. Then there are others who wish they had never loved.
This song from the 1985 movie Laava is about the latter.
Anand Bakshi penned the lyrics and RD Burman composed it. It was sung by Kishore Kumar.
Anand Bakshi with Rahul Dev Burman (Pic courtesy: www.hindilyrics.com)
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Kuchh log mohabbat karake, ho jaate hain barbaad….
kuchh log mohabbat karake ho jaate hai.n barabaad
kuchh log mohabbat karake kar dete hai.n barabaad
kis naam se yaad kare.nge ham tujhako aaj ke baad
is khudagarzii ko dekar ik majabuurii kaa naam
ulfat ke naam ko tuune kar Daalaa hai badanaam
uupar se bhole pa.nchhii tum andar se saiyyaad
kuchh log mohabbat …
ik roz kahaa thaa tumane hamako apanaa mahabuub
mahabuub badalane kaa ye a.ndaaz bahut hai Kuub
is baat pe ham Kush ho kar dete hai.n mubaarakabaad
kuchh log mohabbat …
chup rahe zubaan-e-kha.nzar chhupataa nahii.n ye ilzaam
letaa hai lahuu kaa qataraa-qataraa qaatil kaa naam
kyaa chain se jiine degii tumako merii fariyaad
kuchh log mohabbat …
Song #8 Duniya na bhaaye mohe….
So what if the name of the movie is Basant Bahaar, a 1956 movie, two of whose songs we had in the last raaga: Raag Bahaar based songs?
The fact is that even in Basant Bahar, there is place for the pensive mood of Raag Todi.
In this song, for a change, the Tal is Punjabi Theka or Sitarkhani. Punjabi theka is a common tal of 16 beats. Some suggest that it is not really a separate tal, but is merely a prakar (form) of tintal. There are different views as to its name. Some call it Punjabi Theka and others call it Sitarkhani.
Vocalists usually refer to this as Punjabi Theka; presumably, at some time in the past, this was a variation of tintal that was popularised by musicians from the Punjab.
Instrumentalists tend to call this Tal Sitarkhani. Presumably, this is a corruption from the phrase “Siddhar-Khan-e-theka” which literally translates to “Siddhar Khan’s Groove”. Siddhar Khan was a great musician who is sometimes credited with the invention of the tabla. In spite of the name, there seems to be no evidence that Siddhar Khan ever played this theka.
Sitarkhani has a very distinctive movement. It is just tintal where the two Dhins in the middle of each measure (vibhag) have been replaced by a single Dhin that rests on the off-beat. It is this distinctive syncopation that gives this tal its pleasant effect.
Shailendra was the lyricist and Shankar Jaikishen the composers. Mohammad Rafi sang it.
Pic showing Rafi with Shailendra, Shankar Jaikishen and Asha Bhonsle
Please enjoy in Raag Todi with Punjabi theka taal: Duniya na bhaaye mohe ab to bulaa le….
aa .a .a
duniyaa naa bhaaye mohe ab to bulaa le
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n tere,
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n
mere giit mere sa.ng sahaare
ko_ii na meraa sa.nsaar me.n
dil ke ye Tuka.De kaise bech duu.N
duniyaa ke baazaar me.n
man ke ye motii rakhiyo tuu sambhaale
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n tere,
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n
saat suro.n ke saato.n saagar
man kii uma.ngo.n se jaage
tuu hii bataa mai.n kaise gaa_uu.N
baharii duniyaa ke aage
terii ye biinaa ab tere havaale
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n tere,
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n
mai.nne tujhe ko_ii sukh naa diyaa
tuune dayaa luTaa_ii dono.n haatho.n se
tere pyaar kii yaad jo aaye
dard chhalak jaa_e aa.Nkho.n se
jiinaa nahii.n aayaa mohe ab to chhupaa le
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n tere,
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n
duniyaa naa bhaaye mohe ab to bulaa le
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n tere,
charano.n me.n, charano.n me.n
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDM_xBO_wrg
Song #9 Jis din se piya dil le gaye dukh de gaye….
Continuing with the pensive mood of Raag Todi (as I told you on the first day, there are Raag Todi songs in festive mood too), this one is not from Hindi movie but from a Pakistani movie. Noorjehan of Awaaz de kahan hai (in the Hindi movie) sang it. Qateel Shifai who penned my favourite Mehdi Hasan ghazal: Zindagi mein to sabhi pyaar kiya karte hain, wrote this one too. Music was composed by Khurshid Anwar.
Noorjehan (Pic courtesy: pics.urduwire.com)
Please enjoy in Raag Todi, in Tal Kaherava: Jis din se piya dil le gaye dukh de gaye….
jis din se piyaa dil le gaye dukh de gaye
us din se Gha.Dii pal haaye chain nahii.n aaye
GhaTatii nahii.n dil kii duuriyaa.N, majabuuriyaa.N
mera tum bin jii ghabaraaye chain nahii.n aaye
jab chahake.n pa.nchhii shaam ke
rah jaauu.N mai.n dil ko thaam ke
karuu.N bain tumhaare naam ke
aa.Nsuu ab kis kaam ke
luuTaa hai tumhaare pyaar ne, iqaraar ne
baiThii huu.N mai.n aas lagaaye, chain nahii.n aaye
jis din se piyaa dil le gaye dukh de gaye
aaraam nahii.n mere bhaag me.n
main to kho ga_ii Gam ke raag me.n
dil jalate jalate jalagayaa pyaar kii Tha.NDii aag me.n
jab yaad tumhaarii aa ga_ii ta.Dapaa ga_ii
mere dukhiyaa nain bhar aaye chain nahii.n aaye
jis din se piyaa dil le gaye dukh de gaye
us din se Gha.Dii pal haaye chain nahii.n aaye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_ZAA43qFrI
Song #10 Ek tha bachpan ek tha bachpan….
Fourth day of Raag Todi based songs in the Hindi movies, a raag of late mornings, with an underlying pensive mood though there are songs in Raag Todi that are in festive mood too.
The raag inspired a thaat by the same name, one of the ten fundamental thaats in Raaga based songs.
Vasant Desai as a music director and composer had been giving us beautifully composed songs for V Shantaram movies (Do Aankhen Barha Haath wherein his song Ai maalik tere bande ham became an iconic bhajan; and Jhanak Jahnak Payal Baaje). Bharat Vyas penned those lyrics for him. He also gave us songs for Sant Gyaneshwar (with my favourite: Jyot se jyot jalaate chalo), Sampooran Ramayan and Goonj Uthi Shehnai. He also composed for Hrishikesh Mukherjee movies Guddi (Bole re papihara and Hamako mann ki shakti dena) and Aashirwaad.
Music Director Vasant Desai
It is from Ashirwaad that I have taken this song. It has been penned by Gulzar and sung by Lata Mangeshkar and chorus. The pensive mood is the underlying mood.
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Ik tha bachpan, ik tha bachpan….
ik thaa bachapan, ik thaa bachapan
chhoTaa saa nanhaa saa bachapan, ik thaa bachpan
bachapan ke ik baabuujii the, achchhe sachche baabuujii the
dono.n kaa su.ndar thaa ba.ndhan, ik thaa bachapan
Tehanii par cha.Dhake jab phuul bulaate the
haath usake vo Tehanii tak naa jaate the
bachapan ke nanhe do haath uThaakar vo phuulo.n se haath milaate the
ik thaa bachapan, ik thaa bachapan
chalate chalate, chalate chalate jaane kab in raaho.n me.n
baabuujii bas gaye bachapan ki baaho.n me.n
muTThi me.n ban.d hai.n vo suukhe phuul bhii
khushabuu hai jiine kii chaaho.n me.n
ik thaa bachapan, ik thaa bachapan
ho.NTho.n par unakii awaaz bhii hai, mere ho.NTho.n par unakii awaaz bhii
hai
saa.Nso.n me.n sau.Npaa vishwaas bhii hai
jaane kis mod pe kab mil jaaye.nge wo, puuchhe.nge bachapan kaa ehasaas bhii
hai
ik thaa bachapan, ik thaa bachapan…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kt60ZFdxOM
Song #11 Tere bachpan ko jawani ki dua deti hoon….
The word Bachpan in the last song leads me to another song on Bachpan. Though not altogether pensive, it is filled with the anxiety of a mother (Waheeda Rehman) for her child through a dacoit (Sunil Dutt). Since the police was after him, she gives vent to her doubts in the song whether the police and the world would let her child grow up as a normal child.
Predictably, the name of this 1963 movie was Mujhe Jeene Do. Sahir Ludhianvi did full justice to the lyrics of this song and others in the movie including: Nadi naare naa jayo Shyam paiyyan padhun; and Raat bhi hai kuchh bheegi bheegi.
Jaidev, who paired with Sahir Ludhianvi in Dev Anand double role starrer Hum Dono (as a Captain and Major in the Army) and gave us delightful songs such as Abhi na jaayo chhod kar, Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chal gaya, and Kabhi khud pe kabhi halaat pe rona aaye, gave us this beautiful number, the last song in the movie.
The song was sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
Music Director Jaidev with Lata Mangeshkar
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Tere bachpan ko jawani ki duaa deti hoon….
tere bachapan ko javaanii kii duaa detii huu.N
aur duaa deke pareshaan sii ho jaatii huu.N
mere munne mere gulazaar ke nanhe paudhe
tujhako haalat kii aa.ndhii se bachaane ke liye
aaj mai.n pyaar ke aa.nchal me.n chhupaa letii huu.N
kal ye kamazor sahaaraa bhii na haasil hogaa
kal tujhe kaa.nTo.n bharii raaho.n pe chalanaa hogaa
zi.ndagaanii kii ka.Dii dhuup me.n jalanaa hogaa
tere bachapan ko javaanii …
tere maathe pe sharaafat kii koI mohar nahii.n
cha.nd hote hai.n muhabbat ke sukuun hii kyaa hai.n
jaise maao.n kii muhabbat kaa koI mol nahii.n
mere maasuum farishte tuu abhii kyaa jaane
tujhako kis-kisakii gunaaho.n kii sazaa milanii hai
diin aur dharm ke maare hue i.nsaano.n kii
jo nazar milanii hai tujhako vo khafaa milanii hai
tere bachapan ko javaanii …
be.Diyaa.N leke lapakataa huaa kaanuun kaa haath
tere maa.N-baap se jab tujhako milii ye saugaat
kaun laaegaa tere vaaste khushiyo.n kii baaraat
mere bachche tere a.njaam se jii Darataa hai
terii dushman hii na saabit ho javaanii terii
khaak jaatii hai jise sochake mamataa merii
usii a.njaam ko pahu.nche na kahaanii terii
tere bachapan ko javaanii …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2D-Z7XM7aU
Song #12 Raat suhaani jaag rahi hai dheere dheere chupake chupake…
Enough of pensive songs in Raag Todi. Lets have a song in a light mood. I can’t think of anyone better than this song from the 1969 movie Jigri Dost starring Jeetendra and Mumtaz.
Hats off to Laxmikant Pyarelal for this festive mood song set in this raag. The lyricist of his choice Anand Bakshi penned the lyrics and the song is a duet between Mohammad Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur.
Suman Kalyanpur is a Bangladesh descendant singer who made good name for herself in Hindi movies. She has sung nearly a thousand songs and her singing style is sometimes mistaken for Lata Mangeshkar. Although a great singer, she has been rather unfortunate in that she never received any Filmfare or National awards.
The recording of the song Raat suhaani jaag rahi hai (In the pic: Suman Kalyanpur with Mohammad Rafi and Laxmikant Pyarelal) (Pic courtesy: i.ytimg.com)
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Raat suhaani jaag rahi hai dheere dheere chupake chupake….
raat suhaanii jaag rahii hai
dhiire-dhiire chupake-chupake chorii-chorii ho
prem kahaanii jaag rahii hai
dhiire-dhiire …
chal rahe hai.n jaaduu tham gayaa zamaanaa
dil churaa rahaa hai ye samaa.N suhaanaa
paalakii chaman me.n phuulo.n kii utaar ke
ye bahaar gaa rahii hai giit pyaar ke o
aur javaanii jaag rahii hai
dhiire-dhiire …
chaa.Nd kar rahaa hai pyaar ke ishaare
ye hamaare nayanaa ban ga_e hai.n taare
nii.nd ne na aane kii uThaa_ii hai qasam o
nii.nd kaise aa_e man ke dvaar pe sanam o
priit diivaanii jaag rahii hai
dhiire-dhiire …
ek pahelii tum mujhase puuchho
aa ga_e kahaa.N ham ye kisii se puuchho
ye zamiin lag rahii hai aasamaan sii
dil kii dha.Dakano.n me.n pa.D ga_ii hai taan sii o
zindagaanii jaag rahii hai
dhiire-dhiire …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfOBa1u4Gus
Song #13 Ghar aaya mera pardesi…
Fifth day of Raag Todi based songs.
I have taken this song from the dream sequence (the first one picturised in Hindi movies (later bastardized as “Bollywood” movies).
Many feel that the song is actually in Raag Bhairavi (Jaikishen’s favourite raaga) but there are abundant traces of Raag Todi in it. Indeed, as I mentioned to you in very early stages of putting up Raag based songs, there are not many Hindi films songs that are purely in one raaga.
Awara is the 1951 RaJ Kapoor movie that has been contending for the most successful Hindi film of all times. Its popularity transcended national boundaries and reached Russia, China, Turkey, Gulf and many other countries. In Turkey, so popular was the movie and the title song that it was remade into a Turkish movie “Avares’.
A few years back, Time magazine included the movie in their revised list of 100 Top Movies of All Times.
The chemistry between Raj Kapoor and Nargis (they acted together in 19 movies!) was to be seen to be believed. In the movie, he acted as Awara (Tramp, a character he perfected by copying Charlie Chaplin) and she as a millionaire’s daughter.
Most Raj Kapoor movies’ songs have been penned by either Shailendra or Hasrat Jaipuri and composed by Shankar Jaikishen. This one was penned by Shailendra. Lata sang it.
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Ghar aaya mera pardesi…
om namah shivay, om namah shivay, om
ghar aaya mera pardesi, pyas bujhi meri ankhiya kee
too mere mann kaa moti hai, in nainan kee jyoti hai
yad hai mere bachpan kee, ghar aaya mera pardesi
abb dil todke mat jana, rote chhod ke mat jana
kasam tujhe mere ansuan kee, ghar aaya mera pardesi
Song #14 Diya na bujhe ri aaj hamaara….
Once upon a time, a Muslim from Gujarat, almost won the Best Foreign Film award in Academy Awards (Oscars) for his 1957 film Mother India, arguably the most well known of Indian movies amongst foreign audiences (and not just Indians settled abroad).
Mehboob Khan was born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan in Bilimora in Gandevi Taluka of Baroda State (now Gujarat) on 9 September 1907. He was a pioneer director-producer of Hindi movies and has the famous Mehboob Studio (still functional) in Bandra, Mumbai, to his credit.
He started with 1935 movie Al Hilal (Judgment of Allah) and went on to make highly successful, some iconic and memorable movies such as Deccan Queen (1936), Alibaba and Aurat (in 1940), Andaz (1949), Aan (1951), Amar (1954), Mother India (1957) and Son of India (1962).
The team of lyricist Shakeel Badayuni and music director Naushad Ali was his favourite and he took the pair for several movies including Mother India and Son of India. They never failed him.
Son of India had minor actors such as Kamaljit, Simi Grewal, Kumkum amd Jayant in the lead roles.
This song is as pensive as songs characteristically in Raag Todi can get. It has been sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Diya na bhuje ri aaj hamaara…
la : diyaa naa bujhe rii aaj hamaaraa
ko : diyaa naa bujhe rii aaj hamaaraa
la : chale rii pawan
sananan sanan
thar-thar kaa.Npe jiyaraa
aa
ko : diyaa naa bujhe rii aaj hamaaraa
la : aasathaa jag-mag ruup nikhaare
aa
ko : aasathaa jag-mag ruup nikhaare
la : priit me.n khoye nain hamaare
Dhuu.NDhe.n pii kaa dhaaraa
ko: diyaa naa bujhe
la : ek to badaraa ghan ghan garaje
aa
ko : ek to badaraa ghan ghan garaje
la : duuje bijariyaa cham-cham chamake
jal-thal hai jag saaraa
aa
ko : diyaa naa bujhe rii aaj hamaaraa
chale rii pawan
sananan sanan
thar-thar kaa.Npe jiyaraa
aa
diyaa naa bujhe rii
aa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCyMzWafZp0
Song #15 Mose rooth gayo banwari….
This is a rare song from the 1964 movie Vidyapati (you remember the famous song from the movie More naina sawan bhadon?)
This too was penned Prahlad Sharma and composed by V Balsara. This was sung by Mohammad Rafi and once again, as pensive as it can get.
Music Director V Balsara (Pic courtesy: imusti.com)
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Mose rooth gayo Banwari….
Door gagan ke chanda
Kahiyo saajan se sandes
Ghar ghar alakh jagaawe
Radha kar joganiya bhes
Mo se rooth gayo banwaari
Mo se rooth gayo banwaari
Jari gayo madhuban
Sukhi jamuna gali gali dukhiyari
Mo se rooth gayo banwaari
Chhod gayo re man ka mitwa
Jiya na ab to maane
Jiya na ab to maane
Kaun tarat re na koi samjhe
Tum jaano hum jaanen
Tum jaano hum jaanen
Piye bin kaamni jee na sakegi
Piye bin kaamni jee na sakegi
Laage ghaavat bhaari
Mo se rooth gayo banwaari
Mo se rooth gayo banwaari
Ye poonam ki raat chaandni
Aag jiya mein laagi
Aag jiya mein laagi
Chanda se yun door chakori
Virhaa vedna jaagi
Virhaa vedna jaagi
Rowat sagri ran bitaai
Rowat sagri ran bitaai
Aayo na girdhaari
Mo se rooth gayo banwaari
Mo se rooth gayo banwaari
Madhur milan ki aas lagaaye
Phulwan sej bichhai
Phulwan sej bichhai
Path herat akhiyaan pathraai
Nindiya kab hu na aayi
Nindiya kab hu na aayi
Aao kaanha der karo na
Aao kaanha der karo na
Tum jeete main haari
Mo se rooth gayo banwaari
Mo se rooth gayo banwaari.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N0RgkL0M3o
Song #16 Jhoote naina bole saanchi batiyan…
Last day of Raag Todi based songs tonight.
The very first song is from the 1990 movie Lekin that was based on a short story Kshudhit Pashaan by Rabindranath Tagore. The versatile lyricist, story and dialogue writer, screenplay writer director Gulzar directed the movie that starred Vinod Khanna, Dimple Kapadia, Amjad Khan, Alok Nath, and Beena Banerjee, and featured a special appearance by Hema Malini.
The film was Lata Mangeshkar’s production. Her rendition of the song ‘Yara Seeli Seeli’ won the 1991 National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer. The song also won film’s lyricist, Gulzar, both the 1991 National Film Award for Best Lyrics and the 1992 Filmfare Best Lyricist Award. The film’s music director, Lata’s brother Hridayanath Mangeshkar, won the 1991 National Film Award for Best Music Direction.
Lata Mangeshkar’s sister Asha Bhosle and Satyasheel Deshpande sang the song.
Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle & Lata Mangeshkar at Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar Awards ceremony (Pic courtesy: india-forums.com)
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Joothe naina bole saanchi batiyaan….
jaanuu jaanuu jhuuThe maahii kii jaat (3)
kin sautan sa.nga tum kaaTii raat
ab lipaTii lipaTii
ab lipaTii lipaTii banaao na batiyaa.n
jhuuThe nainaa bole saa.nchii batiyaa.n (2)
bolo bolo kaisii bhaayii saa.nvarii (3)
jis ko de de nii morii mundarii
ab bhiinii bhiinii
ab bhiinii bhiinii banaao naa batiyaa.n
juuThe nainaa bole saa.nchii batiyaa.n (2)
nita chamakaave chaa.Nd kaalii ratiyaa.n
juuThe nainaa bole saa.nchI batiyaa.n
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTd9JxGjskA
Song #17 Raina beeti jaaye, Shyam na aaye…
This song from 1971 Shakti Samanta movie Amar Prem is disputed to be from Raag Lalit. Yes, it leans heavily towards that but it is still primarily from Raag Todi in Tal Kaherava.
The movie’s story is based on a Bengali short story Hinger Kochuri by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay about a school boy, who is ill-treated by his step mother, and becomes friends with their neighbour, a prostitute. The story was made into a Bengali film Nishi Padma in 1970 directed by Arabinda Mukherjee, who wrote screenplay for Amar Prem too; it starred Uttam Kumar and Sabitri Chatterjee as leads.
The film portrays the decline of human values and relationships and contrasts it by presenting an illustrious example of a boy’s innocent love for a neighbourhood courtesan.
Sharmila Tagore plays a prostitute with a heart of gold, with Rajesh Khanna in the role of a lonely businessman who visits her often.
The film’s songs were composed by RD Burman on lyrics by Anand Bakshi. These are amongst the best and most meaningful songs in Hindi movies, eg,
I end Raag Todi based songs in Hindi movies with this song from 1960 movie Phool Aur Kaliyan which was produced by V Shantaram and directed by Ram Gabale. The film won a Gol Medal in the National Film Awards for being the Best Children’s film. It starred Ramesh Talwar as a child artiste (we saw him as a child artiste in 1958 movie Love In Shimla and 1959 movie Dhool Ka Phool. Ramesh Talwar later rose to become an Indian film, theatre, television and film director, co-producer and actor.
The song that I have selected for you has been penned by Bharat Vyas (as most songs in V Shantaram movies) and composed by Shivram Krishna. V Shantaram was fond of Mahendra Kapoor singing in his movies (such as Aadha hai chandrama in his Navrang). Here too Mahendra Kapoor has sung it.
Please enjoy in Raag Todi: Ye dhaaga hai pyaar ka….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl2MID6GoII
With that I conclude the Best of Songs in Hindi Movies based on Raag Todi. I shall be curious to know your reactions in the comments below.
Upon starting my blog in 2010, I did a comprehensive piece on Leadership (my three favourite words all start with L: Lyn (my wife), Love and Leadership): ‘Leadership In The Navy – Past, Present And Future’ and then later, having joined India’s largest corporate, I did another piece: ‘Ten Things To Avoid As A Leader’, which reflected my observations of the environment around me.
My fascination with Leadership continues. Many of you are already aware of my Facebook page (one of the sixteen groups and pages that I administer) called ‘Make Your Own Quotes’. I started it three years back in Feb 13 and on Facebook I see many people around the world sharing these quotes. I have maintained that even though great men and women inspire us, we can be our own teacher and be guided by our own quotes. The analogy of Law comes to mind. Despite all the complexities introduced by the lawyers and the judges and the other court officials to have exclusive right (and hence add to their income) over the wranglings in the courts, the fact is that all Law is Commonsense (Please read: ‘The Great Indian Judicial Circus’ and ‘Why Do Indian Lawyers Behave Like Gods?’) It is the same with lessons of life. As I have given in the description of the page: ‘There is nothing simpler than giving sane advice; you don’t have to follow great teachers. Make your own quotes and let others follow you!’
Leadership too is as easy as that. If you love what you are doing, you would be a great Leader and great Subordinate too; the fact is that good subordinates make good leaders too.
It has been over a year since I started with the Leadership Lessons series. Let me take you on the tour of the simple, common-sense quotes that I have made on the subject.
The first one is about the natural linkage of Leadership with Love. A mother, for example, loves her child. She would shower all her love on the child and yet correct his/her mistakes and make sure that he/she is able to stand on his/her feet on its own.
Lord Nelson, as an example, was like that. When he died there were tears in the eyes of his sailors. Indian Navy’s own former Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral RL Pereira was like that too. After his demise, many who hadn’t even served under his command came to pay homage.
Your intention is read by people you command better when you love. There ia no confusion in their minds. They know that you mean well even when you are harsh with them sometimes. Here is, therefore, my first lesson in leadership. As a corollary permit me to bring out that a put-up act of love so as to enhance your leadership value can be disastrous.
The next quote is based on the same advice that came my way: Good Leaders have Good Men. When I listened to this advice for the first time, I started thinking that there appears to be something amiss and it cannot be a complete advice by itself. For example, what happens if a leader is stuck with bad men that he has to lead? And then gradually it dawned on me that good leaders always bring out the best in people and they emerge as good men even if they started being bad men.
Hence, if you ever come across a leader who constantly cribs about the caliber of people he is asked to lead, you can be certain that he isn’t quite the leader he pretends to be
In the corporate in which I worked (the largest corporate in India), I have come across the so-called leaders who would be fussy about such petty matters as Font Size and Font Colours of presentations. Indeed, I used to notice that discussions on other matters used to be stymied in comparison to such petty matters; the forte’ of some of the super-leaders. The desire to be somehow in control of everything through detailed instructions about such insignificant matters was the stuff they loved.
I noticed, to my dismay, that the style of Leadership with some of the people that I associated with was Leadership-for-Effect. It was as if there was a dire need to establish such relationship as would obtain the maximum influence. However, I was amazed how quickly people saw through all this. Indeed, my own assessment is that an average leader with good intent is much better than an outstanding leader with bad intent. In the latter variety was our former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with excellent communication skills and outstanding efficiency. She, however, did enormous damage to the long-established institutions in the country by declaring Emergency when her own election was set aside by the Allahabad High Court.
Yes indeed great leaders are blessed with great communication skills. However, I came across some with great communication skills and almost zero listening skills. These persons would give you a chance to speak about one or two percent of the time in a meeting. These people would then hog all the time in giving solutions to problems that they had perceived without listening to anyone fully. Every new situations were quickly compared by them with one of the previous ones in their previous appointments and solution provided. Most people didn’t quarrel with the solution lest they should embark on another of his self-congratulatory harangues.
Now, here one has to be very judicious. One has to stay focused on the objective with single-minded resolve. However, one doesn’t have to be rigid and continue with the selected plan even if one knows that it is leading to disaster. In case of contingencies, even if one’s plan is an excellent one, one has to have an alternate plan ready. Many people get emotionally involved with their plans and think that ditching the plan would be akin to a lover ditching his beloved.
When I was in school, in our Hindi class, we used to have an anecdote about a mathematician who, in his journey with his family, came across a river. He fathomed the depth next to the bank and then the slope; he did some quick calculations and asked his family to cross the river. Within no time, in front of his eyes, the complete family perished. Undeterred, he again fathomed the depth and the slope and did his calculations again and said: “Abhi to jyun kaa tyun, kunba dooba kyun?” (My calculations still hold true; why did the family perish?”
A good leader is always a good subordinate. He isn’t a megalomaniac who considers himself above the rest of his team. He is one of them. Hence, he never gives advice that he won’t follow himself.
When I was small, my dad told me this tale and I find it very relevant to the point that I am making:
In the hills of Kangra (in Himachal Pradesh) there once was a wise saint. He appeared to have miraculous powers. The ill and needy walked for several miles to seek his advice. Once, there was a middle-aged lady who walked all of eight miles in the hills and brought her seven years old boy with her. She stood in the queue whole day to see the saint. Finally, when her turn came, she told the saint that her son’s teeth were getting bad as he had a sweet-tooth and voraciously ate all kinds of sweets. She had told him several times to break the habit but it was of no avail. The saint told her to come the next week.
The next week she again went through the ordeal and when she narrated her son’s problem, the saint asked her to come the next week. This continued for four weeks and the woman was getting more and more annoyed with the saint for having made a simple problem complex. Finally, at the fifth visit, the saint kept a hand at the back of the lad and told him, “Son, tomorrow onward please give up eating sweets.”
The woman was quite cheesed off. She went home incensed. However, the next day onward she found that her son had given up eating sweets. She was elated but knew that she must get back to the saint and give him her piece of mind.
This time, she broke the queue, charged in with rage and let the saint have it: “Five times I walked eight miles each to seek your advice. At the end of it all that you did was to tell him not to eat sweets. If it was as simple an advice as that, why couldn’t you tell the first time?”
This is what the saint said calmly, “When you came the first time, and narrated your son’s problem, I realised I had the same problem. I thought, before giving him advice, I would be able to break the habit within a week and hence I called you. I then realised that though I had cut down a little on sweets, I still couldn’t give up. This continued and once I had finally abandoned sweets, I knew I could then give advice to your son with moral authority”.
Have a look at the following and recall all your seniors who gave you sane advice but never seemed to follow it themselves and see if that advice ever helped you:
I have come across many a leader who was quick to take the credit if things went right or met with success. However, he was quick to make a volt-face the moment things appeared to go askew.
It isn’t true that god leaders don’t make mistakes. However, they don’t make the same mistake twice and also shoulder responsibility for it.
Leaders are not super human beings. They are human beings. However, they never show they are overwhelmed by situations. One of the signs of being overwhelmed by a situation is to lose temper. The fact is that there is no situation so bad in which you can’t lose your temper and make it worse. A good leader does his home-work before handling a situation. He thinks of the situations and contingencies that may arise during the execution of his plan and is prepared when and if the situation develops. This becomes a second nature with him. As a result, even when a situation develops suddenly, he knows what to do.
I have come across many people who, in order to impress their subordinates about the complexity of the problem, keep driving into them how such problems required extremely intricate solutions. A good leader, on the other hand, puts himself in the shoes of his subordinates and gives them not the product of his confusion but of the clarity of his mind. A good leader never complicates things but explains to his people in simple terms.
When the modern trend of making simple things complex started in 1970s, by management experts who laughed all the way to their banks selling complex management jargon, there was an anecdote of door-to-door salesman selling toys. He came across what he called his most modern toy that was also most expensive. He explained to the mother, “The aim of the toy is to put together these pieces. Any which way your child would do it, would be wrong.”
The chips are down, all hell has broken loose, and the task is really very difficult. The team is getting increasingly frustrated and full of doubts whether they would be able to finally get it right. The leader himself has doubts but he doesn’t transmit these to his team. He transmits to them hope. He makes them see the silver lining.
Two examples come to my mind:
One is about Aamir Khan movie Lagaan (Tax). People of Aamir Khan’s village produce crops but do pay a substantial portion of their earnings as Lagaan to their British masters. Once, the British challenge them to play a game of cricket with them and if they (the villagers) would succeed, they would be excused Lagaan for three years. They had never played cricket before. They start learning. A few days before the match, they are full of doubts. That’s the time when Aamir Khan steps in and makes them see the silver lining. They eventually win.
The second is about Christopher Columbus:
“Behind him lay the grey Azores,
Behind the gates of Hercules.
Before him not the ghost of shores,
Before him only the shore-less seas.
The good mate said, “Now must we pray,
For, lo, the very stars are gone.
Brave adm’ral, say, what should we pray.”
“Why, pray, sail on, sail on and on”.
Loyalty is something that can’t be demanded. It has to be earned. People may follow your instructions because of various compulsions such as you are their employer and responsible for their salary, promotions and retention. However, they are loyal to you only when they know you are deserving of it. It is the best gift they can give you. When they are loyal, they work in your best interest even when you haven’t given them specific instructions; and many a times they keep you from harming yourself by doing the right thing. Many a corporate follow hire-and-fire policies exploiting and manipulating their employees. The danger in those is that employees, when they find a better jobs, leave them.
The next one is a very natural one. A leader, if he has to constantly be in control and lead, would be devoid of the modern realities. A good leader, on the other hand, empowers his people to become leaders in their own right so that they innovate and lessen his burden. This is somewhat difficult because if not done with the right intent, it would amount to dispensing with one’s responsibility and accountability. However, with adequate finesse it can be done and yields dividends.
The next one came my way when I saw some of the leaders around me concentrating on the jargon of quick-wins. However, at the end of two years, I found that quick-wins, some of them with an eye to impress the organisation about their dynamic and charismatic leadership, were all that they achieved. There is only so much that you can get out of such tactics. Eventually, people find out that you are good at winning battles but lose sight of wars.
For all those petty leaders who want to be seen to be in control, there is nothing like endless series of meetings, con-calls and VCs. These meetings don’t really achieve much. However, their purpose is only to tell the subordinates how tight and great is your control. I have seen action-points of these meetings being made; and, after one year, action points are made again and both the earlier and later day action points appear to be the same except for jargon.
A good leader, on the other hand, first makes his team worthy of its trust. He simultaneously empowers them to make micro-plans on his broad instructions. He also lays down bottom lines and timelines and then leaves it to the team to translate his instructions into action. He doesn’t dissipate time and energy on endless meetings that deceptively look like progress when no progress is being made at all.
I spent six long years in a corporate. We had endless meetings about getting an integrated marine solution for one of our facilities. At the end of more than hundred meetings, con-calls and VCs, we were as close to square-one as one can get.
Commanding leaders is a much better option than commanding subordinates. A good leader, as I said earlier, is a good subordinate too. Everyone doesn’t have to look towards him all the while. He empowers his people to be leaders in their own right and they then have ownership mindset rather than doing it for someone.
The best example is that of the cricket team. A good captain doesn’t always have to score the maximum runs or take maximum wickets. He brings out the best in his team and his mere presence then ensures that there are eleven Captains in the team.
This is an unfortunate trend that has started in the corporate sector. One is a good leader if one knows all the definitions, tales and anecdotes and has one for every occasion and situation. I would call this style of leadership as Leadership by Anecdotes. Regrettably, so impressive is the effect of this style that many are carried away by the impression or illusion of having encountered a great leader. In sharp contrast Leadership is probably only ten percent in theory. Ninety percent of it needs to be practised.
The example that comes to mind is that of a learner of the game of tennis who is trying to learn by reading books. For a perfect shot the book tells you, “As you see the ball coming towards you, don’t run towards the ball; run towards the future position of the ball and reach there a split second before the ball reaches. Raise and take back your racquet arm to an angle of 135 degrees and as the ball is about to reach the estimated future position, bring down and forward the arm with the racquet in a continuous swing and connect to the ball and lob it with force across the net.” Now, if only the signals in your brain accumulated through such instructions are translated into action, you would indeed be the world’s best. As the great Indian cricket commentator of yesteryear: DN Chakrapani said in a test match that India had against the MCC (the England XI was known as that at one time) at Lords in London: “The last Indian batsman, Bishen Singh Bedi, has taken a mighty swing with his bat. If only it had connected, the ball would have gone all the way to the Ganges.”
Great leaders are always modest and humble. I have seen Dr. Abdul Kalam at close quarters; as Director of the College of Naval Warfare (now Naval War College) I had invited him to speak to my students. He never gave the impression of speaking to people from a height. He appeared to be one of us. His solutions were never the ones that he had read in some book or seen in some movie. These were everyday commonsense solutions. He didn’t have to remind us constantly through word and gesture what a great personality he was. I have given below the analogy of a bad or inexperienced driver who honks the most and curses the most. Have a look:
If you are a sanctioned leader such as monitor in a class or GM or VP in a company, people have to perforce follow you. However, as you emerge a great leader, even when your sanctioned powers have been withdrawn people still turn to you for advice, for leadership. The reason? You demonstrated that you are a natural leader.
I started off with Leadership and Love relationship and I have considered it important enough to reiterate in another manner. I really consider it the crux of leadership. Love automatically has ownership. You constantly remind yourself: These are my people. These are the best in the world. They will make me proud. I will never let them down and they will never let me down. I can write volumes about this relationship. The highest attainments of leadership are only possible through a feeling of love towards the people one commands. You can be harsh with them but you never make them the objects of derision and slant because they are your own. You give credit to them for the team’s achievements just as you shoulder responsibility for the team’s failure. As they say: Bouquets travel downwards; brickbats travel upwards and stop at you.
This follows naturally from the ability to win wars and not merely battles. Your quick-wins are not by taking short-cuts or unfair means. Today you are a small leader – say, a supervisor. Tomorrow you will be a big leader such as Vice President or President. You won’t be able to look people in the eye in case you used the wrong and unfair means to reach there. Remember, you are always being watched when you think no one is watching.
You cannot be expected to know every situation when you join. You cannot be constantly using previous knowledge of your earlier appointments when you take over as a leader whilst at the same time telling people to be rid of their previous knowledge which indeed is relevant in their job. You have the humility and modesty to learn about your new job. If from day one you start giving instructions, if from day one you show them down that their earlier knowledge is zilch, you will never learn and never emerge as a great leader. You would be like a hot air balloon; you would eventually come down when the gas runs out.
The next one is a natural extension of the previous one. When you make your people feel small, they cannot make you feel tall. It is not a see-saw; it is indeed a win-win or a lose-lose situation.
Aha, at the fag-end of the blog, I have given you this. You want people and the organisation to win and not your leadership style to be justified through Power-point Presentations. So, if people are going to win by no effort from your part, you want to make it difficult for them so that they’d remember that it is your dynamic leadership that made them win. This is indeed poor leadership and I have seen it often.
Lastly, before I come up with Part II of this blog sometimes later let me tell you about the ability to listen correctly if at all you have conditioned yourself to listen more than you speak. People interact with you at different levels of knowledge, bias and attitude. All that you listen to isn’t fact. It is laced with the perception of the speaker narrating his tale. So, if you ain’t skillful at sifting facts from perception and get carried away with the tale, you can’t be a good leader. A good leader respects emotions and attitudes but more often than not takes decisions based on facts.
That brings me to the end of Part I of the series on Leadership Lessons on my Facebook page ‘Make Your Own Quotes’. None of these can do wonders for you unless you practise them.
Here is wishing you a great and effective leadership wherever you are.
Your total conduct in this entire fest,
my dear brother,
ani Leela, whose junoon
put my money on Nitin,
Manik, my behna, isn’t down the line,
And then what about Anindya Chatterjee?
I am not saying this for effect,
Long after we are gone, they’d recall,
