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Raaga Based Song of the Day: Aaj ki raat badi shokh badi natkhat hai….
Raag Pilu, Tal Dadra

It is rarely that I give you a subsequent song from the same raaga and tal immediately after one with just one song in between. My last song in the same raaga and tal was Kaisa jadu balam toone daara. It was penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri and composed by OP Nayyar and appeared quite early in the 1958 Pramod Chakravorty movie 12 O’Clock starring Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman.

There are two reasons for giving this song. One, I have been quite inactive on this series and the earlier song, on 28 Jan this year has been a distant memory. The second is that although Pilu or Peelu had been the favourite raaga of OP Nayyar, I want you to do a comparison in the styles of OP Nayyar and Roshan, the latter being the composer of the present song.

Before I became inactive, we completed hundred days of Raaga Based Songs of the Day on the Diwali Day last year, that is, 7th of Nov 18. Our first post in the series was on the 27th of May 2017 was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #1’ and the song was a Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar song from the 1970 Shakti Samanta movie Pagla Kahin Ka: Tum mujhe youn bhula na paoge.  It is in Raag Jhinjhoti, Tal Kaherava.

Our hundred and first post or the last post here was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #101‘ and the song details I have already given you above.

I would like to start by remembering the lyrics of the lyricist: Neeraj.

The song’s lyrics contain one of the best expressions ever: Saaraa aalam hai giraftaar tere husn me.n jab
Mujhase hii kaise
Ho, mujhase hii kaise ye barsaat sahii jaayegii
Aaj to tere binaa nii.nd nahii.n aayegii …

As seen by me, the expression above is the very best of Neeraj. Please pay attention to how he builds up to the expression:

Everywhere, especially in Indian milieu, rains are closely associated with lovers. It is the best season for those in love. From Raj Kapoor and Nargis with their famous song under the umbrella: Pyar hua iqraar hua, to lovers everywhere, rain has only two effects on them:

A. They are fully drenched in love if they are together.
B. Rains are hell in case they are separated. For example, Sawan ke jhoole padhe hain tum chale aao.

In case of Tanuja and Rajeev in 1966 movie Nai Umr Ki Nai Fasal, ‘B’ is the case. Lets build up to the expression:

This is the first stanza:

अब तो तेरे ही यहाँ आने का ये मौसम है
अब तबीयत न ख़यालों से बहल पायेगी
देख वो छत पे उतर आयी है सावन की घटा
दे रही द्वार पे आवाज़ खड़ी पुरवाई
बिजली रह रह के पहाड़ं पे चमक उठती है
सूनी आँखों में कोई ख़्वाब ले ज्यों अंगड़ाई
कैसे समझाऊँ?
कैसे समझाऊँ कि इस वक़्त का मतलब क्या है
दिल की है बात
हो दिल की है बात न होंठों से कही जायेगी
आज तो तेरे बिना नींद नहीं आयेगी …

Did you get how he is showing his inability to express what he feels in the heart through his lips? Have you heard this expression anywhere else? Yes, of course, several times; the best one being Anand Bakshi’s in 1970 movie My Love:

तुझको देखा है मेरी नज़रों ने तेरी तारीफ़ हो मगर कैसे
के बने ये नज़र ज़ुबाँ कैसे के बने ये ज़ुबाँ नज़र कैसे
ना ज़ुबाँ को दिखाई देता है ना निग़ाहों से बात होती है
ज़िक्र होता है जब …

Having built up to this, Neeraj takes you to the pinnacle of feelings of separation during sawan in the next stanza containing this beautiful expression:

ये भटकते हुए जुगुनू ये दिये आवारा
भीगते पेड़ों पे बुझ-बुझ के चमक उठते हैं
तेरे आँचल में टके सलमें सितारे जैसे
मुझ से मिलने को बिना बात दमक उठते हैं
सारा आलम
सारा आलम है गिरफ़्तार तेरे हुस्न में जब
मुझसे ही कैसे
हो, मुझसे ही कैसे ये बरसात सही जायेगी
आज तो तेरे बिना नींद नहीं आयेगी …

Lovers of yore were convinced that the celestial elements were all in league with them in their love. They frequently involved Chand, Fizaayen, Sawan etc in their love. Neeraj has done the same here; except for one huge difference. According to him if the entire atmosphere (in rains) is drenched in the beauty of their love, how is he expected to face this all by himself. There are only two other songs wherein this has been done better: Mere mehboob tujhe and Tu hi re.

In the next stanza Neeraj totally merges the distinction between their love and sawan! You can’t believe it but he does it so beautifully:

रात रानी की ये भीनी सी नशीली खुशबू
आ रही है के जो छन छन के घनी डालों से
ऐसा लगता है किसी ढीठ झखोरे से लिपट
खेल आयी है तेरे उलझे हुए बालों से
और बेज़ार
और बेज़ार न कर, मेरे तड़पते दिल को
ऐसी रंगीन
हो, ऐसी रंगीन ग़ज़ल रात न फिर गायेगी
आज तो तेरे बिना नींद नहीं आयेगी …

Where else have you seen it? Several places by several lyricists; eg, Sahir in Barsaat Ki Raat and Hasrat in Chori Chori:

म: भीगी-भीगी रात में, दिल का दामन थाम ले
खोई-खोई ज़िन्दगी हरदम तेरा नाम ले
(ल: चाँद की बहकी नज़र, कह रही है प्यार कर
ज़िन्दगी है इक सफ़र, कौन जाने कल किधर ) – २
दोनो: आ जा सनम मधुर …

Where else do Neeraj’s similar expressions appear? I can think of many. Here are a few of my favourites:

The first one is from the 1971 movie Gambler:

(आके ज़रा देख तो तेरी खातिर
हम किस तरह से जिये) – २
आँसू के धागे से सीते रहे हम
जो ज़ख्म तूने दिये
चाहत की महफ़िल में ग़म तेरा लेकर
क़िस्मत से खेला जुआ
दुनिया से जीते पर तुझसे हारे
यूँ खेल अपना हुआ …

Aansu ke dhage se seete rahe ham jo zakhm toone diye! What terrific imagination!

The second one is from 1971 movie Sharmilee:

झीलों के होंठों पर, मेघों का राग है
फूलों के सीने में, ठंडी ठंडी आग है
दिल के आइने में तू, ये समा उतार दे
खिलते हैं गुल यहाँ ..

Jheelon ke honthon par meghon ka raag? Just imagine that!

The third and the last one is from the 1970 movie Prem Pujari:

पलकों के झूले से सपनों की डोरी
प्यार ने बाँधी जो तूने वो तोडी
खेल यह कैसा रे, कैसा रे साथी
दिया तो झूमें हैं रोये हैं बाकी
कहीं भी जाये रे, रोये या गाये रे
चैन न पाये रे हिया
वाह रे प्यार वाह रे वाह
रंगीला रे …

The lyrics have one mistake there: it should be Diya to jhuume hai roye hai baati. Now try to visualise this and Palkon ke jhoole se! Your heart gets drenched even imagining that!

Lets move on to the composer: Roshan.

He is of Barsaat Ki Raat and Taj Mahal fame. He was born on 14 Jul 1917 in Gujranwala (now in Pakistan). He began music lessons at a young age and later attended Marris College (now Bhatkhande Music Institute) in Lucknow under the training of Pt. S N Ratanjankar(principal of the institute). In the early 1940s, Khawaja Khurshid Anwar, programme producer/music, AIR Delhi, hired Roshan as staff artist for esraj, the instrument he used to play.

His first opportunity as a composer was in the 1949 Kidar Sharma movie Neki Aur Badi. It was a flop. However, in an year’s time, he demonstrated the stuff that he was made of: in the 1950 Kidar Sharma movie: Bawre Nain. Kidar Sharma penned as many as nine songs and these were all composed beautifully by Roshanlal Nagrath or simply Roshan. Of course, he covered himself in glory with Khyalon mein kisi ke is tarah.

He gave us some memorable songs such as Zindagi bhar nahin bhoolegi wo barsaat ki raat, Ab kya misaal doon main, Jo wada kiya woh nibhana padhega, Paanv chhu lene do, Jo baat tujh mein hai, Rahen na rahen hum, Rehte the kabhi jinake dil mein, Chhupa lo youn dil mein pyar mera, Guzra zamaana bachpan ka and Baharon ne mera chaman loot kar.

More than the songs, he was known for his Qawwalis and two of these are most memorable: Na to karwaan ki talaash hai, and Nigahen milane ko ji chahta hai.

Lets get to discuss the Raaga and the Tal of the song.

This blog has a number of posts on Raaga based songs in Hindi movies titled similarly; for example: ‘The Best Raaga Based Songs in Hindi Movies – Raaga Jhinjhoti – Part II‘.

In the last hundred and one days of sharing Raaga based songs of the day, I have given you songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti, Gara, Bhimpalasi, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani, Bihag, Pahadi, Sarang, Pilu, Bhairavi, Khammaj, Charukesi, Kalyan or Yaman, Desh, Malgunji, Kirwani, Kedar, Bageshri, Megh Malhar, Bhupali, Ahir Bhairav, Malkaush, Mand, Adana, Kafi, Rageshri, Jaunpuri, Tilang, Janasammohini, Chayanat, Shuddha Kalyan, Gaur Sarang, Jogiya, Asavari, Maru Bihag, Durga, Lalit, Puria Dhanashri, Bhinna Sahdja, Sohani, Multani, Patdeep, Jaijaiwanti, Tilak Kamod, Hemant, Basant Mukhari, Gujri Todi, Kalavati, Hamir, Bhatiyar, Gawati, Shyam Kalyan, Gorakh Kalyan, Madhamat Sarang, Manj Khammaj, Darbari Kanada, Vibhas, Shankara, Bahar, Nand, Mian Ki Malhar and Jog; making it a total of 62 raagas. The raagas that have been repeated so far are Pahadi, the raaga of my home place in the Himalayas, Maru Bihag, Raag Kirwani, Jhinjhoti, Bhairavi, Gara, Basant Mukhari, Malkauns, Bhairavi, Mand, Sohani, Madhuvanti, Shivaranjani and Adana. Today, I am giving you a song in Raag Pilu for the third time.

Raag Pilu belongs to the Kafi thaat. Its Jati is Audhav – Sampoorna, which means it is pentatonic (five notes or swar) in Aaroha (ascending) and heptatonic (all seven notes or sawr) in Avroha (descending). The swar that are vrajay (missing) in Aaroha are Re (Rishab) and Dha (Dhaivat). The dominant note (Vadi) is Dhaivat that lends to this raaga a light and tranquil touch. The raaga is full of devotion and piety and you only have to listen to Mohammad Ravi singing for Rajeev addressing his song to Tanuja. The raag is well suited for the third prahar of the day; that is, early evening and that’s precisely when it is played in the movie too.

Raag Pilu was the favourite raag of Omkar Prasad Nayyar or OP Nayyar. Some of his songs (conveying the mood) of Pilu are: Jayiye aap kahan jayenge, Kabhi aar kabhi paar laaga teere nazar, Main soya akhiyan meeche, and Piya piya piya na laage mora jiya. But, I am not giving you any of these.

I am also not giving you Naushad’s jhule se pawan mein aayi bahaar (literally spring time) or SD Barman’s Ab ke baras bhej bhaiya ko babul or that beautiful Sujata number Kali ghata chhaye mora jiya tarsaaye.

The song I am giving you is from the 1966 (released on 01 January) R Chandra movie Nai Umr Ki Nai Fasal starring Rajeev and Tanuja and with the following plot:

“This is a story of a student, who in the prime of his career, gets ruffled up, become impulsive and is inclined to go against the discipline of the University. He and his enthusiastic friends are led away and misguided by an outside agency for personal motives. This is opposed by the Heroe’s own fiance – college girl in the same University, along with other supporters including his own brother. But before the realization dawns on the students, harm to the prestige of the community and harm to the family was done. Ultimately, it is realized that patriotism is not politics and the students can be patriotic and help the Mother Land in one and thousand ways without being politicians themselves, so long they are pursuing their studies. After having completed their studies, their whole life is before them. If this film is appreciated in its true perspective by the students and their parents it has served its purpose. (Extract from the statement of the Prime Minister of India Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri delivered in Allahabd and published in The Times of India dated 18 December 1965).”

The songs of this movie are:

• “Aaj Ki Raat Badi Shokh Badi Natkhat Hai” – Mohd Rafi (solo)
• “Aaj Ki Raat Badi Shokh Badi Natkhat Hai” – Mohd Rafi & Asha Bhosle (duet)
• “Dekhati Hi Raho Aaj Darpan Na Tum” – Mukesh
• “Isko Bhi Apnaata Chal” – Mohd Rafi
• “Kaaravaan Guzar Gayaa” – Mohd Rafi
• “Meri Saiyyaan Gulbiya Ka Phool” – Suman Kalyanpur & Minoo Purushottam
• “Nai Umar Ki Naye Sitaron” – Bhupinder Singh
• “Thi Shubh Suhaag Ki Raat” – Manna Dey

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy in Raag Pilu Tal Dadra, Mohammad Rafi sing a composition of Roshan on the lyrics of Neeraj in the 1966 R Chandra movie Nai Umr Ki Nai Fasal  starring Rajeev and Tanuja: 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 …

As you read through the description on top, you must have concluded that the lyrics are really superb and Neeraj needs to be congratulated for the same. Roshan completes the devotion and piety through exquisite composition in Raag Pilu, Tal Dadra and conveys the atmosphere of a rainy night not just through the lyrics but through the notes too that tug at your emotions. Indeed, the composition and notes magnify the intensity of the lyrics.

I hope you liked the song.

Please stay tuned for more songs in the series.