Is life to be merely passage of time? To go on living without reason or rhyme. Is it to be measured by how much money one earned? Or because of one’s success how many heads turned.
Would life be well lived if one made a good name? A life free of rencour, a life free of blame. Could the success of children be a measure of life? A great mansion, limousine and a pretty wife?
There can be several yardsticks but no litmus test, By the result of it the aim of life can be guessed. Sages have tied in knots explaining life’s meaning, No one has found one that’s universally appealing.
However, in life you have earned a good place, If your life brought smile to someone’s face. If you provided the hopeless with some hope, If you threw towards a drowning man your only rope.
It is so easy to do but very few actually do, To earn others’ gratitude is given to a few. But, do try it and be instantly blessed, Make others’ happiness as your life’s quest.
Sometimes when we don’t get what we asked God to give….
Good Morning Friends,
So something you asked for wasn’t granted, And that’s filled you with remorse and outrage. You feel with God somewhat disenchanted, God is probably not with you on the same page. Who has understood who wrong? God has been with you all along.
We have, at best, very limited vision, We are never able to see the big picture. When we subject God’s will to derision, We are passing a very unkind stricture. God is always good, He is always kind, But, sometimes with His will we are not aligned.
We don’t always know what is good for us, But, God, He always knows the best. With our limited intelligence we can’t discuss, Why God made us go through a difficult test. Who knows He was preparing us for something great? When we thought He left us in poorer state.
He would give us better than we deserve, We should always rejoice in this trust; Think of what for us He has kept in reserve, When and if His will fills us with disgust. “God, I thank you for all that you do for me, Even for those gifts I can’t immediately see.”
….we should be sure He’s thinking of giving us better.
If God indeed made all things nice, Why are bad things still around? Why does goodness come with a price, Why are evil men to be found?
Why are there floods and fire, Suddenly at the end of great weather? Why do we see that when peace we desire, War clouds out of nowhere gather?
Let me give just one example, When we understand why God made such diversity, If the true character of a man you’d sample, Then you must see him in adversity.
If it hadn’t been for bad days, Many wouldn’t fully value good ones; Who would appreciate sun’s rays, If without fail everyday it comes?
Finally, nothing in the world is good or bad, It is just a matter of how it is viewed; The same thing happy is seen as sad, By those who happen to be in a bad mood.
Whenever one is indeed travelling, It is a travel within our main travel. The mystery of the universe is unraveling, Depends upon our own power to change unravel. We should enjoy the journey not just the destination. Look at the scenery around and avoid the frustration.
Just as we trust the pilot of the plane or train, Trust God the pilot of the universe. Don’t view his planning and driving with disdain, Avoid any outlook that is adverse.
He knows where he is taking you,
Many have been there before.
For the journey, not his, it is your debut.
He brings you right up to the door.
Travelling light is always for any traveler the best,
Pack only the things that you really require.
Let the journey be interspersed with rest,
Look at the scenery, pause and admire.
They saw Him as a King of the World, Because those were the days of queens and kings; Upon temples and mosques His flag was unfurled, Since He was considered Owner of all things. Because of society’s fixation on male superiority, His gender was decided by the majority.
Creator of Universe, Omnipotent and Omnipresent, Were qualities that they easily assigned to Him, Each one of the preachers had his own lament, Depending upon his own fancy and whim. Were they wrong, did they commit crime? No, they were right in their own time.
There must be a Force that created the Universe, Someone must be seen as the Guiding Light, Without the idea of God things would have been much worse, For our actions and thoughts, there won’t have been oversight. Chaos would have continued everywhere, Without God keeping a watch up there somewhere.
Instead of rejecting the idea of God, We need to keep giving ‘it’ a modern look, Instead of, by our Religion, being overawed, Let’s try to go beyond our religious book. Since, while the idea of God helped us, Religion has started harming with undue fuss.
Not just the noise without, One should also control the noise within; Our thoughts create that shout, That leads to excessive din. Quiet mind is healthy mind, Silence helps it to unwind.
Shopping Malls keep the noise levels high, They want you, on impulse, to shop; Your mind they don’t want you to apply, It helps them if you buy non stop. But God never asks you to pay, That’s why you must silently pray.
He could hear before loudspeakers were invented, He doesn’t require you to scream. With your silent prayers He is contented, You can even communicate in your dream. Let Him listen to your quiet mind, It helps Him and you to your true self find.
Let’ shun loudspeakers from life, And embrace godly quietude, It would certainly lead to less strife, And help preserve joyous mood. When I find my God through my mind, I always find Him so very kind.
A post to wish happy birthday to Waheeda Rehman on 3rd Feb as also to remember OP Nayyar on his death anniversary 28th Jan.
Raaga Based Song of the Day:Kaisa jaadu balam tune daara…. Raag Pilu, Tal Dadra
Remembering OP Nayyar on his Death Anniversary on 28th January and Happy Birthday to Living Legend Waheeda Rehman on 3rd February.
The purists amongst you will tell me that this song has a lot of mixing other than Raag Pilu. However, I would like to point out that the job of a composer in movies is not to stick to the purity of any music form but to give us popular tunes. I have loved this song and I love it even now.
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 hundredth post or the last post here was titled ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #100‘ and the song was a Zohrabai Ambalewali song from the 1944 M Sadiq movie Rattan starring Swaran Lata and Karan Dewan: Aayi Diwali, aayi diwali. It is in Raag Bhairavi, Tal Dadra.
Lets start with Omkar Prasad Nayyar first.
OP Nayyar was born on 16 Jan 1926 in Lahore (now in Pakistan). At the age of 23, OP Nayyar composed the background score for the movie Kaneez. Three years later, in 1952, he was a full fledged music director for the movie Aasman. OP Nayyar perfected songs whose beats (often horse-trot beat such as in 1957 movie Naya Daur‘s song Maang ke saath tumhaara) became so popular that people were often heard humming these everywhere. He also delved into raaga based songs although, in all humility, he claimed that he had no knowledge of classical music. Raag Peelu or Pilu, followed by Pahadi, were his favourite raagas in songs.
He didn’t like Lata Mangeshkar sing any of his songs as he didn’t find her voice sexy. Most of his female songs have been sung by Shamshad Begum,Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt. He depended heavily on Asha Bhosle and in a television interview he said, “She was almost like a wife to me.” OP Nayyar and Asha Bhosle parted in 1974. Soon after that, in 1974, she received Filmfare Best Female Playback Singer Award for his song: Chain se hamako kabhi aap ne jeene na diya that was intended to be used for the 1973 movie Praan Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye but didn’t find a place in the final cut.
OP Nayyar paired with major lyricists Majrooh Sultanpuri and Sahir Ludhianvi. With the latter he received the Filmfare Award for 1957 movie Naya Daur. However, he also worked with lesser lyricists like SH Bihari for 1962 movie Ek Mussafir Ek Haseena, 1964 movie Kashmir Ki Kali, and as many as three movies in 1966: Sawan Ki Ghata, Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi, and Mohabbat Zindagi Hai, 1974 movie Pran Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye, and 1978 movie Khoon Ka Badla Khoon.
Here in this song he is with Majrooh Sultanpuri. OP Nayyar composed songs written by Majrooh Sultanpuri from his third movie Baaz (1953) directed by Guru Dutt (as was 12 O’ Clock from where this song has been taken). OP Nayyar’s next movie and their next movie together was the 1954 Guru Dutt movie Aar Paar whose songs are still fondly remembered, such as: Ye lo main haari piya, Kabhi aar kabhi paar, Sun sun sun sun bewafa/zaalima and Babuji dheere chalna. That started a great association and gave us really popular and memorable songs.
Waheeda Rehman enacting her first song in movies: Kahin pe nigaahen kahin pe nishana
As far as Waheeda Rehman (Please read: ‘Happy Birthday To Waheeda Rehman 03 February‘) is concerned she joined them for the first time in the 1956 movie C.I.D. that was a Guru Dutt production and directed by Raj Khosla. Her very first song in the movies: Jaata kahan hai deewane, penned by Majrooh and composed by OP Nayyar didn’t find a place in the final cut as it was censored due to its double entendere’. She was in the role of a golden hearted prostitute in the movie since Guru Dutt, after having picked her up from a college in Hyderabad, was preparing her for 1957 classic Pyaasa. Her first song in the movies thus happened to be: Kahin pe nigaahen kahin pe nishana sung for her by Shamashad Begum and also picturised on Bir Sakuja, the villain.
Guru Dutt had straightway signed Waheeda Rehman for five movies starting with C.I.D. but she later acted in all Guru Dutt movies that ended with Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam.
Lets get to discuss the Raaga and the Tal of the song.
In the last ninety-eight 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 notice the mannerism of Waheeda Rehman lip-syncing it to gauge her devotion towards Guru Dutt, the hero of the movie. 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.
As I told you earlier, 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 1958 Pramod Chakravorty movie 12 O’ Clock starring Guru Dutt and birthday girl Waheeda Rehman and with the following plot:
(Poster courtesy: Wikipedia)
“At exactly 12:00 noon, two gunshots are fired at the Dadar Railway Station, Bombay. The gunshots kill Maya (Sabita Chatterji), the wife of Raimohan (Rehman). One of the assailants is none other than Maya’s sister, Bani Choudhary (Waheeda Rehman), and a gun is recovered from her handbag. The second assailant flees on a motorcycle, meets with an accident, and is instantly killed. The police charge Bani with murdering her sister. Faced with overwhelming evidence against Bani, her lawyer boyfriend, Ajay Kumar (Guru Dutt) must race against time to come to the truth behind Maya’s murder.”
The other songs of this movie are:
Tum Jo Hue Mere Humsafar (Sung by Mohammad Rafi, Geeta Dutt)
Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy in Raag Pilu Tal Dadra, Geeta Dutt sing a composition of OP Nayyar on the lyrics of Majrooh Sultanpuri in the 1958 Pramod Chakravorty movie 12 O’ Clock (produced by GP Sippy) starring Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman: Kaisa jadu balam tune daara…..
कैसा जादू बलम तूने डारा
हो कैसा जादू बलम तूने डारा
खो गया नन्हा सा दिल हमारा
कैसा जादू बलम तूने डारा
खो गया नन्हा सा दिल हमारा
कैसा जादू
( कोई तेरी तरह दिल न छीने
हो गई मैं पसीने-पसीने ) -२
तोबा-तोबा -२
तोबा-तोबा नज़र का इशारा
खो गया नन्हा सा दिल हमारा
कैसा जादू बलम तूने डारा
खो गया नन्हा सा दिल हमारा
कैसा जादू
( डगमगाये क़दम चलते-चलते
तुमने छेड़ा तो हम क्या सम्भलते ) -२
लो चले -२
लो चले नाम ले कर तुम्हारा
खो गया नन्हा सा दिल हमारा
कैसा जादू बलम तूने डारा
खो गया नन्हा सा दिल हमारा
कैसा जादू
( होश भी थोड़ा-थोड़ा नशा भी
दर्द भी थोड़ा-थोड़ा मज़ा भी ) -२
तीर सैंयाँ -२
तीर सैंयाँ अजब तूने मारा
खो गया नन्हा सा दिल हमारा
कैसा जादू बलम तूने डारा
खो गया नन्हा सा दिल हमारा
कैसा जादू
Living Legend Waheeda Rehman continued to have the girlish looks and mannerisms until late in her career. However, in movies like C.I.D., 12 O’ Clock, and Bees Saal Baad her ladakpan was to be seen to be believed. Indeed, in Bees Saal Baad she even sang a song: Sapne suhaane ladakpan ke. To associate her with murder would be the last thing anyone would like to do. This song, itself, would convince any jury that she wasn’t the one who committed the murder.
As far as OP Nayyar is concerned, he brought out the best in the heroines in his songs, whether Madhubala (Piya, piya, na laage mora jiya) or Waheeda Rehman or Asha Parekh (Jayiye aap kahan jayenge) or Sharmila Tagore (Isharon isharon mein dil lene waale) or even Padmini (Beqasi hadd se jab guzr jaaye). He had only one requirement that Lata shouldn’t sing for them.
At one time I wasn’t very well read. I didn’t have any degrees in school; college I never went to. I knew a few jokes but no one ever laughed on them. I was as far away from poetry and writing as I could get. The only time I wrote something of my own was when the teacher asked me to write the spellings of ‘queue’ a hundred times. I had limited imagination. When asked how much was my IQ, I confidently answered, “I don’t queue. I stand by myself.”
I had no opinions about anything. One of the many reasons was that if I expressed anything, they would badger me with the IQueue thing and I never wanted to stand in the queue even if I’d miss the bus or the train.
My grammar was as poor as how about half the Indian population lives, that is, BPL. If I had to correspond with anyone, I preferred sending telegrams with a number conveying all that I wanted to.
But then, one day I discovered Whats App.
Now, I know everything. Well, almost everything. I could never get a degree such as BA, MA or MBBS. Now I am proud to be called MF or simply Master of Forwards. Soon, I shall be called WhD, a much more advanced degree than PhD. I am almost there with my Doctorate in WhatsApp.
Grammar is no more important to me. I substitute what I don’t know with emojis: which is almost everything.
My ‘finds’ on the net are admired (liked) by everyone, many by innovative use of emojis of their own; after all many of them share my qualifications and those who are well educated see great advantage in getting rid of their actual degrees and also strive to be MF and WhDs, the ‘in’ things.
My ‘intellectual’ conversation with God!
From the time I learnt something called Copy-Paste (I am thinking of getting another degree in this) I have acquired the requisite skills in being a raconteur of anecdotes, jokes, poems and other stuff.
I have also joined the league of those who have opinions about everything. Hundred percent of my opinions are copied and pasted but who is wiser? Those who read are like me; those who know better don’t read this zilch anyway.
Darwin or some other joker said that there is survival of the fittest. I call it FFF or Fastest Finger First, the difference between an ordinary person and a Crorepati (from a programme successfully Copy-Pasted from abroad). Take for example, yesterday, when the Union Budget was announced. Indians, as you know, are dying to know how much more tax they have to pay (they are amongst the least tax compliant people on earth). So, with my FFF, I got to my friends Budget Highlights before they could get them to me. I am really smart. Ten minutes of delay and they would have won.
Finally, when they ask me about IQ, I tell them….
Sorry, I can’t tell you that here. Meet me privately and I shall bring you to the same ‘intellectual’ level that I am at.
Between Noise and Quiet, I always choose Quiet, Since Quiet is peace and Noise is riot. Noise, it always portrays destruction. Quiet is the portrayal of Creation or Construction. Silence is Love, Noise is Hatred, The latter is chaos, Quiet is sacred. Quiet is the way of greatness, Noise would probably be chosen by the shameless. Quiet would the Heaven spell, Noise would remind you of Hell. Silence would make you feel light, Noise would evoke in you a fight. Quiet makes you calm, Noise makes you rowdy, Quiet is clear sky, Noise is thunder and cloudy. I can’t imagine choosing Noise in the name of Religion, It’s like choosing crow when you should be choosing pigeon. You can’t reach God through a loudspeaker. Silence is the language of His true seeker.
I have been giving you these poems since the First of June 2018.
From 4th Jan 19, I started doing something different. In addition to my own inspirational poems everyday, I started giving you, on every Friday, a song or poem that has inspired me. Today is the fifth and it is a hymn in Gujarati that was made very popular by Mahatma Gandhi since he took it as his favourite hymn: ‘Vaishnav jan to tene kahiye…. ‘.
Lately, the Indian Navy’s Symphonic Orchestra has been delighting us with the rendition of this hymn and I get goose pimples listening to it. It has been my favourite too for a long time.
This bhajan was penned in the 15th century by Narsinh Mehta or Narsi Bhagat in Gujarati. The bhajan brings out how a Vaishnav Jan (Vishnu’s follower) must tailor his/her life. It was sung by Amirbai Karnataki, popularly known as Kannada Kokila.
Before I give you the hymn, here is my small introduction:
If never have we felt anyone else’s pain, Our life has been completely in vain. The Maker of everyone is the same God, Whose Creation all of us applaud, How can to our own aloof we can remain?
And here is the hymn and its translation:
ષ્ણવ જન તો તેને કહિયે જે પીડ પરાયી જાણે રે પર દુ:ખે ઉપકાર કરે તો યે મન અભિમાન ન આણે રે. ॥ધૃ॥
वैष्णव जन तो तेने कहिये जे पीड परायी जाणे रे । पर दुःखे उपकार करे तो ये मन अभिमान न आणे रे ॥
vaiṣṇava jana to tene kahiye je pīḍa parāyī jāṇe re, para duḥkhe upakāra kare to ye mana abhimāna na āṇe re
Call those people Vaishnavas who Feel the pain of others, Help those who are in misery, But never let self-conceit enter their mind.
સકળ લોકમાં સહુને વંદે, નિંદા ન કરે કેની રે વાચ કાછ મન નિશ્છળ રાખે ધન ધન જનની તેની રે. ॥૧॥
सकळ लोकमां सहुने वंदे, निंदा न करे केनी रे । वाच काछ मन निश्चळ राखे, धन धन जननी तेनी रे ॥
sakaḷa loka māṁ sahune vande, nindā na kare kenī re, vāca kācha mana niścala rākhe, dhana dhana jananī tenī re
They respect the entire world, Do not disparage anyone, Keep their words, actions and thoughts pure, The mother of such a soul is blessed.
સમદૃષ્ટિ ને તૃષ્ણા ત્યાગી પરસ્ત્રી જેને માત રે જિહ્વા થકી અસત્ય ન બોલે પરધન નવ ઝાલે હાથ રે. ॥૨॥
समदृष्टि ने तृष्णा त्यागी, परस्त्री जेने मात रे । जिह्वा थकी असत्य न बोले, परधन नव झाले हाथ रे ॥
sama-dṛṣṭi ne tṛṣṇā tyāgī, para-strī jene māta re, jihvā thakī asatya na bole, para-dhana nava jhāle hātha re
They see all equally, renounce craving, Respect other women as their own mother, Their tongue never utters false words, Their hands never touch the wealth of others.
મોહ માયા વ્યાપે નહિ જેને, દૃઢ વૈરાગ્ય જેના મનમાં રે રામ નામ શુ તાળી રે લાગી સકળ તીરથ તેના તનમાં રે. ॥૩॥
मोह माया व्यापे नहि जेने, दृढ़ वैराग्य जेना मनमां रे । रामनाम शुं ताळी रे लागी, सकळ तीरथ तेना तनमां रे ॥
moha māyā vyāpe nahi jene, dṛḍha-vairāgya jenā manamāṁ re, rāma-nāma śuṁ tāḷī re lāgī, sakaḷa tīratha tenā tanamāṁ re
They do not succumb to worldly attachments, They are firmly detached from the mundane, They are enticed by the name of God (Rama), All places of pilgrimage are embodied in them.
વણ લોભી ને કપટ રહિત છે, કામ ક્રોધ નિવાર્યાં રે ભણે નરસૈયો તેનું દર્શન કરતાં કુળ એકોતેર તાર્યાં રે. ॥૪॥
वणलोभी ने कपटरहित छे, काम क्रोध निवार्या रे । भणे नरसैयॊ तेनुं दरसन करतां, कुळ एकोतेर तार्या रे ॥
vaṇa-lobhī ne kapaṭa-rahita che, kāma krodha nivāryā re, bhaṇe narasaiyo tenuṁ darasana karatāṁ, kuḷa ekotera tāryā re
They have forsaken greed and deceit, They stay afar from lust and anger, Narsi says: I’d be grateful to meet such a soul, Whose virtue liberates their entire lineage.
Every morning I want to use my wings, To fly to a world I have seen in my dreams. But then I think of a motley of things, That stand in the way of my plans and schemes. If only I could set me free, From a burden called ‘Reality’.
Does the world of my dreams even exist, Has anyone seen it or actually been there? I know it is there just behind the curtain of mist, The mist of my doubts, sorrows and despair. Can I ever go beyond the mist? Is there anything that can assist?
A feeble voice tells me about Faith, But then darkness returns and there is night. And the whole thing looks like wraith, Out of mind, totally out of sight. I only have to make it strong, To find Right in the mist of Wrong.
A voice asks, “Are you ready for the leap?” I want to say ‘Yes’ but doubts hold me down; It is a long night, it is a long sleep, In the sea of worldly ‘Reality’ I drown. Many like me never escape, Doubts? Yes, but we also like the landscape.
Do you remember the days before the Internet, Only from a close circle of people advice you’d get? Your privacy, by others, was always respected, Your habits, wants and beliefs were never dissected.
Nowadays everyone offers you unsolicited advice, Where to go, what to eat and buy, at what price? Any time you feel you are unobserved and alone, Some suggestions or messages pop up from unknown.
As it is Whats App has made most people puppets, Now they give you advice with blowing of trumpets, Buy this, buy that, see this, see that, do this, do that, You don’t do, you’re doomed; you do and you’re copy cat.
The result: Individuality vanishes, people behave like clones, People are controlled by their own smartphones. Studying and analysing things have become rare, Instant advice like fast food is here and everywhere.
Any suggestions or advice as to how to get over this crisis?
Are we all just carriers or messengers, Of spreading the stuff already on the net shared, Social life is not a train, we aren’t mere passengers, Would no one be worried about how we ourselves fared? Are we satisfied about pushing some ‘forward‘? Don’t we find it just a wee bit awkward?
If yes, can you think of when we last wrote our own, Not a comment but our own original stuff; Is our job only to praise or bemoan? Don’t we think of recirculating ‘forwards‘ we’ve had enough? Is there no shame in copy and paste? Don’t we feel sorry that our faculties are lying waste?
Finding a good one on the net is like fishing in a pond, And then all that we have to do is to press ‘share‘, Now wait for the others to read and respond, No effort is required, it is all already there. Those who want a peep in our mind, Have to do so at the strength of
I would rather read what you yourself write, Than the ‘wisdom‘ of an unknown writer, Even if to start with it doesn’t sound too bright, At least it proves to me you are a fighter, Go ahead use your dormant imagination, Of post Whats App society let’s lay the foundation.
Those who send me a simple ‘Good Morning’ message of their own, for example, always get a response from me as opposed to those who send me colourful memes that they pushed.
P.S. It is a scary scenario, really; these ‘forwards‘ (anything that we don’t ourselves write) are making us go backwards to the Stone Age.
All Religion is an attempt to live in the past, Because, unless you are an iconoclast, You assume that some sage before, Really knew and understood more, Than all those in the present era, by contrast.
I don’t think Religion is to be blindly followed, Like a miracle drug to be dutifully swallowed; Like all knowledge from one era to next, It should be true in both time and text, However much it was to be held as hallowed.
The guardians of Religion want people to be blind, And to the thinking of another to be totally aligned, There is no room for any doubt, As they increase their own clout, And to just one isolated approach one is confined.
What if you are one to one with your Maker and God, Without any past theory and practice to be overawed; You make your own ethics and rules, You take assistance from your own tools, Would you say such a concept is completely flawed?*
I would say Humanity is a religion by itself.
*Let me hear some views about it in the comments. Lets not make these daily messages totally one sided.
This song is from the 1954 B Mitra movie Shart (Bet). The movie starred Shyama, Deepak (Dipak), IS Johar and Shashikala. The story of the movie was written by IS Johar, Nasir Hussain and Qamar Jalalabadi and was as complex a drama (twists and turns) as movies of that era used to be:
Hiten (IS Johar) is a frustrated young man with a mad streak bordering on criminal. His late father left him huge estate that can be his if he marries Kamini (Shyama), his father’s friend’s daughter. Kamini, of course, refuses to marry him knowing about his madness.
Kamini and her stepmother Manisha (Mohana) are returning, by train, to Dehradun after attending a court case between Kamini and Manisha regarding the property of Kamini’s late father. Kamini hates her stepmother and writes in her diary that she’d rather see her dead. This diary accidentally falls in the hands of Hiten who is travelling by the same train. After Manisha is murdered, Hiten blackmails Kamini about marrying him, else he would tell the police about the diary.
Robin (Dipak), son and grandson of police officers, is travelling by the same train. In the confusion after Manisha’s murder, he comes across Kanu (Kamini’s brother) abandoned by Kamini. Robin lodges murder complaint at the nearest police station and then takes Kanu home.
When at home, Robin hears the shrieks of a young girl. He rushes to her assistance against ruffians and brings her home too. She is Kamini. She signals to her brother to keep quiet about her identity.
In the meanwhile, the police suspect that Kamini is the one who committed the murder and they offer a reward for anyone offering clue about her whereabouts. That’s the time Robin discovers her true identity. However, by this time, he is madly in love with her, having sung many songs for and with her and having been the object of many songs sung by her. These include three delightful Chand songs:
1. Na ye chand hoga sung separately by first Geeta Dutt for Shyama and then by Hemant Kumar for Dipak (penned by SH Bihari (Behari)).
2. Chand ghatne laga raat dhalne lagi by Geeta Dutt for Shyama (penned by Rajinder Krishan).
3. Dekho wo chand chhupake karta hai kya ishaare, a duet sung by Hemant Kumar for Dipak and Lata Mangeshkar for Shyama (penned by SH Bihari).
Chand songs apart, Robin, having been born in a police family, thinks of his duty first and goes to the Police Station to report about Kamini. In the meantime, Hiten (IS Johar) locates Kamini and blackmails her to leave Robin’s house with him. Once he has her, in order to get his late father’s money, he again asks her to marry him. When she declines he comes up with an alternate plan to do away with the custodian of the property, his uncle.
Where does Shart (Bet) come into it? Don’t ask me; as it is I had to see the entire movie to give you all this. I ask you a counter question: Raj Kapoor became famous for 1949 movie Barsaat, the debut movie of Shankar Jaikishan, Hasrat Haipuri, Shailendra and Nimmi. That movie was the first time Lata Mangeshkar’s name appeared on the screen as a playback singer for both Nargis and Nimmi. It had a number of songs on Barsaat (Rain). But, why was the movie titled Barsaat?
(Poster courtesy: Cinestaan)
Filmistan’s production Shart premiered in Bombay at the Novelty, Palace and Rivoli theaters on 09 Apr, 1954. Lots of expectations had been raised about the movie. However, the filmgoers were disappointed except for the music and songs of the movie.
People loved complex mysteries at that time and hence that couldn’t be the cause of the movie’s failure. Shashikala as Dipak’s dancing sister added glamour to the movie and yet it failed. The likely reason must be that the movie was mauled by the censors.
Anyway, movie per se and its story and success etc are of peripheral interest to us. We are to concentrate on this iconic song in particular and other songs in general that the movie had and that became very popular. In addition to the three delightful Chand songs, there were the following:
4. Kahan se leke aayi hai (SH Bihari).
5. Piya main to hui bawari (SH Bihari).
6. Raat aayi hai mohabbat ki kahani leke (Rajinder Krishan).
7. Dil mera hai diwana (SH Bihari).
8. Mohabbat mein meri tarah jo luta ho (SH Bihari).
9. Ai mere chaman main hoon wo kali (Rajinder Krishan).
10. Chala kaafila pyaar ka (SH Bihari).
11. O na na na jana na chhod ke (SH Bihari).
Na ye chand hoga was, as I told you earlier, sung in the movie twice: once by Geeta Dutt for Shayama and once by Hemant Kumar for Dipak. It was penned by SH Behari and composed by Hemant Kumar.
Shamsul Huda Bihari (as given in the credits of the movie: SH Behari), born in Arrah, Bihar, must rank amongst the most underrated lyricists in the Hindi films industry. And yet, it is pleasantly surprising to see the range and popularity of his songs.
His most successful pairing has been with OP Nayyar.My favourite songs of SH Bihari with OP Nayyar include:Bahut Shukriya Badi Meherbani, and Mujhe Dekhkar Aapka Muskurana (Ek Mussafir Ek Haseena, 1962); Diwana Huwa Badal, Hai Duniya Usi Ki, Isharon Isharon Mein Dil Lene Waale, Meri Jaan Balle, Phir Thes Lagi Dil Pe, Subhan Allah, Tarif Karun Kya Uski, Kisi Na Kisise Kabhi Na Kabhi, and Balamaa Khulii Havaa Mein (Kashmir Ki Kali, 1964); “Yehi Woh Jagah Hai, Phir Miloge Kabhi, Is Baat Ka Wada Karlo, Aap Se Maine Meri Jaan Mohabbat Ki Hai, Main Shayad Tumhare Liye Ajnabi Hoon, and Mera Pyar Woh Hai Ke (Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi, 1966); Zara Haulle Haulle Challo Mere Sajna, Zulfon Ko Hata Le Chehre Se, Aaj Koi Pyar Se, Meri Jaan Tum Pe Sadhke, Jo Dil Ki Tadap Na Jane, and Khuda Huzoor Ko Meri Bhi Zindagi De De (Sawan Ki Ghata, 1966); Raaton Ko Chori Chori, Na Jaane Kyon, Mehfil Mein, Tumhari Mulaqat Se, Yeh Purnoor Chehra, Nazar Nazar Se Milaao, Tum Sab Se Haseen Ho and Kyar Cheez Ho Zaalim (Mohabbat Zindagi Hai, 1966); Chain Se Hamko Kabhi Aapne Jeene Na Diya, and Ek Tu Hai Piya Jis Pe Dil Aa Gaya (Praan Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye, 1974); Badan Gora Haseen Jalwe Tumko Deewaana Meri Jaan,Ghar Apna Bangaal Aur Bambai Mein Hai Sasuraal, Gham Yateemon Ke Jaisa Bhi Sansaar Main Koi Bachcha, Kisko Gale Lagaaye Dil Kiska Todiye, Pyaar Bhara Kajara Aankhiyon Mein Daal Ke, Saaqi Ki Nigaahon Seae Jee Hoga Kya Aage and Zulf Lehraayi To Saawan Ka Mahina Aa Gaya (Khoon Ka Badla Khoon, 1978).
As far as Hemant Kumar is concerned, other than this movie they were together in the 1955 Usha Kiran and Karan Diwan movie Bahu (Dekho dekho ji balam deke birah ke gam), 1956 movie Inspector starring Ashok Kumar and Geeta Bali (Dil chhed koi aisa nagma), 1957 movie Ek Jhalak starring Pradeep Kumar and Vyjayanthimala (Aaja zara mere dil ke sahare), 1957 movie Kitna Badal Gaya Insaan starring Ajit and Nalini Jaywant (Hai chaar din ki duniya, Kahe tadpaye kahe tarsaaye), 1957 movie Hill Station starring Shyama, Pradeep Kumar, Beena Roy (Nayi manzil nayi raahen naya hai mehrbaan apna), and 1956 movie Arab Ka Saudagar starring Pradeep Kumar and Shashikala (Tera hi aasra hai O do jahaan waale).
SH Bihari has, of course, also paired with Laxmikant Pyarelal (Naseeb Apna Apna, Janam Janam, Shoorveer, Jawab Hum Denge), Shankar Jaikishan (Pagla Kahin Ka, Jaane Anjane, Duniya), Ravi (Mehdi, Ghar Sansaar, Apna Banake Dekho), Bappi Lahiri (Kab Taq Chup Rahungi), Bulo C Rani (Madhur Milan), and Ram Ganguly (Gawiyaa with that beautiful song: Teri yaad ka deepak jalata hai).
Lets turn to the singer and composer Hemant Kumar:
“If God could sing, He would have a voice like Hemant Kumar’s”. This is how Salil Chowdhury described Hemant da’s singing. And we, who adore him, completely agree.
Hemant’s singing has the magical effect of carrying you – body, heart and soul – into the world of the song. Take Ye raat ye chandini phir kahan; and you realise that the Jaal (Net or Trap) is not just cast by Dev Anand for Geeta Bali, but that you yourself are caught in it like a struggling fish. When he goes on to sing… Taaron ki chhaon mein keh le kahaniyan…, you don’t have to imagine the scene; it unfolds before your eyes with his each word. Let’s take just one more illustrative song, a Waltzing number: Chup hai dharti chup hai chaand sitaare, mere dil ki dhadkan tujhako pukaare. Suddenly, you experience an enchanting silence wherein only thing that is awake is your soul.
It is very difficult to resist the seduction of Hemant’s Ye raat ye chandini phir kahan.
Interestingly, Hemant da has sung and composed more songs on Chand and Chup than any other. The atmosphere of moonlit night is to be enjoyed in silence and not in crescendo. For example, Lehron pe lehar, kismat hai jawan; Raaton ki sehar, chali aao yahan; Sitaare timtimaate hain to aaja aaja, Machalti jaa rahi hai ye hawaayen aaja aaja.
Hemant Kumar was a singer and composer who came alive, gently and heart warmingly at Raat (Night): Raat haseen, ye chand haseen, tu sabase haseen mere dilvar; Aur tujhase haseen tera pyaar.
Biswajeet lip-syncing (to Waheeda Rehman) Hemant Kumar’s Ye nayan dare dare in Kohraa
Is it, therefore, any surprising that he sang one of his best for a movie called Sannata (Complete Calm): Bas ek chup si lagi hai? Is it also surprising that his own film production of 1969 (he had Asit Sen (the famous director and not the comedian) directing it) was called Khamoshi (Silence)?
(Poster courtesy: Fanpop)
Raat, Khamoshi, Chandini are the themes that one can associate with Hemant Kumar:Jaadugar sainya, chhod mere bainya, ho gayi aadhi raat, ab ghar jaane de (from Hemant Kumar’s music direction Nagin), we would want to sing to him, trying to get back home. And Hemant da, in his characteristic baritone would sing back: Ek raat hoke nidar, mujhe jeene do. Life, for him, came alive, at night, like Wordsworth’s Lucy Gray:
“The stars of midnight shall be so dear, For her and she shall lean her ear, In many a secret place; Where rivulets dance their wayward round, And beauty born of murmuring sound, Shall pass into her face.”
Chand is one of the reasons the song is dear to me. It is my favourite theme in songs. My very first post on songs was on Chand songs. The very first Songs Fest that I attempted on Facebook had the theme Chand.
This song is not a duet; it has been sung separately by Lata Mangeshkar and Hemant Kumar. I am giving you both the versions.
Please enjoy this iconic song from the 1954 B Mitra movie Shart starring Shyama and Dipak, IS Johar and Shashikala, song having been penned by SH Bihari, composed by Hemant Kumar and sung by Geeta Dutt and Hemant Kumar: Na ye chand hoga….
Geeta Dutt
न ये चाँद होगा न तारे रहेंगे
मगर हम हमेशा तुम्हारे रहेंगे
न ये चाँद होगा…
नज़र ढूँढती थी जिसे पा लिया है
उम्मीदों के फूलों से दामन भरा है
ये दिन हमको सब दिन से प्यारे रहेंगे
न ये चाँद होगा…
कहूँ क्या मेरे दिल का अर्मान क्या है
तुम्हें हर घड़ी चूमना चाहता है
कहाँ तक भला जी को मारे रहेंगे
न ये चाँद होगा…
सहारा मिले जो तुम्हारी हँसी का
भुला देंगे हम सारा ग़म ज़िन्दगी का
तुम्हारे लिये हैं तुम्हारे रहेंगे
न ये चाँद होगा…
Hemant Kumar
आ…, न ये चाँद होगा, न तारे रहेंगे
मगर हम हमेशा, तुम्हारे रहेंगे
न ये चाँद होगा…
बिछड़कर चले जाएं तुमसे कहीं
तो ये ना समझना मुहब्बत नहीं
जहाँ भी रहे हम तुम्हारे रहेंगे
न ये चाँद होगा…
ज़माना अगर कुछ कहेगा तो क्या
मगर तुम न कहना हमें बेवफ़ा
तुम्हारे लिये हैं तुम्हारे रहेंगे
न ये चाँद होगा…
Besides the two reasons that I have given you for this being amongst my favourites: One, that one of the two singers singing it is Hemant Kumar and the composer being Hemant Kumar (some of the best songs of Hemant Kumar are on his own composition (such as Ye nayan dare dare, Ya dil ki suno duniyawaalo, Beqraar karke hamen youn na jayiye, Tum pukaar lo tumhaara intezaar hai, and Zindagi kitani khoobsurat hai) and two, that it is a Chand song, there is one basic reason for this song tugging at my emotions. It is a song that talks of eternal love. It equates Love to God: it would stay even after the moon and stars are no more.
And like all Hemant Kumar songs, it brings home this point quietly; like a silent resolve.
The overall effect is a song that transports one into another world; the world of total love and commitment.
OP Nayyar
Here in this song he is with Majrooh Sultanpuri
This bhajan was penned in the 15th century by 
Shamsul Huda Bihari (as given in the credits of the movie: SH Behari), 
Hemant’s singing has the magical effect of carrying you – body, heart and soul – into the world of the song. Take 
