DEBATABLE PHILOSOPHIES OF LIFE

One of the biggest truths about God’s Creation is that He/She/It made all virtues and evils Relative. The only Absolute is God Himself. Thanks to Albert Einstein, the Relativity of Time in the Universe is now somewhat well known to us. For others, please read my Absolute Virtue if you entertain any doubts.

What an essay, at the end of the year, you may remark. The fact of the matter is that end-of-the-year itself is not universal or absolute reality. It exists on Earth simply because of rotation of Earth around its axis and its revolution around the Sun. It doesn’t universally exist. It is a convenient method adopted by us to anchor our lives to a dimension called Time, which too is purely our own creation. You may argue with me that Time does exist; after all, we do get older, trains and aircraft are scheduled by hours and minutes (and sometimes seconds), we get our salaries because of it and if there was no Time, our world would collapse. Fair enough; but do remember that our invention of Time is actually an effort, on our part, to give a beginning and end to things, events and people on Earth only and has relevance only to our minuscule part of the Universe, ie, very micro part of God’s endless Creation as a whole.

One of the fundamental laws of the universe that we have discovered (not invented) is the Law of Conservation of Energy. The law of conservation of energy is a law of science that states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another or transferred from one object to another. This law of science is actually a pointer towards the ludicrousness of considering our self-invented dimension of Time so as to define beginning and end to things and people.

Einstein's Spacetime Cone (All of physical reality is contained within this cone; the region outside ("elsewhere") is inaccessible because one would have to travel faster than light to reach it. (Pic courtesy: einstein.stanford.edu)
Einstein’s Spacetime Cone (All of physical reality is contained within this cone; the region outside (“elsewhere”) is inaccessible because one would have to travel faster than light to reach it. (Pic courtesy: einstein.stanford.edu)

That leaves Events, Ideas, Thoughts, and Emotions. Lets take Events first. All Events actually result in Energy and Mass to be changed from one form to the other and hence it is covered in Law of Conservation of Energy. As far as Ideas, Thoughts and Emotions are concerned, we often claim to be the first person to have come up with a thought or idea; whereas, all these already exist in one form or the other. We only re-discover them. Mercifully, as far as emotions are concerned, we never claim to be the first persons to become angry, happy, fall in love with, hate etc. We have no idea how these evolved and who was the first person to get angry, love-stricken, hated or happy.

From my Facebook Page 'Make Your Own Quotes
From my Facebook Page ‘Make Your Own Quotes

The second last thing to consider before we take up the main discussion is whether there are any universal truths, beliefs or perceptions that have withstood the test of time. There ain’t many; not even the most sacred ones. Consider that Adam and Eve were sent on the earth and they produced a  boy and a girl. For the world to progress, this boy and girl, brother and sister, that is, must have procreated amongst themselves. Likewise, hundreds of beliefs and tenets have changed over centuries. Hence, whilst there are no Absolute Truths in Space, there are none in Time too except one.

The last thing that I want to take up is the distinction between Natural and Artificial that we have made. Natural is defined as existing in or derived from nature; not made or caused by humankind. Artificial is the exact opposite of it; made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, especially as a copy of something natural. On the easier side is the difference between natural flowers with their texture, hues and fragrance and artificial look-alike flowers. On the complex side is the natural way (fire, flood, solar-action, wind-force etc) to convert one form of energy into another and artificial way of doing it say in lighting a bulb. It becomes even more complex when we think of the fact that human beings are part of Nature and there is nothing that they can do that has Free Will (Please read: ‘How Unbiased Or Innocent Can We Become?’). Hence, if Natural is God’s Creation, accepting as something Artificial is like accepting that someone other than God can create. Let alone faith, it is against the science of law of conservation of energy. So much for the distinction between Natural and Artificial. God makes the temperature drop as we move away from the centre of the Earth (increase altitude) and away from the Sun (in earth’s elliptical orbit around the Sun); that is natural. But, we, as human beings made air-conditioning (God had no role to play in it!) and made temperature fall wherever we are even when we are closest to the Sun in the orbit of the Earth. Now, that is Artificial.

(Michaelangelo's The Procreation)
(Michaelangelo’s The Procreation)

With this background, lets look at some of the debatable philosophies of life; I call all our philosophies as philosophies of convenience to serve specific purposes or objectives. Lets examine if these are anachronisms.

Philosophy #1 We Should Be Selfless

An ideal man, it is said, is the one who is selfless. To start with, if you read ‘How Unbiased Or Innocent We Can Become?’, you would know that to be completely selfless (without ‘haume’ as Guru Granth Sahib calls it) is to find and merge with param atma. Therefore, we can only be partially selfless.

Now, lets examine how being selfless is against the grain of human nature (what a word, you may say, when seen in the light of the discussion on Natural and Artificial.

Every instinct and every reflex action of a human being, over generations and centuries, is honed towards self-preservation and survival. Indeed, Men have come up with Herculean efforts, brave and courageous acts that we have admired in furtherance of their survival instincts.

You take away self from Man and he merges with Param Atma. That means that it is not possible to be absolutely selfless for a man. Would that really be the purpose of Life that God sent us on this earth and we should always be doing everything to merge back with Him? We can only be partially selfless. However, in the bigger definition of selflessness, to do something for the betterment of one’s soul, family, nation and world still has the element of haume’ about it; one does it because it is one’s own. There is still me and mine involved in it. A mother, for example, does everything for her child; it would be somewhat more selfless if she did for other than her own child. It would be somewhat more selfless if she did it without thinking of gains for her own soul.

Philosophy #2 We Should Not Live In The Past or We Should Forget The Past

All our knowledge is in the past. The world is made safer, securer and better place to live in because of past knowledge. And yet, many of those who have the best interests of our society in mind routinely tell us to forget the past.

In our survival instincts, we are hard wired to remember the past and learn from it. We don’t have to, for example, die ourselves to learn the horrors of dying. We have knowledge of people dying and we consciously avoid all those things that can kill us; say, for example, jumping from high-rise buildings.

Think of how dangerous the world would become if all of us we were to forget the past and start discovering everything afresh. Think of how lost we would be if we were to start with a clean slate everyday or every hour. In this case, Ignorance will not be bliss.

There are people and countries such as Taliban in Afghanistan who tried to bury the past. But, these generally have disastrous results.

Another connected advice or philosophy is to live in the present. It is like living in a house made of just one straw. That’s exactly what Present is; a fleeting moment that becomes past like a bubble in a pond. Trying to capture the Present is like holding this bubble in the palm of one’s hand.

Lastly, the Past also enables us to provide an anchor to excel. So, if you are trying to break the world record in high jump, and you have been jumping, say, 6 feet, you are able to make out the gap that you must fill. Other people’s similar feats also enable us to emulate and excel.

Philosophy #3 All Men Are Born Equal

Of all the hogwash that is dished by those who are adept at making feel-good philosophies, this takes the cake.

Millions of years ago when Life started on earth, it is possible that God may have made all men equal. However, over all these years, generational and genetic memory ensured that each became unique and different. It is for this reason that even though the DNA of even twins at birth is the same, it undergoes changes as they grow up and their children do not have the same DNA.

This philosophy of convenience actually fills us with hope that we have the same chances of succeeding as, say, Bill Gates or Narendra Modi.

Every once in a while we have success stories from those who were not born with silver spoons in their mouths but did well through sheer grit and commitment. The fact is that if similar grit and commitment were displayed by the ones born with silver spoons, it would be a totally different story.

Now, I am not suggesting that it should fill each of us with defeatism that we were not born of the same mould as Ambanis or Birlas. All I am saying here is that it is okay to make peace with one’s circumstances dictated by generations of data-memory and move on to do one’s best to achieve the best under the circumstances.

Philosophy #4 As You Sow, So Shall You Reap

There is absolutely no proof of this philosophy except in folklore. It appears to be a plaintive cry for divine justice by the meek and the downtrodden and fills him with hope when he sees that the thugs, ruffians, and cheaters in the world seem to be doing well in comparison to the good guys. The latter imagine the former burning in the fires of the hell and paying for their sins.

In South India there is a respectable chain of restaurants. At the entrance of these restaurants is a picture of the founder with huge sandalwood garland around it. You are filled with great respect for the man whose vision, sagacity and generosity enabled him to set up mass eating joints at affordable prices. Decades later many had forgotten that he had spent time in jail for making counterfeit money and that he was enjoying the fruits of his earlier labour after his jail term.

These days, the rich and the influential don’t even have to go to jail before enjoying the fruits of their deceit and swindles.

In a recent article titled ‘Is Truth Worth Fighting For?’ I had concluded that all that the conscientious and the saintly do get is the hope that, in the end, they would die happily. So the reward for them to have spent their lives in constant toil and misery is the promise of happiness when the body and soul part. Some compensation that.

Most people are nowadays already aware of it and leave the count of those that live wretchedly but are promised happy deaths.

When the evil don’t appear to be getting just punishments, we cover it up by saying that someone somewhere in one of their previous lives has done something good or that they would suffer in their next lives.

The charade goes on.

It is absolutely debatable whether your deeds, good or bad, will repay you in kind.

It is time we found a new philosophy.

Philosophy #5 Religions Started Centuries Back Should Be Preserved Till The End of the World

Lastly, all present major religions in the world are based on the premise that God or Son of God arrived in this world only during a certain period of time in history, started the religion for all times to come and all those who are loyal adherents of these religions are pious and righteous. The rest are as good or bad as pagans. God will one day punish the non-believers.

The followers of all major religions also believe in and practice the philosophy that even violence and war, in the name of God and Religion are just and justified. Hence, Religion and God are worth laying down lives for – one’s own and those of one’s enemies.

Lastly, the followers of all major religions in the world believe that since the founders of the religions were God or descendants, these have been writ in stone and nothing in these should ever change.

From my Facebook Page: Make Your Own Quotes
From my Facebook Page: Make Your Own Quotes

In my ‘Whose God Is It Anyway?’ I had brought out that when, for example, Mohammad told his followers that men should marry many women, he had in mind the war widows of the 7th century AD in Arabia who were young and required shelters, which could be provided to them if men married them. He won’t have made this as a law for all times to come.

There, I have given you at least five philosophies and beliefs that are debatable and suffer from obsolescence. Let me hear your views, if you so desire, in the comments below.

Beliefs, perceptions and philosophies take a long time changing. Why, even expressions do. We still use the expression, for example, skeletons in the cupboard though the last person to see them must have been a hundred years ago.

From my Facebook Page: Make Your Own Quotes
From my Facebook Page: Make Your Own Quotes

It is high time we change them in keeping with the modern times. Please remember that when religions were founded they changed the existing beliefs and philosophies of those times. It can’t, therefore, be sacrilegious to do so.

Happy new year 2016 to all my readers and friends.

 

EK AUR NAYA SAAL AA RAHA HAI

एक और नया साल आ रहा है,
वादी – ए – दिल पे भंवरा मंडरा रहा है I

नया वादा – ए – आरज़ू है, नया दिल – पसंद है,
खुशियों के ख़ज़ाने भर के ला रहा है I

यादों के जज़ीरे खड़ा कर गया जो,
वह माज़ी के धुंदले में कदम बढ़ा रहा है I

“अलविदा दोस्तों, इक रोज़ मैं भी नया था यहाँ”,
यह कह के उदास ओ तनहा वह जा रहा है I

दुनिया में हर नयी चीज़ का यही तो है अंजाम,
बुत – तराश अपनी ही तख़लीक़ पे मुस्करा रहा है I

लाल ओ गौहर तख़्त – ए – ताऊस किस के रहें हैं हरदम,
जो आ रहा था कल, आज वह भी जा रहा है I

जनाज़ा – ए – क़दीम है पर माहौल – ए – जष्न है,
यही ज़िन्दगी का पहलू हमें समझा रहा है I

ज़िन्दगी में नए की तमन्ना बेशक करना, ऐ रवि,
पर ना भूलना कभी जो पुराना सिखा रहा है I

image

Ek aur naya saal aa raha hai,
Waadi-e-dil pe bhanvra mandra raha hai

Naya vaada-e-aarzoo hai, naya dil-pasand hai,
Khushiyon ke khazaane bhar ke laa raha hai

Yaadon ke jazeere khada kar gaya jo,
Woh maazi ke dhundle mein kadam badha raha hai

“Alvida dosto, ik roz main bhi naya tha yahan”,
Yeh keh ke udaas o tanha woh jaa raha hai

Duniya mein har nayi cheez ka yehi to hai anjaam,
But-taraash apani hi takhleek pe muskara raha hai

Laal o gauhar takht-e-taa.uus kis ke rahen hain hardam,
Jo aa raha tha kal, aaj woh bhi jaa raha hai

Janaaza-e-qadeem hai par mahaul-e-jashn hai
Yahi zindagi kaa pehlu hamen samajha raha hai

Zindagi mein naye ki tamanna beshaq karna, ai Ravi,
Par naa bhoolana kabhi jo maazi sikha raha hai

AAP KE EHSAANO KI HADD PAAR HO GAYI

आप के एहसानो की हद्द पार हो गयी,
गरीब की यह दुनिया माला – माल हो गयी

तन्हाईयों की दौलत का न था नाम – ओ – निशाँ,
अब यूं मिली है कि शाम शर्मसार हो गयी

यूं तो ज़िन्दगी में ग़म यहाँ वहां पढ़े थे,
तुमने दिए कुछ ऐसे कि ग़म – ए – बहार हो गयी

अपने ही अश्क़ों की कीमत का न था हमें एहसास,
आँख खुश्क हुई तो देखा तंग – हाल हो गयी

मासूमियत – ए – मोहब्बत पे बहुत नाज़ था हमें,
तेरी महफ़िल में जाने क्यों गुनाहगार हो गयी

दिल की धड़कन को अपनी ज़मानत समझते थे,
रफ्ता रफ्ता वह भी तेरी तरफदार हो गयी

सोचता हूँ, रवि, कैसे बचा रखूं इसे,
मेरी ज़िन्दगी की दौलत सर – ए – बाज़ार हो गयी

Aap ke ehssano ki hadd paar ho gayi,
Gareeb ki yeh zindagi maala-maal ho gayi.

Tanhaayiyon ki daulat ka na tha naam-o-nishaan,
Ab youn mili hai ke shaam sharamsaar ho gayi.

Youn to zindagi mein gham yahan wahan padhe the,
Tumane diye kuchh aise ke gham-e-bahaar ho gayi.

Apane hi ashqon ki keemat ka na tha hamen ehsaas,
Aankh khushk hui to dekha tung-haal ho gayi.

Masoomiat-e-mohabbat pe bahut naaz tha hamen,
Teri mehfil mein jaane kyun gunaahgaar ho gayi.

Dil ki dhadkan ko apani zamaanat samajhate the,
Rafta rafta woh bhi teri tarafdaar ho gayi.

Sochata hoon, Ravi, kaise bacha rakhun isse,
Meri zindagi ki daulat sar-e-bazaar ho gayi.

SADHANA – DIL ABHI BHARA NAHIN!

Sadhana – We can’t believe it; it is shocking beyond words. We knew you were battling with cancer; but, still it is shocking beyond words to let you go.

Last night, my wife Marilyn and I returned from what should have been Midnight Mass for Christmas, at 10:30 PM. Silent night, holy night, cannot be allowed to break the peace of Mumbaites beyond 10 PM, once in a year, since they are a very silent community. They never make noise during any of the other religious festivals beyond 10 PM, not on the roads, not in the parks and other public places in the open and hence cannot make an exception for Christmas.

Anyway, our Midnight Mass having finished at 10 PM, I had lot of time at home and so I thought of seeing this Raj Khosla movie that I had missed seeing during my young days: Woh Kaun Thi (Who Was She)? Sadhana played Sandhya in the movie and carried the movie virtually on her shoulders with the strength of her histrionics and enigmatic charm.

My hair now stand on their ends when I think of the fact that when she sang, in the movie: “Lag jaa gale ke phir ye haseen raat ho na ho, shaayad is janam mein mulaqaat ho naa ho“, she actually meant that it was her last night in real world too.

Sadhana1

I have never come across such a strange coincidence in my life; the kind that makes me shiver now after hearing about her demise a few hours ago.

The best of Lata Mangeshkar songs have been picturised on her including the three (the first three in the list) from the movie that I finished seeing at about 1:37 AM today:

  1. Lag jaa gale se.
  2. Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim.
  3. Jo hamane dastaan apani sunaayi aap kyun roye.
  4. Chanda ja re ja re (from Manmauji that she did with Kishore Kumar).
  5. Main to tum sang nain mila ke (from Manmauji).
  6. Naino mein badra chhaye (Mera Saya with Sunil Dutt).
  7. Tera mera pyaar amar phir kyun mujhako lagata hai dar (Asli Naqli with Dev Anand).
  8. O sajana barkha bahaar aayi (Parakh with Motilal).
  9. Tu jahan jahan chalega mera saya saath hoga (Mera Saya)

And, hold your breath, my most liked song in Hindi movies: Mere mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam is also acted upon by her in the movie Mere Mehboob that had one of her best roles as Husna to Rajendra Kumar as Anwar. Indeed, you need to see this song from Mere Mehboob and another one: Yaad mein teri jaag jaag ke ham, to see the dignity, charm, elegance and beauty that she brought to acting. Anwar only saw her through the burqa (veil) once and that changed his life; that was supposed to be the effect of her striking beauty.

I am shocked beyond words.

Here is how I shall always remember her. This song that is probably her best was written by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and had been composed in the Raag of my place: Raag Pahadi by none other than Madan Mohan and sung by Lata for her; each word now has another sublime meaning after she left us suddenly.

Please listen to this in Sadhana’s memory: Lag jaa gale ke phir ye haseen raat ho na ho….

Lag jaa gale ki phir ye hasii.n raat ho na ho
Shaayad phir is janam me.n mulaaqaat ho na ho
Lag jaa gale se …

Hamako milii hai.n aaj, ye gha.Diyaa.N nasiib se
Jii bhar ke dekh liijiye hamako qariib se
Phir aapake nasiib me.n ye baat ho na ho
Phir is janam me.n mulaaqaat ho na ho
Lag jaa gale ki phir ye hasii.n raat ho na ho

Paas aaiye ki ham nahii.n aae.nge baar-baar
Baahe.n gale me.n Daal ke ham ro le.n zaar-zaar
Aa.Nkho.n se phir ye pyaar ki barasaat ho na ho
Shaayad phir is janam me.n mulaaqaat ho na ho

Lag jaa gale ki phir ye hassii.n raat ho na ho….

Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin

You decided to leave us, Sadhana on this Christmas day; but, the fact is that we wish we could sing, as Dev Anand did in Hum Dono, for you: Abhi na jaao chhod kar ke dil abhi bhara nahin.

And how can dil bhar jaata? When we loved you so much. You brought in your acting so much of charm, romanticism, elegance and beauty that to call you stunning would be an understatement. Coincidentally, for all of us who hail from Simla, the first major movie of yours was Love in Simla with Joy Mukherjee in 1959. Woh Kaun Thi and Anita were also shot in Shimla in parts.

You dared to be different and not just with your haircut which came to be known as Sadhana cut.

This was the most popular duet of our times and I was fortunate to have heard Rafi and Asha Bhosle live singing it.

Being an evening song, Jaidev composed it in Raag Kalyan. It has the lyrics by a favourite poet and lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi.

Here is to you Sadhana, a plea that you cannot hear anymore: Abhi naa jaao chhod kar ke dil abhi bhara nahin…..

ra: abhii na jaao chho.D kar ke dil abhii bharaa nahii.n – (2)
abhii abhii to aaii ho – abhii abhii to
abhii abhii to aaii ho, bahaar banake chhaaii ho
havaa zaraa mahak to le, nazar zaraa bahak to le
(ye shaam Dhal to le zaraa – 2), ye dil sambhal to le zaraa
mai.n tho.Dii der jii to luu.N, nashe ke ghuu.NT pii to luu.N
nashe ke ghuu.NT pii to luu.N
abhii to kuchh kahaa.Nahii.n, abhii to kuchh sunaa nahii.n
abhii na jaao chho.Dakar ke dil abhii bharaa nahii.n

aa: sitaare jhilamilaa uThe, sitaare jhilamilaa uThe, charaaG jagamagaa uThe
bas ab na mujhako Tokanaa
bas ab na mujhako Tokanaa, na ba.Dhake raah rokanaa
agar mai.n ruk ga_ii abhii to jaa na paauu.Ngii kabhii
yahii kahoge tum sadaa ke dil abhii nahii.n bharaa
jo khatm ho kisii jagah ye aisaa silasilaa nahii.n
ra: abhii nahii.n abhii nahii.n
aa: nahii.n nahii.n nahii.n nahii.n
ra: abhii na jaao chho.Dakar ke dil abhii bharaa nahii.n

ra: adhuurii aas, adhuurii aas chho.Dake, adhuurii pyaas chho.Dake
jo roz yuu.Nhii jaaogii to kis tarah nibhaaogii
ki zi.ndagii kii raah me.n, javaa.N dilo.n kii chaah me.n
ka_ii muqaam aae.nge jo ham ko aazamaae.nge
buraa na maano baat kaa ye pyaar hai gilaa nahii.n
aa: haa.N, yahii kahoge tum sadaa ke dil abhii nahii.n bharaa
ra: haa.N, dil abhii bharaa nahii.n
aa: nahii.n nahii.n nahii.n nahii.n

For an actress who started as a chorus girl in one of the songs in a Raj Kapoor movie, the 1955 movie Shree 420 (the song being Mud mud ke naa dekh mud mud ke), you came a long way off to become one of the most loved actresses of your times. After the release of your 1959-60 movie Love in Simla wherein you acted opposite Joy Mukherjee (in his debut movie) since the movie was directed by his uncle Sashadhar Mukherjee (Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar and Anoop Kumar’s brother in law), you acted in Bimal Roy’s Parakh (1960 movie) opposite Motilal.

Another best song of Lata Mangeshkar was picturised on you and that song happens to be the best in Hindi movies on rain. The song was penned by the great lyricist Shailendra (Raj Kapoor’s find in the movies) and composed in Raag Khammaj by Salil Chowdhury who composed many of his songs on Western Classical beats.

Yes, I am talking about the song: O sajana, barkha bahaar aayi….(its composition is so great that when it comes to Aise rimjhim mein ho sanam, pyaase pyaase mere nayan, you can actually imagine the pitter patter of rain even if you don’t understand the words).

Here is, remembering you, Sadhana, with the best rain song ever: O sajana, barkha bahaar aayi…

(o sajanaa, barakhaa bahaara aaI
rasa kii phuhaara laaI, a.Nkhiyo.n me pyaar laaI ) – 2
o sajanaa

tumako pukaare mere mana kaa papiharaa – 2
miiThii miiThii aganii me.n, jale moraa jiyaraa
o sajanaa …

(aisI rimajhima me.n o saajan, pyaase pyaase mere nayana
tere hii, khvaaba me.n, kho gae ) – 2
saa.nvalii salonii ghaTaa, jaba jaba chhaaI – 2
a.Nkhiyo.n me.n rainaa gaI, nindiyaa na aaI
o sajanaa …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=zSEV7-CqhwI

At a very early stage in her acting career, she acted in a Bimal Roy movie and Bimal Roy’s movies used to have focus on women such as Bandini and Madhumati. However, the person who made a trilogy on her in movies based on the mystery woman was Raj Khosla. He took her in the 1964 movie Woh Kaun Thi, 1966 movie Mera Saya and 1967 movie Anita.

Mera Saya repeated the Lyricist – Music Director team of Raja Mehdi Ali Khan (my second most favourite lyricist after Shakeel Badayuni) and they gave some beautiful songs picturised on her: Jhumka gira re, the title song: Tu jahan jahan chalega mera saya saath hoga, and my favourite: Naino mein badra chhaye.

Naino mein badra chhaye was composed by Madan Mohan in Raag Bhimpalasi and till today remains one of the top songs of Lata Mangeshkar.

Please enjoy, thinking of Sadhana: Naino mein badra chhaye…

naino.n me.n badaraa chhaae, bijalii sii chamake haae
aise me.n balam mohe, garavaa lagaa le
naino.n me.n…

madiraa me.n Duubii a.Nkhiyaa.N
cha.nchal hai.n dono.n sakhiyaa.N
Dhalatii rahe.ngii tohe
palako.n kii pyaarii pakhiyaa.N
sharamaa ke de.ngii tohe
madiraa ke pyaale
naino.n me.n…

prem diivaanii huu.N me.n
sapano.n kii raanii huu.N mai.n
pichhale janam se terii
prem kahaanii huu.N mai.n
aa is janam me.n bhii tuu
apanaa banaa le
naino.n me.n…

Sadhana was born in a Sindhi family in Karachi on 02 Sep 1941. Post partition riots saw the family shift from Karachi to Bombay and that is where all her life was spent. Sadhana married her Love in Simla (her first movie as heroine) director Ram Krishna Nayyar on 7 March  1966. They were married for nearly thirty years, until his death in 1995 from asthma. The couple had no children. After her retirement from the movies (Geeta Mera Naam was her last movie in 1974, a film that she directed), she declined to be photographed and lived like that in her Santa Cruz flat. And the reason for not being photographed post retirement was because she wanted to be remembered as she was in the movies. And that’s why, in today’s tribute, within a few hours of her death, I have tried to remember her by some of the roles that she did.

 

Here is one that has stayed in my mind. It is from her 1969 movie Inteqaam (Revenge) (directed by her husband RK Nayyar) in which she acted as Rita Mehra a poor girl looking after her sick mother. She was out to take revenge because after her refusal to entertain a rich businessman, her boss managed to send her to jail for one year on trumped up charges of theft.

And here is her revenge song that was quite popular in our era (she feigned drunkenness to bring the high society to mother earth). The song was penned by Rajinder Krishan (responsible with Madan Mohan for half of Lata’s Top Ten songs) and it was composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal.

Please see Sadhana perform in feigned drunken stupor: Kaise rahun chup ke maine pi hi kyaa hai hosh abhi taq hain baaqi…aur zara si dede saaqi…

kaise rahuu.N chup ki maine pii hii kyaa hai
hosh abhii tak hai baaqii
aur zaraa sii de-de saaqii aur zaraa sii aur
kaise rahuu.N chup …

muddato.n kii pyaas aaj ek jaam ban ga_ii
ye Kushii kii shaam shaam-e-intaqaam ban ga_ii
jo baat hamame.n tumame.n thii vo baat aam ban ga_ii
kaise rahuu.N chup …

pataa hai tumako raaz kyaa hai mere is suruur kaa
ke is suruur me.n zaraa saa ra.ng hai Guruur kaa
jo maine pii to kyo.n nashaa utar gayaa huzuur kaa
kaise rahuu.N chup …

The 1963 movie Mere Mehboob saw her at her elegant best. The title song in Raag Jhinjhoti was sung separately, in the movie, by both Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana. It was such a great song by Shakeel, Naushad, Rafi and Lata, that I can never bring myself to actually post it lest I should do dishonour to the song by my ignorance or inanity.

However, in order to depict her characteristic elegance in the movie, I am able to give you another song: Yaad mein teri jaag jaag ke hum….

yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham
raat bhar karavaTe.n badalate hai.n
har gha.Dii dil me.n terI ulfat ke
dhiime dhiime chiraaG jalate hai.n

jabase tUne nigaah pherii hai
din hai suunaa to raat a.ndherii hai
chaa.Nd bhI ab najar nahii.n AtA
ab sitaare bhI kam nikalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …

luT gayii vo bahaar kI mahafil
chhuT gayii hamase pyaar kI ma.nzil
zi.ndagii kI udaas rAho.n me.n
terI yaado.n ke sAth chalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …

tujhako paakar hame.n bahaar milii
tujhase chhuTakar magar ye baat khulii
baaGabaan hii chaman ke phuulo.n ko
apane pairo.n se khud masalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …

kyA kahe.n tujhase kyuu.n huii duurii
ham samajhate hai.n apanii majabuurii
tujhako maaluum kyA ke tere liye
dil ke gam aa.Nsuo.n me.n Dhalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …

Fianlly, to remember her by, let me give you a song from her 1962 movie Manmauji that she did with Kishore Kumar. Old timers would remember Kishore Kumar’s comic and popular number from the movie: Zaroorat hai zaroorat hai zaroorat hai, ik shrimati ki, kalawati ki, sewa kare jo pati ki; a vacuous fantasy in the modern world.

This song put together by Rajinder Krishan, Madan Mohan and Lata Mangeshkar for her continues to be the kind of song Sadhana would have wanted to be remembered by: young, romantic, intense and with histrionics that made her fans like me lose their hearts to her.

Please enjoy: Main to tum sang nain mila ke….

mai.n to tum sa.ng, nain milA ke ##(slow)##
hAr gaI sajanA, ho, hAr gaI sajanA
mai.n to tum sa.ng, nain milA ke
hAr gaI sajanA, ho, hAr gaI sajanA

kyU.N jhUThe se prIt lagAI – 2
kyU.N chhaliye ko mIt banAyA
kyU.N A.ndhI me.n dIp jalAyA
mai.n to tum sa.ng …

sapane me.n jo bAG lagAe
nI.nd khulI to vIrAne the
ham bhI kitane dIvAne the
mai.n to tum sa.ng …

nA milatI.n ye bairan a.NkhiyA.n
chain na jAtA dil bhI ne rotA
kAsh kisI se pyAr na hotA
mai.n to tum sa.ng …

Truly Sadhana, abhi gayi ho tum chhod ke, par dil abhi bhara nahin.

 

IS TRUTH WORTH FIGHTING FOR?

Some of my most favourite Hindi movies songs have been penned by Shakeel Badayuni and have Naushad’s music. This has been sung by my favourite singer Hemant Kumar and picturised on the village school teacher Abhi Bhattacharya in 1961 movie Ganga Jamuna:

Insaaf kii Dagar pe, bachcho.n dikhaao chal ke
Ye desh hai tumhaaraa, netaa tumhii.n ho kal ke

Duniyaa ke ra.nj sahanaa aur kuchh na mu.Nh se kahanaa
Sachchaaiyo.n ke bal pe aage ko ba.Dhate rahanaa
Rakh doge ek din tum sa.nsaar ko badal ke
Insaaf kii …

Apane ho.n yaa paraae sabake liye ho nyaay
Dekho kadam tumhaaraa haragiz na Dagamagaae
Raste ba.De kaThin hai.n chalanaa sambhal-sambhal ke
Insaaf kii …

Insaaniyat ke sar par izzat kaa taaj rakhanaa
Tan man bhii bhe.nT dekar Bharat kii laaj rakhanaa
Jiivan nayaa milegaa a.ntim chitaa me.n jal ke,
Insaaf kii …

Abhi Bhattacharya teaching village school children to follow the path of Justice and Truth (Pic courtesy: You Tube)
Abhi Bhattacharya teaching village school children to follow the path of Justice and Truth in the movie Ganga Jamuna (Pic courtesy: You Tube)

India had become a free nation less than a decade and half back and there was heady idealism in the air. These young ignited minds of our villages (India lives in its villages!) were being taught to walk on the path of Truth and Justice unwaveringly so as not just to become future netas of the country but also be filled with the promise of changing the world.

Mahatma Gandhi’s My Experiments With The Truth and Satyagraha goaded us to always seek the Truth and be counted amongst men of stature. Our schools, wherein mottoes generally adorned the walls, had Truth is God and God is Truth painted across in large letters.

It was a lofty objective but there was a sizable number of people who still believed in the Truth and saw merit in fighting for it.

It wasn’t as if that was an ideal or idealist India; the Truthful were then too poor and miserable and Liars ruled then too and lived in comfort and luxury. The path of Truth was then too more difficult than the path of Evil. The difference is that it wasn’t considered totally impractical or to be jeered at as something bereft of realities of life. Those who walked on the path of Truth were respected.

Recently, when actor Salman Khan was acquitted of all charges against him for negligently and drunkenly driving his Land Rover, late night in 2002, that went out of control on to a footpath and killed a labourer sleeping there, there was a public outcry about whether the surviving family of the victim should have sought Justice and Truth or should have shamefacedly accepted the underhand compensation that the accused would have given them and which, allegedly, would have led to the case being allowed to go awry after having been proved beyond reasonable doubts in the High Court judgment of 06 May 2015 that sentenced him to five years imprisonment? It seems that they and others involved with the case followed the more practical path than insaaf ki dagar.

A few years back a person that I am related to accepted compensation for his young son having been killed in a road accident when it was clearly the other party’s fault. I was shocked. But then my relation explained that the family had belatedly made peace with their fate and gotten over the initial trauma; and, they didn’t want to subject themselves to the trauma of seeking justice through the Indian courts.

In April 2012 I wrote an article titled ‘The Great Indian Judicial Circus‘ to bring out the true face of the Indian judicial system. I had brought out that seeking Justice through such a system is not just naive but extremely frustrating, humiliating and devoid of all dignity.

Recently, I started seeing on my computer (through Internet) old Hindi movies that I had missed out during my younger days. In many of these, a barrister was always depicted as a person of high repute. Take Adalat and Mamta as just two examples. Pradeep Kumar in the former and Ashok Kumar in the latter return after their law education in London and on return occupy a most revered position in the society. Their personal integrity and morals were supposed to be beyond reproach. Before that, we had the lofty example of the great barristers like MK Gandhi, BR Ambedkar, Chittranjan Das, Vallabhai Patel, Motilal Nehru, and others whose value system is worth emulating.

IndiaTv9a388a_BR_Ambedkar

What about now? The present day lawyer or advocate is as far from seeking Truth and Justice as can get. Indeed, one of the major reasons that the Indian judicial system is in such a mess is because of the avarice of the Indian lawyer (Please also read: ‘Why Do Indian Lawyers Behave Like Gods?’).

It is because of the Indian judicial system that if you started a case in order to seek justice, it or other cases arising out of it would be pending for the rest of your life whilst both the contending lawyers would have made more money through your cases than your original loss against which you sought justice. The Salman Khans of the nation do not have cases pending against them because their money power ensures that they get expedient justice whilst some 46 Lakh cases are pending in the High Courts and thousands in the Supreme Court. But, if you are an ordinary citizen, to your original misfortune (against which you seek justice) is added the misfortune that you pay for in terms of money, loss of peace, dignity, physical and mental health.

The judicial system provides for judicial immunity enjoyed by the judges and others employed by the judiciary from liability resulting from their judicial actions. Cases where the judges have misused this immunity are increasingly surfacing in the media and public debate nowadays. But immunity generally does extend to all judicial decisions in which the judge has proper jurisdiction, even if a decision is made with “corrupt or malicious intent”. More and more cases are coming out in the open these days wherein the judges had been bought.

My family in general and I in particular have been at the receiving end of trying to get justice through the court for someone having encroached upon our land in Himachal in the year 1999, sixteen years back. We are now mired in so many cases that the original case (five times decreed in our favour but repeatedly challenged in higher court by the other party because of loopholes provided by the lawyers and/or the judges) is now relatively insignificant. The closest analogy that comes to one’s mind is that of making you forget your headache by hitting yourself hard on the toe with a hammer. That, in a nutshell, is the essence of seeking Truth and Justice through the corrupt and inefficient Indian judicial system.

“War” said Herman Wouk, “Is a terrible business in which thousands get killed and you are damn glad you are not one of them”. Likewise, if you have never been a victim of the Indian judicial system you are likely to have that superior air about you and look down at others who are forced to seek Truth and Justice through the system.

All seekers of Justice and Truth through the unending loop of Indian judicial system are not just ridiculed constantly for their impracticability; but also sneered at for not having evolved with the society. You are roughly in similar position as a rape victim. But, whilst people have at least sympathy for rape victims, no one has sympathy for you for being so obdurate as persisting with seeking Truth and Justice through the Indian system.

For the number of years – decades really – when you are fighting for Truth and Justice and your case drags on, you lose sleep, peace, money, dignity, reputation, respectability and as I brought out earlier, physical and mental health. Any time between one-third to half your life is spent in abject misery.

And, what is the reward waiting for you for having been loco enough to follow the path of Truth? Well, the song itself tells you:

Jeevan naya milega, antim chita mein jalake
(A new life after cremation!)

The 1957 V Shantaram movie had this very popular hymn penned by Bharat Vyas:

Ai maailik tere bande hum
(O, Master, we are your people)
Aise hon hamaare karam
(Our deeds should be such that)
Neki par chalen, aur badi se taren
(We should tread the path of Goodness and shun the Evil)
Take hanste huye nikale dum
(So that we should die happily)

Dying happily; is that all that one would hope to get after living in abject misery for greater part of one’s life fighting for Truth and Justice?

Two stark examples come into my mind. One is about the whistle blowers in our country who have sought the difficult, tedious and now increasingly dangerous path of Truth. Their antim chita (cremation) has been much sooner than expected. And second, about the fate of Right To Information activists; many of them lost dum (breath) in Maharashtra alone (just like the police protection officer did later who was traveling with Salman Khan on that fateful night in 2002 in his Land Rover) and one can only hope that they did so hanste huye (happily).

As the Indian society plunges further into the cesspool of hopelessness (today’s news, for example, brings out that 77 percent Indians live in various grades of poverty as per international norms) and more and more districts abandon the Indian law (already in about one-third of our districts, the Maoist belt that is, Indian rule of law, justice and governance is negligible), we have to find newer ways to convince people that virtues and human values still have a place in our society. Fighting for Truth and Justice through the Indian system is already a dodo.

How many more have written such 'stories' after he wrote?
How many more have written such ‘stories’ after he wrote?

THE BEST RAAGA BASED SONGS IN HINDI MOVIES – RAAGA BHIMPALASI – PART I

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 12th Raaga: Raag Bageshri. I have already given you blogs on Raaga Bhairavi, Yaman or Kalyan, Jhinjhoti and Darbari Kanada; which make only four of the twelve Raagas. This means that I am well behind schedule.

Tonight we start with our fifth Raag: Raag Bhimpalasi. Raag Bhimpalasi is an afternoon raaga, sung from late afternoon to sunset, Bhimpalasi is poignant and passionate, filled with yearning. The raga is reputed to reduce tension and short temper.

Bhimpalasi5

Now look at the cover picture depicting the song Khilate hain gul yahan khilake bikharane ko. You get the yearning, the longing, the passion and the poignancy. I have always given you, in the cover pictures of the Raagas, what I feel is the song that comes nearest to the description of the Raaga.

The Raaga is in Thaat Kafi. The other Raagas in Thaat Kafi are Pilu, Kafi and Bageshri. Raag Bhimpalasi is sung in Bhakati, Shringar and Vir ras.

Bhimpalasi6

Song #1 Khilate hain gul yahan khil ke bikharane ko…

Sharmilee, the 1971 movie, has Rakhee‘s double role as Kamini (the bad girl) and Kanchan (the innocent one). Shashi Kapoor as Captain Ajit Kapoor falls in love with Kamini when he is returning from Army base and takes shelter in a rest house whereat Kamini and her friends are having a party. It is snowing outside and in order to warm up the party, he sings this song for them. Kamini and Ajit instantly fall in love.

The song has Neeraj‘s lyrics and SD Burman‘s music. It is one of the most passionate songs Kishore Kumar ever sang.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Khilate hain gul yahan khilake bikharne ko…..

khilate hai.n gul yahaa.N, khilake bikharane ko
milate hai.n dil yahaa.N, milake bichha.Dane ko
khilate hai.n gul yahaa.N …

(kal rahe naa rahe, mausam ye pyaar kaa
kal ruke na ruke, Dolaa bahaar kaa ) – (2)
chaar pal mile jo aaj, pyaar me.n guzaar de
khilate hai.n gul yahaa.N …

jhiilo.n ke ho.nTho.n par, megho.n kaa raag hai
phuulo.n ke siine me.n, Tha.nDii Tha.nDii aag hai
dil ke aaine me.n tuu, ye samaa utaar de
khilate hai.n gul yahaa.N …

pyaasaa hai dil sanam, pyaasii ye raat hai
ho.nTho.n me dabii dabii, koii miiThii baat hai
in lamho.n pe aaj tuu, har khushii nisaar de
khilate hai.n gul yahaa.N …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=HBgKPyi1aXA%3Ffs

Song #2 Aa neele gagan tale pyaar ham karen….

Poignant, passionate, filled with yearning….here is another very good example of it except that I couldn’t find its original video and picture. It has recently assumed iconic proportions as the number one Hindi song for Valentines day.

The song speaks of Shankar Jaikishen‘s excellence in Raaga based songs and Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar‘s excellence in romantic duets. Hasrat Jaipuri‘s lyrics are so exquisite that they leave you with stunning beauty that stays with you forever. The name of this 1954 movie is Baadshah starring Pradeep Kumar and Usha Kiran.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Aa neele gagan tale pyaar ham Karen….

aa niile gagan tale pyaar ham kare.n
hil mil ke pyaar kaa iqaraar ham kare.n
aa niile …

ye shaam kii belaa ye madhur mast nazaare
baiThe rahe.n ham yuu.Nhii.n baaho.n ke sahaare
vo din naa aae intazaar ham kare.n
aa niile gagan …

do jaa.n hai.n ham aise mile ek hii ho jaae.n
Dhuu.NDhaa kare duniyaa hame.n ham pyaar me.n kho jaae.n
bechain bahaaro.n ko gulazaar ham kare.n
aa niile gagan tale …

tuu maa.Ng kaa sinduur tuu aa.Nkho.n kaa hai kaajal
le baa.ndh le haatho.n ke kinaare se ye aa.Nchal
saamane baiThe raho shrR^i.ngaar ham kare.n
aa niile gagan tale …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WnOFZw8wElg%3Ffs

Song #3 Naino mein badara chhaye bijli si chamake haay…

Some of Lata Mangeshkar‘s best songs are picturised on the actress Sadhana. Of course this one is composed by her “bhaiyya” Madan Mohan who was steeped in Raagas. Indeed, on my cellphone, when I listen to this song, I also listen to Lata Mangeshkar’s introduction about how Madan bhaiyya bled from his hand when in disgust he hit it against a glass door; the disgust caused by Madan Mohan observing that some of his musicians were playing against the beat of the Raaga!

The song for which Madan Mohan injured his hand was this song for the 1966 movie Mera Saya. Raja Mehdi Ali Khan penned the lyrics.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Naino mein badra chhaye….

naino.n me.n badaraa chhaae, bijalii sii chamake haae
aise me.n balam mohe, garavaa lagaa le
naino.n me.n…

madiraa me.n Duubii a.Nkhiyaa.N
cha.nchal hai.n dono.n sakhiyaa.N
Dhalatii rahe.ngii tohe
palako.n kii pyaarii pakhiyaa.N
sharamaa ke de.ngii tohe
madiraa ke pyaale
naino.n me.n…

prem diivaanii huu.N me.n
sapano.n kii raanii huu.N mai.n
pichhale janam se terii
prem kahaanii huu.N mai.n
aa is janam me.n bhii tuu
apanaa banaa le
naino.n me.n…

https://youtube.com/watch?v=moLtGICevDY%3Ffs

Song #4 Maine chand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi….

Okay, we have just started with this Raag and taken up only SD Burman, Shankar Jaikishen and Madan Mohan so far.

Lets take up a beautiful song composed by N Dutta now. Remember N Dutta? He had that beautiful numbers of Dhool Ka Phool to his credit: Dhadakane lage dil ke taaron ki duniya and Tere pyaar ka aasra chahata hoon and some other excellent numbers such as Tang aa chuke hain kashmekash zindagi se ham.

This one sung by Mohammad Rafi is amongst his best. It was there in the 1956 movie Chandrakanta. Lyrics are by Sahir Ludhianvi. The song is picturised on Bharat Bhushan. Once again, I am sorry I couldn’t find the original video but you may listen to and enjoy the song.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Maine chand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi…..

(mai.n ne chaa.Nd aur sitaaro.n kii tamannaa kii thii
mujhako raato.n kii siyaahii ke sivaa kuchh na milaa ) – 2
mai.n ne chaa.Nd sitaaro.n …

mai.n vo naGamaa huu.N jise pyaar kii mahafil na milii
vo musaafir huu.N jise koii bhii manzil na milii
zakhm paae.n hai.n bahaaro.n kii tamannaa kii thii
mai.n ne chaa.Nd sitaaro.n …

kisii gesuu kisii aa.Nchal kaa sahaaraa bhii nahii.n
raaste me.n koii dhu.Ndhalaa saa sitaaraa bhii nahii.n
merii nazaro.n ne nazaaro.n kii tamannaa kii thii
mai.n ne chaa.Nd sitaaro.n …

merii raaho.n se judaa ho gaI raahe.n unakii
aaj badalii nazar aatii hai.n nigaahe.n unakii
jisase is dil ne sahaaro.n kii tamannaa kii thii
mai.n ne chaa.Nd sitaaro.n …

pyaar maa.Ngaa to sisakate hue aramaan mile
chain chaahaa to uma.Date hue tuufaan mile
Duubate dil ne kinaaro.n kii tamannaa kii thii
mai.n ne chaa.Nd sitaaro.n …

dil me.n naakaam ummido.n ke basere paaye
roshanii lene ko nikalaa to a.ndhere paaye
ra.ng aur nuur ke dhaaro.n kii tamannaa kii thii
mai.n ne chaa.Nd aur sitaaro.n …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=e_Dqn-SLK2w%3Ffs

Song #5 Afsaana likh rahi hoon dil-e-beqraar kaa…

How many of you know that the very first song of my favourite lyricist and poet Shakeel Badayuni was composed by his mentor and music director Naushad Ali in Raag Bhimpalasi?

It is from the 1947 movie Dard starring Suraiyya and Munnavar Sultana and was sung by Uma Devi (who later assumed the name of Tun Tun).

By this time you have guessed the song; haven’t you?

Yes, I am talking about: Afsaana likh rahi hoon dil-e-beqraar kaa…..

afasaana likh rahii huu.N (2) dil-e-beqaraar kaa
aa.Nkho.N me.n ra.ng bhar ke tere i.ntazaar kaa
afasaanaa likh rahii huu.N

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

https://youtube.com/watch?v=D7XJy4bSNRY%3Ffs

Song #6 Kuchh dil ne kaha, kuchh bhi nahin….

Now that we have taken a song of Shakeel Badayuni, I am tempted to give one of my other favourite: Hemant Kumar; but, this time as music director.

This is from the 1966 movie Anupama with Sharmila Tagore in the title role. She became a recluse in the movie because her father Tarun Bose lost her mother during her delivery and hence her father hates her. Dharmendra as a poet and writer tries to bring her out of her shell. The movie had a remarkably beautiful song sung by Hemant Kumar: Yaa dil ki suno duniya waalo.

This was the first attempt by Hrishikesh Mukherjee to pair together Sharmila Tagore and Dharmendra. So impressed was he with their performance that he did a number of movies with them together such as Chupake Chupake and called this the best pairing in Hindi films. Interestingly, both Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore celebrated their 80th and 71st birthdays respectively day before yesterday.

Kaifi Azmi‘s lyrics and Lata Mangeshkar‘s singing are both superb too.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Kuchh dil ne kaha, kuchh bhi nahin….

kuchh dila ne kahaa, kuchha bhii nahii.n – 2
aisii bhii baate.n hotii hai.n – 2
kuchha dila ne kahaa, kuchha bhii nahii.n

letaa hai dila a.nga.Daa_iyaa.n, isa dila ko samajhaaye koI
aramaana naa aa.Nkhe.n khola de.n, rusavaa naa ho jaaye koI
palako.n kii Tha.nDii seja para, sapano.n kii pariyaa.n sotii hai.n
aisii bhii baate.n hotii hai.n – 2
kuchha dila ne kahaa, kuchha bhii nahii.n

dila kii tassalii ke liye, jhuuThii chamaka jhuuTh nikhaara
jiivana to suunaa hii rahaa, saba samajhe aayii bahaara
kaliyo.n se koii puuchhataa, ha.nsatii hai.n yaa rotii hai.n
aisii bhii baate.n hotii hai.n – 2
kuchha dila ne kahaa, kuchha bhii nahii.n

https://youtube.com/watch?v=69dnqIFfrnE%3Ffs

Song #7 Mere mann ka bawra panchhi…

In two days of songs based on Raag Bhimpalasi, I have given you songs by six music directors: SD Burman, Shankar Jaikishen, Madan Mohan, N Dutta, Naushad and Hemant Kumar.

Lets proceed further. The first music director of tonight is C Ramchandra. This song is a tribute to the South Indian actress Padmini and her dancing skills (you may recall her from the Raj Kapoor starrer Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai). The name of this 1958 movie is Amardeep starring Dev Anand, Padmini and Vyjaynthimala. Lyrics of this song were by Rajendra Krishan.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Mere mann ka bawra panchhi….

mere man kaa baavaraa pa.nchhii kyo.n baar baar Dole -2
sapano.n me.n aaj kis kaa vo bahake pyaar Dole
mere man kaa …

kis ke khayaal me.n ye nazare.n jhukii jhukii hai.n -2
dekho idhar bhii lab par aahe.n rukii rukii hai.n -2
tum ho qaraar jis dil kaa -2
vahii beqaraar Dole
mere man kaa …

dil ko lagan hai usakii miiThii nazar hai jisakii -2
ham paas hai.n tumhaare phir dil me.n yaad hai kis kii -2
tum jo nazar milaao -2
dil me.n bahaar Dole
mere man kaa …

kab se kha.De hue hai.n kah do to lauT jaae.n -2
tumhe duur hii se dekhe.n har dil na paas aaye -2
aa.Nkho.n me.n zi.ndagii bhar tak -2
teraa i.ntazaar Dole
mere man kaa …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=hAFZCN1DwX0%3Ffs

Song #8 Mere pyaar woh hai ke mar ke bhi tumako….

I hope you liked the last song with Lata singing for Padmini and on C Ramchandra’s music.

Lets turn to our eighth music director composing in Raag Bhimpalasi. The pairing of Lyricist SH Bihari with Music Director OP Nayyar in the 1964 movie Kashmir Ki Kali produced some of the most enchanting songs in Hindi movies. Two years later, they were back in Ye Raat Phir Na Aayegi, which, just like Kashmir Ki Kali starred Sharmila Tagore but, instead of Shammi Kapoor, having Biswjeet as the hero.

The song is one of the best songs of Mahendra Kapoor.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Mera pyaar who hai ke mar ke bhi tumako….

merA pyAr vo hai ke, mar kar bhI tum ko ##(slow)##
judA apanI bAho.n se hone na degA
merA pyAr vo hai ke, mar kar bhI tum ko
judA apanI bAho.n se hone na degA
milI mujhako jannat to jannat ke badale
khudA se merI jA.n tumhe.n mA.ng legA
merA pyAr vo hai

zamAnA to karavaT badalatA rahegA
nae zindagI ke tarAne bane.nge
miTegI na lekin muhabbat hamArI
miTAne ke sau sau bahAne bane.nge
haqIkat hameshA haqIkat rahegI
kabhI bhI na isakA fasAnA banegA
merA pyAr vo hai ke …

tumhe.n chhIn le merI bAho.n se koI
merA pyAr yU.n besahArA nahI.n hai
tumhArA badan chA.ndanI Ake chhUle
mere dil ko ye bhI gavArA nahI.n hai
khudA bhI agar tumase Ake milegA
tumhArI qasam hai merA dil jalegA
merA pyAr vo hai ke …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=R9xoj0E3ZOo%3Ffs

Song #9 Tu kahan yeh bata iss nasheeli raat mein…

Lets now turn to a movie partly shot in my home station Shimla. It is a Dev Anand, Nutan movie Tere Ghar Ke Saamne; just like another movie Manzil starring both of them that too was shot in Shimla: Manzil with the Hemant Kumar number: Yaad aa gayin wo nasheeli nigaahen.

Being a Dev Anand Movie, it wasn’t surprising to have SD Burman as the music director (Indeed Hum Dono was a rare Dev Anand starrer that had Jaidev’s music).

In Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Nutan has travelled to Shimla from Delhi. Dev Anand follows her on a scooter. In Shimla she cannot be found. So Dev Anand sings this song to find her and of course, by the end of the song, finds her!

Lyrics are by Hasrat Jaipuri and Mohammad Rafi is the singer.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Tuu kahan yeh bata is nasheeli raat mein….

tuu kahaa.N, ye bataa, is nashiilii raat me.n
maane naa meraa dil diivaanaa
haay re … maane naa meraa dil diivaanaa

he … ba.Daa naTakhaT hai samaa – 2
har nazaaraa hai javaa.N
chhaa gayaa chaaro.n taraf, merii aaho.n kaa dhuaa.N
dil meraa, merii jaa.N, naa jaanaa … tuu kahaa.N …

o o … aaii jab Tha.nDii havaa – 2
maine puuchhaa jo pataa
vo bhii kataraake gaI, aur bechain kiyaa
pyaar se, tuu mujhe, de sadaa … tuu kahaa.N …

he … chaa.nd taaro.n ne sunaa – 2
in bahaaro.n ne sunaa
dard kaa raag meraa, rahaguzaaro.n ne sunaa
tuu bhii sun, jaaneman, aa bhii jaa … tuu kahaa.N …

o o … pyaar kaa dekho asar – 2
aae tum thaame jigar
mil gaI aaj mujhe, merii manachaahii Dagar
kyuu.N chhupaa, ek jhalak, phir dikhaa … tuu kahaa.N …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=wUgMMgANjV0%3Ffs

Song #10 Chalo ik baar phir se ajnabi ban jaayen hum dono…

Nine directors so far who have composed in Raag Bhimpalasi: SD Burman, Shankar Jaikishen, Madan Mohan, N Dutta, Naushad, Hemant Kumar, C Ramchandra, OP Nayyar and SD Burman.

Our tenth one is my namesake Ravi and this is really one of his best, as also the best of the lyricist Sahir Ludhainvi and singer Mahendra Kapoor. It is from the 1963 movie Gumraah starring Sunil Dutt, Mala Sinha and her husband in the movie Ashok Kumar.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Chalo ik baar phir se….

chalo ik baar phir se, ajanabii ban jaae.n ham dono
chalo ik baar phir se …

na mai.n tumase koI ummiid rakhuu.N dilanavaazii kii
na tum merii taraf dekho galat a.ndaaz nazaro.n se
na mere dil kii dha.Dakan la.Dakha.Daaye merii baato.n se
na zaahir ho tumhaarii kashm-kash kaa raaz nazaro.n se
chalo ik baar phir se …

tumhe.n bhii koI ulajhan rokatii hai peshakadamii se
mujhe bhii log kahate hai.n ki ye jalave paraae hai.n
mere hamaraah bhii rusavaaiyaa.n hai.n mere maajhii kii – 2
tumhaare saath bhii guzarii huii raato.n ke saaye hai.n
chalo ik baar phir se …

taarruf rog ho jaaye to usako bhuulanaa behatar
taalluk bojh ban jaaye to usako to.Danaa achchhaa
vo afasaanaa jise a.njaam tak laanaa naa ho mumakin – 2
use ek khuubasuurat mo.D dekar chho.Danaa achchhaa
chalo ik baar phir se …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=cE5q9kst-Zc%3Ffs

Song #11 Koi nahin hai phir bhi hai mujhako…..

Lets take our eleventh composer composing a song in Raag Bhimpalasi. We have Laxmikant Pyarelal. It is a song from the 1967 movie Patthar Ke Sanam starring Waheeda Rehman and Manoj Kumar. She is alone in the hills but she has a strange waiting for someone. Majrooh‘s lyrics are exquisite and so is Lata Mangeshkar‘s singing.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Koii nahin hai phir bhi hai mujhako….

ko_ii nahii.n hai phir bhii hai mujhako -2
kyaa jaane kisakaa i.ntazaar ho o o
ko_ii nahii.n hai phir bhii hai mujhako
kyaa jaane kisakaa i.ntazaar ho o o
ye bhii naa jaanuu.N laharaa ke aa.Nchal
kisako bulaaye baar baar

sochuu.N ye hai.n ungaliyaa.N kisake pyaar kii
gaalo.n ko chhuye jo Daalii bahaar kii
chhuye jo Daalii bahaar kii
sochuu.N ye hai.n ungaliyaa.N kisake pyaar kii
kaun hai ai hawaa ai bahaar

ko_ii nahii.n hai phir bhii hai mujhako
kyaa jaane kisakaa i.ntazaar -2

paanii me.n chhabii mai.n dekhuu.N kha.Dii kha.Dii
baalo.n me.n sajaa ke kaliyaa.N ba.Dii ba.Dii
sajaa ke kaliyaa.N ba.Dii ba.Dii
paanii me.n chhabii mai.n dekhuu.N kha.Dii kha.Dii
phir banuu.N aap hii bekaraar

ko_ii nahii.n hai phir bhii hai mujhako
kyaa jaane kisakaa i.ntazaar -2

waadii me.n nishaan mere hii paa.Nv ke
phuulo.n pe hai.n ra.ng merii hii chhaa.Nv ke
hai.n ra.ng merii hii chhaa.Nv ke
waadii me.n nishaan mere hii paa.Nv ke
phir bhii kyuu.N aaye naa aitabaar

ko_ii nahii.n hai phir bhii hai mujhako
kyaa jaane kisakaa i.ntazaar ho o o
ye bhii naa jaanuu.N laharaa ke aa.Nchal
kisako bulaaye baar baar
kyaa jaane kisakaa i.ntazaar -2

https://youtube.com/watch?v=iDNbYdrUTFo%3Ffs

Song #12 Le to aaye ho hamen sapno ke…

Our last composer for the day composing in Raag Bhimpalasi is Ravindra Jain. I am really very fond of this song as I saw the movie with my parents in my home place. Lyrics are also by Ravindra Jain and the voice is that of Hemlata.

The name of the movie is the 1977 movie: Dulhan Wohi Jo Piya Man Bhaaye.

Please enjoy in Raag Bhimpalasi: Le to aaye ho hamen sapano ke gaanv mein….

le to aaye ho hame.n sapano.n kii gaa.Nv me.n
pyaar kii chhaa.Nv me.n biThaaye rakhanaa
sajanaa o sajanaa …

tumane chhuaa to taar baj uThe man ke
tum jaisaa chaaho rahe vaise hii ban ke
tum se shuruu, tumhii.n pe kahaanii khatm kare
duujaa na aaye koii naino ke gaa.Nv me.n
le to aaye ho hame.n …

chhoTaa saa ghar ho apanaa, pyaaraa saa jag ho
koii kisii se pal bhar na alag ho
isake sivaa ab duujii koii chaah nahii.n
ha.Nsate rahe ham dono.n phuulo.n ke gaa.Nv me.n
le to aaye ho hame.n …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FgEfO7XGycg%3Ffs

There then, that’s my first dozen songs set in Raag Bhimpalasi. This forms the Part I of this blog.

Please await another dozen songs in Part II.

SHARING SONGS ON FACEBOOK

There is a craze on the Facebook to put up old Hindi songs, particularly to share the addresses of the web page (Uniform Resource Locators or the URLs) of the songs. Many groups have mushroomed. In most of these, I have seen, people just share the URL and then the comments follow such as “wow”, “nice”, “love it” and “Dev Anand looks so handsome”.

A few years back I too started a group titled Dil Ki Nazar Se. The song group, with its name having been taken from the title of a duet from Raj Kapoor’s 1959 classic movie Anaadi, was sought to be a group with a difference. I encouraged people to really appreciate various facets of a song; eg, lyrics, music, voice, and actors. Hence, we started paying tributes to lyricists, music directors, singers and actors on their birthdays and death anniversaries. In addition, I started off with music fests on particular themes at least once in a month.

Dil Ki Nazar Se: An enchanting Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh duet from the 1959 Raj Kapoor classic Anaadi.
Dil Ki Nazar Se: An enchanting Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh duet from the 1959 Raj Kapoor classic Anaadi.

And then I came to the difficult part; which is, to request members to put up descriptions whilst sharing the URLs of songs. Facebook and most other social-media has its popularity based on the concept of instant posts; somewhat akin to fast-food. Anything that requires time to either put up or read is not welcome/popular. I have come across even majority of the blogs that are not more than a paragraph; do not share product of any deep study, research or analysis but simply publicity gimmicks (Please read: ‘Blogging – Race Or Stampede‘). Regrettably, many of these, though dumb, are very popular. The fact of the matter is that if you do anything mediocre, the vast mediocrity is instantly on your side since it identifies with it.

I had to leave the group Dil Ki Nazar Se since there was great resistance and aversion to putting up descriptions with the songs. However, I do not give up. I started another group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne with its title taken from the title of another famous duet between Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar singing for Dev Anand and Usha Kiran in the 1953 movie Patita.

A commemorative mug made on the occasion of the first Meet of the group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne in Mumbai on Sunday, 01 Nov 15
A commemorative mug made on the occasion of the first Meet of the group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne in Mumbai on Sunday, 01 Nov 15

20151013_161420Like King Bruce’s spider, this time I tasted success. There were members willing to put up descriptions; to give out information and learn from the descriptions of others.

We have evolved over a period of time. I am glad that most of the members have now realised that the presentation of a song is much more important than the song URL that they post. The reason is that Facebook is a social media and hence we must socially share what that song means to us.

Whilst there cannot be a uniform yardstick for presentations, I normally look for the following:

1. Member’s personal linkage to that song. It doesn’t always have to be a story or an anecdote. One of the members, Evani Leela’s descriptions in Hindi are a joy to read. She invariably brings out what happens to her when she listens to the song. Another member, Sumedha Nair, for example, even honoured us by sharing her own Hindi poem regarding liberation of women whilst posting Waheeda Rehman’s Guide number: Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai, aaj phir marne ka iraada hai (Kaanton se kheench je ye aanchal). Raj Dutta and Vipan Kohli invariably personalise their descriptions and hold everyone’s attention.

2. Information about the song regarding how it was made, actors, singers, lyricist, composer, locale, period etc. One person who has excelled in this is Surekha Saini. Her information is never copy pasted but personalised. It helps us to learn about, eg, the genre’ of the song being presented by her. Sometimes, when lyrics of a song are not available, she has written the lyrics by listening to the song and providing her own translation too?

3. Any tidbits about any of the people connected with the song. You can find these by doing research on the net itself. For example, “Naushad and Shakeel stayed awake the whole night to change a single line in the Mughal-e-Azam song Jab pyaar kiyaa to darna kyaa. One person who has excelled in this is Vipan Kohli. Indeed, he started putting up songs with interesting tidbits by listening to television programmes.

4. Raaga in which the song was composed. Any other similar songs in that Raaga.

5. Genre’ of the music in the song, eg, Salil Chowdhury came up with a beat based on Western classical music and maintained that from Dil tadap tadap ke keh raha hai to Chhoti chhoti si baat. Or that N Dutta’s Dhool Ka Phool song: Dhadakane lagi dil ke taaron ki duniya was based on a Polish marching beat.

6. What are the lyrics are trying to convey? For example, Meera Bai’s Ghunghat ke pat khol tujhe piyaa milenge is not a raunchy number. Here the comparison is between ghunghat ke pat and the veils that an ordinary person has over the eyes of his/her mind that block God. Or Akbar Allahabadi’s Hubgama hai kyun barpa thodi si jo pi li hai…what hungama is he talking about?

7. The story line in the movie that led to the song. For example, Mamta’s song “Rehate the kabhi jinake dil mein hum jaan se bhi pyaaron ki tarah, baithe hain unahi ke kuuche mein hum aaj gunahgaaron ki tarah.” Can you ever think of putting it or similar number by omitting to tell what transpired from past happy situation to present sadness?

Suchitra Sen emoting on Rehate the kabhi jinake dil mein in the 1966 movie Mamta
Suchitra Sen emoting on Rehate the kabhi jinake dil mein in the 1966 movie Mamta

8. Awards and honours won by the song or those connected with the song; eg, Kahin deep jale kahin dil won for Shakeel Badayuni a Filmfare award for Best Lyrics. Or, that character actor Pran declined his award for Best Supporting Actor for that year when Ghulam Muhammad was ignored by the jury as best music director for Pakeezah.

9. Comparison with an earlier version of the same song or movie; eg, Devdas, Parineeta, and Inhi logon ne…

10. Why did you choose the song over others?

This process has really enriched us in our song group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne. Perhaps, you can take a cue from this in your own song groups and encourage descriptions whilst sharing songs on Facebook.

UNAKE KHAYAAL DIL MEIN MEHMAAN BAN KE REHATE HAIN

उनके ख़याल दिल में मेहमान बन के रहते हैं,
क्या क्या सितम हम उनके लिए सुबह ओ शाम सहते हैंI

मैंने तो घर खाली करने का notice भी दे दिया,
“दो रोज़ और रहेंगे” हर बार यही कहते हैंI

सूखी वीरान बस्ती की शिकायत वह करते हैं,
कैसे कहूँ के अश्क़ मेरे ज़ार ज़ार बहते हैं?

दिल के गरीबखाने पे ताला लगा दूँ मैं क्या?
पर उनहे कैसे बेदखल करूँ जो पहले ही से रहते हैं?

मेरे ही घर में मुझको अब पनाह नहीं कबूल,
मेरे ही दिल से मुझको जाने के लिए कहते हैंI

No Room in Heart

Unake khayaal dil mein mehmaan ban ke rehate hain,
Kyaa kyaa sitam hum unake liye subah o shaam sehte hain.

Maine to ghar khaali karne kaa notice bhi de diya,
“Do roz aur rahenge” har baar yahi kehte hain.

Sookhi veeraan basti ki shikaayat woh karte hain,
Kaise kahun ke ashq mere zaar zaar behte hain?

Dil ke gareebkhaane pe taala laga doon main kyaa,
Par unahe kaise bedakhal karun jo pehle hi se rehate hain.

Mere hi ghar mein mujhako ab panaah nahin kabool,
Mere hi dil se mujhako jaane ke liye kehte hain.

TIME AND RAINBOW

It suddenly appeared across the hill, across the river and the rocks. Before it appeared in its seven visible vibgyor colours, there was a wedding of giddad-giddadi (he and she jackal); as was the folklore to describe rain and sun appearing together.

It appeared so near and yet so far. As a young boy I ran after it, to catch it in my little soiled hands, to bathe in its vivid hues, even to climb up and look down on the world through its prism. At that time it appeared far; it was near when I didn’t want to own it, when I wasn’t very conscious of its existence; it was far when it crept over my consciousness, when I wanted to hold it and possess it.

I have had the same experience with Time.

Before I lost myself in the rapid whirlpool of later-life Time, it flowed like a gentle stream. Indeed, at times it stood still and placid like a pond, like a lake. I didn’t know how much of it I had but it appeared vast, endless, infinite.

I played lukan-chhipi (hide n seek) with my friends and graduated to marbles, gilli-danda, football and cricket. I was small but Time was big. It was everywhere and totally free. I bought kaafal (a type of berry sold near my school, Vijay High School, Mandi), ice on stick, and an anna a booklet of film-songs lyrics. But, I never had to buy Time.

Perhaps because it was freely available, I didn’t place too much of value on it. As a young boy, I read Herman Wouk’s Caine Mutiny and as was normal for me during those days, finished it in a night’s time. How much I still remember; I am surprised. “Wasted hours” it said somewhere in the book, “Are just as painful in the beginning as in the end; only, in the end, it becomes more apparent”.

And now, looking back in time, that halcyon period of my life, when I had all the Time in the world, passed so quickly. I never tried to catch it but it appeared and disappeared like a rainbow; it was here a moment ago: red, orange, yellow and so on and now it is gone; not even the fading colours beyond violet and below red are there now.

Last to last night I saw the Hindi movie Maya that I wanted to see with its beautiful Salil da numbers based on Western classical music beats: Tasveer teri dil mein, jis din se banaayi hai and Jaa re jaa re udd jaa re panchhi. It turned out to be a trash movie and I rued the two and a half hours’ time that I wasted watching it. Two and half hours; in my boyhood days, I used to spend many times that time just day dreaming, writing worthless poetry or catching butterflies.

It is the same sand, passing through the same small opening in the hour-glass; why does it appear to be draining out much faster now? There appears to be lots to do and very little Time to do it. How do I slow it down? Should I catch it now before it gets still faster and makes me akin to a twig being pushed through the flow against my wish? Did I ever have the power to slow it, to stop it; if not to reverse it? Could I have ever caught the rainbow?

Hour Glass

I don’t even think about how it would have been if I had thought, planned and done things differently. I am not even filled with ‘If Only’ regrets. But, it still gnaws me to think about whether I ever had the power to do things independently in my own way or whether I have been in a puppet in the hands of Time, trying to catch rainbows and doing things what have been writ for me including writing this article?

ज़िन्दगी में
ज़िन्दगी की तलाश में
ज़िन्दगी को पाने के लिए
कहाँ कहाँ नहीं गया?
क्या क्या ना किया?
पल पल, छिन छिन,
ज़िन्दगी मोम की तरह
पिघलती रही
ना जाने क्या थी?
ना जाने क्या है?
चंद लम्हे और मिल जाते
लौ कुछ और देर जलती
फिर क्या होता?
वक़्त का सितम
ठहर जाता क्या?
यादों के मरहले
खड़े होके क्या ना बिखरते?
कौस-ओ-क़ज़ाह
हाथ में आ जाता क्या?
ख्वाब की
ख़याल की
सराब की
असलियत समझ आ जाती क्या?
किस को मिली है आज़ादी
वक़्त की ज़ंजीरों से?
कौन समझा  है?

Sand castle

Zindagi mein
Zindagi ki talaash mein
Zindagi ko paane ke liye
Kahaan kahaan nahin gaya?
Kyaa kyaa na kiyaa?
Pal pal, chhin chhin,
Zindagi mome ki tarah
Pighalti rahi.
Naa jaane kyaa thi?
Naa jaane kyaa hai?
Chand lamhe aur mil jaate
Lau kuchh aur der jalati
Phir kyaa hota?
Waqt ka sitam
Thehar jaata kyaa?
Yaadon ke marhale
Khade hoke kyaa na bikharte?
Qous-o-qazah
Haath mein aa jaata kyaa?
Khwaab ki
Khayaal ki
Saraab ki
Asleeyat samajh aa jaati kyaa?
Kis ko mili hai azaadi
Waqt ki zanjeeron se?
Kaun samajha hai?

RHYTHM HOUSE, KALA GHODA, MUMBAI TO SHUT DOWN!

I can’t believe it. It has been such a landmark for us in South Bombay, within walking distance of the Naval Dockyard. I have spent hours going through and buying music at Rhythm House.

We are a family of music lovers. We have neither been rich nor poor. In our middle-class hand to mouth existence, music has been food for us – food for soul that is.

I can relate dozens of anecdotes about this music shop but the one that best describes our junoon concerns my younger brother Dr JP Singh.

I was a Lieutenant posted on INS Talwar as Signal Communication Officer (SCO), on my first posting after undergoing the Long C course at Signal School, Cochin.

JP, my younger brother, was studying in St Xavier’s College, graduating in Economics.

Salaries, at that time, used to be dispersed in cash. I used to get about 1400 rupees in hand, which was enough for me to pay for mess, wines, movies and other sundry expenses to keep body and soul together. JP used to receive money orders from our dad to pay for his studies, hostel etc.

One day, in the beginning of the month, on a make and mend day (Wednesdays and Saturdays are called make and mend days in the navy, from the days of the sail when sailors used to make and mend their sails in the afternoons on these days. Nowadays, these are just half days), I had retired in the afternoon to my cabin after the three Bs: that is, Bridge, Beer and Biriyani.

Sleep had just settled over me like fog over the hills when there was a knock at the door. I opened the door and there stood JP. He had bluffed his way at Lion Gate security and had reached the ship entirely unescorted; an impossibility these days of heightened security.

He was visibly shaken. He said his Money Order from home hadn’t arrived and since he hadn’t paid the hostel mess bill, they were at the verge of throwing him out. I was aghast at their cruelty about throwing out my younger just because his payment was delayed by a few days. But, it came out that JP, due to “some urgency”, hadn’t paid the bill for the last two months.

I reasoned it out with him that although I had just got my salary, I too hadn’t yet paid my mess and wine bills and that’s all the money I had.

He countered that by saying since I was on “permanent (he stressed on this word) commission” in the navy, they were unlikely to throw me out whereas he would be out on the street.

I relented and after keeping just a hundred rupees with me, gave him the remaining money. I went to sleep after seeing him off.

I had merely dosed off, when after about 30 minutes or so, there was another knock and there stood JP again, holding dozens of Long Playing (LP) records in both hands and arms. He wanted keys to our wardroom turn-table so that he could play them. This was his story:

“Bhaiyya, after getting money from you, I didn’t take a cab or bus back to the hostel. I said to myself that it is my bhaiyya’s hard-earned money and I have no right to waste it on cabs and buses. So, I started walking back to the hostel. On the way, at Rhythm House, what did I see? There was a sale of records. I peeped in just to have a look and found that all my favourite records were being sold at half the price. I said to myself I would indeed save huge amount of money if I were to buy the complete lot. So, that’s exactly what I did.”

Rhythm HouseIn the next few days we listened to all the records over and over again and got our money’s worth of fun. With the hundred rupees that I had kept with me, I went to the Central Telegraph Office, booked a call to dad and got him five hours after booking the call. I managed to convey to him to expedite sending money to JP. Until then, we lived on love and fresh air and music.

And now, they are thinking of closing down Rhythm House. Why couldn’t the idea occur to them when JP was walking back from my ship to his hostel in St Xavier’s on that make and mend day in 1981?

P.S. To be fair to JP, I might as well admit that if our positions were reversed, the chances of my doing anything different were remote. All’s well that ends well. After a week or ten days, dad’s money order arrived (the only order from my dad that I really liked) and the rhythm of our life was restored.

THE BEST RAAGA BASED SONGS IN HINDI MOVIES – RAAGA DARBARI KANADA – PART II

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 11th Raaga: Raag Gara. I have already given you blogs on Raaga Bhairavi, Yaman or Kalyan, and Jhinjhoti. This means that I am well behind schedule.

Anyway, lets re-start with our fourth Raaga here: Raag Darbari Kanada; I have already given you Part I of this blog.

Raag Darbari Kanada

After Bhairavi and Yaman or Kalyan, I have chosen to give you songs composed in Raag Darbari Kanada. Darbari Kanada, or simply Darbari, (pronounced darbāri kānada), is a raga in the Kanada family, which is thought to have originated in Carnatic music and brought into North Indian music by Miyan Tansen, the legendary 16th-century composer in emperor Akbar’s court. This tradition is reflected in the name itself; Darbar is the Persian derived word in Hindi meaning “court.” As the most familiar raga in the Kanada family, it may sometimes also be called Shuddha Kanada or pure Kanada. It belongs to the Asavari thaat.

It is also sometimes written as Durbari and Durbarikanada.

Raag Darbari Kanada1Lets recommence listening to Raag Darbari Kanada based songs. We have so far listened to the following in Part I:

  1. Sarfroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai.
  2. O duniya ke rakhwaale.
  3. Tora man darpan kehlaaye.
  4. Main nigaahen tere chehre se hataayun kaise.
  5. Dil jalata hai to jalane de.
  6. Ye hawa ye raat ye chandni.
  7. Tu pyaar ka saagar hai.
  8. Ghunghat ke pat khol re.
  9. Satyam shivam sundaram.
  10. Meri vinti suno Bhagwan.
  11. Toote huye khwaabon ne.
  12. Teri duniya mein dil lagata nahin.

Here is then, the 13th Hindi song composed in Raag Darbari Kanada:

Song #13 Hum tumase juda hoke mar jaayenge ro ro ke…

Fifth day of Raag Darbari based songs. Lets turn to our 13th music director: Usha Khanna. I have taken this from the 1965 Feroze Khan movie Ek Sapera Ek Lutera that he did with Kumkum. Asad Bhopali penned the lyrics and Mohammad Rafi sang it. The song was quite popular during our days.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Ham tumase judaa hoke mar jaayenge ro ro ke…..

ham tumase judaa ho ke mar jaa_e.Nge ro-ro ke -2
mar jaa_e.Nge ro-ro ke

duniyaa ba.Dii zaalim hai dil to.D ke ha.Nsatii hai -2
ik mauj kinaare se milane ko tarasatii hai
kah do na ko_ii roke -2
ham tumase judaa …

vaade nahii.n bhuule.nge kasame.n nahii.n to.De.nge -2
ye tay hai ki ham dono.n milanaa nahii.n chho.De.nge
jo rok sake roke -2
ham tumase judaa …

sochaa thaa kabhii do dil milakar na judaa ho.nge
maaluum na thaa ham yuu.N naaqaam-e-vafaa ho.nge
qismat ne.n di_e dhokhe
ham tumase judaa …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=xOFwVg-02Xo%3F

Song #14 Tumhen zindagi ke ujaale mubarak….

What about Kalyanji Anandji; you are bound to ask me? Well, he too composed in this royal raaga and did it very well indeed. This is also from a 1965 movie. The movie was called Purnima and starred, if you recall, Dharmendra and Meena Kumari. Mukesh sang for him. Lyrics were penned by Gulzar.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Tumhen zindagi ke ujaale mubaarak….

tumhe.n zindagii ke ujaale mubaarak
a.ndhere hame.n aaj raas aa ga_e hai.n
tumhe.n paa ke ham Kud se duur ho ga_e the
tumhe.n chho.Dakar apane paas aa ga_e hai.n
tumhe.n zindagii ke …

tumhaarii vafaa se shiqaayat nahii.n hai
nibhaanaa to ko_ii ravaayat nahii.n hai
jahaa.N tak qadam aaa sake aa ga_e hai.n
a.ndhere hame.n aaj …

chaman se chale hai.n ye ilzaam lekar
bahut jii li_e ham teraa naam lekar
muraado.n kii ma.nzil se duur aa ga_e hai.n
a.ndhere hame.n aaj …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4Iq_pfISaEc

Song #15 Suhaani chandini raatein hamein sone nahin detin…

Talking about Mukesh, 12 years after Purnima and more than 30 years after he started singing for Hindi movies, he still had the same voice. In the 1977 movie Mukti starring Shashi Kapoor and Vidya Sinha, he sang this beautiful number that became very popular indeed. It was put together by Anand Bakshi and RD Burman.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Suhaani chandini raaten hamen sone nahin deti….

suhaanii chaa.Ndanii raate.n, hame.n sone nahii.n detii.n
tumhaare pyaar kii baate.n, hame.n sone nahii.n detii.n
suhaanii chaa.Ndanii raate.n, hame.n sone nahii.n detii.n

tumhaare reshamii julfo.n me.n dil ke phuul khilate the
inhii.n phuulo.n ke mausam me.n ham tum bhii milate the
puraanii vo mulaakaate.n, hame.n sone nahii detii.n
tumhaare pyaar kii baate.n, hame.n sone nahii.n detii.n
suhaanii chaa.Ndanii raate.n …

kahii.n aisaa n ho laga jaaye aag dil me.n paanii se
badal le raastaa apanaa ghaTaae.n meharabaanii se
ki yaado.n kii ye barasaate.n, hame.n sone nahii.n detii.n
tumhaare pyaar kii baate.n, hame.n sone nahii.n detii.n
suhaanii chaa.Ndanii raate.n …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FKsIfx0GrBk%3F

Song #16 Mere mehboob na jaa, aaj ki raat naa jaa…

Sixth day of Raag Darbari based songs in which we already have taken up 15 composers: Prem Dhawan, Naushad Ali, Ravi, Madan Mohan, Anil Biswas, Sajjad, Shankar Jaikishen, Bulo C Rani, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Hemant Kumar, Salil Choudhury, Roshan, Usha Khanna, Kalyanji Anandji and RD Burman.

I am going to turn to two relatively modern composers now and one not heard much.

Lets first turn to the relatively unknown one: Jani Babu Qawwal whose qawwali Damadam mast kalandar was very popular but who composed only one popular song in Hindi movies; the one in 1965 movie Noor Mahal. This was written by Saba Afghani and sung by Suman Kalyanpur. The movie starred Jagdeep and Chitra.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Mere mehboob naa jaa, aaj ki raat na jaa….

mere mahabuub na jaa, naa jaa naa jaa
mere mahabuub na jaa, aaj kI raat na jaa
hone vaalI hai sahar, tho.DI der aur Thahar
mere mahabuub na jaa …

dekh kitanaa hasIn mausam hai
har taraf ik ajIb aalam hai
jalave is taraha aaj nikhare hai.n
jaise taare zamI.n pe bikhare hai.n, mere mahabuub …

mai.nne kaaTe.n hai.n intazaar ke din
tab kahii.n aaye hai.n bahaar ke din
yU.N naa jaa dil ki shamaa gul kar ke
abhI dekhaa nahI.n hai jI bhar ke, mere mahabuub …

jab se zulfo.n kii chhaa.Nv paaI hai
beqaraarI ko nI.nd aaI hai
is taraha mat jaa yU.NhI sone de
raat Dhalane de subaha hone de, mere mahabuub …

is tarah pher kar nazar mujh se
dUr jaaegaa tU agar mujhase
chaa.NdanI se bhI aag barasegI
shammaa bhI roshanI ko tarasegI, mere mahabuub …

dhaDkano.n me.n yahii taraane hai.n
tere rukane ke sau bahaane hai.n
mere dil kii zaraa sadaa sun le
pyaasii nazaro.n kii iltajaa sun le, mere mahabuub …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=KVt7eG4AyWw%3F

Song #17 Dekha hai pehli baar saajan ki aankhon mein pyaar…

Lets turn to the two relatively modern composers now: Composer #17 and 18. The first one is Nadeem Shravan and once again, the song is a favourite from the 1991 movie Saajan starring Madhuri Dixit with Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt.

As with many of Nadeem Shravan songs, the lyrics are by Sameer. Singers are Alka Yagnik and SP Balasubramaniam.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari Kanada: Dekha hai pehli baar, saajan ki aankho mein pyaar….

dekhaa hai pahalii baar saajan kii aa.Nkho.n me.n pyaar
tab jaa ke aayaa mere bechain dil ko karaar
dilabar tujhe milane ko kab se thaa mai.n bekaraar
ab jaa ke aayaa mere bechain dil ko karaar
dekhaa hai pahalii baar …

palake.n jhukaa_uu.n tujhe dil me.n basaa_uu.n
ab bin tere mai.n to kahii.n chain na paa_uu.n
tuu mera jigar hai tuu merii nazar hai
tuu merii aarazuu tuu meraa hamasafar hai
dekhaa hai pahalii baar …

merii adaa_e.n ye merii javaanii
bas tere li_e hai ye merii zi.ndagaanii
tuu merii gazal hai tuu meraa taraanaa
aa terii dha.Dakano.n pe likh duu.N dil kaa fasaanaa
dekhaa hai pahalii baar …

dekhaa hai pahalii baar jaanam kii aa.Nkho.n me.n pyaar
tab jaa ke aayaa mere bechain dil ko karaar
dilabar tujhe milane ko kab se thii mai.n bekaraar
ab jaa ke aayaa mere bechain dil ko karaar
dekhaa hai pahalii baar …

Song #18 Pag ghungroo baandh Meera naachi thi…

And the last one tonight, before we take up the last three tomorrow composing in this Raag, is Bappi Lahiri.

This movie is very nostalgic for me since this was the last movie that I saw with my father before he died in a jeep accident. The 1982 movie Namak Halaal possibly had the best of the songs composed by Bappi Lahiri. I can still recall how my father laughed and laughed with Amitabh‘s acting in the song. It was sung by Kishore Kumar.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Pag ghunghru baandh Meera naach thi…..

buzurgo.n ne,
buzurgo.n ne, faramaayaa ke pairo.n pe apane kha.De hoke dikhalaao
phir ye zamaanaa tumhaaraa hai,
zamaane ke sur taal ke saath, ba.Dhate chale jaao
phir har taraanaa tumhaaraa, fasaanaa tumhaaraa hai

are to lo bhaiyaa ham, apane pairo.n ke uupar,
kha.De ho gae,
aur milaalii hai taal
dabaa legaa daa.Nto.n tale u.Ngaliyaa.N … liyaa.N …
ye jahaa.N dekh kar, dekh kar
apanii chaal… vaah vaah!

dhanyavaad!
ke pag ghu.Ngharuu …
ke pag ghu.Ngharuu baa.Ndh, miiraa naachii thii
aur ham naache bin ghu.Ngaruu ke
ke pag ghu.Ngaruu baa.Ndh, miiraa naachii thii
vo tiir bhalaa, kis kaam kaa hai
jo tiir nishaane se chuuke chuuke chuuke re
ke pag ghu.Ngharuu …

sa sa sa ga ga rii rii sa nii nii sa sa sa (3)
ga ga ga pa pa ma ma ga rii rii ga ga ga (2)
pa nii sa (4). ma pa nii (4)
re re re re re ga re ga re ga
## (Kishore stops) ##
pa pa pa pa pa ma ga re sa nii sa dha
sa nii sa dha sa nii sa dha
sa nii sa dha sa nii sa dha
sa dha nii sa sa dha nii sa
sa dha nii sa sa dha nii sa
pa ma pa ma ga ma ga re
ga re sa nii sa nii sa ga
sa re sa ga re ga re ma
re ma ga ma ga ma pa ma
pa ma ga re sa nii sa pa sa
pa ma ga re sa nii sa pa sa
## (Kishore continues) ##
## Mmmmmmm… ##

aap a.ndar se kuchh,
aur baahar se kuchh aur nazar aate hai.n,
barakhurdaar shakl se to, chor nazar aate hai.n,
umr guzarii hai saarii chorii me.n
saare sukh chain band, jurm kii tijaurii me.n

aap kaa to lagataa hai bas yahii sapanaa
raam naam japanaa paraayaa maal apanaa (2)

vatan kaa khaayaa namak to, namak halaal bano,
farz iimaan kii zi.ndaa yahaa.N misaal bano
paraayaa dhan, paraaii naar pe nazar mat Daalo
burii aadat hai ye, aadat abhii badal Daalo

kyo.n ki!! ye aadat to, vo aag hai jo
ik din apanaa ghar phuu.Nke phuu.Nke phuu.Nke re
ke pag ghu.Ngharuu …

## (Some English lines here………) ##
mausam-e-ishq me.n machale hue armaan hai.n ham
dil ko lagataa hai kii do jism ek jaan hai.n ham
aisaa lagataa hai to lagane me.n kuchh buraaii nahii.n
dil ye kahataa hai aap apanii hai.n, paraaii nahii.n

sa.ngemaramar kii haay, koii muurat ho tum
koii dilakash ba.Dii, khuubasuurat ho tum
dil dil se milane kaa koii muhuurat ho
pyaase dilo.n kii zaruurat ho tum

dil chiirake, dikhalaa duu.N mai.n,
dil me.n yahii, suurat ha.nsii.n
kyaa aap ko lagataa nahii.n, ham hai.n mile pahale kahii.n

kyaa des hai, kyaa jaat hai,
kyaa umr hai, kyaa naam hai,
are chho.Diye in baato.n se,
hamako bhalaa kyaa kaam hai

ajii suniye to… ham aap mile
to phir ho shuruu
afasaane lailaa, majanuu lailaa majanuu ke

ke pag ghu.Ngharuu …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTvUrpSr9ck

Song #19 Kitana haseen hai mausam….

Seventh day of Raag Darbari based songs in which we already have taken up 18 composers: Prem Dhawan, Naushad Ali, Ravi, Madan Mohan, Anil Biswas, Sajjad, Shankar Jaikishen, Bulo C Rani, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Hemant Kumar, Salil Choudhury, Roshan, Usha Khanna, Kalyanji Anandji, RD Burman. Jani Babu Qawwal, Nadeem Shravan and Bappi Lahiri.

Lets start with C Ramchandra today.

This is a beautiful duet between C Ramchandra and Lata Mangeshkar singing for Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari for the 1955 movie Azad. Lyrics are by Rajinder Krishan.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Kitana haseen hai mausam, kitana haseen safar hai….

l: kitanaa hasii.n hai.n mausam, kitanaa hasii.n safar hai
chi: sAthI hai khUbasuurat, ye mausam ko bhI khabar hai
kitanaa hasii.n …

chi: milatii nahii.n hai.n ma.nzil, rAhI jo ho akelaa
do ho to phir jahaa.N bhI, chaahe lagaa lo melaa
dil mil gaye to phir kyA, j.ngal bhI ek ghar hai
sAthI hai khUbasuurat, ye mausam ko bhI khabar hai
kitanaa hasii.n …

l: nA jaane havaae.n kyA kahanaa chaahatii hai.n – 2
pa.nchhii terI sadaaye.n kyA kahanaa chaahatii hai.n – 2
kuchh to hai aaj jisakaa, har chiiz par asar hai
chi: sAthI hai khUbasuurat, ye mausam ko bhI khabar hai
kitanaa hasii.n …

chi: kudarat ye kah rahii hai, aa dil se dil milaa le
ulafat se aag lekar, dil kA diyaa jalaale
sachchii agar lagan hai, phir kisakaa tujhako Dar hai
sAthI hai khUbasuurat, ye mausam ko bhI khabar hai
kitanaa hasii.n …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=EecCzvJkaxM%3F

Song #20 Mitwa laut aaye ri…

19 songs by 19 different composers so far. Here is our 20th composer in Raag Darbari Kanada: SN Tripathi.

This is from the 1962 movie Sangeet Samrat Tansen starring Bharat Bhushan and Anita Guha. Lyrics are by Shailendra and singer is Manna De.

Please enjoy in Raag Kanada: Mitwa laut aaye ri….

aa~ ta na Om
mitavaa aa jaao

mitavaa lauT aaye rii
aaj mero jiyaraa kyo.n na aaye
subh din dash.ran paaye
mitavaa laut aaye rii

nainaa jo the niir bhare
piyaa ko dekh phir se muskaaye
aaye rii, aaye rii
aaye mitavaa lauT aaye rii

divaa laa de bujhaaye ko_ii
jaaguu.N priit kii jyot jagaaye
aaye rii, aaye rii, aaye rii
mitavaa lauT aaye rii

% tej gati
mitavaa lauT aaye rii
aaj mero jiyaraa kyo.n na gaaye
subh din dash.ran paaye
mitavaa laut aaye
mitavaa laut aaye
mitavaa laut aaye

https://youtube.com/watch?v=l2gIE8r10fs%3F

Song #21 Hungama hai kyun barpa thodi si jo pi li hai…

And our last composer in this Raag, the 21st, is singer-composer Ghulam Ali. It is not really a Hindi movie song but I am giving it here because of its background and popularity. It is a creation of the poet Akbar Allahabadi. 

Akbar Allahabadi’s song is clearly about the pleasures of imbibing alcohol, it is claimed that its genesis is in the social context of the British Raj in India, at a time when the Muslim League had begun to exert its independent approach to interacting with the British, against the wishes of the Congress. Some Muslims, including Akbar Allahabadi, hoped for Hindu-Muslim unity. This caused others to suggest that he had been given alcohol by the Hindus. (Muslims are forbidden to drink alcohol.) His ghazal was intended as a response to those insinuations.

The ghazal was made famous by Ghulam Ali lending his voice to it.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari Kanada: Hungama hai kyun barpa thodi si jo pi li hai….

Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa, Thodi Si Jo Pii Lii Hai
Daakaa Toh Nahin Daalaa Chori Toh Nahi Kii Hai

Naa Tajurbakaari Se Vaais Kii Ye Baatein Hai
Is Rang Ko Kyaa Jaane Puchho Toh Kabhi Pii Hai

Us Ma’ay Se Nahi Matlab, Dil Jis se Hai Begaanaa
Maqasudd Hai Us Mai Se Dil Hii Mein Jo Khinchati Hai

Har Zarra Chamaktaa Hai Anwaar-e-Ilaahi Se
Har Saans Ye Kehati Hai Hum Hai To Khuda Bhi Hai

Suraj Mein Lage Dhabba Fitrat ke Karishme hain
But Hum ko Kahein Kaafir Allah Ki Marzi Hai

Here is my translation for those who require it:

Why is there so much hue and cry if I have had some alcohol?
I haven’t robbed someone, nor have I committed any theft.

Inexperienced are the words of the preacher/saintly(Va’iz).
For someone who has never tasted alcohol, can never rightly comment about it.

Us Ma’ay Say Nahin Matlab,
Dil Jis Say Ho Baygaana
Maqsood Hay Oos Ma’ay Se,
Dil Hee Main Jo Khinchtee Hai
(In the next lines he tries to respond to the dogmatic politicians)
Ma’ay here meaning, Wine.
I am not concerned with that wine (ma’ay), whose consumption does not touch the heart. It does not bother me as it is just for the sake of drinking.
I am bothered with, or by saying ‘wine’, I intend (maqsood) that entity, using which some people are trying to play dirty politics and dividing hearts.

Every thing that exists (har zarra) in this universe, is due to the grace of the almighty.(Anwar-e-Elaahi, meaning Grace of God). Then very beautifully the poet says, Har Saans ye kehti hai, Hum hai to Khuda Bhi hai..Its like we are a part of the Lord, and we exist and breathe within his shadow of Divinity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enoX89bQvug

Song #22 Aap ki nazaron ne samajha pyaar ke kaabil mujhe…

Now that we have taken up the compositions in Raag Darbari of as many as 21 composers, we are going to take up, songs chosen by me to end Raag Darbari based songs; three songs in this part and some more in Part III.

The first is from Madan Mohan with lyrics by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. The song is from the 1962 movie Anpadh with Mala Sinha in the title role and Dharmendra as the professor.

The song is listed amongst the top ten songs of Lata Mangeshkar.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Aap ki nazaron ne samajha pyaar ke kaabil mujhe….

aap kii nazaro.n ne samajhaa, pyaar ke kaabil mujhe
dil kii ai dha.Dakan Thahar jaa, mil ga_ii ma.nzil mujhe
aap kii nazaro.n ne samajhaa

jii hame.n ma.nzuur hai, aapakaa ye faisalaa – 2
kah rahii hai har nazar, ba.ndaa-paravar shukariyaa
do jahaa.N kii aaj khushiyaa.N ho ga_ii.n haasil mujhe
aap kii nazaro.n ne samajhaa …

aap kii ma.nzil huu.N mai.n merii ma.nzil aap hai.n – 2
kyuu.N mai.n tuufaan se Daruu.N mere saahil aap hai.n
koii tuufaano.n se kah de, mil gayaa saahil mujhe
aap kii nazaro.n ne samajhaa …

pa.D ga_ii dil par merii, aap kii parchhaa_iyaa.N – 2
har taraf bajane lagii.n saika.Do.n shahanaa_iyaa.N
ha.Nsake apanii zi.ndagii me.n, kar liyaa shaamil mujhe
aap kii nazaro.n ne samajhaa …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=iGwdq0pbEWc%3F

Song #23 Yaad mein teri jaag jaag ke hum….

The second has been composed by Naushad and is from the 1963 iconic movie Mere Mehboob. As with most Naushad songs, lyrics are by my favourite lyricist: Shakeel Badayuni and the duet is between Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar singing for Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana respectively.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Yaad mein teri jaag jaag ke ham….

yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham
raat bhar karavaTe.n badalate hai.n
har gha.Dii dil me.n terI ulfat ke
dhiime dhiime chiraaG jalate hai.n

jabase tUne nigaah pherii hai
din hai suunaa to raat a.ndherii hai
chaa.Nd bhI ab najar nahii.n AtA
ab sitaare bhI kam nikalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …

luT gayii vo bahaar kI mahafil
chhuT gayii hamase pyaar kI ma.nzil
zi.ndagii kI udaas rAho.n me.n
terI yaado.n ke sAth chalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …

tujhako paakar hame.n bahaar milii
tujhase chhuTakar magar ye baat khulii
baaGabaan hii chaman ke phuulo.n ko
apane pairo.n se khud masalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …

kyA kahe.n tujhase kyuu.n huii duurii
ham samajhate hai.n apanii majabuurii
tujhako maaluum kyA ke tere liye
dil ke gam aa.Nsuo.n me.n Dhalate hai.n
yaad me.n terI jaag-jaag ke ham …

Song #24 Sau baar janam lenge……

And the last song for the Part II of the blog on Raag Darbari Kanada based best songs in Hindi movies has been composed by my namesake: Ravi. I often marvel at the beautiful, somewhat enigmatic picturisation of the song. It is from another 1963 movie: Ustaadon Ke Ustaad starring Pradeep Kumar and Shakeela. Asad Bhopali wrote the lyrics and Mohammad Rafi sang it.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Sau baar janam lenge….

sau baar janam le.nge, sau baar fanaa ho.nge
ai jaan-e-vafaa phir bhii, ham tum na judaa ho.nge

qismat hame milane se, rokegii bhalaa kab tak
in pyaar kii raaho.n me.n, bhaTakegii vafaa kab tak
qadamo.n ke nishaa.N khud hii, ma.nzil kaa pataa ho.nge

ye kaisii udaasii hai, jo husn pe chhaaii hai
ham duur nahii.n tum se, kahane ko judaaii hai
aramaan bhare do dil, phir ek jagah ho.nge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTprvBjARLY

That brings us to the end of Part II of The Best Raaga Based Songs In Hindi Movies – Raaga Darbari. Please await Part III.

THE BEST RAAGA BASED SONGS IN HINDI MOVIES – RAAGA DARBARI – PART I

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 11th Raaga: Raag Gara. I have already given you blogs on Raaga Bhairavi, Yaman or Kalyan, and Jhinjhoti. This means that I am well behind schedule.

Anyway, lets start with our fourth Raaga here: Raag Darbari Kanada.

Raag Darbari KanadaAfter Bhairavi and Yaman or Kalyan, I have chosen to give you songs composed in Raag Darbari Kanada. Darbari Kanada, or simply Darbari, (pronounced darbāri kānada), is a raga in the Kanada family, which is thought to have originated in Carnatic music and brought into North Indian music by Miyan Tansen, the legendary 16th-century composer in emperor Akbar’s court. This tradition is reflected in the name itself; Darbar is the Persian derived word in Hindi meaning “court.” As the most familiar raga in the Kanada family, it may sometimes also be called Shuddha Kanada or pure Kanada. It belongs to the Asavari thaat.

It is also sometimes written as Durbari and Durbarikanada.

Raag Darbari Kanada1Song #1 Sarfroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai…

My most favourite song in this Raag forms the cover picture of this Raag: Sarfroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai…

An Urdu poem written by an Arya Samaji? Well, that was the strength of my Bharat or India before politicians on both sides of the border divided us along religious and casteist lines for their vested interests.

Ram Prasad Bismil was born on 11th June 1897 in Shajahanpur. He was merely 30 when he was hanged to death by the British at Gorakhpur Jail. His crime? Well, he, along with a few others such as Ashfaqulla Khan, Roshan Singh and Rajendra Nath Lahiri sought to break the shackles of slavery for India and let its people live in Freedom.

He was one of the founding members of Hindustan Republican Association. The association and his writings later became the inspiration for Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

Bismil wrote about many poems and Ghazals (both in Hindi and Urdu) inspiring people to revolt against the British. This Urdu Ghazal (his most famous) is written in Beher-E-Ramal/Mazahif Musamman. This type of Beher in Urdu poetry was the favourite meter of Ram Prasad Bismil. He had written almost 35 ghazals in this meter.

Here is his famous poem…

Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai
Dekhna hai zor kitna baazu-e-qaatil mein hai

aye watan Karta nahin kyun doosra kuch baat-cheet
Dekhta hun main jise woh chup teri mehfil mein hai
Aye shaheed-e-mulk-o-millat main tere oopar nisaar
Ab teri himmat ka charcha ghair ki mehfil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Waqt aanay dey bata denge tujhe aye aasman
Hum abhi se kya batayen kya hamare dil mein hai
Khainch kar layee hai sab ko qatl hone ki ummeed
Aashiqon ka aaj jumghat koocha-e-qaatil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Hai liye hathiyaar dushman taak mein baitha udhar
Aur hum taiyyaar hain seena liye apna idhar
Khoon se khelenge holi gar vatan muskhil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Haath jin mein ho junoon katt te nahi talvaar se
Sar jo uth jaate hain voh jhukte nahi lalkaar se
Aur bhadkega jo shola-sa humaare dil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Hum to ghar se nikle hi the baandhkar sar pe kafan
Jaan hatheli par liye lo barh chale hain ye qadam
Zindagi to apni mehmaan maut ki mehfil mein hai
Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai

Yuun khadaa maqtal mein qaatil kah rahaa hai baar baar
Kya tamannaa-e-shahaadat bhi kisee ke dil mein hai
Dil mein tuufaanon ki toli aur nason mein inqilaab
Hosh dushman ke udaa denge humein roko na aaj
Duur reh paaye jo humse dam kahaan manzil mein hai

Wo jism bhi kya jism hai jismein na ho khoon-e-junoon
Toofaanon se kya lade jo kashti-e-saahil mein hai

Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai.
Dekhna hai zor kitna baazuay qaatil mein hai.

And, here is the translation

The desire for revolution is in our hearts
Let us see what strength there is in the arms of our executioner

Why do you remain silent thus?
Whoever I see, is gathered quiet so…
O martyr of country, of nation, I submit myself to thee
For yet even the enemy speaks of thy courage
The desire for struggle is in our hearts…

When the time comes, we shall show thee, O heaven
For why should we tell thee now, what lurks in our hearts?
We have been dragged to service, by the hope of blood, of vengeance
Yea, by our love for nation divine, we go to the streets of the enemy
The desire for struggle is in our hearts…

Armed does the enemy sit, ready to open fire
Ready too are we, our bosoms thrust out to him
With blood we shall play Holi, if our nation need us
The desire for struggle is in our hearts…

No sword can sever hands that have the heat of battle within,
No threat can bow heads that have risen so…
Yea, for in our insides has risen a flame,
and the desire for struggle is in our hearts…

Set we out from our homes, our heads shrouded with cloth,
Taking our lives in our hands, do we march so…
In our assembly of death, life is now but a guest
The desire for struggle is in our hearts…

Stands the enemy in the gallows thus, asking,
Does anyone wish to bear testimony?…
With a host of storms in our heart, and with revolution in our breath,
We shall knock the enemy cold, and no one shall stop us…

What is that body that does not have hot blood in it,
How can a person conquer a Typhoon while sitting in a boat near the shore.

The desire for struggle is in our hearts,
We shall now see what strength there is in the boughs of the enemy.

In the 1965 movie Shaheed starring Manoj Kumar as Shaheed Bhagat Singh, this poem was composed in Raag Darbari by Prem Dhawan. Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey and Rajendra Mehta sang it for Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev in the movie.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Sarfroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwuXM31XjPE

Song #2 O duniya ke rakhwaale….

I am sure you enjoyed my most favourite song in Raag Darbari: Bismil’s nazm: Sarfroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai.

Now, let me turn to Naushad whose composition in this Raag always leaves me spellbound. It is absolutely easy for you to guess it: Yes, it is from 1952 movie Baiju Bawra starring Bharat Bhushan and Meena Kumari. Naushad was the music director for several movies and each one of these, eg, Mughal-e-Azam, has songs composed in various Raagas. He received his only Filmfare award for Best Music Director for Baiju Bawra. Each one of those 13 songs was composed in some raaga or the other. Raaga Darbari Kanada occurs twice: once in this song that I am giving you, and once in the sargam by Ustad Amir Khan; it was a master-stroke by Naushad Ali to have roped in the great classical singers Ustad Amir Khan and DV Paluskar to sing in the movie.

The song that I have selected for you is: O duniya ke rakhwaale. To call it merely a song wopuld be insulting its lyricist, composer and most of all the singer: Mohammad Rafi. It is a cry of the heart by Baiju Bawra to God to give him that dard in his singing that would make him take on Tansen (coincidentally, the man who brought the Raag from the South!) and avenge his father’s death because of him. It is not one of the best of god of songs: Mohammad Rafi; it is indeed his best ever. No one has ever been able to raise his singing voice to that kind of high pitch as in the end of this song.

No, no one can write like Shakeel from Badayun in UP.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari Kanada: O duniyaa 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 !!)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=GygqxgYqwQc%3F

Song #3 Tora man darpan kehlaaye….

Meena Kumari was the one who was Gauri in Baiju Bawra whose song I have given you above. Talking about Meena Kumari takes me to her role in 1965 movie Kaajal. The bhajan that she sang in the movie is ranked amongst the best bhajans ever. Asha Bhosle sang it for her. The composer was my namesake Ravi. Lyrics are by another great lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari Kanada: Tora man darpan kehlaaye….

praaNii apane prabhu se puuchhe kis vidhii paauu.N tohe
prabhu kahe tu man ko paa le, paa jayegaa mohe

torA man darpaN kahalAye – 2
bhale bure sAre karmo.n ko, dekhe aur dikhAye
torA man darpaN kahalAye – 2

man hI devatA, man hI Ish{}var, man se ba.DA na koy
man ujiyArA jab jab phaile, jag ujiyArA hoy
is ujale darpaN pe prANI, dhUl na jamane pAye
torA man darpaN kahalAye – 2

sukh kI kaliyA.N, dukh ke kA.nTe, man sabakA AdhAr
man se koI bAt chhupe nA, man ke nain hazAr
jag se chAhe bhAg lo koI, man se bhAg na pAye
torA man darpaN kahalAye – 2

tan kii daulat Dhalatii chhaayaa man kaa dhan anamol
tan ke kaaraN man ke dhan ko mat maaTi mein rau.nd
man kii qadar bhulaanevaalaa viiraa.N janam gavaaye
torA man darpaN kahalAye – 2

https://youtube.com/watch?v=c44Ah24hr9M%3F

Song #4 Main nigaahen tere chehre se hataayun kaise….

Madan Mohan has composed remarkably beautiful songs in Raag Darbari; so beautiful that I would probably end up giving you quite a few.

Most of these are on the lyrics of Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. This one sung by Mohammad Rafi for the 1964 movie Aap Ki Parchhayiyan (in which there is another one too: Agar mujhase mohabbat hai mujhe sab apane gham de do) is really one of the best of Rafi.

Dharmendra sings it in the movie for Shashikala.

Some people feel that the song has actually closeness to Raag Gara. There is nothing strange about that. Many of the Hindi songs, not being in pure Raaga, would have closeness to more than one Raaga.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Main nigaahen tere chehre se uthaayun kaise….

mai.n nigaahe.n tere chehare se haTaa_uu.N kaise
lut ga_e hosh to phir hosh me.n aa_uu.N kaise

chhaa rahii thii terii mahakii hu_ii zulfo.n kii ghaTaa
terii aa.Nkho.n ne pilaa dii to mai.n piitaa hii gayaa
taubaa taubaa taubaa taubaa taubaa taubaa
vo nashaa hai ki bataa_uu.N kaise

merii aa.nkho.n me.n gile-shikave hai.n aur pyaar bhii hai
aarazu_e.n bhii hai.n aur hasarat-e-diidaar bhii
itane tuufaan mai.n aa.Nkho.n me.n chhupaa_uu.N kaise

shoK nazare.n ye sharaarat se na baaz aa_e.ngii
kabhii ruuThe.ngii kabhii mil ke palaT jaa_e.ngii
tujh se nibh jaa_egii mai.n in se nibhaa_uu.N kaise

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ADiu3W1vgOM%3F

Song #5 Dil Jalata hai to jalane de….

Lets now take this outstanding composition of Anil Biswas for Mukesh to sing. Mukesh was at that time copying KL Saigal. After he sang it and KL Saigal heard the song, he remarked, “I don’t remember having sung this song”!

The song is from the 1945 movie Pehli Nazar. It was written by Aah Sitapuri.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Dil jalata hai to jalane de….

dil jalataa hai to jalane de
aa.Nsuu nA bahaa fariyaad nA kar
dil jalataa hai to jalane de

tU paradaa nashii.n kA aashiq hai
yuu.n naam-e-vafaa barabaad nA kar
dil jalataa hai to jalane de

maasuum najar ke tiir chalaa
bismil ko bismil aur banaa
ab sharm-o-hayaa ke parade me.n
yuu.n chhup chhup ke bedaad nA kar
dil jalataa hai to jalane de

ham aas lagaaye baiThe hai.n
tum vAdaa karake bhuul gaye
yA suurat aake dikhaa jaao
yA kaha do hamako yaad nA kar
dil jalataa hai, dil jalataa hai, dil jalataa hai …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ5wi339HvE

Song #6 Ye hawa ye raat ye chandni….

Let me now give you a very popular number picturised on Dilip Kumar set in this Raag. It is from the 1952 movie Sangdil. The composer was Sajjad. So successful was he in this composition that Madan Mohan himself copied this!

Dilip Kumar is a rich, reckless guy in the movie who hates women except to use them as objects of desire. He sings this for an affluent woman in his party circle. However, the song has inspired a number of videos depicting his and Madhubala’s real love (she too acted in the movie!)

Rajinder Krishan penned the lyrics and Talat Mehmood sang it.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Ye hawa ye raat ye chandini…

(ye havaa ye raat ye chaa.Ndanii
terI ek adaa pe nisaar hai ) – 2
mujhe kyuu.N nA ho terI aarazuu
terI justajuu me.n bahaar hai
ye havaa ye raat ye chaa.Ndanii

tujhe kyA khabar hai o bekhabar
terI ek nazar me.n hai kyA asar
jo gazab me.n aaye to kahar hai
jo ho meharabaa.n vo qaraar hai
mujhe kyuu.N nA ho terI aarazuu
terI justajuu me.n bahaar hai
ye havaa ye raat ye chaa.Ndanii

terI baat-baat hai.n dilanashii.n
koI tujhase ba.Dhake nahii.n hasii.n
hai.n kalii-kalii me.n jo mastiyaa.n
terI aa.Nkh kA ye khumaar hai
mujhe kyuu.N nA ho terI aarazuu
terI justajuu mai.n bahaar hai
ye havaa ye raat ye chaa.Ndanii …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=xQCMe6ZDifs%3F

Song #7 Tu pyaar ka saagar hai….

The royal court Raag Darbari that Tansen imported from the South, and that’s why it is called Darbari Kanada, is into its third day tonight here on Lyrical. We have so far taken up the compositions of Prem Dhawan, Naushad Ali, Ravi, Madan Mohan, Anil Biswas and Sajjad.

I must remind you at this stage and periodically that in Hindi movies it is very difficult to find pure Raaga compositions. My cover picture normally shows the composition that comes closest to the pure Raaga.

Let me start tonight by giving you one from Shankar Jaikishen. This is really a favourite of mine, as always, sung so well by Manna De. The lyricist was Shailendra whose birth anniversary we celebrated on 30th Aug.

The name of the movie is Seema starring Balraj Sahni and Nutan.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Tu pyaar ka saagar hai….

tuu pyaar kaa saagar hai
terii ik buu.Nd ke pyaase ham
lauTaa jo diyaa tumane, chale jaaye.nge jahaa.N se ham
tuu pyaar kaa saagar hai …

ghaayal man kaa, paagal pa.nchhii u.Dane ko beqaraar
pa.nkh hai.n komal, aa.Nkh hai dhu.Ndhalii, jaanaa hai saagar paar
jaanaa hai saagar paar
ab tuu hi ise samajhaa, raah bhuule the kahaan se ham
tuu pyaar kaa saagar hai …

idhar jhuumatii gaaye zi.ndagii, udhar hai maut kha.Dii
koii kyaa jaane kahaa.N hai siimaa, ulajhan aan pa.Dii
ulajhan aan pa.Dii
kaano.n me.n zaraa kah de, ki aaye kaun dishaa se ham
tuu pyaar kaa saagar hai …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=e2D-kjOMNF0%3F

Song #8 Ghunghat ke pat khol re…..

Some of you understand this mood that I frequently get into of listening to bhajans; not to proclaim my being virtuous or anything like that, but, for the cleaning of my own soul.

I have posted this Meera bhajan many times. I am in love with it since the direction of the bhajan is to open the veil of one’s heart so as to receive God. I sometimes think how great Meerabai must have been to renounce her princely life in order to love Lord Krishna single mindedly. In this bhajan, she has actually given us the key to receive God: Ghuunghat ke pat khol re tohe piya milenge!

Music is that of Bulo C Rani and the singer is Geeta Roy (before she became Geeta Dutt). The movie is the 1950 movie Jogan starring Nargis in the title role and Dilip Kumar.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Ghuunghat ke pat khol re tohe piya milenge…..

( ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re
tohe piyaa mile.nge ) -2
ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re

( ghaT-ghaT me.n tore
saa_ii.n basat hai.n ) -2
kaThuu bachan mat bol re
tohe piyaa mile.nge
ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re
tohe piyaa mile.nge
ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re

dhan-joban kaa garb na kiije -2
jhuuThaa inakaa mol re
tohe piyaa mile.nge
ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re
tohe piyaa mile.nge
ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re

jaa ke jatan se ra.ng-mahal me.n -2
piyaa paayo anamol re
ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re
tohe piyaa mile.nge
ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re

suune mandir
suune mandir diyaa jalaa ke -2
aasan se mat Dol re
tohe piyaa mile.nge
ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re
tohe piyaa mile.nge
ghuu.NghaT ke paT khol re

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9yZOArXPlP8%3F

Song #09 Satyam shivam sundaram….

In keeping with the mood of tonight, let me give you one last bhajan penned by Pandit Narendra Sharma for the 1978 movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram. Laxmikany Pyarelal composed it in Raag Drabari and Lata Mangeshkar sang it for Zeenat Aman

Please enjoy in Raag Drabari: Satyam shivam sundaram….

la: iishvar satya hai
satya hii shiv hai
shiv hii sundar hai
jaago uTh kar dekho
jiivan jot ujaagar hai

satyam shivam sundaram -2
ko: iishvar satya hai
satya hii shiv hai
shiv hii sundar hai
satyam shivam sundaram
la: satyam shivam sundaram -2

raam avadh me.n
raam avadh me.n kaashii me.n shiv kaanhaa brindavan me.n
dayaa karo prabhu dekhuu.N inako
dayaa karo prabhu dekhuu.N inako har ghar ke aa.Ngan me.n
raadhaa-mohan sharaNam
satyam shivam sundaram
aa.a
ko: satyam shivam sundaram

la: ek suurya hai
ek suurya hai ek gagan hai ek hii dharatii-maataa
dayaa karo prabhu ek bane.n sab
dayaa karo prabhu ek bane.n sab sabakaa ek se naataa
raadhaa-mohan sharaNam
satyam shivam sundaram -2
aa.a
ko: satyam shivam sundaram
la: iishvar satya hai
satya hii shiv hai
shiv hii sundar hai
ko: satyam shivam sundaram
la: aa.a

https://youtube.com/watch?v=BdU3qP5EYoY%3F

Song #10 Meri vinti suno Bhagwan….

Fourth day of Raag Darbari that Tansen imported from the South, and that’s why it is called Darbari Kanada. In the last three days, we have so far taken up the compositions of Prem Dhawan, Naushad Ali, Ravi, Madan Mohan, Anil Biswas, Sajjad, Shankar Jaikishen, Bulo C Rani and Laxmikant Pyarelal.

Lets start with Hemant Kumar today evening.

I have taken this song from 1956 movie Taj. Rajinder Krishan was the lyricist and Mohammad Rafi was the singer.

Please enjoy: Ab mori vinti suno bhagwan….

aaaa aaaa aaa aaa
aa aa aa aa aa
mori vinti suno bhagwaan
abb mori vinti suno bhagwaan
aaj meri tooti veena mein
phir se daaro praan
abb mori vinti suno bhagwaan
abb mori vinti suno bhagwaan

na maangoon yeh mahal khazaane
na maangoon yeh taaj
aaj bhare darbaar mein swaami
rakhiyo meri laaj
raagi ko bas saat suron ka aa
raagi ko bas saat suron ka
daata de vardaan
abb mori vinti suno bhagwaan
abb mori vinti suno bhagwaan
aaj meri tooti veena mein
phir se daaro praan
abb mori vinti suno bhagwaan
abb mori vinti suno bhagwaan

sooraj ki raftaar badal de
maan tu rakh le mera
jab tak toota saaz na boley
jag mein rahe andhera
shabnam se niklen angaare
daal daal jal jaaye
kaanton se bhar jaaye bagiya
reti phool khilaaye
jis jag mein sangeet nahin
woh ho jaaye shamshaan
woh ho jaaye shamshaan
woh ho jaaye shamshaan
woh ho jaaye shamshaan

Song #11 Toote huye khwaabon ne….

After Hemant Kumar, this evening, lets turn to Salil Choudhury. This is from the 1958 movie Madhumati, which was directed by Bimal Roy.

Madhumati (Vyjayanthimala) is the love of Anand (Dilip Kumar) who is an estate manager in the estate of Raja Ugra Narayan (Pran). Raja Ugra Narayan, in order to molest Madhumati, gets Anand out of the way by sending him on a tour. After Anand returns from the tour, he doesn’t find Madhumati and is sad. Little does he know that she has jumped off the roof of Raja’s palace after the Raja made an attempt to rape her. Anand in his down cast mood, enacts this song penned by Shailendra and sung for him by Mohammad Rafi.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Toote huye khwaabon ne….

TuuTe hue Kvaabo.n ne, hamako ye sikhaayaa hai
dil ne, dil ne jise paayaa thaa, aa.Nkho.n ne ga.nvaayaa hai
TuuTe hue Kvaabo.n ne

ham Dhuu.NDhate hai.n unako, jo milake nahii.n milate
ruThe hai.n na jaane kyuu.N, (mehamaan mere dil ke – 2)
kyaa apanii tamannaa thii, kyaa saamane aayaa hai
dil ne, dil ne …
TuuTe hue …

lauT aaI sadaa merii, Takaraa ke sitaaro.n se
uja.Dii huI duniyaa ke, (sunasaan kinaaro.n se – 2)
par ab ye ta.Dapanaa bhii, kuchh kaam na aayaa hai
dil ne, dil ne …
TuuTe hue …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=i1LdlO_WzxI%3F

Song #12 Teri duniya mein dil lagata nahin….

For the last song of the evening composed in Raag Darbari and the last song in this part of the blog, lets turn to music director Roshan. This is from the 1950 movie Bawre Nain starring Raj Kapoor with Geeta Bali. The singing voice of Raj Kapoor in the movies, Mukesh, has sung this. Lyrics are by Kedar Sharma.

Please enjoy in Raag Darbari: Teri duniya mein dil lagata nahin waapis bula le…..

terii duniyaa me.n dil lagataa nahii.n, vaapas bulaa le
mai.n sajade me.n giraa huu.N, mujhako ai maalik uThaa le
terii duniyaa…

bahaar aaii thii kismat ne magar ye gul khilaayaa
jalaayaa aashiyaa.N saiyyaad ne, par noch Daale
terii duniyaa…

bha.Nvar kaa sar na chakaraae na dil laharo.n kaa Duube
ye kashtii aap kar dii maine tuufaa.n ke havaale
terii duniyaa…

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ddnvHPicOHo%3F

That brings us to the end of Part I of songs based on Raag Darbari. We started with the quiet resolve of Ram Prasad Bismil’s Sarfroshi ki tamanna ba hamaare dil mein hai, and ended with the lugubrious Teri duniya mein dil lagata nahin, one of the saddest songs of Mukesh.

Please await another bouquet of songs in Raag Darbari Kanada in Part II.

THE BEST RAAGA BASED SONGS IN HINDI MOVIES – RAAGA JHINJHOTI – PART II

I run a Facebook page called Lyrical wherein I often give theme based songs. The current theme, since 12th Aug 15, is The Best Raaga Based Songs In Hindi Movies.

On Lyrical, I am on the tenth Raaga: Raaga Jhinjhoti, that is. I am conscious that I have so far converted only two Raaga based song-posts on Lyrical into blogs; that is, Raaga Bhairavi (in three parts) and Raaga Yaman (in three parts) and that I still have to convert into blogs song-posts on Raaga Darbari Kanada, Bhimpalasi, Khammaj, Peelu, Pahadi, Kirwani, and Malkauns. However, I am straightway jumping to Raaga Jhinjhoti because I just finished with that and it is fresh in my mind.

This raga is considered as “Ashraya Raga” of Khamaj Thaat or Parental Scale. Since all the seven notes are used in the raga, its Jati is Sampoorna or heptatonic.
The seventh note Ni in this raga is Komal or Flat and the rest of the notes are Shuddha. The most important and prominent note in this raga is the “Ga” which is called the Vadi swar and the Samvadi swar or the supporting note is “Dha”.
The raga structure is more prominent in the lower octave and hence the improvisation of this raga is mostly done in the Mandra and Madhya Sthaans.
This raga is generally performed between10.00 p.m. and mid-night .

Being originally a late night Raaga, the songs based on this Raaga are very intense and soulful and full of self-pity, eg, Jehan Ara number: Teri aankh ke aansu pi jaayun aisi meri taqdeer kahan; or Pagla Kahin Ka number: Tum mujhe youn bhula na paayoge. As we go along, you will understand.

I seek your forgiveness that I am not able to give you the song depicted in the cover picture: Mere mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam. This song is the reason why the raag is so dear to me. However, I have never considered myself big enough to be actually able to put up this song put together by Shakeel Badayuni, Naushad Ali and Mohammad Rafi. I consider it the best the Hindi films ever produced (its equivalent by Sahir and Roshan and Rafi, I have put up though there too I should have my emotional reasons not to).

Raag JhinjhotiSo far, in The Best Raaga Based Songs In The Hindi Movies – Raaga Jhinjhoti – Part I, we have taken up the following:

  1. Jaa jaa re jaa baalamwa.
  2. Tum mujhe youn bhula naa paaoge.
  3. Ghungroo ki tarah bajata hi raha hoon main.
  4. Koi hamdam na raha koi sahara na raha.
  5. Teri aankh ke aansu pi jaayun.
  6. Rehate the kabhi jinake dil mein.
  7. Chhup gaya koi re duur se pukaar ke.
  8. Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kyaa hai.
  9. Ek raat mein do do chand khile.
  10. Dil ke tukade huye aur jigar lut gaya.
  11. Chali pi ko milan.

Lets re-commence our journey into the best songs in Hindi movies based on Raaga Jhinjhoti.

Song #13 Kyaa se kyaa ho gaya, bewafa…

Here is a composition in this Raag by Sachin Dev Burman for 1965 Dev Anand classic that starred him with Waheeda Rehman. The movie’s story was written by RK Narayan and the movie transcends from Raju (Dev Anand) Guide to almighty, the ultimate Guide. Rosie (Waheeda Rehman) played wife to Marco (Kishore Sahu) and architect who was so involved in his work that he neglected her. She found acceptance by Raju who brought out her dancing talent in the open.

Raju, however, felt neglected when she emerged as a great and popular dancing star. Ultimately, he found acceptance from unexpected quarters: villagers who mistook him as a sage who would pray and fast for them to get them the rain that they so desperately wanted.

Shailendra as a lyricist and SD Burman as a music director brought each one of the emotions of Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman as they went through the above screenplay in the form of songs.

This one brings out Dev Anand’s when he felt that he didn’t get his due from Waheeda (Nalini in her new avatar as dancer) after he gave up everything in her love.

Mohammad Rafi sang it for him. Do not forget the self-pity intrinsic in songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Kyaa se kyaa ho gaya bewafa tere pyaar mein….

kyaa se kyaa ho gayaa
bevafaa .a.a.a
tere pyaar me.n
chaahaa kyaa kyaa milaa
bevafaa .a.a.a
tere pyaar me.n

chalo suhaanaa bharam to TuuTaa
jaanaa ke husn kyaa hai
ho o o
chalo suhaanaa bharam to TuuTaa
jaanaa ke husn kyaa hai
kahatii hai jisako pyaar duniyaa
kyaa chiiz kyaa balaa hai
dil ne kyaa naa sahaa
bevafaa .a.a.a
tere pyaar me.n
chaahaa kyaa …

tere mere dil ke biich ab to
sadiyo.n ke faasale hai.n
ho o o
tere mere dil ke biich ab to
sadiyo.n ke faasale hai.n
yaqiin hogaa kise ki ham tum ik raah sa.ng chale hai.n
honaa hai aur kyaa
bevafaa .a.a.a
tere pyaar me.n
chaahaa kyaa …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DPY4sg8QE70%3F

Song #13 Raat nikhari hui, zulfen bikhari hui….

Here is a very sensuous song composed by Usha Khanna for the 1960 movie Hum Hindustani that starred Sunil Dutt, Asha Parekh, Joy Mukherjee, Helen, Agha and Leela Chitnis; and picturised in the song on Joy Mukherjee and Helen. The singer was Mukesh and K Manohar penned the lyrics.

Hum Hindustani was produced by Joy Mukherjee’s uncle Sashadhar Mukherjee and directed by Ram Mukherjee. The film depicts clash between the then modern Indian youth and feudalism. It had a very popular song seeped in the enthusiastic optimism of the youth to be able to bring about a change: Chhodo kal ki baaten, kal ki baat purani, naye daur pe likhenge hum, mil kar nayi kahaani, Hum Hindusyani.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Raat nikhari hui, zulf bikhari hui…

(raat nikharii huii, zulf bikharii huii
har adaa terii phuulo.n kii Daalii
aaj subah nahii.n hone vaalii
aaj subah nahii.n hone vaalii) – 2

yah samaa tham gayaa, ye hasii.n adaae.n dekhake – 2
dha.Dakane.n so ga_ii.n, ye nashiilii aa.Nkhe.n dekhake
… dekhake …
raat nikharii huii …
raat nikharii huii …

ra.Ng bharii mastiyaa.N, ye bahaaro.n ke kaafile – 2
ham chale tum chale koii saath saath chal diye
… chal diye …
raat nikharii huii …
raat nikharii huii …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WLCWWeHlBPU%3F

Song #14 Sanssar se bhaage phirte ho….

Talking about sensuousness of the last number from Hum Hindustani takes us to the 1964 movie Chitralekha starring Meena Kumari in her most sensuous role as the courtesan Chitralekha. The movie’s story was based on the novel by Bhagwati Charan Sharma. It depicted the love between the emperor Chandra Gupta Maurya and the courtesan Chitralekha nearly three and half centuries Before Christ.

So popular was the theme of the movie that it was remake of 1941 movie by Kidar Sharma (rare for a director remaking his own movie 23 years later!)

Ashok Kumar acted as Yogi Kumargiri and in this song Chitralekha taunts him for running away from the world (on sanyas) and hence unfit to find God! Sahir Ludhianvi‘s lyrics are simply awesome and so is the composition by Roshan. Lata Mangeshkar sang it.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Sansaar se bhaage phirte ho, Bhagwan ko tum kyaa paayoge…

sansaar se bhaage phirate ho
bhagawaan ko tum kyaa paa_oge
is log ko bhii apanaa naa sake
us lok me.n bhii pachhataa_oge
sansaar se bhaage phirate ho

( ye paap hai kyaa ye puNy hai kyaa
riito.n par dharm kii mohare.n hai.n ) -2
riito.n par dharm kii mohare.n hai.n
har yug me.n badalate dharmo.n ko
kaise aadarsh banaa_oge
sansaar se bhaage phirate ho

( ye bhog bhii ek tapasyaa hai
tum tyaag ke maare kyaa jaano ) -2
tum tyaag ke maare kyaa jaano
apamaan rachetaa kaa hogaa
rachanaa ko agar Thukaraa_oge
sansaar se bhaage phirate ho

( ham kahate hai.n ye jag apanaa hai
tum kahate ho jhuuThaa sapanaa hai ) -2
tum kahate ho jhuuThaa sapanaa hai
ham janam bitaa kar jaaye.nge
tum janam ga.Nvaa kar jaa_oge

sansaar se bhaage phirate ho
bhagawaan ko tum kyaa paa_oge
sansaar se bhaage phirate ho

https://youtube.com/watch?v=pueoTXV6FLY%3F

Song #15 Taa thai taa taa thai….

We haven’t finished with the sensuous sub-theme under Raag Jhinjhoti. Sometimes, I wonder what would happen if I do not find all three songs that I post on Lyrical everyday on the same sub-theme!

This is from the 1971 movie Tere Mere Sapne starring Dev Anand, Mumtaz and Hema Malini. The movie’s story was based on the novel Citadel by AJ Cronin.

Being a Dev Anand movie, the music is by Sachin Dev Burman. Hasrat Jaipuri wrote the lyrics of this song and this sensuous dance number by Hema Malini was sung by Asha Bhosle.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Taa thai taa taa thai….

thA thaI thatha thaI aththathaI thaI thaT
phirake pag jiyaa gaaye gaaye gaaye
thA thaI thatha thaI aththathaI thaI thaT
jaane nA huA mujhe kyaa phirake pag jiyaa gaaye gaaye gaaye
thA thaI thatha thaI aththathaI thaI thaT

mahakii rAho.n tak bahakatii chhaaho.n tak
piyaa kii baaho.n taq mujhe hai jaanaa
ghaTA aaye jhuk jhuk ke havaa chale ruk ruk ke
kare dil dhuk dhuk re gaalii maare tan
o jaane nA huA mujhe kyaa phirake pag jiyaa gaaye gaaye gaaye
thA thaI thatha thaI aththathaI thaI thaT

nA so_ii akhiyaa.N re rulaaye ratiyaa.n re
sataaye sakhiyaa.n re karuu.N hai mai.n kyA
zaraa balakhaake aa jaraa ghabaraake aa
zaraa laharaake aa dil hai pyAs
o jaane nA huA mujhe kya phirake pag jiyaa gaaye gaaye gaaye
thA thaI thatha thaI aththathaI thaI thaT

kah do sitaaro.n se kah do bahaaro.n se
kah do nazaro.n se hame.n vo dekhe.n nA
rijhaauu.Ngii pii ko manaauu.Ngii pii ko
sulaauu.ngii pii ko bichhaake nainaa
o jaane nA huA mujhe kya phirake pag jiyaa gaaye gaaye gaaye
thA thaI thatha thaI aththathaI thaI thaT

https://youtube.com/watch?v=QPuZ-FXzRr4%3F

Song #16 Phir teri kahani yaad aayi…..

Why do I have this unquenchable thirst to keep returning to Shakeel Badayuni and his mentor Naushad Ali every now and then? This blog itself has at least five articles on them.

This one is from their 1966 movie Dil Diya Dard Liya starring Dilip Kumar and Waheeda Rehman and Pran; the latter accounting for most part of the Dard that came the way of Dilip Kumar.

This one has been sung by Lata Mangeshkar and is amongst the best of the movie songs. Its popularity can be made out from the fact that the mukhada of the song became the name of a 1993 movie.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Phir teri kahani yaad aayi….

phir terii kahaanii yaad aaI phir teraa fasaanaa yaad aayaa
phir aaj hamaarii aa.Nkho.n ko
phir aaj hamaarii aa.Nkho.n ko, ek Kvaab puraanaa yaad aayaa
phir terii kahaanii yaad aaI …

jalate hai.n chiraago.n kii suurat
har shaam terii ham yaado.n me.n
jab subah ko shabanam rotii hai
kho jaate hai.n ham fariyaado.n me.n – 2
jab dil ne koI aavaaz sunii
jab dil ne koI aavaaz sunii, teraa hii taraanaa yaad aayaa
phir terii kahaanii yaad aaI …

shaayad kabhii milanaa ho jaae
baiThe.n hai.n isii aramaan me.n ham
tuune to kinaare paa hii liye
ulajhe hai.n magar tuufaan me.n ham
ai jaan-e-vafaa phir aaj hame.n
ai jaan-e-vafaa phir aaj hame.n,
pichhalaa vo zamaanaa yaad aayaa
phir terii kahaanii yaad aaI …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4zsjnE7CZmQ%3F

Song #17 Piya bin nahin aavat chaina…

As soon as you must have started listening to the last song: Phir teri kahani yaad aayi from 1966 movie Dil Diya Dard Liya, I am sure you must have remembered the self-pity atmosphere of Jhinjhoti.

I am now going to take you back all of eighty years; a little less than my mother’s age and in some of your cases, your grand parents age.

This is from the original Devdas movie made in 1935 based on Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novella by the same name. It starred KL Saigal as Devdas, Jamuna Barua as Parvati (Paro) and Chandrabati Devi as Chandramukhi. The movie was directed by Pramathesh Barua, Jamuna’s husband. He made the movie in Bengali, Hindi and Assamese.

Who evokes self-pity better than Devdas?

This song had Kedar Sharma‘s lyrics, Timir Baran‘s music and KL Saigal sang for himself.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Piya bin nahin aavat chaina…

piyaa bin naa
bin naa hii.n aavat chainaa

piyaa bin naa naahii.n aavat chainaa

kaase kahuu.N jii ke bainaa
kaa
se kahuu.N
jii ke bainaa

piyaa bin naa aahii.n aavat chainaa

#‪#‎dialogue‬##

kaa se kahuu.N jii ke bainaa
piyaa binaa naahii.n aavat chainaa

https://youtube.com/watch?v=BOq9iHp-uQQ%3F

Song #18 Chali ban ke dulhan unase laagi lagan….

I am going to take you to the height of self-pity now, making some of you wonder that what you saw so far wasn’t the height after all!

This is from the 1952 movie Subah Ka Tara, a V Shantaram movie starring Pradeep Kumar and Jayshree. Jayshree plays the role of a young widow pursued by a young man (Pradeep Kumar) who falls in love with her but is unable to marry her due to societal norms and subsequently becomes insane.

If I were not to give you this background, you won’t understand the song and her acting in it. The song was penned by Noor Lucknowi, its music composed by C Ramchandra and sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Chali banke dulhan…

chalii ban ke dulhan unase laagii lagan moraa maike me.n jii ghabaraavat hai
moraa maane na man hai.n dvaare sajan moraa maike me.n jii ghabaraavat hai
chalii ban ke dulhan …

malake meha.ndii mai.n solah si.ngaar karuu.N aur si.nduur se apanii maa.Ng bharuu.N
Tiikaa maathe pe mohe suhaavat hai moraa maike me.n jii ghabaraavat hai
chalii ban ke dulhan …

duur kaa hai safar ko_ii saathii nahii.n hai akelii dulhan ko_ii baaraatii nahii.n
mohe jaane me.n ab bhay aavat hai moraa maike me.n jii ghabaraavat hai
chalii ban ke dulhan …

shaadiyaane kahii.n sab bajaate chale.n giit pii ke milan ke sunaate chale.n
Dolaa sasuraal ko moraa jaavat hai moraa maike me.n jii ghabaraavat hai
chalii ban ke dulhan …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=uhHcRVmnUdA%3F

Song #19 Mose chhal kiye jaaye….

The 1965 Dev Anand‘s classic movie Guide has two songs in Raag Jhinjhoti. One, I have already given you, viz, Kyaa se kyaa ho gaya that reflected his (Dev Anand’s feelings). The other one, the one that reflected Waheeda Rehman‘s feelings is: Mose chhal kiye jaa, which is not just a beautiful number but a lovely dance too.

Shailendra as lyricist, Sachin Dev Burman as music director and Lata Mangeshkar as singer have put this together.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Mose chhal kiye jaaye….

mose chal kiye jaaye, haay re haay haay dekho sai.nyaa beimaan
sai.nyaa beimaan
mose chal, mose chal, mose chal kiye jaaye, haay re haay haay dekho haa.N
sai.nyaa beimaan

samajhaake mai.n to haarii
dhamakaaya ?, nii nii nii re re ga ga ma ma pa pa dha nii saa saa saa
samajhaake mai.n to haarii
haa.N dhamakaaya ?, aur karuu.N bhii kyaa
dekho moraa jiyaraa haa.N jiyaraa ta.Dapaaye, jiyaraa ta.Dapaaye
mohe haay haay dekho sai.nyaa beimaan
mose chal, mose chal, mose chal kiye jaaye, haay re haay haay dekho sai.nyaa
beimaan

man kaa hai bairii baala, dil jise de Daalaa, nii nii nii re re ga ga ma ma
pa pa dha nii saa saa saa
man kaa hai bairii baala, dil jise de Daalaa
haa.N dil jise de Daalaa
priit morii pal pal roye
ta.Dapaaye ta.Dapaaye tarasaaye, ta.Dapaaye tarasaaye
mohe haay haay dekho sai.nyaa beimaan
mose chal haa.N, mose chal, mose chal kiye jaaye, haay re haay haay dekho
haa.N sai.nyaa beimaan
(dekho sai.nyaa beimaan)-2
mose chal kiye jaaye, dekho sai.nyaa beimaan
haa.N beimaan, haa.N beimaan

https://youtube.com/watch?v=fKFv0lXyFE0%3F

Song #20 Sakhi re pi kaa naam, naam na puuchho….

Sometimes, I have heard, many friends bringing out the comparison between Lata Mangeshkar and other singers and how Lata Mangeshkar never allowed anyone else to come up on thier own. I, however, maintain that the young voice of Lata ji was a veritable delight to listen to.

I have already given you a beautiful dance number from the 1965 movie Guide. Here is one from 1964 movie Sati Savitri that had remarkably beautiful numbers such as Tum gagan ke chandrama, Itani jaldi kyaa hai gori saajan ke ghar jaane ki, and Jeevan dore tumhi sang bandhi.

Here is a delightful number penned by Bharat Vyas, music composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal and sung by her.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na poochho…

sakhi re, sakhi re
sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na pucho
sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na pucho
main kaise bataun ye kehte lajjaun
main kaise bataun ye kehte lajjaun
sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na pucho
sakhi re pi ka naam

jamuna kinare ek din main khadi thi
pehli ghata ke halki halki jhadi thi
kaise suhani anokhi gadi thi
palkhen utthi aur ankhiyan ladi thi
banaya tujko banwari bata de uska naam ri
sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na pucho
sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na pucho
main kaise bataun ye kehte lajjaun
main kaise bataun ye kehte lajjaun
sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na pucho
sakhi re pi ka naam

naina the jaise kamal ki panhkudiyan
baina the jaise ke bande bashuriya
roop tha jaise ke chanda gagan ka
rang tha bohar ki pehli kiran sa
bani tu jiski kaam ri bata de uska naam re
sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na pucho
sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na pucho
main kaise bataun ye kehte lajjaun
main kaise bataun ye kehte lajjaun
sakhi re pi ka naam, naam na pucho
sakhi ri pi ka naam

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DNstdJ0j3kM%3F

Song #21 Hum aaj kahin dil kho baihte….

We are coming to the last two songs in Raag Jhinjhoti. The first one is a rare one. It has Naushad‘s music but it has not been penned by Shakeel Badayuni; it has been penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

What is the other rare thing in the song? Well, it has been sung by Mukesh.

The name of this 1949 movie is Andaz starring Raj Kapoor, Nargis and Dilip Kumar.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Ham aaj kahin dil kho baithe…

ham Aj kahI.n dil kho baiThe
yU.N samajho kisI ke ho baiThe
ham Aj kahI.n …

haradam jo koI pAs Ane lagA
bhed ulfat ke samajhAne lagA
nazaro.n se nazar kaa TakarAnA
thA dil ke liye ik afasAnA
ham hAtho.n se dil ko ga.nvA baiThe
ham Aj kahI.n …

A.Nkho.n me.n samAyA koI magar
kaun AyA kisI ko kyA ye khabar
pUchho to yahI hai usakA patA
cha.nchal nainA aur shokh adA
ham dil kI naiyyA Dubo baiThe
ham Aj kahI.n …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=nBseHpDcOFE%3F

Song #22 Aaj hai pyaar ka faisla ae sanam…

Finally, the last of best songs set in Raag Jhinjhoti.
Now this actually has almost the complete team that made the best songs in Hindi movies: Shakeel Badayuni as lyricist, Naushad Ali as Music Director, and Lata as a singer in a Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala movie: the 1964 movie Leader that had such great songs as Apani azaadi ko ham hargiz bhulaa sakate nahin, Hamin se mohabbat hamin se ladaayi, Mujhe duniyawaalo sharaabi na samajho, Tere husn ki kyaa tareef karun and Wk Shahenshah ke banwa ke haseen Taj Mahal.

Here is the last composition in Raag Jhinjhoti: Aaj hai pyaar ka faisla ai sanam….

aaj hai pyaar kaa faisalaa ai sanam
aaj meraa muqaddar badal jaa_egaa
tuu agar sa.ngadil hai to paravaah nahii.n
mere naGamo.n se patthar pighal jaa_egaa

dekh mai.n huu.N ba.Dii choT khaa_e hu_e
tere qadamo.n me.n huu.N sar jhukaa_e hu_e
aa gale se lagaa le mujhe varanaa phir
baat rah jaa_egii vaqt Tal jaa_egaa
aaj hai pyaar kaa …

dil ko mere teraa dil nahii.n chaahi_e
aur sivaa isake kuchh nahii.n chaahi_e
tuune kar dii agar ik nigaah-e-qaram
meraa TuuTaa hu_aa dil sa.mbhal jaa_egaa
aaj hai pyaar kaa …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=YwNjURH4V5M%3F

That brings us to the end of the best songs in Hindi movies based on Raaga Jhinjhoti. I hope you liked the selection.

Next we shall take up songs based on Raaga Darbari Kanada.

THE BEST RAAGA BASED SONGS IN HINDI MOVIES – RAAGA JHINJHOTI – PART I

I run a Facebook page called Lyrical wherein I often give theme based songs. The current theme, since 12th Aug 15, is The Best Raaga Based Songs In Hindi Movies.

On Lyrical, I am on the tenth Raaga: Raaga Jhinjhoti, that is. I am conscious that I have so far converted only two Raaga based song-posts on Lyrical into blogs; that is, Raaga Bhairavi (in three parts) and Raaga Yaman (in three parts) and that I still have to convert into blogs song-posts on Raaga Darbari Kanada, Bhimpalasi, Khammaj, Peelu, Pahadi, Kirwani, and Malkauns. However, I am straightway jumping to Raaga Jhinjhoti because I just finished with that and it is fresh in my mind.

This raga is considered as “Ashraya Raga” of Khamaj Thaat or Parental Scale. Since all the seven notes are used in the raga, its Jati is Sampoorna or heptatonic.
The seventh note Ni in this raga is Komal or Flat and the rest of the notes are Shuddha. The most important and prominent note in this raga is the “Ga” which is called the Vadi swar and the Samvadi swar or the supporting note is “Dha”.
The raga structure is more prominent in the lower octave and hence the improvisation of this raga is mostly done in the Mandra and Madhya Sthaans.
This raga is generally performed between10.00 p.m. and mid-night .

Being originally a late night Raaga, the songs based on this Raaga are very intense and soulful and full of self-pity, eg, Jehan Ara number: Teri aankh ke aansu pi jaayun aisi meri taqdeer kahan; or Pagla Kahin Ka number: Tum mujhe youn bhula na paayoge. As we go along, you will understand.

I seek your forgiveness that I am not able to give you the song depicted in the cover picture: Mere mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam. This song is the reason why the raag is so dear to me. However, I have never considered myself big enough to be actually able to put up this song put together by Shakeel Badayuni, Naushad Ali and Mohammad Rafi. I consider it the best the Hindi films ever produced (its equivalent by Sahir and Roshan and Rafi, I have put up though there too I should have my emotional reasons not to).

Raag JhinjhotiSong #1 Jaa jaa re jaa, baalamwa…

Having said that, let me give you my second choice of the best of Lata (the first is naturally Rasik balma). It is from the 1956 movie Basant Bahar. The movie starred Bharat Bhushan, Nimmi and Kum Kum in the lead roles. Have a look at the 9 songs of this super songs movie:

1. Badi Der Bhai Mohd. Rafi
2 Bhay Bhajana Vandana Sun Manna Dey
3 Duniya Na Bhaye Mohd. Rafi
4 Ja Ja Re Ja Balama Lata Mangeshkar
5 Kar Gaya Re Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle
6 Ketaki Gulab Juhi Manna Dey, Bhimsen Joshi
7 Main Piya Teri Lata Mangeshkar
8 Nain Mile Chain Kahan Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey
9 Sur Na Saje Manna Dey

If anyone were to listen to these nine, it would be a veritable treat. We chose the one in Raag Jhinjhoti.

Shailendra penned the lyrics of the first song that I have chosen for you. Shankar Jaikishen composed the music and I have already told you that it has been sung by Lata ji.Please enjoy in Raag Jhijhoti: Jaa jaa re jaa baalmwaa…..

jaa jaa re jaa, baalamavaa
sautan ke sa.ng raat bitaa_ii
kaahe karat ab jhuuTii batiyaa.N
jaa jaa re jaa, baalamavaa

Gair ke ghar karii raat jagaa_ii
mose kahe tere binaa nii.nd na aayii
kaiso harajaa_ii daiyyaa
jaa jaa re, jaa baalamavaa …

kaa.Ndhe lagaa laayii bindiyaa kisiikii
jaanuu.N mai.n churaayii tuune nindiyaa kisiikii
laaj na aayii tohe
jaa re jaa, jaa re jaa, jaa re jaa, baalamavaa …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=tDbmRcssXmA%3F

Song #2 Tum mujhe youn bhula naa payoge…

How many super hit movies have been directed by the Bengali director Shakti Samanta? By a rough estimate, he made a duper hit once every two years; films such as Howrah Bridge, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening in Paris, Kati Patang and Amar Prem.

He received Filmfare Awards for Best Film for Aradhana (1969), Anuraag (1973) and Amanush, which was also made in Bengali, a language in which he made six films, including an Indo-Bangladesh joint production in 1984.

Pagla Kahin Ka is a favourite of mine starring Shammi Kapoor, Asha Parekh, Helen and Prem Chopra. Indeed, Shammi Kapoor himself acknowledged that that was the most intense role that he ever did.

Shammi Kapoor is a mentally “insane” person (that’s why the title of the movie). But, as we go along, we realise that he is perhaps more sane than all the so called “sane” society around him.

Songs set in Raag Jhinjhoti tend to become immortal and this song fits the bill so eminently.

This has been put together by house-musicians of Kapoors: Shankar Jaikishen, the lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri and the god of songs: Mohammad Rafi.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Tum mujhe youn bhula naa paayoge….

tum mujhe yU.N bhulaa naa paaoge
haa.N tum mujhe yU.N bhulaa naa paaoge
jab kabhii bhii sunoge giit mere
sa.ng sa.ng tum bhii gunagunAoge
haa.N tum mujhe yU.N bhulaa naa paaoge
ho tum mujhe yU.N …

(vo bahaare.n vo chaa.ndanii raate.n
hamane kii thii jo pyAr kii baate.n ) – 2
un nazaaro.n kii yaad aaegii
jab khayaalo.n me.n mujhako laaoge
haa.N tum mujhe yU.N bhulaa naa paaoge
ho tum mujhe yU.N …

(mere haatho.n me.n teraa cheharaa thaa
jaise koI gulaab hotaa hai ) – 2
aur sahaaraa liyaa thaa baaho.n kaa
vo shaam kis tarah bhulaaoge
haa.N tum mujhe yU.N bhulaa naa paaoge
ho tum mujhe yU.N …

(mujhako dekhe binaa qaraar naa thaa
ek aisaa bhii daur guzaraa hai ) – 2
jhUTh maanU.N to pUchhalo dil se
mai.n kahU.ngaa to rUTh jaaoge
haa.N tum mujhe yU.n bhulaa naa paaoge

jab kabhii bhii …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=3WQAfAfxFoI%3F

Song #3 Ghungru ki tarah bajata hi raha hoon main….

Intensity of feelings, soulfulness and self-pity are present in large measure in this song from 1974 movie Chor Machaye Shor picturised on Shashi Kapoor.

It is Ravindra Jain both as lyricist and music director. It was sad to let him go recently. The voice is that of Kishore Kumar and this must be amongst his best.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Ghungru ki tarah bajata hi raha hoon main…

ghu.Ngharuu kii tarah bajataa hii rahaa huu.N mai.n
kabhii is pag me.n kabhii us pag me.n ba.Ndhataa hii rahaa huu.N mai.n
ghu.Ngharuu kii tarah …

kabhii TuuT gayaa kabhii to.Daa gayaa
sau baar mujhe phir jo.Daa gayaa
yuu.N hii TuuT-TuuT ke, phir juT-juT ke
bajataa hii rahaa huu.N mai.n
ghu.Ngharuu kii tarah …

mai.n karataa rahaa auro.n kii kahii
mere man kii ye baat man hii me.n rahii
hai ye kaisaa gilaa jisane jo kahaa
karataa hii rahaa huu.N mai.n
ghu.Ngharuu kii tarah …

apano.n me.n rahe yaa Gairo.n me.n
ghu.Ngharuu kii jagah to hai pairo.n me.n
kabhii mandir me.n kabhii mahafil me.n
sajataa hii rahaa huu.N mai.n
ghu.Ngharuu kii tarah …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=SRY4oEWaYsk%3F

Song #4 Koi hamdam naa raha, koi sahaara naa raha….

Lets now take up a song from the 1961 movie Jhumroo starring Kishore Kumar as Jhumroo and Madhubala as Anajana.

Anjana lives a wealthy lifestyle with her dad, Dwarka Nath (Jayant), in a hilly region in India. When she returns home after several years, she finds that her dad has become more strict and a disciplinarian, and even has his erring employees and villagers flogged. Then she meets with local villager, Jhumroo, and both fall in love with each other. Jhumroo takes her home to introduce her to his mom, Kamla (Lalita Pawar), who approves of her instantly. When Dwarka comes to know about this, he is enraged, and quickly announces her marriage with his Manager, Ramesh (Anoop Kumar). Jhumroo is heart-broken and goes to meet with Anjana, who does tell him that she loves him, but must obey her father. What Jhumroo and Anjana do not know is that she is not Dwarka’s daughter, but is the daughter of Kamla, and abducted at a very young age. The question remains what impact will this have on their lives when they find that they are brother and sister, and who actually did abduct Anjana?

The fact is that these stories get repeated in Hindi movies, once these are successful. The latter day movie with similar predicament of lovers Amitabh Bachchan and Saira Bano was 1975 movie Zameer. At Intermission both are faced with the harsh fact that they are brother and sister!

Jhumroo had another very beautiful song: Thandi hawa ye chandini suhaani and this one in Raag Jhinjhoti. It has Kishore Kumar’s voice on his own music. Lyrics are by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

On my cellphone I have a recording by Pancham that Kishore Kumar always wanted to sing this song since Pancham used to sing it. The latter told him that it has to be sung in 14 maatra. However, Kishore sung in his own way and it is one of his most memorable songs.

Don’t forget the self-pity that I told you about yesterday.

Please enjoy: Koi hamdam naa raha, koi sahaara naa raha….

ko_ii hamadam naa rahaa ko_ii sahaaraa na rahaa
ham kisii ke na rahe ko_ii hamaaraa na rahaa
ko_ii hamadam naa rahaa …

shaam tanhaa_ii kii hai aa_egii ma.nzil kaise -2
jo mujhe raah dikhaa_e vahii taaraa na rahaa
ko_ii hamadam naa rahaa …

ai nazaaro.n naa ha.Nso mil naa sakuu.Ngaa tumase -2
tum mere ho naa sake mai.n tumhaaraa naa rahaa
ko_ii hamadam naa rahaa …

kyaa bataa_uu.N mai.n kahaa.N yuu.N hii chalaa jaataa huu.N -2
jo mujhe phir se bulaa_e vo ishaaraa naa rahaa
ko_ii hamadam naa rahaa …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=TDPb2ShfjHo%3F

Song #5 Teri aankh ke aansu pi jaayun…

The theme of self-pity, the innate theme of Jhinjhoti continues even in this song from the 1964 movie Jahan Ara on the historical but tragic love story between Shahjahan’s daughter Jahan Ara (Mala Sinha) and Mirza Yusuf Changezi (Bharat Bhushan).

Misfortune visits the emperor Shahjahan, when his wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Achala Sachdev), passes away. The emperor gets deeply devastated, and, still mourning his wife’s death, he pledges to build a memorial in her name (which would subsequently be called Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders on Earth). At her deathbed, Mumtaz makes Jahan promise that she will take care of her father, which she promises to do. This responsibility makes her sacrifice her love for Mirza, who is heartbroken and continues to believe that Jahan will sooner or later reunite with him.

So, Jahan Ara is kept captive in her own palace unable to meet Mirza and this song came about. It has lyrics by Rajinder Krishan and music by Madan Mohan. Talat has sung this for Bharat Bhushan acting as the Mirza.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Teri aankh ke aansu pi jaayun aisi meri taqdeer kahan….

teraa GamaKvaar huu.N lekin mai.n tujh tak aa nahii.n sakataa
mai.n apane naam terii bekasii likhavaa nahii.n sakataa

terii aa.Nkh ke aa.Nsuu pii jaauu.n aisii merii taqadiir kahaa.N
tere Gam me.n tujhako bahalaauu.n aisii merii taqadiir kahaa.N

ai kaash jo mil kar rote, kuchh dard to halake hote
bekaar na jaate aa.Nsuu, kuchh daaG jigar ke dhote
phir ra.nj na hotaa itanaa, hai tanahaaI me.n jitanaa
ab jaane ye rastaa Gam kaa, hai aur bhii lambaa kitanaa
haalaat kii ulajhan sulajhaauu.N aisii merii taqadiir kahaa.N
terii aa.Nkh ke aa.Nsuu pii jaauu.N

kyaa terii zulf kaa leharaa, hai ab tak vohii sunaharaa
kyaa ab tak tere dar pe, detii he.n havaae.n paharaa
lekin hai ye khaam-o-khayaalii, terii zulf banii hai savaalii
mohataaj hai ek kalii kii, ik roz thii phuulo.n vaalii
vo zulfe.n pareshaa.n mahakaauu.n aisii merii taqadiir kahaa.N
terii aa.Nkh ke aa.Nsuu pii jaauu.N

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JBNQPynLoS8%3F

Song #6 Rehate the kabhi jinake dil mein….

And finally, tonight, the ultimate in self-pity, the theme of Hindi songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti. This is from the 1966 movie Mamta starring Ashok Kumar, Suchitra Sen and Dharmendra. I saw this movie on my computer just last night.

If you recall, I had given you a super song from this movie in Raag Yaman earlier that is one of the best of Hemant Kumar and Lata Mngeshkar: Chhupa lo youn dil mein pyaar mera.

Here is now the song in this Raag. Lyrics are by Majrooh Sultanpuri, composition is by Roshan and voice is that of Lata Mangeshkar.

Devyani (Suchitra Sen) is in love with Ashok Kumar (Monish Rai). He leaves for London to complete his studies to become a barrister. In his absence, however, extreme poverty drives her to marry Bipin Gupta (Kantilal) who marries her only to exploit her sexually and for monetary gains. She has a child from him (a girl). The moment Kantilal signs the release papers for her mother’s house, Devyani takes her child and runs away from Kantilal. Destiny brings her to a kind-hearted Chhaya Devi (Mina Bai) who converts Devyani into a tawaif Panna Bai. When Monish Bai returns from London he is still in love with her but doesn’t understand why she had to become a tawaif. Through a stranger, he invites her to his place so that her true identity as tawaif is revealed. That’s the time when she sings the song.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Rehate the kabhi jinake dil mein…..

rahate the kabhii jinake dil me.n
ham jaan se bhii pyaaro.n kii tarah
baiThe hai.n unhii ke kuuche me.n
ham aaj gunahagaaro.n kii tarah – 2

daavaa thaa jinhe.n hamadardii kaa
khud aake na puuchhaa haal kabhii – 2
mahafil me.n bulaayaa hai ham pe – 2
ha.Nsane ko sitamagaaro.n kii tarah – 2
rahate the…

baraso.n se sulagate tan man par
ashko.n ke to chhii.nTe de naa sake – 2
tapate hue dil ke zakhmo.n par – 2
barase bhii to a.ngaaro.n kii tarah – 2
rahate the…

sau rup dhare jiine ke liye
baiThe hai.n hazaaro.n zahar piye – 2
Thokar naa lagaanaa ham khud hai.n – 2
giratii huii diivaaro.n kii tarah – 2
rahate the…

https://youtube.com/watch?v=szPnGL5y-gY%3F

Song #7 Chhup gaya koi re duur se pukaar ke….

I hope you are enjoying my selection of songs composed in Raag Jhinjhoti in which my all time favourite song and what I feel is the best in Hindi films is composed: Mere mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam.

The last song Rehate the kabhi jinake dil mein picturised on Suchitra Sen has got me to another excellent song picturised on her. This time the composition is of my favourite Hemant Kumar for the 1957 movie Champakali that Suchitra did with Bharat Bhushan. Rajinder Krishan penned the lyrics and the voice is that of Lata Mangeshkar.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Chhup gaya koi re duur se pukaar ke….

chhup gayaa koii re, duur se pukaar ke
dard anokhe haay, de gayaa pyaar ke
chhup gayaa …

aaj hai.n suunii suunii, dil kii ye galiyaa.N
ban gaI.n kaa.NTe merii, khushiyo.n kii kaliyaa.N
pyaar bhii khoyaa maine, sab kuchh haar ke
dard anokhe haay, de gayaa pyaar ke
chhup gayaa …

a.Nkhiyo.n se nii.nd gaI, manavaa se chain re
chhup chhup roe mere, khoe khoe nain re
haay yahii to mere, din the si.ngaar ke
dard anokhe haay, de gayaa pyaar ke
chhup gayaa …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=x5FkSvxnOqE%3F

Song #8 Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kyaa hai…

This Madan Mohan‘s composition is amongst the best that has been made on eyes. It has two versions: Mohammad Rafi‘s and Lata Mangeshkar‘s. Majrooh Sultanpuri penned the lyrics and the name of the movie is the 1969 film Chirag starring Sunil Dutt and Asha Parekh.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: 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 …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZcS-Cx_yIwc%3F

Song #9 Ek raat mein do do chand khile…

Yesterday, 16th November was the birth anniversary of the composer Chitragupta Srivastava who gave us such melodies as Chhedo na meri zulfen sab log kyaa kahenge, Haay re tere chanchal nainva, Jay jay he Jagdambe mata, Laagi chhuute na, Muft huye badnaam, Teri duniyaa se duur chale hoke majbuur, and Muskarao ke ji nahin lagata.

Here is a very melodious duet by Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh on the lyrics of Rajinder Krishan for the 1959 movie Barkha starring Nanda and Anant Kumar.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Ek raat mein do do chand khile….

ek raat me.n do-do chaa.Nd khile
ek ghuu.NghaT me.n, ek badalii me.n
apanii apanii ma.nzil se mile
ek ghuu.NghaT me.n, ek badalii me.n
ek raat me.n do-do chaa.Nd khile …

badalii kaa vo chaa.Nd to sabakaa hai
ghuu.NghaT kaa vo chaa.Nd to apanaa hai
mujhe chaa.Nd samajhane vaale vataa
ye sach hai yaa sapanaa hai
ek raat me.n do-do chaa.Nd khile …

maaluum nahii.n do an_jaane
raahii kaise mil jaate hai.n
phuulo.n ko agar khilanaa ho
viiraane me.n bhii khil jaate hai.n
ek raat me.n do-do chaa.Nd khile …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PaP962D-Mng%3F

Song #10 Dil ke tukade huye aur jigar lut gaya….

Mehboob Khan’s 1962 movie Son of India starred minor actors Kanwaljit, Simi Grewal and Kumkum. But, he retained the team that made super hit and memorable songs for his Mother India five years ago: Shakeel Badayuni as a lyricist, Naushad Ali as Music Director and Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar as singers. Of course he had Shanti Mathur singing the iconic children’s song: Nanha munha raahi hoon. Just have a look at the list of songs:

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

We have already concluded, with adequate evidence, that self-pity is the most important emotion of Hindi songs composed in Raag Jhinjhoti. Listen to the first song in the list picturised on Kumkum and reconfirm that finding.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Aaj chhedo mohabbat ki….dil ke tukade huye…

aaj chhe.Do mohabbat kii shahanaa_iyaa.N
dil ke Tuka.De hu_e aur jigar luT gayaa
Gam kisii ko milaa aur kisii ko Kushii
ek ghar bas gayaa ek ghar luT gayaa
dil ke Tuka.De hu_e …

ek taraf apane Duube sitaaro.n kaa Gam
ek taraf apanii luTatii bahaaro.n kaa Gam
dil ke luTane kii kisase shiqaayat karuu.N
kuchh idhar luT gayaa kuchh udhar luT gayaa
dil ke Tuka.De hu_e …

kisako apanaa kahuu.N ab mai.n jaa_uu.N kahaa.N
ko_ii dekhe muhabbat kii majabuuriyaa.N
dil lagaayaa to dil kii Kushii miT ga_ii
sar jhukaayaa jo maine to sar luT gayaa
dil ke Tuka.De hu_e …

bujh gayaa dil ab roshanii kyaa karuu.N
le ke uja.Dii hu_ii zindagii kyaa karuu.N
dil kii qismat me.n likhii thii.n naakaamiyaa.N
laakh maine bachaayaa magar luT gayaa
dil ke Tuka.De hu_e …

https://youtube.com/watch?v=dNM_7vraYt8%3F

Song #11 Chali pi ko milan…

I give you the next song from the 1948 movie Ziddi, a movie that launched the career of three stars: Dev Anand, Kamini Kaushal and Pran.

Ziddi (English: Stubborn) is a 1948 Hindi film directed by Shaheed Latif. It was based on a story by Ismat Chughtai. The playback singers – Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar recorded their first duet – “Ye Kaun Aya Re” together in this 1948 film Ziddi.

The song that I have chosen for you has lyrics by Prem Dhawan and music by Khemchand Prakash. Shamshad Begum sang it.

Please enjoy in Raag Jhinjhoti: Chali pi ko milan, ban than ke dulhan….

chalii pii ko milan ban Than ke dulhan
jhan jhananan paayal gaavat hai
ab kaahe ko der karo rii sakhii
moraa maike me.n jiyaa ghabaraavat hai

mai.n to baabul se mukh mo.D chalii
viiran sa.ng naataa to.D chalii
us chhor kabhii jaa ke rii sakhii
koii lauT ke phir nahii.n aavat hai

kab diip jale bin baatii ke
kab raah kaTe bin saathii ke
ji saagar se bichha.De nadiyaa
us saagar me.n mil jaavat hai

https://youtube.com/watch?v=kDfOa79ZEDk%3F

That brings us to the half-way mark in my list of best Hindi songs based on Raag Jhinjhoti. Please await Part II of this blog for the remaining eleven songs.

“WE ARE ABOUT TO GET FULL OROP”

This is in good humour and should be read in that spirit only:

The year is 2023. In a solemn ceremony, veterans (those who are stll alive, that is) have gathered fondly at the venue of their fiercest and bitterest campaign field; not Kargil, not Poonchh or Khemkaran, not even at Siachen, but, at Jantar Mantar. They are celebrating the golden jubilee of their campaign to restore OROP that was taken away from them in 1973.

I am just about to touch seventy but there is still enthusiasm in covering mammoth events and rallies.

I overhear an old veteran telling another with immense satisfaction, “We were lucky that although we won the Kargil War in 1999, lost and wounded nearly 2000 soldiers and it was indeed a great victory, the government of India still didn’t punish us as they did after 1971 War.”

To this, one really old veteran, barely able to stand even with his walking stick, responds, “Indira Gandhi was different. Her way of rewarding the victors in war was to reduce their pensions. But, thankfully she didn’t follow in the footsteps of emperor Shahjehan who cut off the hands of the chief architect who made the Taj Mahal”.

Now, it is the turn of the first veteran to interject: “Yeah, she was a kind lady. No wonder the Congress refers to her as Priyadarshini (delightful to look at).”

They would have continued on and on like…like…well, like talking old soldiers but then Major General Satbir Singh, SM, OM, Retd., arrived at the venue. If you are wondering what OM is, it is an OROP Medal that the government introduced in the year 2016, just to keep the agitators in good humour. This medal, the government was proud of proclaiming, had been made after melting all the other medals that the veterans returned in end 2015, showing their displeasure at the government’s apathy towards veterans.

Soon after that babus, police and para-military personnel demanded OM to be given to them too. The government had tough time reasoning with them that they couldn’t have their cake and eat it too; or in other words, have OROP as well as OM. As always, babus, police and para military personnel were not convinced and demanded that the government should give them too adequate medals so that they too have something to return when they don’t get what they want.

General Satbir is old but his face still has that glow and his eyes still have the glint that only those have who believe in honest and straightforwardness and for the cause of their men more than for themselves.

The shouts of, “Sadda haq, itthe rakh” ( Our right, give it now) fill the air. It has been a great war-cry. JP Dutta, the veteran film-maker, in the year 2019 made a movie with this title. The movie had remake of a popular fauji song: ‘Sandeshe aate hain, hamen tadpaate hain’ to tell the plight of the veterans receiving messages from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi that finally the full OROP was just around the corner but the veterans still not seeing light across the tunnel.

image
Sandeshe aate hain, hamen tadpaate hain (Cartoon courtesy: sainikdarpan.blogspot.com)

It is 14th Aug 2023 and they find an extremely frail, 91 years old, Grenadier Vishambar Singh, stumbling across to the venue with a naked torso. General Satbir noticing him shirtless asks, “Vishambar ji aap shirt ghar bhool aaye, kyaa?” (Vishambar ji, you forgot your shirt at home, or what?)

Vishambhar replies, “Nahin saab ji; kal azaadi diwas hai. Aath saal pehle, aaj ke din, pulsiyon ne mil ke meri shirt faad di thi. Ab saab ji itane paise to nahin hai jo har saal nayi shirt banwaayun. Isliye ghar chhod ke aaya hoon.” (No, Sahib ji; tomorrow is the Independence Day. Eight years ago, the police tore my shirt (here). Now, Sahib ji, I don’t have enough money to buy a new shirt every year. That’s why I left it at home.)

Colonel Kaul whispers from behind General Satbir Singh, “Theek hai. But, we should be ashamed. Men are losing their shirts and sleep over OROP but the blasted OROP is nowhere in sight.”

General Satbir, “I have been told it is just around the corner now. They have nearly sorted out the VRS issue by coming up with a formula that decides your share of OROP depending upon your medical category, age, retirement age, rank and number of years left for superannuation. Of course, it would still be denied to you if you don’t follow the family planning norms. That’s the latest clause introduced by the babus“.

In the background, a reporter is heard talking to a Times of India reporter, “Massive rally by the veterans. I hope this time, at least; you are going to cover it”. The ToI reporter replies, “We have normally been giving it space next to the Obituary column as both are serious and dead issues. Let me see, if someone dies we shall give adequate cover to his body and to this grave issue”.

Just then a plush limousine slides to a halt in front of Jantar Mantar. A happy veteran alights in his worsted suit, gold tie-pin etc. All the other veterans are agog with envy and ask, “So, you actually got arrears of OROP, did you?”

“Nothing of that sort” the wealthy veteran replies, “I took General Satbir’s call for Black Diwali seriously. I invested, in the last eight years, money saved from lamps and crackers, in Narendra Modi’s Achhe Din Aa Rahen Hain Fund (Happy Days Are Coming Fund). The bourses gave me hundred to one on my betting correctly on the outcome of the promise and the fund. I also bought 100 shares of Mann Ki Baat Radio Services at 10 rupees a share. Each one is a lakh rupees a piece now.”

Ninety-one year old Vishambar starts crying uncontrollably. He lost his shirt for nothing.

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