Rafi bhajans - My choice from films
Snehal B. Oza
Have you ever woke up early in the morning with a bhajan or dhun mixed with
sound of bell in near by temple or by "azaan" on loud speaker from a distant
mosque ? It feels indeed very good and atmosphere and our soul is charged with
cosmic power of word and musical notes. Devotional music almost always appeals
all. It's probably oldest form of music. Naturally our film music has also had
composers who were deeply influenced by it. Fortunately during the period when
world of music had maximum number of creative minds (in films); the time also
was with them and in that leisurely decades of young India, culture and
traditions -- be it religious or art -- had still it's root deep in the society.
This can be seen through the fact that many mythological and ideological films
were made. The later types werer more due to Nehuruvian socialism and also
could largely be attributed to effect communalism had had on Indian youth of
1940s and 1950s. These projects created ideal platform for music directors such
as Madan Mohan, O P Nayyar, Hemant Kumar, S N Tripathi and others to compose
bhajans (or bhajan-like songs) and songs with message. One name that always
makes round in my mind whenever I think about such numbers is that of Late
Mohammad Rafi. His ability to inject life and emotions in bhajans was
remarkable. 'Shyam Se Neha Lagay, Raadhe Neer Bahaay' , for example is sung
with so much Krishna-devotion that one starts believing if Kabir or Rahim were
to sing their bhajans/doha it would be something similar!
Speaking of Rafi's devotional songs the first music director, I would like to
mention would be Madan Mohan.
'Mat Bhul Are Insaan, Mat Bhul Are Insaan
Teri Neki Badi, Nahi Us-se Chhupi, Sub Dekh Raha Bhagwaan'
is probably showcase of their repertoire. Their effort in Sheru (1957) is
also noteworthy:
'O Maati Ke Putale, Mat Kar Tu Itana Gumaan
Tu Hai Yahaan Ka Mehamaan'
Highlight of this bhajan is very touching interludes of sitar. Sheru had also
have another Rafi solo, equally good: 'Agar Teri Duniya Me, Ye Ghum Rahenge
To Kya Hum Teri ...' -- sung with lot of pathos.
Madan Mohan gave his best bhajan with Rafi for 1956 film Naya Aadmi:
Jagat Ka Rakhwaala Bhagwaan
Are Insaan Use Pehchaan, Jagat Ka Rakhwaala ....
it has some beautiful wordings penned by Rajendra Krishna.
Other music director who comes to mind is O P Nayyar. Not many would have
forgotten his magic creation in Naya Daur: 'Ana Hai To Aa Raah Me Kuchh Pher
Nahi Hai'. His other equally good bhajan (and perhaps as well known?) was
Jaan Sake To Jaan, Tere Man Me Chhup Kar Baithe
Dekh Tere Bhagwaan ...
OP also created such ace songs as
'Ye Duniya Tere Dil Ki Tasveer Baba
Ye Do Hath Hain Teri Taqdir Baba'
not exactly a bhajan but a song with some message. Some consider it to be finest
from this team. OPN and Rafi gave more of this type in Sone Ki Chidiya ('Raat
Bhar Ka Hai Mehmaa Andhera').
Naushad had his share through that immortal 'Man Tarapat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj'
and 'Insaan Bano' both in Baiju Bawara.
Roshan brought out magic in Rafi's voice in Taksaal (1955): Tere Dwar Aa Kar
Gaya Na Koi Khali (with Lata Mangeshkar). 'Man Re Tu Kaahe Na Dhir Dhare' from
Chitralekha could also be counted.
The rest all that I remember are all scattered ones from different films and
different composers. Chitragupta composed 'Muze To, Shiv Shankar Mil Gaye' for
Shiv Bhakt (1954), Hemant Kumar composed 'Meri Binti Suno Bhagwan' for
Taaj (1954) and one more later in Ma Beta (1961) that's dear to me:
Wo Kaun Si Mushkil Hai Na Jo, Ho Sake Aasan
Khud Ko Zara Pehchaan ....
It has pleasant orchestration. Sardar Malik also composed a two part song
on similar mood:
Hai Badhh Ke Farishton Se Teri Shaan
Khud Ko Zara Pehchan Khud Ko Zara Pehchaan
Chitragupta also composed two nice songs in Tulasidaas:
. Radhaji Ke Kunwar Kanhaiya Ho Meri Naiya Ka Kaun Khivaiyaa (with Asha)
and
. Muze Apani Sharan Me Le Lo Raam
Former is my personal favourite.
Other bhajans under Chitragupta's baton that were popular in their time were:
Kuchh Bhi Nahi Hai Tera Mol, Boli Na Badi Bol
Khilauna Tu Maati Ka Re - Maya Bazar
Mere Man Me Raam, Mere Tan Me Raam
Rom-Rom Me Raam Re - Pavanputra Hanumaan
Shankar Jaikishan also composed in their illustrated carrier few memorable
bhajans. Particular film to note here would be Basant Bahar. His bhajan
Badi Der Bhayi, Badi Der Bhai, Kab Loge Khabar Mori Raam
is fond to many. 'Duniya Na Bhaye Mohe' from same film can also be placed in
this category. Their Puja (1954) record, 'Rumzum Ke Bajaao Bansari Murari'
is Rafi's eternal best. When I am on Shankar Jaikishan, let me also mention
my liking for this Seema song: 'Hume Bhi De Do Sahaara Ke Be-sahare Hain'
It has it's moments both through soulful singing & music and through thoughtful
lyrics.
Jaidev composed a nice tune to
Der Na Hogi Palchhin Me, Ke Jis Din Chal Chal Chal Hogi
in Kinare Kinare (1963) for a Rafi-Usha Mangeshkar number.
Veteran music director Avinash Vyas composed few unforgettable ones too. His
most popular bhajan was unmistakably
Kam Na Aayega Ye Duniya Ka Mela
Aya Hai Akela Aur, Tu Jayega Akela
There were couple of good ones from Chakradhari too. My favourite being
Bolo He Jameen Bolo Aasmaan
and
Kahe Ko Bisara Hari Naam
Another bhajan of Rafi that many may not have forgotten yet, is from Ruplekha:
Bhjan Bina Baaware, Tune Heera Janam Ganwaaya composed by Nashad (?).
Before concluding I must mention Ravi who gave many such songs. Notable here
are:
Ajab Tori Kaarigari Re Kartaar - Dus Lakh (with Krishna Kalle)
and
Bhala Karane Wale, Bhalaai Kiye Ja - Ghar Sansar (1958)
Following are assorted ones:
Ajab Teri Maya, Tera Bhed Na Paaya, More Raam - Punarmilan
Jago, Aya Naya Sawera - Sant Tukaram
Ghum Ki Badali Me Chamakataa Ik Sitara Hai - Kal Hamara Hai (with Sudha)
It may not be bad idea for HMV to come out with twin tape album of Rafi bhajans.
There are many pearls that now remain buried under sand of time.
That was merely listing of Rafi's great contribution to our lives and culture;
no words can in anyway describe musical notes and it's effect. If you ever
listen to any of these bhajans (and many others that I may have missed out as
they slipped through memory); you would surely recognise the very same.
swastii
Snehal
Afzal A. Khan
Thanks for giving us this comprehensive list of Rafi bhajans.
Apart from bhajans, if songs with a message are to be considered, then some
other Rafi songs
also deserve to be noted :
Yeh zindagi ke mele duniya men kam na hoNge, afsos hum na hoNge
(Mela, MD Naushad)
Hai bahaar-e-baaGh-e-duniya chand roz
Dekh lo iska tamasha chand roz
(Bombay ka Chor, I think. MD Ravi)
Actually this is from a well-known nazm by Nazeer Akbarabadi, an Urdu
poet from
early 19th century
Bhala karnewaale, bhalaai kiye ja
(Cannot recall the film. Probably "Ek Saal" ?. But the style seems to
be that of Ravi)
Jaayega jab yahaaNse kuchh bhi na saath hoga
Do gaz kafan ka kapDa tera libaas hoga
(I think this is a duet but the name of the film again escapes me)
Jhoom jhoom ke do diwaane gaate jayeN gali gali
(The "message" is in the subsequent lines. "Mastana". MD Madan Mohan.
This is again a duet, with Laxmi Shankar)
At the same time, one comes across a few songs which , I think, contain
the wrong
type of message. One example :
"Tera kaam hai jalna parwaane, chaahe shama jale ya na jale"
(A Raj Kapoor movie. "Pehchaan" ? "Jaan Pehchaan" ? "Ambar" ? Cannot
seem to remember)
Here there is a blatant encouragement to commit suicide !
Afzal
*** Posted from RemarQ - http://www.remarq.com - Discussions Start Here (tm) ***
Hrishi Dixit
>
> Bhala karnewaale, bhalaai kiye ja
> (Cannot recall the film. Probably "Ek Saal" ?. But the style seems to
> be that of Ravi)
I don't think this one is from "Ek Saal", but the one Rafi solo from
that movie
*does* fall into the "sandeshaatmak" category :
kiske liye rukaa hai, kiske liye rukegaa
karnaa hai jo bhi kar le, yeh waqt jaa rahaa hai
yeh waqt jaa rahaa hai...
Plays twice in the movie - once at the beginning, with the credits, and
then
halfway through the movie.
And then of course, there is the eternal shot-in-the-arm from "Amar" :
insaaf ka mandir hai yeh bhagwaan ja ghar hai
kehna hai jo keh de tujhe kis baat ka Dar hai
especially lines like :
dukh deke na dukhiyaare se insaaf karegaa
bhagwaan bhi usko na kabhi maaf karegaa
yeh soch le har baat ki daata ko khabar hai
himmat hai to aa ja yeh bhalaai ki Dagar hai
Some more that come to mind :
himmat baDi hai himmat baDi hai himmat se koi kaam le
jab tak na miley manzil ka pataa, na rukey na kahii.N aaraam le
from 'Jalpari' (1952), MD Pt. Govindram
duniya ek kahaani re bhaiyya duniya ek kahaani
from 'Afsaana' (1951), MD Husnlal Bhagatram
....etc.
More later.
Snehal, you mentioned "shyam se neha lagaaye, radhe niir bahaaye"...
does this
Madhukar Rajasthani bhajan figure in any movie ? I had posted a set of
eight
ghair-filmi bhajans by Rafi a while ago, and this was one of them.
...Hrishi
--
_____________________________________________
Hrishi Dixit
Alta Software 650.404.0950 voice
hdi...@altasoft.com 650.404.0953 fax
mahesh velankar
terA nAm ek sA.c.nchA dUjA nA koI
I don't remember the film
-Mahesh
il_...@yahoo.com
mahesh velankar <Mahesh....@mci.com> wrote:
> sukhake sab sAthI dukh me.n nA koI
> terA nAm ek sA.c.nchA dUjA nA koI
>
> I don't remember the film
>
> -Mahesh
This is really an excellently sung bhajan. It is
from "Gopi" stg. Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu.
Music was provided by Kalyanji Anandji.
Afzal
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
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sanj...@my-dejanews.com
il_...@yahoo.com (Afzal A. Khan) wrote:
>
>
> Hai bahaar-e-baaGh-e-duniya chand roz
> Dekh lo iska tamasha chand roz
> (Bombay ka Chor, I think. MD Ravi)
Yes.
> Actually this is from a well-known nazm by Nazeer Akbarabadi, an Urdu
> poet from
> early 19th century
>
> Bhala karnewaale, bhalaai kiye ja
> (Cannot recall the film. Probably "Ek Saal" ?. But the style seems to
> be that of Ravi)
Film: Ghar Sansaar
MD: Ravi
>
> Jaayega jab yahaaNse kuchh bhi na saath hoga
> Do gaz kafan ka kapDa tera libaas hoga
> (I think this is a duet but the name of the film again escapes me)
>
> At the same time, one comes across a few songs which , I think, contain
> the wrong
> type of message. One example :
> "Tera kaam hai jalna parwaane, chaahe shama jale ya na jale"
> (A Raj Kapoor movie. "Pehchaan" ? "Jaan Pehchaan" ? "Ambar" ? Cannot
> seem to remember)
> Here there is a blatant encouragement to commit suicide !
Yes there is, and wrong message according to whom? Well, me for one, but
doesn't suicide fit in very well with filmy romance? The movie is Paapi, music
by S. Mohinder.
Sanjeev Ramabhadran
Snehal B. Oza
Hrishi Dixit <hdi...@altasoft.com> wrote:
> Snehal, you mentioned "shyam se neha lagaaye, radhe niir bahaaye"...
> does this Madhukar Rajasthani bhajan figure in any movie ? I had posted
> a set of eight ghair-filmi bhajans by Rafi a while ago, and this was one
> of them.
It's a non-film bhajan.
il_...@yahoo.com (Afzal A. Khan) wrote:
> Hai bahaar-e-baaGh-e-duniya chand roz
> Dekh lo iska tamasha chand roz
> (Bombay ka Chor, I think. MD Ravi)
> Actually this is from a well-known nazm by Nazeer Akbarabadi, an Urdu
> poet from
> early 19th century
I like this song a lot.
> Bhala karnewaale, bhalaai kiye ja
> (Cannot recall the film. Probably "Ek Saal" ?. But the style seems to
> be that of Ravi)
It's from Ghar Sansar (1958). It's in two part (or may be long such that it
on both side of 78. There is a long prelude to this song that I don't like
much. Song itself is a gem.
> Jaayega jab yahaaNse kuchh bhi na saath hoga
> Do gaz kafan ka kapDa tera libaas hoga
> (I think this is a duet but the name of the film again escapes me)
Ah! My favourite from Moti Mahal (1954). Female singer is Sulochana Kadam.
> "Tera kaam hai jalna parwaane, chaahe shama jale ya na jale"
> (A Raj Kapoor movie. "Pehchaan" ? "Jaan Pehchaan" ? "Ambar" ? Cannot
> seem to remember)
Paapi.
Other 'sandeshAtmak' songs I like are:
. Ye Suhch Hai Ai Jahan Walon - Kal Hamara Hai
. Kadam Badhhae Ja Na Dar Kadam Badhhae Ja - Bada Bhai
. Ghum Ho Ke Khushi, Tu Kabhi Aansoo Na Bahaana - Nai Ma
. Jeene Wale Khushi Se - Santan
. Kis Ke Liye Ruka Hai, Kis Ke Liye Rukega - ?
. Kahan Manzil, Kahaan Hai Thikaana - Nai Raahen
. Aaj Ghum Kal Khushi, Hai Yehi Zindagi - Jawaab
I absolutely love this Jawaan (1957) song. Composed by Nashad. The wordings
are just beautiful:
Aaj Ghum Kal Khushi, Hai Yehi Zindagi, Sun Le Pyaare
Aadami Wo Jo Himmat Na Haare ...
It further says:
Jo Na Kaanton Se Daaman Bachaaye, Phul Ban Ke Wohi Muskaraaye ...
IIRC, it is penned by Raja Mehadi Ali Khan.
Of course songs of Amar, Mela, Afsana are also in my list. If one wants to add
lighter side to it then I would add 'Chhuri Ban, Naanta Ban O My Son,
Sub Kuchh Ban, Par Kisi Ka Chamchaa Nahi Ban' from Jaali Note. Also 'Ankhon Pe
Bharosa Mat Kar' from Detective (1958)
Further in the list...
. Ja Raha Kahan Tu Baazi Haar Ke - Grih Laxmi
. Ye Duniya Patang - Patang
. Janam Janam Ke Phere title song
. Jo Baat Hoti Hai - Hakan
. Himmat Badi Hai Himmat Se Koi Kaam Le - Jalpari
. Bata Muze O Jahaan Ke Maalik - Ek Shola
. Chal Chal Re Musaif Chal - Puja
. Ajab Tori Duniya - Do Bigha Zameen
. Kismat Ka Likha Na Tale - Parichay
. Koi Amir Hai - Dana Pani
. Jane Waale Tuz Pe - Hatim Tai (with Suman Kalyanpur)
. Teri Badi Ka Badla Tuz Ko Yahin Mileha - Shaadi
. Raahi O Raahi - Devdas
. Lo Bhor Hui - Awwaz
One more bhajan that I recall is 'Zara Rakhana Bharosa Bhagwaan Me' from
Basera -- a late 1950s film. Very unusual tune for a bhajan.
Finally I must also admit my liking for Gharana (1960s) bhajan 'Jai Jai
Raam Raghu-rai' To me it's very appealing. One can add 'Man Mohan Man Me
Ho Tumhi' and 'Tu Hai Mera Prem Devata' from Kaise Kahun and Kalpana resp-ly.
Is 'Rang Rang Ki Chunari' from Zanak Zanak Paayal Baje a bhajan ?
Regards,
Snehal
> Here there is a blatant encouragement to commit suicide !
>
>
> Afzal