My interest in music is limited to songs from old Hindi movies and simple gazals. I don't have any understanding of ragas or classical music. I like whatever sounds good to my ears. I have a good collection of Hindi music with approximately 400 cassettes in my collection. In this page, I plan to list some of my favorite songs and gazals. And would try to give reasons for why I like them.
Music inspires me, especially if the lyrics are
highly inspiring. There is a whole list of songs, which provide me with inspiration,
but the one that gives me a lot of strength is this song from Ankush:
"Itni shakti
hamein dena daata, man ka vishwas kamjor ho na. Hum chalein nek raste pe, humse bhool kar
bhi koi bhool ho na.... Hum sazaa paayeen apne kiye ki, maut bhi ho to seh len khushi se..."". And another one, which is embedded in my mind from my childhood days, is this song from
a movie Guddi. It was one of the prayers in the Campus School of IIT Kanpur, which I
attended for one year in late seventies.
"Hum ko man ki shakti dena, man vijaya kare. Doosron ki jaye se pehele khud ko jaye kare"
. "Hum to musafir hain, koi safar ho, hum to gujar jaayenge hi.., lekin lagaya hai jo daav
humne, woh jeet kar aayenge hi"
. My inspiration comes from this song from movie "Prahaar",
sung by my favorite MannaDey. Lyrics are by Mangesh
Kulkarni. This song words the direction of my life: "Hamare peechhe koi
aaye na aaye, hamein hi to pehle pahunchna wahan hai..
jinpar hai chalna nai peedhhiyon ko.. unhi raston ko banana hamein
hai.. Jobhi saath aaye unhen saath le le, agar na koi saath de to akele..
Sulga ke khudko mita dein andheera, disha jisse pehchaane sansaar sara..".
"Hamaari hi muthi mein akash sara, jab bhi khulegi chamkega tara.....
Hatheli pe rekhayen hain sab adhoori, kisne likhi hai nahin jaanna hai...
suljhane unko na ayega koi, samajhna hai unko, yeh apna karm hai, apne
karm se dikhana hai sabko, khudka panapna ubharna hai khud ko...
andhera mitaaye jo nanha sharara, disha jisse pehchane sansar sara....
Hamare peechhe koi aaye na aaye, hamein hi to pehle pahunchna wahan hai..
jinpar hai chalna nai peedhhiyon ko.. unhi raston ko banana hamein
hai.. Jobhi saath aaye unhen saath le le, agar na koi saath de to akele..
Sulga ke khudko mita dein andheera, disha jisse pehchaane sansaar sara.." Songs inspire me. There is a long list of songs, which I listen to
when I am low. Songs charge me.
There are other facets of good music too.
There are romantic songs, there are sad songs, there are naughty songs and songs that
trigger one to dance. I enjoy all shades of music. As mentioned earlier, my favorite
singer is MannaDey. Though I enjoy number of songs sung by MannaDey, but
the album "Classical Songs From Films" brings out best of MannaDey.
"Yahan do roop hain har ek ke.. yahan nazrein uthana jara dekh ke.. jab uski mohabbat mein
gum hai tu, wohi suraat nazar aayegi chaar su.. kaun kya hai.. man ke siwaaye ye koi kya
jaane.."
"Gair ke sang ghar se nikle.. sair ko jaane lage.. jab mili humse nazar jhooti
kasam khaane lage.. are hato .. kahe ko jhooti banaao batiyan.."
There is this song that triggers my imagination.
My dream is to choreograph a dance sequence on this song. Music composition is by none
other than Jaidev. Singers, Parween Sulatana and company, have added a zing in the
song.
"Chan chan chan chan jiya kare jab gagri doobe paani mein.. jab gagri doobe paani mein..,
apna mukhra naya lage hum jab jab.. hum jab jab dekhen paani mein,
gaalon pe lali aa gayee.. hi.. kisne ye aag lagaayi re.." "Us paare na jaao shyam paiyaan paroon.. Us paare jo jaao to jaebe
karo.. Us paare jo jaao to... Us paare.. hi.. us paare jo jaao to jaebe karo.. jaebe karo..
sang savatiya.. hi.. sang savatiya na lao shyam paiyan paroon.. sang savatiya na lao shyam
paiyan paroon.. nadi naare na jaao shyam paiyan parron.."
Think of R.D. Burman, and sizzling Asha Bhonsle and
Helen with her oomph, immediately come to my mind. It is impossible to recreate this
combination
R.D. Burman and Asha have contributed to the success of so many musical hits like
Teesri Manzil, Caravan, Yaadon ki Baraat, Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin, Hare Rama Hare Krishna,
Padosan, Satte Pe Satta, Kati Patang, Ijaazat etc. Even his last one before his death,
"1942 A Love Story", had the master's stamp.
I love the compositions of O.P.Nayyar and Ravi.
How can one forget "Baar Baar Dekho Hazaar Baar Dekho...." by Ravi, in
China Town? And not to mention, "Aye Meri Zohra Jabeen.." from Waqt. And talking of music without naming Hemant Kumar,
would be doing injustice to one of the best music directors of Hindi film
industry.
"Tum Pukar lo.. tumhaara intezaar hai..
tum pukar lo... Khwab chun rahi hai raat bekaraar hai... tumhara intezaar
hai tum pukar lo.. Hot pe liye hue dil ki baat hum, jaagte
rahenge aur kitni raat hum, Muktsar si baat hai tumse pyaar hai.. tumhaara
intezaar hai...". Kishore Kumar was one of the most versatile singer
in the film industry. Thinking of Kishore reminds me of the movie "Padosan".
Lata has been the queen of Indian Film Industry.
Though Lata is known for the melodious songs she has given her voice
to, I would like to list two songs from film "Razia Sultana". I like them
for the sensation the two songs create.
"Choomkar raat sulaayegi, to neend aayegi... Khwab
bankar koi aayega, to neend aayegi..., ab wohi aake sulaayega to neend
aayegi..... Baat jo sirf nigaahon se kahi jaati hai, koi hoton
se sunaayega to neend aayegi.. Khwab bankar koi aayega... Narm
julfon ki mehek, garm badan ki khusboo, chupke chupke woh churaayega to
neend aayegi..... Zism haaton ki hararat se pighal jaayega..
aag rag rag mein lagaayega to neend aayegi..". One of the
most romantic and hot poetry I have ever heard.. Then songs sung by Rafi for Shammi Kappor are the one that I enjoy most.
Almost every song is great but the one I like most are:
Equally good is Rafi in serious mood.
"Tum mujhe yun bhula na paaoge.. jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere,
sang sang tum bhi gungunaoge.. Woh baharein woh chandni raatein, humne ki thi jo
pyaar ki baatein.. Un nazaaron ki yaad aayegi, jab khayaalon mein mujhko laaoge"
"Yeh daulat bhi le lo, yeh shohrat bhi le lo, bhale chheen lo mujhse meri
jawaani, magar mujhko lauta do bachpan ka sawan, woh kagaj ki kashti woh
baarish ka paani.... Mohale ki sabse nishani purani,
woh budhiya jise bachche kehte the naani, woh naani ki baaton mein pariyon
ka dhera, woh chehre ki jhuriyon mein sadiyon ka fera, bhulaaye nahin bhool
sakta hai koi, woh chhoti si raatein woh lambi kahani...".
... if only I could re-live it.
The statement of my life is this stanza of a song from Devanand's Gambler:
Have used it successfully to express myself.. "Muktsar si baat hai, tumse pyar hai".
My favorite gazal singers are Jagjit Singh and
Ghulam Ali. The gazal I like most is