In 2017 I had decided to buy a Graphic tablet, so that I could create my little Ahiru digitally. It was just a dream back then, a stubborn & naive dream to ‘create’. I would like to mention here that 2017 was the only year when I had finally given my self-created cartoon character the name ‘Ahiru’.
(Note: A Graphic tablet/ pen-tab is an input device, used by graphic designers and illustrators to design or create artworks digitally. Needs to be plugged into the laptop/pc with USB)
I remember asking my dad stubbornly, that I wanted him to buy me a graphic tablet. I used to keep coming up with new reasons everyday stating why I really needed the Tablet and how it would really help me in accomplishing my dreams. At that time the graphic tablet I was demanding was priced around 10k and I was not even a graphic designing student. I was in 2nd year of my B.Sc. Genetics and I was so full of dreams and enthusiasm, enough to make me want to run away on a totally different path than that of my current education field. Finally, after few days of pleading and acting cranky in the house, my family agreed to buy me the tablet.
The day my first graphic tablet arrived I cried, not because I was overwhelmed with joy. I cried because I had zero experience and knowledge for being able to operate a tablet. Forget about the whole Ahiru character, I was not even able to write my own name with it. I cried for the whole day and felt like I had made a big mistake by making my dad buy it for me. I avoided using this Pen-tab for few days but later on I finally decided to channelize my stubbornness towards learning it.
Today, after 3 years of being in this game of my own, I am finally able to create artworks digitally. Not only that, I am a verified artist on two different startup platforms: ‘FranklyWearing’ and ‘FandomRealm’, and the owner of my own startup AADOODLES with my little Ahiru Shop on ‘Instamojo’.
All along this journey I learnt one thing, ‘I challenged myself’!
I challenged myself to learn more, to learn something on my own by visualizing a teacher in everyone I met and every new opportunity I came across.
Today, I have challenged myself with yet another difficulty level in this game of my own. I still have sparkling dreams in my eyes which seem rather impossible at the moment. But, buying a graphic tablet and learning it also used to be one of the ‘impossibilities’ back then.
Remember, no matter how tough the situation seems to be, no matter how many people around you try to hold you back; If you believe in something, it is going to come along your way one way or the other. Don’t give up on yourself and don’t quit this game of your own. A difficulty level is nothing but something that came along your way to make you a better person, to make you a better player.
“It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small, and the fear that once controlled me can’t get to me at all” – Idina Menzel
Remember to take a step back and appreciate your achievements, no matter how small they might be. You are your own motivator and you ‘Can’ be the creator of your own journey. All you have to do is keep Levelling up!
Today’s Motivation
7 New Habits To Encode To Make 2021 Wow
- Write in a journal before you sleep.
- Own your mornings=transform your life.
- Leave everyone you meet better.
- Speak like a leader not a victim.
- Read for at least 60 minutes every day
- Radiate positivity even when it’s hard
- Plan your week every Sunday morning
(by Robin Sharma)
(taken from twitter)
गाडी बुला रही है …
बचपन से ही मुझे रेलगाडी के प्रति एक ज़बर्दस्त आकर्षण भी है और वो मेरी भावनाओं के साथ भी जुडी है. अपनी नौकरी के कारण मुझे भारत में कई जगह घूमने का मौका मिला और मैंने रेल से कई भार यात्रा की है और आगे भी करता रहूँगा.
हिंदी सिनेमा में रेलगाड़ी पर हमेशा कई दृश्य फिल्माए गए है. कई बार नायक और नायिका रेल गाडी पर गाना गाते हुए, तो कई बार मिलने बिछड़े के दृश्य, तो कई बार फिल्म के किरदार रेल कि यात्रा करते हुए, या अपना घर-बार छोड़ कर जाते हुए दिखाए गए हैं.
मैं ऐसी फिल्मों कि सूची बनाना चाहता हूँ, और उन फिल्मों में रेलगाड़ी का कैसे उपयोग किया गया यह भी साथ में जोड़ना चाहता हूँ. इसमें समय लगेगा और आप के सुझाव भी चाहिए होंगे.
मेरी सबसे गुज़ारिश है कि आप अगर यह लेख पढ़ लेतें हैं तो इस पर अपनी कमेन्ट में ज़रूर ऐसी फिल्म का नाम भी लिखें, या आपने जिस फिल्म में ऐसे दृश्यों को पसंद किया हो उस फिल्म का नाम या गाना जो भी हों उसे ज़रूर लिखें.
आज के लिए मैं मेरे सबसे पसंदीदा रेल गीत के कुछ अंश यहाँ पुनःपेश करता हूँ जो सन १९७४ में बनी फिल्म ‘दोस्त’ का गीत है. इसे आनंद बक्षी ने लिखा है और सुरों में ढाला है लक्ष्मीकांत-प्यारेलाल ने …
गाडी बुला रही है
सीटी बजा रही है
चलना ही ज़िन्दगी है
चलती ही जा रही है
देखो वो रेल
बच्चों का खेल
सीखो सबक जवानों
सर पे है बोझ
सीने में आग
लब पे धुँआ है जानों
फिर भी ये जा रही है
नगमें सुना रही है
गाडी बुला रही है
सीटी बजा रही है …
(इस पूरे गीत का आनंद आप इस कड़ी पर जाकर ले सकतें हैं )
“Mere paas Maa hai …”… Sahir Ludhianvi
“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother’ so today on the international day of women, we pay our tributes to women and the ‘mother’ in them.
“Swami Tinhi Jagaacha Aai vina Bhikaari” …
Goes the lines are from a poem in ‘Marathi’, it means that… Even the lord of all the ‘three worlds’ is a beggar without a Mother…
Yes, every one of us understands the value of this word ‘mother’ and the value of her unconditional love she showers on us. How she cares for her child, how she serves a child for his whole life till she is alive.
Those who have been fortunate to have a mother and also those who are deprived of a mother’s love know very well the value of this word ‘mother’.
In our society, culture and traditions we have highest regards for our Mother. There are numerous stories of a ‘mother’s sacrifices as well as how some of them were the inspiration behind making of our great heroes and those many famous personalities and not to forget those who may not have got the publicity or the limelight, or those whose stories of great courage, stories of successful life inspired by their mothers may not have reached to us.
Also there are many who have been able to make a mark in their life and have achieved a lot only because their Mothers and their Mothers have been a great inspiration for them and played an important role in shaping of their destiny.
Today, we salute them all and salute their ‘womanhood’ because after all before being a mother they all are ‘women’.
A girl child – a daughter, a sister, a wife- better-half, a mother – a woman plays so many important roles in and around us.
She loves, she inspires, she cares, she gives meaning to life, she is mother, she is friend, she is daughter, and she is not only wife but simply a life…
A beautiful message describes a woman as ‘ the willingness to listen, the patience to understand, the strength to support, the heart to care and just to be there … that is the beauty of a woman’..
Today also happens to be the birth anniversary of poet-lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi.
He has talked about woman’s plight, her sufferings, how she has been treated for years in the society, what challenges she face, what are her problems and many more things associated with a woman. Through his poetry and songs he has time to time discuss womanhood and have thrown light on the contemporary world where woman have been neglected, insulted and tortured.
We are all aware that Sahir Ludhianvi shared a strong bond with his mother and many of his poems on woman have been inspired by his mother’s hardships and challenges she faced during her life.
Most of the books on Sahir Ludhianvi find mention of his strong bond of relationship with his Mother and many of us are aware of this through the information in books on Sahir Ludhianvi or other sources like interviews of famous film personalities or information available on the internet.
But I don’t think that much in details have been discussed about his mother and how she faced problems after separating from her husband and upbringing of a son to a poet lyricist of this great stature that Sahir achieved in his life.
Today we throw some light on the above based on the information available in few books on Sahir Ludhianvi and some info on the internet.
In the ‘introduction’ of the book ‘ Jaag Utthhe Khwaab Kayi- Sahir Ludhianvi ’ (Penguin Books India-Yatra Books-2010) editor Murlimanohar Prasad Singh mentions that if one has to understand about Sahir’s personality, ideology, emotions, thoughts and dreams and his poetic soul and if one has to know Sahir, one has know about his mother Sardar Begam.
To put his point further he has cited the novel Mother by Maxim Gorky published in 1906 and based on which in 1926 a Russian movie Mother was made and it was directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin.
The plot of the original novel as mentioned on the Wikipedia is as given below;
In his novel, Gorky portrays the life of a woman who works in a Russian factory doing hard manual labour and combating poverty and hunger, among other hardships. Pelageya Nilovna Vlasova is the real protagonist; her husband, a heavy drunkard, physically assaults her and leaves all the responsibility for raising their son, Pavel Vlasov, to her, but unexpectedly dies. Pavel noticeably begins to emulate his father in his drunkenness and stammer, but suddenly becomes involved in revolutionary activities. Abandoning drinking, Pavel starts to bring books to his home. Being illiterate and having no political interest, Nilovna is at first cautious about Pavel’s new activities. However, she wants to help him. Pavel is shown as the main revolutionary character. Nevertheless Nilovna, moved by her maternal feelings and, though uneducated, overcoming her political ignorance to become involved in revolution, is considered the true protagonist of the novel.
(The ‘plot’ of the film ‘Mother’ made in 1926’ and is also mentioned on wiki here)
We can understand how in a male dominated society a single woman has to face the social concerns, whether she is a ‘widow’, a divorcee, or a ‘woman simply abandoned by her husband’.
The conditions in any ‘time span’ would have been the same and the reality must have been more harsh or continued to be harsh as we see it today and in such circumstances if a woman dedicated her whole life for her child then it is as exemplary as we see in the case of Sahir Ludhianvi.
For ages the story would have been the same and a woman must have fought more courageously to sustain herself in the adversity of life, and when the whole world is against her. It is difficult to face criticism from all side in around yourself and still continue this journey of life.
I have tried to visualize of how Sahir’s mother would have faced the challenges of her times and how she was able to do upbringing of Sahir and his love for poetry even in those turbulent times of her personal life when she was passing through and how her stubbornness, righteousness, virtuousness, her strong mental condition, the values , the ethics she followed, is depicted in the various poems/songs that Sahir has penned while writing the songs on woman, a mother, or a mother-son song or a father-son song for that matter.
So when we have lullaby from his pen his words are full of dreams full of love of a mother for her child;
So ja re so ja meri ankhiyon ke taare
mere raajdulaare
tohe sapnon ki nagri se
nindiya pukaare
pariyon ke baalak
taaron ke bhes mein
tujhko bulaane aaye
chanda ke des mein
sapnon ka raaj hai ae
mere munne ke liye
phoolon ka taaj hai
One can think of the greatness of Sardar Begam, Sahir’s mother, who inspite of her own disturbed life when she left her husband’s home, when he married for 12th time, and she has taken her child with her and taken up his upbringing.
One can imagine how little Sahir was being fed, what values were being inculcated in him and how his life was being shaped.
Mere munne re
seedhi raah pe chalna
jug jug tak phoolna phalna
kaisi bhi mushkil aaye
tera paaon na dolne paaye
tu kul ka maan badhaaye
main tujh par balihaari
seedhi raah pe chalna
sach baat se mat ghabraana
har jhooth se takra jaana
sansaar mein naam kamaana
meri jeewan raat andheri
tu nanhee jyot hai meri
kal hoke na ho maa teri
main tujh par balihaari
seedhi raah pe chalna
(When I shared this song earlier, it reminded me of the famous poem ‘the hand that rocked the cradle, is the hand that rules the world’)
When Sahir’s mother left her husband’s home and taken the child Sahir with her, her husband tried to pressurize her to come back home or either leave the child with him.
But instead of succumbing to his demands Sardar Begam file a case against her husband for divorce and she fight for the custody of Sahir.
Sahir’s father had even threatened of killing Sahir.
During all this time Sahir’s mother must have surely been worried about the uncertain future of her child and a thought losing her child or even what will happen to the child if she is not there must have passed through her mind.
We could find these worries articulated in Sahir’s songs;
tujhko haalaat ki aandhi se bachaane ke liye
aaj main pyaar ke aanchal mein chhupaa leti hoon
kal ye kamzor sahaaraa bhi na haasil hogaa
kal tujhe kaanton bhari raah pe chalnaa hogaa
zindagaani ki kadi dhoop mein jalnaa hogaa
tere bachpan ko jawaani ki duaa deti hoon
aur duaa deke pareshaan si ho jaati hoon
Or
parmeshwar rakhwaala teraa
wo hi maata
wo hi pita hai
maine to bas paala aa
sukh sapne saakaar huye
jab maine tujhko paaya aa
teen lok kaa saain tere
sar par rakkhe saaya
tu mera nanha manmohan
tu mera nandalaala aa aa
parmeshwar rakhwaala teraa
parmeshwar rakhwaala
At times she may have even cursed the circumstances in her life and the fear of losing her own life may also have stuck up her mind, but whom she should trust for her child’s safety;
Kaanton bhare hain sab raaste
tere vaaste
jeewan ki dagar mein
kaun banegaa teraa aasraa
bedard nagar mein
tu mere pyaar kaa phool hai
ke meri bhool hai
kuchh kah nahin sakti
par kisi kaa kiyaa tu bhare
ye sah nahin sakti
Seeing his mother struggling, going through trials and tribulations a child at young age can understand the reality but given his age and his limitations he could assure his mother that one day he will stand for her
Maa tu aansoo ponchhle apne
rone ki koi baat nahin
jab tak tere saath hoon main
mat soch ke koyee saath nahin
aur zaraa sa paal de mujhko
phir main tujhko paaloonga
jo maangegi so laaunga
koi baat na taaloonga
jo teri jholi mein na daaloon
aisi koi saugaat nahin
Maa tu aansoo ponchhle apne
rone ki koi baat nahin
And when this child grows up he vows to eliminate all the struggles all the problems from his mother’s life;
Jab tak tere saath hoon main
mat soch ke koyee saath nahin
din bhar mehnat karke jab main
shaam ko waapas aaoonga
din bhar mehnat karke jab main
shaam ko waapas aaoonga
apne paas bithaakar tujhko
pyaar ke saath khilaaunga
tu aisa mat soch ke tere
sar pe koyi haath nahin
maa tu aansoo ponchhle apne
rone ki koi baat nahin
And that is why even when Sahir entered adulthood his mother was the centre of his being and when Sahir established himself as a successful lyricist he does everything to ensure that his mother is happy and whenever she was upset Sahir would get tense and he could not be at rest till he get to know that everything is well with his mother.
The troubles she had gone through in bringing up Sahir, after separating from her husband and all the difficulties of a being a woman is what we find expressed in various poems of Sahir and those that later on become part of films.
Sahir’s mother left him in 1976 and after four years of her Sahir left us on 25.10.1980.
(note : On the second thought, and knowing about the relationship between Jan Nisar Akhtar and the few years Javed Akhtar spent with Sahir Saab it will be interesting to know if the character of mother and the famous dialogue ‘ mere paas maa hain’ from the film Deewaar was at any time inspired from Sahir’s life. Rather I strongly feel that it must have been.
Recently I even tried to speak to Javed Saab but he was out of Mumbai for some work)
For today’s post to present with a song I had this song marked very much earlier when I get a chance to share some of the above songs for Atul ji’s blog.
Tu mere saath rahega munne ae
Tu mere saath rahega munne
Taaqi tu jaan sake
Tujhko parwaan chadhaane ke liye
Kitne sangeen maraheel se
Teri maa guzri
Tu mere saath rahega munne
Tu mere saath rahega munne
Taaqi tu dekh sake
Kitne paaon meri mamta ke
Kaleje pe pade
Kitne khanjar meri aankhon
Mere kaanon mein gade
Tu mere saath rahega munne
Main tujhe reham ke saaye mein na
Palne doongi
Zindagaani ki kadi dhoop mein
Chalne doongi
Taaqi tap tap ke tu faulaad bane
Maa ki aulaad bane
Maa ki aulaad bane
Tu mere saath rahega munne
Jab talak hoga tera saath nibhaaungi main
Phir chali jaaungi
Us paar ke sannaaton mein
Aur taaron se tujhe jhaankungi
Zakhm seene mein liye
Phool nigaahon mein liye
Tera koyi bhi nahin mere siwa
Mera koyi bhi nahin tere siwa
Tu mere saath rahega munne
Tu mere saath rahega munne
Tu mere saath rahega munne
(Part-2)
Jab talak hoga tera saath nibhaaungi main
Phir chali jaaungi
Us paar ke sannaaton mein
Jab talak hoga tera saath nibhaaungi main
Phir chali jaaungi
Us paar ke sannaaton mein
Aur taaron se tujhe jhaankungi ee
Zakhm seene mein liye
Phool nigaahon mein liye
Mera har dard tujhe dil mein basaana hoga
Main teri maa hoon
Mera karz chukaana hoga
Meri barbaadi ke zaameen agar aabaad rahe
Main tujhe doodh na bakhshoongi
Tujhe yaad rahe
Main tujhe doodh na bakhshoongi
Tujhe yaad rahe
Tujhe yaad rahe
Tujhe yaad rahe
Lyrics in Devnagri Script:
तू मेरे साथ रहेगा मुन्ने ऐ
तू मेरे साथ रहेगा मुन्ने
ताकि तू जान सके
तुझको परवान चढाने के लिए
कितने संगीन मराहिल से
तेरी माँ गुजरी
तू मेरे साथ रहेगा मुन्ने
तू मेरे साथ रहेगा मुन्ने
ताकि तू देख सके
कितने पाँव मेरी ममता के कलेजे पे पड़े
कितने खंजर मेरी आँखों
मेरे कानों में गड़े
तू मेरे साथ रहेगा मुन्ने
मैं तुझे रहम के साए में न
पलने दूँगी
जिंदगानी की कड़ी धुप में
चलने दूँगी
ताकि तप तप के तू फौलाद बने
माँ की औलाद बने
माँ की औलाद बने
तू मेरे साथ रहेगा मुन्ने
जब तलक होगा तेरा साथ निभाउंगी मैं
फिर चली जाउंगी
उस पार के सन्नाटों में
और तारों से तुझे झाँकुंगी
जख्म सीने में लिए
फूल निगाहों में लिए
तेरा कोई भी नहीं मेरे सिवा
मेरा कोई भी नहीं तेरे सिवा
तू मेरे साथ रहेगा मुन्ने
तू मेरे साथ रहेगा मुन्ने
तू मेरे साथ रहेगा मुन्ने
(भाग २ )
जब तलक होगा तेरा साथ निभाउंगी मैं
फिर चली जाउंगी
जब तलक होगा तेरा साथ निभाउंगी मैं
फिर चली जाउंगी
उस पार के सन्नाटों में
और तारों से तुझे झाँकुंगी
जख्म सीने में लिए
फूल निगाहों में लिए
मेरा हर दर्द तुझे दिल में बसाना होगा
मैं तेरी माँ हूँ
मेरा क़र्ज़ चुकाना होगा
मेरी बर्बादी के जामीन अगर आबाद रहे
मैं तुझे दूध न बख्शूंगी
तुझे याद रहे
मैं तुझे दूध न बख्शूंगी
तुझे याद रहे
तुझे याद रहे
तुझे याद रहे
Note: Meaning of few key words:
Parwan chadhna – to grow up, grow, increase, flourish
Sangeen – hard, stony
Marahil – stations, stages, days’ journeys; journeys.
Bakhshnaa- to give, grant, bestow, to forgive, pardon, excuse.
Music and Life : Geet Gaataa Chal …
Music for all of us is a part of our life, or should I say it is ‘religion’ for all of us, or may be more than that.
It is also a positive force that keeps us going and a good healer too.
It may not be everything for us; still it is there with all aspects of our life.
And above all it is‘worship’ for those who love music and those who are connected with it in some other way.
So, in our offerings of prayers to the goddess ‘Saraswati’ I sincerely wish that as long as I live and continue this journey of life, ‘music’ is there with me at every moment and the journey be eternal musical forever …
***
All of us love music and we are attached to it for various reasons. For me, it is an ongoing activity which rules my sub-conscious and conscious mind every time.
It motivates me a lot. It acts like an inspirational force for me.
It has been almost since my childhood that I was addicted to Radio for listening songs and as I grow, that continued and the addiction also grows more with collection of cassettes, now collection CDs, getting done recording of songs, searching for rare songs etc etc.
So, music is always there with me in my day to day life.
***
When I was a bachelor the ‘mono cassette recorder’ with me use to start early morning, in fact I used to rise from bed straight to put on a cassette to play (starting with ‘bhupaali’/devotionals, and then moving for brush and tea preparation.
Then, till I left for office it continued to play and when I came back from office I start the music till I go to bed. The cassette player has to be auto stopped (usually) as I go to sleep while listening to the songs/albums for that day.
Then, as I joined distance education and use to study and do assignments at home, I use to listen to music during breaks of my study or when I wish to take some jigs on my favorite songs. (To ‘unwind’ as they put up nowadays).
***
After getting active with Atul ji’s blog, it has become my daily routine to share some songs either on daily basis. If not sharing, preparing for the songs to be shared, or searching for the songs that are in my memory since years back and while searching if I find something new (in our case the terminology is ‘old and rare’) then sharing them.
So music is continuously going on in my mind.
At work also whenever I get break or time to think during intervals I am thinking of songs that are yet to make to the blog.
Further in today’s stressful life we face many different situations time to time , a music lover like me always finds songs to face the situations, get out of it – if it is a troubled situation or enjoy and celebrate or cheer – if it something positive happening or getting succeeded in any assigned task (of work or of personal interest).
***
Few months back, we have to rush to a place about 475 kms away from my base station, as my elder daughter was hospitalized due to sudden illness. When she was hospitalized and her colleagues were with her (and she was out of danger), instead of starting instant, as it was already 9 PM, and I was still in travel back from my office, we decided to move on early morning next day. So I get time to take all my favorite albums with me.
However on the first day the ‘music system’ was under the control of by my younger daughter so we have to listen to mostly the newer songs.
The next two days were more hectic and there was no scope to listen the songs, though prayers were going on in our mind. After my elder daughter was discharged from hospital, my wife and younger daughter accompany her and stay at her Hostel room to give support.
When everything was settled we decided to visit a Aashram on the banks of Narmada River in Narmada district near Rajpipla. This is the place which we visit at least once in a year and I always wish that I get more chance to visit there and can spend a longer duration there. Well this time we were getting a night stay there and most importantly darshan of Swamiji.
Darshan of Swamiji is possible only few hours starting late night.
As my younger daughter stayed back to support her Didi at the hostel, me and my wife took up for the aashram.
Our travel has to be for at least 3 hours one side, so there was enough time for me to get on with my favorite songs too.
One of the albums that I carried with me was ‘Immortal melodies from Navketan Films: Vol.2-Philosophical’ (SA re ga ma – Bombay Talkies)
(Few years back I had got this one album from a famous online store)
As the playlist proceeds one by one this song appears!
‘Man ke mandir mein jalti rahe geet sangeet ki aarti,
Mujhko vardaan de, mujhko vardaan de Maata Saraswati …’
When the word by word fall on my ear I was relating it with our daily life, the daily activities that we perform and finally we search some time for leisure, some time to take us off from the hectic life, some to time to unwind ourselves…
But now it has become difficult, because, as far as I am concerned I get very less time to play my favorite CD/DVD’s, to listen all the cassettes that I have collected over these 29 years so far. Sometime I am angry with myself for the job I have taken and for the circumstances I have created myself which give very less time for me.
But none the less the songs are there playing all the time in my mind and what if I cannot hear the CDs or Cassettes, I can sing them I can keep humming different songs according to the changing situations whatever I faced and wherever I am. That way I remain connected to music every time all the time.
The song under discussion today says it all for me. All I can pray to God that ‘sukh dukh mein aap sadaa hamaare saath rehna, aur man ke mandir mein sangeet ki jyot jalaaye rakhna’ (I remember the very first time when I meet Swamiji he aksed me what I wish from the Gods as he has already given me a ‘happy life’, so he advised me that whenever I pray to God I should only asked him to ‘be with us in our ‘hard times’ as well ‘when we are sailing smooth’)
Haath bhi nahin jab hil sake
Saaz bhi jab nahin paas ho
Maut bhi ho saamne khadi
Mushkil aur har saans ho
Man ke mandir mein jalti rahe
Geet sangeet ki aarti
Mujhko vardaan de
Maata Saraswati
How true it is, because going through hard times also we were connected to the divine form of Music – listening, singing and praying Prarthanaa, Bhajans at the ‘Aashram’
‘Man ke mandir mein jalti rahe – Geet Sangeet ki Aarti’…
***
Remembering Sahir Ludhianvi (The Bhajans he wrote for Hindi films)
We know Sahir Ludhianvi (08.03.1921 – 25.10.1980) as a poet, a romanticist, a rebellion, and a true humanist.
(I will not detail on his biography, poetry or filmography either, because there is a lot of information available on him in the domain and in the various books published on his poetry and lyrics that he penned for the Hindi films.)
Today on his death anniversary we remember him and pay our tributes to him.
First of all I express my heartiest thanks to Shri.Raja ji for his kind support and guidance to me in completion and presentation of this article.
‘Sahir Ludhianvi’ the name itself spells magic.
We know Sahir Ludhianvi as a poet of the highest quality, a romantic at heart, and a rebel.
What I learn through his poetry, and / or the many songs’ lyrics that he have contributed to the Hindi Films, I find him as a truly secular individual, a humanitarian, a true patriot, a ‘nature lover’, and an all time motivational philosopher. (Even after considering the various controversies that have been there about him).
Hence for me, he was much more than a poet, a romanticist, and a rebel.
For me he was a truly social, secular individual, a humanitarian, and a motivational philosopher.
He has been taking a ‘dig’ on the society and on the ‘hypocrisy’ prevalent in our society, on the pseudo-secularism, and the ‘system’ which gave importance to all other things over humanity.
His straight forward and hard hitting lyrics are very much relevant even today and very much important in context of the developments in our society and the social issues we face even after 67 years of our independence.
There were many aspects to Sahir’s poetry and writing. But, today, for the purposes of this article, I would like to dwell upon just one of them- The ‘Bhajans’ that he wrote.
Sahir has given us many memorable, or perhaps I should say ‘immortal’, bhajans which lead us to the world of the sublime, to introspect within ourselves, to be inspired and to be motivated in this journey of life. When one looks at these bhajans and the conviction in them, it becomes clear that they come straight from Sahir’s heart.
The Gramophone Co of India Ltd (HMV) had brought out in 1985 a beautiful compilation of ‘bhajans’ from this great poet.
Titled as ‘Bhajans from Films – Poet SAHIR LUDHIANVI’, this audio cassette (which I purchased on 28.11.1988 – I had this habit of marking my signature and date on the cassettes which I used to purchase regularly for my collection) this album has, in all, a total of ‘twelve’ gems.
I shall list out these songs with their links. All these ‘Bhajans’ have been discussed and available on our beloved Shri.Atul ji’s blog of which the respective links have been provided where one can listen these ‘Bhajans’ and/or watch the videos also.
Out of these twelve, so far ten have been discussed on Atul ji’s blog.
Here they are (with the links):
1) Allah tero naam ishwar tero naam from ‘Hum Dono’
2) Prabhu tero naam jo dhyaaye phal paawe from ‘Hum Dono’
3) ‘Tora man darpan kahlaaye’ from ‘Kaajal’
4) The extraordinary view from the loggia extends from buy Cialis Super Active Vancouver Canada Discount Prices Online Pharmacy Cheap buy Cialis Super Active 20 mg Online Cheap Canadian Pharmacy MedsВ buy Valtrex pay pal without prescription the Vatican all the way to the Albano hills. The space has buy ‘Aan milo aan milo shyaam saanware’ from ‘Devdas’
5) ‘Aaj sajan mohe ang lagaalo’ from ‘Pyaasa’
6) ‘Kaam krodh aur lobh ka maara jagat na aaya raas Professional essay writers from ‘Bahurani’
7) ‘Ganga tera paani amrit’ from same film
8) ‘Tora manwa kyon ghabraye’ from ‘Sadhna’
9) ‘Man re too kahe na dhir dhare’ from ‘Chitralekha’
10) ‘Ishwar allah tere naam’ from ‘Naya Raasta’…
Another beautiful song (which is not in the compilation) is ‘teri hai zameen, teraa aasmaan’ from ‘The Burning Train-1980’ Teri hai zameen tera aasmaan tu badaa meharbaan
This is another lovely gem penned by Sahir.
The two songs from the album, (and that remain to be posted on Atul ji’s blog) are:
1) Raam rahim Krishna kareem… sab ki hain ik hi taalim -Mehmaan (1974)
2) O praani re … teri karam kahaani teri aatma bhi jaane – Chingaari (1971*).
*The film itself is said to have been released only in 1989.
I will discuss the first song at another time, but today I would like to discuss the song from Chingaari. (Incidentally, there was a film in 1955 with the same title in which there is ONE song whose lyrics have been penned by Sahir)
This song from Chingaari is a beautiful, philosophical, gem about our ‘Karma’.
Sahir is talking to man, saying that however much he tries to cover up his deeds, his soul (aatma) knows. And He (the Lord, Parmatma) knows. So it is futile to commit sin and then try to cover it up.
Sahir emphasizes that you reap what you sow. the world is the result of karma. And your ‘karma’ cannot be hidden from your soul. And from Him (the Lord, Parmatma)
Such a clear philosophical statement coming from a man, known primarily for his Urdu shaayri!
I will leave all of you with these beautiful lyrics of this song from Sahir Saab.
The song being discussed today is sung by Shri.Manna Dey, who has left us yesterday. We pray our tributes to him. He has been a legendary singer for all of us and through his songs and the vast treasure he has left behind for all of us, he has immortalized himself in our hearts forever. The emotions for him cannot be expressed in words. He is there and will be there forever in our journey of life and in the life of the generations to come forever as long as music will be there on this earth.
And, while on this subject, I would also like to take the opportunity to pray to the Almighty to shower his love and affection on all of us, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
Teri karam kahaani teri aatmaa bhi jaane (as available in the soundtrack of this film)
O praani re
Praani re
Teri karam kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Teri karam kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Kahaan chhupegaa re praani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Teri karam kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Kitney hi pardon mein
Paap kamaaye tu
Kitney hi jatnon se
Bhed chhupaaye tu
Kitney hi pardon mein
Paap kamaaye tu
Kitney hi jatnon se
Bhed chhupaaye tu
Bhaley burey ki kahaani
Praani re
Praani re
Bhaley burey ki kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Teri karam kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Jag jisey kehtey hain
Karmon ki kheti hain
Jaisaa koyee boye use
Waisaa phal deti hain
Jag jisey kehtey hain
Karmon ki kheti hain
Jaisaa koyee boye use
Waisaa phal deti hain
Tune boyaa kyaa thaa praani
O o o
O o o
Tune boyaa kyaa thaa praani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Teri karam kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Prabhu ke dwaare teraa
Aanaa hi bahot hain
Bol ke naa bol
Pachhtaanaa hi bahot hain
Prabhu ke dwaare teraa
Aanaa hi bahot hain
Bol ke naa bol
Pachhtaanaa hi bahot hain
Jo hain vipadaa sunani
Praani re
Praani re
Jo hain vipadaa sunani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Teri karam kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Kaise kaise patit
Mahaan bane jagme
Kaise kaise paapi
Gunwaan bane jagme
Kaun wo manushya hain jo
Duniyaa mein aaya ho
Phir bhi kabhi naa koyee
Paap kamaaya ho
Jab bhi teri aankh khule
Tab hi saweraa hain
Kshamaa karein sabko wo
Bhagwaan teraa hain
Yugon yogon ki kahaani
Praani re
Praani re
Yugon yogon ki kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Teri karam kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
Teri karam kahaani
Teri aatmaa bhi jaane
Parmatmaa bhi jaane
__________________________________________________
(On this blog this is the first post related with Sahir Saab, and I am very happy for that and also I am sure that there will be many more in future…)
Arey chaddi pehan ke phool khila hai…
Happy Birthday Gulzar Saab!!
Today is the birth day of our beloved and one of the most respected bollywood personalities Shri.Gulzaar Saab!
An image of ‘deep river, flowing silently, its water touching to the highest levels of its banks’ comes to mind whenever I think about him.
His poetry when I read it, and try to understand it and as I keep revisiting to those beautiful lyrics penned by him I think he is an ‘Ocean – full of emotions’.
He has over the years been there like this and that is what I feel as my relationship with him has grown over the years.
Normally we say that the relationship grows ‘older’ but here in this case ‘it has grown younger and ‘younger ‘as the years have passed by.
Recollecting all these memories here, I am noting the thoughts as they emerge in my mind now and the names of the movies and various albums that I referred to may not be in a chronological order.
Writing this post brings many things to my mind about Gulzar Saab; right from the days when I was in my pre-teens, there were songs from the film Aandhi, Kinara that I liked the most.
Those are the very first memories of him that comes to my mind then the film ‘Mere Apne’, ‘Anand’ then Mausam, Golmaal, Gharonda, Angoor,Masoom , Lekin.
Then as i grow up more to understand the meaning of his lyrics, learning about him reading the news associated with him, his getting awards at many Film fare awards functions, his various felicitations time to time comes to my mind.
I got to listen to his soft and mesmerizing voice first in the HMV’s album ‘Fursat ke raat din’.
This is my all time favorite collections.
I very much identify with him when he in his own way takes a dig at the state of affairs or politics in ‘haal chaal thhik thhak hai’ or ‘ghaplaa hai bhai ghaplaa’. It speaks of his agony.
Moving forward to the unforgettable TV serial ‘Mirza Ghalib’ and his various non filmy albums with Jagjit Singh.
His commentary while introducing Bhupen Da’s Hindi songs and also his doing the translation of them from the original Assamese songs, in the album ‘Main Aur Mera Saaya’, I can keep it listening again and again.
All this have become a part of my life.
And I am not going to list all of them, and instead I will directly come to the only point that is very close to my heart and that I have purposely selected for the day today.
His contribution for children films and various animated films!
The many beautiful lyrics he has penned for and that we call as ‘children songs’!
The work he has done for children more important too and this is one thing about him that I like the most and that I love him, and I am most fascinated with, other than his poetic excellence.
That is why I had said above that the relationship has grown younger and younger as the years passed by.
It is often heard that ‘everybody has a child in them’, but to keep him alive till the end is very difficult and very less people are able achieve this.
I can say that the child in me is very much alive and Gulzar Saab’s songs play a very very important role in this.
Just go through this simple and innocent lines ‘‘jungle jungle baat chali hai, pataa chalaa hai, arey chaddi pahan ke phool khila hai’
This is one of my favorite songs. Though I was already a grown up person and had got an employment when this serial was aired on Doordarshan. Still every Sunday I watched it for this beautiful title song.
He has given us many many special ‘children’ songs or i would put them as the evergreen songs for ever. i personally like children movies and their songs that are particularly penned by Gulzar saab.
Just go through these lyrics;
Bandar Bindaas Bandar
Shararatein hamaakatein
Hamaari aadatein
Ye khatti mithi uljhane hai
Aur aafate
Na koi gham hame
Na koi darr
Ho
Bandar bindaas Bandar
Bandar bindaas Bandar
Jeene ka tarika hai
Na koi kaaydaa hai
Waada hai iraada hai
Na koi faaydaa hai
Ha ha ha ha
Gend ki tarah uchhalke ham
Zindagi se khelte hain
Ha ha ha ha
(From my other all time favorite album ‘‘KARADI KATHA’
– 2000. All songs for this album are penned by Gulzar Saab.)
If you have still not gone through this, please immediately get it today and enjoy the pure heavenly innocence that flowed from the maestro’s words.
Thanks, Gulzar Saab, thank you very much, for keeping active the child in me, motivate the child in me, and for keeping alive the innocence in me.
Gulzar Saab loves children very much. He sincerely and seriously cares for them.
‘I am good mother, though I have not gone through the labor pains, I feel it very well‘
Said he, while speaking on the release of the’ third edition’ of his book Dyodhi at Pune in March this year.
‘We do not respect children!’
‘If a child is crossing a road the whole traffic should be stopped and let the child is allowed to cross the road safely and it would be better if one can help him in doing so’
Does he miss the innocence in our society?
And that’s why he tries to find them in children’s movies;
‘To an extent, yes’
Finally I would definitely wish to write about when I got the chance to see him, to talk him and to touch him.
During my stay at Kota-Rajasthan, in the winters of 1996 the whole crew of Maachis including Gulzar Saab was there at Kota.
They were staying at different hotels/guest houses in the city.
One of the Hotels where Om Puri, Kanwal Jeet Singh,Raj Zutshi and other members were staying was nearer to my place of residence and the hotel manager was my good friend.
So I was informed to grab this chance to see these bollywood personalities or meet them, and it can be either in early morning or late evening only.
I was interested to meet Om Puri and Kanwal Jeet Singh mainly. Because Tabbu and other lead actors were staying at different place far away from my place.
However I fail to match with the timings and could not see any one.
The next day morning, I was ready for the office and before that, I took my elder daughter who was then 7/8 months old for a morning walks (as usual then).
Walking on I came around this Hotel. And there was a pleasant surprise for me.
It was a cold morning so I was wearing a full sweater and my daughter also having all those cold preventing clothes.
And in front of the Hotel (this Hotel is on the main road of the city which is called as Kota-Jhalawar road) wearing a white starched ‘kurta pyjama’ and taking the sun bath was Gulzar Saab it was around between 08.00-08.30 in the morning. He was standing there alone and nobody could notice this. (The taste of the city is slightly different, people there could have thronged if there was Dharmendra or Raj Kumar standing like this).
I walked towards him, greet him with Namaskar.
‘Kaise hain Sir Aap’
‘Ji thhik hoon!’
You can judge my situation then, I was not expecting to meet Gulzar Saab, and so I could not understand what to do?
I could not believe what was happening then!
I was between the transition zone of dream and reality.
So taking a via route and looking at my daughter I said, beta , Sampooran Singh ji se puchho ‘kaise hain aap?’,
(I had read about and know by then that his real name is Sampooran Singh)
He smiled and caresses my daughter and gives his ‘aashirwad’ to her!
This lovely moment i always remember and whenever he is there in news or on TV and my daughter is with me, I remind her that you have been very fortunate to have got his ‘aashirward’!
Oh!
That day! That lovely morning!
I will cherish it forever as long as I live.
अब कोई गुलशन न उजड़े . . .
कहते हैं कि ‘उम्मीद’ पर दुनिया कायम हैं, हर परिस्थिति में इंसान को ‘आशावादी’ होना चाहिए. ‘अच्छा’ होने कि उम्मीद करनी चाहिए. इसीलिए नव वर्ष का या पहला लेख इसी उम्मीद और आशा के साथ कि ‘देश’ बदलें और हमारी ‘सोच’ भी.
‘बुराई’ का नाश हो, ‘अच्छाई’ आगे बढे, ‘सत्य’ कि ‘विजय’ हो और ‘अत्याचारियों’ को सज़ा मिले.
वैसे खुशी कि बात ये है कि देश के नागरिकों में जागरूकता आयी है. पिछले दो साल से जिस तरह के ‘धरना’, प्रदर्शन’, ‘आंदोलन’ और ‘व्यवस्था (सिस्टम)’ के खिलाफ आवाजें उठी है वो एक अच्छा संकेत माना जा सकता है.
हमारे देश में घट रही घटनाओं से हम सभी आहत हैं, व्यथित हैं, और ये सब चीजें खास कर कलम के हर सिपाही को भी बहोत ज्यादा आहत करती हैं और मजबूर करती है कि हम अपनी संवेदनाएं कलम के माध्यम से व्यक्त करें.
इसी कड़ी में जब दिल्ली में पिछले दिनों हुयी बलात्कार कि घटना और देश में बे-लगाम ज़ारी इस तरह कि घटनाओं को पढकर, उन बिखरे हुए परिवार वालों के बारें में सोचकर और उनके ऊपर क्या बीत रही होगी यह सोचकर मन में यही ख्याल आता रहा कि आज़ादी के ६५ साल बाद भी आम आदमी न्याय से मेहरूम है.
कहीं तो यह ‘अत्याचार’ का ‘जुल्म’ का सिलसिला रुके, कुछ तो अच्छा हो, …
अनायास ही मुझे साहिर कि लिखी ये पंक्तियाँ याद आयी कि ‘अब कोई गुलशन ना उजड़े , अब वतन आज़ाद है’, एक बहुत ही सुन्दर गीत, जिसका संगीत जयदेव जी ने तैयार किया था और ये १९६३ बनी फिल्म ‘मुझे जीने दो’ का है, जिसमे मुख्य भूमिका में सुनील दत्त और वहीदा रहमान थे.
साहिर लुधियानवी जी सही मायनों में एक सच्चे ‘मानवतावादी’, सच्चे ‘धर्मनिरपेक्ष’ और एक ‘सच्चे इंसान’ थे. अपने गीतों में उन्होंने हमेशा इंसान को एक ‘प्यार मोहब्बत’ के अलावा सभी धर्मों का आदर एवं इंसानियत के प्रति सद्भाव रखने का सन्देश दिया. हर अन्याय, अत्याचार के खिलाफ साहिर ने आवाज़ उठाई. साहिर चूंकि अपनी माँ से बहोत प्यार करते थे और अपनी माँ कि तकलीफों को उन्होंने भली भांति देखा समझा था, उन्होंने नारी जीवन पर – उनके जीवन संघर्ष पर बहुत ही सटीक गीत भी लिखे हैं, जो हम सभी जानते हैं.
आज जिस गीत कि बात हो रही है, वो करीब ५० साल पहले लिखा गया था और जिन सपनों को पूरा करने कि इसमें बात कही गयी हैं, उसमे हम कितना सफल हुए हैं इस पर गौर कर, जो सपने अभी अधूरे हैं उन्हें पूरा करने कि जरुरत हैं, और उसके लिए सबको मिल कर प्रयास कर, संगठित होकर लड़ने कि भी जरुरत है,
मैं चाहूँगा कि पाठक इस गीत को बार बार सुने, उसमे लिखे गए शब्दों के जज्बातों को समझे और सब मिलकर इसका प्रयास करें कि देश में रचनात्मक बदलाव हो.
(इस गीत के लिए एक ‘कड़ी’ निचे दी गयी है, जहां पर पाठक इस गीत के बारें में हमारे मित्र श्री.राजा द्वारा लिखा गया लेख भी पढ़ सकते है )
http://atulsongaday.me/2010/08/15/ab-koi-gulshan-na-ujde-ab-watan-aazaad-hai/
आज पूज्य स्वामी विवेकानंद जी कि जयंती मनाई जा रही है. इसी सिलसिले में हमारे मित्र श्री.आशीष द्वारा भेजे गए ‘समस’ (SMS) को पेश कर, अगले लेख में मिलने कि तैयारी करतें हैं;
“We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far “– Swami Vivekananda
———————————————————-