DISCLAIMER: Its less of review and more of feelings, read accordingly.
People die but their deeds remain and some of them do so much in one life time that generations afterwards get inspire by their life and their works. Jagjit Singh was one such master in the field of Ghazal Singing. He is a Legend and Legend never dies. One year has passed since Jagjit Singh left this world on 10 October 2011. Lot has changed in the world since then, except for the fact that his Ghazals are as dear to me as it was earlier. So, here are my thoughts on ‘Insight’, most philosophical Ghazal Album by Jagjit Singh, as a dedication to The Ghazal Samrat on his first Death Anniversary.
I love all the works of Jagjit Singh, but if there is one album that I always carry with me, it’s ‘Insight’. There is one special thing about this album: no matter with what mood (extremely happy or sad) I start to listen to its Ghazals it makes me melancholic with every Ghazal and so start the process of self-introspection. The words of Nida Fazli have the power to make you think and contemplate about life. Questions of life start to bubble in your mind like: What is life? Why we are here? Am I actually living the life the way I should? The list is endless. As if the words were not enough, the soulful voice of Jagjit Singh makes sure that each word of these Ghazals reaches to the deepest corner of your heart.
Having good voice is God’s Blessing, but know how to sing well is an art that comes with lots and lots of practice and a good sense of music. Jagjit Singh in all his works has provided each of the Ghazal with kind of composition that suit it most and while singing he meticulously choose the words to stress upon by which he altogether makes the words even more penetrable. ‘Insight’ is the best example of what I have just wrote and result is, an hour that you spend listening to Ghazals of ‘Insight’ is not the end but the beginning of a process - of introspecting your life so for and discovering the best in your self - that will keep you absorbed throughout the day (may go over to next day as well). In that way, Jagjit Ji has rightly named the album as ‘Insight’.
‘Insight’ was first released in 1994 and have 8 soulful Ghazals written by Nida Fazli, one Shayar the Ghazals of whom I have always admired and loved, more so in the voice of Jagjit Singh. All the works in ’Insight’ are composed and sung by Jagjit Singh himself.
Although the powerful voice of Jagjit Ji and mystic words of Nida Fazli get you so absorbed that you hardly notice anything else, yet the music instruments played by some masters cannot go
unnoticed. ‘Insight’ has some excellent heart touching music(playing along the words and in between the stanzas) on instruments like Santoor (by Surendra Sharma), Tabla (by Girdhar Prasad, Abhinav Upadhaya), Dholak (by Narayan Sonu); Violin(by Deepak Pandit); Guitar(by Arshad Ahmed), Bass (by Tony Vaz) and Synthesizer (by Anjan Biswas)
Coming to the Ghazals, here is my take, one by one:
Garaj Baras Pyaasi Dharthi Par: Starts with beautiful jamming between Guitar and Flute; and Violin and Flute in between the song as fillers. It’s a typical Jagjit Singh kind of composition and his voice excel in it at low scale of vocals. Fazli’s words have very deep meaning; they allusively create the metaphors that challenges the so called wise people of this world with words like: ‘Do Aur Do Ka Jod Hamesha Chaar Kahan Hota Hain, Soch Samajh Waalon Ko Thodi Naadaani De Maula’
Main Roya Pardes Mein: It has 10 flowing Dhohe and I don’t know what forms the best part of it : JagJit Ji’s voice or Fazli’s mystic words or the gentle melody on Guitar that plays all the way from start to finish. First time I heard it I cried and things haven’t changed much since then. Every word touches your heart and every Doha has a lesson to teach. I could easily call it the best one in the album. My Favorite lines being “Main Royaa Pardes Me.n Bhiigaa Maa.n Kaa Pyaar, Dukh Ne Dukh Se Baat Kii Bin Chitthii Bin Taar”
Badalaa Na Apane Aap Ko: Light music on Santoor relieve the heart along with little violin, tabla and synthesizer here and there. It has more of self-motivational and believing in yourself kind of message; resulting in you analyzing your own life in accordance with the words. Its light in mood and composition but words are deeper in meaning. My Fav. Lines: ‘Apanii Tarah Sabhii Ko Kisii Kii Talaash Thii, Ham Jisake Bhii Qariib Rahe Duur Hii Rahe’
Apna Gham Le Ke: Jugalbandi on Santoor and Violin, with Tabla playing in background, refreshes the mind. Words are light and so is the voice of Jagjit Ji. No one is going to make our life better if we ourselves don’t do something about it, that’s the lesson it springs. My fav. Lines: ‘Jin Chiragon Ko Hawaon Ka Koi Khauf Nahin, Un Chiragon Ko Hawaon Se Bachaya Jaye’
Chaand Se Phuul Se: This one brings in somewhat romantic mood in the album and talks mostly of love and how beautifies the world, how silence can speak more about a person than his words. Jagjit Ji’s voice is powerful and scale is bit higher which goes quite well with the theme. Fazli’s words are full of romance and could touch any ones heart. There are some beatuful leads on Santoor and Voilin and Tabla. It has my most fav lines in the whole album: ‘*Merii Aavaaz Hi Pardaa Hai Mere Chehare Kaa,
Main Huun Khaamosh Jahaan Mujhako Vahaan Se Suniye’
Jeevan Kyaa Hai: It provides some thoughtful insights into the question of what life actually is. In a way it makes you realize how balanced this world actually is and whatever happens to us is nothing new, it has been happening with people since the inception of the world. It has lovely fillers on Voilen. My fav. Lines : ‘Jeevan kya hai…. Aatii Saans Ko Paanaa Jaatii Saans Ko Khonaa Hai’
Ye Zindagii: Starts with a beautiful Jugalbandi between a Guitar and Flute for about 1 minute in a total length of 4 minutes and then has the story of life beautifully depicted in words by Fazli and aptly composed and sung by Jagjit Singh in a perfect mood. My Fav. Lines ‘Tumhaarii Aavaaz Mein Gale Se Nikal Rahii Hai, Tumhaare Lafzon Mein Dhal Rahii Hai.. Ye Zindagii’
Muunh Kii Baat Sune Har Koii: Its my favorite of the lot along with Dohe.. and it makes me sad. Hardly you love songs that makes you cry.. but I love this one, I wont say it makes me cry what it touches my heart like none others do. It makes you lost and no matter what I do after listening to it my mind would be somewhere else. Fazli ji’s words breath in this one and Jagjit Ji’s voice provide them with the air for to do it. My fav. Lines: ‘Sadiyon Sadiyon Vahii Tamaashaa Rastaa Rastaa Lambii Khoj, Lekin Jab Ham Mil Jaate Hain, Kho Jaataa Hai Jaane Kaun’
‘Insight’ is the most philosophical work of Jagjit Singh. All the Ghazals of this album belongs, more or less, to same category of insightful reflections. So that when you listen to them, one by one, they make you contemplate and you start to indulge yourself in thoughts about Life, Love, God and the Creation. Yes, it makes you melancholic and sad, but that’s what it is meant for. I have listened to other albums of Jagjit Ji’s with Ghazals penned by Nida Fazli, but they are no where close to ‘Insight’. ‘Insight’ is the best of Nida Fazli and to extent the best of Jagjit Singh as well.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PYAR HUMEIN PHIR MILAAEGA.......