My first encounter with the legendary Jagjit Singh was when my dad got the album’ Insearch’. I was in school at that time and wasn’t into ghazals at all. But I just listened to it for the first time and it grew on me so much that in few days I was discussing this album with my best friend then who was also into music. I started looking for more of his albums and this is how I went on to collect a whole lot of albums from Jagjit Singh.
Although I love so many of his gazhals, but since this is only for favorite five, I will try to justify to those.
These are some songs I humm most of the times, when I am in a mood for his songs.
’1: Apne hoton per sajana chahta hoon
Aa tujhe main gungunana chahta hoon ’
This one was the first one in the album’ Insearch’. Can’t forget that .
One of the para goes like this, which is so simple and innocent yet carries so much depth of emotions.
’ Thak gaya hoon karte karte yaad tujhko|2|
Ab tujhe main yaad aanaa chahta hoon ’
What a wonderful way to tell your beloved, that you still love them even though you are away, you still miss them, and would want them to feel the same for you.
Second one in my list is from the same album so wouldn’t include in the list.
’ Bebasi jurm hai
Hausla jurm hai
Aye sanam teri ik ik ada jurm hai ’
’ aye sanam tere baare mein kuch sochkar,
apne baare mein kuch sochna jurm hai ’
Loved the poetry here.
’2: Ek purana mausam lauta, yaad bhari purvaayii bhi
Aisa to kam he hota hai, wo bhi ho tanhai bhi.
Yaadon ki baucharon se jab palkein bheegnein lagti hai
Kitni saundhi lagti hai tab, Maazi ki ruswaai bhi
Ek purana mausam lauta.’
The song starts with a commentary from the great Gulzar, which sets the mood for the song.
Mssing your beloved, Although not physically close,
he is still in your thoughts, in your heart, in your soul, in every breath you take.
But then you are sad because you know he is not with you, and will never be.
But every time you think of him, there is this storm of mixed emotions
’3:Shaam se aankh mein nami see hai
aaj fir aapki kami see hai
Dafn kar do hume, ke saans mile
nabj kuch der thami see thami see hai
waqt rehta nahi kahin tikkar
Iski Adat bhi aadmi see hai ’
Sitting alone in a faraway place looking ou tof the window, thinking of that special someone, missing him like hell, and right then from nowhere comes this little tear in your eyes, that brings a river of emotions in its form. Its hard for you to breathe, but can’t help it. You have lost it forever.
’4: Tere baare mein jab socha nahi thaa
Main tanha thaa magar itna nahi thaa
Teri tasveer se karta tha baatein
mere kamre mein aaina nahi thaa
Samander ne mujhe pyaasa he rakha
main jab sehra mein tha pyaasa nahi thaa’
Your life is going fine. You have achieved eveything you wanted in your life. Suddenly one day you realise that you are missing someone really bad. You start thinking about them, and before you know you are lost in that sweet past, that will never be yours. So finally you realise that no matter how succcessful you get in life, life will never be complete without that someone who you love so much.
’5:Mujhse bichad ke kush rehte ho
meri tarah tum bhi joothe ho.
Ujle ujle phool khile the
bilkul jajise tum hanste ho
.
Mujhko shaam bata deti hai
tum kaise kapde pehne ho .
Tum tanha duniya se ladoge
bachon se batein karte ho.’
So, you think you have everything in life, and you are supposed to be happy and contented. Atleast you show the world that you are the happiest person in the world. But deep down only you know how hard it is to live without your beloved.
Am I not right here?
You are dying thousand lifes every second, yet this cruel world don’t want to see that pain, And when you actually come face to face with that someone, you can’t fool him, no matter what you do.
As I said earlier that five is not enough in this list.
This one last song is also very close to my heart. I live in the US since past 6 years. Never was able to accept that I will be so far away from my family and country. Everytime I listen to this one I feel that pain of seperation and longing, that I am sure every human feel when they are cuttoff from their close ones like this.
’Haath choote bhi to rishte nahi toda karte
Jiski awaaj mein silwat ho, nigahon mein shikan
Aisee tasveer ke tukde nahi joda karte
Shahad jeene kaa mila karta hai thoda thoda
Jaanewaalon ke liye dil nahi toda karte’
You don’t get everything in life, so learn to live with whatever you have got and be thankful. Listen to these songs when you are missing them, Cry your heart out loud in closed doors, as the world out there is cruel. They will never understand your pain.