I think music/songs have always been an integral part of the Indians. Our every social ceremony is blessed with some kind of music. We have got 5000 years of History with respect to classical based music. In the 50s & 60s the Indian Cinema displayed’amazing’ music that had a great class & entertainment at levels never matched again.
In short, music has always been part of our life whatever may be the situation. We love romantic songs, we also love tragic songs, we love melodies, folk songs/dances. At the same time Indian cinema has seen many INSPIRATIONAL Songs from time to time to say ignite freedom movement, to tell the world the virtues of the Indian civilization, To display the pride in our rich heritage & culture. Some of the compositions were so brilliant the fact that they are also make it to the cinema is only one of their use.
Honorable Mentions
Mera Rang De Basanti Chola, Ay Mere Watan Ke Logo, Kitane baju Kitane Sir Ginale Dushman dhyanse, Harega woh har baazee jab khele hum jee janse, Chhodo Kal ki Baate, Kal Ki baat purani, Nanha Munna Raahi Hun Des ka Sipahi Hun, Main Jindagi ka sath Nibhata chala gaya, Ruk Jana Nahi Tu Kahi Haar ke, Jaha Daal Daal par Sone ki Chidiya Karati hain Basera Woh Bharat Des Hain Mera, Jab Koi Baat bigad jaye, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gam, Hanso Aur Hansaya Karo, Hum Honge kaamyaab
(1) Let me begin with selecting the national anthem of India=> VANDE MATARAM: Salute to the Mother(land) that gave inspiration to millions of Indians to come together, identify them as one nation instead of a group of disfunctional states ruled by Maharajas & ignite the fight against the British for freedom.
I think it is written by the great poet Bankimchand Chatopadhay(Chatterji as short-formed by the British) every stanza of this song praises several aspects of the motherland & gives us reasons to defend it. You can’t defend what you can’t love or feel proud of. This song single-handedly brought the Indians together split across religions, casts, culture & what not. Vande Mataram marked the start of the end of the rough British empire & became their worst headache, you can fight a person with sword but you can’t fight a thought. You can hear it in Lata’s voice, the movie is Anandmath.
(2) Our other national anthem that is more popular & more in use due to political reasons(& due to Nehru’s mischievous preferences) is a song has inspired Indians after freedom. The song composed by Nobel prize winner Rabindranath Thakur(Tagor as made by the uneducated British!). It was accused of being composed to welcome George the 5th when he visited India(first one to visit from Royal family) & was sort of praise of the King as Bharat’s Bhagya-Widhata. This national anthem does not include complete India but only the part that was under British rule then.
However these critics forget the fact that The GREAT Rabindranath composed this song in such a way that it’appears’ as the praise of the king but actually it is praise of the nation, its culture & its people disguised perfectly. The British emperors were easily fooled by this song as the praise for their king. This is my second best inspirational song ’Jana Mana Gana Adhinayak Jayahe Bharat bhagya-widhata’
Just remember the plight of the fighters who gave their life for their motherlands, remember those who didn’t confront the British like the fighters but continued teh social service at that time. Remember the Govt employees at the British Era like Nana Shakarseth who were instrumental in building the infrastructure & you don’t need to look further for inspiration.
After paying tribute to the national anthems lets get down to the everyday songs that have inspired up from time to time.
(3) This one also belongs to the same school of thought as what Rabindranath did. It was portrayed(to British) as a song against the people like Hitler who wanted to rule the world(& India). Door Hato Ay Duniyawalo Hindustan Hamara Hain. This song escaped the British censorship & was displayed in a movie all over the India. People got the’correct’ message from it & by the time British realised what this song was meant for it was too late!:) They withdrew the movie, banned the freedom to sing this song(like Vande Mataram) & sent everyone found disobeying to the jail. Door Hato ay Duniyawalo Hindustan hamara hain will always remain one of the greatest inspirational song if anyone dares to play with the freedom of this nation.
(4) Let come to everyday life & the challenges of dealing with them. Many times we find ourselves down on energy to take the path we know is correct, at times lacking the confidence if what we are doign is right & maybe we feel really down due to some tragic incidence in our/others’ life.
Songs like this will always inspire you to get going. Appeared in Angaar, filmed on Jackie Shroff & Dimple Kapadia, it isone hell of a powerful song: The lyrics are like this:
Lekar apana naam kabhi tum khud ko awaaj do, mushkil main hain kaun kisika tum usako pariyaz do
Jago Hosh main awo phir se josh main awo
Khun bahe nas nas main bebas man ho bas main
Yaad karo tum apana woh toota sundar sapana
Geet purane gawo, chhedo dil ke saaj ko.
Lekar apana naam kabhi tum khud ko awaaj do,
mushkil main hain kaun kisika tum usako pariyaz do
(5) This is one of the most nostalgic songs for me, not a single day went by without me singing this song in the bathroom(where else) or the passages of the Hostel in my engg college. Many hostelites still remember this song completely as they heard me so many times. This is in essence a simple thought that life must go on & you can’t just stop at any step whatever may be the reason. You just have to continue for the heck of it until you can.
Ik Rasta Hain Jindagi Jo Thum Gaye to Kuchh Nahi, Yeh Kadam Kisi Mukam pe jam gaye to kuchh nahi
(6) After several quality comments & exchanges with Mayank(matawalaboy) I couldn’t resist including this song here:
Jindagi Aa Raha Hun Main
’Jindagi aa raha hun main is from Mashal, Sung by Kishore, filmed on Anil it is MY ONE OF THE MOST FAVORITE SONGS. I sung it in musical program after my engagement(USA, 1999), specially the last stanza: Kabhi tuzhko gila muzhse kabhi muzhkio shikayat hain. Magar phir bhi tuzhe meri mezhe teri jarurat hain, Main yeh ikrar karata hun main tuzhse pyar karata hun.Jindagi aa raha hun main.’
Also sung this song in the party after our company got CMMi certification.