When I was young, music was taboo in our house. My father a strict disciplinarian, seldom listened to music and thought that children who listened to music were wasting time. When my dad left for office, my sister, me and my brother would have the radio on full blast. No stereos or cassettes or TV in those days(60s and early 70s). Moms pleas that Dad would be angry fell on deaf ears. The moment the sound of my dads car was heard on the drive way, the radio was switched off and the books were opened. He would see us studying and nod happy that we were studying. If he ever caught us listening to songs, he would say “ Why are you wasting time listening to film songs? Why don’t you learn some slokas from the Bhagwad Gita?” I had memorized the entire 12th chapter of the Bhagwad Gita and many other stanzas from Chapter
- “Na Enam Chindanti Shastrani ….”(This, the soul can not be pierced by weapons) or “Klebyam twa na gamah parth …”(Hey Arjun don’t go towards cowardice.” or “Washanshi jirnani yatha vihay ….”(As we discard old torn clothes…” As a result, my knowledge of music is very scanty. I am no musician. I can neither sing nor play any musical instrument. I can not distinguish between the tune of a sitar and a sarod or a banjo and and guitar. I can not make out the difference between the voice of Lata Mangeshkar or Asha Bhosle or Jim Reeves and Englbert Humperdink(I hope I got the spelling right). I do not know if the lyricist is Gulzar or Khayam. I do not know if the music director is Shanker-Jaikishan or Nadeem-Shraven. I do not know if the song I am listening to is from the film Khamoshi or Jewel Thief. These are all intricacies or rather details I have never bothered to know or find out( I hope these great personalities will pardon me for this lapse). When I hum a tune, my daughters try to test my GK. They ask “Papa do you know which picture this is from?” or “Papa do you know who has sung this song?”. When I say no, they say “Itna bhi nahin pata?(You don’t know this much) This song is sung by - “. Yet, I love listening to music. I get moved by the melody of music. The lilting tones, the harmony, the jingling sounds, the soothing tunes, the engrossing voice – all get me intoxicated( no need for liquor!). I get engrossed in the lyrics at times and feel like listening to a song again and again. I get moved to tears at times(strange for a soldier but true). I feel romantic at times(More often than not). On the whole music is an integral part of my life despite the above short comings.
I have my favourites. If I do not know the movie or the music director or the lyricist or the singer, pardon me for the lapse. Here I go ….in random order. “ Koi Hota jisko Apna Hum Apna Keh lete Yaron Paas nahin to door hi hota, lekin koi mera apna ….”(Wish there was someone, whom I could call my very own, If not near, far away, but someone whom I could call my very own) This was my favourite till I got married. I always searched for someone who I could call my own. Now when I hum this song my wife asks me “Kaun hai Kaun hai?”(Who is she who is she?) “Chu lene do nazuk hothon ko, kuch aur nahin hai jam hai yeh, kudrat ne jo humko baksha hai, who ek hasin inaam hai yeh…”(Let me touch your delicate lips This is nothing else but an intoxicant, What God has given to me Is a very beautiful reward…) Dad is coming dad is coming! The radio is off. However the song lingers in the mind. Where are the delicate lips? In the minds eye. I can feel them there. “Jab bhi yeh dil udas hota hai Jane kaun aas paas hota hai…”(Whenever this hear is sad I do not know who is around me.) My all time favourite.
Whenever I am sad and missing someone, this song comes to my mind. My eyes fill up with sorrow and heart feels heavy. “Tu kahe agar jeewan bhar main yun hi gaata jaoon Main been bajaat jaaoon… Aur aag main apne man ki har dil mein lagata jaaoon, Tu kahe agar…”(If you say I will keep singing all my life like this I will keep playing the flute And I will kindle every heart with the fire in my heart . I you say so…) At times you find that when the feelings in the heart are so strong that you want to do something daring to light up the world. When you are hurting and the world is laughing you feel like kindling each heart with your passion. Anything for the beloved. “Laga chunari mein daag, chup aun kaise, Ghar jaaoon kaise, laga chunari mein daag, ….Babul se nazren milaoon kaise Ghar jaaoon kaise….”(My veil has been tainted, how do I hide it, How do I go home and look my father in the eye.) This is a fantastic song. What rhythm and melody. I just love this song. It is fun seeing the rendition of the song by a good singer. Watching the singer is as delightful as listening to the song. “Tute hue kwabon ne hum ko yeh sikhaya hai Dil ne, Dil ne jise paaya tha ankhon ne gawaanya hai.”(Broken dreams have taught me this Whom the heart had found, the eyes have lost…) This song is from the movie “Madhumati” if I am not wrong with Manoj Kumar as the hero. Am I right? Probably wrong. I am very bad at all this. Anyway I saw the movie long back in the 70s(one of the rare movies that I saw). I have loved the song since then. When you miss someone, someone you have lost(even an imaginary loss if you are sad) this song comes in handy. Jagjit Singh is a favourite of mine so I can’t forget him. This song of his I just love as it transports me back to my childhood and my eyes get moist with the memory of the days gone by never to return “Who kaagaz ki kashti, who barish ka paani Who budhia jise log kehte the naani…”(That paper boat and that rain water, The old lady whom we used to call granny…” Among the new songs
I am particularly fond of this song by Shaan. “Tanha dil tanha safar, dhoondhe kise phir kyon nazar Tanha Dil….”( A lonely heart a lonely journey, who are my eyes searching…) Although sad songs do dominate, there are some lively songs too which I like. I love one song particularly sung by Kishore Kumar if I am not wrong “Zindagi ek safar hai suhana, Yahan kal kya ho kisne jana…”(Life is a pleasant journey what will happen here tomorrow you never know.) Another lively song which became an instant hit because of the wonderful music and the superb acting by Shammi Kapoor was “Yaaho, Chahe mujhe koi junglee kahe Kahne do ju kahta rahe, Hum Pyar ke toofan mein Gire hain hum kya Karen. Yahoo!.”(Yahoo! If someone call s me a junglee let them call I am in love what can I do. Yahoo!) So I end here with this positive note. Yahoo!