RAAGMALA IN FILM 'SHREE GANESH MAHIMA'(1950)

Shree Ganesh Ji

Geeta Roy

Mohammad Rafi

Music Director-S.N.Tripathi

Music director Shree Nath Tripathi was a very talented composer of film songs.This raagmala is one more example of his creativity.In the mythological movie"SHREE GANESH MAHIMA" IN THE YEAR 1950,Mohammad Rafi and Geeta Roy sang a very catchy raagmala composed in ragas Bhairavi ,Khammaj,Maand and Yaman Kalyan.

RAAGMALIKA IN HINDI FILM 'MR.SAMPAT'( 1952 )

PADMINI

Shamshad Begum

Talat Mahmood

This movie was a social satire based on renowned author R.K.Narayan's famous story 'MR.SAMPAT'. The central character was played by Moti Lal and heroine was Padmini.She is a stage artist and performs in plays of progressive thoughts.But situations take turn in such a way due to tricky gimmicks of Mr.Sampat that heroine is also trapped in that net.Due to misunderstandings  developed with her writer and director,she has to leave that theater and joins another one showing traditional entertaining plays only.This Raagmalika shows the short glimpses of those traditional plays in a sequence. 
      Threre are five songs based on five different Raagas, beautifully sung by SHAMSHAD BEGUM and TALAT MAHMOOD .First song is composed in raga Bilawal and second in  raga Aasawari.These two are in the voice of Shamshad Begum.Third song "Laila laila pukarun..." composed in Gunkali,is sung by Talat Mahmood.It is followed by two popular Dadras again sung by Shamshad Begum."Kaga sab tan...Maine lakhon ke bol..." is composed in raga Kaushik Dhwani and the last "Andheriya hai raat sajan..." is composed in raga Khamaj.
This Raagmalika is the result of rigorous research of many years.Hope everyone will enjoy its compositions and presentation.

RAAGMALIKA IN HINDI FILM :'SAHARA'

                                                                     

HEMANT KUMAR

LATA MANGESHKAR

This song has three different parts showing the change of seasons,but the opening part(mukhada) tells that for a blind person there is no change in life.Music director HEMANT KUMAR and lyricist BHARAT VYAS have composed a melodious and meaningful Raagmalika.The ragas used are KAFI ,NAT -BHAIRAVI ,MALHAR and KEDAR.Lata Mangeshkar has poured the feeling alongwith correct treatment of the ragas in her singing.And above all on the screen performance of Late MEENA KUMARI is superb.To make the song more meaningful,its lyrics are being given.
            
    ऋतु   आये  ऋतु  जाये,
    दुनिया रंग बदलती है 
    तक़दीर न बदली  जाये
    ऋतु   आये  ऋतु  जाये,                                 

    बहार  आयी चमन की हर कली ,
    खिल खिल के मुस्कायी,
    नई डालें करें अठखेलियाँ,
    ले ले के अंगड़ाई । 
    मगर मेरी नसीबों की कली 
     रहती है मुरझाई । 
    इसको कौन खिलाये ?
    ऋतु आये ऋतु जाये।    

       बरखा की ऋतु आयी झूम के
    रिमझिम रिमझिम बरसे 
    झिर झिर झिर झिर पड़े फुहारें 
    खेल करें अंगन से ,
    मगर प्यासे नयन मेरे 
    रहे सावन में भी तरसे,
    इस प्यास को कौन बुझाए,
     ऋतु आये ऋतु जाये। 
    जगमग जगमग आई दीवाली 
     घर घर हुआ उजाला रे.
     छम छम छम छम लक्ष्मी आई 
     पहने दीपक माला रे,
     घर घर हुआ उजाला रे.
     मगर मेरे बुझे दिल का 
     सदा संसार काला रे। 
     इस जोत को कौन जगाये ?
     ऋतु आये ऋतु जाये। 
       

A RAAGMALIKA IN COMIC STYLE-FILM;CHALTI KA NAAM GAADI

Asha Bhosle

S.D.Burman

Kishore Kumar

Majrooh Sultanpuri

This was a dream sequence of Kishore Kumar, who played as the hero of film 'CHALTI KAA NAAM GAADI'. This is one of the best comedy films of Hindi Cinema,The song is based on the classical ragas such as Bilawal,Pahadi, Khammaj, Maand.First you may enjoy the song and the lyrics of this raagmala is here:

                                                      

BHAIRAVI THUMRI-JUGALBANDI FROM FILM:'RAM TERI GANGA MAILI'

Kankana Banerjee

Ravindra Jain

This is a  rare piece of  Bhairavi Thumri,"सैय्याँ सैय्याँ सैय्याँ हो सैय्याँ रटती मैं डोलूँ   .."  beautifully sung by Nirmala Devi and Kankana Banerjee,in Jugalbandi.Though singing is intermitantally masked by the dialogues ,where thumri's audio level has been suppressed.But the song goes on continuously for more than 5 minutes.It starts with a 'Doha'( couplet) and also ends on a 'Doha'( couplet).Late Smt.Nirmala Devi was the master of singing the jugalbandi thumris and had cut many such records,singing  along with Lakshmi Shankar.

Late Shri Raj Kapoor was a great fan of her singing and getting a suitable situation in his film,he used this thumri.Though film's music was composed by Ravindra Jain,but for this song he simply provided the music accompaniment.Kankana Banerjee also has an extremely flexible voice and had matched  it well,with her co-singer at all levels.The harmony in their singing is superb.
                         I can say so much for both of these artists, because I got the chance to listen to them singing in Classical Music Concerts many times here at Kanpur.

This thumri starts with a couplet:

                      'प्रीतम की पगली भई,रट रही पी पी नाम। 
                       प्रीत बिना ये कब मिले, मेरे को आराम॥' 

                   हाँ...सैय्याँ सैय्याँ सैय्याँ, हो सैय्याँ रटती मैं डोलूँ ।
                    ………। 
 And thumri ends with this couplet:

                      'साईं तेरा रूठना , आदर करे ना कोय। 
                      दुर दुर करें सहेलियां,साईं मुड़ मुड़ देखे कोय॥'    
                        

ON THE 90TH BIRTHDAY OF THE KING OF SILKEN VOICE SHRI TALAT MAHMOOD

On this 90th Birthday of  the great singer of Hindi silver screen Shri Talat Mahmood. I am again reminded of  numerous soul stirring melodious songs rendered by him.The complete lyrics of all the film and non -film songs sung by him are collected in the book form named as 'TALAT GEET KOSH' complied by Dr. Rakesh Pratap Singh from Kanpur ( U.P.). 
                                                 

Myself with TALAT Mahmood at his residence.

Shri Talat Mahmood with me in Kanpur

Myself at the release function of Talat Geet Kosh in 1992 at Talat Mahmood's residence,

How can I forget those moments when we were at his residence in Bandra,Mumbai.Veteran music director of Hindi films Shri Naushad Ali was the chief guest of this function.Also journalist Raju Bharatan  from Times Of India and Shri Gopal Sharma of Radio Shrilanka were special invited guests.The completion of this book was also the dream of Talat Ji, which was completed and was in his hands.I marked a solace and happiness in his expressions on that evening of 26th August,1992. 

HINDI CINE SANGEET RAAGOPEDIA

Dear Music lovers, very soon a great event is going to take place,in the field of classical music in Hindi films.My freind Shri K.L.Pandey Ji,IRTS,(Adviser,Tourism and Catering,Railway Board Of India)  


                                            

Shri K.L.Pandey Ji

       

is  bringing out an Encyclopaedia of 'Classical Raga-Based Film Songs', including more than 13000 Hindi Film Songs,from the year 1931 to 2014.
                                                  

Myself with Shri K.L.Pandey Ji

                                              This work is being published in bilingual -form( in both Hindi and English),spread over 'Seven Volumes' exploring 165  Indian Classical Ragas.The title of this mega project on Hindi film music is: 'HINDI CINE SANGEET RAGOPAEDIA'.
The links to get more details about this work is:

klpandey.blogspot.in            and       cineraagopedia.com

                            Here are shown the 'Cover Pages' of all the seven volumes of 'Hindi Cine Sangeet Ragopaedia',being published very soon for all the classical music lovers worldwide.
                          

Regarding other details like such as price of the complete set of seven volumes with songs-index,pre-publication booking of the volumes for individuals and institutions,etc. we will inform you very soon. 

BEAUTIFUL DANCES FROM HINDI FILM 'GUIDE'

Sachin Dev Burman

Shailendra

                                                                         Actress Waheeda Rehman was basically a dancer and in her roles in Hindi films whenever she danced on the screen,she did full justice.May be her any film like: Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja,Mujhe Jeene Do,Ek Phool Chaar Kaante,Teesari Kasam,Baat Ek Raat Ki or Dharti ,her dances were always admired by the audience.But in film GUIDE she was at her best.Waheeda performed an unique Sapera Nritya(Snake Charmer-Dance) on the Lahra of Been music.

                                                     
Next was the song "Mose Chhal Kiye Jaye..."sung in thumri style in ragas:Khammaj,Jansammohini and Jhinjhoti  and Waheeda Rehman  very beautifully expressed the feelings hidden in lyrics of  the song,with her dance.

                                                  
But  song "Piya Tose Naina Laage.." was the longest and most challenging to perform, because it had many shades and a spectrum of ragas:Khammaj ,Jhinjhoti and Gawati were used in its composition.But what to say about Waheeda Ji's superb dancing on this song.We keep on viewing it, mesmerised by her step by step wonderful dancing. I think it as her best dance ever performed on cinema screen.
The credit for it also goes to Dada Sachin Dev Burman for his wonderful music composition and beautiful lyrics written by poet Shailendra.

BEAUTIFUL KATHAK DANCE FROM HINDI FILM:JHANAK JHANAK PAYAL BAAJE(1955)

This is one of the most spectacular Kathak dances ever presented in the history of Hindi Cinema.The frame by frame presentation is so beautiful that one cannot deviate his eyes from the screen.Gopi Krishna  really appears like Krishna as we see in paintings and photographs. Actress Sandhya has played as Radha.
                                        

Gopi Krishna

Sandhya and Gopi Krishna

Their Dance teacher (K.Daate)is very strict in discipline and most of the dancing is picturised on his song(sung by some unknown singer).Manna Dey sings for Gopi Krishna and Lata Mangeshkar sings for Sandhya.The whole creation is composed by music director Vasant Desai and dancr dirctor Gopi Krishna.This film of V.Shantaram 'JHANAK JHANAK PAYAL BAJE'(1955) was fully devoted to classical dance'Kathak'.
                                                 

Manna Dey

Hasrat Jaipuri

Lata Mangeshkar

Vasant Desai

The lyrics were penned by Hasrat Jaipuri,which are:

कड़ान   कड़ान   कड़ान  धा !

मुरली मनोहर कृष्ण  कन्हैय्या 

जमुना  के  तट  पे  विराजे  हैं  

मुरली  मनोहर  कृष्ण  कन्हैय्या 

जमुना  के  तट  पे  विराजे  हैं  

मोर  मुकुट  सर ,कानों  में  कुण्डल 

कर  में  मुरलिया ,मुरलिया , मुरलिया  साजे है  

इतने  में  दी  दिखाई  राधा 

राधा  राधा  राधा,

पनघट  पर  से  आय  रही ,

घबराय  रही ,शरमाय  रही ,

मुस्काय  रही ,बल  खाय  रही .

इधर  बंशी  में  लहर  सी  उठी 

कृष्ण  के  मुख  पर  बजने  लगी  

राधा   की  छुम   छुम  छननन  पर , 

आप  ही  आप  से  बजने  लगी ,

बजने  लगी , बजने  लगी। 

लम्बा  सा  घूँघट  काढ़  लिया 

बंशी  के  सुरों  पर  झूम  गई ,

धर  सर  पे  गगरिया  मोहन  की  ओऱ  ही 

धुम  कित   धुम  कित  घूम  गई  

फिर कृष्ण  कन्हैय्या  नटखट  ने 

राधा  की  कलैय्या  थाम  लई 

राधा  ने  पुकारा 

राधा  ने  पुकारा 

हाय  दई ,कोई आओ सखी ,कोई आओ सखी। 

फिर  हाथ छुड़ा  कर  बोली  हटो ,

फिर  हाथ छुड़ा  कर  बोली  हटो,

अब  जावों  डगरिया  छोड़ो  मोरी .

कहा  कृष्ण  ने  चुप  रह  वरना 

दूँगा  गगरिया  फोड़  तोरी । 

राधा  तब  उसकी  शोखी  पर ,कुछ  बिगड़ी  भी ,

मुस्काई  भी  , फिर  कृष्ण  से  पूछा ,कौन  हो  तुम ?

क्या  नाम  है  जी ?क्या  नाम  है  जी ?क्या  नाम  है  जी ?

कृष्ण : ओ  ओ ओ ओ ओ !

हमें  गोप  ग्वाला  कहते  हैं  -2

और  कृष्ण  दिया  है  नाम हमें  , नाम हमें ।

कोई  नटवर  गिरिधर  कहता  है  -2

और  कोई  कहे  घनश्याम  हमें । 

राधा  : घनश्याम  नहीं  तुम  काले  हो  -2,

तुम  नटखट  हो  मतवाले  हो ,मतवाले  हो । 

चितचोर  हो  माखन  चोर  नहीं  -2,

सुख -चैन  चुराने  वाले  हो ,

घनश्याम  नहीं  ...

राधा   ने  उनको  हाथ  दिया 

और   कृष्ण  ने  उनका  साथ  दिया 

कुछ  बात  हुई  कुछ  घात  हुई ,

इतने   में  सूरज  डूब  गया  - २ 

राधा   की  पायल  जाग  उठी ,

दोनों  में   कला   की  लाग  उठी  ,

अब  रैन   को  दीप  संवारे  थे 

और  नील  गगन  पे  तारे  थे ,

अब  रैन   को  दीप  संवारे  थे 

और  नील  गगन  पे  तारे  थे , 

राधा   को   विदा  के   इशारे  थे ,

राधा   को   विदा  के   इशारे  थे ,

राधा   ने   आँचल   बाँध  लिया ,

मुरली   को   सम्हाला  माधव  ने ,

                                           तिरकित धा ,तिरकित धा ,तिरकित धा। 

In between the song lines at appropriate places the 'Boles' of dance are sung,which have not been given here.Also the kathak singer  who narrates the story is not known from available sources.As I guess he can be Chaube Maharaj( real maternal uncle of Gopikrishna) who played as the competitor dancer in the climax scene of the film.

RAGA SHANKARA IN FILM:AASHIQ(1961)

Raga Shankara is a rarely used raga in the film music.Therefore this melodious song is a rare treat for classical music lovers.Sung by Lata Mangeshkar and composed by Shankar-Jaikishan, this song is picturised on dancing star Padmini.She was one of the three famous Bharatnatyam exponent 'Travancore-Sisters'( Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini ).The lyrics " Jhanan jhanjhana ke apni payal, chali main aaj mat poochho kahan.."also relate us with the dance.Padmini is no more,she left us on 25 Sept.,2006. 

PADMINI

                                                            SHANKAR-JAIKISHAN

SHAILENDRA