RAGA ' DESH' BASED COMPOSITION IN HINDI FILM 'ALAAP' (1977)

Music Direcor : JAIDEV

BHUPINDER SINGH

Sanjeev Kumar

LP Record Cover

Amitabh Bachchan and Chhaya Devi

Dr.Rahi Masoom Raza

KUMARI FAIYYAZ

Raga Desh is a very sweet raga as it has a flavour of folk music .The 'aalap' part of it is very impressively presented by genius music composer of Hindi films Late Sri Jaidev  in the song "Aayee  ritu saawan ki..." from the Hindi film: :'AALAAP'.The song is penned by Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza and sung by Kumari Faiyyaz and Bhupendra,with full devotion,keeping the depth and grace of the raga alive.The film 'AALAAP'(1977)had Classical Music as its central theme and Jaidev did full justice with the subject.He also created a Raagmalika for that part of the film ,when Amitabh and Rekha learn music from Chhaya Devi (Amma).The song is:

 "आयी ऋतु सावन की,
   पिया मोरा जाये रे।
   आयी ऋतु सावन की ....।।
   बैरन बिजुरी चमकन लागी,
   बदरी ताना मारे रे ।
   ऐसे में कोई जाए पिया,
   तू रूठो क्यों जाए रे।।
   आयी ऋतु सावन की ...।।
   तुम ही अनूक बिदेस जाइयत,
   सब आये हैं दुआर रे ।
   ऐसे में कोई जाए पिया,
   तू रूठो क्यों जाए रे,
   आयी ऋतु सावन की.... ।।"          

A TRIBUTE TO SHRI MANNA DEY: RAGA' AHIR BHAIRAV ' AT ITS BEST IN HINDI FILM :MERI SOORAT TERI ANKHEN (1963)

Dada S.D.Burman

ASHOK  KUMAR

MANNA DEY

S.D.BAATISH

The Raga 'Aheer Bhairav' is a morning melody.Its use in the music compositions of film songs is very rare.But due to the genius of veteran music director of Hindi films,Dada S.D.Burman, we got this superb creation to enjoy for ever.Dada was a disciple of Great Ustad Faiyyaz Khan Saheb of Agra Gharana and before the recording of this song, he took his permission to present his Guru's composition in a film.The Addha Taal used on Tabla has increased the depth of the raga Aheer Bhairav in the song.The efforts of all involved in the screen presentation of this composition, is outstanding.Great actors Ashok Kumar and Kanhaiya Lal have presented the real depth and pathos of the song on the screen.In the first part when kanhaiyya Lal teaches the raga to child Ashok Kumar then S.D.Baatish and Suman Kalyanpur sing this song. In the second part Manna Dey sings the complete song for Ashok Kumar.Lyricist Shailendra has penned this unforgettable song:

"पूछो न  कैसे मैंने रैन बितायी|
 इक  पल जैसे इक  जुग बीता |
 जुग बीते मोहे नींद न आयी ।।
 उत जले दीपक इत मन मेरा,
 फिर भी न जाये मेरे घर का अँधेरा।।
 तड़पत तरसत  उमर गँवाई ।।
 पूछो ना कैसे मैंने रैन बितायी||
 ना कहीं चंदा ना कहीं तारे,
 जोत के प्यासे मेरे नैन बेचारे।
 भोर भी आस की किरन  न लायी।।
 पूछो ना कैसे मैंने रैन बितायी....।।"   

NAATAK 'SHAKUNTALA' IN HINDI FILM 'KHILONA' (1970)

Singers LATA and MANNA DEY

Anand Bakhshi

Lakshmikant-Pyarelal

Mumtaz

In Hindi film KHILONA(1970) there was a dream sequence, in which heroine of he movie Mumtaz finds herself in the same situation  as faced by Shakuntala, in the play written by Kavi Kalidas.This was shown as a ballet in he film, for which music directors Lakshmi Kant-Pyarelal composed a raagmala depicting the various situations in the play.Lyrics were written by Anand Bakshi,.The song is sung by Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar in different moods and ragas according to the sotryline described through the song:

      "ये नाटक कवि लिख गए कालिदास।  
        यहीं पे तपोवन की भूमि के पास ।।
        किसी मृग का पीछा करते हुए,
        तकी सुंदरी एक दुष्यंत ने। 
        शिकारी का मन हो गया खुद शिकार, 
        उसे भा गयी उस चमन की बहार ।
        लगती थी वो कोई अप्सरा ,
        उसका था नाम शकुंतला ।।
        इक कली थी वो जो चटक गयी,
        भंवरे के संग भटक गयी ।
        प्रीतम को मन में बसा लिया ,
        गन्धर्व विवाह रचा लिया।
        जब सेज सज गयी प्रीत से ,
        मन ने कहा मनमीत से :
        मोहे छोड़ तो न जाओगे,
        ओ रसिया मन बसिया पिया लेके जिया ।
        सगरी नगरी के तुम हो राजन,
        डरती हूँ मैं ये सोच के साजन ।
        मोहे भूल तो न जाओगे ।।
        वन की रानी के वो गीत गाते हुए,
        राजा वापस नगरिया को जाते हुए ,
        एक अंगूठी निशानी उसे दे गया,
        प्रेम की एक निशानी उसे दे गया ।।
        जागते वक़्त भी सोयी रहती थी वो, 
        सैय्याँ के ध्यान में खोयी रहती वो ।
        एक दिन द्वार पर आया एक महर्षि ,
        कोई है? कोई है? उसने आवाज़ दी ।
        प्यार की हाय किस्मत है कितनी ख़राब ,
        जब मिला ना अतिथि को कोई जवाब ,
        दे दिया उसने निर्दोष को ये श्राप :
        जा तू खोयी है जिसके लिए इस तरह ,
        भूल जाए तुझे इस तरह जिस तरह ,
        भूल जाती है सुबह गयी रात को ,
        भूल जाता है पागल कही बात को।।"
This play was composed using the ragas:चारुकेशी ,खम्माज ,पहाड़ी ,नट भैरव in a sequence,creating a Raagmala.                                         

ENCHANTING TRIVENI OF TABLA, SINGING AND DANCE IN FILM: MERI SOORAT TERI ANKHEN (1963)

HEROINE ASHA PAREKH

PT..SAMTA PRASAD MISHRA

PT.SAMTA PRASAD PLAYING ON HIS TABLA

POET  SHAILENDRA

DADA SACHIN DEV BURMAN

MOHD. RAFI

All this happened in the climax sequence of Hindi film MERI SOORAT TERI AANKHEN(1963).The hero of the film(Ashok Kumar) is ugly faced but is a marvellous  classical singer.He always hides himself from the people who  like the beauty only.In this episode he has to sing on the stage for a kathak dancer.The music director of the film  S.D.Burman composed in raga Bhairavi the song "Naache    man  mora  magan tikta dhigi dhigi.... " written by poet Shailendra and sung  with full devotion by singer Mohd.Rafi.The beauty of the song is specially used 'Dhaivat' on Tabla in Kaharawa Taal(8 beats) by Pt. Samta Prasad.Asha Parekh once said that she danced her best on this song.Music director S.D.Burman kept on waiting for Samta Prasad's arrival from Banaras and postponed the recording of this song.He was very particular about the special beats on tabla to be played in this song,which only Samta Prasad could do for him.The lyrics to suit the mood of the song are:
" नाचे मन  मोरा मगन तिक ता धिगी धिगी ।
   बदरा घिर आये रुत है भीगी भीगी ।।
   कुहुके कोयलिया कहीं दूर पपीहा पुकारे ।
   झूला झूलें सखियाँ की घर आजा बालम हमारे ।।
   बदरा घिर आये  रुत है भीगी भीगी ,
   नाचे  मन मोरा .......।\" 

KANKANA BANERJEE-A BRILLIANT HINDUSTANI CLASSICAL VOCALIST

Smt. Kankana Banerjee

Kankana being awarded by the hands of Mother Teressa

Kankana with her Guru Ustad Amir Khan

Kankana with Pt. Pratap Narayan

Her first LP -record from HMV(1980)

Kankana Banerjee is an eminent classical vocalist of our countrywho has a sonourously rich and pliant voice.She is capable of synthesizing the aesthetics in her singing.When I got a chance to attend her concert in 1987 in Kanpur,I knew the beauty of her artful and pleasant singing which keeps the audience spell bound for hours.By that time Pt. Pratap Narayan( elder brother of Pt. Jasraj and father of film actress and singer Sulakshana Pandit) was accompanying her.In those years she was getting groomed in the intricacies of singing of Mewati Gharana from him.By that time she had got recorded an LP for HMV and also had sung a 'Tarana' in raga Darbari and a 'Drut-Khayal' in raga Yaman Kalyan in jugalbandi with Pt. Pratap Narayan,for an LP 'A Multifacet Genius Of Amir Khusaro'.I cannot resist to present here at least one composition from her each record :  

This tarana is the creation of Ustad Amir Khan Saheb,incorporating the Persian verses of Amir Khusaro"Yare man beya beya,baalabam rashid janam, tubhye aa ke zinda manam,........".Kankana Ji is the disciple of Ustad Amir Khan (Indore Gharana) and very confidenly sings all the Bandishes of her Ustad.You may see her khayal singing, resembling exactly with Ustad Amir Khan's raga Malkauns:

On stage she sings so well and without stress that everyone enjoys the real music.Her systematic Vistaar of raga,racy Taans and clear Bol are the qualities which very few vocalists have got.I remember that an organisation invited her in Kanpur in 1989,1991,1994 and 1995,on the repeated request of the people.She has recieved many Awards and Recognitions,so far and is busy in  her frequent visits to UK,CANADA,USA,MIDDLE- EAST and definitely all over the country.She is a very brilliant improviser of the singing qualities of three Gharanas in her presentations.She learnt Kirana Gharana style from her mother,Indore Gharana style from Ustad Amir Khan and Mewati Gharana style from Pt.Pratap Narayan.Two  vocal numbers are being given from her recent concerts in foreign countries:

There is no limit to write about an artist like her.She never got interested in singing for films.But on Sri Raj Kapoor's request, she sang a Thumri in raga Bhairavi"Saiyyan saiyyan saiyyan ratati main dolun.....",in jugalbandi with Nirmala Devi(film star Govinda's mother) in film 'Ram Teri Ganga Maili'.I still remember her  vocal concerts of Kanpur and wish to get a chance like that again and again.

NIRMALA DEVI : A CLASSICAL VOCALIST AND ACTRESS OF 1940s HINDI CINEMA

Myself getting the autograph of Nirmala Ji in Kanpur in the year 1988

I met her first time in 1986 during a music conference at Kanpur.It was 1st March and Nirmala Ji was on the stage of fully packed auditorium,clad in a plane light yellow chiffon sari,looking like a saint, presenting thumris,dadras,ghazals and bhajans.She started singing at 2:00 AM and till 6:30AM audience was listening to her melodies with full attention and giving applause at time to time.I still remember her song"JAYE NA PAIHO HAMARI GALEE AIKE ......"being rendered in the early hours of dawn and in that season of Basant and Holi,I saw many morning walkers gathered outside the auditorium, mesmerised by the charm of her superb singing.Nirmala Ji could expand her voice to all the three octaves of music very comfortably.Which is very rare for vocalists.After the concert I sat with her and talked about her acting in Hindi Films as well as her singing.But she in short told everything and said about her son GOVINDA ,whose first debut film 'LOVE 86' was ready for release.
I again got the chance to listen to her melodious singing in 1988, in the concert organised by a local body in Kanpur.I reviewed her work in films and found to the best of my knowledge,that she acted in 13 Hindi movies and sang about 60 songs for music directors like:Naushad,Sajjad Hussain,Firoze Nizami,Pt. Govindram,Shankar Rao Vyas, Vinod,Bulo C.Rani,Madan Mohan and O.P.Nayyar.She also did playback singing in a few films,such as :Shama- Parwana(1954),Musafirkhana(1955),Haseena(1955), Jagir, Zara Bach Ke ,Lady Robinhood (1959),Haqdar(1964) and Bawarchi(1972),Ram Teri Ganga Maili(1985).
She belonged to Varanasi( Banaras) and got groomed in vocal music by Ustad Atta Khan of Patiala Gharana.She was married to film star of that era of Hindi Cinema, Arun Kumar Ahuja, with whom she worked in films: SAVERA(1942),CHALIS KAROD(1945),SEHRA(1948) and JAI MAHALAKSHMI(1951).Since 1942 till 1951 she did acting only in 13 films along with singing about 50 songs.The movies were:Sharda(1942),Savera(1942),Kanoon(1943),Gaali(1944),Geet(1944),Jeevan(1944),Chalis Karod(1945),Piya Milan(1945),Ghunghat(1946),Sehra(1948),Anmol Ratan(1950),Janmashtami(1950) and Jai Mahalakshmi(1951). Further between 1954 to 1985 she did playback singing in 9 films only,singing only 10 songs.Here are some of her popular song numbers:
(1).Ghir Aayee Badariya Ghar Aao..   (film:SHARDA,1942,Music:Naushad)
(2).Hamare Saiyyan Lakhon Mein Ek...(film:ANMOL RATAN,1950,Music:Vinod)
(3).Jhoothe Zamane Bhar Ke..(duet with Moh.Rafi,film:MUSAFIR KHANA,1955,Music:O.P.Nayyar)
(4).Ulfat Ke Jaam Pila...(film:SHAMA PARWANA-1954,Music:Husnlal-Bhagatram)
Nirmala Ji had got recorded many unforgettable light classical melodies,such as: thumris, dadras, chaiti, hori etc.But she also sang very skillfully khayals, taranas, bhajans, ghazals and geets.Music lovers all over the world still keep on searching for her rcordings.Her LP record of light classical songs 'Weekend Pleasure' was a great success.Here I am giving a Chaiti from that record:

After saying goodbye to  films she was fully devoted to her music concerts all over India and cutting records of her singing.In my city Kanpur itself she gave her Five Music Concerts since 1982 to 1988. She was a preferred artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan.Let us enjoy a ghazal sung by Nirmala Devi for All India Radio:

In a collection of Thumries LP released by HMV,she sang in raga Mishra Shivranjani "Ro ro nain ganwaye,sajna na aaye...".Let us enjoy that melody: 

How can  we forget the THUMRI-JUGALBANDI, she presented along with Lakshmi Shankar in two LP records.One of these is being given to enjoy the harmony and melody intermixed very nicely: 
She got recorded the ghazals of Mirza Ghalib for an EP record released by HMV.It is a real treat to listen to these ghazals.Also she had composed and sung many bhajans, but I very much like her bhajan "Hari Tum Bhaktan Ke Hitkari.." in Bhairavi ,which is a masterpiece of music. Also  her last film-song from Bawarchi(1972),composed by Madan Mohan in raga Alhaiyya Bilawal,sung with,Manna Dey,Lakshmi Shankar,Kishore Kumar and Harindranath Chattopadhyay,is still very popular .The song is being given here:

NIRMALA JI AND MY ELDER DAUGHTER AJITA

Nirmala Ji has passed away in 1996,but she is still alive in the memories of her music lovers.She has left behind a treasure of her melodious songs for generations to come.

A TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER

श्रीमती मालती मिश्र

( 28-10-1931 से 1-8-2010)

मेरी माँ का एक दिन अचानक इस दुनिया से नींद में सोते हुए चले जाना ,हमारे लिए बहुत बड़ा आघात था।शायद वह जिंदगी का  सबसे बुरा दिन था ।माँ का इस तरह चला जाना आज भी बहुत अखरता है ।

माँ चली गयी कहाँ हमको छोड़कर 

अपने बच्चों से अचानक मुह मोड़कर।  

अनहोनी एक सुबह ऐसी थी घटी        

हम सभी तो जागे मगर माँ नहीं  उठी। 

सोते ही में माँ के पंछी प्राण के उड़े 

हम अवाक रह गए बुत बने खड़े,

अब कभी न सुन सकेगी माँ हमारी बात 

किसके चरण छू के लेंगे हम आशीर्वाद ?

माँ ने मुश्किलों में सदा धैर्य बंधाया 

ज़िन्दगी की कठिन राहें चलना सिखाया। 

जो हो पास उसमें ही संतोष को रखना 

कर्म को ही धर्म बताया था समझना ।

अब ख़ुशी के मौके कैसे बीतेंगे भला

माँ की याद आएगी रुंध जायेगा गला,

ज़िन्दगी में माँ की कमी रहेगी सदा 

जब तक खुद हम ज़िन्दगी से लेंगे अलविदा।। 

आज के दिन माँ को हमारा शत शत नमन !

My family with mother

younger daughter Smita with mother

With my sisters Krishna,Aruna,grandson Siddhartha,grand daughters Ajita & Jaya

With brother Rakesh 

MOTHER'S DAY:13th MAY,2012.  
Let us sing in the praise of all mothers of the world.