An Ode To One Song

Everybody has a hidden sorrow, a cross or two they bear, with patience, grace, or protest. Many songs talk about friendship, and friends or loved ones (saathi) helping each other. And then there is the soul who loves you, knowing you do not love back in the same way. Who cares, knowing you don't. One of Hindi music's most soul-stirring presentations. This is a song we forget, recall and go back to every once in a while.

Tum apna ranj o gham, apni pareshani mujhe de do from Shagun.
Sung by Jagjit Kaur. Music - Khayyam. Picturized on the ethereal Nivedita (screen name Libi Rana)

Lyrics that soothe you with their simplicity and directness. No blame, no self-pity, no bemoaning. Just a direct broaching of the idea:

"give me your sorrow, your pain, your vexations..I am unworthy in your eyes .. fine, but share your grief, perplexity with me... let me be your guardian-angel for one day.. let me see how this world dares bother you.. the heart you gave to others...would be an honor if you gave me its shame and disgrace."

As we go through life dodging and weighed down by real and perceived concerns, who wouldn't long for one such call, one email, one text, from one such friend.

Another soft song from the same movie: Parbaton ke pedon per shaam ka baseraa hai.

 

Pal bhar mein yeh kya ho gaya, woh mein gayi, woh man gaya

Lata Mangeshkar turns 86 on Wednesday, September 28. Janamdin mubarak. Happy Birthday to an unparalleled legend. At her melodious best in this song.

About the song itself, Shabana looks perfect for the role. She is a great actress, but in some of her roles, I couldn't stand, what came across to me, for some inexplicable reason, as her histrionics.

The song is from the movie Swami (1977), directed by Basu Chatterjee, based on a story by Sharat Chandra Chatterji. Most of us would have watched this movie on Doordarshan. It also stars Girish Karnad in an understated role. His patience and his kind of love for Shabana, contrasted with the M&B's we read at that time. : )

The other song from this movie, Ka karun sajani aaye na baalam by Yesudas is more well-known.

 

Today's ode is to Dama Dam Mast Qalandar - the version by Runa Laila.



Some of us would remember watching this and other songs by Runa Laila on Doordarshan. What a strong, carrying voice. It was one of those songs we listened and hummed and grew up liking, even without fully getting the meaning. And who can forget the Superuna audio cassette - eminently forgettable nostalgia with Bhappi Lahiri and all.

Runa Laila had a certain oomph about her. I recall mom having something pithy to say when dad ever stopped by the TV to watch Runa Laila, since he rarely watched contemporary singers. : )

A pity she didn't get to sing for films as much. Artistes like her, Usha Uthup, and Nazia Hassan made non-filmi music popular even as Pankaj Udhaas, Jagjit Singh made ghazals popular.

 

Does Mr. Gauri join in like Kamal Haasan? : )

 

You lucky ladies.. better halves sing for you. : )

Mine doesn't, can't.. but makes up otherwise.... gazillion years ago..Kishore Kumar's Mein zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya was playing on my car's audio cassette player. Mr. Rih (pre-wedding time) said something to the effect 'always hum this, and remember its gist' : ) Recently, it was playing on the ipod/iphone or whatever Thing2 had connected by bluetooth or whatever to the car's whatever. Zindagi Rocks. : )