Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs: Volume IX – March 2024 Edition

Ghulam Mohammad and His Singers: 1954

Ghulam Mohammad (1903 – 17 March 1968) was trained as dholak player, but the strength of his natural insight for rhythm ensured he was equally comfortable and proficient with folk percussion instruments like duff or matka.

He was as plain and unsophisticated as his music apparently appeared. He was the one to have introduce Naushad to Ustad Jhandekhan during the initial struggling days of Naushad. And yet the irony is that he is known more as assistant to Naushad. Even during the twelve years when he was assisting Naushad for nearly 20 of Naushad’s films, Ghulam Mohammad, simultaneously, composed music independently for his 17 (out of 36 films he has scored music in his career) films.

It is to refresh our memories of multi-talented music director Ghulam Mohammad that we commenced the present series in the month of death of Ghulam Mohammad’s songs with special focus on the playback singers he chose to fructify his creations. Till now we have covered Ghulam Mohammad’s songs for the year

1943 to 1949 in 2021, and

1950-1952 in 2022.

1953 in 2023

Presently, we will listen to the relatively less heard songs of his films – Guzara and Mirza Ghalib – in 1954.

Rang Rangeele Pyaare Pyaare Laaye Hum Khilaune – Guzaara (1954) – Lata / Hridaynath Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan,

The song belongs to promotion of the business by self-employed artisans.

In the second part of the song we get to hear girlish voice of adolescent Hridaynath Mangeshkar at the beginning of the two interludes.

Jhoothi Hai Kahani Teri Jhoothi Teri Shaan … Tu Kar Nahi Sakta Hai Muskil Kabhi Aasan – Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Munir Lakhanavi

The song seems to be a background song.

Jhoom Jhoom Kar Bahar Nache Pavan Phul Barsaye – Guzara (1954) – Shamshad Begum, Mohammad Rafi – Lyrics: Phauq Jaami

The duet spells out the dreams of the couple’s future life. The orchestration sounds similar to what we are used to listen in Naushad compositions, but the rhythm and percussion arrangement bears Ghulam Mohammad stamp.

I could not find YT links for Rula Rula Ke Pehli Aayi Aur Mili Ye Pagar (Shamshad Begum , Mohammad Rafi) and Zamane Hai Re Zalim Zamane (Shyam Kumar).

Mirza Ghalib (1954) epitomizes the play of fate in Ghulam Mohammad’s career. Ghulam Mohammad not only created hugely successful songs like, Aah Ko Chahiye ek Umr Asar Hone Tak, Nukta Cheen Hai Gam-e-Dil, Rahiye Ab Aisi Jagah Ke JahaaN Koi Na Ho, Ye Na Thi Hamari Kismat (Suraiya solos), Dil-e-Naddan Tujhe Hua Kya Hai (Talat, Suraiya), Ishq Mujhko NahiN Vahsat Hi Sahi, Phir Mujhe Deeda-e-Tar Yaad Aaya (Talat Mahmood solos) and Hai Bas Ke Unke Isharre Pe NishaaN Aur (Mohammad Rafi solo), but also defined the ghazal singing as genre in Hindi films. The film also earned National award for best feature film. What more one needs to put the career on to the seventh heaven! But not the luck of Ghulam Mohammad. Eventhough the films was fourth film in among the Top Earners, the tag of unlucky music director remained stuck to Ghulam Mohammad.

Ganga Ki Reti Pe Bangla Chhawaai De Sainya Teri Khair Ho – Mirza Ghalib (1954)- Sudha Malhotra – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

The song shows the dance peroramnce in Bahdur Shah Zafar’s court. The moment king turns away from the dance, Moti Begum (ChaudahviN) picks up Aah ko chaahiye ik umr asar hone tak in an apparent effort to present to the king the plight of her (more on the platonic platform) affection for Mirza Ghalib to get his release from the royal goal.

Hamne maana ke tagaaful na karoge lekin, Khaaq Ho Jayege Hum Tumko Khabar Hone Tak – Mirza Ghalib (1954) – Suraiya – Lyrics: Mirza Ghalib

The picturisation shows Moti Begum dying in the arms of Ghalib). This song, a recital by Suraiya, gets played in the background as Suraiya’s body is being carried for burial.

Asides:

These shers are part of the ghazal Aah ko chaahiye ik umr asar hone tak. The shers included in the song are marked in italics in the original ghazal reproduced here:

aah ko chāhiye ik umr asar hote tak
kaun jiitā hai tirī zulf ke sar hote tak

dām-e-har-mauj meñ hai halqa-e-sad-kām-e-nahañg
dekheñ kyā guzre hai qatre pe guhar hote tak

āshiqī sabr-talab aur tamannā betāb
dil kā kyā rañg karūñ ḳhūn-e-jigar hote tak

tā-qayāmat shab-e-furqat meñ guzar jā.egī umr
saat din ham pe bhī bhārī haiñ sahar hote tak

ham ne maanā ki taġhāful na karoge lekin
ḳhaak ho jā.eñge ham tum ko ḳhabar hote tak

partav-e-ḳhur se hai shabnam ko fanā kī ta.alīm
maiñ bhī huuñ ek ināyat kī nazar hote tak

yak nazar besh nahīñ fursat-e-hastī ġhāfil
garmī-e-bazm hai ik raqs-e-sharar hote tak

ġham-e-hastī kā ‘asad’ kis se ho juz marg ilaaj
sham.a har rañg meñ jaltī hai sahar hote tak

Note:

The original text of the ghazal has ‘hote tak’ as’ radif[1] but the song versions use ‘hone tak’, possibly for better phonetic effect.

Nigaahen Pher LeeN Sab Ne Lutey HaiN AasKke dere … Deewaane Yahaan Tak Aa Pahunche – Mirza Ghalib (1954) – Banda Hasan, Rafi – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Here is a qawwali in its truer form and spirit as prayer to The Almighty. The metaphor Deewane YahaN Tak Aa Pahunche refers to Mirza Ghalib’s wife (Nigar Sultana) and his love, Moti Begum (Suraiya) who both have come to seek the relief of Mirza Ghalib from the goal.

Nahin Ishq Mein Is Ka To Ranj Hamen – Mirza Ghalib (1954) – Mohammed Rafi – Lyrics: Bahadur Shah Zafar

This is recital of three couplets from the full ghazal written by Bahdur Shah Zafar

Asides:

Many singers have presented the ghazal in their own styles. Here is one such version by Habib Wali Mohammad

Chali Pi Ke Nagar Ab Kaahe Ka Dar Ho More Baanke Balam Kotwaal – Mirza Ghalib (1954) – Shamshad Begam – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

The song, being a wedding preparation song is also based on folk theme for such situations.

We continue or exploration of Ghulam Mohammad and his singers in the next (year) episode as well….

We will continue remembering Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month ……..

Disclaimer: All images are sourced from net and videos from You Tube. All copyrights of the respective image/ video clip remain with the original owner of the image.

[1] Each coupletpf a ghzal ends on the same word or phrase (the radif), and is preceded by the couplet’s rhyming word (the qafia, which appears twice in the first couplet).

Author: ASHOK M VAISHNAV

In July 2011, I opted to retire from my active career as a practicing management professional. In the 38 years that I pursued this career, I had opportunity to work in diverse capacities, in small-to-medium-to-large engineering companies. Whether I was setting up Greenfield projects or Brownfield projects, nurturing the new start-ups or accelerating the stabilized unit to a next phase growth, I had many more occasions to take the paths uncharted. The life then was so challenging! One of the biggest casualty in that phase was my disregards towards my hobbies - Be with The Family, Enjoy Music form Films of 1940s to mid-1970s period, write on whatever I liked to read, pursue amateur photography and indulge in solving the chess problems. So I commenced my Second Innings to focus on this area of my life as the primary occupation. At the end of 12 years now, even as I have evolved a certain pattern for my blog, I need to plan to create certain definitive changes in that pattern over next year or two. Because, The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. View all posts by ASHOK M VAISHNAV