MARRIAGE SONGS

MARRIAGE SONGS

‘Song and Dance’ , are an inseparable ingredients of Indian Marriage ceremony . Cutting across community and caste lines.’Sangeet’ ceremony which was once restricted to ladies only has wider participation now and an evening prior to marriage is invariably   reserved for the function.

But my intent is not to highlight the above; it was just a backdrop. My purpose is to express how happy I felt recently when I attended the marriage of my colleague’s daughter at Delhi. How tradition and modernity were in display to my delight.

   At the right time the ‘Baraat’ arrived and the Groom was received with the traditional ‘Aarti’, but what attracted my attention were the Sanskrit ‘Hymns’ being sung collectively by the immediate family members. It was rhythmic, melodious, pious and perfect. The Groom in Sherwani and pagri stood smiling. It was over in less than ten minutes but gave the occasion its solemnity and standard. Well! This was contribution of the elders. Thereafter the Groom was escorted to the hall where most of guests were waiting for ‘Jai-Mala’ ceremony. The Bride arrived and they stood facing each other. Just them their group of friends broke into a song, “ baharon phool barsao mera mehboob aaya hai….”( Mohammad Rafi from ‘Suraj’). This was a pleasant surprise for me as mostly during such times the pundit again takes over or is hovering close by. But here the modernity was in control. The song was of sixties when the parents of the couple would be in school, but the young connected to the song. And the there was another,-“ do sitaron ka zameen par hai Milan aaj ki raat…”( Mohamad Rafi and Lata from ‘Kohinoor’). Which was made for the occasion .

  

    What struck me was the familiarity of this young generation with the old hindi film songs even when they may not be aware of the film to which they belonged. Perhaps this is one link through which we can relate to them better!

THE LEGACY OF SHAILENDRA

THE   LEGACY   OF   SHAILENDRA

Once I was listening  to a TV programme  recorded by Doordarshan in  You-tube. It showed  an old clipping of Firaq Gorakhpuri  where he was explaining what Great Literature was: “ Great literature was that literature which conveys great ideas/thoughts in a vocabulary of a child”, he said. Thus implying that  the beauty of language was in its simplicity.

   

Shailendra;the legendary lyricist of  Hindi Cinema in my opinion belonged to the above category which Firaq Sahab enunciated.  He did possess the talent to put across in simple lines great social and political thoughts. Songs of Barsaat, Awaara, Shree420, Jisdesh Mein Ganga Behti hai, Aah, Sangam, Guide , Madhumati, Anari,  Kala Bazaar,  Chori-Chori and numerous others are witness. He wrote in Hindustani Zubaan which had more Hindi words than Urdu in this he was different from  his contemporaries/rivals - Sahir, Shakeel and Majrooh who also wrote in Hindustani but with more Urdu words.

   Who then could be called  the inheritor of his legacy? No one could rise to that level. But perhaps there were three lyricist who came close to him unconsciously/subconsciously  and were inspired/motivated by him, I feel -Neeraj,Indeevar and Anand Bakshi.

  

   Neeraj  became famous for his song in Nai umar ki nai fasal( karwan guzar gaya gubar dhek te rahe) and  ,gave some memorable songs for Navketan Banner and other films - Prem Pujari( phoolon ke rang se…dil ki kalam se…),Gambler( dil aaj shayar he gam aaj nagma hai…),Sharmili( megha chaye aadhi raat), Tere mere sapne ( han mene kasam li…).Neeraj was also very prolific in Hindi Poetry circle and has many admirers. He remained popular in Kavi-Sammelans for long. Indeevar was also contemporary of Shailendra but Shailendra made his mark in forties and Indeevar came later.However some songs of Indeevar are class and put him in Shailendra’s league- Saraswati Chandra( chandan sa badan, phool tumhe bheja hai khat mein)), Anokhi Raat ( ohre taal mile nadi ke jal mein nadi mile sagar mein..) Safar( zindagi ka safar,jeevan se bhari teri aakhen).Indeevar wrote for long and Kalyanji Anandji put music to his most  songs. He was regular in films of Manoj Kumar and Feroj Khan’s banner. Anand Bakshi needs no introduction ,he was simple and sweet and wrote perhaps for the longest period. He was favourite of Laxmi Kant Pyrelal, but also wrote many songs for R D Burman and even for S D Burman. Despite writing so many songs he gave high  standard music material – Aradhna( mere sapno ki rani), Aapki kasam( zindagi safar mein guzar jate hein jo mukam who phir nahi aate)Do Raaste ( bindiya chamkegi, khiza ke phool mein aati nahi bahar kabhi..mere nasib…),Ajnabi( ek ajnabi hasina se mulakat ho gayi, bheegi bheegi raton mein)Amar Prem( chingari koi bharke,kuch to log kahenge) are few examples.

   

From the above some justification could be given that Shailendra’s legacy was followed by some important lyric writers, but no one can match the genius of Shailendra for his numerous songs inspire young song makers and qualify the definition of Great Literature!