This article is written by Raja, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a contributor to this blog. This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in other sites without the knowledge and consent of the web administrator of atulsongaday.me, then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
| Blog Day : | 4030 | Post No. : | 15147 |
It is that day of the year again.
The 31st of July.
A date that doesn’t need any reminder for lovers of HFM.
Of all the days in the calendar, a few stand out – and the 31st of July is one of them.
For it is the death anniversary of one of the most loved and respected figures of the Hindi film industry, Mohammad Rafi, respectfully referred to as Rafisaab.
Today on his 39th death anniversary, we on this blog, remember him with great fondness and respect.
I’ve written about Rafisaab many times here on this blog. In fact, there’s no one I have written about more than about Rafisaab.
To be honest, there really isn’t anything more for me to say that I haven’t already said before.
How I, growing up in a Kishore-dominated era, fell in love with Rafisaab’s voice.
How I’ve done all-nighters listening to Rafisaab songs, completely losing track of time.
How much I respect Rafisaab for being such a good human being, inspite of having the power to abuse his position, if he had wanted.
I’ve written about all this – and more. And I don’t want to bore readers here by repeating stuff.
Not that I get bored of writing about Rafisaab. Never. When I don’t ever get bored of listening to his voice, how can I possibly get bored of writing about him? It is such a pleasure, and an honour, to write about Rafisaab.
So whether I have any new material or not, I will write about Rafisaab – even if it is only a few lines. That is the very least I can do for someone who has given me so much joy in life. And on his Remembrance Day, I just have to write a few lines for him – to thank him for everything.
Different people make a mark in this world for different reasons. Not all leave a legacy of course, but I doubt even those who do, have any idea of the magnitude of the legacy they would leave behind. And its endurability.
I doubt Rafisaab thought about all this when he was alive. He was a simple man, happy to earn his living through the one profession that he loved, and knew he was loved for – singing. Even for that, he was humble enough to always point upwards, to God, to suggest He was to thank for everything.
Rafisaab was very soft-spoken. For all his animation while singing, he was an extremely shy person in conversation and avoided interviews. Which is also why there are very few interviews of him available out there. It is our loss, but then that was the person he was. At least we have his songs, and anecdotes of those who knew him with us.
Rafisaab was devoted to his profession – he would do riyaaz for hours. He enjoyed spending time with his family. And enjoyed playing badminton. And good food. A man who always had a smile on his lips, who never thought ill for others – on the contrary, he went out of his way to help others.
A simple man – but what a legacy!
One that he would never have imagined during his lifetime.
Even today, 39 years after he is gone, there isn’t a day when his songs are not playing on radio. There isn’t a day when HFM lovers from around the world are not listening to his songs on whatever device they have. Today, thanks to technology, we have access to music on demand.
Yes, Rafisaab has enriched the lives of millions by his sheer voice. And that, for decades. And, I am sure, will continue for decades too. Such is the love people have for Rafisaab. It transcends generations.
This is another aspect that makes me really happy for him. It is great to see young generations today, even teenagers, listen to Rafisaab’s songs. Of course, their music interests are current too – and they should be. But from what I’ve seen, many of them are still happy to listen to old HFM songs – and Rafisaab, of course. Which is why I say Rafisaab’s voice transcends generations.
In my own case, I know my next generation is also very fond of Rafisaab. My niece’s husband invariably plays Rafisaab songs in his car. Not just for me, but for himself too. Not that my niece complains. She is herself very fond of Rafisaab. 
They like current songs too, but Rafisaab is a fixture in their car. Especially 1960s songs like “dil ke jharoke mein”, “pukaarta chala hoon main” and “deewana hua baadal”. I swear, I did nothing to influence them – it all happened by itself. Actually, my niece’s father-in-law is also a Rafisaab fan, so maybe that played a role too.
Now my niece has a kid – he is not even 3, but I have a feeling he will also soon be listening to Rafisaab.
I will not be surprised if this is the story in many other families too. I hope it is – then Rafisaab’s legacy is in safe hands.
Rafisaab deserves nothing less. A person with such a divine voice, a person who had such a good heart, who did good for so many, deserves every little bit of love and respect he gets.
I always have a warm feeling, and feel energized, when I discuss, or write about, Rafisaab. His songs immediately come to my mind, THAT voice, those intonations in the rendering. I get lost, happily so, thinking about his songs.
I can keep going on and on, but then I will be repeating what I’ve written in the past. And will be boring the readers.
So I’ll just move on to the song for today.
This is from Jaani Dushman (1979). A decade right up my sleeve, given that I’m a 1970s boy. Avinashji, himself a huge Rafisaab fan, sent me the lyrics and requested me to do a write-up.
By the late 70s, Rafisaab had regained his place in public mindspace. The first half of the decade had been totally dominated by Kishore Kumar (inspite of a few Rafisaab hits). But by the mid-70s, Rafisaab began coming back. I remember Laila Majnu (1976) songs being a success. A year later, he had chartbuster hit songs in Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Hum Kisise Kam Nahin (1977) and Apnapan (1977), to mention just three films.
And so he continued, with hits in Abdullah (1980) and Karz (1980), right until his untimely death.
Jaani Dushman (1979) was during his revival phase.
The film has the popular, foot-tapping Rafisaab-Asha Bhosle duet “tere haathon mein pehna ke chudiyaan”, but also the song of today “chalo re doli utthao kahaar” (which comes multiple times in the film, if I remember right), was popular too.
The film itself is a multi-starrer in keeping with the trend of the time. Those were the days of multi-starrers – many commercial films had two or more lead heroes and heroines. JD went a step further, and must be considered a mother of multi-starrers – it had at least 5 “heroes” – Jeetendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Vinod Mehra, Shatrughan Sinha and Sunil Dutt. And Rekha, Reena Roy, Bindiya Goswami, Neetu Singh and Sarika amongst the “heroines”. Other movies of that era that were multi-multi-starrers that come to mind are Naagin (1976) and the Burning Train (1980).
I remember seeing the film at the time, but given my pathetic memory, I don’t remember too much of it. I do remember that it was meant to be a horror film of sorts, where a monster is supposed to murder every newly-wed bride. Something like that.
The songs of the film were quite popular, and the film too did well I think.
“Chalo re doli utthao kahaar” is a background song, picturised during the bidaai of a daughter as she leaves her parents’ home. It is a typical Rafisaab song – he was very good at emotional, background songs of this type. With their ebbs and flows.
Talking of emotional, background songs, am reminded of Ravi, the composer of songs of Waqt (1965) saying he had insisted with the Chopras on Rafisaab singing “waqt se din aur raat”, though Mahendra Kapoor, and not Rafisaab, was generally their preferred singer. He had said that this song would suit Rafisaab more than anyone else.
Similarly Kalyanji Anandji picked Rafisaab to sing a couple of lines as background song in that death scene in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) – “zindagi to bewafa hai, ek din thukraayegi”. Anandji said in an interview that he was a bit embarrassed to ask Rafisaab to sing those lines, because he had no other song in the film, and it was only a couple of lines. But he wanted them to be in Rafisaab’s voice. Without the slightest ego, Rafisaab rendered those lines with his usual high standards.
L-P, ever loyal to Rafisaab, even during Kishore Kumar’s peak, used him to render the emotional background song “nafrat ki duniya ko chhod ke” of Haathi Mere Saathi (1971) even though Kishore Kumar sings the songs picturised on Rajesh Khanna.
This song for today is also an L-P composition. I request you to please listen to this song – and remember Rafisaab today.
Rafisaab, you will always be in our hearts. The years roll by, but the love and respect does not diminish one bit. For what you’ve given the world, millions are ever grateful to you.
Personally, I can’t thank you enough, hence this post as a humble tribute.
(As mentioned above, lyrics for today’s song have been provided to me by Avinashji. I thank him for providing me these lyrics).
Video
Audio
Song-Chalo re doli uthhaao kahaar piya milan ki rut aayi (Jaani Dushman)(1979) Singer-Rafi, Lyrics-Verma Malik, MD-Laxmikant Pyarelal
Chorus
Lyrics (Provided by Avinash Scrapwala)-Based on audio link
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm
Ho o
Chalo re doli uthhaao qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi ee
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm
Ho o
Chalo re doli uthhaao qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi ee
Pi ki nagri le jaao
Qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi
Chalo re doli uthhaao qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm
Jin nainon ki ee tu hai jyoti
Un nainon se ae barse moti
Daawaa nahin hai
koi Zor nahin hai
Beti sadaa hi paraayi hoti
Jaldi naihar se le jaao
Qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi
Chalo re doli uthhaao qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi ee
Chhaayi hai dekho hariyaali ee ee
Aayi hai rut khushiyon waali ee
Har aasha parwaan chadhi ee ee ee
Din hai Dashehra
Raat deewaali ee
Galey daal baahon ka haar
Qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi
Chalo re doli uthhaao qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi
Tan maike man teri nagariyaa
Ud jaaun main Ban ke badariyaa
Chaand nagar ko Chali chakori ee ee
Pyaasi hoon milan ki sanwariyaa
Mere sapne sajaao
Qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi ee
Chalo re doli uthhaao qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi
Sooni padi ee
Bhaiyya ki ee haveli
Vyaakul behnaa aa
Rah gayi akeli ee
Jin sang naachi
Jin sang kheli ee
Chhoot gayi wo o
Sakhi Saheli ee
Ab naa deri lagaao
Qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi
Chalo re doli uthhaao qahaar
Piya milan ki rut aayi
Piya milan ki rut aayi
Piya milan ki rut aayi ee
—————————————–
Devnagri Script lyrics (Provided by Avinash Scrapwala)
—————————————–
हं हं हं
हं हं हं हं ह
हं हं हं
हं हं हं
हं ह
हं हं हं
हो ओ
चलो रे डोली उठाओ कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई ई
हं हं हं
हं हं हं हं ह
हो ओ
चलो रे डोली उठाओ कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई ई
पि की नगरी ले जाओ
कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई
चलो रे डोली उठाओ कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई
हं हं हं
हं हं हं
हं हं ह
जिन नैनों की तू है ज्योति
उन नैनों से बरसे मोती
दावा नहीं है
कोई जोर नहीं है
बेटी सदा ही पराई होती
जल्दी नैहर से ले जाओ
कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई
चलो रे डोली उठाओ कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई ई
छायी है देखो हरियाली ई ई
आई है रुत खुशियों वाली ई
हर आशा परवान चढ़ी ई ई ई
दिन है दशहरा
रात दिवाली ई
गले डाल बाहों का हार
कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई
चलो रे डोली उठाओ कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई
तन मयके मन तेरी नगरिया
उड़ जाऊं मैं बन के बदरिया
चाँद नगर को चली चकोरी ई ई
प्यासी हूँ मिलन की सांवरिया
मेरे सपने सजाओ
कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई ई
चलो रे डोली उठाओ कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई
सूनी पड़ी ई
भैय्या की ई हवेली
व्याकुल बहना आ
रह गयी अकेली ई
जिन संग नाची
जिन संग खेली ई
छूट गयीं वो ओ
सखी सहेली ई
अब ना देरी लगाओ
कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई
चलो रे डोली उठाओ कहार
पिया मिलन की रुत आई
पिया मिलन की रुत आई
पिया मिलन की रुत आई ई