Gone is Caravan...

Extracted from a Government of India publication.

Neeraj
LYRICIST EXTRAORDINAIRE
NAVEEN JOSHI & JAI SINGH
Contemporary Hindi poetry in India is bereft of its soul without Neeraj. A godgifted poet, he is a rare gem whose sparkle illuminates the hearts of millions of Indians not only in India but abroad too. He is one of the very few Hindi poets who are equally revered by the literary world as well as cinema buffs. Befittingly, Neeraj has been conferred the Padmashree by the Government of India and honoured by many reputed literary institutions.

Being a prolific writer, he has written several books that have been translated into English, Russian, German, Bengali, Gujarati and many other languages. His works have been included in the syllabus of schools and colleges in many states of India. As if this is not enough, Neeraj’s forays in film industry have left a deep imprint on the minds of the connoisseur and the common cine-goers alike. His immortal songs include,

Karvan gujar gaya, gubar dekhte rahe
(the caravan has rolled past, I am left behind to see the dust raised by it);
Kaise kahein hum pyar ne hamko kya kya khel dikhaye
(how do I say how many hues love has shown me);
Phoolon key rang se, dil ki kalam sey, likhi tujhe ek pati
(using the colour of flowers as ink and heart as a pen, I wrote a letter to you).

Neeraj is endowed with an extraordinary talent; his songs are laced with pain, love, romance and persuasion and when he renders them in his own inimitable style, he mesmerizes the audience. He is the only songwriter of Bollywood whose each song has hit the bull’s eye. Legendry actor, producer, director and filmmaker, Dev Anand, invites him even today to Mumbai to write songs for his films. However, Neeraj has never been fascinated by the film world. A poet whose poems ooze passion and emotion, Neeraj smiles when asked about modern film songs. “Songs of today are uninspired and mechanical; a song must be imbued with sentiments to attain permanence. That is why today’s songs are so transitory. In fact the modern trend is to weave songs using the oft-repeated mushy words like dilbar (beloved), aashik (lover), saahil (bank of river) and the like. In our times passion and emotions were so deftly crafted into the songs that they used to tuck at your heartstrings. For example, ‘Megha chaye aadhi raat, bairan ban gayi nindiya’ (night is overcast with dark clouds – denoting passion – so sleep has turned hostile).”

In the 60s and 70s, he adds, to compete with such stalwarts like Hasrat Jaipuri, Indivar and Sahir Ludhianvi was a matter of pride. “That was a glorious period. Nowadays the songs are unable to create that lilting magic of the yore, simply because the lyricists and music composers are not as committed as they used to be.”

Now that Neeraj does not keep good health, his Mumbai visits have become very infrequent. He not long ago visited the USA at the invitation of the International Hindi Committee that honoured him. Also, he has been conferred many awards and titles by various organizations.

Few people know that Gopaldas ‘Neeraj’ (his full name) was a Professor of Hindi at the Darma Samaj College of Aligarh in the 60s when he first received offers to write songs for Hindi films. After shuttling between Mumbai and Aligarh for some time to complete his film assignments, Neeraj opted to leave teaching and settle down in Mumbai. Somehow, his temperament and health could not cope up with Mumbai and he returned to Aligarh, the city that had nurtured his creativity. Though satisfied with his life and professional achievements, he nevertheless adds rather philosophically:

Wahin par dhoondna Neeraj ko tum jahan walo Jahan bhi dard ki basti koi nazar aaye.
(Look for Neeraj, O people of this world, Wherever you find pain and sadness dwell.)

(The authors are freelance writers.)

Re: # 97

BJ,

The goatee looked like a satirist and u are one amongst us. My guess is half-right!

Thanks :-)

Fascination for ``puritanism`` afflicts every one in Pakistan.............after all it was supposed to be the ``pureland`` ............... anyone who has an idea of local dialects of North India like Awadhi, Brij Bhasa, Bhojpuri, Maithali, Haryanavi etc. would know that Urdu has been a dialect of the rulers...............so has been the case with the Khadi Boli that has emerged in the form of Hindi as we know today.
Infact, just as the politics of TNT imposed Urdu upon the local dialects of various regions in Pakistan and virtually Cannibalized them , similary the logic of Hindi nationalism cannibalized the other dialects.
But now we see some revival of some of the local dialects, atleast Bhojpuri has churned out popular sitcoms , good literature and now a film featuring Amitabh Bachahan that is doing very well. Other regional dialects like Brij Bhasa needs to do more to revive itself. Infact Brij Bhasa has been the dialect of Khayal in the days of Moghuls. Same with Dhrupad.

So we do not see much of Persianized Urdu or Sanskritized Hindi in the traditions except when these were used for foist the TNT or Hindu nationalism.

During a recent London visit, Gopal Das Neeraj gave an interview where he talked about some of his philosophy in life and he sang the song Insaan ko insaan banaya jaye.

(Note: I translated the poet’s comments from Hindi)

“Look, religions have given a lot of things to people, but it is in the name of religion that people of this world have gotten divided – because some became Hindu, some Mussulmans, some Sikhs, some Christians – I see faces of insaans, but I don’t see the insaans themselves. Well, I am a fakir person – I don’t know any language other than the language of love – I don’t know about hate and I have no clue what role hate can have in a poem – and perhaps the true poet is one who knows not what hate is. So I say one thing about religion:”

Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye
Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye
Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye
Jis mein insaan ko – insaan banaya jaye

“The whole world says to each other – I love you. In reality, nobody loves – they lie, they pretend. If everybody in the world were to love – where could the hate enter from? That means they all are pretending – and that’s why I say this. Every heart carries hate – be it Hindu, Mussulman, or anyone else – it is the hate that fills the heart. To symbolize that –”

Aag behti hai yahan
Aag behti hai yahan – Ganga mein, zum-zum mein bhi
Aag behti hai yahan – Ganga mein, zum-zum mein bhi
Koi batlaye yahan – kahan jaa ke nahaya jaye

Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye
Jis mein insaan ko – insaan banaya jaye

“Why do I sing all this?”

Mera maksad hai – ye mehfil rahey roshan yun hi
Mera maksad hai – ye mehfil rahey roshan yun hi
Mera maksad hai – ye mehfil rahey roshan yun hi
Khoon chahey mera – deepon mein jalaya jaye

Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye
Mera maksad hai – ye mehfil rahey roshan yun hi
Khoon chahey mera – deepon mein jalaya jaye
Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye
Jis mein insaan ko – insaan banaya jaye

Mere dukh dard ka
Mere dukh durd ka – tujh par ho asar kuchh aisa
Mere dukh durd ka – tujh par ho asar kuchh aisa
Mere dukh durd ka – tujh par ho asar kuchh aisa
Main rahoon bhookha to – tujh se bhi na khaya jaye

Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye

“I say this to Pakistan – and here is what I say:”

Jism doe ho ke bhi
Jism doe ho ke bhi – dil ek hon apne aise
Jism doe ho ke bhi – dil ek hon apne aise
Jism doe ho ke bhi – dil ek hon apne aise
Mera ansoo – teri palkon se uthaya jaye

Jism doe ho ke bhi – dil ek hon apne aise
Mera ansoo – teri palkon se uthaya jaye

Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye
Jis mein insaan ko – insaan banaya jaye

“The last sher is:”

Geet ghum-sum hai, ghazal chup hai – rubaii hai dukhi
Geet ghum-sum hai, ghazal chup hai – rubaii hai dukhi
Geet ghum-sum hai, ghazal chup hai – rubaii hai dukhi
Aise maahole mein – “Neeraj” ko bulaaya jaye

Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye

Geet ghum-sum hai…

“I say that the singers should also say it openly to Pakistan and Hindustan – talk love! That’s what I say. No ghazals on that we see! Everyone talks hate – we will plant our flag, we will do this and we will do that…”

Geet ghum-sum hai, ghazal chup hai – rubaii hai dukhi
Aise maahole mein – “Neeraj” ko bulaaya jaye
Ab to majhab bhi koi, aisa hi chalaya jaye
Jis mein insaan ko – insaan banaya jaye

:)

#100 Nasah

Nasah sahib, I am overwhelmed!

O my God, YOU are the real Bihari around here! (And if you are not – I hereby confer unto you the title of “honorary” Bihari – in a state of great trepidation, of course, with one eye fixed on the exit route in order to make a hasty exit – strictly motivated by the sense of self-preservation!)

What a unique combination of shringar ras, veer ras, AND hasya ras you have concocted, dear sir – and then topped it all off with that unique Bihari specialty – called palayan ras!

Bravo!!

Double bravo!!

And that Maithili-speaking Vidyapati does not stand a chance! Not a FAT chance!

The Bhojpuri speakers will whip his ass every time!

ha ha...nasah ji, that was indeed just WONDERFUL! So thaith that it couldn`t get better.

folks if you really want to hear true ie khaaNtee Bihari -- here is one authentic quad -- not from Vidiapati or Vidiapatani of course but in thaith bhojpuri...


choli bootadar payhen lee leel bore kay saRee
Daur Daur kay jaat ruhlee oonkhiya kay aree

daal khailee bhaat khailee auree tarakaree
taneeka saa dahee khatir kailee mara maree.......

Re: # 94

Hamidm Sahib:

I aplogize for my ignorance of Urdu. Indeed, languages evolve into different form almost every 700 years. It is has been said that Elezabethan English was very different from today`s English that someone from that time cannot hold discussions in English with someone from today.

I think this evolution will accelerate due to instant communication, local customs and local dialects which used to take time before, will get used and absorbed quicker than in the past. Many say that only Chinese and English will survive, everyone will speak these with local variations. I do not how Russian, French and German chauvinism about there language will be dealt, and even say anything about God`s language Arabic. Massadi Mian and company may have to worry about the preservation of Quran`s purity.

Anil

beej

A devotee of Goswami Tulsidas and Hanuman Chalisa, you naturally prefer the uplifting swad of bhakti rasa :)

As for me, I am a lover - Shringar and Prem, with a touch of the Vir...that for me, is life! :)

Isn`t it a privilege to live life in so many colors and taste it in so many rasas?

(The most memorable evening of my life was spent listening to Neeraj reciting his poetry. There are modern poets, and then there is Neeraj).

#91, #92 by VRV

Ama yaar, that goateed man is a gentleman named Sarvesh Asthana, a satirist who accompanied poet Neeraj during his Atlanta trip in October 2004.

(Note: Mr. Asthana is not I. (Also, I said “gentleman” which automatically rules me out!))

Thanks for the historical information on Urdu.

Also, your insight into many historical aspects of Hindu/Muslim India/Pakistan divide is quite amazing. It goes so far back!

Just how old ARE you, VRV – 200 years?

#93 Kaal

[You might be referring to Sringar ras. And one has this suspicion that in an earlier life, Beej bhai may have been the great Sringar ras poet Bihari himself!]

Ama Kaal, it is “shringar ras”!

And MY favorite Bihari poet is and has always been Vidyapati, of the following words!

“Tatal saikat vaari-bindu sam
Sut mit ramani samaajey
Tohey bisari man taahey samarpilu
Ab majhu hoab koan kaajey
Maadhav, bus parinaam nirasha!”

(Meaning – like drops of water evaporating on hot sands are so fleeting the ties with one’s children, one’s spouse, and one’s whole society! I looked away from you, O Lord, and I devoted myself to them – what CAN I do now – I am all useless now and it is all fruitless!)

I am sure you are able to see how well it runs parallel to the line of thought (as I see it) in the present poem from Neeraj!

And accordingly…

Accordingly, you should perhaps classify me with the crowd that delves into the bhakti ras rather than that suspicious crowd of shringar ras walas!

Although there may be a point where the two tend to merge!

Now if only we could add hasya ras too, life would become truly honky-dory!

#90 Anil

Thanks for the information on the language phonetics. I am only familiar with the basic Hindi alphabet that I displayed in interact #56. But I do not doubt you.

I provided a list of prominent popular movie songs of the poet Neeraj in interact #15.

I hope that mian Hamidm2 has been thoroughly enlightened by now – otherwise I can always beat up on him some more!

Re: # 90

anil sahib,

...... actually urdu has 36 alphabets and all kinds of consonants that i honestly can`t keep track of - but it really doesn`t matter ........... i agree with bj - languages are constantly evolving and people are free to develop them as they choose .........

anil ji

You might be referring to Sringar ras. And one has this suspicion that in an earlier life, Beej bhai may have been the great Sringar ras poet Bihari himself! :)

This debate regarding z or j has no basis. In India we have our own language, and we will develop it as we please.

Re: # 91

Pl read as:

Muslim Leaguer once said that Congress wud force Muslims to call madrasa by jaw-breaking word i.e. vidyapeeth. My friends, has anybody broken ur jaws by now? If yes, pardon our Hindi.

i/o

Muslim Leaguer once said that Congress wud force us to call a madrasa by a jaw-breaking word i.e. vidyapeeth. My friends, has anybody broken ur jaws by now? If yes, pardon our Hindi.