by B. R. GOWANI
The following song is from 1964 film Sharabi (Drunkard) starring Madhubala and Dev Anand. This song is picturized on Dev Ananad, remembering frequent scenes of the good times he had spent with Madhubala.
The song belongs to the period considered as the Golden Era of India’s Hindi/Urdu film music. The singers used to do a few hours riyaaz everyday to further improve vocals. Music was not very commercialized. Music directors were dedicated to their art and produced great work. Poets created some meaningful and heart wrenching lyrics.
Post British India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru was an atheist and an enthusiatic supporter of arts. The film industry than was secular and was free of the hateful movies being churned out in Modi’s India today. (See here, here, here, here, and here.)
The music for the song is by Madan Mohan, the poet is Rajendra Krishan, and the singer is the evergreen and most versatile Mohammed Rafi.
Rafi was a devout non-drinking Muslim but the song gives an impression as if he is drunk.
The Urdu language was prominent in movie dialogues and songs. The religious imagery was used by poets in a secular manner.
Mujhe le chalo aaj phir us gali mein
mujhe le chalo Aj phir us gali meiN
jahAN pehle pehle ye dil laDkhaDAyA
vo duniyA vo meri muhabbat ki duniyA
jahAN se meiN betAbiyAN le ke AyA
mujhe le chalo
jahAN so rahi hai meri zindgAni
jahAN chhoD AyA mein apni javAni
vahAN Aj bhi ek chaukhaT pe tAzA
muhabbat ke sajdohN ki hogi nishAni
mujhe le chalo
vo duniyA jahAN uske naqsh-e-qadam hai
vahiN meri khushiyAN vahiN mere gham hai
meiN le AuNgA khAk us rahguzar ki
ke us rahguzar ki to zare sanam hai
mujhe le chalo
vahAN ek rangeen chilman ke pichhe
chamaktA huwA uskA rukhsAr hogA
basA luNgA AnkhoN mein vo roshni meiN
yuNhi kuchh ilAj-e-dil-e-zAr hogA
mujhe le chalo Aj us gali meiN
jahAN pehle pehle ye dil laDkhaDAyA
vo duniyA vo meri muhabbat ki duniyA
jahAN se meiN betAbiyAN le ke AyA
mujhe le chalo
Today, please take me again to that lane
today, please take me again to that lane
where my heart had first staggered
that world, that world of my love
from where I brought restlessness
please take me
where my life (love) is sleeping
where I left my youthful years
on her door, even today you will see
fresh marks of love-prostations <1>
please take me
that world where her foot prints are
that's where my joys and sorrows are
I'll bring the earth of that pathway
that path's particles are beloved to me
today, please take me
there behind a colorful curtain
would be her glowing face
in my eyes I would settle her luminosity
that's how my tortured heart will get some relief
today, please take me to that lane
where my heart had first staggered
that world, that world of my love
from where I brought restlessness
please take me
Note
<1> SajdohN is a plural of sajdah, a Muslim prostration performed during the Islamic prayer. Poet Rajendra Krishan was a Hindu but is using Muslim imagery.
Vice versa Muslim poets used Hindu imagery where situation in films demanded it. Example: Man tarpat hai hari darshan ko, the most famous bhajan was written by Shakeel Badayuni, set to music by Naushad Ali, and sung by Mohammed Rafi — all three were Muslims.
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com