Songs to Remember - IV

I have always firmly believed in Love - in fact often at an heavy cost and severe detriment to my own self. But that's fine - one should not be pained at the very essence of Love. What is Love if it is devoid of Pain? As the great poet Ghalib has stated and stated so very clearly:

Ye Ishq Nahin Aasaan Bas Itna Samjh Lijiye;
Ek Aag Ka Dariya Hai Aur Doob Kar Jaana Hai

If so be it - so be it! But still it beats me and often I question my failures at this most strange of emotions - Am I really so heartless that I cannot feel it or am I really so arrogant and my manners so obnoxious and my attitude so high-handed that Cupid would rather shoot a magazine full of A K 56 bullets on my heart than shoot those darts of love towards me? Often, when I see those beautiful and passionate couples down Bandra Bandstand I am forced to look down my lonely heart and smile at my own impotence.... As Ghalib again has said:

Ek To Husn Aur Us Par Husn-Zan; Rahe Gayee Bul-Hawas Ki Sharm;
Apne Pe Aitimaad Hai; Gair Ko Aazmaaye Kyoon?

Somewhat like that guy in that ad wherein everyone has something but is still sad since he / she does not possess something that the other has.... "Khwab Ko Kya Chaahiye; Khwaab Thode Zyaada....."

And often in nights of loneliness and silence I find myself, especially after losing yet another game in the sport of love, wondering about those who managed to find love and not only find it but also were able to live life with the one they loved - And my heart goes out then to those feelings that I will throttle down deep in my breast and a silent cry goes to the heavens above hoping that what Iqbal said is proved true:

Dil Se Nikli Hiu Har Baat Asar Rakhti Hai
Par Nahin Taqat-E-Parwaaz Magar Rakhti Hai

But then, soon I find my loneliness making a mockery of my hopes (high ambitions, it says) and my heart goes out to a beautiful song sung by the great Hemant Kumar in Pyaasa (1957)(undoubtedly among the top 3 albums even in Hindi Cinema) - I can never forget this song as this has often been the balm that I applied to my heart after every defeat in love - after every time I found myself alone waiting as the aisle while others moved on with their new lovers / boyfriends / husbands.

"Jaane Woh Kaise" is not just a song - it's a statement of pain that has been immortalized as if it was a tear that falls off the face of that beautiful flower which is aware of it's impending death and still chooses to smile at the unforgiving rules of God's universe - it's not a song but the tears that fall from an eye that has forgotten how to cry - it is a tear from hell

Listen to the lilting and slow beginning of the song - the feeling of the pain in the voice as the man with a voice that could induce magic in the environment starts weaving his beautiful web - This is no ordinary singer - This is Hemant Kumar - the man whose voice could seduce the most estranged of beloved; the voice that could bring to love the most strong-headed and the voice that could teach love to the recalcitrant - it's not a common voice; it's the voice of a magician - a magician who always manages to lay his magic on one and all and so it pains more when he sings this song - this melody of the pain-stricken warbler; this cry of the anguish-ridden nightingale - full of pain; pull of heartbreak. Maybe this is where the beauty of this song lies.

Jaane Woh Kaise Log The Jinke Pyar Ko Pyar Mila
Humne To Jab Kaliyaan Maangi Kaaton Ka Haar Mila

The singer is full of pain and heartbroken at the broken promises of love and shattered declarations of faith - he is too absorbed with his pain to feel anything but angst - and he wants to know about those who got love on their terms. His experience has not been one of happiness and his pain at getting a garland of thorns when all he wanted was a few blooms of the garden has pained him deeply.

When I hear these words, my heart often goes out to the writer of the poem, Sahir Ludhianvi and many a times I feel these words are the outpourings of the heart of this prince of song-writers for the loss of the one he loved - Amrita Pritam and why did he lose her? Because he was a Muslim and she was a Sikh! Great are the ways of our society!

Khushiyon Ki Manzil Dhoondhi To Ghum Ki Gard Mili
Chaahat Ke Naghmen Chaahen To Aahen Sard Milen
Dil Ke Bojh Ko Dugna Kar Gayal; Jo Ghum-Khaar Mila

Look at the pain inherent in these words - Look at the angst that threatens to overflow from the frustrated heart - Feel the tears that have stopped flowing for they feel that they have no value in this world - Feel the angst of the man who has lost his love

What does a lover desire? Love!

What does a Lover get? Pain!

All that he wanted was a little happiness; all that he got was sadness - All that he wanted was a little melody in his life; all that he got was agony. The one he wanted to share his pains and frustrations ended up doubling the pains and frustrations of that poor broken man

Bichhad Gayaa Har Saathi Dekar Pal Do Pal Ka Saath
Kisko Phursat Hai Jo Thaame Deewane Ka Haath
Humko Apna Saaya Tak Aqsar Bezaar Mila

And now the true lament of the lover is in the open - the one who was supposed to hold his hands has left him in the cruel world to fend for himself - the one who should have taken him in her arms and assured him of her presence in his life has left him to the dogs while she saves herself - she has been practical; he has been emotional and so he has to suffer.

But he knows that she is not at fault - as he reasons out why would someone be so 'Stupid' to commit herself to a man whose mad! Isn't self-preservation the first instinct of mankind? And so with that he absolves his beloved of her decision and forgives her the step she has taken.

How can he blame her, when his own soul, his own shadow, his own conscience, his own heart has brought him to this point of no return!

And finally he says that:

Iss Ko Hi Jeena Kehte Hain To Yunhi Ji Lenge
Uff Na Karenge Lab See Lenge Aansoo Pee Lenge
Gham Se Ab Ghabraana Kaisa Gham Sau Baar Mila

If this is what has been deemed as correct for him by his beloved, then so be it - if this is how she wants him to live, so be it - he assures her that there will not be a single protest, a single murmur of dissent and he promises her that he will drink all his tears - even if his death ensues, he ensures that she will not be held responsible for it

After all, he has lost so many times; losing in love is almost second nature to him.....

Mohabbat Ke Liye Kucch Khhas Dil Maqsoos Hotey Hain
Ye Woh Geet Hai Jo Har Saaz Pe Gaaya Nahin Jaata

Let this be the fact that all Lovers of the world may kindly note