By Binu Nair

Mohd Rafi

On July 31st hundreds of MOHD RAFI lovers and admirers will be arriving at Mumbai’s Juhu Mosque to pay homage to the volcano of talent and powerhouse of amazing versality IMMORTAL MOHD RAFI.

July 31 will never be the same for Mohd Rafi’s innumerable fans the world over. For on this day in 1980 Rafi Saab as he was fondly called, left for ever, succumbing to a massive heart attack at age 55.

Three days earlier, Rafi had recorded his last song for friend Dharmendra : “to kahin aas paas hai dost” from the movie Aas Paas.

That fateful day, as Rafi left the recording studio for his home one last time, he gently turned to Laxmikant-Pyarelal team and said : Mai chaloon? Few moments later Rafi repeated : “To main chalta hoon“. This surprised the composers as Rafi had never bade them farewell in this manner before.

The above words proved to be prophetic. Three days later, Rafi Saab breathed his last at 10.35 on July 31 at the Bombay hospital – leaving behind a golden legacy of immortal songs for every mood and occasion. Earlier on ONE occassion Rafi saab had confided to his GURU NAUSHAAD ALI SAAHEB, ” Mai bhara mehfil se uth jaaon-ga.” Prophetic words – once again.

Mohd Rafi's body being carried to the cemetery

Music lovers were so much shocked by the news that people thronged the streets from Mahim to Juhu to have a last glimpse of Rafi saab. It was raining heavily. Weeping men and women were showering flowers from the balconies of their homes on Rafi Saaheb all along the way in the biggest ever procession of mourners.

Mumbai has never seen such a farewell say Rafi lovers and police officers managing the crowds.

Naushaad Ali saab aptly said :”Tu hi tha pyar ka sagar, Nafrat ki is duniya mein. Ganimat thi teri awaz, Nafrat ki is duniya mein.”

Mohd Rafi strode the film music scene as a colossus for two decades. Leaving behind a rich and varied legacy of songs, is what every music lover is grateful for. In these difficult times, these are songs to live and love by.

Says Uttara Kumar in the times of india crest edition article dated july 24:

There is one Rafi song for every occassion in our lives. And no one could sing of the joy and pain of love like he did. If there are 101 ways of saying ‘I love you” in a song Mohd Rafi knew them all.

On one occassion says composer Khayyam : Rafi recorded the song : ‘Jaane kya dhundti rehti hai yeh aankhen mujhme ‘ when he was running a temperature of 102 degrees.

Never, would Rafi cancel a recording as it would render losses to the producer said accordian king Enoch Daniels at Mr D.B. Mathur’s Rafi tribute musical show at delhi on July 24th. “Rafi would never say NO to anyone and would record songs with upcoming composers/producers for a token payment of Rupee one – all in a closed envelope.”

Tributes to Mohd Rafi are never ending. An RJ from Delhi called up last week and said : Rafi saaheb ke gaane ke wajah se duniya ke bahut RADIO STATIONS chalte hai…

I will add to say “even thirty years after death Rafi saab continue to look after innumerable singers and musicians, radio stations, music companies etc”.

The happiness that Mohd Rafi gave us through his songs can never be RETURNED. We can only thank and remember MOHD RAFI SAAHEB.

YUG AAYENGE, YUG JAAYENGE, RAFI SAAHEB KE GAANE YUN HI CHALTE RAHENGE.

MOHD RAFI LOVERS WILL MEET AT THE JUHU MOSQUE, SANTACRUZ ON JULY 31ST AND PAY HOMAGE TO THE SINGING GOD.

RAFI FOUNDATION WILL PUT FLOWERS ON THE “INTACT” RAFI GRAVEYARD ON BEHALF OF RAFI LOVERS WHO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT.

PRAY THAT BLESSINGS AND HAPPINESS BE SHOWERED ON MOHD RAFI LOVERS – AT ALL TIMES.

This blog was published on Saturday, July 31st, 2010 at 8:00 pm and is filed under Meri Awaaz Suno. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.