How I became Rafi Saab’s fan…
By Ahamed Kutty
Up to June 1978 there was no electricity in our village. We finished electrical wiring and were waiting for the connection. Atlast on a Saturday we got the connection and I was very particular that the first thing to be operated with the electricity would be the small two in one set with the audio cassette of Mohammed Rafi Saab. As far as Rafi Saab is concerned I had full freedom in my home.
Once I was given a Filmfare Magazine in which there was a big photo of Rafi Saab sitting in the front seat of a car with a smiling face. This photo I had pasted on the wall of our hall. Once my father asked “how you got this connection with him, who is living in Bombay?” I simply laughed. I used to put Rafi Saab’s song in the tape recorder, sing with it, and my father used to stand with me.
In my college days, I used to walk 5 kilometers to catch the bus to travel another 15 kilometers to reach my college. At that time since it was hard to reach our home, the Postman would give the letters in a tea shop close by.
Always Rafi Saab used to be in my mind and one day I was thinking about my friend Mr.Siddique who was working in Bombay Telephone office. I had requested him to collect the address of Rafi Saab and within few days he arranged it. I had “The Hindu” newspaper in which there was a photo of Rafi Saab. (It was from a live programme of Rafi Saab in Madras), I cut it and paste it on the photo of a Taj Mahal, and written like this in Malayalam “Shajahan built Taj Mahal for Mumtaz and what the Rafi Fans going to do for Rafi Saab.” I sent this with a letter requesting Rafi Saab his photo. I thought it will take few weeks for the reply but to such a place, his photo with letter came within one week! I was dancing like a child.
Photo and letter received from Rafi SaabIn front of our house there was a big pond and I used to take the tape recorder with me until 11 PM without taking my dinner and my mother would come to take me to the house. Only after hearing the last song of Rafi Saab on that day from Vividh Bharathi, I would go back.
In my college days, my favorite singer was Yesudas ji. At that time my brother was working in Bangalore and he used to tell me that there is another singer from Hindi named Mohammed Rafi and if I hear his songs,I will forget Yesudas. I did not agree then. When I heard him first in the theater before the movie started, they played the song “pyaar kiyaa jaatha hai” and my brother was happy to inform me that the singer was Rafi Saab.
I do not know how I can express what these feelings of mine are? What a golden sound? This is Rafi Saab? The voice simply mesmerizes our body and soul. Seeing the name Mohammed Rafi in a magazine or a newspaper or hearing it on a radio or TV makes me very happy. This lead to calling of my son after Mohammed Rafi Saab. It is true that Rafi Saab’s song is a must after food, clothing and shelter.
Ahmad Kutty, the author of this article.
Dear Ahmed Ji
Apka a article parke mere ankose ashu nikal ay
You are very luck man
Thank you very much for your contribution
I agree with you when you say after food,clothing and shelter,the 4th necessity of life is-Rafi Saheb’s voice.
Lovely Inputs…..
From the Heart.
Enjoyed reading it.
Reply to Mr. Suresh Comments:
Dear Mr Suresh,
I would like to say with my limited knowledge of music and ragaas, we had/have great singers like K L Saigal, Gantasala, Manndey, Yesudasji, Balasubramanyam and others who have sung songs fantastically and beyond comparision. They are all great singers.
Mohammed Rafi Saabs speciality lies in his voice which is golden and the way he has put emotion in every word of the song which touches peoples psyche and this emotion sways away the listener depending upon the type of song – romantic, happy, playful, comedy, sad, philosophical, social, patriotic, religious, etc.
Thank You & Best Wishes
Dear Mr. Ahmad Kutty,
Thank you for sharing your feelings and respects for Rafi Saab, and also the Letter you received from Rafi Saab. The Letter is like a treasure and I think you may be among those very very few persons who received a Letter from Rafi Saab.
Best Wishes.
Dear Mr.Ahmed Kutty,
Thanks for sharing your experience as a huge fan of great singer RAFI SAHAB. It also eflects my same experience.
Best wishes.
Ahmed sir, I agree that Mohd Rafi is a must hear daily in most peoples home. I for one would say my day is incomplete without listening to that beautiful voice of his, which even to the present day I can honestly say has touched my heart strings like no other singer. I’ve cried many a time through his music but also had my spirits lifted on other occassions depending on what I’m listening to. There is no singer that puts so much emotion into his voice like Mohd Rafi and that’s why he connected to so many millions of fans, and so much so that even is fans feel connected to one another.
Nice article !
Dear Kuttli ji
Thanks for sharing your memorable experience. God bless you. i am also a Rafi fan from my age of 10 while now i am 68 plus. Truly Rafi saab is number 1 and wud remain so till sun moon and earth survive in this universe.
My rich regards to you and all Rafian fans.
R L Arora
Pretty close experience with my own
Ahmed Bhai it was a very nice reading for me & glad to know about your devotion towards our dearest rafi sahab. I congratulate you for you have persoanl letter & also photograph directly from rafi sahab & that too immediately. It shows how prompt was rafi sahab. I could never met rafi sahab in this life time nor have attended any concert where rafi sahab was singing on the stage. I am the least fortunate to have his DARSHAN but am lucky to listen to his melodies since my very child hood. I have treasured his rendition — AAJ KAL MEIN DHAL GAYA, DIN HUA TAMAAM as the Caller Tone & LIKHEY JO KHAT TUJHEY as the Ring tone of my cell.
Mohd Rafi is number one and before one it is zero and after one it is two
Dear Mr. Kutty,
Your piece brought tears to my eyes. When you mentioned the letter, I read on with bated breath as if I was awaiting a reply. This website although a great distraction from my work – which I have to sit and complete till the wee hours of the morning – makes me ecstatic and very sad at the same time. The former because of the family of his fans especially the young men and women who will ensure that he remains immortal, the latter because he has left a personal void it seems in individual lives. He talks through his songs and speaks for so many of us, but we can’t even say thank you. May he live forever. God bless you all. Ameen.
congrats for sharing your feelings.
God bless
Asalamu Alaikum Ahmad kutty Sahab , Thanx For Sharing Great Article In mohd Rafi.Com, Take Care!!
Kutty saab, You have a great ear for music. Yesudas Ji and Rafi saab are two of the greatest singers India has produced.
ASA, Ahmed Kutty Sahab,
This article is from your heart.
Congratulations!
Dr. Khaja Aliuddin
Kuttyji . Really very good n heartly feeling article. Yr very lucky that having reply from a great singer n humble human being. Thanks for sharing. I am planning to visit Kerala in Nov 14 last. Where u stay? Regards Biman Baruah