Mohammed Rafi – An Enigmatic Voice
Contributed by Mr.Mohan S.Murdeshwar, Borivili (W), Mumbai 400 092
Mohd Rafi
MOHD RAFI, a voice that thrilled and entertained millions of music lovers around the world was a humble and kind hearted soul who rose to unmatched popularity as a playback singer in his relatively short span of life but ruled over the hearts of countless music lovers across three successive generations.
He was gifted with a enchanting voice which enthralled his fans for over three and half decades in his short life of 55 years. There is hardly anybody in the Hindi film industry who has disliked RAFI SAHAB. His detractors if at one may call them so, could not but agree that He was the undisputed King of Melody had a larger following than any other playback singer in the golden era of Hindi film music.
RAFI SAHAB had a vast repertoire of songs in more than a dozen Indian languages apart from other languages and rendered songs in all of them with his customary ease and excellence thus winning over many hearts in the process.
His philanthropic activities were never revealed unlike the present generation of celebrities and he went about helping the needy in his own quite and unassuming manner making sure, that no one got a whiff of it. To his family and many of those benefited immensely from his magnanimity, He was an ANGEL sent down by the Almighty to bring succour to troubled souls on this Earth – a task which he performed dutifully and beautifully with his magical and nectar-filled voice.
The renowned late music composer Naushad Ali had rightly said about RAFI SAHAB: “Mehelon main teri goonj hai aur galliyon main bhi teri awaaz “!! His resounding voice was heard in Palatial Villas as well as in the shanties of the homeless with the same euphoria and continues to be heard in every nook and corner across the Seven Seas and yonder !!! He would have lived longer had it not been for some Divine Interference on 31st July 1980 when He was cruelly snatched away from millions of his fans and left behind sorrowful and indelible memories of that black day as it were.
Today, on his 75th Birthday we pay our loving and humble tributes to this Great Singer par excellance who has inspired music lovers across every strata of civil society with his inimitable and incomparable Art of Crooning.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE SHAHENSHAH OF HINDI MUSIC LOVERS.
Mohd Rafi
There will surely be a great deal of rejoicing today in GOD’s ABODE in celebration of the LEGEND’s Birthday and we, the lesser mortals are missing it so very sorely !!!
I really appriciate the voice of Mohd. Rafi. He was a great singer in the Film Industries. My heartiest congratulation to Mohd. Rafi and his family on the ocassion of his birthday 24th December
I was fortunate enough to visit the resting place of Rafi Saab on 24th of December, 2009 (Friday) at about 3 pm at Santakruz West in Mumbai. A friendly person from the majlis masjid took me around and showed me the final resting place of the musical genius. I was shell shocked. As has been written earlier, there is no sign that the grave belongs to the musical genius Mohd.Rafi. A small plant is grown on the grave towards the head side bordering a tree. So very simple and unimaginable. The masjid also is the final resting place of lovely Madhubala, Nargis Duttji, Naushad Saab and pretty Praveen Babi. But I was told that visitors usually come for Rafi Saab from different parts of the globe and pay their respects and a huge gathering assembles on the punyavardhanthi of Rafi Saab on 31st July, every year. Photographs are banned. Women are not allowed to enter inside. I did place a few flowers and some scented athar on the grave and the man who guided me helped me to offer my prayers/namaz to the musical genuis who once upon a time strode the mightly Bollywood with his ever famous voice and smile. My childhood wish seemed now fulfilled……….. Salaam Rafi Saab.
mohan sahab,
a very neat and compact article written by you with regard to our maestro.
he was sheer magic – when it came to play back singing, it was like the brazilian touch football.
haldarjee, are you listening – i am talking about ” khelaa “.
if i compare rafi sahab to pele – it wouldnt be out of place. the ball was moved around like silk. it looked like “maayaa ” out of the ordinary – so was rafi sahab’s singing – out of the ordinary – magic.
mohan sahab – i have put my foot forward – in saying – rafi sahab and bharat ratna – i do not know if your are aware of it – lets have your views in that thread on the same website.
ramesh narain kurpad.
Dear Gaurav – Thanks for your encouraging views on my article penned for our beloved RAFI SAHAB. HE was induspatably the SHAHENSHAH among singers and his comtemporories would look upto him in absolute awe and respect. Quite apart from his musical histrionics, RAFI SAHAB was a human being with sterling qualities. HE was blessed immensely by GOD with a soft and caring heart, love & compassion, respect for fellow human beings and bore no ill-will against anyone although he lived in a fiercely competitive world of film music. His strong belief and intense devotion to GOD surely earned him the Divine Grace and his simplicity and humility in life made him a darling of the crowds and probably in Heaven too. Why else would he be taken away from us so swiftly and untimely ? No praise would be too high for this MESSIAH of Peace, Love, Compassion and Good will who brought so much happiness and cheer into the lives of innumerable music lovers across the world and endeared himself to everyone of them. MAY THIS LEGEND LIVE FOREVER IN THE HEARTS OF ALL HIS FANS !! We, the lesser mortals will always miss him amidst us but surely HE must in DIVINE Company infinitely. AMEN !!!
Mohanbhai,
Truly a Dil se article written by you and this brings back the sweet memories of our Rafi Fan Club formed in 1980 with Bijoor sab, Savur family, Nalini Ramji, Ashish bhushan, Anwar, Nitin and many others..
my dream is fulfilling by the grace of God and of course Rafi sahab for bringing first Bijoor n family, Nitin and now you to this website
Iam reading Nalini’s name and Ashish’s name in the start of the home page of this wonderful website.. wonder where they are
Pradeepji can you help us to contact our Rafi Bakts mentioned above ?
Jai Rafi Sahab…
immortal and eternal forever…
Narayan
Great Article Mohanjee,
The words have indeed flown directly from the core of your heart. Mohammed Rafi Saab & Naushad Saab equally share their birthday as they both were born on 24th December & 25th December respectively. The other 2 personalities who have been born in the same month are Dilip Saab the greatest Tragedy King & Shakeel Badayuni the beauty lyricist which makes the combination of the 4 greatest personalities. Who on earth can ever think of replacing this particular combination is indeed a wildest of wild guess one can ever visualise.
Mohanjee this is probably your maiden & introductory article and yes your pen is definitely mightier than any sword in this universe. Please put use of your in-born & inherent talent in giving us further more informative pieces & articles on the living legend jisse pyaar se hum sab Rafi Saab ke naam se jante aur pehchante hai.
Very well written sir.
Your respect and love for Rafi Sahab is pouring out of every sentence of yours.
Very well written.
Regards,
Keyur (I guess you know me.)
happy birthday rafi saab from your devotee
Very nice article Mohanmaam. Indeed Mohdrafi was a very humble person as well as legend in this film industry. Such person doesnt come again and again, only once Rafi borns. Not everytime. Today he is there with us for his 85th Birthday but we couldnt see him in naked eyes. Rafi hai, Rafi hamesha Rahega.
Mohanji,
Congrats for a beautiful write-up. Yes, I also agree – like so many others -that the most endearing quality of the maestro was his simplicity and humanism. music was only a by-product of his innate goodness. That understanding of emotions enabled him to “know” the mood of any song earlier and better than anyone else. And that is precisely what he delivered soulfully. Thanks for the article.
Padmanabhan NR
Dear D.P.
Thank you for introducing me to the world of RAFI SAHAB’s countless fans all over the world through this extensively informative website. It is indeed a privilege to read the rich tributes paid by his fans through this wonderful medium of communication. His legacy will continue for many many years to come and I am optimistic that the present and successive generations will once again help to revive the golden era of RAFI SAHAB’s melodious voice. As they say, HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF and my heart says, those good old memories and songs will occupy their rightful place yet again in the hearts of the ever-increasing number of his fans across the seven seas as it were. Regards
Thank U Madam. RAFI SAHAAB is simply INCOMPARABLE to any other singer of our times. He is into a Class of his own. His simplicity and humility is legendary in music circles and his Gentle and philanthropic nature is unmatched.
Truly, A GREAT SOUL who entertained and inspired millions of music lovers around the world !!!
ALAS, there can never be another RAFI SAHAB..SO BE IT !!! BCOZ HE IS THE UNDISPUTED SHAHENSHAH OF HINDI FILM MUSIC AND THERE CAN NEVER BE ANYONE EVEN REMOTELY CLOSE TO HIM IN ANY MANNER.
my rafi my heart we need your path we need you only BUT WE KNOW YOU ARE IN HEAVEN>happy birth day
Mohan ji..WELCOME BACK…….UR LONG STANDING COMMITMENT TO RAFI-ISM IS A DELIGHT TO SEE. let more words flow from ur musical pen for the “emperor of singing, king of piety and india’s bharat ka ratna”.
DO GET IN TOUCH WITH US IN MUMBAI….(borivli).
BINU NAIR
binus2000@hotmail.com
Mohanji, your article encapsulates the essence of rafi saab __ as a singer and as a human being. Like you said, rafi saab is peerless.
regards
Utthara
Mohan S Murdeshwar is one of my dear friend & has also been one of the important founder committee member of the Rafi Fan Club which was started way back in the year 1980-1981.
We all welcome him in this beautiful site and hope he continues to further enthrall all of us with his views & more importantly articles on the greatest of the greats dear Mohammed Rafi Saab.
Happy Birthday to Rafi Saab
In reply to the response and comments by Shri. A.S Murty on my article, I thank him for correcting me on two counts, firstly that today is RAFI SAHAAB”S 85TH and not 75th Birthday ( this was a typing blunder committed in haste without giving it a second look )and secondly, the famous quote of Shri.Naushad Ali ji, which I could not reproduce verbatim.
THANK YOU SIR. I stand corrected on both these issues.
Let us all celebrate RAFI SAHAAB”S Birthday for many many more years to come and not grieve his absense because LEGENDS like him are truly IMMORTAL and remain in the hearts of his innumerable fans all over the world.
RAFI SAHAAB, -YOU ARE MORE PRECIOUS THAN A POEARL IN AN OYSTER. IT MAY NOT BE DIFFICULT TO FIND A PEARL ON THE BEDROCK OF THE OCEAN BUT WHERE CAN WE, YOUR ETERNAL FANS, FIND ANYTHING MORE PRECIOUS THAN YOU AND YOUR GOLDEN VOICE ?? GOD TOOK YOU AWAY TO HIS ABODE NOT BECAUSE HE LOVED US LESS, BUT BECAUSE HE LOVED YOU THE BEST AND COULD NOT FIND ANYONE BETTER THAN THE BEST !!!! MAY YOU FIND SOLACE AND COMFORT IN THE COMPANY OF THE GODS IN HEAVEN UNTIL ETERNITY !!! AND YES, MAY YOU BE THE ONLY ONE FOR TIMES IMMEMORIAL TO COME ………THE SHAHENSHAH OF MELODY !!!
A very happy birthday to our beloved Rafi Sahab -the Badshah of all playback singers !!!
mohanbhai, great article on this great day. Naushad sahab ne yeh farmaya tha : “goonjte hain nagmon se tere ameeron ke bhi mahal, gareebon ke jhompdon mein bhi teri awaz hai, fakr hota hai sabhi ko apni mousiki par, mere dost aaj mousiki to tujh par fakr hai”
Today is the 85th Birthday of the greatest phenomenon called Rafi Sahab (there was this typo error – 75th B’day in your article). It is being celebrated as a ‘festival’ by all the fans across the world.
A S MURTY
RAFI FOUNDATION,
Hyderabad
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Regards,
-Imran-
It’s 24th of December and 85th birth anniversary of a giant singer Mohammed Rafi Saheb. I wish him a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY and would like to say that I miss him a lot….
melodiousrafi@gmail.com
Happy Birthday Rafi saab! You will always be with us.
From a devout Rafian,
P. Haldar
Today 24th of December, 2009 and it’s
Mohammed Rafi Saheb’s 85th birthday.
I wish Rafi Saheb
a very very HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Long live the master.