Profoundness of Rafi Sahab’s tonal pattern cannot be measured by human competences
By Mr. B.Koshy
His voice is incomparable thus every song became significant having asked to select one favorite song by my friend; I thought to do so would be disgraceful to the noble soul.
Therefore, I walked a little farther for those who love him and for those who couldn’t take delight in the nectar of his voice.
I have been listening the magical splendours of Rafi Saab’s voice since I was studying in 4th or 5th class in a village of Kerala, and today I am 52 still I feel that a life is not enough to relish the delight in his voice.
When Millions of stars illuminate every night and looking at this mesmerizing view can anyone say which one is more attractive?
Rafi Saab’s voice breathed life into every wordses and in journey of life, these compositions possessed our emotions, and it will continue to do generations to come.
The voice is immortal and immortalized all the songs he had sung. His magical spells are ageless which will take one from puerility to spirituality.
With his voice around this journey will be an endless enticement.
Mischievous delicacy.
Hum Bhi Agar Bachche Hote …
Sunlo sunata hum tum ko kahani rutone hmuse oh gudiyonke rani rem amma rem amma re…
Affectionateness
Maa hai mohabbat ka naam maa tuje hazaron salaam..
Aya re khilone wale khel khilone leke aya re.. aye re…
Jane waalon zara mudke dekhon mujhe eak insann hun meion tumeri tarah..
Patriotism burst inside you.
Kar Chale Ham Fida, Jan-o-tan Saathiyon.. Ab Tumhare Hawale, Watan Saathiyon…..
Apni azaadi ko hum hargiz mita sakte nahin…
Magical spell of love
Baharoon phoole barsaoo….,
Khoya khyoa chand khula aasman…,
Dil ka bhawar kare pukaar pyar ka raaj suno
Tere mere sapane ab eak rang hai….
Phir miloge kabhi ise baat ka wad karlo….
Aye gul badan aye gul badan phoolonke mehak…
Dil bekarar sa hai hum ko khumar sa hai jab se tume dekha sanam…
Deewana mujh sa nahi is amber ke niche…
Yakken karlo mujhe mohabat hai tumse .. tumse
Beauty marvelled beyond comparisons
Meri duniya mein tum ayi kaya kya armaan sathe liye…
Kahi eak masoom nazuki si ladki….
Chondwen ka chaand ho ya aaftaab ho….
Ab kya missal do mein tumare sabbab ki…
Mene poocha chand se ke dekha hai kahi…
Hum ko to jaan se bhi pyari hai tumai aankein…..
Khuda bhi asman se dekhta hoga …mere mehboob ko …
Intoxicates angels.
Chalkhae jaam aiye…
Aaaj mausam bada beimann hai…
Zindagi bhr na bhuleinge ohe barsaat ki raat
Aap ke hassen ruk pe aaj naya noor hai.. mera dil …
Dil bekarar sa hai hum ko khumar sa hai.. jab se tume dekha sanam…
Graceful & Melodious to any occasion.
Meri pairon mein ghungro badale phir mere….
Humdum mere man bhi jaao kahana mere pyar ka
Kaan mein zuka chall mein thumka kamr pe choti ladke….
Laal chadi maidan ghadi kya khoob ladi …. ..hum dil se gaye hum jaan se…
Romance at the peak – Duets
Sau saal pahale mujhe tumse pyaar thaa aaj bhi hai…
Abhi na jaao chodkar ke dil abhi bhara nahi
Churaliya hai thumne jho dil kho nazzar nahi churana sanam..
Yuhi tum mujse baat karti ho …
Diwana hua badal …
Teri bindya re hai hai .. teri ..
Chupgaya tare nazare kaya baat hogai … teri zulfe laharai …
Wada karle jane jaa terei bina mena rahon…mere bina tuna rehein..
Harmonizes with any mood
Hai agar dushman dushman jamana gum nahi … hum kise se kum nahi…
Shabab pe me jara sa sharrab phenkuka .. kise hasein pe ye gulab … parda hai …
Thoda ruk jayegi to tera kaya jayega … oh ..kamini..oh..
The whole world at our feet.
Yahoo…Yahoo.. Chae koi mujhe jungle kahe…
Lal chadi maidan khadi kaya khub ladi …
Mein jhat yemela pagla deewanna … itni se baat na jana..
Humse acha kon hai dil lo jigr lo jaan lo…
Badan pe sitareion lapate huae…
Oh! Haseena zulfu wali jane jaham doodthi hai …
Aisa mokha phir kahan melega… hamere jissa dil kahan milega…
Ae chand se roshan chehra zulfo ka rang sunehra .. tariff karoo kaya..
Blooming of roses or the face of the beloved.
Phoolon ki tarh oh hasti thi kaleion ki tarah muskati thi …
Night becomes sensual.
Tumeri zulfki sai me sham karllonga…
Tu meri samanee hai teri zulfe hai khuli …..,
Aur kuch der thahar aur kuch der na jaa
Choo lene do nazuk hotho ko kuch aur nahi zaam hai yae..
Tumase kahuu. ik baat paron se halkii-halkii raat merii hai chhav tumhaare hei aanchal kei…
Tu kahan ye bataa es nasheeli raatmein … mane na mera dil dewaana.. hai
Breath become still if the beloved one is not around.
Tum zo mil gaeya ho to yae lagta hai.. ke jahan milgaya..
Unke khayal aye to aate chale gaye … deewana dil ko …
Untold agonies
Mein jagoo tum sojao.. sukh sapno mein kho jaaoe …
Mein ye sochkar uske dhar se utha tha .. khe ro ro ke mujkho …
Khush rahe tu sada ye dua hai meri… bewafa hi sahi dilruba hai meri…
Chaand mera dil chandini ho tum … lautke aana hai ahi tumko…
Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki Na jaane tum kab awogi…
Tu is tarah se mere zindagi me shaamil hai ….
Tum mujhe yu bholana paawogi han tum mujhe…
Dilke jharokhe main tujko bhittakar ,,yadoon ke tere dulhan bankar…
Anguish of separation
Hum bekhudi me tum ko …
Aap ke pahlu mein aakar roe diye …..
Dil jo na kaha saka wahi raaj ….
Tukde hai meri dil ke ye yaar tere aaasu…
Khilona janekar tum to mera dil thodu jaate hao..
Hum tumse judaa hoke marjayenge ro ro ke…
Mujhe bhool jaana agar ho sake .. na phir yaad aana …
Akele hai chale ayao .. kahan ho …
Magnitude of pain from a bleeding heart.
Kaise kategi zindagi teri baiger teri baiger…
Din dhal jaaye raat na jaaye….
Koi saagar dil ko bahlata nahi….
Kya se kya ho ga bewafa ….
ye duniya ae mehafil meri kamm ki nahin…
Ye asso meri dil ki zubaan hai ….
Dono ne kiya ..thaa pyar magar….
Kah do koi na kare yahm pyaar…
Ketni raahat hai dil toote jaanek baad zindagi se melaye maut aaneak baad…
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Yaad na jaye beten dino ki …
Jab jab bahar ayi aur phool muskare…
Tum muje yu bhula na pawaegi…
Aap ke pahloo me aakar roediye daastane gum sunakr…
Love’s Enduring Promise
Hum itezar karenge … kyamat tak . khuda kare ke kayamat ho ..
Jo waada kiya woh nibhan padega..
Dil ke zaroke mein tujko betakar yadoon ko teri dulhan banakar…
The last breath yearning for the beloved.
Aza Tuzko pukare mere pyar… hai ..azaa maetu mita hu teri cahe mein..
Emotional traits of human beings.
Meri Awaz suno dard ka raaj suno ..Mene eak phool jo senae se saja rakha tha..
Sau baar janam leinge sau baar phanna honge..
Divine voice to divne.
Tere dhar pe aya hun kuch karke jaunga … jholi bhar ke jaoonga..
Sukh Ke Sab Saathi Dukh Mein Na Koi…
Leaving all the bonds behind.
Man re tu kaahe na dheer dharai ye meri mohi mohae na jaane jiska mohe kare…
Duniya ke raakwale sune dard bhare mere laalye…
It will take you to spirituality.
Aaj purani rahoon se.. koi muje ..
Aye duniya agar mil bhi jaye to kaya hai
Dekhi zamne ki yaari bechede sabhi baari ..barri..
At last, the final adieu —-
Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon ..Na Kisi Ke Dil Ka karar Hoon…
Nafrat ki duniya ko chodke pyar ki duniya me khush rahana mere yaar…
God perhaps once sent his own voice to the earth & it has been eternalized to become the voice of Mohammed rafi…..
His non film gazals & Bhajans are equally unrivalled masterpieces
Mujh Ko Mere Baad Zamana Dhoondega……
Thank you for this article and a well researched piece of writing it is, I have to say SNambiath comments are spot on too and he mentions quite a lot of qualities of the great Mohd Rafi that us listeners have taken for granted, one of which is his ability to sing so effortlessly and I totally agree that he has never struggled with any of the notes whether they were high or low. I suppose that’s why he was a music composers dream to work with because apart from being down to earth and a lovely man he didn’t take up much time in rehersals in having to sing the songs over and over again as he could nail them the first time around and not forgetting in an era when all this modern technology was not available.
I love Rafi sahab since my adolescence days. Now I am 55+ and I love Rafi sahab even more. Mr. B.Koshyji your write up is just out of the world. Many thanks for such a wonderful gift to us. I strongly believe Rafi sahab’s voice was God’s own voice.
Dear Mr. Koshy,
Like you, I am also from Kerala, though I have lived in the North for most of my life. I have literally grown up listening to two Towering Singing Personalities – Rafi Saab and Yesudas (Dasettan, as Keralites call him affectionately). And to think that not just Dasettan, but established Singers like Manna Dey, Sonu Nigam, Jayachandran, SP Balasubramaniam, etc., consider Rafi Saab as their Idol speaks for itself!
I compliment you for your deep study and excellent insights into Rafi Saab’s singing abilities. I would like to add my observations here, to compliment your own:
1) Rafi Saab NEVER exerted himself singing. He just did not have to! I have watched the Video of Rafi Saab singing ‘O Duniya Ke Rakhwale’ with Naushad Saab as Music Conductor. Even when hitting the lowest or highest notes of this extremely difficult song, Rafi Saab has a sublime smile on his face! Contrast that with singers whose faces contort in different ways, hitting far easier notes!!
2) In a day and age when one had to start a song all over again if a mistake was made (a mistake made by one of the Orchestra members even!), it is virtually impossible to hunt out a false note in Rafi Saab’s singing! Why, it is difficult to even spot where and when he takes a breath!
3) Rafi Saab is probably the ONLY Singer to sing with his entire, complete voice. He let all the overtones of his melodious voice come into play into his singing, thus enriching his singing even further. He could modulate his entire voice range. Most Singers do not sing with their entire voice, choosing to sing instead with the ‘mid range’ of their range, since it is easiest to control this range.
4) I am told that Rafi Saab used to hardly speak. And that even when he did, it was in whispers! I have seen two interviews of him on YouTube and have also heard Dasettan and Sonu Nigam say this, in their reminiscences of Rafi Saab. He was so careful with his voice that he did not believe in wasting it in mere speech!
Lastly, I believe that even if successive Governments shy away from conferring the Bharat Ratna to Rafi Saab, it does not detract even an iota from Rafi Saab’s Greatness: it only makes the politicians’ narrow-mindedness more stark! Rafi Saab and Mahatma Gandhi are two of India’s Greatest Sons – one born in India and the other in Pakistan – who have NOT been conferred the Bharat Ratna! I am sure Rafi Saab is only smiling at the narrow-mindedness of our politicians, for he was totally beyond worrying about anything except whether his singing has been Perfect!
Good write up
Variety of songs with different moods
just one is missing a qawali type
(may be the author did not mention as qawali is not sung alone
One singer and song very raag…
Maybe I missed them in the list above: Bahosho hawaaz mein deewana mein aaj vasiyat karta hoon and O, my love are songs that when I hear them it is like eternity is dripped into my soul.
Ref: Profoundness of Rafi Sahab’s tonal pattern cannot be measured by human competences.
Dear All,
I am thankful for this forum for bringing out this article, and every Rafian’s for accepting & appreciating it.
It is impossible for anyone to bring out all the exquisiteness of Rafi Saab’s melodic phrases at one place. The spectrums of stars are so beautiful and vibrant before setting the eyes on one the other one sparkle.
Celebrities are adored by many. However, we not only love & adore him but many of us also believe that Rafi Saab indeed had the divine presence and that make us apart from the crowd.
Looking forward to seeing many more enchanting presences of Rafi Saab in this forum.
With Regards,
B.Koshy
Greatest singer ever born and never going to born again………….
Hindustaan kee Dharti Pee Eek Taar Aya thaa,Aur Ab Talak Tjamaktie Reehtie Hee;Aur Dharti Reheengee Tjamakta Reheengee.
I USED TO PRESENT PROGRAMME ‘SADABAHAR GAYAK MOHD.RAFI”.I CAN ONLY SAY,EACH AND EVERY SONG SUNG BY RAFISAAB IS A GREAT EXERCISE OF SUR AND WORDS.RAFISAAB HAS GIVEN A NEW DIMENSION TO EVERY SONG IN HIS OWN WAY.COMPOSERS FINALISED THEIR TUNES ONLY AFTER RECEIVING OK FROM HIM.SHANKERJAIKISHEN USED TO ASK,RAFISAAB THIK HAINA?THEY HAVE GIVEN HIM MOST ROMANTIC AND DIFFICULT NOS,,EX.DUNIYA NA BHAYE MUZE,SACCHA HAI GAR PYAR TERA SANAM,ETC.YOU WILL ALL AGREE WITH ME
Dear Koshy Sir,
Unbelievable.This article prepared by a Keralite?
I wish I could have born in Hindi belt to get the chance
to read,to see the channels to know more about Rafi
Saab.As Hassan ji told even Rafi Saab’s name appeared
in a paper or magazine or a word about him in a channel
is enough for me to be happy.I had an ambition to see
him but could not.I think I am one of the luckiest Keralites
to get his autographed photograph from him.
Cogradulations.
Dear Sir, Hamare rafi sahab ko such much me Khuda ne apni awaz dekar bheja tha. Unki awaz, unki insaaniyat, unki muskurahat me khuda ke didar hote the aur hote hain aur hote rahenge. Jiyo rafi saab hazaron saal. Saal ke din ho pachaas hazar.
Regards,
Birendra Singh Bisht
maine jabase hosh sambhala hai, rafisahab ki aawaj sunata aa raha hu. aaj meri umar 58 hai, abhibhi sun raha hu, aur kuch bhi nahi sunata hu, yesa lagata hai,agar mai dubara janam lu to bhi mai rafisahab ki aawaj hi sununga. jindagi me agar rafisahab ki awaj ke saath dosti ho gai to khushi me ya gum me kisi aur dost ki jaroorat nahi hoti……..
An excellent write up. The efforts made by Mr. Koshiji for category wise analyzing of Rafi Sahab’s melodious songs is very appreciable. It can be done only by a true fan. I am also a fan of RAFI sahab and have been listening his songs from my childhood. Now I am 60+. Even today I am still very anxious to read about my beloved RAFI sahab and to listen his beautiful and heart touching songs.
My best wishes to Mr. B.Koshyji.
My Co-Rafi brother has covered the whole spectrum of Rafi Saab’s jewels.I also
started listening to Rafi Saab’s songs from the age of 3-4,and I am 60+ now……
….abhi bhi dil bara nahi.He had extraordinary superhuman talent…it is as if an angel was living a human life…I believe in next life and am conditioning my
consciousness to be a Rafi fan in my next life.My grand daughter is 2+ now..I and my 1992 born son is planning to initiate her to Rafi-Magic.
Congratulations for nice catagorisations of beautiful film songs of Mohd. Rafi.In addition to the film songs Rafi has rendered a lot of non film songs that demonstrate further the the verstality of the singer.Sample few such rare gems:More shyam,more shyam,main gwalo rakhwaro maiyaa,dard minnat,saaqui ki har nigaah pe,is dil se teri yaad bhulaee nahi jaati,lot chalo,suno suno aye duniya walo and not to forget various naats etc.etc.These non film songs were of better quality as these were not for massaes as is the case with film songs, but were for classes, hence these compositions gave Rafi a chance to take his singing to very high standards.
Ashok Mehta 8447770133
Awesome collection of songs .A grt legendry singer we will never miss as we yr huge collection of songs u r immortal
Good writing Koshi. keep it up.
Thank you for the wonderful article.
In my opinion you have left out one of the most beautiful magical song from the movie Anamika composed by Ravi.
Door Rah kar na karo baat kareeb aa jao
Koshyji,
Fantastic description. You have very rightly compared his songs to the millions of stars in the sky. Very difficult to choose. Keep up the good work.
This article itself is an education. GOD BLESS YOU.