Rafi Sahab and Bharat Ratna
Written by Mr. Ramesh Narain Kurpad
My dearest rafi bhakt’s,
SCENE – SWARG LOK – MASS GATHERING – UPROAR – GOD PRESENT
RAFI SAHAB – STILL NOT CONFERRED BHARAT RATNA
Rafi Sahab
Continuing from where I momentarily signed off, now I can see, a great congression of film personalities to all humans between 1924 to 1980 gathered around emotionally engaged into a hot and heated debate in the heavenly realms of the almighty. Swargiya Kundan lal Saigal, K.C.Dey, Punkaj Mullick, Founder of Prithvi theatres, New theatres, eminent film personalities of Bengal, Netaji Subhas Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Ray, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai patel, – Mukesh, hemant kumar, talat mahmood, Raj Kapoor, Ashok kumar, kishore kumar, anoop kumar, s.d.burman, r.d.burman, madan mohan , sj, lp, and lastly kishore kumar – he started crying vehemently, pointing an accusing finger at the Lord God himself.
God, then, stood up with a smile and pointing both his hands downwards towards mother earth, said authoritatively, thus – “ My dearest dearest dearest Rafi Bhakts, ( I was rafi sahab then ) it is the responsibility of the President and the Prime Minster of India. I have no role to play nor can I influence them, I am God, I cannot play politics. “
BHAKTON THAT WAS A – PRECURSOR OR PROLOGUE OR CURTAIN RAISER
This is more of a conversation with you all and my sincere love for the maestro that elevates me to write to you all and discuss the most sensitive matter, which has evaded history from recording.
Recently on the 29th of November 2009, I attended a musical show, which was mainly organized to felicitate and honor yet another legend Manna Daa, upon his having received the prestigious national award “ Dada Saheb Phalkey Award “.
Just before dada started belting out his usual manna songs, he just made a passing mention when asked about his feelings, as follows :- “ Awards don’t fascinate me “. I have forgotten when I received the Padma Bhushan. I know that I am a good student of music. “
I thought to my self, and could well summate what would have been going on in dada’s mind when he said those words ( I should have been conferred all these awards long long back – my dearest friend and legend of legends no doubt died an abrupt death – disillusioned and could not even say bye ).
Bhakton – at this very moment – an idea was born in my mind that, I should have a talk with my numerous rafi bhakts at this dedicated rafi forum, and in many ways than one – ponder over the one thought which would be uppermost in every mind “ rafi sahab and bharat ratna “
Mohd Rafi
A great, historical Nation that India is, is known to take its own time to react to the amazing achievements of its great legends. At times, the authorities realized a certain award to be given after it reached a mass following or a unanimous voice.
Rafi bhakts like rafi sahab are too simple and humble and have always been found to be living in a world of trance and just floating in his songs and works. It suffices them that they once in a way write about their god, meet and sing a few songs, sing a few praises and call it a day.
This is simply because, they find it is naïve, to ask or tell people that, rafi sahab should be awarded the Bharat Ratna. Probably the question that comes to their simple humble mind through the heart is “ Are we begging ? “. If you ask me – an emphatic – NO.
Then, if, I, now through this letter, actually am doing a favour, to the govt by telling them that its time you went ahead and actually officially confer the highest civilian award ( posthumously ) to this great singing avatar of yester years. Billions of humans all over the globe have already given this award in their minds and hearts to him, then what is holding you back from converting it into a reality.
Are you waiting to convert yourself from a rafi fan to a rafi bhakt ?
Does it take 29 years for you to understand your responsibility ?
Do you want the NRI’s to remind you ?
Or are you waiting for the American President to prompt you ?
Bhakton, many such questions painfully come to the mind but one thing really surprises me most is the Indian Govt did confer the Bharat Ratna upon a living musical legend
( a human being even today laments and cries that rafi sahab – is actually the true “ratna” )
Bhakton, 24th December 2009, is a huge day for us, 29 years have elapsed, and each one of us have failed in our duties to have ensured that our maestro got his due.
Let us all get together and collectively write to all the National and Local News papers and also to the President and Prime Minister to set right this great oversight to put it modestly and do a favour to our own human existence.
My caution to the Government of India is – we are talking about an Avataar who will never ever come back to us.
Hence, lets do the needful and seek the maestro’s ( GOD’S ) blessings.
Jai ho rafi sahab – tussi great ho – tussi Bharat Kaa Ratna ho.
Ramesh narain Kurpad.
__________________________________________________________-
Bhakton,
An email could be sent to the President and Prime Minister of India, with all our names mentioned as a signature campaign – from various rafi fan clubs from all over India.
All this is definitely possible – its just a case of “ mind over matter “.
Adaab rafi.
I have put my signature with this letter through mohdrafi.com
Good News for all Rafi fans …. The first Mohammed Rafi Award was recently conferred on Music director Pyarelal Sharma ( of Laxmikant Pyarelal fame ) and singer Mubarakh Begum at a grand function held at Bandra’s Rang Sharda which was jam packed. Organised by Bandra’s Ashish Shellar the award was presented by BJP head honcho L K Advani. The entire Rafi clan graced the occasion and Shahid Rafi on behlaf of the entire family gave thanked the organisers for remembering the legendary singer and instituting an award in his name. Singer Shrikant Narayan presented a string of immortal numbers of the legendary singer and the audience literally went beserk. Singers Sudesh Bhosle and Vaishali Samant also graced the occasion.
Samina , u really write very very nice ,the reflection of ur own persona…I always search n wait to read ur posts,,,Great Job..Thanx!!
shashank chickermane ji,,please let us know what r those songs of Rafi sahab that u listen at bed time,before sleeping….so that u have such a dream in which a Farishta from heaven come especially to meet u….
Please share with us as we r all dieying to meet him n wanna feel blessed to think as u thought,
‘God came to meet me from the Heaven’
But till then we happy for God gifted us with the voice that was made with divinity!!!
Dearest affectionate Bhaiyaa Sanjeev(Kumar Dixitji)….no matter we(everyone of us on this forum or other place as a Rafian or rafi bhakta…) know each other or not but our heart feels same,,, in this way we all r related as a family-friend or simply A Rafi lover…..in the whole world,in our daily life, we get fed up with artifificial smiles n words full with formalities n fakeness but here at this place though, we may be stranger to eachother,,but God`s greatest gift to human being is heart,,n we feel same or similar with heart while listening the divine voice of Rafi sahab n as Binuji says,,genious greatest voice but “a greater human rafi sahab”…..
rameshkurpad ji, I`m feeling priviledged by ur suggestion over showing details…however,,these days I`m working on a research institute after the gap of 10 years because I had to take care of my daughter as a child…this work would go on for next 3 months,,at institute(in united states) we r not allowed to use phone or intenet,(I even see mohdrafi dot com when I`m in India or some public cafe),,so after three months I would be in touch of every chapetr n foundations in name of rafi sahab,,as my soul always calls me to work for the one,Rafi sahab,,who inspires me every minute,every second…every moment…I or no one can say what does this voice mean to us as Rafi sahab was such a pure hearted person n such a extraodridany singer to sing in so many varities n that too in masterpiece form….
however,,
congratulations,Murty ji(every concerened person`s) effort over 31july 2010 program,,I would join surly in delhi with some of other Rafi-bhakts(whos my friend) as now my home is in delhi…n I would be free(with my job) till that time to be working in delhi itself…
thanx for giving email adress n phone numbers,,as it would be easy to get connected…
Resp. Ramesh ji,
I had made already my e mail id dedicated to rafi saab i.e.- “rafisanjeev@yahoo.com”
Thanks
MOHD RAFI NEVER WENT FOR ANY AWARDS AT A TIME WHEN MANY AWARDS WERE BOUGHT IN THE INDUSTRY. OLD TIMERS DO VOUCH FOR THIS.
what ever awards mohd rafi got – was due to his own great abilities. whichever award he “did not get” was due to manipulations and also ego factors prevalent in the industry.
yes. i have talked to the stalwarts re bharat ratna for mohd rafi. they cant say no to it so they say yes and agree : mohd rafi is our bharat ka ratna, nothing beyond it.
now is the time to send memorandums and build a very strong public opinion on honouring india’s greatest singer and a greater human being. this could be done by sincere people only. lets hope we “truly succeed” in near future.
binu nair, rafi foundation, mumbai….
98 50 701
narayanbhai, murtygaru, sanjeevbhai and binuji,
as discussed and spelt out that we as rafi bhakts should maintain one dedicated email id for our selves for easier communication and uniformity as a code – i have started using a dedicated email id for rafi sahab and his music related correspondence only – since 1st january 2010.
” rafiaarenkay@gmail.com ”
a lot of correspondence has already taken place in the above email id of mine.
this is for info of you all who are creating a database as an international info of rafi sahab fans/bhakts., for collective usage – award etc.
i wish others too who still do not have a dedicated rafi-email id, please do so earliest.
ramesh narain kurpad
binuji,
posts 139, 141 & 143 – seem to suggest a direction of approach which could be highly helpful for our cause. why not give it a serious thought from your end.
murtygaru suggested you could give it a try and garner support of a film icon.
whats your take on this ?.
ramesh narain kurpad.
Resp. Ramesh ji,
I am agree with you. We must have to communicate with those yesteryears actors for whom RAFI Saab had given his voice, like Shammi Kapoor, Dharmendra & Jitendra etc. In this way we can make our efforts more effective.
Thanks
-Sanjeev
murtygaru,
if we had names like prithviraj kapoor, sohrab modi, balraj sahni, motilal, ashok kumar, naushad and many such huge personalities living and back us, the matter would have got the required pep and weightage.
no point in crying over spilt milk, but, make the best available at the moment.
amin sayani should be roped in to actually lend his voice some forum to boost this movement.
yes binuji should take it up and see what could be done in this angle.
ramesh narain kurpad
rameshbhai, your suggestion is not only good but also practical. we certainly can approach a big name of the hindi film industry who has directly benefitted from rafi sahab’s contribution – dev anand or dharmender for instance – and use their name and fame for our cause. i think it will add to our campaign if such a big personality backs us. even i had been of this opinion for sometime now. as far as selection of such a name is concerned, we can request binuji to work this out and also approach the film personalities. binuji, please give us your feedback on these.
sanjeevbhai, i will send to you as many names/voter ids/emal ids, addresses, phone numbers etc. of rafi bhakts, as possible in about a week’s time after i collect the same from our members here.
a s murty
Ref of Post No:135
Binuji,
Ok fine. Can you tell me anyone from the screen magazine, if you know anybody plz just inform me.
thanks
murtygaru, ( post 136 )
fantastic, great suggestions by gurbeersighjee. the meet in delhi on 31st december 2010 is truly a good one – good idea.
however, there is one practical thing i feel we should try out. please drop the idea if you all feel it is not correct or worthy or practical. i say this even before i spell out my suggestion.
suggestion.
we as rafi bhakts should collectively approach some great presently living hindi film icons ( via letter ) like dilip sahab, latajee, ashajee, javed akhtar, farook shaikh, amitabh bacchhan, a.k.hangal, ( any great yester year personality who is still living ) and all film people who have directly benefitted from rafi sahab’s works in their lives.
all, music directors, or directors or producers of repute andy film personality
yash chopra, gulzar, – there are so many names – i am unable to recollect.
any name which could have a strong impact on this act of conferring the award should be tapped.
i request all to give in your views with regard to this above suggestion of mine.
narayan sahab is too quiet. let us have your inputs too.
ramesh narain kurpad.
sanjeevji –
good work – fantastic – keep it up – your efforts are laudable.
i shall send my details as requested by you to you and narayan sahab too.
din ba din hamaari tajaad badd rahi hai. dekhiye zaraa peechey mudkey – log samudraa jaisey pravaah mey khadey hain.
ramesh narain kurpad.
Respected Ramesh ji, AS Murty ji, Narayanan ji, Padmnabhan ji, Binu ji, Zorawar ji & all office bearers of R.F. in India,
Please collect the name, address, phone no, VOTR ID NO. & e-mail(if any, it is not compulsory) of Rafi fans as many as possible for preparing the VOTE BANK OF RAFI BHAKTS on database. Pl send this details to me on “rafisanjeev@yahoo.com” or to mr. narayanan.This list will be on line and we will send this to Media & politicians as a part of our compaign.
Thanks & Regards,
Sanjeev Kumar Dixit
rafisanjeev@yahoo.com
to all rafi bhakts.
ref post 132 of sanjeevbhai. today gurbeer singh of rf-lucknow chapter also spoke to me and informed about the preparation of the two types of appeals. presently they have done the same in hindi and shortly they will also be translated into english and then sent to most of us. he also said that he will post the copies of the same to this website administrator so that a link for downloading these appeals can be incorporated on the homepage. the same link can also be used by most of us to forward to all our contacts.
gurbeerbhai also suggested that a huge gathering of rafi bhakts be organized in new delhi to coincide with the death anniversary of rafi sabah on 31st july 2010 and and the conggregation can be held at jantar mantar under a shamiana. we all can hold placards, banners displaying our demand for conferment of the bharat ratna to rafi sahab. a delegation from amongs us can also make rounds to meet the offices of the president, the prime minister, leader of the opposition and several other prominent government and political leaders. media can be informed in advance so that they highlight our sentiments. these suggestions by gurbeerbhai and the rafi foundation, lucknow chapter are very laudable.
the reason why i am giving these here is for all rafi bhakts to respond with their suggestions so that we can all work out the modalities. we would request rafi foundation memorial society, new delhi led by zorawar chugani, ashish kapoor, naresh sharma etc. to take up the lead and coordinate these activities with rafi bhakts from the rest of the country. the rafi bhakts who travel to new delhi would make their own to/fro travel arrangements and also their possible accomodation, so that the rfms, new delhi is not burdened with these arrangements.
widest publicity for this gathering should be attended to in the media, film industry, musical organizations, political parties, government agencies and authorities, etc. despatch of the appeals by post/emails can be attended to by the rafi bhakts individually or by their organizations. all these will require tremendous effort by all rafi bhakts. the work has now come to a certain stage, but lot more is required to be done.
please keep a close watch on the developments on this matter through this thread and other pages of this website too.
we will shortly also be writing to all the known organizations dedicated to rafi sahab and also to other sister organizations which cater to hfm music.
please do not hesitate to give your suggestions, for each of them will be beneficial and could add to the campaign’s success.
please contact gurbeerbhai at 0094516 58658 or sanjeev dixit at 094500 92822 to know more about the appeals that they have prepared at their end.
a s murty
secretary,
rafi foundation,
hyderabad chapter
Ramesh ji… all the best on the journeys of your LIFE. u may tell us which songs u hear in the ship when surrounded by waters from all side.
shashank : well done. rafi saaheb has blessed u. be cheerful and happy . but, do think twice or more times when u pose questions to fellow mohd rafi lovers – for i do believe that they are “simple souls” like your self.
frankly, ur questions have not enthused me and i think u have to ask some questions urself too. thanks.
Samina ji.. Post 126.. great thoughts and words. we love it. keep writing about the god of singing – mohd rafi saaheb.
good times, happy sankrati with good times.
binu nair, mumbai
Good work Sanjeevbhai and Gurdeepbhai and all others at RF-Lucknow. we are very happy that the work is coming up fast. please send copies to all of us at our respective email ids and to all concerned too. we too will take up from here and circulate to the maximum number of rafi bhakts, music lovers and public at large.
Hi Shashank, it was very interesting to read about your dream and you are a blessed soul. This again reinforces the view most have that Rafi sahab was an avatar or incarnation of god. How lucky you were.
A S MURTY
Resp. Ramesh jee,
sure sir we will achieve our goal only yours,murty ji’s,naraynan ji’s,Binu ji’s & all RAFI fan’s blessings are needed.
sir, we prepared a letter in hindi in 2 ways, one for PM, PRESIDENT etc. &one for press & media. final drafting & its english translation is remain only but we will complete it soon & send to all of you.
thanks & regards,
-Sanjeev Kumar Dixit
binujee ( post – 129 ) you have echoed the sentiments of all rafi fans and rafi bhakts.
i am extremely sure with some highly sincere people like your good self, narayan sahab, murtygaru, nrpbhai, rangajee, sanjeevjee, gurbeer singh jee and the likes and many more whose name you all remember – rafi sahab will surely be honoured very soon.
i wish and pray that we achieve success for our dear rafi sahab.
ramesh narain kurpad.
Hi,
There was a quite unusual dream in my entire life yesterday at midnight. The fact happened in a unexpected way. I was just sitting in my house when somebody knocked my door and when i opened the door there was Rafisahab standing outside. I didnt knew what to do when I saw him and i called him inside. he was too tired and asked me for the water. I served him the water immediately. He was too jolly, ever smiling face and very lively. I just thought ‘God came to meet me from the Heaven’. After sometime, I requested him for a song but he rejected quietly and told me that he just came to meet me and blessed me and went. He was there for hardly sometime. But when i asked something he didnt say anything he was quiet and just smiling. I saw him in my dream face to face, which I didnt had the luck to see him when he with us. I felt that he came to see me only from the heaven. This is real truely different dream. He just told me something before going that remember me always there with you.
This is a fact which happened on the midnight yesterday. So, rafisahab is here with us but we just hear his songs, but we cannot see which I saw yesterday in my dream. I was very happy to see him atleast in my dream.
thanks
shashank chickermane
Rasmesh Kurpad Ji…YOU SAID IT .(Post 126).. Yes… people are busy everywhere. and, inspite of this people are doing something, something and something. the total of this ” something ” will become a mountain one day.
there is absolutely no need to play one-up-manship herein.
those who are asking questions to others or are anguished must find their own remedies and may do something for the causes dearer to the heart . or else just shut up.
binu nair
Post No:121.
Thanks Murtyji. I am also with you all. so its grt8 to hear that sanjeevji and gurbeerji have taken so much initiative to get Bharat Ratna to Rafisahab and it will succeed. I am with you.
shashank chickermane
dear friends – this form of address is for those who do not like being called rafi fans or rafi bhakts.
i would much appreciate and feel blessed to see some constructive comments in this thread, related to rafi sahab and his ultimate crowning moment.
let us not waste time and space in unwarranted talk and saying anything which may try to unduly discourage the people who are meaningfully trying to do something good, even though they may be extremely busy in their official capacities.
as for me presently, i am in the process of joining a ship and will be unfortunately not regular in my contribution to this just cause and even my mails, posts and comments too would not be regular or say rare.
please accept my sincere appologies for being unable to be active towards something which is so close to my heart.
sorry rafi sahab, but, i am sure the others in the fans will do full justice.
ramesh narain kurpad.
Rafi Reborn ji,
When you said you’ll be very happy if Rafi Saab did recieve bharat ratna after this campaign but with a regret that you had to ask for it. I guess you’r grossly mistaken here.
Who are these politicians to confer Bharat Ratna on Rafi saab? They are too incompetent to do that. Bharat Ratna has already been conferred on Rafi saab by his fans and they are just asking these so called people’s representatives to finish the formality. That’s it. If I work hard and pass an exam but principal refuses to give me passing certificate then it’s my responsibility to stand and demand for my right. If teachers also demand along with me then it makes my case even stronger. I will not feel embarrassed at all at having to snatch something that was rightfully mine.
On similar lines, the more and more fans stand for Rafi saab, the stronger will be his case. The more they persists the more they prove how worthy Rafi saab was of the honour. It’s a network effect..Chicken and egg kinda thing.. Nobody is forcing the govt to do something that is wrong but something that they should have done long back…It’s simply demanding our rights… and there is nothing shameful about it. In fact we should be ashamed if we persist with inaction.
This is simply my view point. I am neither an expert nor big shot like you. Just a simple fan.. nowhere near the level of expertise many writers above have.. Hope I am allowed to air my views… 🙂
A FEW THOUGHTS WITHOUT MALICE……of course.
BEWARE OF OUR POLITICIANS WHO HAVE MADE SWITZERLAND A VERY VERY PROSPEROUS COUNTRY AT OUR COUNTRY’S COST.
the politicians would “promise” u every thing – including the bharat ratna for mohd rafi saaheb during or before the elections . afterwords, they will forget u and throw u out in thin air as dust. i know them too well – rafi lovers… (POST 124)==============================================
IT WAS VERY EASY FOR ME TO KNOW “who” this rafi-reborn is – by the text of the letter. only one person in india could write this , i sincerely believe. well done rafi re-born once again.
================================================
i am aware that a v.c. ( venture capitalist ) who runs many other commecial websites is now eyeing our website http://www.mohdrafi.com. he obviously is not happy with the popularity and success of http://www.mohdrafi.com. this person poses as a rafi lover and is seen moving out with cameras in hand and shooting the pictures of singers singing rafi songs and then posting in his website. that – this site is hardly frequented is another matter.
my only point of view is that many have tried to overtake the times of india in mumbai . they simply failed . similarly u wont be able to “overtake” this genuine mohdrafi forum with your small tricks, sir.
================================================
lastly how i wish mohd rafi lovers would enjoy the works of mohd rafi more and ask less questions to fellow rafi lovers on their : commitment to mohd rafi saaheb.
binu nair, mumbai
Resp. Rafi reborn jee,
I read your post-114 which is very appealing and showing your love and affection for Rafi Sahab. I salute you sir for your passion for Rafi Sahab. I could understand that with facing how much difficulties you had collected about 5000 songs of Rafi Sahab. Really you are a very lucky person that you met with Rafi Sahab. Please share the details of your meetings with him to us so we can also feel happy by sharing that lovely moments.
sir, i wants to give a suggestion that-
We only can pressurize the politicians & govt. of India by making a VOTE BANK OF ALL RAFI FANS IN INDIA. there fore i wants to say to all & specially to Mr. Narayanan from Banglore who is collecting the details of all Rafi fans, that we must have to correspondence with govt. with our VOTER ID.We will tell him that we will only vote for that who will try to give “BHARAT RATNA” TO RAFI SAHAB HAVING TOP PRIORITY OF OUR NATION.
Sir, at last i wants to say sorry to you if i made any mistake in my previous communication with you. Sir, please give your E-mail id and cell no. so i can talk with you.
Regards,
-Sanjeev Kumar Dixit
rafisanjeev@yahoo.com
09450092822(4pm-10pm)
Dear Rafi Reborn,
At the outset, I salute you and your commitment towards Rafi Saab.
I fully appreciate your sentiments.
But, at this late stage, let each of us put in our bit and make a consolidated effort to get this award bestowed on Rafi Saab.
The fact that nothing was done or not enough was done so far need not be contemplated here. It will take us nowhere. Now that we have a common forum where each of us can interact with the other, let us make an all out effort in this direction
Meanwhile, can you write back to me on saif.196242@gmail.com
I am professionally settled in Dubai now
I would like to know you better and be in touch with you, if you dont mind.
thanks and take care
Saifullah
Dubai
saif.196242@gmail.com
a thought for the day…
we indians are good in asking questions at others – very good, most times.
which is easier ???
asking questions or doing things – ….
do not treat this as a question…..pls.
binus….
hello dear friend shashank. you know that i can understand your anguish too. but i would like you not to be perturbed by what is written by a few of us. they are all for clarity of thought and will help us build better relationships among us in the future.
as far as the bharat ratna campaign is concerned, shashankbhai, the rafi fans are to be blamed for not having taken up this issue in any seriousness earlier. also, as you very rightly have pointed out, it is the film industry who did not pay back to rafi sahab in the same coin. i did write an extensive article a few years back “clarion call to bollywood”, imploring the film industry to do their bit, if you recall. but let us put the blame game aside, as this by itself will take a major chunk of the precious little time that we all have at our disposal. one reasoning why this was not done by the rafi fans earlier was because we all were scattered, unknown to one another. now we are all getting together and it has only been a few years for me to have known most of the rafi fans who frequent this website and other related public fora. individually we could not have done anything, but can we not do something collectively ? yes we can and let us try to do something now, irrespective of the end-result.
best regards,
a s murty
secretary,
rafi foundation,
hyderabad chapter.
rafi rebornji, your post 114 above. i have taken your thoughts with the same sincerity with which you have written them and i have no reason not to believe all that you have written. i repeat, i am impressed with your sincerity. my posts 109 and 110 do not attribute any malafide intentions on your part. if you go back to several other articles, you will see that people who write without giving their own identity have reasons to conceal the same. i am still not attributing any such motives to you. i would only be happy to see your real name. however, you state that “i chose this pseudonym with a little thought”. i would not go on to ask you what that thought it is, since it is your personal choice. perhaps you would be the first person with a pseudonym who is sincere, atleast on this website, and this has not been our experience earlier. and since we all communicate with our real names, we also fail to understand why someone should conceal his/her identity, however strong his/her reasoning maybe on the same. but all these apart, at the cost of repetition, let me assure you that we believe every word of what you have written. yet, the campaign is being revived. we all know the disposition of the powers that be and it is no surprise when you quote “indeed, one was even insensitive and offensive to the extent of asking how would his party benefit from it”. I do not disbelieve this also. the present campaign too may encounter all these pitfalls. yet the campaign. for all those who had not been part of any such campaign in the past, and that includes me also, this could well be an experience which we would like to go through. we do not mind being labeled by anyone for our deeds and in whatever manner. your post 114 made very interesting reading to me and i am sure to many more. for your immediate reference, i quote from my own post 109 “but since you have amply clarified your stand, we stand corrected. it is a good omen too that misunderstandings are nipped in the bud and constructive path can be charted ahead. please keep sharing your thoughts as freely as ever”. Hence, i see no reason why i should accept your saying “if this lengthy post still makes you all feel that i am trying to insult rafisaheb or something to that effect, i assure you this shall be my last post on this site. but i will go with a feeling of loss and deprivation”. how can i convince you that we are not the type who would not yield to good reasoning ? i have also asked you to share your thoughts as freely as ever, haven’t i ? it did not take long for me to be convinced about your feelings. i appeal to you now not to let these things linger in your mind and please feel free to give your point of view and as often as you wish to. the campaign is however on and you would have noticed by now that there are other friends who are working hard on this noble task. they are comparatively newer to this site and also to the bigger and larger group called ‘rafi fans’. since they are the persons who are working really hard, i did not want them to be dissuaded, even before they could announce the start of the campaign. the work that they are doing will shortly be before all of us. i did not ever equate your first comment as being criticism. i only disliked the use of a word ‘idiots’ (you did include your own name in that group, i acknowledge). usage of such words, by even good friends on a public platform like a website is not common, you will agree and is not sensible too. in private, best of friends go on to utter far greater explicits. even as we known so many of our very good friends from this site and our association with most of them over the last several years, we would refrain from using abusive words/language on a public forum like this website. we would always object to such practices here. i very much appreciate your anguish over the bharat ratna matter and also for your cautioning us. also, until your post 114 above, we did not know that you have yourself taken up this cause while you were in delhi. considering all that you have written and my own very detailed response, should we now give this debate a halt ? i am sure you will agree with me.
a s murty
secretary
rafi foundation,
hyderabad chapter.
@mr chickermane
don’t blame rafisaheb’s fans for so called reacting late on this campaign. please read post 114. i campaigned individually for this award for my god (refer to my delhi visit). as far as the fans are concerned, let’s accept and appreciate that its better late than never. as for the people in government, they must must and must take the blame. dont forget it is the people in power who hold the reins. so howsoever worthless they may be, we have to approach them (a real tragedy as i have borne in my posts). the real issue here is whether we need to beg for this award for a person who became larger than life in his own lifetime. and opinions may differ on this. so let’s be democratic.
@mr dixit
one does not have to be a genius to know that rafi reborn is not my real name. please read my post script (scrap 114). and i am aware how much rafisaheb has given to us all these years. you should ask me. i have collected over 5000 songs of the maestro painstakingly over 35 years, spending sleepless nights and money that i have never bothered to keep track of. i can analyse each and every rafisaheb song like many of my compatriots are doing on this site. so let’s not talk of our commitment to him. as i have said many tmes, good luck to your campaign. don’t let it skip your mind that the farishta you are talking about is as much mine as he belongs to everybody under the sun.
for your kind information, i have met rafisaheb six times and over long meetings, not to speak of his recordings. there are hardly any people that i have not met with and interacted who were closely associated with the music industry, and therefore with rafisaheb.
sample these names:
naushad, shankar jaikishen, madan mohan, sajjad, c ramchandra, vasant desai, roshan, iqbal quereshi, c arjun, sn tripathy, op nayyar, sd burman, rd burman, jaidev, laxmi-pyare, kalyanji, salil chowdhury, talat mehmood, mukesh, lata mangeshkar, asha bhosale, manna dey, hemant kumar, kishore kumar, suman kalyanpur, sd batish, et al. the list is endless.
am not trying to impress any one. just trying to make a point that i am not speaking through my hat. a man who has been active in this field for over 35 years does not have to do that.
and the day rafisaheb gets bharat ratna (good luck to you, i parrot again), i shall feel as (if not less or more) happy as you all do. the only dark lining to this silver cloud will be that my god got a honour after demanding (or begging?) for it. i can vouch more than any one else on this site that rafisaheb was such a giving person. he never asked anything from any one. he didn’t have to. great people are known and born only to give.
with this, i bow out of this site. little point in writing when bigots cannot see and are intolerant of others’ views.
best of wishes to my fellow devotees.
Respected Priya didi,
Like Resp. Ramesh narain jee i also wants to know your E-mail id & cell no. Because i wants to communicate with that person who met with Rafi Sahab in calcutta After his stage show.Really you are very-very lucky.
Thanks & Regards,
Sanjeev Kumar Dixit
Founder, Rafi foundation,Lucknow chapter
E-mail id- rafisanjeev@yahoo.com
09450092822
Mr. Rafi reborn jee,
Thanks for your clarification about your post-98.We wants to know why you are writing “Rafi reborn” at the place of your name? Is this your real name? If no please come with your real name on this plateform. We don’t care about the result of our efforts,
“HUM LOG KEVAL RAFI SAHAB KE US KARZ KO UTARNE KI KOSHISH KAR RAHE HAIN, JO SUKUN UNKE NAGMO SE HAMEIN MILA”
Rafi Sahab always given a lot to us & also till today he is giving more & more satisfaction through his songs.It will be our fortunate if we can do something for our farishta.
We will always greatful to Rafi sahab that he gave thousands of lovely & melodious songs to us in his “NON FORGETTABLE GOLDEN VOICE”
Thanks & Regards,
Sanjeev Kumar Dixit
rafisanjeev@yahoo.com
Give me the answers of this comment whoever wants to give in a polite and very cleanly. so that dont hurt anybodies sentiment and also of the legend rafisahab.
thanks
Hi Everybody,
After reading all the comments for this article. I got the very important queries to ask for the Bharat Ratna?
1) When the Bharat Ratna award started?
2) Why the film industry kept quiet for such a long time 29 yrs after his death?
3) Why the Rafi fans didnt bother for this award when the Bharat Ratna Award started?
4) Why Politicans should be blamed for this issue, why not the film industry and the fans for that? tell me.
I ask this questions to each and every rafi fans this time? reply me. I am a true legends fan whoever will be of film industry. Can anybody tell me this questions then i will say that you all are true rafian fans.
Whoever wrote the comments do write a letter to the President Prathibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and just see what reply you get. I am fed up of such type of issues which you all are writing. I feel bad that you just not respecting rafisahab nowadays only behind Bharat Ratna?. When the Bharat Ratna was alive did any rafi fans bothered to get him awards. i feel no. now there is a website so anybody can write anything about it. keep this away from this site.
thank you very much
shashank
dearest rafi devotees
at the outset, thanks for clearing the mist. i repeat, i would be the happiest man if rafisaheb gets this award. but again, i must clarify certain points which i feel haven’t got through. first of all, it was absolutely no intention of mine to put spokes in your campaign. nor did it ever occur to me that i must do so. at the core of my post were two things. first, my surerty about the wisdom of the people who run this country (read the people who decide on these things). when i said they would never honour rafisaheb with this award, i did not mean, repeat did not mean, they are not aware of how worthy rafisaheb was of it. the comment was based on two things. rafisaheb was not a string-puller and never lobbied in his life for anything. whatever he got was oh his own toil, sweat and blood. so there were no people who could uphold his status in that esteem. (a nominal padmashri is all that he got when a long string of people who were not even one/hundredth as deserving, got bigger awards/titles). then there were many people in the (bad bad) industry who only took advantage of his saintly ways. it was not pessimism, but my poor confidence in the decision-makers that made me reach that conclusion and long time back. rafisaheb was always a bharat ratna and will remain one till this universe remains in existence. the world knows rafisaheb and his deeds. why bharat ratna, he would also have deserved a knighthood in his lifetime. (remember very recently, an actor like om puri was hnoured with the order of british empire OBE). with due regards to puri, rafisaheb deserved at least half a dozen knighthoods and an equal number of bharat ratnas weighed on that scale.
my heart aches that we have to demand an honour for a person most deserving. and knowing that it is a titan like rafisaheb, it bleeds all the more. i can tell you from personal experience, how futile it is to talk to thick skinned bureaucrats and self-seeking politicians.they will never do anything unless their interests are served in some way or the other. those idiots (used in its real sense) do not understand what tremendous goodwill and popular sentiment would be served if rafisaheb is honoured with this award. if you ask me, a bharat ratna bestowed upon him by his mass admiration base across the world carries more weight than some senseless people in the government who will first want to know what mileage they can gain by honuring rafisaheb.
long long ao when i was in delhi and spoke to some influential politicians, ministers and “dignitories”, they were all very effusive in their praise of rafisaheb, but when asked why they were not honouring him with the country’s highest civilian title, they all clammed up. indeed, one was even insensitive and offensive to the extent of asking how would his party benefit from it. i did not know whether to laugh or cry. i didnt ask him the obvious question: what had his or any other party benefitted by giving bharat ratnas to other recepients. you never argue with imbeciles because invariably they drag you to their standards and make you feel like an a–.
another clarification: the reason why i asked you devotees to refrain from the campaign was not because i doubted you or wanted to hinder you. i can anticipate how terrible and frustrated you would feel when your efforts won’t bear fruit. yet, i do not want to discourage you because i am fully aware that you are doing all this out of utmost love, respect and affection for this godly man.
if this lengthy post still makes you all feel that i am trying to insult rafisaheb or something to that effect, i assure you this shall be my last post on this site. but i will go with a feeling of loss and deprivation. the same feeling that you get when/because rafisaheb is denied his due honour.
i repeat i am not criticising. please read my post carefully. at no point have i criticised anyone of you. nor have i insulted rafisaheb in any way. in fact every word in that post brings out my anguish. and i was only trying to alert you about the frustration you will feel if those sincere efforts gu futile.
ps: murthy sir: can assure you with all sincerity i am neither an adversary nor a detractor. also i am not a mischief-maker from other sites who wants to stir up needless controversies with a fictitious name. i chose this pseudonym with a little thought. just wanted to convey tu kahin aas paas hai dost.
binuji – 111 means like dicky bird / david shepherd of cricket – we have to keep one leg up – till somebody scores the 112th run.
so i am scoring the 112th run.
binuji – good you have announced some awards. keep up the good work.
yes like and murtygaru have expressed – i am in total agreement with your views. fans should write their first name or last name with their email id’s rather than pesuodo names etc.
ramesh narain kurpad
TWO POINTS:
THE FIRST MOHD RAFI AWARD FROM THE RAFI FOUNDATION GOES TO Ms.Usha Khanna, Kavi Yogesh and to Padmashree Udit Narayan, playback singer.
The awards function will be held shortly.
================================================
inquilab newspaper from mumbai published an article on mohd rafi (half page) on dec 24 with lots of info on our website and the rafi foundation.
on a subsequent sunday the times of group news paper published a story on mohd rafi, again half page….
thousand read it and enjoyed it.
binu nair, rafi foundatioin, mumbai
cell 9833 250 701
DEAR RAFI REBORN:
THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO POINTS OF VIEW RE: THE BHARAT RATNA FOR RAFI SAAHEB.THERE ARE SOME BASIC FACTS – TOO – ABOUT OUR FARISHTA.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE VIEW THAT rafi has been denied honours which he rightly deserved which includes the Bharat Ratna.
Many Many people approve of this. they are the hard core music fans of mohd rafi saaheb.
then, there are persons like u – who have an honest opinion about honouring mohd rafi with awards – at this stage – thirty years after attaining divinity.
there is another set of a vast majority of music lovers – who love rafi saaheb. these people are “not bothered” by any awards or such small things….. they simply are “not interested”…. they are the “common people” who carry rafi saaheb in their hearts. they love music, they love mohd rafi – and are found in large groups, in every part of the world. they are found in almost every family unit – that’s my finding. they are the people who relish rafi songs, buy cds and tapes and also throng to mohd rafi music shows – everywhere.
more. recently times music released “an unique” c.d. of great songs . alongwith they are giving a “book on music” which is written by mr.rajiv vijaykar of screen magazine.
my query to mr.rajiv was only one . has mohd rafi been mentioned in his book.
he said : “sawaal hi nahi. koi bhi sangeet ya book mohd rafi ke “bina” – adhoora hai”.
I asked udith narayan playback singer who recorded his first song with rafi saaheb in unees bees film : “how he felt that day with mohd rafi in the recording room:?
said udith narayan (a simpleton to the core) : “he, mohd rafi is godly, very near to god”.
need we say more……
coming back to the point of bharat ratna, let us all send the memorandum to the insensitive government and appeal for the ratna. if it is given – its all right and great and if not given (citing govt rules and policies), then no issues.
mohd rafi has already become “bharat ka ratna” for millions of people.
rafi re-born ji : please give your true identity (without your address) so that we can have a truly fruitful talk in future. u may also write to me in confidence too – if you desire.
i admire your honesty in writing from the heart.
binu nair
founder, rafi foundation,Mumbai..
binus2000@hotmail.com
rafi rebornji, the misunderstandings also stem from seeing posts from peculiar names. often we have found some adversaries using fictitious names instead of their real ones. in case you can come on this site with your real name, we would be happy to know you more personally.
a s murty
RAFI REBORNJI,
Many thanks for your clarifications. we understand you better now and let the misgivings be bygone. as i said in my last post too, you have not hurt anyone’s sentiments. maybe we understood you wrong. your clarifications give us immense joy. some of our friends have been seriously working on this campaign and we do not wish to cause any hindrance in their efforts and hence we had to promptly address specifically to you. never for a moment also think that we would not appreciate constructive criticism. we would welcome that too. but since you have amply clarified your stand, we stand corrected. it is a good omen too that misunderstandings are nipped in the bud and constructive path can be charted ahead. please keep sharing your thoughts as freely as ever.
a s murty
rafi foundation,
hyderabad chapter.
my dearest rafi bhakts
i did not use the word idiots in a derogatory sense. if you seen, i have labelled myself in the same category as well. what i meant was we are all fanatics who love rafisaab so much to the point of being impractical. let me assure you all from the bottom of my heart that i shall be most happy if our god gets the coveted title. i am also not undermining your sincerity and your efforts. but what pains me immensely is we have to petition worthless people in doing so. my question is do we have to be so desperate to get a title — howsover big –for a person we all are fanatc about? (yes, the word idiot was synonymously used and not addressed to anyone here. no one on this site is my personal enemy, please realise). and how does it enhance in any way the prestige of rafisaab? it is not as if he’s going to be any less without that title. i am afraid you haven’t got the essence of my statement that i shall celebrate if you succeed. implicit in it was my happiness shared if indeed your efforts bore fruit. but when i said i shall not sympathise…” i meant we need not feel so hurt and injured that rafisaab didnt get the award. that his personality, spirit and character are secure in our minds is all that matters. an award, whatever its magnitude, cannot now do justice for what is a historic blunder. for 30 long years, rafisaab has been deprived of an award he should have got during his lifetime. my personal take is conferring it now would sound like a case of justice delayed is justice denied. and therefore even more sacrilegious
still, all the best for your efforts. as i said i shall be very happy and part of the celebration if rafisaab gets the bharat ratna. if he doesn’t i m not going to burn a hole in my heart. it is already occupied by the man i have revered all my life.
anyways, do not want to come across as a spoilsport. if any one is hurt by what i have said, i retract all my words. let us keep poking insensitive, inconsiderate and worthless people in the powers that be they must take note of our impassioned plea. i can assure you this is well neigh impossible. hope i am proved wrong.
priya sanyal jee ( post – 102 )
your soul searching comments – are always highly appealing – and they will bear fruit – very soon. like they say – sabrr kaa phal meethaa hotaa hai.
please indicate your email id and cell number.
ramesh narain kurpad
rameshkurpad@gmail.com
0-94484 55164
post – 99,
doctor shylaja prabhakar,
i am highly overwhlemed by your response to my article and thank you very much for all the kind words you have used – the credit entirely goes to rafi sahab, as he inspires us every day of our lives.
comments from a person of your dispostion living oceans away in the united states of america – adds upto my belief that rafi sahab is truly divine and his divinity is all pervading.
your last sentence ( nevertheless the article was very inspiring and true ) acted as a soothing application on a lot of broken hearts of rafi bhakts who genuinely feel for rafi sahab and wish that he be placed on the highest pedestal in the universe.
doctor sahebaa – one thing i would like to say in this dedicated forum of rafi sahab – WAS RAFI SAHAB IGNORED BY THE AUTHORITIES (SARMAYEDAARS) TOTALLY BECAUSE HE CAME FROM A POOR BACKGROUND AND WITH NOT MUCH OF FORMAL EDUCATION ? WAS HE PUSHED UNDER THE CARPET ( SO TO SAY ) BECAUSE HE DID NOT OIL, GREASE OR CONTEST AN AWARD FOR HIMSELF ? WAS HE IGNORED BECAUSE HE WAS TOO VERY SIMPLE FOR THIS OTHERWISE CUNNING WORLD ?
doctor shylaja prabhakar – these and many other such painful questions do haunt me quite often – when i think of rafi sahab.
ramesh narain kurpad.
murty garu, ( post – 103 )
with immense repsect to your good self – i have to admit, that, with utmost restraint and the flawless usage of the english language – you have so very articulately, refuted and rebutted, the utterances in reply.
infact, i would like to add, here that, i was very sure you were going to react very soon but the way in which you did – really sealed the coffin with no air to pass through.
i wish nrpbhai and rangaswamyjee, too react to this post – which if i wanted could have been ” deleted ” by me itself.
the most striking part is how could one put up so many fronts in the same breath. beats me to death. what a waste of a thought and then you make public of it in a dedicated website.
i purposefully allowed it to pass so that, all could read the language used – which the writer feels is justified and a hob very well done – goes ahead – and presses the cursor on ” submit comment “.
every word we use here in this dedicated website which belongs to rafi sahab and his fans/bhakts, directly makes us smile or cry not grimace. it is presumed that people who are not very small children only are the ones sending in comments, so words unbecoming wont be used. however, there seems to be a few exceptions to what is normal and justifiable.
please let us not hurt rafi sahab as he does not deserve such treatment, none of us have been given the rights to insult rafi sahab – period.
ramesh narain kurpad.
“Rafi rebornji” you have not hurt sentiments of anyone, that be the first point. Your detailed comment can be summed up as an advice to all of us not to waste anytime on a seemingly futile exercise. If you read some of my comments and also those of many others, many of us do believe that this is a herculean task. But again in some of my comments above, I have also echoed that at least we will feel elated at having ventured into some task that we had set ourselves for. If we can achieve that impossible dream (your paradoxical statement under “p/s : if you succeed, i shall celebrate with you. if you don’t, i won’t sympathise) we will all have the satisfaction of having been a part of a noble campaign and the B.r. would come as a befitting bonus. If we fail, it still does not matter, as the consolation of having carried on the campaign against many odds (both within and outside) will still give us all the solace. Your comments, therefore, though well meaning are ill-timed. it is our collective fault as a society to give advices when not required and also not to act when the same is much needed. i repeat, we may or may not succeed in our attempts. but without even trying something if we go on to cry fowl then that is where stupidity first shows up. also please do not use words like ‘idiots’ on an otherwise dedicated band of rafi bhakts who for all their innocence may not be treading the correct path and may be seen whiling away their time in unrewarding excercises like the thought of a campaign for the bharat ratna for rafi sahab. if such statements come from detractors, it is understandable, but for a fan who sports a name like ‘rafi reborn” it does not sound all that good.
a s murty
Its not just pride Rafi Reborn ji ,Namaste n AdabRafi. but time has now come for Rafi sahab
work to be arranged systematically that only government can do only if Rafi would be given highest priority of Bharata Ratna……..More than reborn we use the word eternal with Rafi sahab,for the rafi who is already with us we won`t let him leave, out of our love,forever Rafi….first of all cordial greeting to u, that I`m really extremely thankful for ur love n adoration towards Rafi sahab n also a caring attitude towards all Rafians,Rafi-lovers or Rafi-bhakts….
But Dear Rafirebornji its not just a matter of honor that Rafi sahab would be titled “bharata Ratna” for we have no doubt that Rafi sahab is “ratna of Humanity n art of whole world”….Actually when a person become “Bharta Ratna”,,It becomes priority of Government to collect all the work of that person…See,though listener of Lata ji is less than that of Rafi sahab of Kishore da etc…still u can find even her songs of late fouties n 50s in very good audio quality…..Kishore kumar is so much publicizedby mangehskars n media or the community of my native land that his audios r always available in music shops n quality may be better for his most of the songs r recorded in 70s or 80s thats under the modern studio effect…..However with Rafi sahab if we search on youtube everyday we can find so many unheard masterpiece Rafi songs,still on music shops only selected few songs of rafi sahab is found…n also on youtube uploader r disabled now n then n so many songs that he she uploads is lost in nothingness….
Let me confes I`ve few friends Rafi Lovers,in New york n from Uk..who don`t want their name to be known publicly,,,They finance remastering of rafi sahab songs from broken records cassettes or other sources n then donate for free to leading music company herefor their aim is only to let this divine voice reach the masses,,I know this for i myself is one of group of technician from standford university lab who work for this cause on our own accord…our effort is negligible or nothing in comparison of what government could do in this respect only if Rafi sahab would have given same priority like Lataji,Bhimsenjoshi etc….
So plz join us on this campaign,for rafi sahab sings,”ulat jayengi tadbeirey,badal jayengi taqdeerey`n,,chal mushafir teri manjil dur hai to kya hua..”
rafi sahab – congratulations – ramesh narain kurpad.
Our friend – Priya Sanyal – has just sent me this link of a website where petitions can be posted on a given subject :
http://www.gopetition.com/joinnow.php
Understand that millions use the site and that it is taken note of too.
A S MURTY
SECRETARY
RAFI FOUNDATION,
HYDERABAD CHAPTER