Remembering Mohammad Rafi on his death anniversary
By Dr. Souvik Chatterji
The listeners of music all over the world remember the all-time great singer Mohammad Rafi on 31st July, 2013. The noble soul had left his admirers 33 years ago. Yet he is alive in numerous everlasting hit songs which are heard and cherished for generations.
The Poll in History TV relating to 100 years of Indian cinema was erroneous. Mohammad Rafi got the maximum amount of votes yet he was adjudicated as best singer jointly with Kishore Kumar. Firstly those admirers of Mohammad Rafi who had listened to his great songs in the 1940s and 1950s, may not have voted at all, because many of them were not computer-friendly. Otherwise he would have received 10 crores votes more from across the world. The bigger factor is the musical giants in the form of composers of 1940s, 1950s and 1960s had expired. So the view of Naushad Ali, or Shankar Jaikishan, or Madanmohan Kohli or Roshanlal Nagrath or OP Nayyar had not been taken. Neither the view of lyricists Sahir Ludhiyanvi, Shailendra and others were taken. All of them would have unimously said Mohammad Rafi was the greatest singer ever to have graced Indian soil.
A Mohammad Rafi Musical Academy should be opened in Mumbai. The aim and objective of the Academy should be to train singers in the art of playback singing. The way Pune Film and Development Institute had created acting talents like Om Puri, Shabana Azmi and others, in the same way Mohammad Rafi Academy and appoint singers of repute from different parts of the world to train young singers in the art of playback singing.
Mohammad Rafi had been the greatest playback singer ever to have been graced the Indian soil. No other singer can even imagine about visualizing the emotions of Dilip Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Bharat Bhushan, Pradip Kumar, Johnny Walker, all together in the same voice. After bringing about the acting quotients of the legendary actors Mohammad Rafi went one step further to fulfill the requirements of the best composers of the country like Naushad Ali, Shankar Jaikishan, Ghulam Mohammad, Roshan Lal Nagrath, Madanmohan Kohli, OP Nayyar, to name a few, and the greatest lyricists like Shakeel Badayani, Hasrat Jaipuri, Shailendra, Sahir Ludhiyanvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, and others.
Rafi’s 26000 songs are invaluable musical treasure by listening to which any singer can improve his style of singing.
It is a huge question as to how can the singing parameters of Mohammad Rafi can be instilled in the new singers, because playback singing cannot be grammatically taught. But at least the new singers can be trained in classical singing, ghazals, qawallies and may be western style of singing also. The biggest thing is they can be made to listen to Rafi’s singing different types of songs. Few of the Indian classical singers like Suresh Wadkar, Yesu Das, Hariharan, can be few names who can regularly give training to new singers.
One big requirement for the present generation is to actually listen to the wide range of songs Mohammad Rafi had sung including the non-filmi albums. With the media shifting focus towards the new generation music of modern day giants like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Mohit Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, there is every possible chance of Rafi’s works not gaining media attention as majority of the works were during 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. The young generations hardly know the grand compositions of Naushad Ali, or Shankar Jaikishan; nor the urdu-based poetry of Raja Mehendi Ali Khan or Sahir Ludhiyanvi. So the great works of Mohammad Rafi’s generation require very strong publicity and restoration. By better knowing Mohammad Rafi’s works, Indian music can be improved, because no other playback singer in India had given adequate expression to folk songs, pure classical songs, bhajans, rock and roll songs, soft music, ghazals and other forms of Indian music the way Mohammad Rafi had done over a span of 35 years.
Is there any person on Earth who could teach REAL Rafi Saheb. My point is Singers can or sing songs etc, but where is that Voice of God which was available only in Rafi Saheb. Forget the voice atleast a singer has to pronounce the words properly and present them with music in Rafi Saheb’s style. My sincere suggestion for the Academy is the URDU should be compulsorily taught for the Singers and the Real Rafi Saheb should be the main Subject of Teaching.
We all Rafians pay musical tribute to the Great Soul on His 33rd Death Anniversary by recollecting all his melodies!
Thirty three years back on 31st July the soulful , the melodious, and the most unparalleled singer Mohd Rafi left the world yet he continues to lives in the hearts of his admirers. From romantic to dance numbers, classical to light soothing songs, bhajans to naats, mohd rafi has been winning millions of hearts worldwide.
Mohd rafi’s eternal voice will live forever.
Thirty three years back on 31st July the soulful , the melodious, and the most unparalleled singer Mohd Rafi left the world yet he continues to lives in the hearts of his admirers. From romantic to dance numbers, classical to light soothing songs, bhajans to naats, mohd rafi has been winning millions of hearts worldwide.
Mohd rafi’s eternal voice will live forever.
I THINK THAT RAFI SAAB NEEDS NO COMPLIMENT FROM ANYBODY ELSE. HIS SONGS SPEAK FOR HIM. RAFI SAB HI KE LIYE KAAFI HAI, KOI SHAQUE?
Rafi Saab is ever alive in the hearts of millions of his die-hard fans,each one who has a heavy heart today.He can truly never die.Long Live Rafi Saab.
Excellent article, Thanks, Let me stress that voting for Rafi Sahab is an insult, as you only vote where there is a choice or comparison, as we all know that he had none as a singer and as a human being, he is and will remain “The Greatest” full stop.
it’s too good .
Further to my post below and further emphasising on the point that by merely listening to Rafi Saab’s voice one can improve his singing, in this regard Kishore Kumar himself is one of the greatest examples. Kishore Kumar never had any formal training in singing. He constantly listened only to Rafi Saab songs for so many years to the extent that he himself considered Rafi Saab as his Guru in singing and kept picture of Rafi Saab in front while singing. It was because of this that Kishore Kumar reached such high position in singing and became most sought after singer after departure of Rafi Saab. Jai Ho Rafi Saab!!!
How can such a man leave us NO he is here all the time
with us
Thanks Bhaskarji, Bhattji, Bishtji and others for the beautiful comments.
There is no shadow of doubt that the greatest composers of all time in the Indian music industry had always considered Mohammad Rafi’s voice to be the best voice ever the country had produced.
Naushad Ali had accepted it, Shankar Jaikishan, Madanomohan, OP Nayyar, Roshanlal Nagrath, Laxmikant Pyarellal, all had accepted it. It was said a number of times. And they categorically mentioned after giving due respect to Manna Dey Sahab, Mukeshji, Talatsahab and others, that Rafisahab’s range was the greatest and the variety of ghazals, pure classical numbers, qawallies could only be composed just because Rafisahab was involved in the rendition of those songs. None of Naushad Sahab, Shankar Jaikishan, OP Nayyar Sahab, Roshanlal Nagrathji are alive now. So their testimony cannot be verified. But Rafisahab not being born, many flavours of music would not have emerged in the country at all.
Dr. Souvik Chatterji
THE GOD OF MUSIC IS SMILING . HIS EVERGREEN AND TIMELESS VOICE IS GIVING US PEACE AND HAPPINESS IN THIS MATERIAL WORLD.
RAFI WAS RAFI =RARE AND FOREVER INSPIRING
IT IS VERY PAINFUL THAT WE INDIANS HAVE NOT GIVEN HIM ENOUGH IN LIEU OF HIS VAST GIFT OF PHENOMENAL SONGS. NO MATTER, TRUE MUSIC LOVERS WILL ALWAYS LOVE HIM AND RAFI WILL LINGER FOREVER IN THIS WORLD
HE WAS RARE, A GEM- GOD OF MUSIC- FAR AHEAD –
WE MISS HIM IN LIFE. YOUR MUSIC GIVES US LIFE AND REASON TO
UNDERSTAND US AS TRUE HUMAN BEING- TO SPREAD LOVE, PEACE, SMILE, HAPPINESS AND PATIENCE
Dear Souvik Thanks for the beautiful article on Rafi Saab I completely agree with the view that just by listening to Rafi Saab’s songs one can improve his voice. This I have experienced in my own life. Although I am not a professional singer and dont know the technicalities of singing, I love singing especially Rafi Saab s songs. Initially I used to not sing that well. Afterwards I constantly listened to Rafi Saab songs and listened intently to his way of singing. I really fell in love with the songs. That way I gradually improved my voice. I also got the chance to sing on couple of family occasions (where I sang Rafi Saab songs) and was highly appreciated. Truly I consider Rafi Saab as my Guru in singing. Though he is not physically present he has taught me through his songs. Even though I may have listened to many of his songs so many times still when I listen again and again I am filled with the same freshness and joy as if am hearing for the first time. Truly without doubt Rafi Saab is the greatest singer in the universe. He is the voice of God.
We love you rafi saab. You will always be in our hearts. Not a single day passed without remembering you or listening your songs from the day you gone to your heavenly abode. You are the no.01 in this universe as a singer and a human being. Long live rafi saab.
regards, Birendra Singh Bisht
I too did not vote for the poll for greatest singer , But in my heart I know there is no great singer except Mohd Rafi. I do not have any knowledge of surs and raags, but the tunes and lyrics of rafi singing the songs gives me immesuarable joy to my heart.My music library in my mobile phone is only of rafi and rafi whether it is solo, duets with other singers , happy songs, sad songs, ghazals, qawallis or in any other format. Songs like ‘Mera toh jo bhi kadam ‘ from dosti ,I beleive would be one of his best soul stirring song. My heartiest tribute to this great singer on his death anniversary today.
i certainly endorse this view with a warm hearted greeting-it is imperative that the greatest singing prowess is known to the modern day youth in as much as the coming generations and this will be made possible by proper propaganda only
Dear Souvik
Thanks for posting a really thought provoking article on the great singer Mohd.Rafi. I agree with you that crores of Rafi fans across the world must have not casted the votes in f/o Rafi Saab.I am one of those who did not vote.
There can’t be a better suggestion to open Mohamed Rafi Academy.
Most of the present day singers as per their own admission have learnt a great deal by listening to his songs.Hence some thing should be done so that todays youngsters can learn from this versatile singers songs.take for example qawalli na to karavaan ki Talaash hai from barsaat Ki Raat .Can any present day composer unite so many artists, musicians to get such fantastic qawaali recorded live.Definitely a good sugestion to do some thing in the direction of getting media attention to Rafi songs
I was fortunate that a few days ago i saw old movie “Jugnu “as in the movie Rafi was seen playing a smart role of singing on screen.
I wish all your suggestions shall be taken seriously by all concerned and desired results shall emerge.
Ashok Mehta
PS pl noe my new mobile no 8447770133.I am not in use of my old Mobile 9958099417.
People in India see everything with the prism of religion. Specially right wing hindu organizations are trying to undermine every things done by Muslims in India. There is no doubt that Rafi will always remain best but people who do not have any music sense talk differently … Once Manna Dey sahab said there was race for position two between him and Kishoreji … rafi was always on top..
Allah uko zannat nasseb kare… Ameen