Slice of Heaven: A Tribute to Mohammed Rafi
By Ronny Noor, an English professor at the University of Texas, Brownsville
Mohd Rafi
I never saw you in person, nor did you ever lay eyes on me. But, to tell you the truth, I have known you all my life, since the day your mellifluous voice greeted my first breath on earth in the florid blush of a summer morning, drifting from radios, gramophones, and loudspeakers. Your melody traveled hundreds of miles through the air to the heart of Bengal to fill my days, months, and years, wrapping me to hum with you like a veritable confession, “I am so lost without you in this world.” The merit of those words became apparent in my darkest moment when you came to my rescue with:
In the gloomy hours of the night
Do not lose your heart
The daybreak will surely follow
Look forward to the crack of dawn
Barely a teenager then, I lay there in my nook in a Dhaka bungalow, staccatos of bullets puncturing the July afternoon ominously to warn me that death was knocking on the door. I listened to you with my radio nestled in pillows next to my ear lest your voice would attract the attention of strangers with malicious intentions. I had heard that tune umpteen times before but it had never touched me as deeply as in that hour when you brought me a slice of heaven in my topsy-turvy world surrounded by hell.
It was 1971. I was a happy-go-lucky boy basking in rosy dreams of the future when my life was suddenly turned upside down on the crispy night of March 25th, President Yahya Khan letting loose his troops on innocent Bengalis with tanks and guns to smother their demands for better treatment. In a matter of hours homes were brought down to the ground; humans were blown out of existence. Standing there among ashes and skulls decking the police headquarters the next morning, I seemed to hear your voice with tears in my eyes, “I longed for the moon and the stars . . .” And my life was changed forever.
What followed was a life of constant fear, fear for dear life and fear for the future as my fellow Bengalis, refusing to be trampled underfoot, took up arms against Yahya’s forces. I wondered every day whether I would live to greet the next sunrise in that turmoil. And even if the daylight did greet me, what would life be under the barrel of a gun if our struggle was all for naught? There was more despondency than hope, which would have driven me to distraction if not for your reassuring words, “In the gloomy hours of the night, do not lose your heart,” from some station in Delhi or Guwahati. I wondered if you knew what I was going through, engaged as you were in your daily rhythm of life among beautiful divas doused in cologne and wrapped in chiffon, besides being a loving husband and doting father. Your words, however, carried me through days and nights, through dread and violence, and finally they turned out to be prophetic on the 16th of December, when the sweet taste of freedom came with the surrender of the Pakistani forces in the fading glow of the late afternoon, bringing to an end nine months of misery. Immediately your voice rang again in the air amid the jubilant fireworks, earnest and clear, heralding the birth of a new nation through loudspeakers: “O Spring, let there be showers of petals; my beloved has appeared.”
It was the dawn of a new day, a new beginning, a new life. And I found myself pouring out your melody that was lodged in my heart when a guitar-shaped beauty swept me off my feet one intoxicating night:
Are you the full moon or the dazzling sun
Whatever you may be, I swear you’re beyond compare
Like a cloud your hair falls over your shoulders
Your eyes brim with the wine of love
You are the very intoxication of love
Are you the full moon . . .
Your face is like a lotus in a flowing brook
Your face is like a sonnet tuned by the music of life
My love, you’re the inspiration of a poet
Which girl would resist such poetry? Not the one raised on the green banks of the Padma. Seduced by my melody she slipped her guitar into my loving arms, and we spent blissful days frolicking in the summer sun and the monsoon rain, singing without a care in the world:
Buds have unfurled into petals
Every flower’s courted by drones
The season of love has arrived
The season of blooming flowers
Or, more intimately,
No other has the hue of your skin, darling
No other has the scent of your body
We were so lost in each other that we never even dreamed our bond of love, our bond of life, would ever come to an end. But it did, the bliss turning out to be as transitory as the nine months of misery in my teens, at the end of which the guitar slipped out of my arms to be played by others, throwing me into the pit of an abyss. I grasped then the verity of those words you rendered so fervently, “A ruined temple can be rebuilt again, but who can ever mend a broken heart.” I sought refuge in literature and philosophy to soothe my smoldering heart, poring over Tagore and Tolstoy, devouring Buddha and Khayyam. But it was your voice again that reassured me repeatedly:
In the gloomy hours of the night
Do not lose your heart
The daybreak will surely follow
Look forward to the crack of dawn
Thus you picked me up from the abyss of despair, one again. I realized then it was not so much the words that made me believe them the way I did for they almost echoed those of Buddha and Khayyam, but the feeling that you conveyed through your melody. Every word you sang rang so true that it seemed to be welling from the very bottom of your heart, your soulful voice caressing me, soothing me, making me whole again. Such was your artistry, whether the words were threaded together by Jan Nisar, Shakeel Badayuni, Hasrat Jaipuri, or Anand Bakshi; or the music composed by Naushad, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Sachin Dev Burman, or Shankar-Jaikishan. It was you who breathed life into those words. You felt them even more keenly than the actors who lip-synced on the silver screen. They were the bodies, you were the soul. They used their gestures, you used your heart. That’s why you could advise the stars about how to sing them on screen, how to serenade their heroines, whom you had already courted in your imagination. You courted them all, the silver screen divas who stole the sleep of millions, in the resplendent radiance of distant Tokyo and Paris, in the magnificent snows of your native Simla and Srinagar, as well as in backyard gardens and overgrown fields. You frolicked with Madhubala, felt the heartbeat of Vyjantimala, and swept up Sharmila on your arms. You fostered the name of Dilip Kumar, the fame of Dev Anand, and the career of Shammi Kapoor, bringing them all into the dreams of schoolgirls and housewives alike, making them veritable heartthrobs.
Mohd Rafi
Some of your ardent admirers lament that you degraded yourself singing for second-rate movies, lowly villains, and comedians. But it only demonstrates your genuine love for your art. You poured out your heart into every word irrespective of who sang the song on the celluloid- screen. Even if an actor was not a superstar like Rajesh Khanna or Amitabh Bachchan, he could still court his beloved just like one of them, ogling her curvaceous loveliness caught in a gossamer sari:
I swear I wish to fill
My vision with your beauty
I wish to love you
Will all of my heart
There lies the true artist in you. You did not discriminate between the superstar and the starlet, the debonair hero and the fatuous comedian. Everybody can court with the same fervor and sweetness, with the same desire to love and to be loved, the jester pleading playfully yet fondly for a little compassion:
Rekha, O Rekha
Ever since I’ve laid eyes on you
My appetite and sleep have vanished
And my worthy life has dwindled to zero
Your loving heart went out not only to the enticing heroines you wooed in your imagination but also to your fellow humans in real life. It is well known that you did not demand payments from producers who could not afford to pay your fees. You sang for them gratis without a second thought. There is no better example of humanity.
In a career spanning almost four decades, from the 1940s to the 1980s, you sang a prodigious number of songs, over twenty-six thousand according to some counts. You were the singer of the millennium, who bagged five national awards and six Filmfare awards for best singer. India honored you with a silver medal and a Padma Shri. Chowks are named after you and shrines are built for you. Academies and institutes also bear your proud name. You have captivated so many millions and generations of music lovers that a chorus of voices around the world is rightly singing your praise, some claiming you were God’s voice, others calling you Saraswati’s son. To some you were Bharat’s ratna, to others you were a saint. But most of all you were an artist par excellence who is enshrined in our hearts because your melody flows through our veins like the sweetest nectar.
You were a virtuoso, a musical genius, a sur samrat who could hit the high notes, the low notes, and all the other notes in between with equal facility, whether you sang a romantic ditty, a mournful ballad, a ghazal, a bhajan, or a meditative malkosh; or whether you sang in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, or your native Punjabi. You were that farishta who came down from the heavens to teach us to love, to live, and to survive. You also gave us a lesson in excellence by honing your art regularly in the wee hours of the morning when most were asleep or taking their pleasure. You were a consummate artist and a matchless bard, a phenomenon and an institution, but above all you were a genuine dost whose blessed voice we could, and always can, rely on any hour of the day, dusk or dawn, as well as in moments of anger or ease, elation or grief. You were truly a religious man who taught us that we are neither Hindu nor Muslim, neither Sindhi nor Marathi, but we are all Ram and Rahim, humans first and foremost, for whom you prayed fervently, “Ishwar Allah are your names; O God, give wisdom to all,” so that we could all live in harmony with mutual respect.
O exalted bard! I would like to be born a hundred times to listen to you, but time will consume me as surely as it consumed you on that fateful day in July1980. But that cold awareness melts like snow in your melody when your warm voice seeps into my heart to set it aright with the rhythm of your words:
Do not lose your heart, my friend
Whatever happens, do not despair
For life is a musical instrument
Whose every note is pleasant
“This is the music,” in the words of the great seer Kabir, “of soul and soul meeting, of the forgetting of all grief.” It certainly is, my dear Rafi. Thanks to you, heavenly bard.
The End
Great post! Slice of Heaven: A Tribute to Mohammed Rafi | Rafians tribute to a true Maestro – Mohd Rafi seriously tends to make my life a bit happier 😀 Continue alongside the exceptional posts! Cheers, Simply
Dear All:
I am truly overwhelmed by your responses to my article. I must say that I enjoyed writing it and I am glad that you all enjoyed reading it. You are certainly very knowledgeable about music, especially Rafi’s music. I agree with you that an artist like Rafi does not die. For more on that, you can read my article titled “Rafi the Artist: Always and Ever.” Please click on the following link: http://www.mohdrafi.com/meri-awaaz-suno/rafi-the-artist-always-and-ever.html.
I thank you all for your kind words and wish you the very best of luck.
Best,
Ronny Noor
Brownsville, Tx
Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye ,,,,,,,,,,today is 31 July and his 31 anniversary but he lives in our heart’s ,he is with his fan’s who love his voice ,i am glad for expressing my feeling about his voice and his songs ,,,he used to be with me always whether i am happy or sad , his voice give me energy to live ,,one of his song which sung so beautifully and l used to listen always ,,film sungharsh for dillip kumar
jab dil se dil takarata hai mat and mere pairon me ghogroo.
he is a legend and the legend never dies ,,
I feel extremely fortunate to share the same birth date as of Rafi Saab..24 Dec….and there could not be any better gift than to share the same date(31 Jul) to travel to meet him in person :)…
Sunil
Dear Noor,
Wonderful article indeed. I am from Bangladesh and although I have my ancestral roots in Sylhet I was born and brought up for most part of my life in Dhaka and experienced the nine month’s nightmare under the occupation army that started on the 25th March 1971 and also tasted freedom on the 16th December 1971. I would like to share an important information regarding our favorite Mohamed Rafi. Sometime in September 1971 Rafi’s songs were banned from broadcasting in all Radio Stations in Pakistan under the orders of the then President General yahya Khan since Rafi criticized the military regime for the atrocities that they committed that Rafi learned after he visited some refugee camps in India.
That was the human Mohammed Rafi who spoke for the oppressed people.
At this moment I am in Michigan and while posting in this site I am enjoying a beautiful duet sung by Rafi and Asha, ‘Aap yun hi agar hum se milte rahein, dekhieye ek din pyar ho jayega” from the film if I am not mistaken, “Ek musafir ek hasina”
Regards.
janab noor sahab
very hearty & touching article on musical legend mohd. rafi. emotional reading by a rafi fan. awaiting for more article in future too. thanks & warm regards.
biman baruah
goregaon, mumbai.
9969225774
Noor Sahab,
Aadaab.
What a great article… it has made every reader very emotional… your narration of real-life events and their amalgamation/matching with HIS great songs is just heavenly… its true that we like to hear HIS songs in all are mental states, be it love,joy,sorrow,etc… be it any occasion,there is a song by HIM which fulfills the meaning,essence of that occasion… do continue to write about HIM, because no matter how much anyone writes,it is never enough for us fans…
UNKI YAAD MEIN,
Manoj Kumar Bhanshali.
Calcutta.
As expressed by others, I too had tears brimming my eyes when I read this article. Great heartfelt writing.
Noor sahab,
ASA, Excellant writing. Very heart touching.
Thanks,
Dr. Khaja Aliuddin
chicago
Prof. Noor,
What an excellent write up and an exalted tribute to Rafi Sahab. I just do not find words to appreciate your article. Please accept my hearty congratulations on behalf of rafi fan community for your future efforts, you are most welcome to this website and enlighten us with your further solid write ups.
I like to address to Rafi lovers – sometimes all we need is a little appreciation. At the same time, let us not forget to appreciate others around us. I would like to quote a famous quotation in this context “ Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I may not forget you [William Arthur].
I request all Rafi fans to please encourage the writers with your little words of appreciation, in turn you will get good and enchanting write ups from them for our beloved singer Rafi Sahab.
With all my best regards,
H.A.K. Walijah
It is among the greatest write up i have seen on Rafi sahab. Very heart felt, honest and sensitive sharing of experience is what make this essay so beautiful and the beautiful use of rafi songs is simply superb. Hope to see more such articles from regular contributors too.
Regards.
only 27 posts so far on such a great write-up???? mohd rafi lovers must express themselves : its strongly felt and take the misssssion forward..
over to rafi lovers.
Dearest Professor Ronny Noor,
Most Respected Sir,
Aap Bhataktey huey yahaan ayey nahee – rafi sahab kaa web site – aap kaa lekh kaa intezaar mein – karvatey lerahee theeee. aisaa mera apnaa rai hai.
oh blessed one – truly your name is noor – as they say in EGYPT
” SABAAHAL NOOR ”
your writing came as the rising the sun took us all on aroller coaster rafi special in true shakespearean style and brought us back home by the fall of the sun.
oh – exalted one – after – reading ” the late swaminathan iyer ” in the article – rafi sahab – true voice
i think you are one of the living proofs of rafi greatness – expressed in divine magical words.
a lot of people whom i know could espouse writing in chaste english literataur flow – but you are truly special and like most rafi lovers –
i too am cleaning the overflowing buckets of ” rafi tears “.
i would be mighty pleased if we could have your email address.
adaab rafi,
ramesh narain kurpad
rafiaarenkay@gmail.com
rameshkurpad@gmail.com
Only one word for this piece of write-up: Excellent.
Post 15:
dil ka soona saaz tarana dhoondega
teer-e-nigah-e-naaz nishana dhoondega
mujhko mere baad zamana dhoondega
Yes, we all Rafi fans are searching Rafi saab even after 31 years of his departure from this world. But did he really depart from us? His umpteen number of songs give us solace, bring joy, cheer us up, motivate us, console us (in our tough times), giggle us, tickle us, bring out our romantic attributes to the fore…. and what not. There is a Rafi song for every mood, for our every emotional need. For a fan like me, he is very much part of my day to day life.
Post 21:
Binu ji, The stories of Rafi saab’s gentleness, saintly attributes are simply out of this world. 10,000 rupees in seventies was a huge sum. To donate such an amount to a liftman to help him for his daughter’s marriage …. only a real saint can do it. Years and years later the coming generations will find it difficult to believe that such a man can exist in this selfish and ruthless film industry.
-J.K. Bhagchandani
Great article, one can really get the exact feeling of how Rafi saab has influenced all of us, day in day out, no matter which part of the world we were growing up, in.
I am often surprized, when and how a person can understand so many emotions in such a small span of time and then use them so accurately in his singing, thus taking the song to untouched hights and making it a gem. I don’t think any music composer or lyricist had any more expectations left, for his work. When I was a child the most common phrase used by elder music listeners was ‘Rafi is Rafi’ – so true.
MUSIC gives a soul to the universe
wings to the Mind
Flight to Imaginatioins
And life to everything…..
Mohd Rafi Saheb’s renditions are perfection personified….enjoy blisss with them.
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i wish to use ‘Slice of Heaven’ article for the benefit of regional readers and lovers of mohd rafi – for a publication.
i request permission to use this article for the benefit of readers ‘who’ do not log in to mohdrafi.com.
noor sir….please.
email : binus2000@hotmail.com
cell : 9833 250 701 Open 24 hrs for Rafi Saheb lovers.Mumbai
Thanks sir Noor
Anand Bakshi said once that when other singers sung my songs I feel how it will be if it was sung by Mohd Rafi……
Dear Noor,
It is so deep that when I close my eyes – I can feel it. You have shown the crisis & feeling of war and how a human being can be inspired for life at that moment by melody– you have shown in such manner. How a people’s heart can touch such words- like “In the gloomy hours of the night, do not lose your heart,” and also made feelings by Mohammed Rafi’s song for freedom. That is shown how lodged your heart by so touchy music. I can only dream bond of life within love. Millennium singer Mohammed Rafi music returns harmony in life of million peoples. Now I understand the great artist is the greatest by learning your article in deepest of soul. How many times I read the article, my imagination on Mohammed Rafi goes beyond, beyond, beyond………
post 19:
Yes, the song was composed by Bappi Lahiri. Here’s some trivia. In a Jaimala program, Boppi-da had once narrated the conversation he had with Rafi saab before the recording of the song (accent added by me):
Boppi-da: “Rofi-shaab, aap homarey jaisa chhota kolakar ke liye gayenge?”
To which Rafi saab replied: “Kala mein koi chhota-bada nahin hota hai, sirf kalakar hota hai.”
Rafi Saaheb’s act of Goodness to a liftman’s daughter of famous studio…. read on
that mohd rafi saheb was sent by the gods is a well known fact believed by millions of rafi fans. saaheb won ‘struggled’ to reach the top place in playback singing. and, once having reached the pinnacle of success and adulation, he never did forget his roots and goodness.
once, while going to the famous studio, the liftman whispered a few words to the god’s favourite singer – who just nodded and smiled.
the song to be taken was the N.datta masterpiece written by lyricist sahir ludhianvi. the movie was to be nadiadwala’s jeetendra starrer : naya raasta.
“ishwar allah tero naaam, sabko sanmati de bhagwan”… was the peach of the song.
saaheb recorded the song and later offered a lift to the composer n.datta saheb who pensively said he will be on his own and took the 81 number best bus to shaastri nagar at santacruz.
before that rafi saheb was in the lift and seen pleasantly exchanging words with the liftman and passing a cover to him.
the cover contained all of rs.10,000, saheb’s fee for recording the song. the amount ‘given’ was for the expenses of the lift man’s daughter’s impending marriage.
when saaheb went to the heavens, the liftman was there – full of non-stop tears. but, he gathered all strength to narrate this great act of rafi saheb to my friend – santosh desai, now in the us who now says that rafi saaheb visites him every week in his dream and talks to him in marathi.
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shaam-e-rafi saheb at mumbai on may 29th was a housefull show and music lovers came from far and wide. there was huge applause when each songs were anounced/played on the day. the mohd rafi magic never stops. thanks to the great audience and the team who put in their best efforts to date – in memory of the singing god.
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the mohd rafi chowk at bandra is in a shabby condition. the rafi foundation about a year back has given a design which was accepted by the corporator ashish shelar who promised that he would spruce up the chowk. but, nothing has come out of this so far.
we must solidly sms to our rafi lover ashish shelar to speed up things. saaheb’s family members are also supporting the make-over suggested by the rafi foundation and we must ‘now’ take this to its logical end.
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yeh dil ki baatein hai is liye hum yahan par kuch likh diye hai. may the music, melody, mood of mohd rafi songs prevail in music lovers’s hearts.
the rafi foundation,mumbai
cell : 9833 250 701.. open 24 hrs. for rafi saaheb lovers…
Posts No. 15 and 16.
Haldar Saab:
Thank you for your kind comments and for directing me towards this philosophical gem from the late 70’s movie, Iqraar, one of the few songs sung by Rafi Saab for Bappi Lahiri with lyrics by Kulwant Jani.
Kind regards,
Bina
Je ne suis indien ,mais étant tout jeune une voix extraordinaire et melodieuse m’a attirée a voir le film (AAN); avec le grand Yusuf Khan…
Et croiyez depuis ce jours le grand Rafi Sahab est toujours dans mon coeur,car c’est le sang qui circule dans mon dans mes veines…
Irremplaçable MOHAMMED RAFI.
Et comme moi des fans de Rafi Sahab dans mon pays je vous jures qu’il y a des MILLIONS…..
KHALED : with best regards (FROM ALGERIA…..)
{{ Google Translation }}
I’m Indian, but being very young an extraordinary voice and melodious drew me to see the movie (AAN) with the general Yusuf Khan …
And since that day thougt the great Rafi Sahab is always in my heart because it is the blood that flows in my veins in my …
MOHAMMED RAFI irreplaceable.
And fans like me Rafi Sahab in my country, I swear to you that there are MILLIONS … ..
Brilliant article. I wouldn’t have said it any better. Hats off to you professor.
There is a Rafi song for every mood of our life. And it is soothing always. I resort to them at the time of grief (other times always) to give me some peace of mind. It is divine, god sent, incomparable. Like everyone else I always think I am the greatest Rafi fan but you and others in the forum proved there are greater fans of the Greatest. Thanks again for a brilliant write up.
Dear Noorsab,
This is a divine co-incidence.
Two weeks ago Dr. Vasudha sent her quiz to our e-group wherein one
had to identify the song. It read,
Let not the darkness of sorrow leave you perplexed.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.Just anticipate it.
Of all the 4951 songs, she had to pick the very song that seem to
be very close to your heart. I just couldn’t help but bring to your kind attention. Even the talat version too is praise worthy in my humble
opinion sir.
Warmly,
Nagesh
post 13:
Binaji,
Beautiful translation of the song:
dil ka soona saaz tarana dhoondega
teer-e-nigah-e-naaz nishana dhoondega
mujhko mere baad zamana dhoondega
—
Who said poetry is dead? As long as there are people like Prof. Noor and you who read and appreciate Rumi, Khayyam, Ghalib, Tagore, Nazrul, Sahir, Shailendra, Neeraj, Kaifi, …, poetry will be alive.
Regards to all the budding poets in our midst.
P. Haldar
post 13:
Bina ji,
The last song in Prof. Noor’s article is:
saathi re gham nahin karna
jo bhee ho aanhen na bharna
saathi re gham nahin karna
jo bhee ho aanhen na bharna
jeevan hai iktara
jis ka har sur pyara
…..
Regards and best,
P. Haldar
Oh my god!!! such a great fan of rafi saab!!! and i used to think alongwith a friend of mine who is also a great rafi bhakth,that we are his greatest fans. Noorji, what a lovely article. Please accept my heartfelt wishes.
Noor Saab:
Thanks for a beautiful article, your autobiography interspersed with poetic rendition of some of Rafi Saab’s famous songs. I tried to decipher some of the songs you have so skillfully versified, perhaps some of them are right..
Gam ki andheri raat mein
Baharon phool barsao
Maine chaand aur sitaaron ki tamanna ki thi
Chaudaveen ka chaand ho
Kaliyon ne ghoonghat khole
Rangat teri soorat si kisi mein nahi nahi
Apni aankhon mein basakar
Rekha oh Rekha jab se tumhein dekha
The last song is on the tip of my tongue, maybe one of the gyaanis on the forum will be able to point it out to me…
Here is one more for your coffer, a humble offering in the name of Rafi Saab from one Rafi Bhakt to another…Antara followed by Mukhda
PEOPLE WILL ASPIRE MY DREAMS AND SHAPE THEM INTO CHRONICLES
THE FIRE IN MY HEART WILL BE PASSED ON TO LOVERS
THE TREASURE OF MY SONGS, TIME WILL SEEK.
THE SILENT CHORD OF MY HEART WILL SEEK MELODY
THE DARTS OF ALLURING EYES WILL SEEK THEIR MARK
AFTER I’M GONE, IT IS ME THE WORLD WILL SEEK
Bina
Rafi song never dies
live forever in my heart
Rafi sahab king of melody…..
mike
from Indonesia
Binujee,
Rafi belongs to each and everyone of us.
You need not ask my permission sir.
I still have not come out of the nasha I have had after reading Noorji’s article.
One of its kind!
vasudha
Noor Saab,
You moved me. It happens, so many times, when we listen to a soulful number from Rafi Saab, tears just roll down. He had a song for every occassion and at the back of our mind, the song was played on all our occassions.
Brilliant article.
GURU
Dear professor saheb what a great article on great great great rafi saheb.
i am speechless and thoughtless.
thank you very much.
Birendra singh
Dear Noor ji,
An essay like this could only be written either by a musical aficionado whose
life is tremendously impacted by his virtuosity in terms of its emotional conveyance or by someone who is a word-smith par excellence for its
brilliant prose and you turned out to be a perfect combination of both.
Outstanding is the word !!
In awe !!
Nagesh
Dr Vasuda ji… Post 4… can i add my name too to ur comment please. they are the same if i write on this great essay of my god……
thank you
the rafi foundation,mumbai
I am astounded by sheer magic of mohd rafi saaheb and his millions + fans all over the world.
the greatest singer and humanist of all times was the best singer nd a great observer.
many times, fans would trail his car on mumbai roads. the great rafi saaheb knew this and at traffic signals would signal his fans to drive slowly and safely.
at the shanmukananda hall too while driving in – the greatest singer was keenly observing his fans and his eyes fell on this small rafi saaheb fan. that was the day when rafi saab ‘rocked’ with Mai jat yamla … first time on stage, months before the release of the song. The rendition of Oh duniya ke rakhwale and the repeat lines of Mahal Udaaas aur galiyan sooni transported the 3 k strong rafi lovers to another world.
i am dazed by the enormous love filled article ronny noor ji.
from the rafi foundation
mumbai. cell + 9833 250 701
noorji
This is a touching and a very sensitive tribute to a great soul from a great fan.
Amazing description and totally awesome feelings.
Hats off to You.
Noorjee
I had to stop reading several times and then resume, as the words got blurred and I was confused whether it was euphoria , the memory of my love Rafi or the intensity of the article that made my eyes misty.I bow before your profound way of putting across your thoughts without any inhibitions and declaring your love for the maestro.
You seem to be not only a professor but a considerate human being, a prolific writer and a great artist yourself.
I am dumbfounded.
Vasudha
mohammada rafi ke gaane itne ache hai ki jindagi bhar nahii bhool payenge unke dil ek mandir ka “yaad na aaye beete dinonki jake na aaye woh din dil kyo bhulaya?” rutu hai milank e saathi mere aare mohe kahi lechal bahon ke sahare yeh gaana bhi bahu t acha haiaur jab jab phool khilen me “yahan mai ajnabi hoon my jo hoo bas wahi hoo ye bhi bahut acha hai
‘
chale the saath milke ke chalenge saath milkar tumhe rukna padega meri aa waaz sunkar aur kabhi raat din ham dur thee din raat ka ab saath hai woh bhi ittefaq ki baath hai yeh bhi ittefaq ki baath hai ye aur aur unke itne ache gaane hai ham jindagi bhar ye gaane nahi bhulenge
gham ki andheri raat mein
dil ko na beqaraar kar
subah zaroor aayegi
subah ka intazaar kar
……