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1 May=‘Manna Day’ (Part 1)
1 May=‘Manna Day’ (Part 1)
In Hrishikesh Mukherjee's film 'Anand', the two songs that'll remain in our heart, are sung by the golden voice of Mukesh for Rajesh Khanna—'Kahin dur jab din dhal jay' (Where the day is setting off in some distance) and 'Maine tere liye hi saat rang ke sapne chune' (I've chosen colorful dreams only for you); but the whole india still remembers and visualises Rajesh Khanna walking on a sea beach and waving the balloons singing with a signature smile on his lips—'Zindagi...kaisi hai paheli hai....kabhi toh hasaye, kabhi yeh rulaye...' (Life...how it changes from time to time...sometimes it makes us smile and sometimes it makes us cry), whenever we talk about the film 'Anand'. This song was sung by Manna Dey. Salil Chowdhury knew exactly what Manna Dey was capable of. That's why, in the 1961 film 'Kabuliwallah', he chose Manna Dey to sing that immortal patriotic song for Balraj Sahni—'Aye mere pyaare watan, aye mere bichhade chaman, tujh pe dil qurbaan...' (O my loved homeland, o my lovely garden of flowers, I sacrifice my soul for you...). Whenever, wherever and how many times I listen to this song, it brings tears to my eyes, especially in that last part of the song—'Hum jahan paida huye, uss jagah hi nikle dum...tujh pe dil qurbaan/Tu hi meri aarzoo, tu hi meri aabru, tu hi meri jaan' (Let us die in the same place where we were born/You are what I wish for, you are all my honor, I sacrifice my soul for you). It feels terrific every time the listeners listen to it! The song which is still considered as one of the greatest love songs of the Malayalam language, namely 'Manasa maine vaaru' from the film 'Chemmen', is sung by a Bengali. Do you know his name? His name is Manna Dey! The song was composed by another Bengali, named Salil Chowdhury! On the other hand, when Salil da composed a Bengali song with the same music–'Naam Shakuntala Taar'–he chose a south Indian singer, K J Yesudas to sing that song. And that Bengali song also became very popular. Only a wise musician like Salil Chowdhury could do that!
(to be continued...)
—van Helsing
4 May 2024
4-25 pm.
Saturday
•Image: sketched by the author
••Songs translated into English by the author
© Van Helsing
In Hrishikesh Mukherjee's film 'Anand', the two songs that'll remain in our heart, are sung by the golden voice of Mukesh for Rajesh Khanna—'Kahin dur jab din dhal jay' (Where the day is setting off in some distance) and 'Maine tere liye hi saat rang ke sapne chune' (I've chosen colorful dreams only for you); but the whole india still remembers and visualises Rajesh Khanna walking on a sea beach and waving the balloons singing with a signature smile on his lips—'Zindagi...kaisi hai paheli hai....kabhi toh hasaye, kabhi yeh rulaye...' (Life...how it changes from time to time...sometimes it makes us smile and sometimes it makes us cry), whenever we talk about the film 'Anand'. This song was sung by Manna Dey. Salil Chowdhury knew exactly what Manna Dey was capable of. That's why, in the 1961 film 'Kabuliwallah', he chose Manna Dey to sing that immortal patriotic song for Balraj Sahni—'Aye mere pyaare watan, aye mere bichhade chaman, tujh pe dil qurbaan...' (O my loved homeland, o my lovely garden of flowers, I sacrifice my soul for you...). Whenever, wherever and how many times I listen to this song, it brings tears to my eyes, especially in that last part of the song—'Hum jahan paida huye, uss jagah hi nikle dum...tujh pe dil qurbaan/Tu hi meri aarzoo, tu hi meri aabru, tu hi meri jaan' (Let us die in the same place where we were born/You are what I wish for, you are all my honor, I sacrifice my soul for you). It feels terrific every time the listeners listen to it! The song which is still considered as one of the greatest love songs of the Malayalam language, namely 'Manasa maine vaaru' from the film 'Chemmen', is sung by a Bengali. Do you know his name? His name is Manna Dey! The song was composed by another Bengali, named Salil Chowdhury! On the other hand, when Salil da composed a Bengali song with the same music–'Naam Shakuntala Taar'–he chose a south Indian singer, K J Yesudas to sing that song. And that Bengali song also became very popular. Only a wise musician like Salil Chowdhury could do that!
(to be continued...)
—van Helsing
4 May 2024
4-25 pm.
Saturday
•Image: sketched by the author
••Songs translated into English by the author
© Van Helsing
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