Re: Hindi film music - Old is Gold

app_engine Mon Sep 29, 2014 9:21 pm

BTW, if anyone knows the original EU track that got borrowed as AjA sanam, please post here Smile

It's possibly Italian...could be mid-eastern too.

fring151 Tue Sep 30, 2014 5:52 am

First 2 lines near identical, but diverges thereafter. ludes, charanathula SJ have bought in new ideas. Acceptable as inspiration from Italian folk tune...

app_engine Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:00 am

Excellent fring151!

So quick!
the clap

It's the same instrument too!

Except that there were no vocals in the version played at the restaurant...continuous instrumental...

fring151 Sat Oct 04, 2014 2:56 am

Made a 20 song Madan Mohan playlist to share with some HFM-curious, but noob friends. Mostly a compilation of songs I've already shared here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcpJ-vGsshU&list=PLOf9anOut3_ruUldkVo5ULW0KgqsiKYKs

crimson king Sat Oct 04, 2014 3:16 am

Good one! I would suggest throwing in some of the more light hearted numbers to balance out the ghazals since they are only now being introduced to his music. Like Aapko pyar chupaane ki buri aadat hai, Tere paas aake mera waqt, Simti si sharmai si, even Zaroorat Hai zaroorat hai.

fring151 Sat Oct 04, 2014 3:58 am

Ya, plan to expand the playlist to 30 over the weekend to infuse a bit more variety. The current list is more or less my personal top 20. These friends (barring one who is a total indhi noob) have heard the usual famous RDB, SDB, SJ songs but not much beyond. Basically, like me 1 year back...

Also made one raaga based playlist of IR for an IR-noob friend (whose blogs I shared on one or two occasions in the politics thread). Have finally initiated him into the world of IR! After hearing quite a few songs over the last couple of weeks, he confesses to being a fan now. He prefers the more minimally orchestrated ones, the raaga based ones and songs where one or two instruments take the lead. Baroque and excessively complex multi-layered compositions are not to his palate. Turns out he never gave IR a fair listen all these years before deciding he wasn't into his music,Says he was put off (during school and college days) by the visuals accompanying the songs and the often abysmally unimaginative and explicit lyrics. I mean being born and brought up in Chennai (albeit in a posh neighbourhood and moving in somewhat anglicised family/social circles) and having lived in TN for >20 years, last week was the first time he heard idhu oru pon maalai pozhudhu (and loved it)! But anyway, never too late.

Plan to make a folk based playlist next (he asked for one). Suggestions welcome, though perhaps it is better to pick up this strand in another thread...

Drunkenmunk Sat Oct 04, 2014 9:27 am

idhar aavo --> https://ilayaraja.forumms.net/t3p1020-manadhil-oru-paattu-song-of-the-moment#17973

Drunkenmunk Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:12 pm

Thanks to the Anything on IR thread discussion on MM, stumbled on this song from Jahan Ara. Charming composition:

crimson king Fri Oct 17, 2014 6:16 pm

^^^ Great song. Jahan Ara was such a great soundtrack.

Raaga_Suresh Sat Oct 18, 2014 9:58 pm

fring, CR and others

Here are some old Hindi playlists that i have prepared:

Madanmohan : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQ0S-0NEOgU6jgCgrNptO9l
S D Burman (B & W only) : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQfOVwQkRfIQKRQhM1N6G2T
Anil Biswas : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwRnFCjQNlJknmwlyDm7cXMB
Lata: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC76725C8291F18F6
Salilda (Still to be completed. Very limited): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQfc1FxpS-OC5sLKLD_WTkw
Roshan : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwSbSc5h03keDK-QVbF1Kn5b
Jaidev: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwRW7RzNzNRf9sQY6lTJEEBa

fring151 Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:01 pm

Thank you for that. Have been meaning to ask you for a Anil Biswas playlist ever since you said on twitter that you rank him ahead of Salilda and MM and next only to IR among all time IFM greats. Will check out that and the Jaidev playlist over the next week or so.

I noticed that Khayaalon me kisi ke was missing from the Roshan playlist. I have been absolutely besotted with this song ever since I discovered it a month or so back. Besides the minimal instrumentation and the sheer rhythmic delight that the song is, Geeta Dutt and Mukesh are at the top of their game and it is quite charmingly picturised too. The song unfolds organically - the antara is a natural extension of the mukhda and you barely notice the way the tune artfully bridges its way back and forth between the two. Masterful!

crimson king Sun Oct 19, 2014 4:05 pm

Raaga_Suresh wrote:fring, CR and others

Here are some old Hindi playlists that i have prepared:

Madanmohan : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQ0S-0NEOgU6jgCgrNptO9l
S D Burman (B & W only) : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQfOVwQkRfIQKRQhM1N6G2T
Anil Biswas : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwRnFCjQNlJknmwlyDm7cXMB
Lata: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC76725C8291F18F6
Salilda (Still to be completed. Very limited): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQfc1FxpS-OC5sLKLD_WTkw
Roshan : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwSbSc5h03keDK-QVbF1Kn5b
Jaidev: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwRW7RzNzNRf9sQY6lTJEEBa

Great lists. By the by, Heer Ranjha also has a brilliant, if somewhat meandering, Rafi-Lata duet. I probably like that a little more than Yeh Duniya Yeh Mehfil, but I guess the latter is more popular.

Drunkenmunk Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:09 pm

Raaga_Suresh wrote:fring, CR and others

Here are some old Hindi playlists that i have prepared:

Madanmohan : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQ0S-0NEOgU6jgCgrNptO9l
S D Burman (B & W only) : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQfOVwQkRfIQKRQhM1N6G2T
Anil Biswas : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwRnFCjQNlJknmwlyDm7cXMB
Lata: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC76725C8291F18F6
Salilda (Still to be completed. Very limited): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQfc1FxpS-OC5sLKLD_WTkw
Roshan : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwSbSc5h03keDK-QVbF1Kn5b
Jaidev: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwRW7RzNzNRf9sQY6lTJEEBa

A facetious question. Why only B&W of SDda? Any specific reason or is an Eastman/color playlist coming soon? Razz

Raaga_Suresh Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:50 pm

fring,

That is also a favorite of mine. I had restricted the number of songs. Roshan's 'Bawre Nain' and 'Malhar' both have more than one terrific song.

CR,

Yes. As you say this is the more popular one.

DM,

Nice question Smile

The reason I did not put SDB color is that most of those songs are fairly well known and many of them are telecast even now. The B&W are the ones which have faded from popular melody (not all though. SDB's staying power is amazing compared to his contemporaries)

counterpoint Mon Oct 27, 2014 10:42 am

This is one

song that will stay forever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OQaPu-mhA8
early 50s Lata-SDB classic, tum na jaane from Saazaa

The second line in the pallavi(hum bhari duniya) sails pretty close to the second line of our anthem "punjaba sindha gujarata..", possible inspiration maybe. But a terrific result

counterpoint Fri Oct 31, 2014 7:53 am

How many of you have heard this Asha-C.Ramachandra piano-backed classic?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7E7qg2sHOM

Goes to show how underrated these two are in the minds of current generation listeners. While CRR is probably forgotten, Asha is remembered more for her groovy RDB hits

fring151 Fri Oct 31, 2014 10:01 am

Discovered a murder of Baiyyan na dharo. So yaam pettra inbam....

Drunkenmunk Fri Oct 31, 2014 10:59 am

fring151 wrote:Discovered a murder of Baiyyan na dharo. So yaam pettra inbam....

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/3860424

crimson king Fri Oct 31, 2014 5:07 pm

Actually her singing was quite fluent, except that the Na Karo Mose Raa....AAASSS...harkat was a bit sloppy even at that pace. And the pace is the problem. Why slow the f down and, combined with piano, make it sound like some sappy Kenny G track? The beauty of the song is how vigorous it is with semi-classical arrangements. If you can't sing it at that pace, you are not doing justice to the song, period.

fring151 Sun Nov 02, 2014 12:13 am

Besides the deliberately slow singing which was an irritant, the bhaavam was also lacking. But maybe the vigour is intrinsic to the composition and is part of what evokes the rasa. And the random piano improvisation and runs a la Devassy in super singer don't help one bit, esp. when you consider the delectable sitar base of the original. She did hit the right notes though...

crimson king Sun Nov 02, 2014 7:28 am

Yeah, even Lata doesn't try very overtly to emote in the original. She relies on the beauty of the raag as well as the vigour of the tempo. Didn't like the Devassy-like piano either, irritating.

**plum** Sun Nov 09, 2014 6:43 pm

Drunkenmunk wrote:
Raaga_Suresh wrote:fring, CR and others

Here are some old Hindi playlists that i have prepared:

Madanmohan : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQ0S-0NEOgU6jgCgrNptO9l
S D Burman (B & W only) : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQfOVwQkRfIQKRQhM1N6G2T
Anil Biswas : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwRnFCjQNlJknmwlyDm7cXMB
Lata: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC76725C8291F18F6
Salilda (Still to be completed. Very limited): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwQfc1FxpS-OC5sLKLD_WTkw
Roshan : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwSbSc5h03keDK-QVbF1Kn5b
Jaidev: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSv5Q60S5dwRW7RzNzNRf9sQY6lTJEEBa
A facetious question. Why only B&W of SDda? Any specific reason or is an Eastman/color playlist coming soon?

You dont say SDda Smile

You say Sachinda or simply, Dada. Before Saurav, there was Sachin, the original Dada

Drunkenmunk Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Came across a write up from a mail which dad forwarded. Sharing it here. The language is a little flowery but the details are outstanding. Do read on Smile

Drunkenmunk Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:05 pm

[size=14]On an evening sometime during the summer of 1958..

[/size]
A young 36-year old Indian man,wearing just a simple white Bengali cotton kurta and pajama,walked very casually into America’s one of the oldest and the most famous musical instruments selling shops located in a plush area in the Southern Californian city of Los Angeles in America..
What he did there inside that music shop and what exactly happened there that evening is now part of the great Indian film music history…
All the illustrious customers,sales staff,admin staff,a pretty young lady and the owner of that music shop,who were all witness to that historic incident that day would have never forgotten it in their lifetime..
And here’s what exactly has happened,that evening,in that music shop..
In those days this music shop was the only music shop in the whole of North America known for selling authentic South Asian musical instruments..The Renowned Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar was the man responsible for introducing the popular Hindustani classical music instrument,Sitar,to America..
And this shop was the only music shop in America,those days,selling Sitar to the enthusiasts of Hindustani classical music spread all over North America …
The owner of this music shop,David Bernard,who was much fascinated by Pandit Ravi Shankar’s Sitar concerts had taken all the pains to import Sitars from India to America..Bernard has not only promoted Sitar in America in a big way but also inspired many Hollywood music directors use it in their films ..
At that time…On that Summer evening…In 1958
When the young Indian walked into their music shop,David Bernard and all his sales staff were busy attending to their other loyal American customers..Firstly,none of them noticed the young Indian walking into their music shop and finally when they noticed,they were all upset with his informal attire and casual appearance..
They all remained silent,for a few moments,staring quietly at each other..They all thought some young Indian walked into their posh music shop just to kill his time by looking at all the rich musical instruments that are on display in their music shop..
David Bernard too,who was at that time sitting in his glass chambers and watching the customers’ movements in his shop,was surprised looking at a casual looking Indian walking into his shop..A much displeased Bernard was unable to understand why that informally dressed young Indian walked into his shop and what business he has there to do..
Although Bernard’s music shop doesn’t ask it’s customers to follow any particular dress code it however appreciates everyone who follows it..Bernard and his staff believe he who appreciates good music appreciates good dress sense too..

Just curious to know
How his sales staff is going to respond to that informally dressed young Indian,David Bernard kept looking at his staff’s reaction to that Indian’s entry into his shop..
Unfortunately neither the stupid sales men nor their boss David Bernard,at that point of time,were aware that a maverick Indian musician from the glorious eastern part of the world had just walked into their music shop and in about a few minutes from there on is going to give them all a spell binding life time experience they would all be cherishing for a life beyond life..PERIOD
Initially,none of the busy members of the sales team was keen on attending to that unwanted young Indian customer in their shop..However,a very beautiful looking 33-year old Christina Rodriguez,a crucial member of the sales team,wearing a plastic smile on her face,walked up to the young Indian and greeted him saying “..Very good morning sir..What can I do for you..”
David Bernard was observing their conversation..
In response to Christina’s greetings,the young Indian replied,”Yeah good morning dear..I have heard this is the only music shop in America that sells Sitars..Would like to have a look at them..May I..??..”
Still with that same plastic smile on her lips Christina replied,”Certainly Sir and you heard it right..We are the only music shop in America selling Sitars today and you are most welcome to have a look at them..”..
Saying so,she quietly guided him to a large Sitar section in their music shop that’s located in the Eastern part of that huge building..It was exactly at that point of time Christina too noticed that her boss Bernard was observing them..
One by one…
Christina started showing the young Indian the amazing spread of all the lovely Sitars that were on display in their music shop..In an unceremonious fashion she started telling him the price of the Sitar first and it’s qualities next..
Not paying much attention to Christina’s boorish conversation,the young Indian went about observing,carefully,every colorful Sitar that was on display there..
Nodding his head quietly in appreciation of every Sitar in the music shop, the young Indian suddenly paused in front of a large counter looking at a particular Sitar that was placed high on a separate column there..That sparkling Sitar was a spectacular beauty dazzling with vibrant colors and strings…
Pointing his right hand index finger towards that Sitar,the Indian turned his head to Christina and asked her about it’s price..Not only Christina but also David Bernard was shocked at the choice of the young Indian..

Trying to hide her surprise..
Christina quickly said,”..Sir,this is the costliest Sitar on display in our music shop..It’s also here in the shop for the last couple of years but so far no musician has dared to touch it nor inquired about it’s price..”
“Sir,it’s my duty to inform you that because it is a bass Sitar it is also the most complicated Sitar any Sitar player would prefer not to play.. Mostly big Hollywood music directors and music bands use it in their recordings and it’s also meant for them..”
Shocking the sales woman further,the young Indian smiled and said..”My dear,you people in the west call it a bass Sitar,however,we Indians call it a Surbahar Sitar..Am actually on the lookout for one such Sitar..Wish to have a close look at it..Can you please ask your staff to bring it down..”
Observing the seriousness on the young Indian’s face…
Christina hesitated a bit but since it’s part of her duty,she still wanted to make sure what the young Indian was trying to say..
In a very low tone she very hesitantly asked him,”..Sir,are you sure you want to have a close look at it..”..As though he understood her plight the young Indian smiled and said,”Of course dear”..
The well learned beautiful senior sales woman,Christina Rodriguez,who has seen many number of distinguished music personalities in her ten years of sales career has by then realized that the simple looking young Indian,she’s dealing with,is no ordinary musician..
She then hurriedly looked
At her boss,David Bernard,for his approval to bring down the Surbahar Sitar..A much surprised Bernard too involuntarily nodded his head in approval of the same..
Everyone working in that music shop knows pretty well that it’s a huge task to bring down that Surbahar Sitar on to the sales table as it requires at least two persons to do that job..Not that it’s a heavy Sitar but it’s a very precious Sitar...
Later,on instructions from Christina,two boys went up the stairs; unlocked the glass door of the special column there; slowly pulled out the notorious Sur Bahar Sitar from that column and cautiously carried it down the stairs on to the display table that’s there right in front of the Indian standing near that table..

Exactly at that point of time…
David Bernard suddenly started feeling something amazing about the young Indian who is moving all around his shop..Firstly a vague thought appeared in his mind and after a few moments that vague thought gradually started showing Bernard a more clear picture about the unassuming young Indian in his shop..
Gaining gigantic proportions that picture in Bernard’s mind started giving him some really restless moments..That clear picture was,in fact,repeatedly telling Bernard that the Indian standing in front of him is not as ordinary a person as he appears..
Unable to bear with the curiosity and unable to bear with the tremendous restlessness that’s knocking him from inside,David Bernard quickly got up from his revolving chair and walked out of his glass cabin on to the ground floor..
By that time…
All the sales men,all the staff members and all the illustrious customers in the shop,who know a little about the complexity of the Surbahar Sitar,have noticed the young Indian’s desire to personally see that unusual Sitar which none of them has so far dared to see..
Suddenly everyone in the shop stopped their business on hand and started paying attention to that young Indian standing in front of them..Suddenly there was complete silence all around the shop that was until then buzzing with funny sounds of several musical instruments..All eyes were on that casual looking young Indian at that time..
Unmindful of all the silence around him and unmindful of all the attention on him,the young Indian,who was awestruck by that great Sur Bahar Sitar very reverentially lifted it with both his hands and later holding it close to his heart gave another big shock to the already shocked Christina,by asking her…
“..May I try playing this once..”.
Since there was a deafening silence all around the music shop,everyone heard what the Indian said..That surprised them furthermore.. Preparing themselves for a rare musical feast,that evening,they all started gathering around the young Indian..
The pretty faced Christina too,as though under a spell of magic, involuntarily nodded her head in response to what the young Indian asked her..
What happened latter that evening was an amazingly unbelievable scene to be seen to be believed..None of those who witnessed that amazing incident that evening must have forgotten it in their life time..PERIOD

The young Indian first handed over the Surbaha Sitar
He was holding in his hands to a sales boy standing near him asking him to “..hold it carefully for a moment””..He later quite comfortably settled down on the floor carpet in a pose that would be very convenient for any Sitar player to play Sitar easily..
He then asked the sales boy to hand it over back to him..The boy carefully handed it over back to the young Indian..With total silence all around them, each and every person in the shop was watching the young Indian with utmost attention..
David Bernard was standing like a statue in one corner of the shop and was eagerly observing the young Indian..He has by then realized that he is going to have a life time experience in about a few minutes from there..
The young Indian..
After conveniently placing the Surbahar Sitar on his lap,closed his eyes for a few moments and felt the awesomeness of the Sitar in his lap for a few more moments..He then gently ran his right hand fingers over the Surbahar Sitar just to test the tightness of it’s strings.Even that simple sound of the young Indian’s fingers running over the Surbahar Sitar has sent amazing musical waves all around the shop…
After some more practice on the lovely strings of the Sitar,the young Indian slowly went into a trance and started playing gently the popular Hindustani Raag Khamaj (Carnatic-Hari Kambhoji) on that amazing musical instrument ..The take off of the first note of Raag Khamaj on Sitar was very soothingly gentle like the first drop of rain after a scorching summer heat..
Slowly gathering great momentum the magic of Raag Khamaj,that’s combined with the genius of the young Indian musician,was sending electric waves all around that music shop..
With his fingers doing more magic
On the minds of the listeners than on the strings of the Sitar,the maverick Indian musician with his scintillating Sitar performance there,was taking everyone around him into a whole new world of joy and ecstasy..
Mesmerized by the sweetness of the Rag Khamaj,all the American listeners including Bernard and Christina were almost frozen as though they were all alive but dead; were seeing but blind; were listening but deaf;were breathing but breathless..
That was an amazingly amazing,unbelievably unbelievable,incredibly incredible and ecstatically ecstatic musical saga performed for about fifteen minutes by the young Indian and witnessed by everyone there in that music shop..
After taking everyone around him to some new heights of ecstasy,the young Indian musician struck the final note of Raag Khamaj on the Surbahar Sitar thus signalling the end of his mind blowing musical performance..

There was a deafening silence
All around that shop,for about ten seconds,as everyone there was still in a state of shock and haven’t yet realized that they were not any more listening to the fabulous Sitar music that they have so far listened to..
And finally when they realized it,the whole of America’s one of the oldest and the most famous music shops reverberated with a thunderous applause that took the young Indian musician by surprise..It was then he realized that everyone around him was enjoying his presentation of Raag Khamaj on Sitar..
With a shyness filled hesitant smile,never unusual for any young Indian,the young musician thanked everyone around him by bowing his head in their honor..Everyone there was still unmoved and continued applauding the young music genius…
David Bernard,a great fan of Indian music..
Was the first man to come out of that trance and move forward…He was just unstoppable..Almost breaking down with boundless ecstasy he rushed towards the young Indian, saying in a frenzy voice..
“‘..Oh dear..Dear..Dearrr..Who are you maaann..Where are you from..I guess you are from India…Right..How amazing is your talent..Where did you get it all from..How lucky your parents are,how lucky India must be, How lucky my shop is,how lucky all the people here are and how blessed am I really today for you graced my shop..”
“Ohhh..Am really sorry maaan…I don’t know who you are and how many fans you have back in your country but am David Bernard,your biggest fan from today..Order me Sir..What can I do for you..I’m ready to obey..”
The young Indian
Who was not prepared to receive such an overwhelming response from all those around him,responded to David Bernard in a very shy filed voice..
“..Thanks Mr.Bernard..Yeah,you guessed it right..I’m from India and I’m proud to say that but honestly I don’t deserve all these praises you are all showering upon me right now..There’s only one master Sitar player in this world who deserves all such encomiums and that’s Pandit Ravi Shankar ji whom I consider a true Sitar genius..I’m still learning Sitar and would love to remain a student forever..”
Brushing aside the young Indian’s true confessions,Bernard said,”..Oh you are too modest man too modest..Am a big fan of Mr.Ravi Shankar and tell me who’s not..But now please let me know what’s that my small music shop can do for you..”.
In still the same shy filled voice,the Indian replied,”Well Mr.Bernard..Am in love with this Surbahar Sitar..It’s amazing..Would like to buy this..Just let me know it’s price..”..

Laughing loudly,Bernard replied..
“..Just like you,my beloved sir,this Sitar too is an invaluable genius for me..It’s a priceless possession of this music shop and I haven’t honestly fixed any price for it..It’s too invaluable for everyone of us here..It’s almost two years now since I brought it specially from Jaipur and there was not one customer who could even dare to see it..”
“..Am actually waiting for that one genius who could make an appropriate use of this Sitar..Thankfully you have arrived today..It’s needless to say am a big fan of Mr.Ravi Shankar and I haven’t seen any Sitar player coming at least a shade close to him..After years of endless waiting I could now finally see one in you today who is so passionately close to him in playing Sitar..”
“..Hence I would be dishonoring myself and compromising on the values of my music shop if I sell this rare Sitar to you today.. Am sure Pandit Ravi Shankar would never visit my shop but am now seeing one replica of the maestro in you..”..”..Let me say again..this Sitar is just as invaluable to me as you are..Please honor me,sir,by accepting this Sitar as a gift from me and as a token of appreciation from all of us in recognition of your genius..”
Hurriedly halting Bernard…
The young Indian said..”..No…Mr.Bernard.. Am too small to accept such a costly gift from you..Let me be happy buying it from you..Please forgive me..”
Bernard was not ready to listen, “..Don’t say that Sir..What use is this Sitar for anyone if it’s just lying idle there in that column..Am not honoring you nor honoring myself but am honoring this Sitar by placing it in the hands of it’s most appropriate user..Please don’t say no again sir..Please..”
Unable to know how to refuse that offer from David Bernard,the shy faced young Indian finally agreed to accept that invaluable Surbahar Sitar from him..It was while receiving the Sitar from Bernard,the young Indian noticed an emotionally frozen Christina,standing still in a trance,a few feet away from them..
The beautiful Christina was not noticing anything
That was happening around her..Not noticing anything where she was at that moment..She was not even noticing that her lovely pair of blue eyes were shedding tears which were,at that moment,flowing down her bubbly cheeks..
Christina,a big fan of music by herself,has not lived any such scintillating experience before…She has attended many great music concerts in her life and has also met many distinguished music personalities in her career but she never felt such an amazing feeling before..
After noticing Christina’s strange condition,the young Indian first offered his excuses to David Bernard and later holding the Surbahar Sitar close to his heart moved towards Christina and stood right in front of her,with a gentle smile dancing on his lips..

What Christina involuntarily did at that moment..
Brought hearty smiles on everyone’s face there..Without caring much for her boss Bernard and her other colleagues standing around her,Christina shocked the young Indian by hugging him and kissing him on his left cheek.. With tears still rolling down her dimple cheeks she said in an emotion filled voice..
“..Oh my my my..who are you..man..am..am..I don’t know..what to say..do not really know what to say..don’t know how to react..don’t know how to respond..am..am..just speechless..you made me speechless..really..really speechless..you are too good man..too good..that’s all I can say..you took me into a new world..you mesmerized me..you..you..”
She was searching for words..
Holding her two lovely hands and interrupting her flow of words,the young Indian said..
“..Oh okay beautiful..Thanks a lot..Your affection is too suffocating for me..I can understand your feelings..But honestly the entire credit should go to Hindustani classical music that has the power to heal anyone..It’s actually the power of Raag Khamaj you all felt good listening to but otherwise,let me confess,am just a pretty ordinary Sitar player..”
Wiping off a few teardrops that were still playing around her lovely cheeks,Christina said.. “You are too modest..Whatever you may say I still consider you the most influential personality I have ever met in my life..I don’t know whether I would meet our President Eisenhower or not but you would forever remain the most precious personality I would have ever met in my life..”
“..My sincere apologies..Am very color conscious and in fact a racist too..I have very poor opinion about Indians just because of their complexion..But not any more..As the cultural ambassador of India you must forgive me for my below par behavior with you..”
Taking out a one dollar note from her wallet..
The beautiful eyed Christina said,”Sir,am Christina..Christina Rodriguez..A small sales woman working here in this shop for the last ten years..Am sure am not going to meet you again in my life..Am also sure a famous man like you would never find time to remember a pretty ordinary American woman like me..”
“..But Sir,I shall never forget you in my lifetime..Never..Please forgive me and write something here for me with your autograph..I shall preserve this dollar note forever to help my future generations understand that I have once in my lifetime met this genius musician from a glorious nation called India ”
Handing over the one dollar note to the young Indian,Christina paused and stood looking at him for his response..
Those lovely words,coming straight from the heart of an emotional woman, touched the young 36-year old simple looking maverick Bengali Indian musician…With a gentle smile still wandering on his lips,the young Indian wrote the following Golden words on the dollar note Christina gave him ..
Dear Christina Rodriguez..
“..You have a very cute face..Always keep smiling and preserve it’s beauty forever..Please remember..Never under estimate the power of an Indian musician and more particularly the power of a Bengali musician..May God’s blessings be with you and your family forever..Good luck..Salil Chowdhury ..”

Later in the same year (1958) Salil Chwdury composed a classical Bengali song in Raag Khamaj (Carnatic-Hari Kambhoji) using the lovely Sur Bahar Sitar,David Bernard gifted him in Los Angeles..Sitar is the only musical instrument that is predominantly heard in the orchestration of this entire private song..
Perhaps this is also the only song in the Indian music history today wherein only Sitar is heard throughout a song..This Bengali song,”..Naa jeo naa rajani ekhono baki..aaro kichhu dite baki.. bole raatjaaga pakhi..” was sung by the legendary Lata Mangeshkar..
This song today
Is the most popular Bengali song millions of traditional Bengali families sing as a ritual during the festivities of Diwali every year.. Later,on request from Salil Chowdhury and lyricist Shailendta,Bimal Roy used this Bengali tune for one of his popular Hindi films..
The Hindi version of this popular Bengali song was also sung by the one and only Lata Mangeshkar..In course of time this amazing Hindi song has in fact become a bigger and more popular hit than it’s Bengali version..
As Lata Mangeshkar often says,”This particular Hindi song is my favorite song and is one of the top ten best Hindi film songs I have ever sung in my career”..
Whatever the great Lata Mangeshkar may say about this particular Hindi song,we the millions of Hindi film music fans spread all over this filmy world more popularly know this top rated Hindi song as..
“O Sajana barkhaa bahaar aayee..Ras ki phuhaar laayi.. Akhiyon mein pyar laayi..” (Parakh-1959)

**plum** Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:40 pm

Excellent story, munk. I guessed it was Salilda early in the story. Here's the bengali original:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQvcmBUd_uc.

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