Tag: Reshma

…badi lambi judai

Like most of Indians my first interaction with Reshma ji’s songs was not via Hero movie’s lambi judai song. It was rather via Radio Pakistan, Lahore. The songs like haye o rabba nahio lagda dil mera and akhian nu rehan de akhian de kol kol were already very famous and used to play regularly on Lahore Radio.

 

But yes it was when lambi judai was recorded that she became a house hold name in India.

Because she mostly sung in Punjabi so she was already well known in Punjab. In those days most of the Punjabi newspapers used to carry articles about her and talking about the very very simple and humble life she used to live. Few of the incidents I still remember. Like:

When she wore saree for the first time and was asked to go on stage she was so scared that it might fall down.

While memorizing a Urdu song she had to put a lot of hard work as she had never attended a school.

Once she went to Russia for some concert. In the evening she went out of the hotel for a walk and while coming back lost the way. She didn’t know English so was confused whom to ask for help. She says that then she spotted a Sardar guy and directly went to him and told him in Punjabi that here is the key of my hotel room (it has the hotel address on the key ring) and I have lost the way to the hotel. Then he helped her reach the hotel. She used to joke that if something hasn’t changed at all it is attire of Sardars and Reshma. She always always wore a salwar suit and dupatta on her head.

She traveled across the world for concerts but her style didn’t change a bit. She remained the same Reshma born in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

I remember when I listened to Masooma Anwar for the first time hers was the voice that immediately reminded me of Reshma’s original husky voice. Of course there is no comparison but if you listen carefully Masooma’s voice is also husky one. Very few female voices fall in that category. For a sample see Masooma’s rendition of ve main chori chori

 

With her passing away two greatest voices from the Thar are not with us. First it was Mehdi Hasan saab and now her.

I am reminded of a post I did 4 years back when she attended Lux style awards and looked very weak. She wasn’t able to sing properly. Today she is not with us Sad smile .

May her soul rest in peace. Her voice through her songs will live forever !

Masooma Anwar

Few days ago, while going through some videos on youtube i came across a song ve asan tainu ki aakhna by Masooma Anwar. Oh boy what a voice ! She is studying MBBS and taking up singing along with the studies.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWbg-jH65YI

Then she renders legendary Reshma’s ve main chori chori

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR4n526DJd8

Such a soulful voice. Totally reminds me of Reshma. There are other videos of her as well. Another superb performance is kalaam-e-Iqbal

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4V4A6xAwyA

Totally stunning performances !!!

Wishing her all the best. We have another voice like Reshma ! (I don’t mean to have any comparison)

An “old” boy

Time flies; they say. Its so true. Day before yesterday i was exploring youtube and came across few videos of Lux style awards held in Karachi where Atif Aslam & Shehzad Roy paid tribute to the legendary singer Reshma.

Given her age (she has turned 60+, i think), she was not able to sing properly. It made me recall my childhood days. We used to listen to Lahore radio station which frequently played Reshma’s songs. The most popular was haye o rabba naio lagda dil mera. Since childhood her voice has been so familiar and she has been a respected and “motherly” figure in my eyes. Then it was the articles in Punjabi newspapers about her, her life that how simple living she had, she will always keep dupatta on her head (she says jokingly that dressing style of Reshma & Sikhs has never changed and will never change) and will cook for all her guests at home. Also the stories that how hard it was for her to read and memorize his first Urdu song. It has been almost 14-15 years to all this. Still the memories are so fresh in my mind. And now when Reshma was on stage and looking old it reminds of how grown up i am; an “old” boy. Time flies…really !

May God bless Reshma ji with a healthy and long life ! Respect !