Tag: Ghulam Ali

kabhi aah lab pe machal gai

Magical !

kabhi aah lab pe machal gai
kabhi ashq aankh se dhal gaye
ye tumaare gham ke charaag hain
kabhi bujh gaye kabhi jal gaye

(lab-lips, charaag-lamp)

main khiyal-o-khwab kii mehfilein
na baqadr-e-shauq sajaa saka
teri ik nazar ke saath hi
mere sab iraade badal gaye

(baqadr-worthwhile, irada-desire,intention)

kabhi rang mein kabhi roop mein
kabhi chhaaon mein kabhi dhoop mein
kahin aaftaab-e-nazar hain wo
kahin mahataab mein dhal gaye

(aaftab-sun, mahataab-moon)

jo fana’h huye gham-e-ishq mein
unhe zindagi ka na gham huya
jo na apni aag mein jal sake
wo parai aag mein jal gaye

(fana’h-destroyed)

tha unhe bhi meri tara junoon
to phir un mein mujh mein ye farq kyon
main giraft-e-gham se na bach saka
wo hudood-e-gham se nikal gaye
(giraft-imprisoned, hudood-boundaries)

कभी आह लब पे मचल गई
कभी अश्क आँख  से ढल गए
ये तुमारे ग़म के चराग हैं
कभी बुझ गए कभी जल गए

मैं खयाल ओ खाब की महफिलें
न बक़द्र इ शौक़ सजा सका
तेरी इक नज़र के साथ ही
मेरे सब इरादे बदल गए

कभी रंग में कभी रूप में
कभी छाओं में कभी धुप में
कहीं आफ़ताब इ नज़र हैं वो
कहीं महताब में ढल गए

जो फना हुए ग़म इ इश्क में
उने ज़िन्दगी का न ग़म हुआ
जो न अपनी आग में जल सके
वो पराई आग में जल गए

था उने भी मेरी तरा जूनून
तो फिर उन में मुझ में ये फर्क क्यों
मैं गिरफ्त इ ग़म से न बाख सका
वो हुदूद इ ग़म से निकल गए

aap hain kyon khafa kuch pata to chale

Melody !

aap hain kyon khafa, kuch pata to chale
hai meri kya khata, kuch pata to chale
(khafa – angry, khata – fault)

aaj chehre pe rang-e-udaasi hai kyon
ae mere dilruba kuch pata to chale

aapke aur mere pyar ke darmiyaan
kyon hai ye faasila kuch pata to chale

main agar bewafa hoon to yun hi sahi
kaun hai bawafa kuch pata to chale
(bawafa – faithful)

आप हैं क्यों खफा, कुछ पता तो चले
है मेरी क्या खता, कुछ पता तो चले

आज चेहरे पे रंगे-उदासी क्यों
ऐ मेरे दिलरुबा कुछ पता तो चले

आपके और मेरे प्यार के दरमियान
क्यों है यह फासिला कुछ पता तो चले

मैं अगर बेवफा हूँ तो यूँ ही सही
कौन है बावफा कुछ पता तो चले

beqarar tanhaiyon ka silsila reh jayega

A very simple and beautiful ghazal by Ghulam Ali. I don’t know the name of the writer. If you know please post in the comments. You can listen to it here.

beqarar tanhaiyon ka silsila reh jayega
tere mere darmiyan bas ek khala reh jayega
(khala – space, distance, vacuum)

aks beh jayenge saare dhoop ke sailaab mein
aur koi paanion mein jhaankta reh jayega
tere mere darmiyan bas ek khala reh jayega
(aks – image, reflection | sailaab – flood | jhaankta – looking)

muhjko mere humsafar aisa safar darpesh hai
raasta kat bhi gaya to faasla reh jayega
tere mere darmiyan bas ek khala reh jayega
(darpesh – to face)

log so jayenge khamoshi ki chaadar od kar
chaand soone aanganon mein jaagta reh jayega
tere mere darmiyan bas ek khala reh jayega
(aangan – yard)

jo kabhi usne padi thi mujhse ‘Nasir’ maang kar
naam mere un kitaabon mein likha reh jayega
tere mere darmiyan bas ek khala reh jayega
beqarar tanhaiyon ka silsila reh jayega

बेक़रार तन्हाईओं का सिलसिला रह जायेगा
तेरे मेरे दरमियान बस एक खला रह जायेगा

अक्स बह जायेंगे सारे धुप के सैलाब में
और कोई पानिओं में झांकता रह जायेगा
तेरे मेरे दरमियान बस एक खला रह जायेगा

मुझको मेरे हमसफ़र ऐसा सफ़र दरपेश है
रास्ता कट भी गया तो फासला रह जायेगा
तेरे मेरे दरमियान बस एक खला रह जायेगा

लोग सो जायेंगे ख़ामोशी की चादर ओड कर
चाँद सूने आंगनों में जागता रह जायेगा
तेरे मेरे दरमियान बस एक खला रह जायेगा

जो कभी उसने पड़ी थी मुझसे ‘नासिर’ मांग कर
नाम मेरा उन किताबों में लिखा रह जायेगा
तेरे मेरे दरमियान बस एक खला रह जायेगा
बेक़रार तन्हाईओं का सिलसिला रह जायेगा

Ghulam Ali & Jagjit Singh live in concert

Just got back after watching Ghulam Ali & Jagjit Singh live in concert at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi. It probably was for the first time that both were coming together on a single stage. The concert started with Ghulam Ali and as usual he was amazing. He started with faasle aise bhi honge and then went on to sing dil mein ek lehar si uthi hai abhi, chupke chupke, legendary Ahmed Faraz’s phir kisi rahaguzar par shayad, hungama hain kyon barpa and so on. And believe me it was an amazing performance. If someone is there after Mehdi Hasan, he is Ghulam Ali. After one and half hour Ghulam Ali freed the stage for Jagjit Singh

and

now comes the sad part 🙁

Jagjit Singh was totally disappointing. It was nothing more than playing a CD. He sang some idiotic ghazals that were sung in some movies. He almost didn’t speak anything, no interaction with the audience; just kept on singing one ghazal after another. By the time he was going to finish, it became bit ok but just a “bit”.

Then Jagjit Singh called Ghulam Ali on stage again and they started with a jugalbandi on Ghulam Ali’s lag gaye nain avede. One guy from Jagjit Singh’s orcehstra and then another one from Ghulam Ali’s orchestra also joined. That was totally awesome. Then they went on to sing a classical composition (I can’t recall the lyrics) and it was amazing too ! And that was the end of the show.

Ghulam Ali totally stole the show and Jagjit Singh was totally, absolutely disappointing and I don’t think I will ever go to watch Jagjit Singh again. It was totally a lifeless singing.  And by the way why doesn’t he use a mic with harmonium ? So that harmonium’s sound is not heard ? #FAIL

Show stop ! ‘ers and spoil ! ‘ers

Most of the Indians go to see live concerts because:

  • They are the people with approach and can manage to get free VIP passes and all.
  • They are from rich section of the society and can manage to buy tickets (if any).
  • Attending live concerts is a feel good thing and a bit of fun.

The real fans of artists are generally sitting in last rows, or even worse; standing. The folks sitting in VVIP and VIP sections are the the output of above 3 points. Anyways yesterday night there was a live concert of Ghulam Ali and me and 2 of my friends were ready to enjoy and had high hopes. So we got the tickets well in advance to avoid any “not available” etc etc situation. The time printed on the ticket was of 7 PM and 2 other singers were supposed to perform before Ghulam Ali. So we reached the venue around 6:15 to find that they had just started to setup the stage and other stuff. Nothing much strange as India runs like that only. Finally after 8 PM they started entering people and we got good seats. Weather was being tricky and a rainfall was a sure thing to happen. Finally things started moving a bit and it started drizzling as well. They introduced some local signer on stage and he left after singing 1 song. Then came the two expected ones; a man and a lady and till then it was no more drizzling; it was raining. Things continued but people were waiting for Ghulam Ali only.

Then after 9:30 Ghulam Ali came (rain had stopped by then) and was seated in the first row with some chief guests and that guy and the lady were still singing.  Now  those guys were not supposed to waste any time but he still continued. Many people had even left till this moment. Ghulam Ali took the control of stage around 9:45. It has been just half an hour or little more that  police came to get it closed due to 10:30 PM limit. Somehow somebody talked to them and the matter was sorted out but probably for some time only. After sometime a policeman came in front of the stage, raised his hands and asked them to stop ! Man just imagine, an artist of the stature of Ghulam Ali singing on stage and a policeman, in this way, telling him to stop; what a crying shame !!! What the heck the organizers were doing at that time ? Anyways Ghulam Ali did acknowledge him and said “shayad woh keh rahe hain k hum yeh band kar dein…bas 2 min mein kar dete hain….” Ghulam Ali said the final words and started to leave.

Then the stage was taken over by the host. He got pretty emotional and said that some xyz of Delhi is sitting here (some counselor or something was sitting there in guests). The night clubs can run up to 4 AM. There is not an issue with that but a ghazal mehfil cant continue after 10:30 PM. Then some action was taken and permission was given for another half an hour or so. Then Ghulam Ali started again but the taste has been lost till then. So things were just not that good.

And about the ambiance and other things there i just don’t understand what the heck is the need for people to bring their 0-14 yrs kids along. And then eating chips, sipping soft drinks…ghazal mehfils are for that ? On stage on guy is going up, another coming down etc etc. One sick idiot was standing in front of the stage and shooting with his video camera, Ghulam Ali requested him twice to stop but everything fell on deaf ears. Then two security guards came and literally pushed him away. Still he was not ready to move. Enough of  crap…

Lets talk about the whatever little Ghulam Ali saab sang…well he started with Ghalib’s har ek baat pe kehte ho with an opening sher from ishq mujhko nahi vahashat hi sahi……then came Faraz saab’s hui hai shaam to aankhon mein bas gaya hai fir tu followed by dil mein ik lehar si uthi hai abhi; amazingly done. Every time the word leher being presented with different sur taal and style. Pure magic ! After that pehli wari aj uhna akhian ne takkia. And then in hurry few others like awargi and hum tere shahar mein aaye hain.

At the end it was a magical show spoiled by few idiots ! We came back so sad and disappointed. An oppurtunity to watch such a great artist lost 🙁

And for the friends who would like to know what what according to me a ghazal mehfil should be like, please watch these videos. This is what magic a ghazal mehfil can create.