You are cordially invited to

Juthika Roy

Shikhar Samman Samaroh

at

Panchayati Raj Sansthan Sabhagar

Near Jawahar Kala Kendra, JLN Marg, Jaipur

on

Sunday April 18, 2010 7.00 PM

[The Invitation Card is attached herewith. Please click on the images to view it]

Juthika Roy, one of the last living legends of Vintage era of Indian Music, is completing 90 years next month on April 20, 2010. To commemorate her 90th birthday, we (our local group Suryatra) have invited her to Jaipur and organizing a function to honour her on Sunday April 18, 2010 at Jaipur. We have also invited Sh. Rajni Kumar Pandya (famous journalist of Gujarat who has written a book on Juthika ji and made a documentary on her) and Yunus Khan, the popular voice of Vividh Bharti to host the proceedings.

The morning session will be a meet and an interactive session with Juthika ji while the evening function will feature performances by Local Artists of Juthika ji’s bhajans and songs, screening of excerpts from the documentary on her, Yunus khan will have interactive talk session on stage with her and later her performance (she said whatever she can sing at this age) and honouring ceremony.

While we will be posting a formal and final invitation later, this is just for information, just in case you want to attend the function and plan in advance.

Looking forward to your participation!

विख्यात गायिका आशा भोसले ने पिछले साल अपनी जिंदगी के 77 साल पूरे कर लिए हैं। इसी सिलसिले में उनके गाए 177 विशिष्ट गीतों को लेकर इंदौर के लता दीनानाथ मंगेशकर रिकार्ड संग्रहालय ने किताब ‘सदियों में एक… आशा’ का प्रकाशन किया है। अजातशत्रु की लिखी इस किताब का विमोचन पिछले दिनों मुंबई में बीते जमाने की गायिका सुधा मल्होत्रा ने किया। भारतीय विद्या भवन में आयोजित विमोचन समारोह में पुराने दौर की गायिका मधुबाला झवेरी, गीतकार नक्श लायलपुरी, केशव त्रिवेदी, म्यूजिक अरेंजर किशोर देसाई, कमाल अमरोही के बेटे शानदार अमरोही, वरिष्ठ अनाउंसर मनोहर महाजन और सिने संगीत मर्मज्ञ नलिन शाह जैसी हस्तियां शामिल हुईं। दूरदराज से आए संगीत प्रेमी भी बड़ी तादाद में मौजूद थे। विविध भारती के लोकप्रिय उद्घोषक युनुस खान ने दिलचस्प अंदाज में कार्यक्रम का संचालन किया। कमी थी तो बस, आशा भोसले की, जो एक कमर्शियल कंसर्ट के सिलसिले में दुबई में थीं।

सुधा मल्होत्रा ने अपने संक्षिप्त संबोधन में कहा कि ‘वाकई आशाजी जैसी गायिका सदियों में पैदा होती हैं। ऐसा लगता है कि वे सदियों से गा रही हैं और आने वाली कई सदियों तक उनकी आवाज गूंजती रहेंगी। 575 पेज की इस किताब में अजातशत्रु ने आशा भोसले के सुरों से सजे 177 फिल्मी और गैर-फिल्मी गीतों का अपनी खास स्टाइल में गहराई से विश्लेषण किया है। इस ग्रंथ के प्रकाशक हैं जाने-माने संगीत संग्राहक सुमन चौरसिया, जिन्होंने फिल्मी और गैर-फिल्मी रिकार्ड्स के अपने अनूठे खजाने को न सिर्फ अपने गांव पिगडंबर (इंदौर) में ‘लता दीनानाथ मंगेशकर ग्रामोफोन रिकार्ड संग्रहालय के रूप में सजाया है, बल्कि फिल्म संगीत पर खास पुस्तकों के प्रकाशन का बीड़ा भी उठाया है। लता मंगेशकर के 80 दुर्लभ मधुर गीतों और उनके संगीतकारों पर प्रकाशित ‘बाबा तेरी सोनचिरैया’ बाद यह इस सिलसिले की दूसरी कड़ी है।

एम. डी. सोनी

समारोह के कुछ चित्र संलग्न हैं

SurYatra had its 31st meeting at the office premises of adult education association on 27th September 2009.

The meeting marked joining of two new Hamrahi’s the caravan namely Shri Dheerendra Rahul, a senior journo and Shri Naval Kishore Sharma, an HFM collector and writer.

For SurYatra, this 31st meeting turned out to be very special as the popular playback singer of Hindi films of sixties and seventies, Sharda agreed to be the chief guest. Sharda who arrived at HFM scene in 1966 with two of her ever green songs, Titali Udee and Dekho mera dil machal gaya composed by great Shankar-Jaikishan for film Suraj certainly made waves in Hindi playback singing. Both the songs were hit and liked by HFM lovers for long. She had a youngish sweet and supple voice with a new timbre which made her quite popular in that cut throat competitive era of HFM. She was nominated for the best female singer from 1968 to 1971 for film fare awards and won the same in 1969 for her song ‘Baat jara hai aapas ki’ in ‘Jahaan Pyar Mile’. Though most of her songs, 72 out of 100 were sung for Shankar-Jaikishan, she also sang for Ravi and Usha Khanna. She also composed music for eight films and all the leading singers of the time sang for her. Rafi saab sang one of his ever green ‘Achha hi hua di toot gayaa’ in the film Maa Bahan Biwi under her baton.

Dr. R.K. Java welcomed Sharda with a bouquet of flowers. Dr. Java, a Sharda fan had 12 letters written to him by Sharda during 1966-1967 and four of her autographed photographs. When Dr. Java showed these letters to Sharda, she was emotionally moved and expressed her emotions by saying that she never knew that she had such die-hard fans. She said that such fans are the strength which keeps her singing despite many hurdles and obstacles.

Shri M.D.Soni, one of the founders of Suryatra introduced the hamrahi’s to Sharda in details by telling about their choices and special areas of interest and requested Sharda to address the hamrahis.

Sharda in her opening address reminisces that how she was spotted by the great Raj Kapoor while she was singing a song from Barsat, ‘bichhde hue pardesi’ in a party organized by Hindujas in Tehran. Raj Kapoor, she said instantly liked her voice and invited her to Bombay to sing in Hindi films. She took the chance and arrived at Bombay. She fondly recollected that how promptly she was called in by Raj Kapoor. An audition was held in R.K. studio the same day. Raj Kapoor immensly liked her voice and she was sent to Shankar-Jaikishan for training. There she was trained by Shri Jagnnath Prasad Jaipur-wale and Shri Laxaman Prasad Jaipur-wale. The classical singer Smt. Nirmala Devi (actor Govinda’s mother) gave her lessons in voice modulation in her early days.

When her songs for Suraj, ‘Titali Udee’ and ‘Dekho mera man machal gaya’ were released they became instant hits. She told that her instant success and popularity was not taken very kindly by the dominant female singers of that time and a systematic conspiracy was set in motion to keep other music directors away from her. Resulting in her limited singing mainly for Shankar-Jaikishan films. She complained that even today how her songs are being removed from DVDs at the instance of these forces.

Responding to hamrahi Shri Rajendra Bora’s query about the differences between Shankar-Jaikishan, which led them to compose separately internally though, she said as such there were no differences. This was kind of a business strategy as some producers were more comfortable with Shankar and some others with Jaikishan. Shri Bora also asked about the songs which listeners demand these days in her programmes to which she told that most of the time the demand is for the golden oldies. She also added that the noisy trend in HFM will not last long as the current younger generation is quite discerning and will soon return to the roots.

But all her panting anger came out when I asked her about the songs she recorded for Mera Naam Joker. She told that her three songs one solo and tow duets were recorded for Mera Naam Joker. The songs were good and liked by Raj Kapoor who spend a hell lot of money for recording the songs but due to the immense pressure of her rivals for not including any other female singer in the film Raj Kapoor dropped all the three songs. When I further quizzed her about rivals she forthrightly said ‘Aashaji ke gane the naa us film main’. She carried on by saying that though all through her singing carrier she faced this but when her songs were dropped from Mera Naam Joker, it was too much for her, it really hurt her hard and she was depressed for a long time. But after some time as always she decided to fight back and continued to work.

M.D. Soni ,when credited her for a unique feast of HFM i.e. of composing of first Sanskrit cabaret for the film ‘Kshitij’, she delightedly told that how the producers of film wanted it to be based on the immortal Sanskrit play ‘Kumar Sambhavam’ by Kalidas so she took some verse from ‘Kumar Sambhavam’ and the hindi portion of the song ‘Pyar hi ishvaram, pyar hi mandiram’ was written by famous hindi poet Balkavi Bairagi. Responding to another query by Shri Soni, she dwelt upon in great detail about the difference in the recording room atmosphere in those days. She told that those days there used to be a lot of people present in the recording room at the time of recording of a song. Producers, financers, lyricist and hero and heroine of the film were there not only to listen the song recording but also to suggest about the ‘adaygee’ of a few words of the song in a particular tone to match the expression in the song picturisation. Also at times the man from rhythm or bass section of orchestra would come out and tell about a sequence or a pause. After a lot of rehearsal and improvisations the recording would be completed.

She also recalled the funny atmosphere during the recording of the ‘Shatranj’ song Batkamma with Rafi and inimitable Mehmood. At the time of recording one of the three microphones went burst so she was told to share her microphone with Mehmood, and Mehmood as usual kept on making funny sounds during the recording and it was quite difficult to sing her part with cheek to cheek with Mehnood. Mehmood continued to make fun and shouting even after musicians stopped playing. It was a real fun to work those days, she said.

This enlightening discussion was followed by a ‘Sureela’ lunch and a group photograph with all the hamrahis. Before calling it a day, Suryatra again thanked Sharda for the privilege of sharing such memorable moments with her.

-Arun Mudgal

लता मंगेशकर ने कुल कितने गाने गाए हैं, इस पर बहस करने का कोई मतलब नहीं है. संख्या जितनी भी है, है. अब उतने सारे गानों में से अगर सिर्फ 25 बेहतरीन गानों का चुनाव करना हो तो? ज़ाहिर है कि पसंद अपनी-अपनी ख़याल अपना अपना वाली बात होगी. कोई भी चयन निर्विवाद हो ही नहीं सकता. लेकिन मुझे ऐसे सारे प्रयास अच्छे लगते है. इसलिए कि इसी बहाने कुछ ऐसे गाने भी याद आ जाते हैं जो हमारी यादों की अलमारी में ज़रा पीछे चले गए हैं.

लता जी की 80 वीं वर्षगांठ पर बहुत सारे अखबारों ने, टी वी चैनलों ने ऐसी सूचियां पेश कीं. ऐसी ही एक सूची डीएनए ने भी दी, जो मुझे अपने मन के ज़्यादा क़रीब लगी.

मैंने उनकी दी हुई सूची का क्रम थोड़ा बदल दिया है. मैंने पहले उन संगीतकारों के गाने ले लिए हैं जिनको इस सूची में एकाधिक स्थान मिले हैं. इस सूची में बर्मन दादा के पांच, जयदेव जी के तीन, सी रामचन्द्र और मदन मोहन जी के दो-दो और खेमचन्द्र प्रकाश, नौशाद, शंकर जयकिशन, खय्याम, सज्जाद, ग़ुलाम मोहम्मद, अनिल बिस्वास, एन दत्ता, हेमंत कुमार, पण्डित रवि शंकर, लक्ष्मीकांत प्यारे लाल, आर डी बर्मन और सलिल चौधरी के एक-एक गाने हैं. जिन संगीतकारों का एक-एक गाना इस सूची में है, उनको बगैर किसी क्रम के यहां रखा गया है.

आप इस सूची को देखें और सोचें कि इसे कैसे और बेहतर और अधिक प्रतिनिधि बनाया जा सकता है. आप किन गानों को रखाना, किनको हटाना और किनको जोड़ना चाहेंगे?

यह है सूची:

फैली हुई है ये सपनों की बाहें/ हाउस नम्बर 44/ एस डी बर्मन

ठण्डी हवाएं/ नौजवान/ एस डी बर्मन

अब तो हैं तुमसे/ अभिमान/ एस डी बर्मन

कांटों से खींच के ये आंचल/ गाइड/ एस डी बर्मन

दिल जले तो जले/ टैक्सी ड्राइवर/ एस डी बर्मन

रात भी है कुछ भीगी-भीगी/ मुझे जीने दो/ जयदेव

ये दिल और उनकी निगाहों के साये/ प्रेम पर्बत/ जयदेव

अल्ला तेरो नाम/ हम दोनों/ जयदेव

ए मेरे वतन के लोगों/ ग़ैर फ़िल्मी/ सी. रामचन्द्र

धीरे-से आजा री अंखियन में/ अलबेला/ सी रामचन्द्र

माई री, मैं कासे कहूं/ दस्तक/ मदन मोहन

लग जा गले/ वो कौन थी/ मदन मोहन

आएगा आनेवाला/ महल/ खेमचन्द्र प्रकाश

उठाये जा उनके सितम/ अंदाज़/ नौशाद

हवा में उड़ता जाए/ बरसात/ शंकर जयकिशन

दिल में किसी की प्रीत जगा ले/ अमर/ अनिल बिस्वास

हाय रे वो दिन क्यूं ना आये/ अनुराधा/ पण्डित रविशंकर

मैं तुम्हीं से पूछती हूं/ ब्लैक कैट/ एन दत्ता

ऐ दिलरुबा/ रुस्तम-ए-सोहराब/ सज्जाद

कुछ दिल ने कहा/ अनुपमा/ हेमंत कुमार

ओ सजना, बरख बहार आई/ परख/ सलिल चौधरी

ठाड़े रहियो/ पाकीज़ा/ ग़ुलाम मोहम्मद

रोज़ शाम आती थी/ इम्तिहान/ लक्ष्मीकांत प्यारे लाल

बांहों में चले आओ/ अनामिका/ आर डी बर्मन

दिखाई दिये यूं/ बाज़ार/ खय्याम

28 सितंबर: आज सुर साम्राज्ञी लता मंगेशकर का जन्म दिन है. उन्हें इस दिन की बधाई देते हुए और और उनकी दीर्घायु की कामना करते हुए मैं सभी संगीत रसिकों के साथ बीबीसी हिंदी सेवा की यह विशेष प्रस्तुति साझा करना चाहता हूं:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hindi/indepth/lata_80years_va.shtml