Raah Pe Rahte Hain (Namkeen)

Some Gulzar songs elevate themselves from the status of being mere songs, and turn into a life philosophy. Be it "Aane waala pal, jaane waala hai" (Gol Maal), "Musafir hoon yaaron" (Parichay), "Ye lamha filhaal jee lene de" (Filhaal), "Goli maar bheje mein" (Satya), "Aye zindagi, gale laga le" (Sadma) or the song that is the subject of this blog post - these are not just easy on your ears, they can well be life anthems for you or me.

At its most superficial, Raah pe rahte hain is the song of a truck driver (Sanjeev Kumar), who seems visibly pained and disillusioned with life. And even though Sanjeev Kumar's face conveys his despair and the song talks about how memories are all he has; it will find a connect with anyone who's a wanderer at heart. Because it's not a song about looking back; it's a song about forging ahead and making your peace with the journey (called life).

Raah pe rahte hain, combined with Musaafir hoon yaaron make me believe that deep down, Gulzar is also a wandering soul ... intent more on the journey than the destination.

Lyrics and translation:

Raah pe rahte hain, yaadon pe basar karte hain

Khush raho ahal-e-watan, hum to safar karte hain

[[We are the nomadic ones, spending our lives on roads and making do with memories

Hoping you find your happiness, as we have found our solace in this journey]]

Jal gaye jo dhoop mein to saaya ho gaye

Aasmaan ka koi kona odha, so gaye

Jo guzar jaati hai bas uspe guzar karte hain

(Raah pe rahte hain ...)

Whatever the journey throws his way, a traveler finds a way to grow and learn with it...

[[When burned by the sun, we became the shade that gives others shelter

(We don't need fancy hotels to sleep) Tucked under a corner of the sky, we sleep peacefully

Memories are what keep us alive ... ]]

Udte pairon ke tale jab bahti hai zameen

Mud ke humne koi manzil, dekhi hi nahin

Raat-din raahon pe hum, shaam-o-sahar karte hain

(Raah pe rahte hain ...)

[[When the road seems to flow under the speeding wheels

How does one find the time to ponder over what's left behind?

We find comfort in the roads; and this is where the sun rises and sets for us]]

Aise ujde aashiyaane, tinke ud gaye

Bastiyon tak aate-aate, raste mud gaye

Hum thahar jaayein jahaan, usko shahar karte hain

(Raah pe rahte hain ...)

[[We have seen the worst of times... Seen homes torn apart in shreds

Soon as we find ourselves nearing a town, a turn in the road would take us elsewhere

That's how we have learnt to make home wherever we stay

('Cause we are the nomadic ones, spending our lives on the roads and making do with memories...)]]

A little history of the lines "Khush raho ahle-watan, hum to safar karte hain":

Some time back Sandeep (@stwta) sent me this link, which has a long poem by Bismil, written when he was in prison following the Kakori Kand. The poem had this line "Khush raho ahle-watan hum to safar karte hain". Of course, it made me immensely happy, 'cause I love finding connections between pieces of literature/poetry.

Later on, I chanced upon this link, which chronicles Bhagat Singh's conviction and execution for the murder of Saunders. In addition to other details, it also has Bhagat's last letter to his brother Kultar; which again quotes the line "Khush raho ahle-watan hum to safar karte hain" (in addition to couplets from Iqbal and others).

So it made me think, may be Bismil and Bhagat Singh were both quoting someone else. So I searched some more, and found this page. Here I finally found out, that the line was originally written by Wajid Ali Shah. He wrote this couplet while being exiled from a place he loved, Lucknow:

"Dar-o-deewar pe hasrat se nazar karte hain

Khush raho ahle-watan hum to safar karte hain

Humne apna dil-e-naazuk to zafa ko saunpa

Qaisari bagh jo hai usko saba ko saunpa ...."

Hmm! So there it is, my little piece of research off the Internet, which has obviously made me happy enough for today :)

Plus it adds another name to the list of poets that Gulzar has quoted - Ghalib (Satrangi Re, Dil Dhoondhta Hai) and Khusrau (Zeehal-e-miskin). And I must confess, till some 10 years back I thought "Dikhaayi Diye Yun" (written by Mir Taqi Mir) was penned by Gulzar.

Here's a video to the poem written by Bismil, which was later used in the movie "Aandolan", and sung beautifully by the inimitable Bhupinder. (Again, thanks to @stwta)

(The movie Namkeen is also available on Youtube)

Is Mod Se Jaate Hain (Aandhi)

Here is one song that always stumped me when I was younger. I wasn't able to make a head or tale of it. It was after I read the script of the movie (I haven't watched it yet) that the song really started to make sense. A bit delayed, but here it is on my blog :)

About the movie:
Though the movie (Aandhi, 1975) gained much notoriety (and a ban) for bearing a similarity to the life of a certain Ms Gandhi; in my opinion the whole political background was incidental to the movie which is essentially a story about love, ego and personality clashes. But mostly about love. 

The movie traces the love story (and marriage) of an ambitious daughter of a politician (Aarti) and a hotel-manager-by-profession but poet-at-heart guy JK. Aarti's political ambitions prove to be a bit too much for JK and his ego; and they decide to go their separate ways. The movie (constantly switching between flashes from past and present) revolves around what happens when a chance encounter brings them back.

The stage is set thus:
The song occurs at two very important junctures in the movie. First is a mod (turn) in their lives - JK and Aarti have just gotten married and are all starry-eyed about their future. [Spoiler alert!] The second time the song occurs at the climax of the movie; when they finally decide to go their own ways and marks the second mod of their journey.

With this background, let's move ahead to the translation part :)

Lyrics, and English translation:

Is mod se jaate hain

Kuchh sust kadam raste

Kuchh tez kadam raahein

[[From this turn walk by, 

Some lazy paths, 

And a few fast paced lanes.

This is the beginning of a new phase in the relationship of JK and Aarti. Life could take the turn towards the unhurried life that JK dreams of; or could end up in the expressway of Aarti's ambitions. 

Even when de-referenced from the movie, this line sets the tone for the highly abstract yet deeply meaningful lyrics coming ahead.]]

Patthar ki haveli ko

Sheeshe ke gharaundon mein

Tinkon ke nasheman tak

Is mod se jaate hain

[[Towards a mansion made of stones,

In a house of glass

Or a nest of mere twigs

Can we go from this turn

The song further talks about how this turn could lead them towards an everlasting relationship (patthar ki haveli), a brittle one (sheeshe ke gharonde), or one which even the slightest of wind (of trouble) could wreck (tinkon ke nasheman).]]

Aandhi ki tarah ud kar ek raah guzarti hai

Sharmaati hui koi qadamon se utarti hai

In reshmi raahon mein, ik raah to wo hogi

Tum tak jo pahuchti hai, is mod se jaati hai

[[A road, like a raging storm, passes by

And one takes the steps demurely 

Of these silken roads, I look out for the one

That'll take me to you, when I take this turn

The song further speaks of the various tones this relationship could take - volatile like a gale, or a timid one. "But whatever form it takes, of the many enticing options I want to choose the one that'll lead me to you."]]

Ik door se aati hai, paas aa ke palatti hai

Ik raah akeli si, rukti hai na chalti hai

Ye soch ke baithi hoon, ik raah to wo hogi

Tum tak jo pahunchti hai, is mod se jaati hai

[[One road comes from far away and then suddenly takes a U-turn

And there's this lonely road, which neither stops not goes anywhere.

I sit here thinking, there must be a road out there

That'll take me to you, when I take this turn

You're quite sure of the direction of your life, and then it suddenly takes a U-turn. And at times you spend too much time down a road that won't lead you anywhere. 

"But I will sit here and wait for these roads to pass, till the one comes along that'll take me to my lover, my destination.]]

My Two Three cents:

1. This song was written as a nazm, and adapted in the movie. The nazm is not specific to marriage and  its consequences though. Neither is it a love ballad. It simply talks about how one turn could make you end up at a completely different place. Some lines from the nazm:

सहरा की तरफ़ जाकर, इक राह बगूलों में खो जाती है चकराकर

रुक-रुकके झिझकती-सी, इक मौत की ठंडी-सी वादी में उतरती है

इक राह उधडती-सी छिलती हुई काँटों से, जंगल से गुज़रती है -

इक दौड़ के जाती है और कूदके गिरती है, अनजानी ख़लाओं में 

Thanks to @stwta for giving the youtube video of the nazm by Bhupinder Singh.

2. In the movie Aarti tells JK "तुम्हारे पास ये कविता न होती तो तुम बहुत ऑर्डिनरी आदमी होते". I read somewhere that this was something that actually Rakhi told Gulzar. In fact, to me JK's character feels quite similar to Gulzar. His sense of humor and poetic sensibilities are trademark Gulzar. But then, he created the character!

3. Here, Gulzar talks about Sanjeev Kumar and the making of Aandhi.

Tere bina zindagi se koi (Aandhi)

'Tere Bina Zingadi Se Koi' from Aandhi (1975) is one of the all time classics, in the voice of Kishore Kumar (amazing how he could yoodley and sing such soulful songs with equal ease) and Lata Mangeshkar (IMO, the greatest singer of all time). This song is composed by R.D. Burman and written by Gulzar. 

The stage is set  thus:

Aarti Devi (Suchitra Sen) and JK (Sanjeev Kumar) are married, but estranged (mainly due to her political ambitions). During one of Aarti Devi's election rallies, they meet again after many years. It's then that they begin to ask themselves, that though they have been living apart for so long, have they really lived all these years, (or merely existed)? This song conveys regret at losing one's love, and raises the question if anything you gained after sacrificing your love was worth it.

Lyrics, and translation:

Tere bina zindagi se koi, shikwa nahin (shikwa nahin, shikwa nahin)

Tere bina zindagi bhi lekin zindagi to nahin (zindagi nahin, zindagi nahin)

[[There is not much to complain about, in a life without you.

But then, a life without you is hardly a life]]