Song : Na to karvaan ki talaash hain, and Ji chahataa hai chuum loon apni nazarko main
Movie Name : Barsat ki Raat
Singer : Manna Dey, Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle, SudhaMalhotra, BandeHasan, SD Batish
Music Director : Roshan
Lyricist : SahirLudhiyanvi
Year: 1960
Pleasure, if you look in the Thesaurus is a synonym for happiness, delight, bliss, gratification. And if you are a lover of Hindi film music, who enjoys a wordy duel, it would also be synonymous with Qawwali and ‘Na to karvaankitalaashhai…’ Because as you listen to this classic confrontation of Qawwals, you pass through each of those states of happiness, delight and bliss. And with a length of almost 10 minutes it is only more gratification for the senses. Whoever said good things come in small packets. ‘Na to karvaankitalaashhai…’ is the climax song of Barsat Ki Raat, a film about the romance between a budding poet/singer Aman (Bharat Bhushan) and Shabnam (Madhubala) who meet each other in a chance encounter on a rainy night (how we have changed as a society is evident from what this term means in the modern Hindi film context) Her father is opposed to the alliance and the film is about how Aman overcomes this family opposition. But what makes Barsat Ki Raat appealing is the sidetrack about politics in the world of art of those times. As the film shifts between the predominantly Muslim settings of Hyderabad and Luknow, it tastefully creates the magic of the times when singers and poets plied their art with passion and were traded and stalked like the IPL cricketers of today. The characterization, performances and the dialogues faultlessly create the ‘tehzeeb’ of a place and era when romance and art were the only worthwhile pursuits of life. Barsat Ki Raat was an important movie for its two main creators, Music Director Roshan (whose grandson is Hritik) and lyricist SahirLudhyanvi. Sahir had recently broken up with reputed music directors like OP Nayyar and SD Burman, ostensibly because, spurred by the success of Pyaasa, he had reportedly demanded to be paid Rs 1 more than the music directors. In fact Sahir and SD never worked together after Pyaasa, a great loss for all lovers of Hindi songs. On the other hand Roshan was reeling under competition from OP and SD. So both of them had a point to prove and they did it in style coming up with such melodious Rafi numbers like ‘Zindagibharnahibhoolegiwohbarsaatkiraat’ and ‘Maine shayadtumhepehlebhikahindekhahai’ and the classical ‘GarjatBarjatsaawanaayo re’ sung by Kamal Barod and SumanKalyanpur. But the real show stealers were the qawwali’s, ‘nigah-e-naazkemaaronkahaalkyahoga’, ‘Jichahatahai choom loon apninazarko main’ and the final showdown of ‘Na to karvaankitalaashhain’ The Qawwali is a traditional form of Sufi devotional music dating back to 8th century Persia. It is mainly performed at the darghas during Urs. A qwwali party, as we must have noticed in films, generally comprises of a lead singer and a side singer, a few instrumentalists with a harmonium, tabla and dholak and a chorus which repeats key phrases and also provides support by clapping to the beat. In films, as in this particular song, the qawwali has been popularly used to depict a confrontation between protagonists [Teri mehfil me kismet aazmakar hum bhidekhenge – Mughal-e-Azam, Hai agar dushmandushmanzamanaghamnahinahi – Hum kisi se kamnahi, Raazkibaatkehdoon to jaanemehfil me phirkya ho – Dharma]. As we unravel ‘Na to karvaankitalaashhain’ we will also try and understand the grammar of Qawwali .Besides of course Sahir’s skill and mastery over words. Like a master craftsman he fuses words and languages to create a delightful vase of poetry and passion. One could hardly grudge him that additional rupee. [The italicized text is the other party in the duet. A key element of Qawwali is the interplay between the main and side singers, the repetition of key phrases and a distinctly different vocal rendition.Qawwalis tend to begin gently with a soft instrumental prelude and a few preamble verses leading to the main theme.] Na To Karvaan Ki TalaashHai, Na To Humsafar Ki TalaashHai Mere Shauq-E-KhaanaKharaabKo, Teri Rehguzar Ki TalaashHai [Shauq-E-KhaanaKharaab – place having dubious desire, here meaning eye. Rehguzar – path, road] Mere Na-muradJunoonKaHaiIlaaj Koi To MautHai Jo DawaKeNaamPeZehar De UsiChaaragar Ki TalaashHai [Na-murad – disappointed, Chaaragar – doctor] TeraIshqHaiMeriAarzoo, TeraIshqHaiMeriAabroo DilIshqJismIshqHaiAurJaanIshqHai Imaan Ki Jo Poochho To ImaanIshqHai TeraIshqHaiMeriAarzoo, TeraIshqHaiMeriAabroo, TeraIshq Mein KaiseChhodDoon, MeriUmrBhar Ki TalaashHai [Here emerges the theme of the qawwali.] Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq Jaansoz Ki HaalatKoJaansoz Hi Samjhega
[jaansoz – passionate ]
MaeinShamaa Se KehtaHoonMehfil Se NahinKehtaKyonki Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq SeharTakSabkaHaiAnjaamJal Kar Khaak Ho Jaana, BhariMehfil Mein Koi ShammaYaParvaana Ho JayeKyonki Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq Vehshat-E-DilRasm-O-Deedaar Se Roki Na Gayi [Vehshat-E-Dil – the grief/solitude of the heart. Rasm-O-Deedaar – the tradition of the eye] Kisi Khanjar, Kisi Talwaar Se Roki Na Gayi IshqMajnu Ki Vo AawazHaiJiskeAage Koi Laila Kisi Deewaar Se Roki Na Gayi, Kyonke Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq WoHanske Agar Maangen To Hum JaanBhiDeden, Haan Ye Jaan To KyaCheezHaiImaanBhiDedenKyonki Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq Naaz-O-Andaaz Se KehteHain Ki JeenaHoga, ZeharBhiDeteHain To KehtenHain Ki PeenaHoga Jab Mein PeetaHoon To KehtenHai Ki Marta BhiNahin, Jab Mein Marta Hoon To KehteHain Ki JeenaHoga Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq [Has someone ever portrayed the whims of the beloved and the irony of love better than this?] Mazhab-E-Ishq Ki HarRasmKadiHotiHai, HarQadam Par Koi DeewaarKhadiHotiHai IshqAazadHai, Hindu Na MusalmaanHaiIshq Aap Hi DharmHaiAurAap Hi ImaanHaiIshq Jis Se AagaahNahi Sheikh-O-BarahaamanDono [Aagaah – known, aware, alert] Us HaqeeqatKaGarajtaaHuaAilaanHaiIshq Ishq Na PuchheDeenDharm Nu, Ishq Na PuchheZaataan Ishq De HaathonGaramLahuVich, Doobiyaan Lakh BaraataanKeAyweIshq Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq RaahUlfat Ki KathinHaiIseAasaan Na SamajhKyunke Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq [Notice how Roshan fuses folk with Qawwali and how seamlessly Sahir moves from Urdu to Brajbhasha] BahutKathinHaiDagarPanghat Ki AbKyaBharLaunMaeinJamuna Se Matki Mein Jo ChaliJalJamunaBharanKo DekhoSakhiRi Mein Jo ChaliJalJamunaBharanKo NandKoChhodMoheRokeJhaadon To KyaBharLaun Mein Jamuna Se Matki AbLaajRaakho More Ghoonghat Pat Ki Jab JabKrishn Ki BansiBaaji, NikliRaadhaSajKe JaanAjaanKaDhyaanBhulaKe, LokLaajKoTajKe Ban BanDoliJanakDulaari, PehanKe Prem Ki Maala DarshanJal Ki PyaasiMeera, Pi Gai Vis KaPyaala AurPhirAraj Kari Ke LaajRaakhoRaakhoRaakho, LaajRaakhoDekhoDekho, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq RaahUlfat Ki KathinHaiIseAasaan Na SamajhKyunke Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq [Notice how Roshan fuses folk with Qawwali and how seamlessly Sahir moves from Urdu to Brajbhasha] BahutKathinHaiDagarPanghat Ki AbKyaBharLaunMaeinJamuna Se Matki Mein Jo ChaliJalJamunaBharanKo DekhoSakhiRi Mein Jo ChaliJalJamunaBharanKo NandKoChhodMoheRokeJhaadon To KyaBharLaun Mein Jamuna Se Matki AbLaajRaakho More Ghoonghat Pat Ki Jab JabKrishn Ki BansiBaaji, NikliRaadhaSajKe JaanAjaanKaDhyaanBhulaKe, LokLaajKoTajKe Ban BanDoliJanakDulaari, PehanKe Prem Ki Maala DarshanJal Ki PyaasiMeera, Pi Gai Vis KaPyaala AurPhirAraj Kari Ke LaajRaakhoRaakhoRaakho, LaajRaakhoDekhoDekho, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq, Ye IshqIshqHaiIshqIshq Allah RasoolKaFarmaanIshqHai [Rasool – Prophet] YaaniHadeesIshqHai, Quran IshqHai [Hadees – the teachings of the Prophet] Gautam KaaAurMaseehKaArmaanIshqHai Ye KaiynaatJismHaiAurJaanIshqHai IshqSarmad, Ishq Hi Mansoor Hai [Sarmad – Sufi poet from Iran of the 16th century] IshqMoosa, IshqKoh-E-ToorHai [Moosa – Moses. Koh-E-Toor – Mount Sinai where Prophet Moses was given the 10 commandments] [The singer goes into an increased crescendo of alaap, trying to induce a state of trance indicating the climax and the culmination of Qawalli] KhaaqKoButh, AurButhKoDevta Karta HaiIshq [khaaq – earth, Buth – id…
