46 Responses to "Na to kaarwaan ki talaash hai…ye ishq ishq hai ishq ishq"
This song is the greatest! I can remember this song from my childhood days, and we used to sing this without even knowing what the word Ishq meant, but we knew that this was a great song. How I miss those days with songs by Rafi and Asha and Manna Dey! Thanks for the song.
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The verse – bahut kathin hai dagar panghat ki………laj rakh more ghoonghat pat ki’ was originally written by Amir Khusro and has been incorporated from his writings….
I came across a great find and tthat is most of our temple singers of yore have meen Muslim ustaads of the great gharansa. Most of our immortal raaga bandishes come from them be they on krishna or radha or so many other themes.
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Thanks for posting it on the blog with lyrics and about some references used in the song! Love this song – the nanny of all Qawalis 😉
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This qawwali brings tears of joy to my eyes…the lyrics are sufi and reflect the idealism of emerging India then. To think how integrated the HIndu-Muslim cultures were then, and rue at the divide now…
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Truly amazing, every word is worth a million!
words for every person are in their unique style. it is hard to believe that the entire piece is by a single person. truly amazing! The dialogue is so beautiful. I guess I should force me to stop 🙂
Why did you not start from the start “Na To Karvan Ki Talaash ” ?
…intahaa ye hai ke bande ko Khudaa kartaa hai ishq…
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This is a genuine masterpiece, eternally etched in history for evermore. This qawalli was tastefully remixed in the 90s and came out as a cassette called ‘BASS’ ( ithink thats what it was called) i have since tried everywhere and cannot get that remix. It was a brilliant cassette, also had remix of Parda ha Parda (Amat Akbar Anthony) Salame- Ishq (Suhhag) and Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen etc etc. Does anyone know how to or where to get this …..?
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Khaaq ko but, aur but ko devtaa kartaa hai ishq
intahaa ye hai ke bande ko Khudaa kartaa hai ishq..
..AWESOME LYRICS..
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This page is a good example of my comment.
The VideoClip attached by Atul is 12:16 in length, but doesn’t start from the beginning, as pointed out by Nikhil. The clip Nikhil attached does start from the beginning, but is only 9:39 long. It misses a couple of verses in the middle, when Bharat Bhushan jumps into the fray.
But the text supplied by Atul ‘seems’ to be complete.
None of the other YouTube clips you could search for, has the whole song in its entirety.
Yet, whatever is available, is absolutely delightful to hear, and watch the interplay between the sides, and more so with some of the background information provided by the several people.
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Krishna ji,
The current video clip that is available with this write up is the complete qawwaali, and it starts at the correct place. The title of this qawwaali is “Na To Kaarwaan Ki Talaash Hai. . .”. The iconic line, “Yeh Ishq Ishq Hai Ishq Ishq. . .” does not appear till almost half through the singing. But this line has effectively become so famous, that this qawwaali is now known by it. However the start of the singing is “Na To Kaarwaan Ki Talaash Hai. . .” and not “Yeh Ishq Ishq Hai Ishq Ishq. . .”.
Rgds
Sudhir
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This brings childhood memories as whenever this qawwaali was played we all glued to the radio. Rafi late entry is amazing, and backbone of this qawwali.
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Today we can only live in those memories. Wish such spell binding lyrics and singers exist today. May be its nostalgia. Great to hear comments on this song which is 60 years old. Vinod
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I am moved by the audience’s camaraderie in the film. Earlier live music listening was considered a great passtime.
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Can anyone post the meaning of these lyrics too… please
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This is a Qawwali which defines love as being the source of all inspiration. It says that one need not seek companions (signified as caravan) or even a beaten path (signified as rahguzar) for finding true love. It even goes on to say that it is love (devotion) that converts an idol into God and raises a mere mortals to immortality.) Each line has a meaning along these lines. And the theme words of this qawwali are “Yeh hae ishk ishk ishk” Which basically refers to true love. Here it speaks more of divine love than normal love between human being. Qawwali was first introduced as song sun at Dargahs of Sufi saints who connected with the Divine.
Hope I have been able to help.
mere shauq e khana kharab ko….. translates as my fondness that is eating away into me is longing for the same path that you tread upon.
mere namurad junoon ka……
My unwanted fascination has only one cure if at all, …. death.
jo dawa ke ……
one who gives poison instead of medicine is in need of God.(charaghar)
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I fully agree with the brief meaning of the spirit of this qawwali given above and very much grateful for making it so clear and specific.
Some words in the lyrics need correction :
1.
ishq aazaad hai,
ishq aazaad hai, hindu naa musalmaan hai ishq,
aap hi dharm hai aur aap hi Imaan hai ishq
‘ jis se ‘ aagaah nahi sheikh-o-barahman dono,
us haqeeqat kaa garajtaa huaa ai’laan hai ishq
2.
Allaah o Rasool kaa farmaan ishq hai
ya’ane ‘ hadees ‘ ishq hai, quraan ishq hai
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Yunus Bhai, my humble thanks for the expansion of the central theme of this great musical creation. Please can you translate each word of the intricate shayari entwined in this quawwali ? It will enhance the manifest grandeur of this jewel immensely !
Atul, I was reading the recent India Today issue and my heart went out to the poor minority Hindu families who are forced to seek asylum in India owing to untold ill treatment, especially their women. And the Hindus in India show them that if Pakistan is Hell, India is Hell to the nth power. Absolutely no compassion from the powers that be in India !
With a heavy heart and a sigh.. “kya Hindu, kya Muslim ???” I was in contemplation, when words of this immortal quawwali thrust themselves into my mind ! And I was humming and felt an untold urge to learn more about this gem when I hit your blog ! So thank you for a memorable journey! If only mankind could practice the teachings embodied herein by the great Sahir Ludhianvi and expressed so melodiously by our great singers, regardless of their faith! Mohd Rafi is always somewhere close to God for me and when I hear his chaste rendition of Krishna / Radha Bhajans, which can put any right-wing Hindu to shame, he moves ever more closer to Godliness !
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This qawwali, especially the attempt to define “Ishq” has been tried so many times in other songs, a la movie “taal”. Unfortunately, all the attempts are that, an imitation. This is a legend, a masterpiece, a great mosiac of lyrics by Sahir, great composition by Roshan and masters of voices like Manna Dey, Asha Bhonsley, Rafi Sahab and Sudha Malhotra (and S D Batish). The lively start, the flow of tempo of music, the crescendo as it builds up towards the end is unparalleled. How beautifully has Sahir summed it all up at the end with “Inthaa ye hai ki bandey ko khuda karta hai ishq”. I am getting goosebumps just writing those lines.
I have heard that when Late Roshan Sahab mentioned someone about this qawaali, they almost laughed at him, suggesting no one is going to listen to this almost 13 minute long clapping of hands and repeating the same phrase over and over again. But he (Roshan Sahab) knew what he was creating and said “Mujhey log yaad rakheingey”. So true.!
Someone commented about bhajans, Ram, Krishna, Radha’s names being mentioned during the qawwali. (And is it really a qawwali …….. ..Guwahati.)
There is a tradition in qawwali where it is called “Girah lagana, ya girah bandhna”. Basically to add portions which are relevant in subject, no matter what their literary base is. But then, who cares what is in it. All the “girahein” makes it what it is. : )
The beauty of this movie was that other qawwalis are of very high quality as well.(nigaah e naaz ke maaron ka ). Not only that, the rest of the songs are of highest quality. My hats off to such musical geniuses. Great Post. Cheers !!!! … Feroz
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Also it is worth mentioning that Sahir sahaab who wrote the lyrics was an atheist. He also wrote the lyrics of the song “allah tero naam, ishwaar tero naam”.
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It is amazing to read about a song…so much to find!
As an RJ you are compelled to research all that u r goin to talk abt and the song that u r gonna play on the radio. And ever since I played this song a request from a listener very recently, this number has glued me to bollywood qawwali, before that my sole interest was pure sufi genre and original qawwalis rather than the movie ones on a personal note.
Gives so much insight to read comments as well, at times more than the actual post to be honest.
I have been often visiting dis blog to grab content for my show, now i think i must start a segment connecting to your blog.
Awesome work, keep rocking! 🙂
I’ll keep coming here 🙂
PS: Good things must always be shared so a ‘detailed’ find abt the same song and the movie here –
http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=851339
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Dear Atul,
Thanks for this excellent transcription in Roman script. One word in the following verse needs to be corrected. At present it is written:
Allaah o Rasool kaa farmaan ishq hai
yaane hafeez ishq hai, quraan ishq hai
It should be:
Allaah o Rasool kaa farmaan ishq hai
yaane hadees ishq hai, quraan ishq hai
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I think , this post holds the record of largest number of comments ( total 38 including atulji’s and mine ) . Longest qawwali with longest list of commenters . Chaaraagar means a person who cures diseases ( doctor ) . Jo dawaa ke naam pe zahar de , usi chaaraagar ki talaash hai . I am in search of a doctor who gives poison in the name of medicine . The poetry of Sahir is undoubtedly unique .
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The story goes that it was Khayyam who had originally been signed on to compose the music for Barsaat Ki Raat (1960). But when R Chandra, the film’s producer and elder brother of its leading man Bharat Bhushan, insisted that the composer use the tune of the qawwali Na Toh But-Kade Ki Talab Mujhe, sung by the famed Pakistani duo of Mubarak Ali Khan and Fateh Ali Khan, Khayyam put his foot down.
He was promptly shown the door, and Roshan was brought in. As the producer had the singers’ permission, Roshan had no qualms about using the tune. The resulting song Na Toh Carvaan Ki Talaash Hai, an epic 12-min qawwali that took almost 24 hours to record, became a rage and is perhaps the first song that comes to mind when we think of great film qawwalis. The other songs of the film, especially the romantic title track Zindagi Bhar Nahin Bhoolegi, too hit their mark.
Excellent information on this favourite Qawwali of mine. Apart from Bharat Bhushan and the ladies, do you know who acts as the opposite team “lead” for whom Manna Dey sings?
I guess you are talking about RATNA aka RATNA BHUSHAN, who lip syncs for this song apart from Shyama,(Ratna Bhushan is wife of actor Bharat Bhushan in real life),
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1 | shaliniaustin
September 16, 2008 at 7:34 am
THANK YOU Atul! That is beautifully done!
I love how you have introduced this immortal song. Definitely the Great Grandmother of all Qawwalis!
It’s a song with memories of fun times and family get-togethers 🙂 Most of my family are deeply into music and singing is just a part of life. Every time we get together antakshari is inevitable. This Qawwali has always been one where everyone joins in even my besura uncles.
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roopa
May 11, 2012 at 1:04 pm
agreed absolutely Shalini.
thanx Atul Sar. mmmmm.Sir.Woh hanse ke agar mangeyen tho hum jaan bhi de den……..
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