46 Responses to "Na to kaarwaan ki talaash hai…ye ishq ishq hai ishq ishq"
September 16, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Too good….this qawwali is just too good….Sahir’s lyrics, Roshan’s music…
Like you say, it has many shades to it. It is like a journey….and Sahir’s lines like “bahut kathin hai dagar panghat ki…ab kya bhar laoon main Jamna se matki…”
Immortal – Sahir Ludhianvi, Roshan and Mohammad Rafi.
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September 16, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Indeed, this song is as immortal as a song can get.
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December 11, 2008 at 11:40 pm
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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February 5, 2009 at 11:47 am
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….
May 11, 2012 at 1:06 pm
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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June 2, 2009 at 3:20 am
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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August 25, 2009 at 4:16 pm
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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September 6, 2009 at 9:26 pm
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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September 7, 2009 at 6:19 am
This qawwali is very long, and getting its lyrics right took me several hours. “Na to kaarvaan ki talaash” could well be treated as a different qawwali needing its own post, that is why I have not posted that.
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September 29, 2011 at 8:19 pm
Now I have actually included the “Na to kaarwaan ki talaash” portion of the lyrics too in this writeup.
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June 13, 2010 at 11:21 pm
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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September 5, 2010 at 11:52 am
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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September 5, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Indeed the lyrics of the qawwali are sheer magic.
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16 | Krishna Pillalamarri
September 29, 2011 at 9:12 pm
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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September 30, 2011 at 3:08 am
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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September 30, 2011 at 10:42 am
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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October 13, 2011 at 11:12 am
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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May 11, 2012 at 1:09 pm
I am moved by the audience’s camaraderie in the film. Earlier live music listening was considered a great passtime.
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March 2, 2012 at 5:09 pm
Can anyone post the meaning of these lyrics too… please
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March 3, 2012 at 10:18 am
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.
May 11, 2012 at 1:13 pm
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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January 10, 2013 at 10:27 pm
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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May 6, 2012 at 10:46 pm
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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August 15, 2012 at 8:37 pm
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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August 31, 2012 at 5:33 am
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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24 | Sky High
January 10, 2013 at 12:47 pm
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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April 20, 2013 at 11:07 am
can someone translate this wonderful song- a masterpiece, please? thank you.
Murthy
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August 20, 2016 at 7:00 pm
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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August 20, 2016 at 7:10 pm
Thanks for pointing out the correct word. I have made the change as suggested.
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August 20, 2016 at 7:20 pm
That’s good. Hadees is the literature of the collection of the sayings and the doings of the Prophet Muhammad according to Muslim belief.
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February 12, 2017 at 12:07 am
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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February 13, 2018 at 8:58 am
The tune of this qawwali seems to be inspired from a qawwali ‘na to but kade ki talab mujhe’ sung by Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan and Ustad Fateh Ali Khan. A video of the live recording of the qawwali in India in 1958 has recently surfaced on YT:
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February 13, 2018 at 7:39 pm
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.
February 14, 2018 at 11:28 am
Arun ji,
About 4-6 years back, I had watched a TV interview on YT of one of the PWA friends of Sahir in Lahore. Sahir was his room mate during his Lahore days. Sahir was regularly in touch with him even after his return to India. In the interview, the friend had revealed that when the fees for Sahir’s song writing for ‘Barsaar Ki Raat’ (1960) was being negotiated with the producer, as usual Sahir demanded one rupee more than what was being paid to the music director for the film.
The producer pleaded with Sahir that he could not afford the amount as the music director was one of the top music directors of that time commanding a high price. He requested Sahir to reduce his fee. Sahir gave him an alternative proposal that he would bring a good music director who would charge much less than the top music director. He suggested the name of Roshan. Since the producer was keen to retain Sahir, he agreed.
Unfortunately, in the said interview, the friend of Sahir did not reveal the name of the top music director. But my own hunch was that on the basis of the genre of the film, the top music director could have been Naushad.
Now with your inputs, it seems that in between the top music director and Roshan, Khayyam was also in the reckoning which I was not aware.
Thanks for the inputs.
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February 14, 2018 at 12:06 pm
I find that even Sahir Ludhianvi was inspired from the original qawwali. Examples below:
From original qawwali
naa to butkade ki talab mujhe naa haram ki dar ki talaash hai
jahaan loot gaya hai sukhoon-e-dil ussi rahaguzar ki talash hai
Sahir Ludhianvi
naa to kaarwaan ki talaash ha ,naa to hamsafar ki talaash hai
mere shauq-e-khaanaa kharaab ko teri rehguzar ki talaash hai
From original qawwali
mujhe jis ne dard-e-adaa kiya usi chaarahgar ki talaash hai
Sahir Ludhianvi
jo dawaa ke naam pe zahar de usi chaaraagar ki talaash hai
From original qawwali
isse kaise dil se judaa karoon meri umr bhar ki talaash hai
Sahir Ludhianvi
teraa ishq main kaise chhod doon meri umr bhar ki talaash hai
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June 24, 2020 at 4:43 pm
One of great songs. Not only enjoying it, living life every day.
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January 14, 2023 at 11:38 pm
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?
January 15, 2023 at 6:07 pm
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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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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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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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