Rahte thhe kabhi jinke dil mein
Posted on: March 18, 2009
I have posted one song from “Mamta” (1966) sometime back. Here is another song from this movie.
Like the earlier song posted (“rahen na rahen ham”) this song (“rahte the kabhi jinke dil me”) is sung by Lata and picturised on Suchitra Sen and Ashok Kumar. Majrooh Sultanpuri wrote the song and Roshan composed the music. Lyrics are the star of this song undoubtedly. We had outstanding poets like Majrooh Sultanpuri writing songs those days and this song is a good example of how good lyrics can elevate a song to the status of a timeless classic.
Audio
Video
Song-Rahte the kabhi jinke dil mein (Mamta) (1966) Singer-Lata, Lyrics-Majrooh Sultanpuri, MD-Roshan
Lyrics
rahte the kabhi jinke dil mein
ham jaan se bhi pyaaron ki tarah
baithe hain unhin ke kooche mein
ham aaj gunahgaaron ki tarah
ham aaj gunahgaaron ki tarah
rahte the kabhi jinke dil mein
daawaa thaa jinhen hamdardi kaa
khud aake na poochhaa haal kabhi
khud aake na poochhaa haal kabhi
mahfil mein bulaayaa hai ham pe
mahfil mein bulaayaa hai ham pe
hansne ko sitamagaaron ki tarah
hansne ko sitamagaaron ki tarah
rahte the kabhi jinke dil mein
barson se sulagte tan man par
ashkon ke to chheenten de naa sake
ashkon ke to chheenten de naa sake
tapte huye dil ke zakhmon par
tapte huye dil ke zakhmon par
barse bhi to angaaron ki tarah
barse bhi to angaaron ki tarah
rahte the kabhi jinke dil mein
sau roop dhare jeene ke liye
baithe hain hazaaron zahar piye
baithe hain hazaaron zahar piye
thokar naa lagaanaa ham khud hain
thokar naa lagaanaa ham khud hain
girti huyi deewaaron ki tarah
girti huyi deewaaron ki tarah
rahte the kabhi jinke dil mein
ham jaan se bhi pyaaron ki tarah
baithe hain unhin ke kooche mein
ham aaj gunahgaaron ki tarah
ham aaj gunahgaaron ki tarah
rahte the kabhi jinke dil mein
12 Responses to "Rahte thhe kabhi jinke dil mein"
March 18, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Superb song from a superb movie.
Roshan is one of my favourite music directors, as you have no doubt figured out by now. 🙂
And Bawa is right – excellent lyrics.
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March 19, 2009 at 11:04 pm
What a great song! As Bawa and Raja have already said, nobody comes up with such lyrics any more. Just listen to the pain in the words and you are mesmerized. I just love the part where she sings, ” … tapte hue dil ke zakhmon par barse bhi to angaaron ki tarah … “. All the metaphors and the symbolism, if I had been in Ashok Kumar’s place, towards whom this whole song is directed, I would have been wishing that the earth would swallow me forever!
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February 23, 2013 at 7:48 pm
great song. super lyrics. does anyone know the meaning of “kuche”? thanks.
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February 24, 2013 at 2:25 pm
koocha or kooche as it is used here means either courtyard or ‘a mehfil ‘ or even an area.
nikalna khuld se aadam ka sunte aaye thhe lekin
bade be-aabroo ho kar tere kooche se ham nikle
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February 24, 2013 at 6:37 pm
Nahm ji
The word ‘koochaah’ literally means a narrow lane. In poetic terms, the reference is mostly (but not always) to the lane where the home of the beloved is.
“baithe hain unhi ke koocheh mein hum aaj gunehgaaron ki tarah”
“I am only allowed a place on the street (outside your abode), to sit there like an accused”
Rgds
Sudhir
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February 24, 2013 at 8:11 pm
Sudhir Sir,
You are a Dilliwallah, so would know better !
Gulzar sahab had written a poem for TV serial ‘Mirza Ghalib ‘ . He referred to ‘billimoria, gali kooche …… ‘ . I dont remember the lines.
The poem was recited by Naseeruddin Shah and the text was given on the Audio cassette cover.
In poetry, it is also used as ‘ kooh-e-yaar ‘ i.e. an abode of the beloved.
But i feel in this ghazal, the usage is for ‘a mehfil’ or courtyard .
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February 24, 2013 at 9:31 pm
Nahm ji
Yes, being a Dilliwaala, gives a little more familiarity with this terminology. In the Old Delhi area, earlier called ‘Shahjahanbad’, the erstwhile capital of the Mughal Kings, one can still see the road signs for some streets like ‘Koochah Mahaajani’, ‘Koochaah Suniyaara’ etc. And btw, the word used by Gulzar in his poem would be ‘Ballimaraan’. This is the name of the street in Chandni Chowk area, where Mirza Ghalib used to live. His home still stands there.
You are also right about ‘kooh-e-yaar’. It appears in the famous ghazal by Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, who was imprisoned by the British in Rangoon, hundreds of miles away from his own home.
“Kitna hai badnaseeb zafar, dafn ke liye”
“Do gaz zameen bhi na mili kooh-e-yaar mein”
Once again, the reference is that he (Zafar) is so unfortunate, that he is not even allowed two yards of space for a burial grave in the city that he loves. The reference still is to the streets of Delhi.
In poetry, there is a regular reference to streets when the poet talks about places. E.g. the famous line from the famous ghazal by ‘Zauq’ –
“in dinon garche dakkan mein hai badi qadr e sukhan”
“kaun jaaye Zauq par Dilli ki galiyaan chhod kar”
But overall, the reference of the word ‘koochaah’ is always to a street. It is never inside a home, and hence it is not a courtyard. Being a reference to ‘mehfil’ is also not correct. Within this song itself, yes the situation is that Suchitra Sen has been invited to the house of Ashok Kumar to sing. But the meaning of the word ‘koochaah’ in this couplet still refers to the street outside the lover’s home.
“There was a time that I used to reside in his heart”
“Now I am only allowed a place on the street (outside his home), to sit there like an accused”
Rgds
Sudhir
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February 24, 2013 at 9:44 pm
Sir,
I bow to your superior knowledge. Kindly allow me to rest my case
🙂 .
Thanks & regards.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
March 18, 2009 at 9:24 am
The poetry in this song is so outstanding, and Lata’s voice is just right to express all the tragedy. Roshan does not dilute the classical elements in this ghazal.
Is there anyone in the present Hindi film industry capable of writing such poetry anymore?
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