Har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke tu kyaa hai
Posted on: September 5, 2011
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
It is a well known fact that Saigal Saab did not have any formal training classical music. As a child, he was blessed by and initiated into the practice of riyaaz by Pir Salman Yusuf, a sufi saint in Jammu. This blessing, and the word of his first Guru, led to a secret discipline, which was akin to a pursuit in spiritual internalization. It molded his voice such that his voice gained an unusual musical power – an emotional content that is not generally cared for in formal training. Saigal Saab has this dexterity to make the words glow with music, as he sings. In ghazal singing, his swara’s power the words from within, such that the music does never seem to interfere with the flow of words. It is like a magic. From the lowest note, he can move his voice so smoothly to the higher octaves, without ever becoming shrill even when he touches the highest notes. Throughout the entire rendition, there is a smooth and vivid timbre to the sound that is very pleasant. Nowhere can the listener detect any vibrations, or ‘kampan’.
Despite his magical prowess, or may be because of it, there were some people who would call him ‘be-peera’ – the one without a master. In traditional circles, this is an affront for an artist, even though there are artists who are naturally gifted with the talent. For that reason, when an opportunity presented itself in the form of Ustad Faiyyaaz Khan, he gladly accepted it. Ustad Faiyyaaz Khan Saahib was a luminary in the field of classical music in that era. Saigal Saab once shared the stage at a musical function, where Ustad Saahib was verily impressed by his ‘gaayaki’. His commented that even though he comes from a pedigree of musical heritage of many generations, he can still not think of being able to sing like Saigal Saab. This was a huge compliment coming from a personality so eminent as Ustad Saahib at that time. Ustad Saahib offered to take in Saigal Saab as a student, an offer that was soon formalized with the traditional ceremony of tying of the thread (taaveez, ganda) by the teacher for the student.
This ghazal is another very well known ghazal from the eminent poet Ghalib. In the beginning, it seems that the tone and intent of the words is apparently directed towards a beloved, but as the ghazal progresses, one can detect another theme becoming prominent. Till in the last verse, the second theme comes fully into its own.
har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke tu kyaa hai
tumhin bataao ye andaaz-e-guftgoo kyaa hai
For everything that I say, you only respond with a taunt saying who am I to say anything. Tell me, is that any proper style of conducting a conversation.
The poet is addressing, may be his beloved. Or it is possible that he is addressing his peers, with whom he (Ghalib) supposedly had a difficult relationship, and not an amiable rapport. It is stated in history that during his lifetime, really just a handful of his peers tried to understand and would appreciate his kalaam (poetry). Ghalib has a tendency to mingle Persian words with Urdu and Hindustani, and his verses are teeming with profound ideas that one must dive in deep to extract. The appreciation of poetry in that era was confined to the usage of words and popular idiom, and very little credence was attached to the content and style. For that reason, Ghalib is known as a rebel poet during his lifetime. Very little appreciation came his way. It is said that at times in the mushairas (poetry reading functions), his presentation was greeted with subdued remarks, and sometimes silence – so much so that on one or two occasions, he is known to have up and left the gathering in a huff, expressing his displeasure at the lack of understanding and appreciation for his creations. It is very much possible that in this ghazal, Ghalib is addressing his peers and asking them what is this manner of conversation, that they always are trying to put down anything that he presents.
har = every
ek = one
baat = topic of conversation; idea; thing to say
har ek baat = on each and every topic of conversation
kehte ho = so (you) say
tum = you
ke = that
tu = you
kyaa = what
hai = is
tu kyaa hai = this phrase is not posed as a question, rather it is a derogatory taunt meaning – who are you, or how dare you say (something)
tumhin = you
bataao = please tell
ye = this
andaaz = manner, style
guftgoo = conversation
andaaz-e-guftgoo = manner of conducting a conversation
kyaa = what
hai = is
ragon mein daudne phirne ke hum nahin kaa’il
jab aankh hi se naa tapkaa to wo lahoo kyaa hai
The true merit of blood is to drip from the eye and tears, when the heart is truly in anguish. That it incessantly races around in the veins is a significance I am not convinced of.
In a manner of speaking, the poet is questioning the value of ideas and emotions. That everyone has ideas and emotions, is a commonplace knowledge, of little consequence. If one can make this emotion truly come alive, that is the measure of success. Here the simile, having blood drip from the eyes is used to express this thought.
rag = vein
ragon mein = in the veins
daudna = to run
phirna= wander, saunter
ke = of
hum = I, me
nahin = not
kaa’il = to be convinced; to recognize (something)
jab = if, unless
aankh = eye
hi = (emphasis)
se = from
naa = not
tapkaa = dripped
to = so then
wo = that
lahoo = blood
kyaa hai = what is it
piyun sharaab agar khum bhi dekh loon do chaar
ye sheeshaa-o-qada-o-qoozaa-o-suboo kyaa hai
I will partake of wine if there is a lot, a few barrels of it made available to me; what is this play of cup and tumbler and jug and bottle of wine.
The verse can also be interpreted to say, that I (Ghalib, saying for himself) will write poetry, if I can present a profound idea or conclusion; I will not be inclined to write for just a play with words.
piyun = (I) will drink
sharaab = wine
agar = if
khum = barrel or large container of wine
bhi = also
dekh loon = to see
do chaar = two or four
ye = this
sheeshaa = bottle of wine
qada = cup of wine
qoozaa = jug of wine
suboo = cup or goblet of wine
kyaa hai = what is it; in context, of what significance
huaa hai shah kaa musaahib, phire hai itraataa
vagaranaa shehar mein ‘ghalib’ ki aabroo kyaa hai
Having being made an associate of the king, he moves about displaying conceit; otherwise, there is no reason for Ghalib to be respected in the kingdom.
There is an interesting anecdote that might be associated with this ghazal, and specifically this verse. By the time Ghalib’s name came to be known, Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq was already the poet laureate in the court of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. Zafar was a connoisseur, and appreciate the arts and poetry very well. He could appreciate Ghalib’s poetry, but he was also aware that there was an undercurrent of animosity between Zauq and Ghalib, with Zauq always trying to belittle Ghalib and put him down. There little that could be done, due to the status and position that Zauq was holding. It is said that once there was a street exchange that involved Zauq, Ghalib and others (I do not recall the details of the episode). Ghalib (or someone else, maybe) had to be at the receiving end of what Zauq said. In a huff, Ghalib uttered the first line of this verse and walked off – “huaa hai shah kaa musaahib, phire hai itraataa”. Zauq heard this line and took a strong offence to it, considering it to be an insulting remark addressed to him. A complaint was made to the emperor, about Ghalib’s behavior. Ghalib was summoned before Zafar, in the presence of Zauq, and was asked to confirm and explain his remark. This time around Ghalib simply read out both the lines of the verse. He maintained that he had actually said both lines, but Zauq picked up only the first one to escalate the dispute. When the two lines were presented together, the entire meaning of the expression changed completely, in that the ridicule was directed towards Ghalib himself and not anybody else. By this device, Zauq had to endure a fare amount of embarrassment at the hands of his competitor.
huaa hai = to be; has become
shah = king, emperor
kaa = of
musaahib = associate, friend, companion
phire = move about, saunter
hai = is
itraana = to show off, be conceited, have airs
vagarnaa = otherwise, else
shehar = city
mein = in
‘ghalib’ = poet’s signature, takhallus
ki = of
aabroo = dignity, respect, esteem
kyaa hai = what it is; in context, it is nothing
Song-Har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke tu kyaa hai (Saigal NFS) (1940) Singer-K L Saigal, Lyrics-Ghalib
Lyrics
aaaaaa
har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke tu kyaa hai
tumhin bataao ye andaaz-e-guftgoo kyaa hai
tumhin bataao ye andaaz-e-guftgoo kyaa hai
har ek baat
ragon mein daudne
heyyyy
ragon mein daudne phirne ke hum nahin kaa’il
jab aankh hi se naa tapkaa to wo lahoo kyaa hai
jab aankh hi se naa tapkaa to wo lahoo kyaa hai
har ek baat
piyun sharaab
ayy piyun sharaab
piyun sharaab agar khum bhi dekh loon do chaar
ye sheeshaa-o-qada-o-qoozaa-o-suboo kyaa hai
ye sheeshaa-o-qada-o-qoozaa-o-suboo kyaa hai
har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke tu
huaa hai shah kaa musaahib, phire hai itraataa
huaa hai shah kaa musaahib, phire hai itraataa
vagarnaa shehar mein ‘ghalib’ ki aabroo kyaa hai
vagarnaa shehar mein ‘ghalib’ ki aabroo kyaa hai
har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke tu
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
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