Ishq khud maa’ile hijaab hai aaj
Posted by: Atul on: September 10, 2011
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
The decades have passed since the departure of Saigal Saab from this world, and the time has shown that there is no peer to the Voice of Saigal. Many voices, especially in the 30s and 40s, made an appearance on the silver screen, making utmost efforts to emulate the un-imitable divinity in the voice of Saigal Saab. But none could make it to the depths that Saigal Saab would so effortlessly dive into, and reveal an emotion with so much grace.
Surendra, the famous singer of gems from Anmol Ghadi (1946), made his debut in 1935, with the film Deccan Queen by Saagar Movietone. The producers were attempting to present another singer in the foil of Saigal Saab, and his first song, ‘Birhaa Ki Aag Lagi Mere Mann Mein. . .’ was a covert imitation of the hit ‘Baalam Aaye Baso Morey Mann Mein. . .’ from Devdas (1935). But of course, there was scant appreciation and recognition for this new voice trying to imitate Saigal. Surendra would have been lost to oblivion, had not Anil Da (Anil Biswas) made him change his style, and to be himself, when he directed Surendra’s singing in the film Jaagirdaar (1937).
The next talent that tried to make up to Saigal Saab’s voice, was Mukesh, whose debut song ‘Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne De. . .’ from the film Pehli Nazar (1945), was indeed appreciated. And yet, once again, Anil Da’s advice to this newcomer was to fall back to his own natural singing, and not try to become another Saigal. Then again in 1948, Kishore Kumar made his appearance as a singer with his debut song ‘Marne Ki Duaa’en Kyun Maangoon. . .’ in the film Ziddi (1948). Very evidently, Kishore Da was also very impressed and influenced by Saigal Saab, and revered him. And once again, the annals show that he had to struggle for success initially, and it came only when he broke away from the inimitable mold, and started to sing his own natural style.
Despite these examples, providence and influence had a different destiny in store for another great singer, CH Atma. Making his debut with Nagina (1951), his first song ‘Ro’un Mein Saagar Ke Kinaare . . ‘, was a runaway success. He probably went into the erroneous belief that he could take off from where Saigal Saab had left, four years earlier. Whether he was advised by the music directors to continue or change this style, it is not clear. But continue he did, and he could nowhere be near the zenith that Saigal Saab had so effortlessly achieved. It is noted that CH Atma departed from this world, a disillusioned person, his talent forever held back by the mold he was trying to emulate.
This ghazal by ‘Seemaab’ Akbarabaadi, is a piece of powerful poetry, full of beauty, and yet also full of remorse at the same time. The poet is writing about the separation between lovers, the going away, and the coming to end of a story. Like listening to a story full of passionate and engrossing episodes. When it ends, there is suddenly an emptiness, there is a regret and disappointment that the narrative has come to end. And once the story ends only the memories remain, of the time when the heart and the mind were engrossed, and were happy and comfortable with witnessing, and being part of a flow.
These expressions so stunningly reflect the story of life itself. When the youth is waning, and the energies are restrained, then there is dissociation of the heart even from the emotions. The times of joy of the past are but a memory; even a simple feeling of being comfortable seems like a thing of another era.
ishq khud maa’il-e-hijaab hai aaj
husn majboor-e-iztiraab hai aaj
Today, the lover’s passions are possessed with reticence, they are restrained; and the beloved is helpless and anxious.
ishq = fervent love, passion; also representing the male half of a lovers’ pair
khud = (it)self
maa’il = attracted, obsessed
hijaab = bashfulness, reticence, modesty, veil (burqaa)
hai = is
aaj = today
husn = beauty, elegance; also representing the female half of a lovers’ pair; beloved; the object of ishq’s attention and preoccupation
majboor = helpless, compelled
iztiraab = impatience, restlessness, anxiety, commotion, disturbance
naalaah-e-dil ki dil se laag nahin
naghmaah-aazurdah-e-rubaab hai aaj
The lamentations of heart are as if dissociated from the heart today. The song that used to play melodies of joy on the instrument of heart, is evoking a gloomy and dejected echo today.
The first line in this verse is so wonderfully crafted. ‘Laag’ is animosity, hostility. The poetic intent here is that even in hostility there is a relationship, a connectedness; it is not an indifference. But today, the heart does not feel connected or does not care even, for the sorrow and weeping emanating from it.
naalaah = plea, entreaty, lamentation, moan
dil = heart
ki = of
laag = animosity, dislike, hostility; the root word is ‘lag’, to be connected; even in hostility there is a relationship
nahin = not
naghmaa = song, melody
aazurdah = afflicted, suffering, dejected, gloomy, angry
rubaab = a musical instrument
hai = is
aaj = today
mai-kadaa gham-kadaa hai tere bagair
sarnigoon sheeshaa-o-sharaab hai aaj
O my beloved, without you, the tavern where the wine of happiness used to flow, is a desolate abode of unhappiness today. The wine, the wine containers, the wine cups – all have their heads bowed with regret and disappointment.
mai-kadaa = tavern, wine shop
gham-kadaa = home of sadness
hai = is
tere = you, your
bagair = without
sarnigoon = sorry, regretful, ashamed
sheeshaa = jug, container of wine
sharaab = wine
hai = is
aaj = today
zindagi jis mein saans leti thhee
wo zamaanah khayaal-o-khwaab hai aaj
The time when life used to breathe easy, the breath of happiness, today that time is but wisp of imagination.
zindagi = life, existence
jis mein = in which
saans = breath of life
leti thhee = used to take
wo = that
zamaanaa = time, era, epoch
khayaal = thought, idea, notion, concept
khwaab = dream, reverie
hai = is
aaj = today
mit gaye dil ke wal’waleh ‘seemaab’
khatm afsaanaa-e-shabaab hai aaj
The bubbling passions of the heart are laid to waste today and the story of youth is but a legend of the past now.
mit = destroy, demolish
gaye = gone, went
mit gaye = ruined, devastated, laid waste
dil = heart
ke = of
wal’waleh = bubbles, rising emotions, fervor, passion
‘seemaab’ = poet’s signature, takhallus
khatm = finished, ended
afsaanaa = story, tale, narrative, legend
shabaab = youth, prime of life
hai = is
aaj = today
Song-Ishq khud maa’il-e-hijaab hai aaj (Saigal NFS) (1940) Singer-K L Saigal,Lyrics-Seemaab Akbarabadi
Lyrics
haaa haaa heyyyy
ishq khud maa’il-e-hijaab hai aaj
ishq khud maa’il-e-hijaab hai aaj
ishq khud maa’il-e-hijaab hai aaj
husn majboor-e-iztiraab hai aaj
husn majboor-e-iztiraab hai aaj
naalaah-e-dil ko dil se laag nahin
naalaah-e-dil ko dil se laag nahin
naghmaah-aazurdah-e-rubaab hai aaj
naghmaah-aazurdah-e-rubaab hai aaj
mai-kadaa gham-kadaa hai tere bagair
mai-kadaa gham-kadaa hai tere bagair
mai-kadaa gham-kadaa hai tere bagair
sarnigoon sheeshaa-o-sharaab hai aaj
sarnigoon sheeshaa-o-sharaab hai aaj
ishq khud maa’ile-hijaab hai aaj
ishq khud maa’ile-hijaab hai aaj
zindagi mein
zindagi jis mein saans leti thhee
zindagi jis mein saans leti thhee
wo zamaanah khayaal-o-khwaab hai aaj
wo zamaanah khayaal-o-khwaab hai aaj
wo zamaanah khayaal-o-khwaab hai aaj
ishq khud maa’ile-hijaab hai aaj
mit gaye dil ke wal’valey ‘seemaab’
mit gaye dil ke wal’valey ‘seemaab’
khatm afsaanaa-e-shabaab hai aaj
khatm afsaanaa-e-shabaab hai aaj
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2 Responses to "Ishq khud maa’ile hijaab hai aaj"
August 3, 2013 at 11:27 am
Fully agree with ur views. But why Lata ji could not cope with OP Nayyar.Wchich is her last song with MD OP Nayyar. Would be thankful to you if u could up load for me
Thanks SK Sharma
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
September 10, 2011 at 2:12 pm
Sudhir ji,
A very good write up indeed. With saigal’s every NFS,how do you get a new thought everytime to discuss,I wonder !
You have mentioned something about C.H.Atma,who is my fav singer.
When Saigal departed,there was a void in the music industry and a search was on for his replacement,though everybody knew it was not possible.
The bunch of singers shortlisted in this search were,the shortlived Master Madan(who was murdered,and anyway saigal outlived him),the baritoned Habib Wali Mohd,the evergreen Mukesh(due to his ‘dil jalta hai’) and the last but not the least C.H.Atma,who continued to be like saigal in style,while developing his own special distinctive manner,an independent fanband,and entity in singing till his premature death.
Though CHAtma was crystal clear(unlike saigal sometimes.You can never have doubts/difficulties in jotting down his lyrics) in his diction,he had his own way to create a heaven of hushed harmonies.
He was one of the very few whose filmi and non filmi careers went side by side(unlike Mukesh or Talat).O.P.Nayyar was a great help.In his first film Aasmaan,all solos were done by Atma.Dalsukh Pancholi was his fan and took him in all his films.At the time of Aasmaan,if all had gone well,Lata would have sung for OPN as CHAtma and Lata were very close to each other.But now all know what happened that time.
Pritam aan milo and rowoon main sagar ke kinare were haunting.Atma was used by OPN,S-J,Ramlal and Ninu Mujumdar in plenty.His pvt.album with Kercy Mistry in 1970 was quite a hit.Ramlal’s Geet gaya patharon ne was C.H.Atma’s last song.
It is worth noting that experts divide pre-independence era to Saigal and Post-independence era to C.H.Atma.
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