Neel gagan ki chhaaon mein
Posted on: February 24, 2012
This article is written by Raja, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
Sometimes when I think back at how my taste in movies and songs has changed since I was a young boy, I can hardly believe that I’m the same person who, way back in the 70s, used to squirm in my seat whenever I’d hear one of those Lata Mangeshkar solos. 😉
Yes, in those days, when I was still in school, I was not really much of a Lata Mangeshkar fan. I was ok if she was singing a duet with Kishore Kumar but I would sigh if it was only her voice. It often meant a sad song or even if it didn’t, it usually meant a slow song. In those days – and I should be ashamed to admit this now – I did not even have the sense to appreciate songs like “raina beet jaaye” and “ab to hai tumse”. Or, for that matter “na koi umang hai”.
But bear with me and try to see this from my point of view. In today’s world, we have music at our fingertips. We can check out any song we want on the net. Or we can get the CD of that song in a music shop. The song does not come at the cost of another song.
But back then, in the environment I grew up, my only source of music was the radio. Yes, we got a cassette player sometime in 1974 but we got just a handful of cassettes – and used to play them again and again.
Now if you are depending on the radio – and nothing but the radio – and you hear “Film- Kati Patang, Geetkaar- Anand Bakshi, Sangeetkaar- RD Burman”, you’d jump up and fancy one of Kishore Kumar’s many songs in the movie. Then you hear, “Awaaz – Lata Mangeshkar ki”. How would you feel?
Same for Amar Prem, same for Abhimaan. Everytime I’d hear “Awaaz-Lata Mangeshkar ki”, I’d not care to listen further.
And it was of course not only for songs of the 70s. For older songs too, it would be the same. I’d hear the announcer say “Chori Chori”, I’d want to hear Manna Dey’s voice, I’d get “Rasik balma”. I’d hear “Anari”, I’d want to hear Mukesh’s voice, I’d get “tera jaana”. For Asli Naqli, I’d want to hear Rafi’s voice, I’d get “tera mera pyar amar”. For Paying Guest, I’d want to hear Kishore’s voice, I’d get “chand phir nikla”. Oh, this list could go on and on.
The key is not so much Lata as the “opportunity cost”. For example, I’ve never had a problem with “aayega aayega” (Mahal) or “ye zindagi usi ki hai” (Anarkali) but that’s because I’d rather hear these songs from these movies than the others from the movie. Or if the song was a fun song (like “hawa mein udta jaaye”) I wouldn’t mind.
Mind you, the programme itself would be a 30-min programme or so, so you immediately know you’ve lost 5 precious minutes. And you were “this close” to a song you wanted to hear!
That was about radio. The story was not very different while watching a movie. In those days, when I’d watch an old movie, I’d dread the Lata songs. Almost every movie seemed to have at least one slow Lata song. Some had two, three even four songs. There was no fast-forward possibility on the big screen, so I’d end up sitting through the song, fidgeting.
Or, in some instances, even walking out.
As I did with Amrapali.
I distinctly remember watching Amrapali (1966) when I was very young. It was a movie which I think had got “critical acclaim” at that time but had been a massive commercial flop. In fact, it had flopped so badly that apparently Vyjanthimala, who’d put her heart and soul into the film with her dances (the film fully showcases her talent in this regard) got totally disillusioned with Hindi films and audience tastes.
This hastened her retirement from the scene and though she completed her assignments in hand and acted in a handful of movies thereafter (ironically most of them pure commercial films like Suraj, Prince and Ganwaar), her heart was no longer in acting.
In fact, even today, Vyjanthimala maintains that her first love was always classical dance and acting just happened. Many of her movies had a Vyjanthimala dance just for the sake of it, just like Padmini movies had a Padmini dance. The mother of such movies is of course “Raj Tilak” (1958) where both these danseuses are pitted against each other. Oh, did I mention that my lack of appreciation for slow, Lata songs was matched only by my lack of appreciation for classical dance?
Anyway, back to Amrapali, Lata and me.
So I walk out of the movie when a Lata song starts. This much I clearly remember. I also remember that it was not far into the movie at that time.
Many years pass. (In Hindi movies, this is typically shown as a small boy running from the police and then suddenly his “boy” legs get transformed into “man” legs. Yes, I happen to have seen Waqt (1965) recently – for the nth time. ;-)).
I have supposedly become wiser. Well, definitely greyer. And more aware of the nuances of music and singing, I think. If anything, I have, over the years, listened to a lot of Lata. And begun to appreciate her voice and quality too. (It helps that I am not limited to radio alone anymore, so the limitations seem to have disappeared. ;-)).
And what’s more, I’ve also begun to appreciate classical dance. Ok, so I still don’t have a clue about the meaning of most of the gestures but I am able to appreciate that there’s art and grace involved. And it’s actually quite pleasing to the eye.
Armed with this level of “upgraded” taste, I venture to test myself. It has always been at the back of my mind that I walked out of Amrapali. At that age, it was probably excusable. But if I have any claims to having “improved” in my appreciation of art, then Amrapali would have to be the test.
So I sit down to watch it.
As the movie runs, I instantly recognize the song that I had voted on with my feet. And I am SO embarrassed. What a classic song this is – and I had walked out of this?
I play the song again and again. And love it every single time. Vyjanthimala is graceful and a treat to watch. As the movie goes on, I begin to appreciate it more and more. I also begin to understand why it flopped and why Vyjanthimala got so disillusioned with the audience.
All in all, I sit through the whole film – and quite like it (though I won’t go so far as to say I absolutely loved it). But I can easily understand if most people did not. It’s that type of film.
Whatever one may think of the film, most people agree on one thing. Amrapali is one of the finest collaborations between Lata and Shankar Jaikishen. I am a bit surprised that they collaborated for this. (Wasn’t this during their rift? Didn’t SJ tend to use Sharada and Suman Kalyanpur during this period instead of Lata?) Anyway, it’s good that they did come together because Lata has done a wonderful job here for S-J. On Shailendra’s lyrics.
I counted at least four songs in this movie by Lata – am not sure if there are any other singer’s songs at all. And they are all fantastic to listen to. I notice that only two songs have been posted so far here on this blog. The famous “jao re jogi tum jao re” has not been posted yet and I hope Atul will correct that situation soon.
But today I’m posting here the song that I walked out on. That was silly of me then – and by posting the song here and bringing it to the attention of readers, I hope I’m making amends for that silly act.
The song is “neel gagan ki chhaon mein” with Vyjanthimala performing in the king’s court. The lyrics by Shailendra are lovely too – so Shailendra. 🙂
Hope you like the song too. I’ve been listening to it quite a lot and must admit that I was SO wrong on Lata. It was clearly a case of “bandar kya jaane adrak ka swaad”. 🙂
Happy viewing and listening!
Audio
Video
Song-Neel gagan ki chhaaon mein (Amrapaali)(1966)Singer-Lata, Lyrics-Shailendra, MD-Shankar Jaikishan
Lyrics
neel gagan ki chhaaon mein
din rain galey se milte hain
dil panchhi ban udd jaata hai
ham khoye khoye rehte hain
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
neel gagan ki chhaaon mein
din rain galey se milte hain
dil panchhi ban udd jaata hai
ham khoye khoye rehte hain
aa aa aa aa
jab phool koi muskaata hai
preetam ki sugandh aa jaati hai
nas nas mein bhanwar sa chalta hai
madmas jalan tadpaati hai
yaadon ki nadi ghir aati hai
har mauj mein ham to behte hain
dil panchhi ban udd jaata hai
ham khoye khoye rehte hain
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
neel gagan ki chhaaon mein
din rain galey se milte hain
dil panchhi ban udd jaata hai
ham khoye khoye rehte hain
kehta hai samay ka ujiyaara
ik chandr bhi aane waala hai
in jyot ki pyaasi ankhiyan ko
ankhiyon se pilaane waala hai
jab paat hawa se bajte hain
ham chaunk ke raen takte hain
il panchhi ban udd jaata hai
ham khoye khoye rehte hain
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
neel gagan ki chhaaon mein
din rain galey se milte hain
dil panchhi ban udd jaata hai
ham khoye khoye rehte hain
aa aa aa aa
aa aa aa aa
19 Responses to "Neel gagan ki chhaaon mein"
February 24, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Raja ji
Superb article, While reading the article, I felt you are there in front of me, talking to me. Words full of warmth,waaw!!!.
Aap,Sudhirji,Sadanandji,Atulji,
Itne achche, bahut genuine tareeke se kaise likthe hain??Main samajh nahin paatha hoon.Idhar ye haal hai ke mere soch ko communicate karne mein mera behaal ho jaathaa hai.
Anyways,aapke likhi shabdon ko padhke dil khush ho jaatha hai,saath saath bahut jaankaari bhi haasil ho jaathi hai.
Thanks
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February 24, 2012 at 11:35 pm
Raja Sahab,
My comments are just like Prakashji. Aap sab bahut achha likh te ho. Aap sab likh te ho to padhne wale ko lagta hai ke woh nadiya ke paani me uske bahav ke saath tair raha hai. Aur mera likha hua post padhte samay padhne wale ko lagta hoga ki isse aasan to samundar ke maujon ke samne jana hoga. 🙂
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February 25, 2012 at 12:44 am
Khyati ji
Aisaa nahin hai
Aap bhi achchi likhthi hai,
regards
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February 24, 2012 at 7:38 pm
I remember every scene of ‘Amrapali’. It was quite a well made historical. Vyjyanthimala, in the eponymous role, had never looked more gorgeous!
Sunil Dutt, as Ajatashatru was a perfect foil to Vyjyanthimala’s Amrapali.
And the songs! Gems, each of them! My favourite? The soft, sensual “Tumhe yaad karte karte, jaayegi rain sari…” If the movie flopped, it’s only because of our inability to appreciate good movies!
By the way, singer Sharada was the cause of the S-J split. Shankar swore by her. Jaikishen had nothing to do with her. What a sad end to this talented duo!
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February 24, 2012 at 8:11 pm
Dont be hard on yourself Raja, you were a boy then. Now you know better. I love that running boy’s legs transforming into a man’s legs thing.. haha.
Of course being a girl/woman I was born sensible so I loved and adored Amrapali when I saw it. Tumhe yaad karte karte jayegi rain saree.. oooh I love all the songs.
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February 24, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Raja you are not alone…once in early 50’s a great lady M.S. Subbulakshmi was displeased with Lata becuase her songs had western influence and a bit louder.
For me her song..at my cousin wedding…that I heard in 1951 (I was 6 year)…ghar aya mera perdeshi…after that..so many times I dreamt singing with Lata 🙂
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February 24, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Raja Ji,
I absolutely loved your post, for its unabashed admission of folly’s in young age. We are all guilty of follies in young age. I, on my part , unlike you, was in love with all Lata’s songs right from my schooldays,-solos , sad ones. .I think Lata’s collaboration with SJ, Madan Mohan, Salil Chowdhary brought out Gems in HFM. As for ‘Amarpali’, I would say it was a good movie ( I finished my studies by then & had just taken up a job). It was a super album from SJ. ( Tumhe yaad, & Tadap yeh are my all time favourites).Looking forward to more- K S Shenoy, Bangalore
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February 26, 2012 at 12:31 pm
What a lovely song. It was almost erased from my memory. But just the reading of lyrics, made me recall the tune. What a tune!!!
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February 26, 2012 at 10:49 pm
Thanks to all of you for reading and commenting on this post. I enjoyed writing it. 🙂
And Ava, being a girl/woman, you were born sensible. 😉 I have no pretensions to being sensible – not then, not now. Being sensible is a very huge responsibility. 😉
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February 27, 2012 at 3:00 pm
Raja : Struck dumb by your repartee…
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February 28, 2012 at 6:49 am
🙂 Hey, let’s face it, women are generally more sensible than men. It is just that most men do not like to admit this. 😉 Usually because it hurts their ego. 🙂
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February 27, 2012 at 10:04 am
Rajaji,
There are only Five songs in the movie four are by Lata & one is a Chorus.
Jaao Re Jogi Tum Jaao Re …by Lata is the only song not featured in this post.
Naacho Gaao Naacho, Dhoom Machaao Naacho ….is a chorus.
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February 27, 2012 at 10:21 am
Rajaji,
Just a correction this song is not by Shailendra but Hasrat Jaipuri as confirmed by Shailendra’s son
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October 7, 2015 at 9:48 pm
This song was written by Hasrat Jaipuri and not by Shailendra.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
February 24, 2012 at 5:05 pm
राजा साहब
आप तो बन्दर हो ही नहीं सकते क्यों की आप हिंदी फ़िल्मी गीतों के सिकंदर हो और जहाँ तक लता जी का सवाल हैं वोह अद्रक नहीं शहद हैं. इस सुन्दर गाने के लिए आप का बहुत बहुत शुक्रिया
Quintessential Shailendra – Shankar Jaikishan and Lata ji number. And yes “Jaao Re Jogi Tum Jaao Re” definitely needs to be included in this beautiful anthology of Hindi Film music.
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