Naghma e dil suna suna tu
Posted on: September 24, 2012
This article is written by Sadanand Kamath, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
This blog has crossed the figure of 6700 songs which have been discussed during the last 4 years 2 months. This prompted me to turn to statistics page of the blog. I counted that this blog has so far covered 298 music directors (MDs), 234 lyricists and 393 singers. These are significant figures compared with the total songs covered in the blog.
In the event, I came to know about some of the lesser known MDs, lyricists and singers on this blog. Dr Ashok Ranade, in his book ‘ Hindi Film Songs – Music Beyond Boundaries’ has estimated around 25000 Hindi film songs in circulation up to the year 1995. Based on this estimate, one can conservatively estimate that as on today, the number of Hindi film songs may have crossed 30000 mark. So, this blog has covered only about 20 percent of the Hindi film songs in circulation as of now. With 80 per cent of the Hindi film songs yet to be covered in the blog, there is a scope for bringing into this blog many lesser known and unknown MDs, lyricists and singers over a period of time apart from unearthing some of the forgotten and rare gems.
A few days back, while searching for some songs sung by C H Atma, I came across a duet song of C H Atma and Kaumudi Munshi. I had never heard of Kaumudi Munshi as a playback singer. I could not find any worthwhile information on her on the internet except that she had sung a few semi classical non-filmy songs in Gujarati. It was a providence that I came across her own website which is informative. She was born in Varanasi on February 3, 1929 in a family belonging to Vadnagar in Gujarat who had migrated to Varanasi about six generation back. After completion of her graduation in Arts from Banaras Hindi University in 1950, she shifted to Bombay (Mumbai) where her cousin helped her to pursue a career in singing and taught her Gujarati in which she was not proficient due to her upbringing in Varanasi. She joined All India Radio (AIR) as a singer in 1951. Starting as a chorus singer, she started singing solo songs on AIR composed by Niranjan (Ninu) Mazumdar, the music director of Hindi films of 40s and early 50s who was also a music director in AIR. This relationship developed into her marriage with Ninu Mazumdar in 1954.
Ninu Mazumdar was instrumental in sending her to ‘thumri queen’ Siddheswari Devi for learning Hindustani classical music and thereafter to Taj Ahmed Khan for learning ghazal singing. I find that almost all her songs which are available on YT and on her own website, are light classical non-filmy songs. Her website is also silent on her playback singing in Hindi films. Except for the song under discussion, I have not come across any other Hindi film songs on internet that are sung by Kaumudi Munshi.
The Hindi film song which I have mentioned earlier is ‘naghma-e-dil suna suna tu’ from the film BHAI SAHAB (1954) sung by C H Atma, Kaumudi Munshi and chorus. The song was written by Shailendra and set to music by Ninu Mazumdar. The film was produced under the banner of Pancholi Productions and directed by Ravindra Dave. The star cast included C H Atma, Purnima, Smriti Biswas, Jagdeep, Ratan Kumar. Three songs of this film have already been discussed in the blog. C H Atma sings only first two lines of this song, the voice resembling that of K L Saigal. As I mentioned earlier, I am listening to the voice of Kaumudi Munshi for the first time and I find that she had a lovely voice. It is a surprise that her trained voice was not used by other music directors of Hindi films. As happens very often in the Hindi film industry, the good songs of the flop films suffer the same fate as the films. With this film, the career of Ninu Mazumdar, a talented music director nose dived in Hindi film industry. He continued to work for AIR for the next 20 years.
Song-Naghma e dil suna suna tu(Bhai Sahab)(1954) Singers-C H Atma, Kaumudi Munshi, Lyrics-Shailendra, MD-Ninu Majumdar
Chorus
Lyrics
dil ki lagi khel nahin
ee ee ee ee ee
dil ka lagaana hai bura
taubaa kar li hai
taubaa kar li hai ki
sholon se nahin kheloongaa
aa aa aaa
aa aa aaa
naghma-e-dil suna
suna tu
naghma-e-dil suna
phir se tu ek baar
phir se tu ek baar dil ke
taar taar jhanjhana ye
taar taar jhanjhana
naghma-e-dil suna
suna tu
naghma-e-dil suna
ye mausam-e-bahaar
?? ka samaa
jhuka hai bade pyaar se zameen se aasmaan
le jaa ye dil ke raaz le jaa
le jaa ye dil ke raaz
dil ki dhadkane ginaa
aa aa aaa
aa aa aaa
aa aa
naghma-e-dil suna
suna tu
naghma-e-dil suna
ae dilruba rubaab le
shabaab jhoom uthaa
kasam hai tujhe pyaar ki
na sabr aajmaa
ham to manaa mana ke haare
ham to manaa mana ke haare
dil ko tu manaa
aa aa aa
aa aa aa
aa aa
naghma-e-dil suna
suna tu
naghma-e-dil suna
29 Responses to "Naghma e dil suna suna tu"
September 24, 2012 at 6:55 am
Sadanandji,
In 1981, I personally met her while attending her live program, of course Gujarati, when she was accompanying my Uncle-In-Law, who was a singer himself. Never knew her life in detail. Thanks for the info and the song.
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September 24, 2012 at 7:30 am
You will find her voice in this song as well (most probably for Nazima):
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September 24, 2012 at 8:34 am
Thanks for pointing out.
I was wondering whether Kaumudi Munshi was one film playback singer. But now I know that she is not.
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September 24, 2012 at 7:40 am
During 50’s Kaumudi Munshi was very famous on Gujarati A’bad, baroda. Rajkot station.
She has sing Meerabai and narsinh mehta Bhajan and Navratri songs.
I know few by heart…
(1) Mukhada ni maya lagi..(Meerabai)
(2) Govindo pran amaro (Meerabai)
(3) Man vindhanu Rana (Meerabai)
(4) Nagar nandji na lal (Mehta)
(5) Mehulo gaje ne Madhav nache (Mehta)
(6) padho re popat raja ram na. (Mehta)
MY FAVORITE…INDHANA VINVA GAI TI MAARI SAIYAR…
MOST FAMOUS…chorashi bhaat..by ninu muzmudar lyrics and music.
In film Teen Tasveerein 1954 five songs done by Munshi
Ninu Muzmudar..left film music just like Anil Biswas…to join AIR.
He was producer of the most famous and prestigious program of AIR “JAIMALA” for more than 20 years.
How can you forget his music in Raaj Kapoor starter film Gopinaath (1948)
When Meena Kapoor sings: “aayi gori raadhika brij mein”
He brings kind of Surdas music to film.
Than in 1977 Raaj kpoor took his music in Satyam Shivam Sundaram..
and made song: Yashomati maiya se….
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September 24, 2012 at 8:32 am
Thanks for further input.
In fact, I had already kept ready the lyrics of the song ‘aayi gori raadhika brij mein’ to be sent today.
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September 24, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Derubalaji, Bluefireji, Nitinbhai,
Do you know where to find these songs of Kaumudi Munshi? I miss these songs and then songs by Rajul Mehta in my collection.
Thanks,
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September 24, 2012 at 9:51 pm
I have no idea, but I will search…if I can find any of her songs.
Falguni made, Indhana vinva, I wish she shouldn’t have touch that song.
BTW, who is Rajul Mehta?
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September 25, 2012 at 3:03 am
Are you listening to “Smarananjalika” by Parikh Parivar? It’s a collection of Pushti sampradaya bhajans in two CDs. My father had two audio cassettes of this compilation, which we listened almost every day in the early morning (in early 80s). Now, I have two CDs of it (with few omitted bhajans 😦 ) and still continuing that tradition, play these bhajans in the morning. These compilation has singers like Ninu Majumdar, Kaumudi Munshi, Rajul Mehta, Ashit Desai, Uday Majumdar, Paurvi Desai, Purushottamdas Jalota, etc. I don’t know the detail, but guess Rajul Mehta must be junior to KM. Other than private bhajans/songs, she has sung in Gujarati movies also. Just search in YT for her songs. Also, visit the site of Parikh Parivar for their collection of few more CDs. I have another set of four CDs, “Golden Treasury of Shlokas” which includes book with all bhajans written in Devnagri and English. Hope this is not too much info for you.
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September 25, 2012 at 6:30 am
Yes, I’m listening Parikh pariwar Smarananjalika. Over the years I must have bought over dozen or so of those set to give it out to friends/relatives.
And some times I file a cd in wrong cover and can’t find it, I go buy another set 🙂
I havn’t have chance to search those songs yet…but let you know.
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September 24, 2012 at 9:09 am
bluefireji, isnt “o kanhaiyya” sung by LM? Nobody can mistake her voice.
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September 24, 2012 at 9:13 am
Sorry, I made mistake in a hurry. There are 2 female voices and one of them is Kaumudi Munshi as Bluefireji rightly points out.
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September 24, 2012 at 9:44 am
Kumudini is wife of Ninu Mazumdar(famous for mari ankh ni afini), whose son Uday is also good musician.
One must hear her in amongst others Smaranjalika a compilation of bhajans in praise of Shrinathji (Krishna) in Gujarati. She is basically from Banaras where is took baby steps in classical music. She has superb voice may be as throaty as Asha.
Kaumudi spent 5 years learning Ghazals from famous musician Taj Ahmed Khan. Kaumudi has her distinctive and appealing style of presenting Ghazals.
After marriage also, Ninubhai was engaged in helping build Kaumudi’s career in singing. He actually wrote some songs specially for her, composed them, got her to sing those and helped her with getting a music album made. Kaumudi has crossed more than 50 years in her singing career.
Kaumudi in ConcertKaumudi is known as the “Nightingale of Gujarat” by her critics and fans both alike. Though she has learnt Indian Classical Music, she is keenly interested in and fascinated by Thumri, Dadra, Chaiti, Kajari, Gazals and Bhojpuri Folk Songs considering her Banarasi background.
She believes that Music is goddess Saraswati herself and therefore, each time she sings, she assumes it as a sacred art of worship. During her career, Kaumudi was a preferred artist for H.M.V. Her first album was a HMV LP in 1952 on Garba. She also performed on All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan. “Choryasi Rango No Saathiyo”, a song composed by Ninu Mazumdar is now forever bonded with Kaumudi Munshi in the minds of the Gujarati community. You visit these links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp72_Kjxmvk; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_SDBPZT4TE&feature=related; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ceu3ang6JO0&feature=related. Even the non gujaratis would love it/her
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September 24, 2012 at 11:57 am
Nitin ji,
If I am not mistaken the song “Taari aankh ni afini” which had become a rage in Gujarat and Bombay one time,was composed and sung by DILIP DHOLAKIYA and it has nothing to do with either kaumudi or Ninu Majmundar (His real name as spelt correctly,though he was known as Muzumdar only).
Please check up the details.
-AD
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September 24, 2012 at 8:39 pm
Tari ankh no afini was by Ajit Marchant. Singer was Dilip Dholakiya.
year 1949.
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September 25, 2012 at 10:26 am
Yes,you are right.The Bhajan is from the film DEEVA DANDI-1950,MD was Ajit merchant and it was sung by DILIP DHOLAKIYA.
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September 24, 2012 at 9:44 pm
since I am following pushtimarg vaishnav faith. I have a set of “shrinathji smarananjalika”, so almost every morning I am listening her bhajan for last 20 years.
I just miss to mention that 😦
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September 24, 2012 at 12:05 pm
Kamath ji,
Kaumudi Munshi Majumdar sang songs in-
Bhai Saheb-54 (3 songs)
Teen Tasveeren-54 ( 5 songs)
Shola aur Shabnam-61 (1 song) and
Raja aur Runk-68 ( 1 song)
-AD
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September 24, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Thanks for the information.
As I commented earlier, I am glad that she was not one film playback singer.
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September 25, 2012 at 7:46 am
Beautiful discussion and a lovely song. What a rich voice we got to listen to. It is really sad that most song lovers don’t look beyond Lata and Asha.
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September 25, 2012 at 6:48 pm
Thanks To Ava, came to know of this post!
Very informative discussion, thanks to all contributors!
Thanks also for this song: very beautiful song!
At the end of stanza one can hear a second female voice. Does anybody know who it is?
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September 25, 2012 at 7:23 pm
You are right.It may be one of the chorus girls.
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September 25, 2012 at 7:36 pm
I didn’t hear any chorus as such. It was always a lady singing and then mid-stanza another lady joins in. Listening to the song was so nice that it makes me curious to know the other lady’s identity as well. 🙂
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September 25, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Yes, it is more like another voice rather than a chorus.
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September 25, 2012 at 8:05 pm
HFGK says that the song is sung by C.H.Atma,Kaumudi Munshi, and
Anya swar. (one more voice).
It does not say Chorus.
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September 25, 2012 at 8:26 pm
I also get the same feeling. In fact, I have a doubt whether the chorus part of the song is really chorus or just two female voices one of which could be of Kaumudi Munshi.
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September 30, 2012 at 4:05 pm
Thank you Kamathji for the confirmation. I am not always sure of what I hear. One’s ears can often play tricks.
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September 25, 2012 at 8:24 pm
Missing words :
ye mausam-e-bahaar
‘chhed chhaad’ ka samaa
jhuka hai bade pyaar se zameen ‘pe’ aasmaan
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September 25, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Thanks for deciphering the words. Now those two lines sound meaningful.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
September 24, 2012 at 6:35 am
Sadanand Ji,
Very nice song.Heard it first time.Thanks for the well written post
K S Shenoy
Bangalore
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