Udd jaa udd jaa pyaase bhanwre
Posted on: July 9, 2013
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
The starkness of realism, the play of light – on the characters and the scenario, the ultimate expressions in black and white, a play of a poet of celluloid, one of the few directors and performers who had the ability to integrate the viewer into the scene, and transpose the empathy of emotions into the hearts of the audience. His genre, his creations stand out like a lonely weathered tree in a barren landscape. His expressions of emotions are like a crescendo of a silent scream rising heavenwards from the pits of sadness and pain – an experience that will leave the viewers heart asunder, and the mind drained and exhausted of emotions. Really, the message that comes home from his films speaks to the futility of this life, its trappings and achievements, its crazy whirlwind zips on the roller coaster that is the ups and downs of this journey without a destination. For in the end, you are either heartbroken that you never did get what you desired, or you are miserable that you lost after having got what you desired.
Such was the personality, and the personal saga of this creative genius who was alive and active in the Hindi film world all of two decades – out of a total life time of 39 years. Excellence is just a midway rung to the levels where this man lived and existed. His thrillers were taut and suspenseful, taking you to the edge of the seat. His social dramas would make you laugh and weep with the story and the characters on screen. His portrayal of the somewhat dim witted, uneducated and yet very wise elder sibling and son in ‘Sautela Bhai’ (1962), has to be seen to be believed. So vastly an antithesis of the journalist of ‘Mr. and Mrs. 55’ (1955) or the lawyer of ’12 O’Clock’ (1958). Ah yes, his comedies would leave you mirthful with the underplayed and stoic humor.
And his essays on life, will leave you gasping for breath, so stunning is the visual that dissects this living world and presents the utmost evil and repulsive entrails that a person has to navigate. The sight of a lonely, tired and ragged man, bracing against the wind and the dust, standing holding on to a dying tree and looking back at the world that he had once desired, that he had once in his hands. A world that once again is trying to reach out to him, but his own mind and his own existence is now a lifetime distant, for he has tasted the sweet poison of once having what he desired.
The irony of this scenario is so ruthless and distressing. There was a time that when he passed these lanes and lawns, people would bow to him with respect and fear. And today, he is running across the same lanes and lawns and no one cares. He is followed by the damsel that he had once loved and had elevated her from the anonymity to the limelight of the tinsel world. And the break in the heart comes when the world comes in the way and impedes the path of this damsel, as she is trying to stop her fleeing mentor. No, not because they are stopping her. No. Because, they do not even have a glance to spare for the one who made this goddess of dreams what she is. This cuts into the heart so viciously that suddenly the entire existence becomes meaningless and the futility of this life just ups and smacks you in the face.
yaa phool hi phool thhe daaman mein,
yaa kaanton ki bhi aas nahin
The sardonic and caustic thesis of ‘Pyaasa’ (1957) was the cry of angst and frustrations of a creative genius that bled out in the verses of the brooding young poet, who challenged the establishment – not just the political and social establishment, but also the moral and ethical establishment. He dared to take on and attempt to destroy the edifice of this society – the vision of the poet back from the dead, standing in the doorway of the auditorium, with his arms outstretched, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, or maybe the sight of a Samson pushing his might against the pillars of the Temple of Dagon, to bring it down into a mound of rubble. And then he leaves, for this world is worth neither – achieving or destroying.
This clip from the film ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ (1959) is almost like a pre-ordained swansong as well as the epitaph of this multi faceted genius. Letting these three minutes play on the mind, is like having the essence of this universe narrated to you
ik haath se deti hai duniyaa
sau haathon se le leti hai
Remembering Guru Dutt today(9 july 2013), on the anniversary of his birth.
Song-Udd jaa udd jaa pyaase bhanwre (Kaaghaz Ke Phool)(1959) Singer-Rafi, Lyrics-Kaifi Azmi, MD-S D Burman
Lyrics
udd jaa
udd jaa
pyaase bhanware
ras na milega kh’aaron mein
kaagaz ke phool jahaan khilate hain
baith na un gulazaaron mein
nadaan tamannaa reti mein
ummeed ki kashti kheti hai
ik haath se deti hai duniyaa
sau haathon se le leti hai
ye khel hai kab se jaari
haaye
bichhade sabhi
bichhade sabhi baari baari
arrey dekhi zamaane ki yaari
bichhde sabhi baari baari
kyaa le ke milen ab duniyaa se
aansoo ke siwaa kuchh paas nahin
yaa phool hi phool thhe daaman mein,
yaa kaanton ki bhi aas nahin
matlab ki duniyaa hai saari
bichhde sabhi
bichhde sabhi baari baari
arrey dekhi zamaane ki yaari
bichhde sabhi baari baari
bichhde sabhi baari baari
———————————————
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
———————————————
उड़ जा
उड़ जा
प्यासे भँवरे
रस ना मिलेगा खारों में
कागज के फूल जहां खिलते हैं
बैठ न उन गुलजारों में
नादान तमन्ना रेती में
उम्मीद की कश्ती खेती है
इक हाथ से देती है दुनिया
सौ हाथों से ले लेती है
ये खेल है कब से जारी
हाय
बिछड़े सभी
बिछड़े सभी बारी बारी
अरे देखी जमाने की यारी
बिछड़े सभी बारी बारी
क्या ले के मिलें अब दुनिया से
आँसू के सिवा कुछ पास नहीं
या फूल ही फूल थे दामन में
या काँटों की भी आस नहीं
मतलब की दुनिया है सारी
बिछड़े सभी
बिछड़े सभी बारी बारी
अरे देखी जमाने की यारी
बिछड़े सभी बारी बारी
बिछड़े सभी बारी बारी
6 Responses to "Udd jaa udd jaa pyaase bhanwre"
July 10, 2013 at 10:57 am
Our tributes to Guru Dutt ji !
Yesterday night there was a special programme on him on ‘aaj tak’, and today morning going through this article of Sudhir ji, the scenes from his movies (and some of the song sequences as mentioned by Sudhir ji) are appearing like a ‘3-D’ film in mind.
Sudhir ji’s word in this another masterpiece from him, strike me like the play of dark and light with a strong wind blowing and Guru Dutt’s face appearing in between, Rafi Saab ‘divine voice’ in the back ground ‘ ye duniya agar mil bhi jaaye to kya hai ……’
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July 10, 2013 at 4:08 pm
Sir,
Thanks for this wonderful tribute to Guru Dutt.
I had included this portion of the song, in my post
https://atulsongaday.me/2013/01/16/ultey-seedhey-arrey-daao-lagaaye/ .
I would say this type of songs with higher crescendo’s should be named as ‘Rafi crescendo’ be it this song or “Pyasa’ song and some other well known classics. B’coz this cannot be defined by any singing method or a raag. Western classical may have something like this, we have no way of classifying this.
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July 10, 2013 at 6:05 pm
BRILLIANT!! Both Sudhir-ji’s eulogy on Guru Dutt and the song and the singer. Rarely does one come across such a beautiful combination of words (Sudhir-ji’s) visual
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July 11, 2013 at 12:50 am
Nahm ji, Avinash ji, Harvey ji, Seshadri ji,
Thank you all so much for your kind words of appreciation – words that for me are the stepping stones to the next inspiration and encouragement.
🙂
Thanks again,
Sudhir
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July 16, 2013 at 2:21 pm
Sudhir ji,
I am very much late on this post,but it deserves my few words.
It is one of the very rare and enchanting,magical and emotional write up,I have come across for years.
You have the command over words,choosing the exact words which depict your thoughts and the flow is such that one is astounded to go through. Excellent tribute to Guru Dutt indeed.
Thanks for treating us with a masterpiece in expression.
-AD
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
July 10, 2013 at 2:05 am
We can only be very grateful for his gift to film lovers of this earth!
God bless his soul!
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