Dhanwaanon ke raajmahal
Posted on: November 12, 2014
This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a contributor to this blog.This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
LOST AND FOUND-GEMS FROM UNRELEASED FILMS…Song No 8
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Today’s song is from the unreleased film Chetana-53. The song is sung by Mohd. Rafi and chorus.
In this film industry thousands of artistes came and went. Hundreds of singers gave their contributions, but Mohd.Rafi remains the only person who was highly respected in his lifetime and continues to be respected even after his death. Even his enemies-if any,at all- can not accuse Rafi of misbehaviour or arrogance.He was very humble and always ready to help needy people. he is known to have helped many yesteryear artistes in their penury,sickness and difficult times,without any showoff.For new and less endowed composers Rafi sang for free.He never refused singing with unknown small time or new singers. His feet were always on ground. he never forgot his poor childhood nor did he forget that he did not have proper education. He always remembered those who helped him in his struggle.
Abdul Hamid, his elder brother’s friend, who brought Rafi to Bombay and who struggled more than Rafi himself to make Rafi get established as a famous playback singer. Rafi respected him very much. When Rafi liked a girl from his neighbourhood of Bhendi Bazar, it was Hamid who volunteered and got married to her elder sister to make way for Rafi’s marriage with Bilqis-his wife. Rafisaab ensured that Hamid’s sons were properly educated and daughters were married suitably. Later Hamid Bhai settled in Canada with his son.
Film industry is known to be very merciless and selfish when it came to personal Egos. Many careers were spoiled because of this Here are few examples-
Singer Uma Devi was in contract with Kardar Studios of A R Kardar, for singing in his films. When she was called to Madras to sing in film Chandrakanta-48,she was tempted and went to Madras. kardar was furious that she broke his record and ensured that when Uma Devi returned,she did not get any song assignments. The result ? Uma Devi had to give up singing and become an actress in film Babul-50 onwards.
Composer Ramlal gave popular music to films Sehra-63 and Geet gaaya patharon ne-64 of V. Shantaram He was summarily removed afte these films,because Shantaram felt that Ramlal had insulted him. Ramlal did not rise again from this jolt.
Naushad gave up on Talat as a lead singer,because he found talat smoking in the recording studio,in his presence.
Lata stopped singing for C.Ramchandra once C.Ramchandra refuse marrying her. She,it is believed,did everything to ruin his career thereafter.
In such ” Dog eat Dog ” atmosphere, a man like Mohd. Rafi was almost like a Saint. I am not only his great fan but also have great esteem for his nature. In 2006.The Tribune India published an article by shri Varinder Walia,on 23-2-2006. It was based on discussions with mohd. Rafi’s childhood friends- Kundan Singh and Bakshish Singh. I am giving an edited version of this article because it gives new information which is normally not available anywhere..
” It reads like a fairy tale. A poor boy, called Pheeko, was a barber’s son. He, along with his five older brothers, lived in Kotla Sultan Singh village, near Amritsar. He had no interest in studies.
His father Hajji Ali Mohammad was a much-respected member of the community. At the time of festivals and marriages, he would cook rice in seven colours. Haji Ali Mohammad shifted to Lahore in 1935-36 and his family followed him a few months later.
There was a fakir who went around the village every day begging for alms in the name of Allah. In his melodious voice, he chanted, “Khedan de din char ni maen…” Young Pheeko began to imitate him. This was the beginning of the career of the great singer Mohammad Rafi, who won the hearts of millions with his songs.
To many readers, Kotla Sultan Singh village probably does not ring any bell. But for the music lovers who grew up listening to film music from 1940s onwards, this village is a site for pilgrimage. One of the greatest singers of Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi films, Mohammad Rafi, was born on December 24, 1924, in this non-descript village.
His father apprenticed him at his uncle’s hair-cutting salon in Lahore that was the famous film centre in pre-Partition days.
It was a stroke of good luck for Pheeko that a famous music director visited the salon. The director heard Pheeko humming softly. He found his voice a divine gift and asked him to visit his studio.
Rafi’s elder brother’s friend,Abdul Hameed, then decided to concentrate his efforts on providing all support needed by him to make it big in the music world. Rafi learnt Hindustani Classical music under the guidance of renowned Ustaad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Vahida Khan at a very young age.
Rafi was previously married to his cousin, Bashira, at an early age, but post-independence, the marriage was called off, since his in-laws and wife migrated to Lahore, Pakistan. He had a son from the marriage. Later in Mumbai, Rafi and Abdul Hameed married two sisters in the late 1940s. He married Bilquis and gave birth to three sons and three daughters. He was a very religious and humble person, and kept away from filmy parties, smoking, and drinking. Amongst his leisurely hobbies, he only indulged in carom, badminton, and flying kites.
Rafi sang thousands of super-hit songs. He started his career in the film industry at the age of 20, with a Punjabi song, “Soniye Hiriye, teri yaad ne bahut sataya” for the movie “Gul Baloch”, which was released on February 28, 1944. He became the most sought-after playback singer around 1948. When Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, Rafi sang a song “Suno suno ay duniya walon, Bapu ki yeh amar kahani” written by Rajinder Krishan. The music for this was given by Hunslal Bhagatram and it was a great hit.
Memories of the great music legend Mohammad Rafi, however, seem to be fading away in his own village, as nothing that belonged to him has been preserved. His ancestral house has also not been preserved.
The kutcha house of Rafi was demolished by a farmer to construct his own dwelling. The one-room memorial raised by a memorial society of the village has virtually been converted into a shed for cattle. The village receives a regular traffic of Rafi devotees, especially from across the border. Some pay their respects at the spot where Rafi’s house was located. Others consecrate that spot by taking some soil from there with them. However, they receive a rude shock on learning that the old house does not exist anymore.
Kotla Sultan Singh village is at a distance of about 25 km from Amritsar and falls in Majitha police district. Nothing on the way shows that Mohammad Rafi was from here. Only on the outskirts of the village there is a signboard saying “Mohammad Rafi Marg”. This signboard, too, was put up with great efforts.
As one walks down the village and inquires about Rafi’s ancestral house, one comes across blank faces. However, Anita Devgan and her actor husband Hardip Gill, who belongs to the village, have taken the initiative to organise the first ‘mela’ (festival) in the memory of Mohammad Rafi in the village itself. Anita is also preparing a documentary on the life of Rafi.
Interestingly, Rafi had written his name on the trunk of a mango tree in the village when he was a child. Before leaving for Lahore in 1935-36 with his family, he told the villagers not to cut it because it would remind them of him.
Shockingly, this tree has also been cut. His close friend, Luddan (now Mr Kundan Singh Samra), who studied with him till Class IV in the local primary school, says the memories are still fresh in his mind. “How can I forget the days we spent together? I still remember he used to sing so well even when he was very young.” He claims that Rafi’s house was adjoining their house and the two families shared very good relations. However, as Rafi’s family was not financially sound, the father of Rafi started some business in Lahore and later took his entire family along with him.
The Rafi family visited the village only once after leaving this place. It was when Mohammad Rafi got married to his cousin Bashira, nick named ‘Majhi’, in 1945 here in the village.
For music lovers of the sub-continent, who seek common roots and heroes, building a Rafi Memorial at Kotla Sultan Singh is now an essential item on their agenda.
Mr Samra said he had met Rafi again in 1954 when the latter had come to Attari. “He took a few of us in his car to watch his programme and throughout the night kept announcing that he belonged to Kotla Sultan Singh village. In 1956, Rafi came to Amritsar for a concert. Some of the villagers went there and met him before the show began. He met them with warmth. Whenever someone from our village went to Mumbai, Rafi would help them in whatever way he could,” he added.
Rafi’s friends, recalling their childhood days, said they would return to their respective homes late in the evening. Deen Mohammad, the paternal uncle of Pheeko, would thrash him for ‘roaming about’. His other childhood friend, Mr Gurbaksh Singh Gill (82), said that Pheeko, thanks to his “carefree nature”, would wander around in the lanes of the village.
One of his old-time friends said, “Before Partition, half the population of the village consisted of Muslims. It was a very well-knit community in which people shared each other’s joys and sorrows and took part in each other’s religious festivals.”
However, Rafi never returned to his birthplace after his marriage. It is believed that he was perturbed over the communal frenzy that swept his village, too, at the time of Partition.”
Coming back to today’s song,after hearing this song,I get a feeling that this tune has been used somewhere else also. I think,”Jhoom jhoom ke do deewane”-Mastan-54,sung by Rafi and Laxmi Shankar has more or less similar tune. If you know any other song with same tune,please let us know….
Song-Dhanwaanon ke Rajmahal (Chetna)(1953)(UR)Singer-Rafi, Lyrics-Ramesh Gupta, MD-Harilal Thakur
Chorus
Lyrics
o o
o o
o o o
dhanwaanon ke raajmahal
ye ghareeb ke hain phaansi-ghar
ye ghareeb ke hain phaansi-ghar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
dhanwaanon ke raajmahal
ye ghareeb ke hain phaansi-ghar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
dhanwaanon ke sab dukh harte ae
pet ki khaatir mehnat karte
mehnat karte
mehnat karte
khare paseene ki mazdoori ee ee
khare paseene ki mazdoori
haaye nahin dete hans kar
ye haaye nahin dete hans kar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
(o o o o o o)
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
dhoop taap mein mehnat karte ae ae
bachche tadap tadap kar marte
bachche tadap tadap kar marte
phir bhi pet nahin ye bharte ae
phir bhi pet nahin ye bharte
jeewan kat’ta ro ro kar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
(o o o o o o)
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
ghareeb ki kya jaan nahin hai ae
gareeb kya insaan nahin hai ae
kya inke bhagwaan nahin hain aen
bhagwaan nahin hain
bhagwaan nahin hain
gareeb jeete mar mar kar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
dhanwaanon ke raajmahal
ye ghareeb ke hain phaansighar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
(o o o o)
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
chalo basaayen naya nagar ham
chalo basaayen naya nagar
3 Responses to "Dhanwaanon ke raajmahal"
November 13, 2014 at 8:40 pm
Arunji,
What a superb article/post. In fact you have taken us all to the journey which Rafi traversed from Kotla Sultan Singh village to Mumbai. It will be a treat to all the billion Rafi fans. Some of the trivia I was not knowing>it added to my knowledge. Thanks
I like such songs and if it is from Rafi’s galaa >sone pe suhaga
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November 13, 2014 at 8:52 pm
Ramesh Gupta had a penchant of penning such songs. His songs were similar to GS Nepali, Deepak, Bharat Vyas etc
His movies>>Bhagyawan-53, Bhakta Gopal Bhaiya-48, Ghunghat-46, Hammara Sansar-45, Jalsa-48, Jeewan Nauka-52, Jalpari-52, Kavita-44, Mallika e aalam Noorjahan-54, Mahapooja-54, Mera Geet-46, Matlabi Duniya-61, Navlakha Haar-53, Nai Ma-46, Panghat-53, Police-44, Ram Darshan-50, Ram Rajya-43, Ramayan-54, Ram Janma-51, Shiv kanya-54,
Pity it was Harilal Thakur’s lone movie
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
November 13, 2014 at 9:49 am
Reading this post and specially reading about Rafi Saab’s earlier journey was an altogether a different experience.
Thanks a lot for this post Sir !!
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