Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Who says short skirts and ghazals can't go together?

I was in the train on the way back from uni, cribbing to an Indian classmate (married and has a kid) about how I had to miss the Jagjit Singh concert because of the class. She turned to me and gave me a surprised look.

"You listen to ghazals??"

"I adore them!"

"As in, you're into them or you just casually listen to them?"

"Yeah, I'm into them. Bigtime."

"As in, you understand them, the lyrics and all?"

"Yeah, I try to. I look the words up if I don't know the urdu words. Why?"


"Nothing! Well... looking at you... you know... one can't tell you're into ghazals... besides, you're like what... 25??"

"Ummm.. yeah. So?" I was a bit apprehensive as to what she was getting at. Was it weird for me to listen to ghazals?

"Nothing. It's... it's great actually."

"Yes. It is! Thank you!" I smiled at her.

"It is great!" I thought to myself. "There is nothing weird about it."

Now why did I need a whole other person to remind myself of that?

It's ghazaltime! And here's my current playlist:

Kabhi yun bhi aa meri aankhon mein ki meri nazar ko khabar na ho
Tujhe dekhne ki dua karoon toh dua mein meri asar na ho

Karoon na yaad magar kis tarah bhulaaun usey
Ghazal bahana karoon aur gungunaaun usey

Dil dhadakne ka sabab yaad aaya
Woh teri yaad thi, ab yaad aaya

Dhoop mein niklo ghataaon mein nahakar dekho
Zindagi kya hai kitabon ko hatakar dekho

Kabhi khamosh baithoge, kabhi kuchh gungunaoge
Main utna yaad aaunga, mujhe jitna bhulaaoge

Tum yeh kaise juda ho gaye
Har taraf har jagah ho gaye

Shaam se aankh mein nami si hai
Aaj phir aapki kami si hai



63 comments:

Anonymous said...

being the first to comment has its own charm.n man , i dig jughead singh.each nite , after 2 , i just switch off the lites n let jaggu flow.

muh kee baat sune har koi , dil ke dard ko jaane kaun ,
awaazo ke baazaro mein , khamoshi pehchaane kaun.

Ghazals drip with meaning.nothing beats em.

Sayesha said...

// being the first to comment has its own charm

Hey Abhi, I totally agree! It gives me a high when I'm the first to comment on someone's fresh blog post! :P
(Though I am wondering aap itni subah kya kar rahe ho, India mein toh 6 baje honge abhi!)

Yeah man, Jaggu rocks! I am a bigtime 'lyrics person' so ghazals are way up there! Especially when you discover the meaning of an unknown urdu word that just opens up the ghazal for you in a new light!

And yes, glad to meet another 20-something ghazal freak! :)

Anonymous said...

well ,when i was a little 2 year old , an owl bit me n since then i have never slept in the nites.ok , i think ill stop actin like an ullu now , i have an exam today n hence did a nite-out.:(

apnee marzee se kahan apne safar ke hum hain.
rukh hawaaon ka jidhar ka hai , udhar ke hum hain.

Anonymous said...

Wah wah!

Yeah I like ghazals too...

And Penaz Masani is cute! :)

Anonymous said...

I luv ghazals too ..there are so many ghazals but one of my fav ghazals of jagu bhai is ..

Koi samjhega kya raaz-e-gulshan
Jab tak uljhe na kaanton se daaman

Yaq-ba-yaq saamne aana jaana
Ruk na jaaye kahin dil ki dhadkan

...and so it goes.btw, long ago I figured that u must be a ghazal freak :). Do you listen to Ghulam Ali too ?

Sayesha said...

Abhi,
Arz kiya hai:

Badli hui hawaaein hain, badla hua sa daur hai
Aaj kal ke ratjagon ka sabab hi kuchh aur hai

Don't bother to look it up -- this one's my own.

Viv,
Yeah she's cute and all that, but her style is too "jumpy" for me. I like ghazals to be very Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali kind, the kind that make you feel like you're drifting by yourself on a raft on water...

Keshav,
I LOVE Ghulam Ali! My favourite from his collection is:
Chupke chupke raat din aansoon bahana yaad hai
Humko toh ab tak aashiqui ka woh zamana yaad hai

Anonymous said...

Yup ! thats what I was talking about :)

Sahil said...

Ghazals....... and I thought I was old.

The only ghazal I know and remember is:

Arz hai..

Dava bhi kaam na aaye
Kohin duah na lage
Dava bhi kaam na aaye
Kohin duah na lage

Mere Khudhah kissi ko
Pyaar ki hava na lage.

Aadav...

Sayesha said...

Sahil,
So you're the kind who does believe that short skirts and ghazals can't go together? Why am I not surprised...

Btw, I don't mean to be age-ist (actually I do) but, you're 40, dude. By now, you should know the difference between a ghazal and a sher! Dava bhi kaam na aaye indeed!

Sahil said...

Oh I believe they totally can go together. Just didn't figure you'd be that into this Ghazal stuff. Kyun ki mere palle nahin padti hai man.

And madame, I know full well the difference between a sheyr and a ghazal. Just sing my sheyr, and it will become your ghazal.

Anonymous said...

the best is when Nida Fazli writes for Jaggu...

Apna anjaam toh maaloom hai sab ko phir bhi
Apni nazaron mein har insaan sikandar kyon hai?

Aaj ke daur mein ai dost, yeh manzar kyon hai
Zakhm har sar pe, har ik haath mein patthhar kyon hai?

Anonymous said...

No offence to ghazals and shers... but I wanna have some fun!

Toh arz hai...

Dava bhi kaam na aaye
Kohin duah na lage
Dava bhi kaam na aaye
Kohin duah na lage

Mere Khudhah kissi ko
Is manhoos doctor ki hava na lage.

Wah Wah!

Packan said...

a sher for you all:

Door se dekha to sher nazar aaya

Door se dekha to sher nazar aaya
wah..wah

Pass mein gaya hi nahi.

Sahil said...

Viv - kya baat hai! Me having another shot too....

Toh arz hai...

Dava bhi kaam na aaye
Kohin duah na lage
Dava bhi kaam na aaye
Kohin duah na lage

Mere khudhah kissi ko
aisi Shayeri likhne ki hava na lage.

Sayesha said...

Sahil ji,
//Just sing my sheyr, and it will become your ghazal

You wish, buddy. You wish.

Croondoodle,
That was an awesome piece!

Packan,
That was so funny! :P

Viv & Sahil,
Here's one for both of you for starting the mehfil of bad shayari on my blog:

Dava bhi kaam na aaye
Kohin duah na lage
Dava bhi kaam na aaye
Kohin duah na lage

Khuda se minnat karo
Ki tum dono ko meri badduah na lage
Kabhi 'gar mulaqaat hui tumse
Toh mere in haathon se mukka na lage!

Sahil said...

Ladki ho kar yuh na baat aap ki jeeyein
In nazuk kalayein ko
itna kasht mat deejeye.

Aur agar peetna ho kissi ko, toh Virdi haazir ho jaayega. With ur hands, he'll happily take a good beating!

Unknown said...

You should hear my little brother singing ghazals..(hes not that little..he's 17)..he's pretty good..unlike me.
Love the one in Sarfarosh.

Ps:Live in the west...but did teach primary Science..oh well..too far for me
Thanks for being a dear =D

Anonymous said...

wo chahtein hai hum unke liye chaand tod layein ,
wo chahtein hai hum unke liye chaand tod layein ,
abe itne nakhre hai to wo kisee astronaut ko pataye !

Anonymous said...

there is great depth in the lyrics..i could never appreciate the music though..

Anonymous said...

;) yeah! should check out some of the amazing lyrics written by nida fazli.

and the other extreme was an Anand Bakshi who used to rhyme for no rhyme or reason...God bless his soul!

Ravi said...

i find it quite surprising that your classmate would react that way. many of my 20 something friends are ghazal lovers.

anyway ab ghazalon ki baat shuru ho hi gayi hai to hum bhi apne kuch pasandida nazarane pesh karte hai. Filhal sirf films ki baat karte hai.

From Umrao Jaan -

In Aankhon Ki masti..
“Ek sirf humi mai ko, aankhon se pilaate hain
Kehne ko to duniya mein maikhaane hazaaron hain”
“Is shamm-e-faroza ko aandhi se darraate ho
Is shamm-e-faroza ke parvaane hazaaron hain”


Dil Cheez kya hai..
“Kahiye to aasmaan ko zameen par utaar laaye
Mushkil nahin hai kuch bhi agar thaan lijiye”


From Dil Hai Ke Maanta Nahi -

Tu Pyar hai kissi aur ka..
“ tu nazar mein hai kissi aur ki
tujhe dekhataa koi aaur hai”
“tu jaan hai kissi aur ki
tujhe jaanta koi aur hai”


From Arth -

Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe ho
“Rekhaon Ka Khel Hai Muqaddar
Rekhaon Se Maat Kha Rahe Ho”


From Aahista Aahista -

Mana teri Nazar mein
“tan ko jalake raakh banaya, bichha diyaa
lo ab tumhaari raah mein deewar ham nahi”


Kabhi Kissi Ko Mukammal Jahan
“jise bhi dekhiye wo apane aap mein gum hai
zubaan milee hain magar humzubaan naheen milta”

PuNeEt said...

Wow Sayesha...
That is so awesome Ghazal...
loved every bit of it...
Maza aagaya...

I can understand ur situation...
A lot of people think that Ghazal is not a "IN" thing and is preferred by oldies...

Good 1
Cheers

Anonymous said...

ghazal to theek hai....short skirt kaha hai sayesha :p

would love see that pic :)

Sahil said...

...we have a CIG in da house it seems

virdi said...

few things... not about sayesha or gazals... about The Jagjit Singh and about The Ghula Ali Sahab..
if someone really follows gazals, he would understand that Jagjit sings gazals in a way which are more soft on the ears and which are easy to understand...
he sings well no doubt... but Ghulam Sahab ki baat hi kuch aur hai, nahi I am serious.. i have attended concerts of both Ghulam Ali sahab and Jagjit Singh, jo urdu ki khaas gazal hoti hai woh toh Ghulam Ali sahaib ki den hai... aur kuch gajalein jo Ghulam Ali ne gayi hain woh Jagjit ne Hindustan mein famous ki hain, with his style of Gazal singing... Ghulam Ali sahab ne jo Mirza Ghalib ki Gazal Hindustan mein famous ki hai uspe Ghalib ki ek ghazal pesh hai.. and Ghalib's gazals not only have immediate effect on the heart but it makes you think too.
aah ko chahiye aik umr asar ho-nay tak
kaun jeeta hai teri zulf kay sar ho-nay tak.

hum nay mana keH tagHaful naH karo-gay lekin
kHaak ho jaaayeN-gay tum ko kHabar ho-nay tak.

daame hur mauj meiN hai hulqa-e-sad kaam nihaNg
dekheiN kya guz-ray hai qat-ray peH guhar ho-nay tak.

Ghazal thodi bhari hai par hai toh fir Mirza Ghalib ki hi gazal... kehtein hai ki Ghalib ka andaz e bayan kuch aur hi tha.. aadaab..
V..

Anonymous said...

saaahil bahiyya...jara take it eaziyega... khujli ho rahi hai to aspatal jao...thankyou :-

Sahil said...

spam man,

darro mat yaar... bhaiya ka, toh tere saath toh easy hi rahenge. Aur rahi baat 'aspatal' ki.. mere ko jaane ki zaroorat nahin - tere ko jaane hai kya?

so chill.

Anonymous said...

Hello,
I believe that you are a editor of science magazine.Thats why this post.
I lead this NGO where we relate scientific ideas(mostly software,mechanical and electronics) to everyday activities.To give an example like Databases, long before they were in software form were found on school registers.How, by using unique identity inform of roll numbers etc. I want to popularize these concepts but given that I work full time can't do justice to it.Would you help us.The website of the NGO is
www.MilanOrganisation.org and I can be reached at anirban79@gmail.com

Anirban

Anil said...

Like Virdi said, Ghulam Ali is different from every other ghazal singer. When Jagjit Singh and Pankaj Udhas sing, they make the song pleasing to the ears, but when Ghulam Ali sings, you watch out not only for the lyrics, but also for the way in which he sings. If he sings the same line twice, he will sing it in two completely different ways and that's when people go 'waaaaaaahhh waahhhhhh' :-))))))))))))))))))))

Sayesha said...

DOJ,
You're welcome :)
Btw, do I know you from uni or something, or you just stumbled upon my blog? :)

Abhi,
Et tu??? You're supposed to be my ghazal buddy, man! Don't join the ranks of Sahil and Viv, yaar.

Tragico,
Perhaps it's an acquired taste. If you wanna get started, Jag is the best to start with.

Croondoodle,
I share your sentiments about Anand Bakshi :)

Ravi,
You have just quoted many of my favourite lyrics!! :)
Another one I simply adore is:
Do aur do ka jod hamesha char kahan hota hai
Soch samajh waalon ko thodi naadaani de maula

Puneet,
Yeah man, ghazals are SO "in", they can never be out! What say? :)
I even go jogging listening to ghazals! :)

Spam,
You need therapy, man.
And yeah, don't you dare say anything to/about Sahil. Only I have that right. :)

Virdi,
Wah wah you have this side too! Pleasant surprise :)

Anirban,
I will get in touch with you outside of this blog.

WH Anil,
You too?? Today is a day of pleasant surprises, man! :)

Guys,
Can I share a bit of joy? My blog is amongst the six shortlisted blogs on Rediff.
:)

Jagan said...

shorts skirts and ghazals can go together . its the saree and the cigarette combination that surprises me .

Sayesha said...

Jag,
I truly believe that a cigarette does not go with ANYTHING at all.

Deeps said...

Sayesha, I'm 25 too and I absolutely love ghazals too. Maybe due to the fact that my dad used to play Ghulam ali ghazals when I was a kid and maybe they rubbed off on me :) I love the Sarfarosh one, Jagjit Singh's "Hoshwalon ko khabhar kya", but my favourite is Ghulam Ali's "Kuch din to baso meri". In that he says:

Mein tanha tha, Mein tanha huun
Tum aao toh kya, Na aao toh kya?


You can listen to it at Raaga.com here.

Sayesha said...

Hey Deeps,
I have that song!! And I love it! :)

Kuchh din toh baso meri aankhon mein
Phir khwaab agar ho jaao toh kya...

Anonymous said...

Sayesha!
what therapy? talking abt ghazals is cool/whateva..and talking about short skirts isnt. too bad.

aur saahil ko maaro goli, woh to aspatal mein hi uthega abhi.

Sahil said...

Arre spam yaar,

Sayesha ki aanchal ke peeche kyun chupha hai man. Kuch bolna hai to samne bol.

And what's with you and hospitals man? Give it a rest. Leave the mardangi to the men... u just go after ur short skirts ;)

Anonymous said...

only mards go after short skirts... :)

sorry sayesha ji...off topic...

Sayesha said...

Spam, Sahil,
Would you guys mind taking this outside?

Anonymous said...

done sayesha..:-

gaurav jalan said...

well... people sometimes makes an image related to the clothes that u wear...
it mostly happens in india.
cause we have different people with different customs with different lifestyles and with different attitude.

so we are born in a country of different people.

so we tend to make an image of a specific kind of person..

but definitely its wrong to make expect a differencr between a short skirt and Jagjeet singh...

i think we should prove it by creating a Picture of Jagjeet singh ... singing his gajals in a short skirt... just joking..

anyway...

you may visit me at www.gauravjalan.com

blog me at

gauravjalan.blogspot.com

Enjoy the gajals...

Siddiqui said...

Hope you guys will luv this ::

By Sagar Khaiyyami
ek shaam kisii bazm me.n juute jo kho gaye
ham ne kahaa bataa_iiye ghar kaise jaaye.nge
kahane lage ke sher sunaate raho yuu.N hii
ginate nahii.n banenge abhii itane aaye.nge

Cheers!! :d
Ashy.

Sayesha said...

Thanks, Spam! Lagta thodi si sharaafat baaki hai abhi... Sahil ka asar hoga...

Gaurav,
Yeah, stereotyping is bad, but sometimes we can't help doing it... it's like saying "Guys are like that" and "Girls always do this!"
As long as it's harmless stereotyping, it's okay I think :)

Ashy,
Wah wah! (oh my God that was bad)

Sayesha said...

Gosh I forgot this one!

Aap jinke kareeb hote hain
Woh bade khushnaseeb hote hain...

I sang this in one of the first singing competitions I took part in.

Sahil said...

Tere liye chup ho jaate hai Sayesha, bache ko maaf kardiya.....don't want khoon kharaba on ur blog man :)

Sayesha said...

Sahil,
Mere liye chup ho jaate ho? How sweet.

:)

virdi said...

yeh sahil aur tera kya tanka bhidela hai kya?? i know sahil u met her... u are her KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI... ok come come both slap me come come... ;-)
mujko kuch nahi ho sakta because i had chawanprash when i was a kid... main aandar se strong hoon!!!
V..

Sahil said...

Sweet-weet kuch nahin...aap ki blog ki izzat rakhte hai, issliye chup hogaye madame....

hahaha Virdi chawanprash it seems. Aap jaise chotta sa, pyaara sa, nanna sa, bache ko kaun mareyga? Aur rahi baat Sayesha aur humaari, yeh rishta toh bahut puraana hai... tum nahin samjhoge bache - but I assure u, kohin tanka bhidawa nahin hai!

So don't be jealous Virdi, hum hai na aap ke paas ;)

virdi said...

sale sahil.. i said i had chawanprash when i was kid.. i-am-not-a-kid!!!
dekh loonga saab ko.. ek ek ko dekh loonga.. tum log mera gussa jante nahi ho.. its like Bandit Queen ka gussa..
and mere ko aab toh pakka yakeen ho gaya hai tera aur sayesha ka kuch chakkar chal raha hai..
virdi sings a song for you both: pyar kiya nahi jata ho jata hai, dil diya nahi jata kho jata hai..
V..

Sahil said...

hahahaha good one Virdi. Shaadi par aana teekh hai? :)

Sayesha said...

Virdi,
Tu jal mat yaar. I know you're also in the running for him. Let's see who gets the oh-so-desirable Sahil.
May the best person win.

Anil said...

haay raam, yeh sab dekhne-sunne se pehle meri aankhen phooth kyon nahin gayi.. daiya daiya!

Siddiqui said...

mujhey bhi aana hai Sahil aur Virdi ki shadi me !
bhot din ho gaye kisi ki baraat me free ka chiken tikka khaye huey :)

May Virdi win to get the "oh-so desirable Sahil"

Sahil said...

Ashy man,

I was talking about mine and Sayesha's shaadi yaar.

And why r u only giving Virdi blessings to obtain the oh-so-desirable Sahil? Sayesha ko apne liya bacha ke rakha hai kya? ;)

Sayesha said...

Guys!!
Ab tum logon ne meri shaadi ke cards bhi chhaap diye??
Kisi ne Sayesha se poochha ki usko kya chahiye??

Anonymous said...

hi sayesha,
visitd ur blog 2dy and it's jus awesum...and equally interesting are ur comments section...guess u hv a long list of fan following...
btw...i totally agree wid u on ghazals..i am 21 and wenevr my lappy plays sum ghazals(which is quite often)my frns think i hv had anthr heart break..!!!damn.....
the ghazal on ur post goes like this..

kabhi yun bhi aa meri aankhon main ki meri nazar ko khabar na ho...
mujhe ek raat nawaaz de magar uske baad sehar a ho....
woh bada rahim karim hai mujhe yeh bhi sifar kare...
tujhe bhulne ki dua karoon magar us dua main asar na ho...
nice blog....
keep it up..

Anonymous said...

Well said sayesha,

Mujhe bhi kuch yaad aa raha hai...Gustaakhi maaf ho -

Koi Acchi si saza do mujhko
Chalo Aisa karo Bhula do mujhko
Tujhse bichad ke jiyu to maut aa jaae
Dil di gahraaiyon se ye duaa do mujhko

Viren

Anonymous said...

Koi ghazal nahi.. koi shayari.. kuch hakikat.. likh raha hu.. gaur se padna jara.. jindagi kya chez hoti hai. yehi bata raha hu....:)...if u like it.. do reply me at sunny17jain@gmail.com.. No time to open a blogg bt definitely like this blog.. hats off to Sayesha.. :).. arz hai..

"Haso tau acchi lage hai jindagi ..
Ro pado tau buri lage hai jindagi..
hasne rone par kya define karte ho jindagi..
khushi k annsu bhi tau dikhati hai ye jindagi :) "//

Anonymous said...

Koi ghazal nahi.. koi shayari.. kuch hakikat.. likh raha hu.. gaur se padna jara.. jindagi kya chez hoti hai. yehi bata raha hu....:)...if u like it.. do reply me at sunny17jain@gmail.com.. No time to open a blogg bt definitely like this blog.. hats off to Sayesha.. :).. arz hai..

"Haso tau acchi lage hai jindagi ..
Ro pado tau buri lage hai jindagi..
hasne rone par kya define karte ho jindagi..
khushi k annsu bhi tau dikhati hai ye jindagi :) "//

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deepdowne said...

Neither Hindi nor Urdu is my mother-tongue. But I have been loving ghazals since my childhood. And just imagine how I put up with my people around me for whom even the language is strange, let alone ghazals!! :))

I often look up words in the online transliterated Urdu dictionary by Vaneeta.

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