Bharat Ratna Mohd. Rafi : How it can be done?

I fully agree with your topic that a clear-cut strategy may not have been evolved to attain our prime objective – that of conferrment of the BHARAT RATNA AWARD posthumously to the legend of legends MOHAMMED RAFI SAHAB.

There are many reasons for this and the solution may not be far to find. There are several groups and associations of RAFI SAHAB and there must be first a total co-ordination amongst them all. They must all come under one common umbrella and then evolve their campaign. There should not be any ‘one upmanship’ race among the various leading campaigners or associations, but a true and humble way of following the majority. I have seen a lot of good projects go astray just for this one reason – trying to beat the other person. Each and every RAFIAN is a true follower of Rafi Sahab’s ideals and whether they take active part or not does not belittle their stature or does not dilute their commitment. Some have the resources and some do not have them. The ‘haves’ must compensate for the ‘have-nots’, but must not sideline the latter. These should be the guiding principles for any campaign to kickstart and achieve the goals.

The campaign should be aggressive and multi-dimentional. For e.g., not a single day must be wasted and some activity or the other should be seen to be happening. Also, in today’s age, constant advertising and publicity is required. Not only should the campaign take a daily course, but it should also be seen as taking the daily course. Every music lover in the country (and Indians are generally music lovers) should know what is being done. For this the role of the media (print, visual and electronic) becomes all too important. Rafians who have recourse to these should highlight prominently the ‘reason’ for this campaign and the ’status’ of the campaign. Those of us use the internet as a daily staple, must use it to convey the progress of the campaign to all our contacts through emails and through our own blogs. Let the entire world be told that we RAFIANS will not rest until our only aim – BHARAT RATNA TO RAFI SAHAB – is achieved.

We have waited for 27 years since Rafi Sahab left this world. We are not prepared to wait any further. Let this become the slogan and mission of all those who profess by the name of Rafi Sahab. Do what you can within your limits. Every single act in this honourable direction, however small, will contribute towards the larger aim ahead of us.

Finally, Rafi Sahab was the greatest of all playback singers that India has provided. He is also the most respected. There are no controversies ever attached to his name. He was the most humane, humble and likeable human being the film industry and the country has known. His devotion towards his work, his family, his colleagues, his contemporaries, to unknown musicians and indeed to the country is itself a legendary tale and ranks as the prime reason why Rafi Sahab deserves the BHARAT RATNA the most. Leaders are known by their good deeds and not just because they happen to have occupied high offices. The political forces of the country would be doing the country and themselves an honour by conferring the highest civilian award of the country to Rafi Sahab. JAI RAFI SAHAB. JAI BHARAT RATNA CAMPAIGN BY THE RAFIANS.

vitthal continues pl.

what i have stated in my earlier message is real fact please and has nothing to do with the campaign of rafi sahab fans for the highest civilian award. my only view is that they should try for the award by placing true facts and not placing disputable and false facts and getting the award either by hook or crook.

Ramaswamy ji,

I have never disputed rafi’s greatness but only was of the view that the approach being adopted for the award should be on true lines rather than on false facts. Regarding ghantasala, i do not know about your knowledge about him. If you are a telugu person, could you kindly comment on the songs of this esteemed legend like siva sankari, madi sarada devi etc. along with his innumerable padyams, slokas, bhagavad gita etc. which have whatsover no comparison or similarity at all times which ensured that no similar talent or competition or such attraction ever exists. Does rafi have such type of renderings. I do not dispute about rafi sahab’s greatness who was a undisputable great legend in his own field. Further ghantasala’s talent and command over telugu and sanskrit languages and perfection in music is 100% as compared to imperfect and incomplete command over hindi language by rafi. only’s rafi’s melodious voice is swaying people, but if you look in total sum these defects of not pure hindi language and pronounciation etc. complete perfection in sum total is ruled out. Whereas in ghantasala songs, whatever is his rendering it was completely perfect in totality and there is absolutely no complaint from any angle, language, musical skill, melody etc. This fact is not denied by any southern musician and whereas i heard from many people regarding rafi’s disadvantage of hindi language as well as sanskrit language because he had a punjabi accent. do you know lata mangeshkar has once said ghantasala’s voice to be incomparable. and as per your statement, i wish to clarify that no body has been able to overtake lata mangeshkar, it is your view. regarding kishore kumar overtaking rafi, i wish to enlighten you that kishore got the best singer award in 70’s, when rafi was still there. As long as ghantasala lived, he got the best singer award for his entire career and never the award slipped from him throughout his life despite your favourite singers jesudas and spb in the field along with ghantasala. What do you say. Oon balance thus, ghantasala not only in his achievements, but also in skills and talents has definitely has an edge over rafi.

But sorry to state, i am not here to compare rafi and ghantasala, who are two great stalwarts in indian music, and such comparison also should not be made as both are two corners of the same coin. I had to resort to such commentary only to drive away your false views.

my view was only that legend like rafi should be not be drawn into undesirable political motives in false lines, rather he should be honoured in a honourable way.

Vitthalji,

This debate can go on and on. While on one hand, you say Rafi Saab and Ghantasala are two sides of the same coin, on the other hand you hit Rafi Saab’s pronunciation. Mind you, there is nobody or for that matter there never was and never ever will be any pandit or crooner to come half way near Rafi Saab’s pronunciation. Even his Sanskrit Slokas viz.Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu in the beginning of the song “Jahan Dal Dal Par” was applauded by learned pandits. Secondly, when you say Andhra Pradesh Govt. in the sixties recommended Ghantasala’s name for Padma Vibhushan award saying he is incomparable, I can only reply through a saying “a man with full nose is a king in the land of men with only half noses”. Rafi saab’s mellifluous voice and renderings directly reach the souls. His divine voice is a tonic for patients in hospital bed, people in distress, couples in a honeymoon, for kids in school, for priests in temples, for the lovers in a marriage, for jawans in the battlefield, for a joker in a comedy circus, & so on, the list is endless. Even after 27 years after his departure to the other world, his voice is ringing in our ears. Is it the same with Shri Ghantasala? Then why don’t the Andhra Pradesh govt. recommend his name for Bharat Ratna or for that matter his fans recommend. One thing is clear, I also do not want to spoil the sheen of the award by mentioning so many names but my point is when Lata Mangeshkar can get it, Rafi Saab should also have got it much earlier. In your case Ghantasala should have got it. But you don’t support the candidature of Ghantasala with proper evidence. You are only playing hide and seek with Rafi Saab and Ghantasala wherein Ghantasala is only hiding and Rafi Saab is only emerging out. With due respect to Shri Ghantasala, I conclude Rafi Saab is the greatest.

mr n g ramaswamy ji,

i too agree with mr. vitthal ji, I am a maharashtrian and not a telugu man. I have heard few of ghantasala renderings, which have a mellifluous and heart rendering effect. you cannot say that rafi is superior to ghantasala and that is not true. Ghantasala’s voice is also a super divine voice pl.

anyhow, my issue is different. As vittal ji, observed in his earlier messages, kishore kumar has certainly overtaken rafi, and kishore was the most sought after singers in the 70’s despite rafi being available. kishore’s voice had great influence on the people and the then music directors of hindi film music. If you hear duo songs of both viz., bane chahe dushman jamana hamara, yaadon ki barat etc. kishore has a definite edge over rafi. You hence cannot say that rafi is the greatest singer in bollywood.

Even manna dey despite his great regard for rafi, has termed kishore as a irreplaceable singer.

My views are, i too say that it is better to stop this begging business of getting awards for a singer who departed more than 25 years ago, which will not serve any purpose. even if he gets award posthumously, what will happen. Even if he does not get, heavens are not going to fall. If you fans have such determination and resources, i request you to please recommend and advise the government (along with your fans) with some well determined policies which will be beneficial to the people of india and upliftment of country rather than these bharat ratna or anything which will not serve any purpose to you, neither me or any body else.

ramaswamy ji,

Rafi is not donald bradman pl. Because donald bradman was a man of 40’s and sachin tendulkar is a man of 90’s – vast time period difference and environmental and other conditions play major role hence and accordingly no comparison can be made between both.

But rafi, ghantasala and kishore all belonged to the approximaely same period and almost same conditions (though kishore’s period was somewhat more). this point should be noted and cannot be overlooked.

Secondly, do you know that rafi is not in any way nearer or greater than mahatma gandhi, swami vivekananada, saint thyagaraja like personalities and their achievements and who were not bestowed any award and who also rejected award or honours when conferred upon them. That is a true and complete individual and not your favourite pl.

Vasuji,

Thanks for your comments and observations in the right spirit. Keep it up. HATS OFF TO YOU.

Dear administrator zareef ahmed ji,

My message in post 13, i hope, is a clear cut answer to your question sir regarding getting of bharat ratna award to rafi sahab and hence i feel that all matters are now competely sorted out. What do you say sir?

Whether Ghantashala was equal to, worse than or better than Rafi is not relevant here. Rafi’s voice has influenced the careers of more actors than anyone else’s in history. It has touched the lives of more Indians than even Lata. In their happiness, sadness, marriage, every single mood. He is an epitome of humility and a personified protest against all vices that exist in Bollywood. He has sung the best Bhajans in Hindi movies despite being a Muslim.. People across religions and across ages love him, musicians adored him.
If Ghantashala was restricted to his regional limits and could not touch the lives of numerically more Indians, bad luck. My admiration yet sympathy lies with him. That way, being a Bengali I can argue that lot of Bengali singers did not get their due because they were regional. How many Indians have heard of Sandhya Mukherjee who has as sweet a voice as Lata Mangeshkar? How about Uttam Kumar who was more popular in Bengal than Amitabh? The award is “Bharat Ratna”-lets not forget the “Bharat” part of it. We will think of Ghantashala when it comes to “Dakshin Bharat Ratna” (when we invent such an award).