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Rafi Bhakts present new tales to the unending saga

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Article by A S MURTY, Secretary, Rafi Foundation, Hyderabad Chapter  – rafimurty@gmail.com

For the past several years now, I have had a very close interaction with many Rafi Bhakts, from across the globe.  Fans of Rafi Sahab,  like that of any other legend, come from all walks of life.  They have very varied lifestyles and come from different cultural backgrounds.  Yet they have many commonalities in them.  I have found some very dedicated Rafi Bhakts, who indulge in a wide spectrum of activities that spread the works of Rafi Sahab. All of them do it selflessly and purely out of their own personal passion for Rafi Sahab and his songs.  Most of them work ceaselessly, devoting a lot of time and money on their activities – unmindful of any rewards. Their only reward is their personal satisfaction of doing what they like most – spreading the fragrance of Rafi Sahab.  There are several communities of Rafi Sahab on social networking sites on the internet. Several groups exist in almost all the major cities. These groups conduct musical shows, musical sessions, get togethers, mehfils and so much more. They inter-act and discuss the movies for which Rafi Sahab has given his impeccable renditions and relive the magic of these immortal songs.

Rafi Sahab was a singer par excellence – he surpassed all the known playback singers with his outstanding ability to go into the soul of the song. Writers before me have commented that he actually enacted the songs and nothing could have been truer. This quality alone makes him unique in the large galaxy of some of the finest playback singers that our country has produced.  But beyond these extra-ordinary armory that Rafi Sahab possessed, he was a very down-to-earth person. Very modest in disposition and humble in nature. He lived a fairly simple life and had no vices. Foremost, he believed he had to spend quality time with his family. He played games with his children, sang songs for them all to hear and did his riyaz unfailingly. He was a very large hearted person and helped the needy, several times even without the needy seeking alms from him. He encouraged everyone in the industry – from musicians to film-makers to the co-singers.  Although Rafi Sahab was at the pinnacle of glory, his attitude was that of a commoner. He won the hearts of everyone in the film industry with his unimpeachable character and was therefore respected by the big and small alike.  He was always addressed as Rafi Sahab by not only his contemporaries and juniors, but by seniors and veterans.  Rafi Sahab learnt early in his life that respect begets respect and love.  His endearing charm lay in his smile as otherwise he was a man of few words.

I have discovered that, listening piously to Rafi Sahab songs for several decades now, his fan following not only has become countless – running into millions I presume. But more than this, his fans who often would like to call themselves as Rafi Bhakts – have themselves imbibed several qualities of their virtuous idol. Many are often seen doing charity services. Rafi Bhakts are  trying to become  role-models for future generations by their unstinted and selfless acts.  Many names crop up, but it would not be proper to name some and forget many and hence individual names are not being lined up. But the picture is very brightly lit before us.  Rafi Bhakts are not only earning a good reputation and name, but also enhancing the name of Rafi Sahab in whatever they do.  Pages after pages have been written on legendary idols by their fans, including on Rafi Sahab by the Rafi Bhakts.  Rich tributes have been paid to some of the very great Rafi Bhakts earlier too in various fora. I have seen youngsters, some of them still in their teens,  who worship Rafi Sahab as though they have grown up listening to his songs.  Most of these youngsters have been born several years after Rafi Sahab himself bid goodbye to this world.  How then this YOUNG RAFI BRIGADE came to be such staunch followers of a playback singer whose songs were recorded several decades earlier.  Awestruck, I tried to find answers to these perplexing questions.  Men would easily prefer male playback singers and often co-relate their own voices (and singing abilities sometimes) to the well known male playback singers. Their being Rafi Bhakts therefore is understandable. But we do have a very large distaff music lovers who besides being good music lovers and liking the songs of Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Geeta Dutt, Suman Kalyanpur, etc. have a very definite and strong leaning towards Rafi Sahab.  Their knowledge of the songs of Rafi Sahab is extra-ordinary again.  These female fans of Rafi Sahab show equal passion, sometimes more vocally than their male counterparts.

As I have been in close inter-action with such great Rafi Bhakts over the last several years it set me thinking – how they came to become Rafi Bhakts in the first place. What touched the emotional chord in them to be so vociferous in their piety towards Rafi Sahab ? And I set myself to discover their tryst with the one persona they admire and worship more than anyone else – Rafi Sahab.  I threw open a topic “HOW I BECAME A RAFI FAN” and within days, a plethora of short but well crafted true accounts of individual infatuations, emotions, convictions, etc. all started pouring in.  Careful analysis of most of them tells me one thing very clearly – these write ups are just as honest as ever there can be and have been narrated from the depth of individual hearts of Rafi Bhakts.  Just a week before I had asked friends – all staunch Rafi Bhakts – to narrate their story on what makes them a fan of Rafi Sahab.  From among the heaps of write-ups that I have already received, it was very difficult to choose one over the other. However, for various reasons I did find one very exceptional write up which I think all the Rafi Fans across the globe would like to read.  Perhaps many would see a piece of their own life in such a great essay which has been sent to me by Dr Vasudha Theeratharam.

Dr. Vasudha Theertharam is an Ayurvedic physician and a Nutritionist.She has her own private clinic at Bangalore.She is a senior faculty member in Information and Research centre where she teaches Health and Nutrition on a part-time basis.

Dr Vasudha has herself essayed a fine article on  www.mohdrafi.com earlier, partnering Gan Sharma and the link to that article (A wide range of fans for one song!) is

http://www.mohdrafi.com/meri-awaaz-suno/a-wide-range-of-fans-for-one-song.html

Friends I would like you to analyse the following write up of Dr Vasudha on “HOW I BECAME A RAFI FAN” and co-relate the same with your own corresponding thoughts.

QUOTE

I am narrating a tale of untold bliss.

Beneath the layers of my heart lay a cache of images which sheltered millions of emotions.Here friends, take a peek into my heart.

My tryst with Rafi began when I was blossoming into a teenager.

Papa had a ear for good music and he played Baiju Bawra, Chori Chori, Barsaat among various other filmy, instrumental and classical numbers. As a kid I listened to these divine musical delights. Though unable to comprehend the meaning of the songs, the melody, the range, the cadence and the nuances of Man tarpat, Oh duniya ke rakhwaale, Jhoolen pavan ki aayee bahaar, Tu ganga ki mauj mein, Khuli palak mein jhoota gussa, Chupne waale saamne aa etc. touched my heart and Rafi left that indelible mark which till date no other singer has succeeded in erasing. Every note was ingrained in my gray matter.

I was on the threshold of teenage. I was a plain Jane whom nobody would want to give a second glance.

One day a cousin of mine came to stay with us. She had this ‘mane’ mania and the looks of my silky, brown hair caught her eye (That lux and lux alone was the secret of my brown hair is something I would like to share with you all). She loved my hair and made me aware of my asset, the beauty of which used to be camouflaged in a meandering plait or a bouncing pony until then.

She and I often listened to old Hindi songs, crooned and dreamt; though I did not have the necessary qualifications of a teenage dreamer.

It was one of those day dream sessions which was interrupted by Teri zulphonse judaai to nahin maangi thi - I was mesmerized by the melody of the song.

My dream boy was singing for me.

Every mind is fickle and carefree. It has the liberty to date Dev Anand, gaze at the full moon with Dharmendra and reach for the stars with the man of one’s choice. This unbridled exhilaration cannot be snatched from any mind.

But –

I took a tour of the universe with the man of my dreams-Mohommad Rafi.

Rafi’s voice held my mane, entangled it with his hands, lifted my drooping chin and pacified me with Maine kya zulm kiya aap khafa ho baite…

And in the breezy twilight sang Tumhaari zulf ki saayen mein shaam kar loonga… Wow! I had fallen in love with the voice. I did not care to see the face. I exulted in the tantalizingly ‘teenful’ years.

I did have few admirers for my eyes which were pronounced against the backdrop of my prominent cheekbones. I imagined Rafi looking into my eyes and singing Yeh aankhen uff yumma pyaar kyun na hoga and I looked into his eyes with the same level of intensity singing Yeh mausam uff yumma and thus began the journey of ishq, pyar, mohobbat- so exciting, so intoxicating.

Mujhe tumse mohobbat ho gayee hai mujhe palkonki chaao mein rehne do – reverberated in every cell of my body.

On one of my daily trips to school – I remember having told one of my friends – I want to marry Rafi – It was of course told in a lighter vein.

“Rafi? Have you seen him?” she shot back.

As a teenager pining from love, Rafi’s Choo lene do naazuk hotonko, Jaane chaman shola badan pehlu mein aa jao, Chalkaaye jam aayiye aapki, Tum kamsin ho naadan ho were some of the songs which served as an ambrosia and aroused the ‘Mohobbat’ in me.

It didn’t matter how old Rafi was or how he looked I was his ‘Radha’, Prem diwaani. ‘Everything is fair in love’, I told my friend.

I had no Rafi obsessions whatsoever. I loved his singing, that’s all and his songs took me to another land – Phiroo tujhe sang leke, naye naye rang leke sapnonki mehfil mein.

My teens were coming to an end. During my five and a half years of dissecting bodies, learning plant and human anatomy my emotional physiology took a backseat. During the cultural fest in my college I unconsciously sang Rafi songs for music competitions. Bahoaaro phool barsao, Woh jab yaad aaye and mitwa mere meet re. I won the first prize for Bahaaro, and 3^rd for Mitwa; somehow woh jab yaad aaye didn’t make the necessary impact.

While practicing Mitwa mere meet re my better half ‘Chinnu’ as I lovingly call him had listened to the song and then said.- ‘You sang very well’. Little had I realized then that ‘Mere mitwa’ was complimenting me.

Today I am happily married and have two sons.

When my elder son who is a Downs baby listens to Oh duniya ke rakhwaale. Man tarpat hari darshan and many other songs in an absorbed manner I feel I have succeeded in transferring my music gene to my progeny.

Was it ‘that’ extra gene that made him a Downs baby? If the answer is in the affirmative I would somewhere, amidst all my sorrow of begetting such a child, feel happy too that an extra pair of genes that was the causative factor for the syndrome, has music in it.

My Papa and Amma are very fond of my son. He grew up listening to his Grandpa singing, among various other songs Raadhike tune bansari churaayi as well. It is sheer pleasure even now to listen to papa singing Bansari churaayi, and my son unfalteringly saying ‘KYA’ and the music session going on for hours.

Now in the transition period of my life I fly with the same gusto carrying lovely memories of my association with songs like Dil bekaraar saa hai, Raat suhaani jaag rahi hai, Aise toh na dekho, Yeh parbatonke daayre, Jaag dil e deewaana, Rhim jhim ke geet saawan gaaye, Yaad mein teri jag jag ke hum –the list is endless.

Rafi the sculptor, the man who kindled the flame of first love in me has succeeded in carrying it to this day with the same brightness making me live every moment, naughtily whispering into my ears—

Tumse kahoon ek baat paron se halki halki halki halki halki–

Vasudha

UNQUOTE

Many more of Rafi Bhakts have already sent in their write ups and many would do so for several months more.  The aim was to discover Rafi Sahab through the Rafi Bhakts and if write ups like the one above keep pouring in from all quarters, the dream of understanding Rafi Sahab better would become a reality for all of us.  Activities of these nature are not common and it is in this context that I have always felt that the Rafi Bhakts are just as unique as the master himself. The saga of Rafi Sahab continues therefore in the form of outpouring from the Rafi Bhakts themselves. Some of the experiences and thoughts of these Rafi Bhakts are so out of this world that they resemble fairly tales. But true they are and therein surfaces several aspects of Rafi Sahab that perhaps are yet to be discovered.  Go on Rafi Bhakts, narrate your own tryst with Rafi Sahab. Those of you who wish to write about your own personal experiences and thoughts on this subject, may please send me their essays to my personal email id given above, or else follow up this article by posting in your thoughts.

Discover Rafi Sahab, therefore, in the only way his true followers can – as unique and gifted as the master himself.

By A S MURTY, Secretary,

RAFI FOUNDATION, HYDERABAD CHAPTER

PROLOGUE :
Rafi Foundation, Hyderabad Chapter conducts musical sessions for its members twice a month – on two Sundays for four hours on each occasion. Our members sing songs of Rafi Sahab as also of other legends like Manna De, Talat Mahmood, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle and Geeta Dutt. Invariably these sessions tend to bring out the best among our singers while some of the forgotten tracks occasionally get heard. This has been going on uninterrupted for the last three years now and sometime in July this year, we had thought of making such musical get-togethers with Rafi bhakts from other centres to join us. Instant response from all our members gave us the idea to talk to our friends in Chennai and Bangalore and spend two days in the company of all the known Rafi Bhakts at one central place – calling the meet as RAFI HOLIDAY. Just as we had been setting our own house in order in Hyderabad, some sort of telepathy (or is it Rafi-pathy ??) developed between us and our friends in Bangalore when B G Raj of Baar Baar Rafi Fan Club, invited us to go over to Bangalore and that they would be too glad to host us. We then contacted our other friends of Rafi Foundation Chennai Chapter in Chennai and both Jagat Tarkas and K S Ramachandran (Chandan to most of us) applauded us for this unique idea and readily agreed to be with us. They assured that some more of their members would join us too and that we should now chalk out the detailed plans for the same. We decided that the month of November would give all of us sufficient time to prepare ourselves, book our rail/road/air reservations and also our accomodation arrangements. The uniqueness of the program was that all those travelling to Bangalore from outside will make their own travel and lodging arrangements, so that these should not consume the time and energy of our Bangalore friends. It would make their task that much more easier and would allow their resources to be utilized fully for the actual event – like booking of a suitable venue, arrangements for TV/Sound System/Music Systems, Mikes/Lunch and Tea/Snacks, etc.

ज़िन्दगी कभी ख्वाब है तो कभी सच्चाई। दो पहलु जो किसी मोड़ पर एक दूसरे के आमने सामने आ जाते हैं और ऐसी सूरत में ज़िन्दगी बेशुमार रंगीन और हसीन दिखने लगती है। हमने भी देखे हैं ऐसे हसीन और रंगीन ख्वाब जिन्हें सच्चाई में बदलते देर न लगी और देखते ही देखते कुछ हमारे सपने सच होने लगे। हैदराबाद में हमारी संसथान है Rafi Foundation और हर महीने के दो दिन हमारे सभी सदस्य चंद घंटे मिलजुल कर हिन्दी फ़िल्म जगत के वोह गीत गुनगुनाते है जो स्वर्ण युग से जुड़े हों – यानी की 1950 से लेकर 1980 के दशकों के। मशहूर गायक इस युग के रहे हैं मुकेशजी, मन्नाडे जी, तलत साहब, रफ़ी साहब, महेंद्र कपूरजी, लताजी, आशाजी, गीता दुत्त्जी वगैरह। हालाँकि हमारे इस छोटे से गुट का नाम रफ़ी साहब से जुड़ा है, फिर भी हम उन सभी कलाकारों का कद्र करते हैं जिन्होंने अनमोल गीतों से हमारी निजी ज़िन्दगी में लाखों उमंगें बिखेरी हैं, युगों से। कोई कलाकार किसी और कलाकार के मुकाबले का जरिया नही होता और हम ऐसी तुलनाओं से दूर ही रहे हैं। यह और बात है की रफ़ी साहब की अदायिगी और गायिकी ने हमारे दिलों को गहराई से टटोला है और हम रफ़ी साहब के गानों के दीवाने हैं। ज़्यादातर हम उनके गानों से प्रभावित हुए हैं और रफ़ी साहब हम सबके लिए वोह सूरज हैं जिनकी रौशनी में कभी कमी नही आती। इतना ही नही, इस रौशनी के आगे सभी की ऑंखें चका चौंध हो जाती हैं। अन्य शहरों में रफ़ी साहब के कई दीवानों से परिचित भी होते रहे और उन सभी से संपर्क भी करते रहे। पर इस सिलसिले को कुछ और आगे बढ़ाने की चाह दिल में लगातार चोट कर रही थी। क्या कर सकते हैं हम जिसके बलबूते पर रफ़ी साहब के दीवानों का किसी एक जगह पर मिलन हो और आपस में हम सुब एक दूसरे को और नज़दीक से जान सकें ? साल की शुरुआत में मेरी मुलाक़ात मनीष से हुयी जो बंगलोर के “बार बार रफ़ी फेन क्लब” के बेजोड़ सदस्य हैं। मैंने पाया की इनके विचारों और मेरे अपने विचारों में कोई दूरी नही, यहाँ तक की हम दोनों की सोच कई विषयों पर एकमत थी। मनीष भी एक ऐसा सम्मलन आयोजित करने की चाह रखते हैं जिसमे देश भर के रफ़ी भक्तों का समागम हो और कई विषयों पर चर्चा हो। और कई दोस्तों से इन्ही दिनों में हमने संपर्क बनाया और देखा की चाहे वोह चेन्नई से हों, या फिर बंगलोर से या हैदराबाद,दिल्ली, कोलकता, वगैरह। यकायक हमारे दिलो दिमाग में एक हसीन से ख्वाब ने जगह बनने की कोशिश की और फल स्वरुप, इसकी एक ऐसी तस्वीर उभर कर सामने आए जिसने ज़िक्र होते ही रंग जमा दिया। मैंने पहले तो हैदराबाद के रफ़ी भक्तों के सामने इसका उल्लेख किया और इन दोस्तों के उस्ताह पूर्वक प्रतिक्रियायों के बाद मैंने बार बार रफ़ी के द्वार पर दस्तक दी। मेरे अनुमान स्वरुप जिस जोश और हर्ष से इस प्रस्ताव का स्वागत किया गया, वर्णन कर पाना थोड़ा कठिन ही है। बेहेरहाल, बंगलोर के दोस्तों से संपर्क करने के उपरान्त हमने रुख किया चेन्नई की ओर जहाँ Rafi Foundation Chennai Chapter के भी रफ़ी भक्तों से हम खूब परिचित थे। निस्संदेह चेन्नई से भी हमें ज़ोरदार समर्थन मिला जिसने हमारे जोश को और बुलंदियों पर पहुँचा दिया। इन्ही दिनों, मेरे अजीज दोस्त – ज़रीफ़ अहमद ने भी मुझसे फ़ोन पर संपर्क किया और जैसे ही मैंने उन्हें भी इस कार्यक्रम का ब्यौरा दिया, उन्होंने भी तुरंत इसमे शरीक होने का ऐलान कर डाला। बस अब देर किस बात को ? हमने दिनों का कार्यक्रम निर्धारित किया और यह निश्चय किया की चेन्नई, हैदराबाद और दिल्ली के रफ़ी भक्त बंगलोर में एकत्र होकर वहां के रफ़ी भक्तो के साथ दो दिन बिताएंगे। उनकी इस यात्रा को नाम दिया गया – “रफ़ी यात्रा” और बंगलोर में इस जष्न का नाम रखा गया “RAFI HOLIDAY”. ख्वाब की ताबीर यह थी की इन दो दिनों में हम सभी इस जहाँ के बाकी सारे पहलुयों को भुला कर रफ़ी साहब के नगमों की मदहोशी में जा डूबें और इतना लुत्फ़ उठायें की हम अपने जीवन को और सार्थक बना सकें। आख़िर रफ़ी साहब की गायिकी और अदायिगी ही नही बलके उनके सरल स्वाभाव और स्नेह भरी मुस्कान ने भी तो हमको लुभाया है और मार्ग दर्शन दिया है।

Much before we set foot on Bangalore for this great event, came this savvy comment from Bina : “I must say that your amazing enthusiasm is very infectious. It is true we all belong to a universal group now, being as we are, a crazy bunch of fans of Rafi Saab”.

14TH NOVEMBER – BIRTH OF “RAFI HOLIDAY” :

It is just coincidence and no other relevance that the Children’s day was chosen to be the day when RAFI HOLIDAY would be born। The dates were discussed among the Rafi Bhakts of Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore almost three months before. Rafi Bhakts from outside Bangalore would have to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements. BAAR BAAR RAFI FAN CLUB, Bangalore (BBR) agreed to book the venue for our meet, arrange for tea/snacks and lunch and other infrastructure. We decided that we will spend the day by playing an Antakshri of Rafi Sahab’s songs, participate in a brain teasing Quiz on songs related to Rafi Sahab and also showcase our individual singing talents. Organizing these were entrusted to some very talented and very creative members of the BBR.  We arrived in Bangalore on the morning of 14th November 2009 and BBR was at the Railway station to welcome us. Manish and Ashok came early in the morning with roses for each of us and plenty of warmth and guided us to our respective hotels before rushing off to the venue where they had arrangements to attend to.  On dot of 10.00 a.m. we all started assembling at the Indian Institute of World Culture and after the initial greetings to one another, we went through the introduction session for the next half hour.  In recent times hi-tech methods have been put to good use by BBR for Antakshri and what best then could we all ask for other than an absorbing and scintillating 45 minutes of non stop Antakshri of Rafi Sahab’s songs (audio clips of preludes, interludes, mukhadas, antaras, et el) all compiled by the ever charming Asha who was assisted by Manish.  Eight or nine teams that took part in various rounds had a very entertaining session as eliminations after each round made them play it in a competitive spirit.  Each of the teams had Rafi fans from Hyderabad/Bangalore/Chennai equally spread over, so that at the end it would could not be said that Bangalore won or Hyderabad won.  Winning was not in anyone’s mind and it was the spontaneous participation by the ‘diggaj’ fans made the Antakshri very lively. More than the prizes to the winners, Asha and Manish seemed to take all the honours for such a wonderful presentation of a fun filled Antakshri. A perfect start to the RAFI HOLIDAY was what almost everyone seemed to remark.

Giving final touches are Asha,Manish & Ashok

Manish explaining rules of Antakshri to participants

And THIS IS THE SONG, says Bina while Sreesha & Shanti seem to agree

Next we had a very tough but once again an indepth Quiz prepared specifically by the storehouse of knowledge – Vinatha – and conducted this time by yet another charmer from BBR – Bina (many would know her from her various articles posted on websites in recent times).  And here again, two more stalwarts of BBR – Manish and Mukund – so ably assisted her that it looked as though conduct of such programmes comes so vary naturally to them. So much co-ordination between the three made the three big teams (now we did have the Bangalore Team, Hyderabad Team and the Chennai/Delhi Team) compete, clue for clue, with all the knowledge and the knack of remembering at their command. Edge of the seat excitement was to follow as the each of the teams had some known stalwarts and some new finds.  It was neck to neck for most of the rounds before Hyderabad and Bangalore were locked in a gruelling one upmanship in scoring all the right answers.  Some of the questions were very tough for most of us, but not for the likes of Gurumurthy, Krishnamurthy/Narayanan on one side and Sanjay/Padmanabhan/Satyendra on the other.  A see-saw battle for supremacy ensued to culminate in one last burst of round.  Satyendra was the real find of the day here and bereft of being bodily lifted, I am sure he will remain in the hearts of everyone who was in the auditorium on that day.  Still in his 20s, this young lad is a powerhouse of knowledge, taste and passion for Rafi Sahab’s songs.

Lunch time was quickly taken as we still had to see the singing talents of all our friends and some of them have been rated in music circles as some of the best Rafi-exponents.  Manish took the mantle of a perfect host, managing to squeeze in almost all those who had desired to sing.  Lack of enough time prevented him from offering the mike to some of the singers who had prepared for more songs, but that is not only understandable, it was also at the cost of Manish’s own songs. We have all known how good a singer he is, but his modesty and call of duty perhaps prevented him from taking to singing, despite our requests.  He accommodated each and everyone who had wanted to sing on that and we got some of the best renditions possible from Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore.  The highlight of the singing session was an exceptional man – Krishnamurthy.

No better dancer than him.

Now, Krishnamurthy deserves a special mention as he not only performs a perfect tango, but entertains everyone.  He is such a cute that he can add lustre to any mehfil. And Snigdha could not have said no to him when she too joined him to present to us all a perfect (it takes two to tango in any case) vibrating and foot tapping dance.  Great sight to watch such lively and forthcoming attitude from KM and Snigdha – HIP HIP HURRAY.

the dancing duo – Wow, what a sight

Jagat Tarkas too deserves a special mention among the Rafi Bhakts. From Chennai came this ‘whistling wizard” who plays the songs of Rafi Sahab to such fine perfection by whistling that one is struck in awe. This is a real class art.  Whistling can be a tough proposition and would not come easy for all.  It takes months of training and regular ‘riyaz’ (traits associated with Rafi Sahab again).  It requires a lot of will power (lung power ?).  Thanks Jagatbhai for your presentations.  Then one more name required special attention – not just for his singing abilities, but much more than that. He is an adept sketcher and had started sketching Rafi Sahab on his canvass some months ago when we had asked him to send a soft copy which we can download and get laminated.  We were dumbstuck when he presented not one, but three full size portraits of his immaculate work to Chennai/Bangalore and Hyderabad friends (all of 6′ x 6′).  That is Hemanth Sharma from Bangalore.  Generally it is believed that if one is good in one form of art, he would be good in most others too. But this young lad (again in his 20s maybe) is a perfectionist. Kudos, young man. Rafi Sahab is really proud to have fans of your ilk.

We missed out seeing the documentary of Rafi Sahab, as there simply was no more available time. We had to cut down on some of the songs of our singers too for this very reason.  Nevertheless, the moment was celebrated also for the birth of the RAFI HOLIDAY on 14th November by cutting of a large cake, specially ordered, by Rafi Fans from Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi.  The evening was rung off by singing in rattling unison by everyone the BBR signature tune – BAAR BAAR DEKHO HAZAAR BAAR DEKHO YEH DEKHNE KI CHEEZ HAI HAMARA DILRUBA. We bid goodbye to all our friends around 7.30 p.m. with a promise to meet once every year for the RAFI HOLIDAY and to take this mega event to various other cities in the country.

15TH NOVEMBER 2009

As some more of our friends were in Bangalore whom we could not meet on the 14th, Hyderabad friends alongwith Zareef Ahmed from Delhi, Shailaja,  and Srinivas Iyer (from Chennai but now in Bangalore) all met with these friends at the palatial flat of Anoop Kulkarni the next day.  Again 10.00 was the appointed hour and most reach around that time. We were greeted by Ramesh and Padma Kurpad, Ravishankar, Anoop, his wife and CIYA (what a lovely baby – she soon became the darling of Sivaram, Elias and Satyendra) and other friends.

RAFI BHAKTS ENJOYING THE SESSION AT ANOOP'S HOUSE

Initial introductions were quickly gone through and we started the singing session in right earnest.  Ravishankar opened the session with a devotional song on Lord Vinayaka, invoking the blessings of the almighty for the success of the continuing RAFI HOLIDAY.  Turn by turn, then all of us took to singing with the MAGIC SING, Karaoke Tunes on CDs and now from meragana.com too.  Sumptuous lunch and all the arrangements by Anoop and other friends left nothing to chance. Almost everything that we had needed was there.  Then came the biggest shower of camaraderie from Suman. Each of those present were gifted with a set of 7 CDs of Rafi Sahab’s songs.

painstakingly prepared, Sumanbhai gifts set of 7 CDs of Rafi Sahab songs to each. What a tremendous effort.

What a painstaking effort Sumanbhai, listening to these songs will last a life time.  Continuous singing gave all a good chance to present all their songs in abundance as on this day we dispensed with Antakshri and Quiz.  No speeches were made and every one had only one thought, to sing and listen to the golden songs of Rafi Sahab.  That Rafi Sahab can be such a binding thread was the silent feel each of us got.

Some of our friends in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai were left on a very high note after this unique experience and some quipped as under :

M V Devraj : The Rafi Holiday programme was indeed a great event. It was a
pleasure and a privilege and I feel honoured to have met all the Rafi
bhakths from Hyderabad,Chennai and Delhi.November 14,2009 will remain in
memory for ever

A S MURTY :  Wah Wah Wah Bina, kya baat hai. 14 November ke is jashn ko to hum waise bhi na bhula paate, aur ab aapka likha padhne ke baad is jashn ki rounak aur bhi  badh gayi hai. Aap sabhi ka tahe dil se shukriya
ki hamari zindagi ka ek din aapne itna zyada khoobsoorat bana diya.

ALKA JAIN : We could meet lovely people from Hyderabad, Chennai,and Delhi.At the end of the day no one wanted to leave the venue though everybody was very tired. We knew that it was not an end but starting of a bigger group of
Rafi bhakts in various cities who will always look for oppurtunities
to meet each other.
Once again Hip Hip Hurray to ADABRAFI and RAFI HOLIDAY.

N R PADMANABHAN : The biggest takeaway from this Rafi Yatra has been that we have evolved as friends with direct interaction. So many perceptions have changed and so many angles have got added to our previous notions of people with whom we used to exchange mail with. It is surprising though that the perception in most cases is not at variance with the reality !!

ANANYA : I am proud to be a part of this talented
group……….and it was a real honour to have met in person Mr A S
Murthy, N R P, and all the members of Hyd, chennai and Delhi.

Wish Rafi Holiday is twice in a year Jai Ho BBR

SHANKAR DONGRE : Hello  Bina,, Aap ka tho jawab nahi. you rocked the show. your presentation was excellent. we got introduced to all Rafi club members of Hyderabad, Chennai
& Delhi. *Thanks to the organisers of Rafi Holiday*.  I am eagerly waiting
for next Rafi Holiday.

MV KRISHNAN (from a distant Mumbai) : It is our bad
luck to have missed such a wonderful opportunity to meet up with Rafi bhakts
from Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and of course the fulcrum of this
group-Bangalore. The way NRP and Murty have described the occasion, it was
indeed a Grand Success.

HV GURUMURTHY : Yes, it was a grand and as they say now very
often, ‘hatke’ evening, when Rafi Bhakts from Hyderabad, Chennai and  Delhi
joined the Bangalore Bhakts and throughout the day were singing ‘gun-gaans’
of Rafi Saab. It was a SANGAM of Moosi, Coovam (I mean the river), Yamuna
and Cauvery. Our politicians are still talking about interlinking rivers,
but we Rafi Bhakts have already symbolically done that.

Others to send their comments were BG Raj, Ashok Dalmiya, Jagat Tarkas, Ravishankar, Satyendra, K S Ramachandran (aka Chandan), Suman Gupta, Achal Rangaswamy, Srinivas Iyer, etc. P Narayanan, the affable Rafi Bhakt known throughout the length and breadth of the country remarked that perhaps this was the only instance of fans of any legend organized such a grand event, just to be in the company of one another. S Chandar too sent in his comments though with a suggestion that we must have more time for singing and we must also maintain silence and listen to the songs when others are singing. Too many programmes resulted in  lesser time for singing  on the 14^th Nov 09 and yes, being the first time, we did have sometimes some extra noises when songs were going on.  Many more have sent in their comments, sweet and short ones though. We could not accommodate the names of all our friends who were part of the RAFI HOLIDAY on the 14^th & 15^th November 2009 as also the complete list of songs rendered on these two days for lack of space here.  The article has already become too lengthy and inclusion of all names, however much that we would have liked to do, would have resulted in this narration overshooting the space generally accepted for a brief article.  Bina and Ramesh Kurpad have already aired their small write ups on this mega event wherein most of the names have been covered already.  Zareefbhai has posted many photographs on this website which depict the various moods that the RAFI HOLIDAY presented on both the days.

EPILOGUE :

The stupendous success of RAFI HOLIDAY leads us to believe that we can have such events year after year and at many more centres in the country.  Rafi Fans in other cities who get to read these may be interested in organizing such events within their area, so why not start now ?  In the coming years we will be visiting you and also inviting you to be with us all.  The concept of RAFI HOLIDAY is simple. It will be a congress of all the Rafi Bhakts with the sole intention of enjoying their holiday sinking in the depth of the most melodious of songs of Rafi Sahab. No speeches, no official functions, no garlandings. All the Rafi Bhakts are born equal and will remain so.  That will be the forebearing principle on which such an exercise will be undertaken.

== हम  दिल  का साज़ बजाते हैं, दुनिया के होश उड़ाते हैं, हम सात सुरों के सागर हैं, हर महफ़िल में लहराते हैं. ==

रफ़ी साहब की पेश की हुयी इन पंक्तियों से मेरी इस व्याख्यान को विराम दे रहा हूँ और आपसे यही विनती है की भूल चूक को माफ़ कर, आप सभी हमारा साथ दे ताकि आने वाले वर्षों में देशभर के सभी रफ़ी भक्त वोह कार्य कर दिखाएँ  जो रफ़ी साहब जैसी ही बेमिसाल और लाजवाब हो.

The first stanza proclaims that their ‘prince’ has toured the world and knows the “American” and “European” misdemeanors well enough. And dares anyone to come forward to test and be conquered. “Saari Duniya mein apni jaykaar” the prince emphatically declares. The second ‘antara’ gives the message that youthfulness and romanticism is with HIM alone and that HIS life story is fully colourful. The flow of masti and enjoyment is found in all the syllables and notations. The mood is of exuberance and celebration. One would notice that the frequent shouts of “OYE OYE” is there in all the three stanzas, but reaches a crescendo in the final stanza, where instead of these, the prince shouts it differently and in a reverberating fashion. The throwing of words in such ‘THHAT” and “DHOOM” cannot be found in any other song in such majestic manner. The prince has arrived and a future ‘KING’ is identified. LONG LIVE THE KING. LONG LIVE HIS MAJESTIC VOICE. That is Mohammed Rafi Sahab who cannot be replaced with anyone else when it comes to proclaiming one’s kingdom. The territory is well defined and he is the master of his subjects. And a king who is revered by his subjects, loved by the royalty and his royal army.

The song is therefore among the number one spot by all standards when it comes to boisterous and royal attitude. Take the other hits from the films of Shammi Kapoor – for instance the Junglee “Yahoo” (full throated yelling at the very best) and An Evening in Paris number – Aasman Se Aya Farishta (again the opening lines roaring from the sky above). They and many other songs are so highly placed songs that no singer would even dare to come near them, leave alone rendering them in such high voltage. But, this royale song from Rajkumar has the combination of all the high pitch and fast paced notes and the princely air around it that it cuts the winner’s tape easily, relegating many from such clan to be only ‘good competitors’.

I have often felt deeply distressed after Rafi Sahab’s departure in 1980 and could never relish the songs that came afterwards sans his voice. We have everything in life – a family, a source of income, children, friends – yet somewhere something was always missing. And that missing link is the unfathomable and the golden voice of Rafi Sahab. Often my thoughts brought me to a popular Urdu couplet : “TERE BAGAIR KISI CHEEZ KI KAMI TOH NAHIN, TERE BAGAIR TABIYAT UDAAS RAHTI HAI”. But then just as soon as these thoughts come and I listen to a few songs from Rafi Sahab’s collection that I have, the cheer returns back. I am sure most RAFIANS go through such phases each day in their lives. And between these thoughts, the princely feeling of being from such a royal descendancy creeps in yelling – YAHAN KE HUM HAI RAJKUMAR. Surely, we the RAFIANS have inherited the heritage of a kingdom, which is not the privilege of many more, and we are proud of the same.