It may have been nearly four decades since Geeta ji silently left for the heavenly abode but She has indeed never left our thoughts. Such was her mastery over her art that She can never disappear from our collective consciousness. Her voice had multiple facets and that rare ability to convey all merely by inflecting its pitch or tone. Her range is immense which can mesmerise anyone, totally capturing one’s attention and finally giving the listener an adrenaline rush like no other singer can. It is often that the nectar in her voice has had that effect on me.
I have a special fascination for the phase when She was still Geeta Roy, the singer who rose like a meteor and captured the imagination of a generation gone by.
And the song I listened to is by this very seductress.
The song stopped playing long ago but its strains still reverberate in my ears.
The honey of her voice will stay with us for ever.
After all, this was sheer magic. Hearing the song makes me miss her so much. And it is indeed ironic, that the song I heard is from a movie called “Kisi Ki Yaad”. The lyrics, composition and her singing have created a gem to cherish.
The mellifluous lyrics are by another genius long buried in the sands of time. He is the one who’s name means Pearl. Yes, it is Moti B.A. and his work complements another half-forgotten genius Hansraj Behl, who gave us many gems.
The song is “Tadapta Chhod Kar Mujhko Kahaan Tum Reh Gaye Pyaare”.
It was probably picturised on Sulochana Chatterjee’s character in the movie who is lost in the memories of her beloved. This kind of thoughts were to be Geeta’s life in the years to come. But Geeta didn’t need to go through that to lend her magic touch to the song. Come, lets see her glide through this tune.
The wonderful prelude doesn’t give half an inkling of what’s to come. The Young Geeta Roy takes charge of the situation from the word go, as She intones.
Tadapta Chhod Kar Mujhko Kahaan Tum Reh Gaye Pyaare, Kahaan Tum Reh Gaye Pyaare
Waah, Waah! Trust Geeta to give the right stress to each word and conveying the thoughts going on in the deep recesses of the heroine’s mind.
There is this discomforting ‘tadap’ in Tadapta and the feeling of separation in ‘chhod’. When She says Mujhko, it feels that all this is happening to me and when She inquires ‘Kahaan’, the mind wanders searching for where the beloved is. And the beautiful way in which She sings Pyaare. Oh, how in a word She manages to convey how deeply loved is he!
Chale Aao Bulaate hain Yeh Aansoo Dard Ke Maare, Yeh Aansoo Dard Ke Maare
With what elegance and sweetness She calls the beloved. Which beloved wouldn’t come if She called like this, with tears spawned by supreme sadness. The ‘pain’ in dard is unmistakable.
Oh Mujhko Bhoolne Waale O Mujhse Roothne Waale,
How elegantly She refers to the one who has forgotten her, probably angry over some small lovers’ tiff.
Tumhaari Yaad Mein Rote Bechaare Chaand Aur Taare, Bechaare Chaand Aur Taare
How innovatively,here, She conveys how the beloved is missed. Yes, indeed on listening, one can’t fail to realise how miserable are the poor moon and even the stars.
And again She goes in the same adorable tone,
Chale Aao Bulaate hain Yeh Aansoo Dard Ke Maare, Yeh Aansoo Dard Ke Maare
before She sings,
Mohabbat Karne Waalon Ko Nahin Kyon Chain Milta Hai
These kinds of lines would have been in so many songs but the effect She produces here has to be seen to be believed. One actually wonders, why the ways of love take away the peace.
Wahaan Tum Ho Yahaan Hum Hain Jeeyen Kaise Bata Jaa Re, Jeeyen Kaise Bata Jaa Re
Its absolutely heart rending, the manner in which She questions the separation, asking how can She live with this. It is even more amazing how She conveys how far apart the two are. ‘here’ and ‘there’ were never felt so “far” before.
No one will doubt on hearing this line that indeed life is not worth living in this state.
Tadapta Chhod Kar Mujhko Kahaan Tum Reh Gaye Pyaare, Kahaan Tum Reh gaye Pyaare
Dreamily, She calls him yet again. He mustn’t have heard else he would be here in a trance, I am sure.
Lagaaye Aas Baithi Hoon, Jalaaye Hoon Shamaa Dil Ki,
The heart burns as She narrates how the hope of return still burns in her mind and the fire burns. The way She stresses on Lagaaye, Jalaaye, Shaama, Dil all in the same breath is a sorceress at work!
O Mujhko Bhoolne waale Iddhar Bhoole Se Aaja Re, Iddhar Bhoole Se Aaja Re
Another awe-inspiring line. Nobody can show such a ‘bhool’ in two ways when She sings Bhoolne and Bhoole. Oh, won’t the beloved come by mistake just once?
Tadapta Chhod Kar Mujhko Kahaan Tum Reh Gaye Pyaare, Kahaan Tum Reh Gaye Pyaare
And suddenly comes this last line of the song filled with the same jamboree of emotions, one calling the beloved, another showing the pain and worry about where the beloved is.
Finally, I am left wondering thoughtfully, My life would have been incomplete without listening to this. This rainbow of talent alone could have produced this magic of a song. If only, She had sung this song to her real-life beloved and brought him back before it was too late. The film world would have been different perhaps.
By- Hildebrand
P.S. Thanks from the bottom of my heart to M.L. Kapur ji for taking the song out of his “vault” and Prof Surjit Singh ji for sharing it with us on his website. You both are one in a million.
* This post was originally posted on Monday, November 21st, 2011. We lost some pages due to technical issue. Now we are in the process of re-publishing these articles.