Une plainte solitaire

I woke and undoubtedly inspired by the picture of the nearly full moon I posted, thought of this song. If a prolific and legendary artist has to be remembered by just one of his multiple unforgettable pieces of work, one goes for the best one. So it will be The Pieta for Michelangelo , Rape of Guernica for Picasso . One iconic work, a touchstone so to speak for the man, undoubtedly the legend.
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For all of that person’s body of work to be measured it has to be the one the rest has to be compared with. For my favourite singer of the genre in India, Jagjit Singh that one nominate album out of all of his scores of truly unforgettable ones, it has to be the amazing set he put together when Gulzar interpreted Ghalib to make an absolutely unforgettable TV serial in the early days of a Pan India Doordarshan network. Naseeruddin Shah was at the time only known for his unquestionably good emotive skills and wasn’t much given into snorting stuff nor rant about diverse non-issues that he perceives as being significant from his very icteric eyes. The high point of the serial was without the slightest trace of any doubt, the musical score. Easily the best for any TV serial in India, arguably globally as well.
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The wonderful verse by a dominant poet ( Ghalib) helped immensely, but the imaginative, innovative instrumentation , composition and vocals ( principally by Jagjit Singh himself, although others did pitch in) set this one apart.
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Visiting this album once again makes me feel like a kid in a Candy Shop, – or a woman in a jewellery store- would. I am utterly and completely spoilt for choice. Each offering appears to be better than the other ( which it is ) & choosing just one is a very tough ask. I will still do the impossible and pick one. Check it out. https://youtu.be/J3cHriKTQHQ?si=B9YdEviz_7EclgkM

This rendition is from a live concert and a little different from the album version which was recorded in a studio. https://youtu.be/dG2PSOJzy-Y?si=pn6TWW5rn4kNEzcy

This version has lyrics embedded. The ghazal as rendered by Jagjitji in his album (or concerts) is divine. He has chosen only a handful of the ash’aar.
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क़ासिद के आते आते
ख़त एक और लिख रखूँ
मैं जानता हूँ जो वो लिखेंगे जवाब में
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कब से हूँ, क्या बताऊँ, जहान-ए-ख़राब में
शब-हा-ए-हिज्र को भी रखूँ गर हिसाब में
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मुझ तक कब उनकी बज़्म में, आता था दौर-ए-जाम
साक़ी ने कुछ मिला ना दिया हो शराब में
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ता फिर ना इंतज़ार में नींद आये उम्र भर
आने का अहद कर गये, आए जो ख़्वाब में
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“ग़ालिब” छुटी शराब, पर अब भी कभी-कभी
पीता हूँ रोज़-ए-अब्र-ओ-शब-ए-माहताब में
कब से हूँ…
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I will try and give my interpretation of these ash’aar, and would welcome your comments and suggestions. I would love to learn from your understanding and interpretation of Ghalib, as dominant a poet of the era as one could get. He wasn’t the most revered one of his era when he was alive, but definitely the best remembered ( & studied and researched ) today.
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क़ासिद के आते आते
ख़त एक और लिख रखूँ
मैं जानता हूँ जो वो लिखेंगे जवाब में
By the time the messenger ( postman in today’s parlance) comes, I will surely have written another letter. I already know what she is going to write in her reply, (for I know my beloved so well)
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कब से हूँ, क्या बताऊँ, जहान-ए-ख़राब में
शब-हा-ए-हिज्र को भी रखूँ गर हिसाब में
I don’t really know the duration I’ve spent in this world of misery & misfortune, even factoring in the nights of separation from you.
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मुझ तक कब उनकी बज़्म में, आता था दौर-ए-जाम
साक़ी ने कुछ मिला ना दिया हो शराब में
Since when has the wine started reaching me in the meetings organised by her. I wonder if the bartender has mixed something in the wine ( to make me lose his senses when meeting my beloved)
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ता फिर ना इंतज़ार में नींद आये उम्र भर
आने का अहद कर गये, आए जो ख़्वाब में
So now in the (agonizing) period of waiting for her, I may remain sleepless all my life, now that she has promised to meet me in my dreams.
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“ग़ालिब” छुटी शराब, पर अब भी कभी-कभी
पीता हूँ रोज़-ए-अब्र-ओ-शब-ए-माहताब में
कब से हूँ…
Ghalib (says):  I have given up drinking regularly ,& do so now only occasionally. I do drink on days when the clouds hide the moon and on the nights that are moonlit ( great wordplay by Ghalib admitting he drinks on cloudless nights and on cloudy ones too, which means everyday , despite his claims to have given up drinking)
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The original ghazal from Ghalib is much longer and makes very interesting reading. It would honestly not be possible for any vocalist to render it in full , it would probably take more than an hour to do so.
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मिलती है ख़ू-ए-यार से नार इल्तिहाब में
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मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब
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मिलती है ख़ू-ए-यार से नार इल्तिहाब में
काफ़िर हूँ गर न मिलती हो राहत अज़ाब में
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कब से हूँ क्या बताऊँ जहान-ए-ख़राब में
शब-हा-ए-हिज्र को भी रखूँ गर हिसाब में
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ता फिर न इंतिज़ार में नींद आए उम्र भर
आने का अहद कर गए आए जो ख़्वाब में
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क़ासिद के आते आते ख़त इक और लिख रखूँ
मैं जानता हूँ जो वो लिखेंगे जवाब में
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मुझ तक कब उन की बज़्म में आता था दौर-ए-जाम
साक़ी ने कुछ मिला न दिया हो शराब में
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जो मुनकिर-ए-वफ़ा हो फ़रेब उस पे क्या चले
क्यूँ बद-गुमाँ हूँ दोस्त से दुश्मन के बाब में
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मैं मुज़्तरिब हूँ वस्ल में ख़ौफ़-ए-रक़ीब से
डाला है तुम को वहम ने किस पेच-ओ-ताब में
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मैं और हज़्ज़-ए-वस्ल ख़ुदा-साज़ बात है
जाँ नज़्र देनी भूल गया इज़्तिराब में
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है तेवरी चढ़ी हुई अंदर नक़ाब के
है इक शिकन पड़ी हुई तरफ़-ए-नक़ाब में
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लाखों लगाओ एक चुराना निगाह का
लाखों बनाव एक बिगड़ना इ’ताब में
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वो नाला दिल में ख़स के बराबर जगह न पाए
जिस नाला से शिगाफ़ पड़े आफ़्ताब में
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वो सेहर मुद्दआ-तलबी में न काम आए
जिस सेहर से सफ़ीना रवाँ हो सराब में
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‘ग़ालिब’ छुटी शराब पर अब भी कभी कभी
पीता हूँ रोज़-ए-अब्र ओ शब-ए-माहताब में
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As with all other works of Ghalib, countless singers have left us with a version of their own. Each has a different, distinct flavour which is worth savouring. I will just share one, by Mehdi Hassan, arguably the most famous of ghazal singers my generation has been privileged to hear. https://youtu.be/tYLpC3L6m6U?si=6HRW_MyEnHhDusIt

Have a wonderful day ahead, folks, take care in the summer. Stay healthy and happy