A Tribute To Kaviraj Shailendra

A song or more specifically a Hindi film song is created by three principal departments - the song writing, the music composition and the singing. Among them it is the former that is arguably the least celebrated. The person in charge of this department is usually referred to as the lyricist.

Today the times are different. A music director or a lyricist can easily reach out to his fans on social media and they can benefit from getting to interact with them. It wasn't always like that. With the advent of television certain lyricists such as Javed Akhtar and to a lesser extent Gulzar did become household names. However what about the lyricists who were pivotal in building what is fondly recalled as the golden era of Hindi film music? How many of them are really well known? People may recall the name of the movie and the actress/actress a song was picturised on. They would mostly know who has sung it. Great singers like Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle etc. are known by one and all. However less people know the names of the music directors who created the tunes of those incredible songs which made these singers so popular and even fewer know the names of the lyricists who wrote the words of those songs.

Perhaps Anand Bakshi and Majrooh Sultanpuri are known because of their contributions to the modern era of Hindi film music. Sahir Ludhianvi is known partly due to his larger than life personality. Kaifi Azmi may be known because he is Shabana Azmi's father, although he so deserves to be firstly known for his wonderful work. A few others at most. This in spite of there having been so many outstanding lyricists who have given us so many gems to cherish forever. Among all of them one of the greatest was Shailendra (born Shankardas Kesrilal). He maintained a low profile and passed away in the mid 60s at the tender age of forty three. Hence not too many people know him but they certainly do know his work.

Shailendra in Hindi means 'Shaily ke indra' which in English translates to the god of verse and he certainly was that. So many people have sung his songs for so many years but so few have known his name. When 'Awara hoon' was played not just in India but all over the world did people know who wrote it? When the children's cult classic 'Nani teri morni ko mor le gaye' was taught to us by our mothers and grandmothers, did they know who had written it? This writer has lost count of the number of times his mother has uttered the lines 'Ladakpan khel mein khoya. Jawani neend bhar soya. Budhapa dekh kar roya. Wohi kissa purana hai.' but there is no chance at all that she knows who wrote them. It's like she was reciting a doha (couplet) of Sant Kabirdas. It's no wonder that some of the lines written by Shailendra seem to have the kind of significance that a couplet of Sant Kabirdas has.

Shailendra was cut out to be a luminary of literature but financial pressure took him to the world of cinema instead. He joined this world reluctantly but once in it he gave it his all and never looked back. In retrospect maybe it's a good thing that he went into cinema instead of literature since in this way he was able to connect with the common man much more and we all could benefit so much from his work.

Writing songs for films comes with many constraints. The lyricist does not get the poetic freedom to write anything he likes. He has to stick to the subject matter - the character(s) and the situation. Often the tune of the song is created first and the words have to be fitted into it. To be able to do all this to the nth degree of perfection while still leaving an imprint of his own is one of the things that made Shailendra's work so special.

Film themes and situations can often be somewhat repetitive. It's so difficult to be able to keep writing something fresh for the same or similar situations. The opportunities to write for more unique situations arise rarely but in the case of Shailendra when they did arise he grabbed them with both hands. Sometimes this writer really wishes he had been given an even greater variety of situations to write on given the kind of excellence he displayed when writing for any situation. Had he lived longer maybe he would have been given some more variety but he passed away in 1966 at the tender age of forty three just before the golden era ended. Still in spite of all these constraints the body of work that he has left behind is nothing short of a marvel.

Shailendra understood the cycle of life, this world, man's place in it and his varied emotions, aspirations, trials and tribulations, especially those of a common Indian, as well as anyone could have. He then expressed them beautifully, simply and precisely. His ability to internalise the character and the situation he or she was going through in a particular moment in a film was second to none. Due to this when we listen to several of his songs it feels like the lyricist must have been sitting in the soul of the character(s) while writing them.

An aspect of song writing in which Shailendra particularly excelled was writing title/theme songs. No matter what the title of the movie you could trust him to write a wonderful song including it. For movies that did not have title songs he was equally adept at writing theme songs.

Hindi as a language at times tends to be a tad bit underrated due to it being too much the common man's tongue. It doesn't have the poetic richness of Urdu, the ancient wisdom of Sanskrit, the modern techno feel of English, the sweetness of Bengali and some of the other merits of various regional, national and international languages. When we go through the work of Shailendra this myth is well and truly dispelled because he has shown how to make use of the full potential of the language to create the most meaningful of writings. In that sense he should be considered a luminary of the language itself. In fact one of his greatest strengths that those who know him first mention is his ability to convey the most profound thoughts in the simplest of words. In the golden era most lyricists preferred using Urdu more than Hindi and Shailendra was one of the very few who did the reverse.

This writer is reminded of a short story entitled 'The Victory' by Rabindra Nath Tagore. The moral of that story is that the greatest poet is not necessarily the one who uses the most fanciful of words. The works of Shailendra well and truly prove that assertion.

Not only did Shailendra use the common man's tongue very effectively in all kinds of songs he was also able to use it very precisely. We can pick lines from some of his songs in which the choice of one particular word is simply amazing. That word is such a perfect fit that no matter how much we try we can't think of another word that makes the line work equally well. Also often it's the kind of word that we may not have been able to think of. In today's modern techno times we have to some extent lost touch with our roots which includes our native languages such as Hindi. Shailendra's songs sometimes teach this writer a little more about the language as well and remind him that in the core Hindi heartland people do use some words which some of us in the cities have forgotten. Ditto for some of the phrases he uses. For example in one of his songs he uses the muhavra (phrase) 'Munh mein ram bagal mein chhuri hai'.

This writer will now list down fifty great songs of Shailendra, each of which is based on a different theme. For some themes it was easily possible to find two or more songs but only one was chosen. Also some may find a few of the themes similar but this writer has tried hard to ensure that no two themes are exactly the same.

1. The cycle of life and man's place in it - Tu pyar ka sagar hai (Seema)

2. Philosophical truths of life - Sajan re jhooth mat bolo (Teesri Kasam)

3. A belief that life is about spreading joy - Kisi ki muskurahaton pe (Anari)

4. The desire to work and do something special in life - Mera joota hai japani (Shree 420)

5. Importance of music in life - Sur na saje (Basant Bahar)

6. Caring for those suffering and thus inspiring a do good culture - Main gaoon tum so jao (Brahmachari)

7. Do not give up no matter what the circumstances are - Rahi tu mat ruk jana (Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein)

8. A young girl's first realisations of romantic desire - Koi matwala aaya mere dwara (Love In Tokyo)

9. Romance under the stars - Khoya khoya chand (Kala Bazar)

10. Romance in the rain - Aha rimjhim ke yeh pyare (Usne Kaha Tha)

11. Romance in myriad festivals - Piya tose naina lage re (Guide)

12. Two girls teasing each other about their respective romances - Janu janu ri (Insan Jaag Utha)

13. A man's commitment to his beloved - Tere mere sapne ab ek rang hain (Guide)

14. A woman's commitment to her beloved - Tere mera pyar amar (Asli Naqli)

15. Uncertainties of young love - Bol meri taqdeer mein kya hai (Hariyali Aur Rasta)

16. A woman's shyness in intimate moments - Dum bhar jo udhar munh phere (Awara)

17. Togetherness between a husband and wife in a joyful mood - Tum hi tum ho mere jeevan mein (Ek Dil Sau Afsane)

18. Togetherness between a husband and wife in a sombre mood - O mere sanam (Sangam)

19. A taunt on men who neglect their wives - Paan khaye saiyan hamaro (Teesri Kasam)

20. Lonely nights after heartbreak - Din dhal jaye (Guide)

21. A woman tormented by an untrustworthy lover - Mose chhal kiye jaye (Guide)

22. Shattering of dreams - Raat ne kya kya khwab dikhaye (Ek Gaon Ki Kahani)

23. Longing for the past - Yaad na jaaye (Dil Ek Mandir)

24. Past memories and present realizations leading to a spiritual future - Wahan kaun hai tera (Guide)

25. Enjoying the wonders of nature while traveling - Suhana safar aur yeh mausam haseen (Madhumati)

26. The mystique of an aimless drifter - Chalti chali jaye (Door Ka Rahi)

27. A child having fun - Nani teri morni ko (Masoom)

28. A man's desperation for a job - Ek chhoti si naukri ka (Naukri)

29. How destiny separates the rich and the poor - Kismat ka khel hai (Kismat Ka Khel)

30. How the rich and powerful control fairness and justice - Dil ka haal sune dilwala (Shree 420)

31. The pained and the suffering neglected by society - Kuch aur zamana kehta hai (Chhoti Chhoti Baaten)

32. Disillusionment with the world - Aye mere dil kahin aur chal (Daag)

33. Finding hope amidst despair - Nayi zindagi se pyar kar ke dekh (Shikast)

34. A depressed person finds a new zest for life - Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai (Guide)

35. Acceptance of one's fate - Bahut diya denewale ne (Soorat Aur Seerat)

36. Pain is the perfection of pleasure - Hain sab se madhur woh geet jinhe (Patita)

37. Visions of idealistic India - Honthon pe sachaai rehti hai (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai)

38. A freedom fighter's last thoughts and words - Mat ro mata lal tere bahutere (Bandini)

39. A lonely desolate heart - Aaj kal mein dhal gaya (Beti Bete)

40. A simpleton too naive to handle the slyness around - Sab kuchh seekha hum ne (Anari)

41. The haunting call of a spirit - Saathi re tujh bin jiya (Poonam Ki Raat)

42. Devaluing and cheapening music - Tin kanastar peet peet (Love Marriage)

43. A woman deeply troubled by her present and forgotten by her near and dear ones - Ab ke baras bhej (Bandini)

44. A fallen woman has no one to share her pain with - Sajanwa bairi ho gaye hamar (Teesri Kasam)

45. A fallen woman speaks of those responsible for her state - Haye ghazab kahin tara toota (Teesri Kasam)

46. Betrayed by a friend - Dost dost na raha (Sangam)

47. Feeling of being caged - O panchhi pyare (Bandini)

48. Feeling exploited and abused by everyone - Apni bhi kya zindagi hai nirali (Aas Ka Panchhi)

49. Autobiographical - Mere naam raju gharana anam (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai)

50. His final goodbye - Tumhari bhi jai jai (Diwana)

Shailendra really was a pioneer in many ways. He used elements of satire and mystique in the days when they weren't used that much by others. Gulzar wrote the very well known song 'Lakdi ki kaanti' for the film Masoom which released in 1983. In 1960, twenty three years before that, Shailendra wrote another children's classic 'Nani teri morni' for a film that was also called Masoom. Isn't this some coincidence especially because Gulzar openly admires Shailendra? In 1972 the film Pakeezah had the cult classic 'Inhi logon ne le lina'. In 1966, six years before that, Shailendra wrote 'Haye ghazab kahin tara toota' on pretty much the same theme but for whatever reason the latter song is not as well known as the former. Kishore Kumar's classic 'Ghunghroo ki tarah' was in the film Chor Machaye Shor which released in 1974. In 1961, thirteen years before that, Shailendra had written a song on a similar theme - 'Apni bhi kya zindagi hai nirali' for the film Aas Ka Panchhi. In this case also his song is not that well known.

So many of Shailendra's songs have meant so much to this writer for so many years. There are some songs which are associated with specific moments of his life. There are some that he keeps going back to just to reflect on the profound thoughts expressed by the master and try to imbibe them in his own life. Even more than the complete songs there are some of these incredible lines which are deeply treasured in his heart. Lets look at some such lines from some of the songs.

1. Awara hoon (Awara) - When Shailendra first heard the story of this movie he came up with the line 'Awara tha ya gardish mein tha asmaan ka tara tha'. Another great line is 'Duniya main tere teer ka ya taqdeer ka mara hoon'. The use of the words 'teer' and 'taqdeer' in the same line is really nice.

2. Sur na saje (Basant Bahar) - Just a few weeks back this writer's son was writing the answer to a question for a school assignment of his. The question was what is the importance of music in our lives. He gave him some workable answer at that time but less than an hour later he realized, a bit sadly, that a much better answer had already been provided by Shailendra - 'Sangeet man ko pankh lagaye. Geeton se rimjhim ras barsaye. Swar ki sadhana parmeshwar ki'.

3. Duniya na bhaye (Basant Bahar) - In one single poetic line an eternal truth has been told that nothing great can be done unless the heart is in it - 'Saat suron ke saaton sagar man ki umangon se jaage'.

4. Main gaoon tum so jao (Brahmachari) - In just five words Shailendra creates a culture of doing good to be passed on from generation to generation - 'Phir ek din tum dohrao'.

5. Tere mere sapne (Guide) - Two of the most wonderful lines a man could ever say to a woman - 'Tere dukh ab mere. Mere sukh ab tere. Tere yeh do naina chand aur suraj mere'. It's this writer's hope that these lines will remain as long as this world exists.

6. Tera mera pyar amar (Asli Naqli) - Even by Shailendra standards this is a couplet that is simply outstanding - 'Kya kaha hai chand ne ki jis ko sun ke chandni. Har lehar pe jhoom ke kyon yeh nachne lagi'. So many songs have been written about the beauty of the moon and/or the waves. Here the vision that has been created is simply mesmeric. The moonlight shining on the waves as they come towards the shore appears like she is dancing. She is dancing because the moon said something to her. There is quite clearly a metaphorical meaning here as well that a man's promise of love for a woman has made her dance with joy. All this in just two lines. I daresay this is the sort of poetic excellence I would associate with the likes of Rabindranath Tagore.

7. Pyar hua ikrar hua hai (Shree 420) - This writer especially loves these two lines - 'Kaho ki apni preet ka geet na badlega kabhi. Tum bhi kaho is raah ka meet na badlega kabhi'. The lady so nicely questions her man that it's all very well that he loves her so much right now but can he promise that he will never love anyone else. He will not walk on the path of romantic love holding someone else's hand. Asking such a critical question in such a poetic manner gives an extra special feel to this song.

8. Bol meri taqdeer mein kya hai (Hariyali Aur Rasta) - The mukhda of this song makes very good sense for couples in which one has committed early while the other keeps dilly dallying. The one who has already committed is tempted to ask what lies in his or her destiny. The virginity of a young girl and the physical desire of her lover are ideas that have been repeated in so many songs but has anyone ever said it more beautifully than Shailendra does in these two lines - 'Meri raaton ke naye khwab ka tara nahin toota. Yeh kya kam hai abhi mujh se mera bachpan nahin rootha.'

9. Manzil wohi hai pyar ki (Kathputli) - A refreshing new take on an age old concept. In so many songs we hear lovers promising to walk on a path of romance and reach their goal. In several songs they proclaim that they are the best and there was never anyone like them. In some they say that they will create history by doing something new. In the mukhda of this song however there is a touch of great humility and realism - 'Manzil wohi hai pyar ki rahi badal gaye'. The path of love remains the same. Many have walked it before. The goal remains the same. It's the protagonists who are new. This unique take is both refreshing and endearing.

10. O sanam tere ho gaye hum (Aayi Milan Ki Bela) - Another lovely song but then which one isn't. The stand out line for this writer is "Soonepan mein achanak ek panchhi dola". Here a sad lonely heart that suddenly happens to find happiness and/or togetherness is being compared to a quiet dark place with no signs of life in which suddenly the presence of a bird can be sensed proving that there is life. Once again Shailendra merges the physical with the metaphorical. He really was just too good at doing this.

11. Aye chand zara chhup ja (Laat Saheb) - This writer finds the first antara specially nice in this song. Above all the line "Hum hain ki bandhe se hain dil hai ki uda jaaye". On one side are the human protagonists bound to conform to the conventions and rules of society. On the other side are their hearts whose flight no one can prevent. A very elegant way of presenting a very interesting contrast.

12. O mere sanam (Sangam) - This entire song is no less than a lyrical wonder. The first antara is about a woman's complete devotion to her husband. The second antara is about her husband's needless suspicion of her infidelity. He wants to trust and love her completely but there is something that is bothering him that he can't quite get over. Here specially note these lines about how private the world of love between a man and a woman is - 'Sunte hain pyar ki duniya mein do dil mushkil se samate hain. Kya gair wahan apno tak ke saye bhi na aane pate hain.'. To top it all off comes the third antara with the realisation that neither the man nor the woman is perfect. They are both fallible because after all they are human beings and not some divine creatures. Essentially it's hard to find the right words to sufficiently praise a song that has been written with such dexterity.

13. Meri kismat ke khariddar (Anarkali) - The protagonist might soon be seeing all her dreams and desires shattered forever but there is a still a stint of defiance in her which is expressed wonderfully well in these lines - 'Sab ne lagayi boli lalchayi har nazar. Main teri ho chuki hoon duniya hai bekhabar. Zalim bade bhole hain mere yeh talabgaar'. Even in this state she can actually feel pity for her tormentors. Just see how Shailendra calls them both 'zalim' and 'bhole' in the same line. Superbly written.

14. Ajeeb dastan hai yeh (Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai) - The whole song is awesome but this writer would like to highlight just one line - 'Yeh khwab dekhti hoon main ki jag padi hoon khwab se'. Just imagine how much is being conveyed in just one line. The protagonist is asking whether the romantic promises of the past were a reality and this betrayal is a dream or the romantic promises of the past were a dream and this betrayal is a reality. There is such a poignant but poetic feel to it.

15. Phir woh bhooli si yaad (Begana) - A very touching poignant song. The lines that this writer finds specifically significant are "Aankh mein boond bhar jo pani hai. Pyar ki ek yehi nishani hai". When a romance fails not much is left of it except that tiny tear drop in the eyes.

16. Kya se kya ho gaya (Guide) - While the entire song is fantastic there is this one line that absolutely floors this writer - 'Yakeen hoga kise ki hum tum ek raah sang chalen hain'. When romantic relationships end people sometimes move on so far into their respective worlds that after some time there is nothing at all left to connect them and it's even hard to digest that they were once together. It's simply amazing that Shailendra was able to state this stark reality of life in just one single line.

17. Raja ki aayegi baraat (Aah) - The first line of this song is "Raja ki aayegi baraat rangeeli hogi raat magan main nachoongi.". The last line of this song is "Naino mein hogi barsaat andheri hogi raat akeli main nachoongi.". The brilliance with which Shailendra has captured the emotions of the protagonist here leaves this writer lost for words. Even though her dreams have been shattered she decides that she will be happy for her beloved and join the celebrations. Joining in these celebrations will cause her pain. Immense pain. So much so that once the festivities are all done and dusted and everyone has left the only thing that will remain is her pain. The word 'naach' at the beginning of the song means celebration but in the end of the song the same word means pain. Such an intricate play of words to capture this situation to perfection.

18. Wahan kaun hai tera (Guide) - Another instance of lyrical magic where the three antaras can be said to represent the past, present and future. The first antara is about reflecting on the glorious romantic days of the past and realizing that they best be forgotten. The second antara is about taking stock of the present situation where no one really cares about the protagonist. The third antara is about reflecting on life and the world and thus developing a desire for renunciation. Is it even possible that anyone anywhere could have written better on a theme of this kind?

19. Kismat ka khel hai (Kismat Ka Khel) - This is perhaps one of the least known songs of all mentioned here. Even the tune of this song isn't much of a standout. Amidst all these limitations though lies a lyrical masterpiece hidden somewhere in the sands of time. First look at the line 'Hum ne gardan jhuka li lo jhuka li lo jhuka li'. Ask yourself why are the words 'jhuka li' repeated so many times. The lyricist is trying to convey how painful it is for a human being to so completely bow down before another and yet the poor are saying to the rich that they are ready to bow down before them to that extent if it pleases them. Then lets go to one of the antaras - 'Hum ko bhi dhoondhne kismat hamare ghar pe aayi. Lekin hum soye the araam se odhe razayi. Tab se roothi hui hai naaz wali naaz wali.'. Look at how the misfortune of being on the wrong side of the unequal distribution of wealth is being conveyed in such a light hearted manner. This is exemplary satire. If that didn't move the listener to tears then how about the next antara - 'Hum ko hamari gareebi ka zara bhi gham nahin hai. Zinda hain aap ki dua se yeh kuchh kam nahin hai.'. In a world where we complain about not getting some of the things we desire, how striking it is that the protagonist is saying that she is thankful just for being alive.

20. Dil ka haal sune dilwala (Shree 420) - One of the best satirical Hindi film songs of all time. Lets just take one antara - 'Boodhe daroga ne chashme se dekha. ... Yeh to hai thanedar ka sala.' In the most light hearted way possible we are being told how perceptions of whether someone is innocent or guilty are grossly affected by how much money and/or influence he has. What happened to the principle that all are equal before the law? It probably disappeared even before it could get established.

21. Honthon pe sachaai rehti hai (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai) - This writer absolutely loves these two lines where Shailendra gives a resounding slap to all those who have become so powerful that they no longer value other human beings - 'Kuchh log jo zyada jante hain insan ko kam pehchante hain. Yeh purab hai purab wale har jaan ki keemat jante hain'.

22. Aaj kal mein dhal gaya (Beti Bete) - Another gem of lyric writing. Again every word is full of so much genuine feeling. Even the mukhda is so aptly crafted. It says that days keep going by and nothing good happens for the protagonist. Then why does he have to stay awake at night when even those who had been enjoying the day have gone to sleep. Surely if there was no ray of hope for him during the day there won't be any at night either. In the opening two lines itself such immense sadness has been conveyed and that too so poetically. One more line that this writer would like to highlight goes like this - 'Jinki ahatein suni jane kiske the kadam.'. A lonely person is sitting in his room. He has no friends. No one cares for him. Suddenly he hears footsteps coming his way. A false hope is ignited. Soon the footsteps disappear. So he wonders who could it have been who even bothered to step in his direction. His loneliness has been so heart wrenchingly captured here.

23. Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai (Guide) - Another out of the world masterpiece. Every word here is sheer perfection. The second line at the start of the song is 'Tod ke bandhan bandhi payal'. Look at the use of the two words 'bandhan' and 'bandhi' one after another to mean two completely different things. Then lets take the mukhda. 'Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai' makes perfect sense for the theme of the song but why is it immediately followed by 'Aaj phir marne ka irada hai'? Why should a person who has just found a new zest for life want to die? The idea conveyed here is that she wants to take risks. Her heart is now free of fear. So poetic and so effective. Another couple of lines that this writer would like to especially highlight are 'Kal ke andheron se nikalke. Dekha hai ankhen malte malte.'. Once again Shailendra fuses the metaphorical with the physical. The situation is about a lady who has decided to escape the unhappiness of her past and is ready to zealously explore new opportunities that the future can bring. Shailendra uses an analogy that when we step out of the dark into bright light for a few seconds our eyes are too dazzled to be able to see anything clearly which is why we rub them to try to see more clearly. It's the words 'malte malte' which make these two lines extra special showing how deeply this lyricist could interpret a situation and how wonderfully he could present it.

24. Sab kuchh seekha hum ne (Anari) - A song especially close to this writer's heart because he sometimes thinks of himself as somewhat a simpleton who hasn't quite learned to properly deal with this world. 'Dil ka chaman ujadte dekha. Pyar ka rang utarte dekha. Hum ne har jeene wale ko dhan daulat pe marte dekha. Dil pe marne wale marenge bhikhari.' - Shailendra here gives such a striking reality check that an attentive listener almost feels a jolt.

25. Tumhare hain tum se daya mangte hain (Boot Polish) - One line here is especially gut wrenching - 'Kisi sham ko ek pal bhar jale jo hum asha ka aisa diya mangte hain'. The orphans who are singing this song are so desolate and forlorn that even the slightest bit of hope would give them something to cheer about but even that they have to beg and plead for.

26. Ab ke baras bhej (Bandini) - At the risk of repeating himself for the umpteenth time this writer says that every word here is sheer magical perfection. 'Ab ke baras bhej bhaiya ko babul' - It reminds us of the days when a woman's brother used to come to take her from her husband's house to her father's house. 'Lautengi phir tere angan mein babul sawan ki thandi baharen' - Such a painful reminder of how wonderful the childhood days of freedom and joy were. 'Babul thi main tere nazon ki pali phir kyon hui main parayi' - In traditional Indian society women were sometimes referred to as 'paraya dhan'. In today's times of feminism this may sound obsolete but in 1963 when this film was released this was a very apt statement by Shailendra thereby asking for daughters to be treated with just as much love as sons were.

27. Sajanwa bairi ho gaye hamar (Teesri Kasam) - Another one which is such a marvel. We will have to stop this list somewhere because such marvels may never cease. 'Chithiya ho to har koi banche bhag na banche koi' - What does this line even mean? Lets go many years back when not only did WhatsApp and email not exist but even post boxes were rare. Instead in a village the postman would come and dump all the letters on a mat. People would then pounce on them trying to find any letters that had been addressed to them. Thus people are choosing their letters from a pile. Now think of the fate of each human being having been dumped on such a pile. The difference is that a human being is not allowed to choose his fate from this pile. Instead it's destiny that decides which fate will be given to whom. If it took so many lines to try to explain this one line just imagine how brilliant that person must have been who came up with this line. Now lets go to the second antara - 'Sooni sej god mori soni maram na jane koi. Chhat pat tadpe preet bechari mamta ansoo roye. Na koi is paar hamara na koi us paar.'. The two things that pain this lonely woman most are having no husband and having no child but thats not all. When someone loses a loved one to a tragedy the pain is immense but one of the things one sometimes says to console himself or herself is that they will meet in the after life. Here though the protagonist has no such hope. Her husband was an infidel and had no concern for her. Today she is all alone in this world and in the after life also she is destined to be all alone. It's got to be one of the most melancholic songs ever, right?

28. Mera naam raju (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai) - Look at how this antara starts and where it leads - 'Kaviraj kahe. Na yeh taj rahe. Na yeh raj rahe. Na yeh raj gharana. Preet aur preet ka geet rahe kabhi loot sake na koi yeh khazana'. This is probably the most autobiographical song of Shailendra's career. Here he uses the name Kaviraj which was given to him by Raj Kapoor. A name that was like a crown. So first he says that no harm if he loses this crown. Then he says no harm if he doesn't get to rule. Then he says no harm if no one gets to rule. What matters is that love should remain in this world. People should continue to care for each other. Such a lovely message and what makes it extra special is the step by step manner in which it is conveyed here.

29. Kisi ki muskurahaton pe (Anari) - Not only is this a fantastic song but it is also a reference point song. This writer would especially like to highlight the lines 'Ki mar ke bhi kisi ko yaad aayenge. Kisi ke ansuon mein muskurayenge.' This is exactly what Shailendra has made this writer experience so many times. This writer has recalled Shailendra in so many different happy and unhappy moments of his life that its as if he is still alive in his soul.

30. Tu pyar ka sagar hai (Seema) - The best has been saved for the last. This is a song that is transcendental in nature and even by Shailendra's exalted standards could be counted as one of his very best. Each antara is sheer magic in itself but the second is at an altogether different level. Lets first consider the first antara - 'Ghayal man ka pagal panchhi udne ko bekarar. Pankh hain komal ankh hai dhundhli jana hai sagar paar.'. The heart of a human being is like an injured somewhat crazy bird that sometimes does not realize its own limitations and wants to attain everything. Now on to the second antara - 'Idhar jhoomti gaye zindagi udhar hai maut khadi. Koi kya jane kahan hai seema uljhan aan padi'. Think of life and death as two stretches of land separated by a border. As life goes on we keep moving towards this border. However we do not know exactly where this border lies. No one knows. It is due to songs like this that this writer has sometimes felt the urge to place his head at the feet of the master.

It was mentioned earlier that unfortunately not too many people know or remember the name of Shailendra. However he is not short of admiration from those who have worked in the same or related fields. Let us a look at a few examples of that.

1. Raj Kapoor called him Kaviraj which means the king of poets.

2. Gulzar has said time and again that Shailendra was the greatest lyricist the Hindi film industry has ever had.

3. Sahir Ludhianvi after winning the best lyricist Filmfare award for 'Jo wada kiya' from Taj Mahal announced that he would like to hand over the award to Shailendra for writing the best song of 1963 - 'Mat ro mata lal tere bahutere' from Bandini. He added that this was the best patriotic song he had ever heard.

4. In his autobiography 'Sargamer Nikhad', SD Burman has written that Shailendra's ability to convey the deepest of thoughts in the simplest of words was invaluable to his music. His departure had left a void that no one else could quite fill.

5. Kishore Kumar must have been an admirer of Shailendra. In both of the two wonderful movies that he produced, directed as well as composed music for, he had Shailendra write some songs. In 'Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein' released in 1964 all songs except one are written by Shailendra. Shailendra passed away in 1966. 'Door Ka Rahi' was released in 1971, a full five years after his demise. Still it had two songs written by him out of which the title song is an underrated out of the world masterpiece.

It's time to end this long tribute to the one who this writer considers one of the greatest creators of the golden era of Hindi film music. This writer wishes that he had met this ultimate icon but more than that he feels grateful that he can still reap the benefits of the wonderful work this individual did more than half a century ago. One item in his bucket list is to go to Mathura some day and walk end to end on the Geetkar Jankavi Shailendra Marg.