My visit to RAFI MANSION on 5th and 6th june 2010
By Sanjeev Kumar Dixit, Lucknow
Aadab Rafi friends, I visited the House of Rafi Sahab,”RAFI MANSION” and his holy Grave on 5th & 6th june 2010.
I reached mumbai in the morning of 5th june and Miraz ahmed saab (elder son in law of Rafi Sahab) has given the time to visit Rafi Mansion at 7:30pm to me. I reached to Rafi mansion at 7:30pm and met with Nasreen didi (elder daughter of Rafi sahab). Miraz saab could not arrived at time because he was in hospital for delivery of his grandson and Nasreen didi was also going there.
Rafi chowk in Mumbai
Family of Yasmeen didi was also there in hospital. I waited few mins. and then Miraz saab called to Irfan saab (son of Yasmeen didi). Irfan saab came to home & we entered in Rafi mansion and then after I was in music room of RAFI SAHAB with Irfan sahab. It was very grand and all the trophies were there kept in his room. I was there approximately one hour and taken many photographs of that room. I also asked Irfan saab about his favourite singer and it is written in my survey register with his signature.
Me with grandson of Rafi Saab
On the next day I visited the Holy Grave of Rafi Sahab and collected some holy soil from there. I was there approximately 30 minutes. It was very peaceful there at the holy grave of Rafi sahab.
Holy Grave of Rafi Sahab
That evening I re-visited Rafi mansion again and this time I was fortunate to meet with Parwez Sahab & Yasmeen Didi. Irfan saab entered a while after. They all were too polite and humble with us and spent more than one hour with us. I also asked to Parwez ji and Yasmeen Didi for their favorite singer and written in my survey register with their signature. I invited to Parwez ji and Yasmeen didi to visit Lucknow & my home in near future and they accepted my invitation.
This was ONLY DREAM of my life which became true with the kind help of “Narayan sahab(Bangalore),Beena Didi(Bangalore),AS Murty sahab(Hyderabad),Srikant ji(Mumbai), Miraz Ahmed Sahab, Nasreen Didi, Parwez Ahmed Sahab,Yasmeen Didi & Irfan sahab.” I will always be grateful to them whole my life.
“My visit to Rafi Mansion & Grave of Rafi sahab is like a PILGRIMAGE OF CHAR DHAM OR HAZ YATRA & after this visit no wish remains in my life for me“, because God has only given birth to me on this earth but Rafi Sahab has given the true direction to my life through his songs and his great character and personality.I can say proudly that Rafi Sahab has given me the SECOND LIFE, he was always with me in all difficult time of my life & my whole life will dedicate to Rafi Sahab.
I have one more dream for Rafi Sahab which I will disclose to you after some time.
I am sending some pictures regarding my visit of RAFI MANSION. Date on pictures is wrong because I forgot to set the date in camera. Pl don’t care about this.
Best playback singer of the millennium award
Chair of Rafi Sahab
HARMONIUM of Rafi Sahab, still in pristine condition
Santoor of Rafi sahab
Lamp of Rafi Sahab
National award to Rafi Sahab
Filfare awards of Rafi Sahab
Visiting card of our Farishta
Visiting card of our Farishta
July 15th, 2010 at 10:15 am
Rafi saab is timeless magic. When I listen to any of his songs, I am transported into a different world and when the song is over, a sense of refreshment prevails. Verily, Rafi saab is a wonder of the Supreme Lord’s creations.
July 16th, 2010 at 7:44 am
Thanks for sharing this information about this great singer.
I am a big fan of rafi sahib.
Please let us know more about his family: viz: about his wife and childrens etc.
Thanks
Amanjit
July 17th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
can somebody tell me how can I go to Rafi Mansion. Do I need to get an appointment and set up time? If yes, can somebody let me know how to get it. I’m living in this world only for Rafi saab, nothing else.
July 18th, 2010 at 7:22 am
Mohammed Rafi saab was the most verstile singer in Hindi Film industry. In spite achieving no. 1 position in playback singing he was very simple,polite and down to earth. He was very kind hearted and helped no of needy persons in his lift. He was Kohinoor of hindi film music . His songs touched to the hearts of millions of people . He was Gem of person and i liked his voice and songs very much. Though he passed away at the age of 57 and 30 years back , his voice will remain forever. It will give immense pleasure to listeners for years to come. I can’t forget his melodious voice during my life.
July 18th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
I an die hard core fan of RAFI SAAB, I am very very much interested to visit his mansion, cud you guide me please
July 18th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Dear Binaji, Priyaji, Sanjeevji & all rafians,
Its heartening to see such fervour in all your posts. We are truely blessed to be associated with such a gr8 personality -Rafi sahab & his forum where we share our personal feelings, anecdotes, info about rafi sahab, his music, family, etc. Lets keep the bonhomie, love & healthy respect for each other intact & ever growing. Nice to see new names in the forum & ever growing!! Lets nudge other friends to vote for rafi sahab-The daily scores for rafi sahab has to cross the 500 mark. Pl do needful-strive & go all out if we want his name to be in the top.
Regards & Best wishes to all rafians.
July 21st, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Dear Priyaji,
Adaab Rafi ! this is how we all greet in our fan’s club in Bangalore… Every fan will be pleasantly surprised to note that for the 31st July there are more than 9000 official Rafi tributes paid by his lover’s in various auditoriums. This was mentioned in a leading Gujarati news paper of Mumbai.. And mind you this is just official ones where the media would have got references….
Even Delhi the illustrous daughter of Anil Biswas da has conducted lot of Rafi shows with singer Srikant ….
Infact for the 30th anniversary 1 leading group from Belgaum has inspired many 30 cities in Karnataka and Maharashtra to conduct 30 shows at the same time. Some of the cities are Belgaum, Hubli,Dharwar,Gulbarga,kolhapur,Sangli,Raichur,Satara,Latur,Osmanabad etc etc
Here also initially we thought that radio is ignoring our legend but with a campaign by emails and calls to them now our Farishta is heard more….
Please get in touch with Rafi foundation office bearers for any events in Delhi
with regards,
Narayan
July 21st, 2010 at 6:14 pm
31 july isthe death ceremony of our beloved singer janab rafi saab may allah givepeace to there soul yea dua hum karte hai
July 22nd, 2010 at 11:23 am
Dear Narayanji, adaab Rafi! This is how I only greet to my affectionate ones
)
Adaab Rafi, rafians all over.
My conscience of regard for u all reach the level of reverence when I witness Love of everyone here towards our Rafi Sahab!
“for the 31st July there are more than 9000 official Rafi tributes paid by his lover’s in various auditoriums” Wow! superb!
Yes, radios ignored him and still does. So its the effect of campaign,I didn`t know, lets make it louder!
But I`ve also observed the change in trend now. these days I frequently got chance to listen fm while driving. Even in Delhi they play now so many Rafi songs even the “Tum bin” in Rafi ji`s voice!
One of my friend,a Rafi ji Bhakta, in Nippon Japan,was here, who financed remastering of many Rafi sahab`s song from old trodden records and cassettes to modern format and donated them all to music companies for free. She told, “Yeah, Fms is fairly good here.Its true even if u r partial with ur choice,there is no way to escape from Rafi if one talks of Golden era music. They play it well, one song of Rafi saab is equivalent to 5 songs of other singer. We r happy with whatever we have”
July 22nd, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Post no. 88,
Bina didi,
heartfelt thanks for sharing your experiences. sorry, for the
late reply. it was another guided tour to the sacred mansion
of rafi sab.
adab rafi
Suresh
July 22nd, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Priya ji,
What your friend said is absolutely true. 1 song of Rafi is equal to 5 songs. That’s why I don’t dispute the 26,000 number. Rafi saab may have had sung 5,200 songs, but multiply it by 5 and you’ll get 26,000. Simple math! I arrived in Kolkata today and the first song I heard is the one from hawas.
Regards to all Rafians,
P. Haldar
July 22nd, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Undoubtedly Mohammed Rafi was most talented and most versatile singer in Hindi Film Industry. His voice was very sweet and has sang all types of songs from low pitch as well as very high pitch. In his personal life he was very simple,religious and he always encouraged new music directors/singers.
In his life he helped to a no. of people in film industry.
He was a REAL KOHINOOR in Film Industry. His songs will remain for a long time. I salute to his memory and his voice which is still very much present in thousands of songs he sang in his career. May his soul rest in peace.
July 23rd, 2010 at 7:25 am
post 109…PRIYA JI…
ANY PERSON WITH SOME KNOWLEDGE OF MUSIC WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER MOHD RAFI.. IN SHORT NO ONE CAN IGNORE RAFI SAAHEB….
WHICH OTHER SINGER WILL HAVE 9000 SHOWS ALL OVER THE WORLD – EVERY JULY??
dont worry too much for the few people who “ignore” mohd rafi saab. they are being jealous.
some may have their “vested interests” like this female singer who is “so” hungry for wealth and royalties of her late second husband nd her father in law – that she will run down every one associated “with her” during the last 50 years. shame on these… this is the tragedy of commercial music.
July 23rd, 2010 at 11:06 am
haldar ji, we r into it now, absolutely!
although we have our own collections and mode to access all these songs, yet when we listen them at other place…feelings tell it all!
Thanks for ur maths, I would deliver it to my friend. She would take it as reward as we do!
adabrafi!
July 23rd, 2010 at 11:51 am
Haldar-ji,
Please write a short tribute to Manohari Singh.
He was closely associated with Rafi-saab for many years.
The golden sax is now silent forever.
Listening to “Aji humse bachkar” from Arzoo as I write this.
July 23rd, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Dear Ali Rashid,
Really happy to see you on this forum after a long time. Do you know of the whereabouts of old monk XXX? Haven’t seen him on this forum in a long time; really miss him.
I’ll definitely write an article that will involve Manohari da, but the focus of the article will be on Rafi saab. I am in Manohari da’s city right now.
Regards,
P. Haldar
July 24th, 2010 at 1:08 am
md. rafi is ever great singer of all time. rafi saab made super stars because of his melodious songs. if anyone takes out rafi saab’s songs from the movies, then neither movies nor heroes would have been remembered till this day.
July 24th, 2010 at 3:25 am
Dear Haldar-ji,
Old Monk XXX is very busy at the moment, which is why he has not been visiting this forum much of late. It would be nice to see him here more often again.
Looking forward to your article
July 26th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Hi Dixit sab ,
My dream is also same to you .I am basically singer & copy the voice of late legend shri rafi sab . But i dont know how to contact rafi sab family members to visit home .
So i request you please tell me name of person & contact no so that i can take appointment in advance to visit this holy place .Its give me pleausre .
Thanks
Tarun Nagar
July 26th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Lata on Rafi:
http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/article528270.ece
“He was one singer whose vocal range could outclass any other singer, whether it was me, Asha, Mannada or Kishore bhaiya. Yet, he never believed in dominating the scene.”
“It is very wrong to say that Kishore Kumar overtook Rafi bhaiya in the early 1970s.Kishore was no doubt at his peak, but Rafi bhaiya was equally effective with Tere naam ka diwana, Gulabi aankhen, Yeh duniya yeh mehfil and Tum jo mil gaye ho. Even Kishore bhaiya never felt he was ahead of Rafi.”
July 30th, 2010 at 11:32 am
I wish I was with you to visit & see the memorials of the One & Only MOHD RAFI
July 30th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Doston:
Regarding my post #88:
I would like to make a correction about Rafi Saab’s family details. I got the correct details from a sources in Mumbai, who got the details from Shahid himself.
1. Son : Saeed Rafi – died in a car accident in London in 1998.
2. Daughter : Parveen Ahmed – lives in London
3. Son : Khalid Rafi – died in London in 2005 of a heart-attack.
4. Daughter : Nasreen Ahmed – lives in Mumbai
5. Son : Hamid Rafi : Died in 1995 of heart-attack in London.
6. Daughter : Yasmin Ahmed – lives in Mumbai.
7. Son : Shahid Rafi – lives In Mumbai.
Regards,
Bina
July 30th, 2010 at 7:27 pm
post 122:
I knew about Saeed Rafi’s death in a car accident but I didn’t want to point it out because it was a minor glitch in such a vivid and gripping portrayal of your visit to the Rafi mansion. But since you’ve made a correction, I’d like to make another one, that rafi saab’s sons were not sent to boarding schools in England at the age of 8. Shahid Rafi and I believe his other sons too went to school in Bombay and once in a while Rafi saab used to drop in at his sons’ school and entertain the students with one of his songs. After they graduated from school, Rafi saab packed the eldest three off to England.
You are right that the Rafi mansion that you see now is not the house where Rafi saab used to stay. A picture of part of his house, the Rafi Villa, which stood on the same plot of land, is available on the cover of one of his old LP’s, “An Evening with Mohd Rafi”. You’ll see Rafi saab dressed in a dark blue suit standing next to a wall, with his favourite Audi in the foreground. A picture of the room where his trophies used to be kept is available on the cover of the LP titled “Hits of Mohd Rafi”.
I’d like to share another piece of information with you. My friend, a Chartered Accountant, had stayed in the Rafi mansion on one of his business trips to Bombay. During the trip, he met an auditor who told him that he handled both Rafi saab’s and Pancham da’s accounts. Cosmic connection!
Best regards,
P. Haldar
July 30th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Salilda grew impatient and showed flashes of anger, but Rafi bhaiya would not react. He politely asked Salilda to explain it to him and ultimately delivered it even better than what Salilda expected.
~ Lataji !
Thanks Sudip ji!
July 31st, 2010 at 4:31 am
Bina is accurate.
July 31st, 2010 at 10:02 am
please can u give me the address of rafi mansion @ contact no of the person whom to meet
July 31st, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Post 123: Dearest P Haldar Sahab,
Rafi Sahab earlier used to stay in a palatial 3 storeyed bunglow situated at 34, Sea Bird, 114 Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Road, which was very near to the Bhaba Hospital Lane. The visiting card of Rafi Sahab shows this address.
The LP — “an evening with mohd rafi” clearly shows the picture of Sea Bird. Rafi Sahab later sold this palatial bunglow to the popular character actor Sajjan and shifted to Rafi Villa.
Thank You Haldar Sahab
July 31st, 2010 at 1:24 pm
@Sudip(and those who have read it)The interview by the nightingale was soo different.Didn’t thought it would be so different compared to her other interviews in which has nothing much to say of Rafisaab except that he loved good food.Considering the fact that she has sung the maximum duets with Rafisaab she should have been one with maximum inputs.
May be someone gave her the truth serum before this particular interview.
July 31st, 2010 at 5:23 pm
How fortunate you are. Visiting Rafi Mansion and giving homage at his grave is indeed not lesser than doing Char Dham Yatra or Haj for all Rafians.
I have also the same wish May god full fill my wish one day when i get a chance to go Mumbai in future. Rafi Sahab sun rahe ho na ek din meri bhi tamanna puri karva dena. Truely yours
July 31st, 2010 at 10:36 pm
Irfan,
Lata is indeed showering praises on Rafi saab these days. Even Ashaji tweeted in her twitter account on Rafi saab.
http://twitter.com/ashabhosle
“Rafisaab aapki himalaya ki tarah bulund awaz aur aapka namra swabhav hume phir na sunne na dekhne milega. Aapki bahut yaad ati hai.”
But,the best tributes came from today’s music composers on Rafi’s immortality and relevance even today:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-today-singer/652440/
August 1st, 2010 at 3:03 pm
Post #123
Thank you Haldar Saab for sharing your knowledge of Rafi Saab’s family.
Bijoor Saab, you have rightly pointed out the address on his visiting card. I have seen that myself.
Bina
August 4th, 2010 at 12:55 am
congratulations to the organizers of this website. wonderful tributes to the legendary rafisahab.
I once knew a lady who used to go rafi sahabs house to give tuition to the kids. Around the time he died we came to know about it as she stayed in the same colony. My earliest memories of rafi sahab alongwith the sea of people at the janaza (t.v. news clipping). she had only taarifs of his generosity and gentle nature and sharafat and farishta sifat(angle like qualities).
Mohammed rafi is beyond praises that we can shower on him posthomeosly. he does not need them. he never coveted such material things. and sang from his very soul without any realization of his own greatness.
may his soul rest in peace.
August 4th, 2010 at 8:29 am
post 127:
Dear Mr. D. P. Bijoor Saab,
Thanks for the correction. Being a resident of Bandra, you would know the exact details. You are so lucky that you stayed so close to Rafi saab’s house; I would have done anything to trade places with you. Staying hundreds of miles away from Bombay, I could only imagine things in my mind’s eyes.
I knew that Rafi saab used to stay in a different house in Bandra before he moved to Rafi Villa. From your account, it seems that the old house was Sea Bird. If I’m not mistaken, Manna da used to be his next-door neigbour there.
The confusion arose because the picture on the cover of the “An Evening with Mohd Rafi” LP has Rafi saab standing with his right palm on a multi-coloured tiled wall with his Audi in the background (not the foreground, as I had mistakenly written earlier). I’m recalling this from memory as I don’t have the LP with me anymore — I made the mistake of lending the LP to one of my friends. This LP was released sometime in the late 60s, if I’m not mistaken. In the inset of “Around the World” LP, which was released around 1977, the musicians in Rafi saab’s orchestra appear with the same patterned tiles in the background, which made me believe that the older picture was inside Rafi villa.
Thanks for providing the correct details.
Regards,
P. Haldar
August 10th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Rafi Sahab was a great singer,no one can take his place.