Rafi Sahab Simplicity Elusive Award
By Ramesh Narain Kurpad
Mohd Rafi
Sanjeevbhai’s visit to Rafi Sahab’s hometown and his childhood environs, has once again triggered my pent up feelings with regard to our avataar not getting his due even after so many years.
After seeing the photographs of his home, school and the living areas of Rafi Sahab – I felt probably – his past – his childhood – his poor ( humble ) beginning’s – could have been his main un-doings.
The simplicity of Rafi sahab always made every one feel nice – every one feel warm – every one to love him – every one to adore him – but none to HONOUR him.
We Rafi bhakts – turn ourselves topsy turvey and sing paens of our avataar, giving various anecdotes explaining at length how great he was, how simple he was, how he helped the needy and poor, how he was compassionate, how he was extremely kind, benevolent and righteous to the last dime he earned. I could gather reams and reams of articles, emails written by people from all over the globe in praise of our Rafi sahab. Fine, fantastic, sounds good – makes you feel nice – at the end of the day – it brings you back to the same moot question – why hasn’t he got his due.
30 years gone by and not a mention – even vaguely made by anyone incharge – “ yes he is to be honoured ”.
Bhakts will stone me if I say – I give up ( as a bhakt you can’t do that you see ). Somehow Hope seems to be doing the vanishing trick in this regard.
ACTING LEGENDS
Many big names owe their success and their shine in the film world – squarely due to Rafi sahab. Minus the music and Rafi sahab’s songs from their movies and they would not have been complete.
Arthaat – Rafi sahab has literally carried these big names on his broad humble shoulders most lovingly as if they were his own.
These legendary actors I think in my humble opinion should have felt the urge to get their singing avataar his due. They could have supported the mass movement of the international Rafi bhakts to the end and got the avataar his due .
In a democratic free India ( BHARAT ), every cititzen, would want to express freely his views but the pent up anger has to be curbed, hidden and there is no other way to describe the divine qualities of our singing GOD. ( I had actually written an extremely POWERFUL – RAZOR SHARP article but retrieved my thunderous steps – giving due weight to the adage – discretion is the better part of valor )
Ramesh Narain Kurpad
Last year, I fondly wrote an article on this very same dedicated Rafi sahab web site – “ Rafi Sahab and Bharat Ratna “ expressing my innate feelings and wanting all other bhakts and fans to join in and form an overwhelming SEA of humanity behind our avataar’s cause.
Now, I stand alone as usual – submerged in my thoughts – about my dear dear dear Rafi sahab. He is different for me. I view his existance on this earth differently – an avataar is an avataar.
I do not know whether the avataar himself is thwarting all attempts made by us – in so much as getting him the highest civilain award atleast posthomously. May be he is putting these negative thoughts into the minds of the authorities and not letting them give any award to his name after his exit from the earth – as he is truly GOD HIMSELF and cannot take any human awards.
INSENSITIVE
I am shocked to see that in so many years, the Hindi Film Industry (fraternity) which received so much from this Simple Humble Singing Avataar, never even bothers to think of him – since he is not with us.
Rafi Sahab’s numerous scores of songs are enough to make a man fall on his feet ask for forgiveness for all the negelect, disrespect and the wait – and honour him.
One can gauge my feelings which are so very low that even the English Language has eluded me and have not been able to express clearly – what is corroding my mind and my entire self.
Jai ho Rafi Sahab – Tussi great ho – mujhey muaaf kardo – mai kucchh nahee kar sakdaa. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
( merey maulaa – mere aakaa ) – aapkey jeetey jee kucchh nahee huaa toh – main ( aapkaa bhakt ) toh ek adnaasaa insaan hoon aansoononsey bharaa huaa dil lekar – unmein gotein khaakar behrahaa hoon.
Among the avataar’s many many MANY soothing songs – [audio:NonFilmi_TereSurMereGeet_SuhaniRaatDhalChooki.mp3] this song soothes me the most – SUHAANI RAATH DHAL CHUKI …. NA JAANEY TUM KAB AOGEY……… ( it carries you to another world )
ANY ART DOES NOT BELONG TO ANY RELIGION OR POLITICS. ART IS PURELY ART. SIMILARLY THE BADSHAH OF VOICE AND PURE HUMAN BEING, RAFI JI WAS IS SOMETHING LIKE A DREAM IN THIS MATERIALISTIC MODERN WORLD, WHERE EVERYBODY IS RUNNING AFTER MONEY AND SELFISH INTERESTS WITHOUT ANY GENUINE HUMAN RELATIONS.
ONLY RAFIJI’S VOICE AND SONGS ARE A PURE SOLACE TO ALL OF US WHO TRULY BELIEVES AND LOVE HIM LIKE GOD. THE REASON IS SIMPLE , HE HAS LEFT A TERRIFIC STOCK OF LIMITLESS MELODIES WHICH GIVES PEACE TO OUR SOUL IN THIS BUSY AND USELESS WORLD OF PESSIMISTIC INDIVIDUALS.
WE LOVE YOU BADSHAH AND YOU WILL LINGER FOREVER IN THIS UNIVERSE. YOU ARE SIMPLY SUBERB ……..WE SALUTE YOU RAFIJI………..
IT IS HIGHLY UNBELIEVABLE THAT HE IS STILL IGNORED AND NOT HONOURED WITH THE HIGHEST HONOUR OF THE COUNTRY.
KOI BAAT NAHI………. GAM CHUPATE RAHO. ….MUSKURATE RAHO…. ZINDAGI GEET HAI ISKO GAATE RAHO……………..
late md.rafisahebko “BHARAT RATNA” kyon nahi diya gaya ? jab ki ek khelanewale ko diya jata hai. unakeliye koshish karanewalo karodo logomese koi awaj kyon nahi uthatha ? har 15 august aur26 january aur2 october ko unake gaane jo unhone bharatmata keliye gaaye hai, dilojaan se gaaye hai, sirf 1 mere vatan ke logo gaane waloko diya jata hai, pandit neharu ne bhi rafi sahab ko ghar bulakar, suno suno ye duniyalo bapujiki amar kahani gaana suna tha…ye sabhi hindusthaniyo ko yaad hoga. unako “BHARAT RATNA” milana jaroori hai, agar is baat ko lekar koi politics khel raha hai to vo saccha hindusthani nahi hai, jo ek sacche hindustani ko pehachaan nahi sakata……….
Dear Rafi Bhakji……Greetings…
We (Rafi Bhakts) believe & have faith in Rafi Sahab always and till our last breath…We also believe that RAFI SAHAB itself a ‘LEGEND-AWARD’ not to the Nation but through out the WORLD….So no need of any Humans-Awards for him…His simplicity itself a GOD Gift and which should practive and put faith by New Generation Singers…who are now only Commercial…and have no simplicity..So how any new singers stands in his career for long time and have remembered by next generations…….
Only few yester-years legends like Rafi Sahab will be remembered till our last breath…[Love & Peace in another name of Rafi Sahab]…..Chand….Rafians…
DIWANA RAFI KA…MUJHE LOG KAHTE HAIN DIWANA RAFI KA.KIYON KE MAIN GAATA HOON GAANA RAFI KA.MERE GEET SUNTE HAIN RAFI KE DIWANE.MAIN BACHPAN SE GAAON ISI KE HI GAANE.MUJHE YAAD HAI IK IK TARANA RAFI KA. MOHAMMAD RAFI SE MUJHE HAI MOHOBBAT. SUBHA SHAM ISKI KROON MAIN IBADATT .MERE DIL MAIN DEKHO THIKANA RAFI KA
there are two appearances the almighty made in the blessed land of bharat and every bharatvaasee never refutes and protects it with a smile ( irrespective of religion caste creed colour ) simply because in both the appearances the birth life and death was in bharat itself.
krishna
rafi sahab
ramesh narain kurpad
jitna kahe tu utna kam hai tahjeebo ka tu sangam hai……..
my dearest rafi bhakts,
i take this opportunity to wish you all and your famillies a glorious year ahead along with good health, peace, prosperity and progress.
i also wish rafi sahab gets his due and this news creating a stupendous surprise and waves across the globe.
i also thank one and all fo your kind words in favour of my article.
ramesh narain kurpad
Admirers remember Rafi on his birth anniversary
Amritsar: To mark the birth anniversary of legendary singer late Mohammad Rafi, a cultural programme ‘Rafi – Dila Da Hani’ was organised at his native village Kotla Sultan Singh near here today. Famous singers, including Dolly Guleria, Shankar Sahni, Tirlochan Singh, Kulbir Singh and others, enthralled the audience singing various numbers of Mohammad Rafi.
The programme was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu. During the programme, the DC honoured the childhood friends of legendary singer. Kundan Singh (85), one of the friends, while recalling described him as very noble soul. He said before leaving for Lahore at that time he wrote his name on a mango tree for him. He said he used to follow and sing along with saints who used to visit the village. — TNS
Dear Rameshji,A great article really heart touching,for all rafi bhakts…..Shameless behaviour of concerned authorities have compelled us to think that,ARE WE LIVING AMONG SENSIBLE PEOPLES?.PERHAPS “NO”.Rafisaab in his whole life,lived with simplicity,never hurted anyone,never sung for money,never even think for popularity.As god avtaar,he preached,whole world through his songs silently;,his behaviour,was like a AVTAAR.he is really a saint a sufisaint.FOR BHARAT RATNA honour , I would say…………BHARAT RATNA, NA MILNE SE RAFI SAAB KI SHAAN MEIN KOI KAMEE NAHIN AYEGI……PAR BHARAT RATNA MILNE SE,RAFI SAAB KI NAHIN,PAR BHARAT RATNA KI SHAAN JAROOR BAD JAYEGI…..NO one can evaluate KOHINOOR .our RAFISAAB IS MUCH MORE THAN KOHINOOR.I always imagined that,there must be a memorial university named beyond our legend of legends SHREE MOHMMAD RAFI SAAHAB for our next generations,who must have knowledge of great avtaar of our nation.HOPE GOD will do a miracle for HELPLESS RAFI BHAKTS.
Sailor
Whenever I go through the list of singers whose name begins with M, I find names I have never heard of.names of singers who are mediocre in terms of their singing ability,names of singers who became singers overnight and it saddens me to read Rafi saab’s name too in the same list as if he is lost in the crowd.But kya karein –M mein toh kitne saare singers hai but we Rafi fans see only Rafi’s name, for, he is unparralled and the only one for us.
I will always vote for Rafi saab and would be very happy if he gets the award.
But let slogans not overpower the songs and let us not make a Ruffian out of a Rafi fan in our enthusiasm to show the world that we love Rafi.Let us revel in our small melodious world of Rafi–What say?
Good artcle sailor. I know how strongly all of us feel about it.
Vasudha
Dear Rafi Sahab.
You are for me above of any of the worlds award.You are an Almighty for me and all yours fans. Than how can a human give to his Almighty an award? You are not only a Bharat Ratna. You are not a world ratna.for me you are a ratna of univers.I respected and honered you since my chiledhood.
Yours.
Balwant Saqi
Respected Ramesh ji,
Many thanks for sharing your simplest views on simplest soul of our FARISHTA through a very nive write up.
Sir, Ham sab Rafi bhakt haar nahi maanenge aur apni aakhiri saan tak rafi sahab ke liye samarpit rahenge aur jo kuchh hamare hath me hai wo jaroor karenge.
“Chal musafir teri manzil door hai to kya hua…”
Thanks & Regards,
-Sanjeev Dixit
Lucknow
Rameshbhai,
A very fine writeup from a passionate Rafi fan. I agree with you partially when talking about Bharat Ratna for our Rafi saab. But, as Nagesh has rightly said, it hardly makes any difference to Rafi saab or his personality itself. I personally feel that Rafi saab will join scores of undeserving people who have received this award. If that happens, then it will pain me as a Rafi Bhakt.
Dear Rameshbhai,
A very thought provoking write-up sab.
Whether we like it or not, most of the awards have to be lobbied for.
Lobbying in the positive sense like, submitting memorandums, signature
campaigns, votings etc. In other words, we need to put in tremendous
amounts of energies and efforts to even get his name nominated. Not for
a moment I am suggesting we should not try. If I am right, much of what
I have mentioned has already been done by the passionate fans.
Let’s say Rafi sab gets Bharat Ratna award,(that only enhances the respect
for the award itself) what difference does that make to his music? Not much.
Instead if we all could channelise the same energy towards upliftment
of musicians who are in bad shape or some simple community service
project or an endowment, there’d be no better tribute to the greatest singer
of the millennium, in my humble opinion sir.
Adaab Rafi
Nagesh Sidhanti
Zee punjabi etc channel is broadcasting a live program on rafisaab’s bithday celebrations being held at his birthplace kotli sultanpur.
time 2 pm US on Dec 24
rameshbhai
breathtaking!!!! marvellous article, straight from the heart, sir. as usual, a ramesh kurpad signature article.
keep it up sir !!
yes, i think at times too, that all awards need to rise to reach Rafi Saab
warm regards
achal rangaswamy
Dear Ramesh Narain Kurpad Ji
Hats off to you for this wonderful and marvelous write up for simple soul like our rafi saab and the silence from the govt. not recognizing his talents to award him the long awaited highest civilian award BHARAT RATNA. The govt. should atleast wake up now and honour this greatest singer with BHARAT RATNA. This is the outcry of trillion of rafi lovers to see him be awarded with Bharat Ratna.
Best regards
H.A.K. Walijah
Dear Ramesh:Somehow it is a coincidence,I too was singing this song to myself today early morning.There can never be aanother like Rafisaab- wo tho ab aayenge hi nahin!It is unfortunate that the ‘Voice of the milleneum’ cannot be bestowed with the Bharat Ratna,and there are not enough bigwigs to promote that cause.But even the famous Mangeshkar sisters are promoting Sachin Tendulkar’s case.(I am too much of a Sachin fan to not welcome this move).But surely they and other stalwarts of HFM could have forcibly put forth Rafisaab’s case.But as I always felt no Bharat Ratna so what,Rafisaab is our Bharat and Bhoolok ka Ratna.
Best wishes
M V Devraj
DEAR MR RAMESH NARAIN KURPAD, THANX FOR SHARING GREAT ARTICLE WITH US,I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EACH AND EVERY BODY TO VISIT OUR BELOVED RAFI SAAB”S BLOG, I HAVE POSTED RARE PICTURES,SCANNED ARTICLES,INTERVIEWS,STAGE PROAGRAMS,AND MANY MORE,TOTAL OVER 500 PAGES ARE THERE,TO GO TO NEXT PAGE,KINDLY CLICK OLDER POSTS,YOU WILL FIND BOTTOM OF EVERY PAGE,PLEASE DON”T MISS ANY PAGE,KINDLY VISIT THIS LINK,TAKE CARE
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