Remembering Rafi
This article is written by Mr. Binu Nair for newspaper, recalling the legendary singer on his 26th death anniversary. At his request, we are posting the article on mohdrafi.com.
July 31 will never be the same again for Mohd Rafi’s innumerable fans the world over. For on this day in 1980, Rafi Saab as he was fondly called, left us for ever, succumbing to a massive heart attach at age 56. And Tu Kahin Aas Paas Hai Dost, from Aas Paas became the last recorded song of the legend.
The fateful day, as Rafi left the recording studio for his home one last time, he gently turned to Laxmikant-Pyarelal and said Main chaloon? Few moments later Rafi repeated To main chalta hoon. This surprised the composers, as Rafi had never bid them farewell in this manner before.
The words proved to be prophetic. Mohd. Rafi left us forever the same evening at 7.30 p.m leaving behind a golden legacy of immortal songs, for every mood and for every occasion.
In a recent tribute to the legend, Lata Mangeshkar said, Singers like Rafi aren’t born every day.
Nobody can sing like Rafi, said the never ageing Rekha after recording the immortal number, Din dhal jaye, raat na jaye from Guide, in her own voice for her upcoming film.
Born in Sultan Singh Kotla, a small town near Amritsar on Dec 24, 1924, Rafi grew up admiring K.L.Saigal, whose singing style freely mingled with Rafi’s earlier songs. Realizing Rafi’s passion, his elder brother Hamid placed the young Rafi under the tutelage of classical singer Ustad Wahid Khan. Mohd. Rafi duly became a radio star at age 13 and his first recording, a duet with Zeenat Begum, was for the Punjabi film Gul Baloch.
Thereafter, Rafi came to Mumbai, armed with a letter from composer Naushad’s father. In 1944, Naushad used Rafi’s untested but promising volcas in the film Pehle Aap in which he crooned those memorable lines Hindustan Ke Hum Hai, Hindustan Hamare Hai
In a short time Mohd. Rafi was to become the voice of Hindustan. National recognition came from the hit number Yahan badla wafa ka, bewafai Ke Siwa Kya Hai, a composition by Feroz Nizami.
A young nation’s passion and mood to surge ahead found expression in the immortal lyrics of great lyricists like Sahir Ludhianvi, Shakeel Badayuni, Hasrat Jaipuri, Shailendra, Kaifi Azmi, Majrooh, and many others. Music wizards of this golden era like Naushad, O.P.Nayyar, Shankar-Jaikishan, Madan Mohan, Khayyam, Laxmikant-Pyarelal wove magical tunes around mesmerising lyrics. And the vocals that made these immortal were those of the incomparable master of the trade, the inimitable Mohd. Rafi.
Over the next three decades, Rafi’s versatile voice resounded through the lips of heroes and other Hindi film characters, whom Rafi could easily impersonate. From Dilip Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Shashi and Rishi Kapoor, to Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Johnny Walker and Kishore Kumar - Mohd Rafi play backed for all of them.
A tee totaler and family man to the core, Rafi is the shining example of a singer who lit the way and blazed the trail for numerous aspiring singers, from Mahendra Kapoor to Anwar, Shabir Kumar right down to Sonu Nigam. Music director Uday Majumedar, of Buniyaad fame, says, Rafi would never cancel a recording even when struck with a sore throat or illness since he rightly believed in not depriving the musicians of their day’s earnings.
Rafi would eventually return to the studios with a better throat and re-record the song at a later date. An exhaustive pictorial book on Mohd. Rafi, the legend, is slated to be released on the great singer’s 82nd birth anniversary, on Dec 24, this year. Personalities from the music field like Sonu Nigam, O.P.Nayyar, Pyarelal, Rafi and others will contribute to this book.
April 15th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
SUSHIL SAYS
I AM UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE I HAD PLANNED TO MEET LAXMIKANTJI OF HIT L-P JODI AS I HAD READ THAT HE WAS TOWARDS THE END OF HIS LIFE BUT THEN I COULD NOT MAKE IT BECAUSE OF SOME WORK AND TWO DAYS LATER I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT HE HAD LEFT THE WORLD.
LAXMIJI HAD GREAT RESPECT FOR RAFISHAHAB AND HE ALWAYS SPOKE OF RAFI SAHAB VERY RESPECTFULLY.
THE GREATNESS OF RAFI SAHAB WAS NOT ONLY IN HIS ART OF PLAYBACK SINGING BUT ALSO HIS NATURE.
THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED WITH HIM ALAWAYS SAID THAT HE WAS THE MOST GENTLEMAN, DOWN TO EARTH PERSON IN THE INDUSTRY. RAFISAHAB WAS A VERY RELIGIOUS PERSON.
HE SANG FOR SO MANY PRODUCERS WHO DID NOT EVEN PAY HIM.
SOME PROBABLY TOOK UNDUE ADVANTAGE OF HIS GOOD NATURE AND SOME WERE NOT IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO PAY HIM BUT HE STILL SUNG FOR THEIR FILMS.
THAT WAS THE GREATNESS OF RAFISAHAB.
REGARDS
RAFI FAN
April 15th, 2007 at 12:19 am
dear Sayad ji,
Rafi saab relates to millions of souls across towns and continents.
This is the greatness of LEGEND RAFI SAAB.
PL. be in touch with all Rafians and with myself ….
binus2000@hotmail.com
April 14th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Hi Friends,
Really I appreciate your work
I am greatest fan of Md. Rafi Sahab since my childhood. I never saw him but it seems I have met him lot of times it happens because I love him very much, I miss him every day in my life and certainly I feel he is in my soul.
I collected his songs, lot of rare VHS articles, photographs and each and every thing which is related to him.
I have collected his 4000 songs in twenty languages. Till I am looking for his some rare numbers.
Thanking you,
Sayed Zaka Rahim
02224051327/8
09324485530
April 11th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
SUSHIL SAYS
TO SHRI BINU NAIRJI,
I AM A LATE ENTRANT ON THIS WEBSITE. I AM SO CRAZY ABOUT RAFISAHAB THAT ONE DAY I DECIDED TO FIND OUT WHETHER THERE IS ANY SITE ON RAFI SAHAB AND I USED GOOGLE SAERCH ENGINE AND I FOUND MY DESTINATION. I AM GLAD TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF RAFI BHAKTS LIKE YOU, ANMOLJI, HUSSEINJI, GURUMOORTHYJI,UNKNOW1,
KALYANIJI AND OTHERS
I READ U ARE WRITING A BOOK ON RAFISAHAB.THERE IS A GENTLEMAN IN ANDHERI - MUMBAI WHO HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ON SANGEET SAMRATS SHANKAR JAIKISHAN.I AM SURE UR BOOK WILL ALSO BE A GREAT SUCCESS.
BEST OF LUCK.
REGARDS
RAFI FAN
April 7th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Thankyou Rafian Zorawar… for the kind words and to all Rafians
for their valued inputs……
Rafi saab will live in the hearts of many generations to come and
SAAB’s songs and his saintly qualities wilL be RE-DISCOVERED.
Rafi saab has sung three songs in ENGLISH and they are jewels
in themselves… the pronunciation is crisp and clear and the
emotions convey full justice to the WORDS.
THE songs are versions from the songs:a) Baharon phool
barsao, b) Hum Kaale hai to kya huwa…. and c) Aya ya karun
mai kya suku suku…. sung on stage. This song is a masterpiece
and Rafi saab has given some great effects to the words and
listening to them is great pleasure. At a concert Rafi saab
electrifies the crowd……
Rafians, I will require anecdotes, photographs for the bio which
now I am working on….
Pl. get in touch with me by e.mail…
from binu nair
binus2000@hotmail.com
great variations
April 7th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Dear Shri Binu Nair Ji,
I will never get words to thank you and all related to mohdrafi.com for sharing information about Mohd. Rafi Sahab. I wish you all the best for your pictorial biography on Rafi Sahab. I wish I could add something to it. Do let me know if I can be of any help at any stage of this book from writing to launch to distribution.
I have been longing to talk about My Unmet Guru Rafi Sahab. He has been my unmet guru as I have done my singing better and better day by day only hearing his songs in various moods and of various meter.
It will not be an exagerration to say that if Rafi Sahab doesn’t get Bharat Ratna then there is nobody to claim that award. Hussein Sahab has rightly said that the songs sung by Rafi Sahab could not have been sung by any other singer.
I still remember that when Amitabh was at peak, he had two teams to work with. One was Amitabh-Manmohan Desai-Laxmikant Pyarelal-Mohd Rafi and another was Amitabh-Prakash Mehra-Kalyanji Anandji-Kishore Kumar. But when it came to singing the sad version of title song of Muqaddar Ka Sikander, even Prakash Mehra had to approach Mohd Rafi Sahab and as ever our Rafi Sahab obliged him by singing those few lines.
Rafi Sahab never differentiated between singing for a Star actor and an extra. He sung for a bhikhari in Mirza Ghalib (Hai Bas ke Har Ek Unke….) with all that power as he sung for Shammi Kapoor in Junglee (Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe).
That was the personality of this great singer. I appeal to all Rafians that even if he is not considered for any award by the govt., we should keep on doing good and wise things in his name (as his nature was) and give his soul all that peace.
May all global Rafians unite and create a regular programming of Rafi Sahab’s songs.
Regards !
April 6th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
SUSHIL SAYS
DEAR UNKNOW1
WELL SAID PROBABALY EVEN THE HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD OF THIS COUNTRY MAY FALL SHORT TO HONOUR THIS SINGING LEGEND AND “SUROON KA JADUGAR” MOHAMMED RAFI.
DEAR HUSSEIN SHEKJI
26 SAAL HO GAYE RAFISAHAB KO GUJARKE. HAMARE DESH KI GOVT KABHI NAHIN JAGEGI.
REGARDS
RAFI FAN
April 6th, 2007 at 3:12 am
Rafi Saheb should get Bharat Ratna much before Lata got. He was an all rounder. I bet many songs sung by Rafi Saheb, Lata could not have be able to sing them such as - O Duniya Ke Rakhwale…, Man Tadap Hari Darshan ko aaj…, etc………
PATA NAHIN GOVT KI AANKH KAB KHULEGI?
April 5th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Sir sangeetvishwa,
why should they give Mohd Rafi award?because they know the award BHARAT RATNA is so less for Mohd Rafi he is world Ratna and the award which Mohd Rafi has no one else can have it The award is from God after more than 26 years he is still at the top….people like Naushand,Madan mohan,SJ ,O P Nayar,LP,Shammi Kapoor,Raj Kapoor,Asha and Lata that is more than Bharat Ratna award
April 5th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
SUSHIL SAYS
I AGREE WITH KALYANIJI .WHEN LATA MANGESHKAR CAN GET BHARAT RATNA AWARD THEN WHY NOT OUR RAFISAHAB.THE SAD PART IS THAT THE COUNTRY, GOVERMENT AND ABOVE ALL THE FILM INDUSTRY WHICH HAS GAINED SO MUCH FROM RAFISAHAB DOES NOT EVEN BOTHER TO PAY HOMAGE TO A GREAT ARTIST LIKE RAFISAAB.
I HAVE NOT HEARD THE NAME OF RAFISAHAB BEING MENTIONED TILL DATE IN ANY OF THE AWARDS FUNCTION. AS A RAFIFAN I AM TOTALLY UPSET AT THE ATTITUDE OF THE FILM INDUSTRY.
ATLEAST THE VETERANS IN THE FILM INDUSTRY WHO HAVE WORKED WITH RAFISAHAB SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO REMEMBER RAFISAHAB BY HAVING ONE AWARD BY HIS NAME. BUT WHO IS BOTHERED IN THIS SELFISH WORLD.THEY ARE BUSY COLLECTING AWARDS FOR THEMSELVES.
MADHYA PRADESH GOVERNMENT HAS GOT THE LATA MANGESHKAR AWARD WE SHOULD HAVE SUCH AWARD IN THE MEMORY OF RAFIJI ALSO.
SOMETIMES I BECOME RESTLESS AND SAD WHEN I THINK OF ALL THESE THINGS BUT THEN I PACIFY MYSELF BY TELLING THAT IRRESPECTIVE OF WHO REMEMBERS RAFISAHAB OR NOT HE WILL ALAWAYS BE ALIVE IN THE HAERTS OF MILLIONS OF INDIANS THROUGH HIS GOLDEN AND DIVINE VOICE AND THE LEGACY THAT HE HAS LEFT BEHIND FOR MUSIC LOVERS LIKE US.
REGARDS
RAFIFAN
April 5th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
YES BINU NAIR WELL SAID
FOR ALL THE RAFIANS ARE EXTREMELY THANKFUL TO ALL THE GREAT CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS WEBSITE. OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO PRADEEP,MOHAN FLORA,ANMOL,BINU,MEHTAB,SAGAR,HUSSEIN,PEARL,IRONY,UNKNOWN, AND ALL OTHERS FOR BRINGING ALL OF US IN A COMMON GOAL TO ENJOY GURUJI RAFI SABS SONGS AND HONOURING THE LEGEND.
HAPPY TO NOTE TASVEERS PASSION TO BUILD THE SHRINE OF OUR ICON IN U.K.
SIMILLARLY WE SHOULD WORK TO GET THE HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOUR OF BHARAT RATNA TO RAFI SAHAB.
April 4th, 2007 at 9:24 am
Thankyou Mehtab, Zorawar and all Rafians.
May I correct herein by stating that Rafi saab departed from our
midst on July.31st 1980 around 10.30 p.m. and the world got
this news on the morning of 1st Aug through the newspapers.
Various people recall the day the time and place when they got this
news.
On Vividh Bharti, I heard few songs of Rafi saab consequently
and I could hear and feel the unconcealed emotions of the annoucer
as he announced - the number is sung by MARHOOM MOHD.RAFI.
It was a rainy day and the gathering crowds ensured traffic jams
at various places in Bandra and around but people did not complain.
THEY saluted the fallen legend … with prayers and BLESSINGS….
all along the way.
Lifes priorities blocked my way and I could not see my hero - one
last time on the saddest day of my life……
April 3rd, 2007 at 12:43 am
Respected Binu Nair ji,
Thanks for this beautiful article about Rafi Sahib. The voice and art of Rafi sahib can never be imitated. All fans of Rafi sahib are waiting for your precious book. Mr. Shamim-Ul-Haq (Hyderabad, India) has also presented a biography of Rafi Sahib. I have also a great desire to write about Rafi Sahib in English, Punjabi & Hindi languages. My articles about Rafi Sahib have been publishing in the leading daily Punjabi newspapers for the last 23 years. In these days, I am busy in writing another book (’World Christian History’ of 700 pages in Hindi & Punjabi languages). After that I will be able to devote my time for the book about Rafi Sahib. Three books (in Punjabi language) of mine have already been published. Binu Sir, if I can help you anyway in publishing your prestigious book, please determine my duty. Sir, What is the progress about your Mohd. Rafi Academy?
–MEHTAB (Chandigarh), +919815703226, mehtabmasih@yahoo.co.in
April 2nd, 2007 at 5:51 pm
This is in response to the words of binus2000 (April 01at 8.33 am). I would like to rectify here that if Rafi Sahab left the world at 10.30 pm then the news could not have appeared in the newspapers on 31st morning or if the news appeared on 31st morning then Rafi Sahab must have left early morning.
This is just to rectify the error which I found in the article no. 8.
The fact remains that we have lost Rafi Sahab physically but for every Rafian, Rafi Sahab is alive in the form of his songs, whether it be Madhuban Mein Radhika or Parbaton Ke Pedon Par or Akele Akele or Raha Gardishon Mein Hardam or Main Bambai Ka Babu, etc., his incomparable voice touches your heart and soul so gently everytime that it makes you sing Tu Kahin Aas Paas Hai Dost.
LONG LIVE RAFI SAHAB & LONG LIVE RAFIANS !
April 2nd, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Talking about Rafi Saab’s commitment to work, there is a tribute given by Pyarelal in which he spoke that Rafi Saab had recorded 5 songs in a day for them (LP). This was when he was suffering from high temperature. He use to get special tea made from his home and bring it during the recordings.
It is true that he never cancelled any recording as such.
April 2nd, 2007 at 2:55 am
Rafi Saheb The Great singer There is no singer like Rafi. I listen him and only him
April 1st, 2007 at 8:33 am
RAFI SAAB indeed left the world at 10.30 p.m. according to his son
Shahid Rafi. The “saddest” news was printed in the morning
newspapers on 31st morning and the flow of shocked people to
Bandra commenced. By evening, the last rites were performed,
it was raining heavily…. and the clouds were also crying - non-stop.
April 1st, 2007 at 3:21 am
My understanding is that Rafi Sahab’s soul left his body at 0330 hrs in the early hours of 31st July 1980. He had successive heart attacks since evening of 30th and finally succumbed early morning of 31st. He was buried the same day as Muslims do not believe in keeping dead body for longer than absolutely must.
I know for sure that it rained very heavily that day and Bombay came to a virtual halt as mark of respect for him and people from all walks of life weathered heavy monsoon rains to pay their homage to this non controversial human being.
There is a hindi movie which shows glimpses of live coverage of this - I do not recall the name.
April 1st, 2007 at 12:25 am
Dear Binuji,
I am so glad that you are doing the pictorial biography on our beloved Rafi Sahib. Ardent fans like yourself ,Anmol, Pradeep, Mohan et al are keeping the legacy alive.
I remember that as a child I used to search every bookstore in the town to find some book on Rafi but to my displeasure there was none back then.Songs books were the only stuff one could ever get.
You are doing a favor on thousands of ardent fans by taking up such an effort.
Best Regards
Naveen Z
March 31st, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Rafians,
There are few correction which needs to be mentioned:
Rafi saabs first hindi song is from film Gaon Ki Gori (Village Girl),
music by Sham Sunder, Rafi saab left us at 10.30 p.m., and the
day was three days after his last recording with Laxmikant-Pyerelal,
for the track: To Kahin aas pas hai Dost…….
March 31st, 2007 at 4:52 pm
from:binus2000@hotmail.com
Myself binu nair writes in mohdrafi.com under the name binus2000.
While thanking all Rafians for their encouraging responses, I wish
to announce that I am going to fulfill a dream of last two decades -
of bringing out a PICTORIAL biography on Rafi saab. For the past
one year I have got encouraging responses from many Rafi Bakhts
from all over for the book .
Anmol Singh, a Rafi historian would pen some interesting chapters
besides some noted writers also contributing.
My special thanks to all Rafians : Narayan(Kalyani) from Bangalore,
the national coordinator of Rafi Music Academy, singer Kishore
Makwana, Sanjiv Rajput, Umesh Makhija, Rashid and Ansari,
Dr.Vinay and Naresh - Delhi, Mehtab, Ashish Kapoor, Bhure Saab,
Dr.Gopi and DrArjun and many others for egging me on to write
the bio.
Kindly provide me with interesting anecdotes and printable photo-
graphs of the legend so as to do justice to the LEGEND OF OUR
TIMES - the incomparable and unconquorable - Mohd Rafi saab. I
can be contacted on 91-9833250701. Thanks once again to all
Rafians.
binu nair
binus2000@hotmail.com
March 31st, 2007 at 2:18 am
There is no singer like Rafi. I listen him and only him.
March 31st, 2007 at 2:17 am
Great article. I am just sad I dont know how to rethough, since I want to show my appreciation like many otherply properly.There is no singer like Rafi I listen him and only him.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:30 am
I remember in the early 70s when I was a student in St. Xavier’s H. School, Jamnagar, I used to write several letters to Rafi Saheb and in return, Rafi Saheb send me his autographed photographs and till now I have all these photos of the legend with me! Days have passed very fast but we can’t forget Rafi Saheb till end.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:24 am
“Remembering Rafi”, the article by Mr. Binu Nair is very well written. In Rafi Saheb’s last recorded song from ‘Aas Paas’, one can easily feel the same sweetness in Rafi Saheb’s voice as in the 50s upto 80. No one can forget the legend. I am very eagerly waiting for the pictorical book on Rafi Saheb at any cost!
Hussein Sheikh, Bujumbura, Burundi, Central Africa
hussssssein@yahoo.com