As a little schoolboy, sleeping on the Barsaati (open roof) of our middle class house in a traditionally cosmopolitan colony of New Delhi, on a hot summer Iate evening I used to lie on the cool bedsheet, looking at the sky and the stars and the moon in its various forms and shapes from time to time. The beautiful sky, the stars, the moon and the very light breeze which picked up momentum as the night descended on us, kept me awake and sleep would evade me.

July 31st is the death anniversary of India’s legendary playback singer Mohammed Rafi. He was a singer par excellence with a honeyed voice and has sung more than 7000 songs in his illustrious career. He had a vocal range of a tenor, spanning over three octaves.

Mohammed Rafi Sahab is remembered all over the world on his death anniversary on 31st July 2023. Every music director and composer between 1940s to 1970s rose to fame due to their association with Rafisahab.

It took me quite some time to analyze the significance of this song from the film ‘Nawab Sahib‘ and realized that it is neither a romantic song nor a sad song. Rather it represents the mental state of transition between romance and disaster leading to sadness and depression. Rather a word or caution from Sahir. One can say Sahir could pen a poetry for any situation.  

“Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho” is a beautiful song from the movie “Hanste Zakhm” released in 1973, sung by legendary singer Mohammed Rafi. The song is composed by Madan Mohan and the lyrics are penned by Kaifi Azmi. It is a heart-touching melody that talks about the beauty and power of love.

Now this is a very interesting and pleasant coincidence.

December is the month when I celebrate two birthdays – my own and that of my biggest idol – Mohd Rafi Sahab. There is a difference of exactly two weeks between our birthdays, I was born on the 10th, but I am in a celebratory mood right from the 1st of the month!

Both on birth anniversary and death anniversary, great Rafi Sahab is remembered, and he sang landmark songs between 1971 to 1975.

Every year, on the 31^st of July, the entire world comes to a standstill to pay homage to someone who has gone down in history not just as one of the greatest singers of all time but also one of the greatest human beings to have walked on earth.