The War Within: Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalman Banega
This article is in appreciation of the truly fundamental and magnanimous meaning that is portrayed in this song – Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalman Banega from Dhool Ka Phool [1959]. © mohrafi.com
There is no need to inform us Indians about the rift that religion has created amongst us. Each and every one of us is made aware of this differentiation from a very young age. We all know that if we are Hindus, we hate Muslims and if we follow the Koran, then those following the Gita should be distrusted.
Even in today’s day and age, when we are supposed to be reaching the status of a developed nation, we have incidents like Godhra and the Bombay bomb blasts happening. Though we are supposed to be a secular State, we are as caste conscious as we were one century back. The teachings of Gandhi have long been forgotten in our nation and we are regressing into a primitive culture.
There was a film released in 1959- Dhool Ka Phool which has a very famous song- Tu hindu banega na musalman banega… though not too widely known by today’s generation, it was a hugely popular song in the earlier decades. May be the youth needs to listen and see the song, then we might be able to see changes in our present situation.
The song features Man Mohan Krishna and is about his fight against hate crimes, one which rallies for humanity. There is also a child in the movie which is a metaphor for the youth and how the state of our future is in their hands. But children only learn what they are taught, what they are shown. If we choose to show our child violence and hatred, then they will grow up to be clones of us and our beliefs.
The lyrics, given by Sahir Ludhianvi Sahab are so true and touching- they bring tears to your eyes. They are stark and show us our flaws as a people divided on the basis of religion. These are some of the most powerful lyrics written in the history of Indian cinema. In the song, the man is seen rearing the child on his own and singing to him about how he is not the son of a hindu or a Muslim, but that of a human being, so that is what he will be -a human being above all else. He goes on to say that as an orphan, the child is lucky to have no name as he is not branded by any religion and hence is not committed to the follies of mankind. He teaches the orphan child that there is but one god with many names and the biggest virtue is to bring peace and understanding in the world. Man Mohan then goes on to condemn capitalists and how they are ruining the future of the country – telling the child that as the future, he has to destroy such social and economic atrocities.
Rafi Sahab’s conviction filled voice brings the honesty the song needs and the combination is so inspiring that it makes you stop and think of the sorry state we, the free people of India are in today.
This song highlights the fact that even a song created around 50 years back can teach us something that fancy schools can’t – to behave like human beings; not savage animals.
dear all
main rafi sahab ka bada fan ho muje unke sab ghane pasand hai.tu hindu banega na ghana chaye agar ap ke pass ho tu muje please please forward kardo main china main ho aur yahan youtube block hai.muje is par mail kardena thanks
maqsoodshaik@ymail.com
Hi irony81 ,
How can you forget ‘Ae mere watana ke logo?’ Nobody can sing that song except Lata.
One of those few hundreds of songs rendered by the great Rafi Sahab with total devotion and what a message the song conveys. I keep listening to this song and how true as someone before me in these columns remarked that Sahir Ludhianvi’s lyrics were so farsighted. I endorse that tv channels and the radio should play such songs more often. The song has a social message and can melt even die hard fanatics, the religious bigots and the misled political youth. There are no morals left in our society which is on the brink of defeat – defeat from the propagandists of misrule, propagandists of the “divide and rule policy” and the mouthpieces of communal disharmony. True the country was first divided on the religious basis by the British and their descendents (unfortunately our political masters) divided the country on the basis of caste, creed, language and now the rich versus poor divide. The media also is squarely responsible for all the ills afflicting our society. They have never played the positive role. Songs of this kind will rekindle the national fervour among the masses. The song is not only beautifully written but also equally beuatifully composed. And the icing on the cake is the way it was rendered by Rafi Sahab, with more than 100 percent commitment. Not many people would visit the archives of this website to locate the article and the song. My suggestion is that the website should post such articles and songs on a special link which will attract regular as also the new visitors. This article deserves to be on the front pages of all tabloids and magazines. asmurty2@rediffmail.com
Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalman Banega the way singed by mohd Rafi we can see how great he was as a human because the way is singed by mohd Rafi only a great human can put feeling as put by Mohd Rafi……no words i have for that……………
Communalism should never be supported.; the politicians need
it to garner votes – they are for themselves not for the people.
Rafi saab stayed back during partition days and never ever visited
Pakistan….
Religion and worship are personal issues; not to be flaunted and
fought for …. as this will strengthen the lumpens in the society.
Sahir has written the words with his tears…. and no one will complain.
It is valid even more today…..
Hello Binu,
Small correction, Rafi Saab’s village name is Kotla Sultan Singh, Majitha Road, Punjab.
NO DOUBT THAT THIS LOVELY SONG IS ONE OF RAFI SAAB’S BEST WORKS. WHAT DO YOU RAFIANS THINK, WHAT CAN BE RAFI SAAB’S NO. 1 SONG OF ALL TIME. TO ME, IT IS THAT SON WHICH IS UNDOUBTEDLY INDIA’S MOST DIFFICULT SONG, IF NOT IN THE WHOLE WORLD. AND I CHALLENGE ANY GREAT SINGER AROUND THE WORLD TO SING IT BETTER THAN RAFI, OR EVEN AS GOOD AS RAFI. NO PRISELY, NO MICHAEL JACKSON, NO LATA, NO MANNA, NO KISHORE, NO ASHA, NO MARIAH CARRY, NO FRANK SINATRA, NO STEVIE WONDER, NO OTHER GREAT SINGER CAN SING IT SO PERFECT, SO TOUCHY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT IS THIS SONG I AM THINKING ABOUT?
Rafians – pls think over. We have the greatest M.D.s, like S.J., L.P.
Nayyar saab, Nausdhad, Ravi, U.Khanna,M.Mohan, S.D., K.A.
Chitragupta, Roshan and many others.
Imagine if these great composers did NOT hava a soft, mellifluous
and golden voice of Rafi saab for their compositions. What would
have been the result?
We would then had songs which last for few days like the modern
day ones which are heavyly hammered on the small screen but die
withing days.
There would have been many non-musical years for all of us -the
music lovers.
According to me Rafi saab is an institution by himself. Long after
his passing away, there are innumerable fans of Rafi Saab, some
of them born after a decade of Rafi saab leaving us – enjoying his
songs in re-mixed and the original versions.
There are Rafians all over spreading the good word and the music
of Rafi saab through the Rafi Music Academy and the mohdrafi.com.
Rafi saabs songs are heard all over, on radios, hotels, clubs,
concerts, t.v. etc. The singer continue to provide gainful
employment to innumerable people around the globe even after
26 years of his passing away.Truly a great singer and a giver
when alive – and also in his death.
when Naushand,O P Nayar,LP and many more they said that Mohd Rafi was better human than a singer as I think after listen this song I think they are right what they said..
Rafi saab’s patriotic, religious, romantic and philosophical ImmortaL
songs helps all true patriots to rally around to fight communalism,
hatredness and obscurantism.
His songs guides people to love each other, live peacefully, love
our country and progress – unitedly. Some of his great songs philo-
siphacally ask the greedy and corrupt: Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaye
to kha hai….
Communalism moved Rafi saab a great deal – and hence once he
travelled to Amritsar – but did not visit his own Sohan singh village
nearby as the riots had left a great scar on his mind.
Above all – the best singer by far , Rafi saab is a true Secularist,
a great patriot, a great charity giver, a true muslim and a person
with many many qualities, qualities which only a saint or godly
person can possess.
I use present tense in the above lines since I believe Rafi is gone
away ONLY phisically – he dwells in our hearts and minds influencing
and guiding us at many junctures in our lives. Rafians, please comment.
Truly a lovely song and should be played in the media frequently to calm the few fanatics who erupt emotionally and ceate communal tensions.
Narayanan
The British cleverly divided INDIA. The masters who took over
is doing the same to India – dividing its people. Sahir wrote the
words five decades back but what a foresight the lyricist had.
I would have appreciated if the lyrics of the full song was given
in this text , for music lovers to appreciate, follow and propagate.
Religion is a private matter but the rulers have used religion to
further their stranglehold on the people – everywhere.
THIS NUMBER is a RAFI MASTERPIECE. Composer N.Datta has
done wonder to the lyrics and made it I M M O R T A L .
excellent
kuch kahane ki liye alfaaz nahi mil rahe hai.
rafi saab is/was excellent…..
malik ne hume to insaan hi banaya, lekin rafi saab ko insaan se kuch upar banaya….
Singing made a big difference in this particular song. To me it truly brought out the lyrics to life and hence the popularity of the song till date…
A meaningful song from Rafi Saheb’s heart! Just listen to this song and you will realize what I mean! Wah Rafi saheb wah!!
Hussein Sheikh. hussssssein@yahoo.com
India has witnessed a lot of communal tension since independent. Such a song certainly provides a healing touch. Truely Rafi Saab is the ‘Saint in Modern Times’.