TRIBUTE TO A LEGEND.
My Tribute to my father!
A poet beyond poetry..A saint and philosopher & spiritualist beyond fathom.
By: Subhashini Swar (Daughter)
"Ik dil ke tukde hazaar huye…koyi yahan gira,koyi wahan gira…"
My father wrote this unforgettable soulful song(Is Dil Ke Tukde……) in 1948 for the film Pyar Ki Jeet.This was one of his personal favourites, and went on to be the lament in his life as he kept losing people he cared for one by one; and was forced into a final quagmire of loneliness as he weakly wrestled with the agonies of old age as well as a nondescript existence. There was no way to collect any of the remaining ‘tukde’ and join them, since they had disintegrated completely and were too far apart, so finally on 9th January 2003 he bid farewell to this pulsating Metropolis with its permanent rush hour sequence.
His greatest attribute was his acceptance of life and other people on a complete as is where is basis. His philosophic manifestations took form in his songs, and even his most emotional ballad or romantic ditty conveyed a subtle hangover of philosophy.
He was born in a Punjabi family in 1917 in Amritsar, in a small town called Patti, and was named Om Prakash. Right from the tender age of seven he starting writing poetry in Urdu. There was no encouragement from home, but a wandering minstrel poet named Amar met him in his hometown and encouraged him to write, recognizing his immense talent and potential. He also gave him the ‘takhallus’ of ‘Qamar’ which means moon, and Jalalabadi was added for effect because Qamarji hailed from that town. It was the general trend in those days for writers to name themselves after the towns they hailed from.
After completing his matriculation from Amritsar, Qamarji embarked on his journalistic career journey by writing for Lahore based newspapers like Daily Milap, DailyPratap, Nirala, Star Sahakar. The lure of the Film industry brought him to Pune in the the early Forties.
In 1942, he wrote lyrics for his first film Zameendar which was a Pancholi Pictures production and the songs of this film were very well received, especially the song sung by Shamshad Begum “Duniya me garibonko aaraam nahi milta….rote hain to hasne ka paigaam nahi milta….“ which also had a line or two written by writer and poet Behzaad Lucknowi.
Thereafter he shifted to Mumbai with family and thus began an eventful career in the glorious film industry which went on for nearly 4 decades.
His songs were elusive wordplays that made you ponder deeply, looking for the hidden depths that were left upon the listener to uncover.
Although he wrote what the need of the moment dictated, his gentle personality seeped through his lyrics. Potent love, deep excruciating pain and longing, ecstasy beyond comprehension, also hurt and humiliation that one faces in life
through no fault; in other words every itsy bitsy emotion a lover or beloved goes through in the tryst to acquire true love, were portrayed in his effervescent songs.
Golden voices of the legendary singers like NoorJehan, G.MDurrani, Zeenath Begum, Manju, Amirbai Karnatqi and many others added mesmeric glitz to Qamarji’s deeply meaningful songs; alongwith eclectic singers like Mohd. Rafi, Talat Mahmood, Geeta Roy, Suraiya, Shamshad Begum, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Asha Bhonsle, Kishore Kumar and the Nightingale of India Lata Mangeshkar.
Not many people may know that the immortal composer S.D Burman had also rendered a comic song penned by Qamarji in the film Eight Days in 1946. The song was tuned by S.D Burman and the ticklish wordings were as follows…“O babu babu re dil ko bachana bachana, tere dilka banega nishaana…….”.
Music composer Sardar Malik had rendered a few soulful songs in his heydays, and Qamarji had written several ballads for him. One memorable song was from the film Renuka in 1947 “sunti nahi duniya kabhi fariyaad kissi ki, Dil rota raha aati rahi yaad kissiki….”. The regal Beauty of her times Naseem Banu sang a heart-wrenching ghazal penned by Qamarji “Dil kis liye rota hai…pyar ki duniya me, aisa hi hota hai” for the film Mulaquat in 1947.
As a lyricist he handled anything from the ridiculous to the sublime with equal deftness. On one hand he wrote mesmeric duets like “sun mere sajana dekhoji mujhko bhool na jana…” sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd. Rafi (film: Aansoo 1953) and on the other hand he penned comic relief songs like “aaj pahli taarik hai” endured with full throttle gusto by Kishore Kumar (film: Pehli Tarikh-1954). This song turned into veritable anthem and was played on Radio Ceylon on the first of every month for decades, and it probably still is.
The film Howrah Bridge (1954) sky-rocketed his career as lyricist to unpredescented heights. Songs like “mera naam Chin Chin Chu” (Geeta Dutt) and “aaiye meherbaan, baithiye janejaan….” (Asha Bhonsle) are still as breathtaking as ever, and are remembered far and wide for their rollicking tunes by Maestro Music composer O.P Nayyar as well as for the succulent lyrics. It is a sad thought though that very few people know who the writer of these songs is.
He had several friends and hundreds of fans whom he lovingly called his “pankhe”. His fan mail came in various languages; Hindi, English, Urdu and many regional languages as well. I remember how meticulously he replied to all his fan mail and judiciously sent an autographed photo as well.
Some of his favorite people were poet Qateel Shifai, Ameen Sayani, Kalyanji and Anandji, the elusive O.P Nayyar (who visited him some time before Qamarji’s demise) Music Composer S.D Batish, C.L Kavish, D.D Kashyap and many more. From his past associations he remembered G.Damle of Prabhat Film Company, Dattaram Pai of Filmistan, Babubhai Mitra, Husnlal Bhagatram and S.Mukherji the most as they had been a part of his initial glorious days as a lyricist. It is impossible to equate a man’s lifetime in words.
In his long career span he worked for several Film Companies like; Prabhat Film Company, Pancholi Pictures, Filmistan Ltd., Famous Pictures, Minerva Movietone, Prakash Pictures, Wadia Films Ltd., Filmkar Ltd., Sippy Films, N.C Sippy Films, Shri Shakti Films, Mitra Productions and many more.He was one of the founder Members of prestigious organizations like FILM WRITERS ASSOCIATION & IPRS in Mumbai.
The music Composers he worked with were; Ghulaam Haider, G.Damle, Pt.Amarnath, Khemchand Prakash, Husnlal Bhagatram, S.D. Burman, Anil Biswas, Shyam Sunder, Sajjad Hussain, C.Ramchandra, Madan Mohan, Sudhir Phadke, S.D. Batish, Sardar Malik, Ravi, Avinash Vyas and in the latter phase of his career with O.P Nayyar, Kalyanji Anandji, Sonik Omi, Uttam Singh and Laxmikant Pyarelal as well. Most music lovers may not be aware that Qamarji was a polished and highly acclaimed Adabi Shayar as well, and had graced innumerable Mushairas and Symposiums related to Urdu Poetry all over India.
Subhashini Swar.(Daughter)
🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼
My personal poem in remembrance of our old house in Juhu Beach
Aaj uss ghar ki bahaaren…..
Aaj uss ghar ki bahaaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Bhooli bisari yaadgaaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Maa ki meethi daant behno ki
behas baabul ka pyaar
Bhaiya se paayi saugaatein
Woh madhur raakhi tyohaar
Khud rangi thi jo diwaaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Aaj uss ghar ki bahaaren...
Roz tha tyohaar jaise
Roz thi mehfil saji
Har tarah ik shor sa tha har taraf bhagdad machi
Rishtedaaron ki kataaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Aaj us ghar ki baharein...
Saadagi se hum palle
Masumiyat se hum badhe
Ek dooje se nibhayi
Chahe kitna bhi ladhe
Ghar ki chhat ki wo daraaren yaad aati hain mujhe
aaj uss ghar ki baharen…. yaad aati hai mujhe
Maa ke haathon se bani roti ka ab tak swaad hai
Hum sabhi par unki hasti ka hi aashirwaad hai
Apne sapnon ki meenaaren yaad aati hai mujhe…
Aaj us ghar ki deewaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Bhooli bisri yaadgaaren yaad aati hain mujhe…
Subhashini Swar
Writer/Events Mgr
A poet beyond poetry..A saint and philosopher & spiritualist beyond fathom.
By: Subhashini Swar (Daughter)
"Ik dil ke tukde hazaar huye…koyi yahan gira,koyi wahan gira…"
My father wrote this unforgettable soulful song(Is Dil Ke Tukde……) in 1948 for the film Pyar Ki Jeet.This was one of his personal favourites, and went on to be the lament in his life as he kept losing people he cared for one by one; and was forced into a final quagmire of loneliness as he weakly wrestled with the agonies of old age as well as a nondescript existence. There was no way to collect any of the remaining ‘tukde’ and join them, since they had disintegrated completely and were too far apart, so finally on 9th January 2003 he bid farewell to this pulsating Metropolis with its permanent rush hour sequence.
His greatest attribute was his acceptance of life and other people on a complete as is where is basis. His philosophic manifestations took form in his songs, and even his most emotional ballad or romantic ditty conveyed a subtle hangover of philosophy.
He was born in a Punjabi family in 1917 in Amritsar, in a small town called Patti, and was named Om Prakash. Right from the tender age of seven he starting writing poetry in Urdu. There was no encouragement from home, but a wandering minstrel poet named Amar met him in his hometown and encouraged him to write, recognizing his immense talent and potential. He also gave him the ‘takhallus’ of ‘Qamar’ which means moon, and Jalalabadi was added for effect because Qamarji hailed from that town. It was the general trend in those days for writers to name themselves after the towns they hailed from.
After completing his matriculation from Amritsar, Qamarji embarked on his journalistic career journey by writing for Lahore based newspapers like Daily Milap, DailyPratap, Nirala, Star Sahakar. The lure of the Film industry brought him to Pune in the the early Forties.
In 1942, he wrote lyrics for his first film Zameendar which was a Pancholi Pictures production and the songs of this film were very well received, especially the song sung by Shamshad Begum “Duniya me garibonko aaraam nahi milta….rote hain to hasne ka paigaam nahi milta….“ which also had a line or two written by writer and poet Behzaad Lucknowi.
Thereafter he shifted to Mumbai with family and thus began an eventful career in the glorious film industry which went on for nearly 4 decades.
His songs were elusive wordplays that made you ponder deeply, looking for the hidden depths that were left upon the listener to uncover.
Although he wrote what the need of the moment dictated, his gentle personality seeped through his lyrics. Potent love, deep excruciating pain and longing, ecstasy beyond comprehension, also hurt and humiliation that one faces in life
through no fault; in other words every itsy bitsy emotion a lover or beloved goes through in the tryst to acquire true love, were portrayed in his effervescent songs.
Golden voices of the legendary singers like NoorJehan, G.MDurrani, Zeenath Begum, Manju, Amirbai Karnatqi and many others added mesmeric glitz to Qamarji’s deeply meaningful songs; alongwith eclectic singers like Mohd. Rafi, Talat Mahmood, Geeta Roy, Suraiya, Shamshad Begum, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Asha Bhonsle, Kishore Kumar and the Nightingale of India Lata Mangeshkar.
Not many people may know that the immortal composer S.D Burman had also rendered a comic song penned by Qamarji in the film Eight Days in 1946. The song was tuned by S.D Burman and the ticklish wordings were as follows…“O babu babu re dil ko bachana bachana, tere dilka banega nishaana…….”.
Music composer Sardar Malik had rendered a few soulful songs in his heydays, and Qamarji had written several ballads for him. One memorable song was from the film Renuka in 1947 “sunti nahi duniya kabhi fariyaad kissi ki, Dil rota raha aati rahi yaad kissiki….”. The regal Beauty of her times Naseem Banu sang a heart-wrenching ghazal penned by Qamarji “Dil kis liye rota hai…pyar ki duniya me, aisa hi hota hai” for the film Mulaquat in 1947.
As a lyricist he handled anything from the ridiculous to the sublime with equal deftness. On one hand he wrote mesmeric duets like “sun mere sajana dekhoji mujhko bhool na jana…” sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd. Rafi (film: Aansoo 1953) and on the other hand he penned comic relief songs like “aaj pahli taarik hai” endured with full throttle gusto by Kishore Kumar (film: Pehli Tarikh-1954). This song turned into veritable anthem and was played on Radio Ceylon on the first of every month for decades, and it probably still is.
The film Howrah Bridge (1954) sky-rocketed his career as lyricist to unpredescented heights. Songs like “mera naam Chin Chin Chu” (Geeta Dutt) and “aaiye meherbaan, baithiye janejaan….” (Asha Bhonsle) are still as breathtaking as ever, and are remembered far and wide for their rollicking tunes by Maestro Music composer O.P Nayyar as well as for the succulent lyrics. It is a sad thought though that very few people know who the writer of these songs is.
He had several friends and hundreds of fans whom he lovingly called his “pankhe”. His fan mail came in various languages; Hindi, English, Urdu and many regional languages as well. I remember how meticulously he replied to all his fan mail and judiciously sent an autographed photo as well.
Some of his favorite people were poet Qateel Shifai, Ameen Sayani, Kalyanji and Anandji, the elusive O.P Nayyar (who visited him some time before Qamarji’s demise) Music Composer S.D Batish, C.L Kavish, D.D Kashyap and many more. From his past associations he remembered G.Damle of Prabhat Film Company, Dattaram Pai of Filmistan, Babubhai Mitra, Husnlal Bhagatram and S.Mukherji the most as they had been a part of his initial glorious days as a lyricist. It is impossible to equate a man’s lifetime in words.
In his long career span he worked for several Film Companies like; Prabhat Film Company, Pancholi Pictures, Filmistan Ltd., Famous Pictures, Minerva Movietone, Prakash Pictures, Wadia Films Ltd., Filmkar Ltd., Sippy Films, N.C Sippy Films, Shri Shakti Films, Mitra Productions and many more.He was one of the founder Members of prestigious organizations like FILM WRITERS ASSOCIATION & IPRS in Mumbai.
The music Composers he worked with were; Ghulaam Haider, G.Damle, Pt.Amarnath, Khemchand Prakash, Husnlal Bhagatram, S.D. Burman, Anil Biswas, Shyam Sunder, Sajjad Hussain, C.Ramchandra, Madan Mohan, Sudhir Phadke, S.D. Batish, Sardar Malik, Ravi, Avinash Vyas and in the latter phase of his career with O.P Nayyar, Kalyanji Anandji, Sonik Omi, Uttam Singh and Laxmikant Pyarelal as well. Most music lovers may not be aware that Qamarji was a polished and highly acclaimed Adabi Shayar as well, and had graced innumerable Mushairas and Symposiums related to Urdu Poetry all over India.
Subhashini Swar.(Daughter)
🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼
My personal poem in remembrance of our old house in Juhu Beach
Aaj uss ghar ki bahaaren…..
Aaj uss ghar ki bahaaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Bhooli bisari yaadgaaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Maa ki meethi daant behno ki
behas baabul ka pyaar
Bhaiya se paayi saugaatein
Woh madhur raakhi tyohaar
Khud rangi thi jo diwaaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Aaj uss ghar ki bahaaren...
Roz tha tyohaar jaise
Roz thi mehfil saji
Har tarah ik shor sa tha har taraf bhagdad machi
Rishtedaaron ki kataaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Aaj us ghar ki baharein...
Saadagi se hum palle
Masumiyat se hum badhe
Ek dooje se nibhayi
Chahe kitna bhi ladhe
Ghar ki chhat ki wo daraaren yaad aati hain mujhe
aaj uss ghar ki baharen…. yaad aati hai mujhe
Maa ke haathon se bani roti ka ab tak swaad hai
Hum sabhi par unki hasti ka hi aashirwaad hai
Apne sapnon ki meenaaren yaad aati hai mujhe…
Aaj us ghar ki deewaren yaad aati hain mujhe
Bhooli bisri yaadgaaren yaad aati hain mujhe…
Subhashini Swar
Writer/Events Mgr
11/13 Unity Compound,Juhu Beach
Santacruz West,Bombay 54.
Santacruz West,Bombay 54.
💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠
🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴
My first song written and produced by me.Jhhoote Tore Naina.
My second song sung by young singer Palak Muchhal
Beautiful video,worth watching.
Tumbin ab to jiya na jaaaye
Beautiful video,worth watching.
Tumbin ab to jiya na jaaaye
