Bhajans and Devotional Songs by O P Nayyar
Bhajans and Devotional Songs by O P Nayyar
Bhajans and Devotional Songs by O P Nayyar
O. P. Nayyar’s bhajans and devotional songs?
On reading the title of the article, you must have been shocked for the third time! In the previous two articles we have listened and learned about OP’s Lullaby and Children Songs and and raga based classical songs.
But now O. P. Nayyar’s bhajans and devotional songs? How is this possible?
But we have not yet unfolded what the OP has created for us. Let’s listen and understand it today about Bhajans and devotional songs composed by Nayyar!
By the way, OP’s two or three bhajans from the film are familiar to most of the people. And after searching on the basis of this topic, I found a large number of bhajans and devotional songs composed by OP, that it was felt that two parts have to be written on this topic. But since the topic is limited, we will hear all the songs in one article only.
As mentioned in both the previous articles, OP Nayyar, who is known by various epithets like rhythm king OP Nayyar, who is famous for his horse beats songs, Punjabi style songs, club dance songs, peppy songs and comedy or funny songs etc. but OP has done incredible work in the genre of Lullaby and Children Songs and and raga based classical songs. Similarly, OP has dealt with bhajans and devotional songs as well.
Now let’s see and of course listen this new aspect of OP’s songs!
After listening to these songs, one feels that OP’s real mind must be different. As you know OP was famous for giving love songs, peppy songs, club songs, comedy songs and even dabbled in it himself, but listening to today’s songs you will enjoy the devotion hidden in OP.
OP has composed these songs very thoughtfully and distinctively, but it is noticeable that each composition is different. it is also noticed that, OP has capture the mood of the song and use appropriate but minimal instruments and also the singers have put in a lot of effort in making these songs.
And OP’s this facet was seen seen during his candidacy period before he came to Mumbai.
We all knew that, OP used to sing and perform on Lahore Radio in his youth. At the age of just 17 then (around 1943), OP composed Kabir Dohes (कबीर दोहे) for HMV and even sang them himself much before the name OP Nayyar was known to people! OP had seen success in his early age. Later OP changed his style to match Hindi movies and become successful also, but whenever he got a chance to composed bhajans or devotional songs OP was success too, but this facet of OP was overlooked by the people and today I am unwrapping the treasurer it front of you.
Now let’s start with Kabir Doha in OP’s voice. In this, the influence of the great singer Saigal is clearly felt on his singing.
Song No. 1.: ‘Chalati Chakki Dekh Karm Diya Kabeera Roye’ (चलती चक्की देख कर, दिया कबीरा रोये), Non Filmy song written by Saint Kabir, Year Published around 1943, Composed by O P Nayyar
Song No. 2.: ‘Kabira Rassi Pav Main’ (कबीरा रस्सी पांव में), Non Filmy song written by Saint Kabir, Year Published around 1943, Composed by O P Nayyar
in around 1943 and 1945 Columbia Gramophone Company Ltd. published a record (Record No. E. 23050) of Saint Kabir’s Dohas ‘Apna Aap Idhan (अपना आप पहचान ) (Part & Part 2), again composed from OP and sung by famous veteran singer of that time C. H. Atma (Atma Hashmatrai Chainani). Some couplets of Saint Kabir have been recorded on this record.
Original wording of the Doha is:
आया था किस काम को, तू सोया चादर तान ।
सूरत संभाल ए काफिला, अपना आप पहचान ।। …..
Now let’s listen to select bhajans and devotional songs composed by OP Nayyar from the hindi movies! And let’s find out another overlooked aspect of OP’s musical career!
As mentioned above two-three OP’s bhajans from the Hindi movies are known to most of the people, let’s first listen OP’s three famous and known bhajans.
The first famous bhajan is, ‘Ana Hai To Aa, Rah Mein Kuch Fer Nahin Hai (आना है तो आ, राह में कुछ फेर नहीं है). This is OP’s only composition in raga ‘Pooriya Dhanshree’ (पूरिया धनश्री)! (Reference: Dr. G. Rama Narayana, https://www.hindigeetmala.net/song/aanaa_hai_to_aa_raah.htm).
Song No. 3: ‘Ana Hai To Aa, Rah Mein Kuch Fer Nahin Hai’ (आना है तो आ, राह में कुछ फेर नहीं है). Movie: Naya Daur (1956), Singer: Mohammad Rafi, Lyrics by: Sahir Ludhinayavi, Composed by: O P Nayyar
Next bhajan is ‘Jaan Sake to Jaan’.
Song No. 4: ‘Jaan Sake to Jaan’ (जान सके तो जान). Movie: Ustad (1957), Singer: Mohammad Rafi, Lyrics by: Jaan Nisar Akhtar, Composed by: O P Nayyar
Next bhajan is ‘Bana De, Bana De, Bana De Prabhuji’ (बना दे, बना दे, बना दे प्रभूजी)!
Song No. 5: ‘Jaan Sake to Jaan’ (जान सके तो जान). Movie: Phagun (1958), Singers: Asha Bhosale and Mohammad Rafi, Lyrics by: Qamar Jalalabadi, Composed by: O P Nayyar
The above three bhajans are familiar to most, it is also to be noted that each of above bhajan has come one in a year from 1956 to 1958 followed by two more bhajans in 1956 at the peak of his carrer, Now let’s listen some unfamiliar and rare bhajans and devotional songs composed by OP!
Next bhajan is ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare’ (हरे कृष्णा, हरे कृष्णा, कृष्णा, कृष्णा, हरे, हरे)! The song is from unreleased movie Muqaddar Ki Baat.
Song No. 6: ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare’ (हरे कृष्णा, हरे कृष्णा, कृष्णा, कृष्णा, हरे, हरे). Movie: Muqaddar Ki Baat (1983 Unreleased), Singers: Pushpa Pagadhare, Mahendra Kapoor and Chorus, Traditional Bhajan, Composed by: O P Nayyar.
Song No. 7: ‘Jiska Rakhawla Bhagwan’ (जिसका रखवाला भगवान). Movie: Aisa bhi Hota Hai (1971) , Singer: Mohammad Rafi, Lyrics by: S. H. Bihari, Composed by: O P Nayyar.
Song No. 8: ‘Jay Krishna Hare’ (जय कृष्ण हरे). Movie: Heera Moti (1979), Singer: Mohammad Rafi and Manna Dey, Lyrics by: Ahmed Wasi, Composed by: O P Nayyar.
Song No. 9: ‘Jab Is Dharai Par Dukh Pakar’ (जब इस धरती पर दुःख पाकर). Movie: Mitti Me Sona (1960), Singer: Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosale, Lyrics by: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Composed by: O P Nayyar.
Song No. 10: ‘Ye Duniya Eter Dil Ki Tasveer Baba’ (ये दुनिया तेरे दिल कि तसवीर बाबा). Movie: Shrimati 420 (1956), Singer: Mohammad Rafi, Lyrics by: Jaan Nisar Akhtar, Composed by: O P Nayyar.
Song No. 11: ‘Darshan Kab Doge Bolo Na’ (दर्शन कब दोगे बोलो ना). Movie: Bhgam Bhag (1956), Singer: Mohammad Rafi and Geeta Dutt, Lyrics by: Majrooh Sultanpuri, Composed by: O P Nayyar.
Although Geeta Dutt has given voice in this song, the stanza in her voice is not seen on screen. (Also it can be notices that Geeta Dutt has sung the song in a slightly different voice, so I think this song may have been picturized on Kishore Kumar on screen, as the song in Rafi’s voice is picturized on Bhagwan. (I request Knowledgeable people to enlighten on this).
After listening to all the above songs, you must have realized that, O. P. Nayyar has also used the form of bhajans and devotional songs, but O P is unknown beyond the tanga rhythm, love songs and peppy songs to the majority of listeners or enthusiasts. This feature of O P Nayyar is known to few, this is another small attempt of mine to put this facet of OP before everyone!
Another tragedy is that many of the songs heard above are not seen on the screen!
Next time let’s look at another new aspect of the OP.
Read my other articles about Music Composer O. P. Nayyar:
The article was first published on my blog in Marathi Language..
Bhajans and Devotional Songs by O P Nayyar – Copyrights of the articles by: Charudatta Sawant, 2023. Mobile No. : 899775439
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References:
- https://www.hindigeetmala.net/
- https://books.google.co.in/books?id=lmrSLuBwbKkC&lpg=PA53&dq=man%20mora%20baawara%20raag&pg=PA53#v=onepage&q&f=false
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