scorecardresearch
Friday, March 29, 2024
Support Our Journalism
HomeOpinionShort sentences, easy rhymes and simple words made poet Neeraj immortal

Short sentences, easy rhymes and simple words made poet Neeraj immortal

Follow Us :
Text Size:

Some of Neeraj’s best and most popular songs were actually the well-known poems that he adapted for movies.

Gopaldas Neeraj was among the first romantic poets we became aware of in our schooling years in the 1960s. This was the era of kavi sammelans. The biggest one used to be just after Republic Day in front of the Red Fort. We children waited for it and our families took us there. What interested us the most at that age was obviously the ‘hasya ras’ (satire) or ‘veer-ras’ (patriotic poetry).

Neeraj was our generation’s first romantic poet. It began with his most popular poem, and a film song, which was also the easiest to parody- ‘Karwaan guzar gaya, gubaar dekhte rahe’.

It’s a beautiful and sad poem, equally well sung by Mohd Rafi. But it rendered very easily to parodying for us eight to ten-year-olds- “Mar gaya mariz, hum bukhaar dekhte rahe. Tube penicillin ke, streptomycin ke bhare rahe gaye, injection quinine ke….”

That also tells us what was so different about Neeraj. He was a poet of rare simplicity.

The problem with poetry, especially Hindi poetry, is that its practitioners are not able to quite make up their minds on how complicated or simple they want their poems to be. They get caught between Sanskrit puritanism, Urdu subtleties and take too long to come to the point.

Neeraj was not like that. He came in and out of Hindi cinema, never quite fully taking to the idea of writing lyrics to tunes. Because they were so simple.

‘Shokhiyon mein ghola jaye, phoolon ka shabab’ from Dev Anand’s film Prem Pujari, is an eternal hit. Neeraj’s original poem was, “Chandni mein ghola jaye, phoolon ka shabab”. Dev Anand insisted that he change ‘chandni’ to ‘shokhiyon’ simply because he was shooting the song in bright sunshine. Reluctantly, Neeraj agreed. The result was this immortal duet which stood out even in that era of the great romantic duet, sadly long since over.

He may be remembered more for his romantic songs and his poetry of sadness and betrayal, but he also wrote what ranks among the most memorable compositions based on marshal music. ‘Taaqat watan ki hum se hai’ also in Dev Anand’s Prem Pujari was set by S.D. Burman to pipes and drums, like a proper marshal band. And no surprise, almost every year at the Beating Retreat on Republic Day, the bands play this tune.

Seena hai faulaad kaa apna, phoolon jaisa dil hai, tan mein vindhyaachal ka bal hai, man mein tajmahal hai,’ was among its unforgettable lines. Once again no Sanskrit, no heavy Urdu, short sentences, point quickly made and made in a way that generations can remember and hum.

Some others like ‘Ae bhai zara dekh ke chalo’ in Mera Naam Joker had wonderful lines: “Tu jahan aaya hai yeh tera ghar nahi, basti nahi”. It was adapted from a poem called ‘Rajpath’. Neeraj described the helplessness of the marginal citizen on the Rajpath, the avenue leading to the seat of power on Raisina Hill in Delhi, and then adapted that in the film to the fate of a joker in a circus. The song has some wonderful lines. For example, who can forget “Kya hai karishma, kaisa khilwaar hai, jaanwar aadmi se zyada wafadaar hai/ khaata hai koda bhi, rehta hai bhooka bhi, phir bhi wo maalik pe karta nahin waar hai”?

https://youtu.be/C_dI4mXlxNg

It was Neeraj’s short sentences, everyday words, easy rhyme and profound meaning that made him stand out. It is a pity he did not stay in Hindi cinema long enough. He was from a generation of great poets like Sahir Ludhianvi, Shailendra and Gulzar.

Even Gulzar struggled initially because he was reluctant to write words to tunes. But he learnt quickly, and became a gift to Hindi cinema. He is among the last of the surviving great poets.

Javed Akhtar, Prasoon Joshi, Swanand Kirkire and Piyush Mishra are now carrying their legacy. The genre of genuine poetry in Hindi cinema, unfortunately, has declined substantially. And the death of Neeraj reminds us that.

A note of personal regret: About a year back, Arun Jaitley mentioned in a casual conversation if I was aware that Gopaldas Neeraj was still around and in reasonable health. He prodded me to go to Aligarh, find him and record a ‘Walk the Talk’ interview with him before it’s too late. Truth to tell, I thought about it many times but got lazy at the thought of driving to Aligarh and spending the whole working day. I procrastinated till I heard that he was in the hospital and sick. This laziness is something that I will always regret.

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

2 COMMENTS

  1. Dear Guptaji, thanks for a very neat and hearty essay on the the poet in Gopaldas Saxena, who wrote nicest poems for Hindi films in his pen name Neeraj. He belongs to the contemporary times as much as to the past. Thanks for posting some of his finest creations.

    Sir, I am particularly moved by your regret. You have more than made up for the regret by writing a fine poetic portrait.

    Sir, you have a fine penmanship with sensible writing faculty to carry along a wide range of readers. I think, unfortunately, the poet is lost to the partisan journalist in you. May be, the media think sensible writing doesn’t sell.

  2. Prof PK Sharma,Freelance Journalist, Barnala(Punjab)

    What an exemplary and nobel gesture of paying glowing tributes to an icon of poetry and lyrics- * GOPALDAS NEERAJ * !

    Sans any doubt, Neeraj belonged to a grand golden age of poetry and lyricism in India enchanting poetry and music lovers
    all over the world !
    His untimely departure is a sad blow to poetry and melody not only in India but in all the four directions of the globe !

    Bidding an adieu to this world, Neeraj has joined the immortal souls as well as evergreen galaxy of legends of poetry- Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Shailendra, Sahir Ludhianvi, Shakeel Badayuni, Hasrat Jaipuri, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Anand Bakshi,Indeevar and Kaifi Azmi !

    Neeraj entertained poetry and music lovers with his wonderful and heart- touching creations winning wide acclaim in the annals of
    poetry and melody ! He will live for ever among us because of his qualities of head and heart and deep passion for creativity to bestow
    intellect, joy and pleasure upon his fans in every nook and corner of this universe !

    I am grateful to you, Gupta Ji, for taking me back to the mid nineteen sixties and nineteen seventies of my never ever forgettable school and college days ! This music magical era regaled and spell bound poetry and music lovers !

    What the evergreen and everlasting decades of poetry and melody those happened to be, haunting us even today as well !

    Prof PK Sharma,Freelance Journalist
    Pom Anm Nest,Barnala(Punjab)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular