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1947, A R Rahman, aamir khan, anuradha sriram, bina rai, bollywood, dev anand, earth, hum dono, javed akhtar, lata mangeshkar, nanda, nandita das, pradeep kumar, rahul khanna, roshan, sahir ludhianvi, sujata mohan, taj mahal
As I write this, two major wars have been scarring and destroying thousands lives in an irreversible manner. Not to mention, wars that are being fought in places which do not get as much attention as these two. Wars have been a constant presence, since human existence. It was (and still is) a tool invented to resolve dispute. Right from the first group of humans which walked the planet, to the current lot of “more evolved” humans, this tool has only been bettered to cause more destruction and more deaths. Albeit, a case can be made that there are far fewer wars in the last century than any previous period of human history, but that is a shallow and shameful boast. Coz, even one war is one too many.
I have always been in awe of these words of the modern American poet Adrienne Rich – “War is an absolute failure of imagination, scientific and political. That a war can be represented as helping a people to ‘feel good’ about themselves, or their country, is a measure of that failure.”
These words are a simple and a direct indictment and conviction of all humans who pine for, and wage wars. There have been many essays, books, speeches, songs, movies, TV shows, on the folly that war is. Yet, we continue to wage them. One of the most popular Hindi film songs on this theme, is the solemn “Allah tero naam” from the 1961 film, Hum Dono. This is my go-to song for seeking solace when my brain and my body is saturated with the thoughts of victims of wars, far and near. Another song that provides solace is from more recent times, the 1998 film 1947 Earth. The song is penned by Javed Akhtar, composed by A R Rahman and sung in perfect unison by Anuradha Sriram and Sujata Mohan.
Javed Akhtar is one of the few openly atheist celebrities from contemporary India. He is an advocate for rationalist thought and a denouncer of religion, religiosity, spiritualism and associated accoutrements. However, in his poetry written for Hindi films, he has invoked God a number of times. In this song too, God plays an important role : He is the one who is being “questioned” for the existence of wars on the land that he allegedly created. He is being asked to testify on the horrors that humans inflict on each other under the garb of nationalism and securing borders, he is being asked why do you let this happen when this entire land is supposed to be yours? Aren’t You the creator after all?
“Ishwar allah tere jahaan mein, nafrat kyun hai jung hai kyun? Tera dil toh itana badaa hai, insaan ka dil tung hai kyun?”
“Oh God, why do hate and war exist in ‘your’ world? Your heart is so big, why are we humans so narrowminded?”
Then one day, I stumbled upon a song from a 1963 Hindi film named “Taj Mahal“. The album is mostly remembered for its timeless love duet “Jo waada kiya wo nibhaana padega“. But there is this one song, that has largely been forgotten –
“Khuda-e-bartar teri zameen par, zameen ki khatir yeh jung hai kyun hai? Har ek fat.h-o-zafar ke dāman pe ḳhūn-e-insān kā rañg kyuuñ hai?”
“O superior God, on your land, why are there wars for land? Why are the cloaks of victories/triumphs soaked with the color of the blood of humans?”
I see a direct connection in the newer Javed song to this song written by Sahir Ludhianvi. The format of questioning God, of indicting him for the crimes of wars waged by humans, who are His “alleged” creation, wars waged for land, which is also allegedly created by Him. Sahir was also well known for being a rationalist. Javed openly admires Sahir and has admitted that Sahir’s poetry has been an inspiration for him. Nowhere is it more evident that this son. While “Khud-e-bartar” utilizes Urdu, in “Ishwar allah”, Javed leans on Hindi, but the underlying line of thought is very much the same. In fact, the choice of words in some of the verses is near identical:
- Sahir: Har ek fat.h-o-zafar ke dāman pe ḳhūn-e-insān kā rañg kyuuñ hai?
- Javed: Is duniyaa ke daaman par insaan ke lahoo ka rang hai kyun?
- Sahir: jinhein talab hai jahaan bhar ki unhin ka dil itnaa tang kyon hai?
- Javed: Teraa dil to itnaa badaa hai, insaan kaa dil tang hai kyun?
- Sahir: saron mein kibr-o-Gharoor kyon hai? dilon ke sheeshe pe zang kyon hai?
- Javed: Dil ke darwaazon par taale, talon par yeh zang hai kyun?
This is by no means saying that Javed has copied Sahir. No! Inspired, yes! Plagiarized – NO.
I love Ishwar Allah, it acts like a balm and a bandage to my malaise filled bleeding heart. Javed’s words, Rahman’s composition, the perfect harmonious voices of Anuradha and Sujata envelop me in a warm shawl of comfort. Khuda-e-bartar provides an outlet to the angst and a channel to let go of the absolute helplessness that overtakes me so often. Sahir’s searing poetry, Roshan’s composition and Lata’s tender voice that brims with indictments and pleas alike. But but but….for me, Sahir’s poetry towers above everything. The way he invokes the radical thought to lend “wisdom” to those in power- to the oppressors, is in itself a thing of quiet beauty and power :
Ghareeb maaon, shareef behnon ko amn-o-izzat kii zindagii de
jinheiN ada ki hai tuune taaqat, unhein hidaayat kii roshnii de
“Give a life full of peace and respect to the poor mothers and sincere sisters. The one you have blessed with power, show them the light of righteousness”
This I believe will be the true end of wars – that the ones who wage them, the ones who are more powerful, when they see and understand the absolute horrors of wars! Its not about giving power to the powerless, its about lending wisdom to those in power. He did this in the more popular “Allah tero naam” too:
“O saare jag ke rakhwaale, nirbal ko bal denewaale, balwaanon ko de de gyaan”
“Oh protector of the whole world, the one who empower the powerless, please also grant some wisdom to the powerful”
What a beautiful plea? What a radical request?
When he writes for a plea to give protection to “love”, that’s when the last bit of resolve I had, gives in, and I find my cheeks wet with salty tears:
qazaa ke raste pe jaanevaalon ko bach ke aane kii raah dena
dilon ke gulshan ujad na jaayein, muhabbaton ko panaah dena
“Give a path of safety to those who have marched on their destined road. Before the gardens of the heart wilt, give love some protection”.
In an ironic turn, I wish these songs had no place or reason to exist. But that’s a fool’s wish. So, I can only wish, someday we lay down all arms – every one of us, every where. Until that day, these songs will be my salve.