Listening To Mohammad Rafi on Old LP Records
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
29 July
2023
Poona has a
sizable number of admirers of the great Mohammad Rafi whose death anniversary
falls on July 31. There're many clubs of Rafi's countless fans. Here I know a
few old army officers who're hardcore Rafi fans. Once in a month we meet at an
officer's place and listen to Rafi's immortal numbers on old LP records. The
feeling of listening to old songs on LP records is simply indescribable.
July 31 is Rafi's 43 Death Anniversary. He shuffled off this mortal coil
in 1980.
----
Retired
Brigadier Pradeep Anand has a huge collection of Rafi's rare songs and very old
LPs. The best part of this nostalgic musical experience is the anecdotes
associated with the films, actors and of course Rafi.
One more
officer, Colonel Ranjeet Ray, who's in his 80s, twice met Rafi. One Colonel
Rajbeer Singh has narrated the story ad nauseam how he bumped into Rafi in
Jalandhar in 1969 and when he requested, Rafi smilingly sang, 'Ek Haseen
Shaam Ko Dil Mera Kho Gaya ' from the movie Dulhan Ek Raat Ki.
Rafi gave him his autograph and spoke to him in Theth Punjabi.
Barring
yours truly, all my much senior Army officer friends met Rafi on different
occasions.
An old Army
officer would insist on playing Rafi's poignant number, Hai Duniya Usi Ki
Zamana Usi Ka from 'Kashmir Ki Kali.' Like that Army officer in the
song sequence, our old Army officer friend would cry copiously whenever he'd
listen to this song.
Since these
records are very old, sound is often distorted. We've called an old gentleman
from HMV, Calcutta, who repairs those very old LPs.
A few days
ago, we listened to one of Rafi's immortal ghazals, "Kitni Raahat Hai
Dil Toot Jaane Ke Baad." Many officers in our group relate to this
ghazal in an excessively sentimental manner and plunge into a bout of maudlin
self-pity whenever they listen to it. They get transported to a nostalgic world
of their own.
One friend
Brigadier Arif Ahmad from Rampur (UP) has Rafi's all ghazals written by Kunwar
Mohinder Singh Bedi 'Sahar'. He plays them religiously on his old and rickety
record player. Listening to these rare numbers and even rarer anecdotes related
to the films and the great singer can make one feel very nostalgic and
emotional.
All these
old-timers are effusive of Rafi as a great singer and an equally great human
being. They remember how warmly he'd meet his fans and say, Sab Allah Ka
Karam Hai. Such a nice and humble human! Rafi's seraphic smile and his
helping nature will always be discussed by these officers who were fortunate
enough to see the magnificent singer and a few of them even listened to him in
person when he sang for them on request. The ever-humble singer never refused
anyone and obliged whoever requested him to sing. We'll never have the likes of
Mohammad Rafi. Let's remember him on his 43rd death anniversary.
----
A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul
is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He
has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several
languages including Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/rafi-lp-records/d/130324