Lagta nahin hai dil mera ujde dayaar mein
Posted on: December 27, 2012
This article is written by nahm, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog.
This film “Laal Quila” (1960) would have been forgotten but for the two immortal ghazals composed by S. N. Tripathi, and sung by Mohammed Rafi. These ghazal’s ‘lagtaa nahin hai dil meraa ujde dayaar mein’ and ‘na kisi ki aankh ka noor hoon na kisi ke dil ka qaraar hoon ‘ have a place in the hearts of urdu poetry readers be they lay person or scholors.
A lot has been discussed on the blog and elsewhere regarding the authorship of both these ghazals.
I have decided to go with the film credits, of ‘Laal Quila’ which attribute ‘lagtaa nahin hai dil meraa’ to the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.
Just like there are alternative medicines, there is an alternative to giving up fighting with one’s fate. Alternate remedy being numerology. If Bahadur Shah Zafar had lived in our times, people would have advised him to change his name’s spelling. The alternative spelling of ‘Zafar’ in ‘Jaffer’ pronounced in same way. The second option name is quite well known in successful restaurant chains known for mughlai cuisine.
Such a sensitive poet’s life fraught with such tragic happening, are turning points in the history. As the British were finishing off the future heirs of Mughal dynasty, they must have begun to hope that the sun would not set in the empire.
And after 1857, it did not set for nearly 100 years.
That is the historical contribution of Bahadur Shah Zafar, but Urdu poetry as an rich cultural heritage, is indebted to him for the patronage his court and reign provided to the great 19th century poets. The court was a platform cum showcase with golden frame, for a major part of significant urdu poetry.
As the words of this ghazal indicate, it was written by ‘Zafar’ while in captivity at Rangoon. I found a very beautiful translation of this ghazal, longer version alongwith a link of another rendition on youtube. It was so apt and concise that I want to share the same with the readers of this blog.
lagta nahin hai dil meraa ujde dayaar mein
My heart has no repose in this despoiled land
kis ki bani hai a’alam-e-napaayedaar mein
Who has ever felt fulfilled in this futile world
keh do inn hansraton se kahin aur jaa basein
Tell these longings to go dwell elsewhere
itni jagah kahan hai dil-e-daaghdaar mein
What space is there for them in this besmirched heart
umr-e-daraaaz maang ke laaye thhe chaar din
I asked for a long life, I received four days
do aarzoo mein kat gaye do intezaar mein
Two passed in desire, two in waiting
kitnaa hai badnaseeb zafar dafan ke liye
How unfortunate is Zafar! for his burial……
do gaz zameen bhi na mili ku’h-e-yaar mein
Not even two yards of land were to be had, in the land of his beloved
Now as for Rafi Sahab rendition of this ghazal in the ‘tarz’ without any music, it is vibrant and alive as if he is reciting it in front of us. Every time I have heard Rafi’s without music recitals, mainly in film songs, it feels as if it is the best of Rafi. I have seen ghazal singers sing along with harmonium. As far as I know Rafi did not play any of the musical instruments. It seems as if his voice with its natural power and bass could make the music notes redundant. As I have stated elsewhere in the blog, when Rafi sahab sang, the musicians seemed to follow him. There are many songs, where he starts singing first then the musicians follow his lead. It may be true of other singers too, not unique with Rafi sahab but the musician themselves would be better qualified to elaborate this point I am trying to make.
Video
Audio
Song-Lagta nahin ha dil mera ujde dayaar mein (Laal Quila)(1960) Singer-Rafi, Lyrics-Bahadur Shah Zafar, MD-S N Tripathi
Lyrics
lagta nahin hai dil meraa
ujde dayaar mein
kis ki bani hai
a’alam-e-napaayedaar mein
keh do inn hansraton se
kahin aur jaa basein
itni jagah kahan hai
dil-e-daaghdaar mein
itni jagah kahan hai
dil-e-daaghdaar mein
umr-e-daraaaz maang ke
laaye thhe chaar din
do aarzoo mein kat gaye
do intezaar mein
do aarzoo mein kat gaye
do intezaar mein
kitnaa hai badnaseeb zafar
dafan ke liye
kitnaa hai badnaseeb zafar
dafan ke liye
ea ea ea
do gaz zameen bhi na mili
ku’h-e-yaar mein
do gaz zameen bhi na mili
ku’h-e-yaar mein
lagta nahin hai dil meraa
ujde dayaar mein
7 Responses to "Lagta nahin hai dil mera ujde dayaar mein"
December 29, 2012 at 12:15 pm
Right time to ask , I have just now arrived here. Here is the link :
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December 29, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Thanks Nahm. I have seen this one and after watching this, I was kinda wondering if it was a complete song and whether some full audio version was in existence somewhere. So I asked. May be this is what it is. Btw, is this song part of the excel?
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December 29, 2012 at 6:52 pm
Yes it is a part of the excel sheet and mentioned as solo. So there must be a solo recorded version of the song. In the film it is used interspersed with Kishore’s version.
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Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
December 29, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Hey Nahm, I’m looking for Rafi Saab’s version of Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana from Andaz (1971/Rajesh Khanna/Hema Malini/Shammi Kapoor). Let me know if u have it.
Regards.
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