Recently, while searching the net for information on Rafi, i came across an accusation that rafi did not get his due in india, because he belongs to minority community.
As soon as my eyes rested on that comment, first thought that came to my mind is what is this nonsense?
why do we allow such idiotic, irresponsible comments to be made by people, who have no idea of what india is about and what is rafi to indians.
what pained me more, was an attempt by the famous critic Raju Bharatan, trying to show that the comment was meaningless.
iam a hindu, a proud hindu at that. Believe me, since july 31st 1980, every year on that particular day, i shut myself in my room, put off cell and all such devices for communications with outsiders, and listen to the songs of Rafi throughout the day. There are many such people, in millions, who stopped listening to hindi film songs after Rafi passed away.
we never thought rafi as a moslem.
rafi too might have been a devout muslim personally, but as a singer he was an artiste, and indian first than anything else.
Could any one say Rafi was a moslem, when he sang 'man tarpat hari darsan ko aaj' from BaijuBawra?
Did anyone think of his religion, when sang ' insaaf ka mandir hai ye bhagvan ka ghar hai' from Amar?
Was it not more about truth and fate than religion in the song ' aana hai to aa, raah me kuch pher nahi hai, bhagvan ka ghar der hai andher nahi hai' from Naya Daur.
Does the thought thatRafi belongs to minority community ever enter our minds when we hear, that philosophical song, ' man re tu kahena deer dharo' from Chitralekha?
Rafi, the singer, shaped my ideas of romance through such songs as 'ab kya misal doo my tumhare shabab ko', chaudhveeka chand ho', husnu vale tera jawab nahi' , door rah kar na haro bat' ehesan tera hoga mukhpar', ' tum kamsin ho nadan ho, najuk ho' , aap ke haseen rikh pe aaj nayaa noor hai' , ' ye chand sa roshan chehera' , ' lakho hai nigahame' , jawani haye mast mast bin piye' and many many many more of such wonderful songs. when they were shaping my dreams, giving me ideas about love, romance, beauty and such other sensitive feelings, it never occured to me that he was anything other than Mohammad Rafi, who sang my heartfelt feelings in his voice.
Whenever iam down I turn to Rafi for inspiration.
ponch kar ashk apni akhome muskuravo to koyi bat bane, my zindagee ke sath nibhata chalagaya, ek banjara gaye, o majhi chal and scores of such inspiring songs, many a times lifted my spirits up and helped me in moving forward in life.
Whenever i lost some friend and pangs of his/her separation tormented me, again it is Rafi who consoled me and put me back on track, with songs such as tukde hai mere dilke ey yar tere aasoo, gam uthaneke liye maito jiye javoomgaa, huyee sham unka khayal agaya, chahoomga mai tujhe sanjh savere, na kissike ankh ka noor hoo, is bharee duniyame koyi bhi hamara na huva, rang aur noor ki barat kise pesh karoo, sathi na koyi manzil, hum bekhudi me tumko, ye duniya ye mehefil , jane kya doondh ti rahatee hai, yemahelo ye taqto , there are thousands of such songs which have been my oxygen and proteins and vitamins.
iam what iam today basically because of Rafi and his songs.
The thought that he was never given his due is something that never occured to any of us, because, rafi lives in our hearts. He is still alive for us. He is beyond such mundane things as getting his due or not getting his due. For Rafians Rafi is Rafi. He has no religion. no state, no country. He is Rafi and Rafi only. So, let us not give importance to such illogical, unwarranted, mischievous and idiotic comments. Beacause, Rafi never thought himself as a minority, when entire India loved him. We never think of him as a minority, because for us he is more than earthly things . If it bothers some nitwits acoross the borders to hell with them.
It is rafi who sang, tu himdu banega na musalman banega, insan ka aulad hai insan banega. For those who want to create unnecessary divides doe to their over working sectarian brains, again it is Rafi who answers them, ' insan bano karlo bhalayika koyi kam'!
That is why, Rafi was, is, and will be forever, The Gratest!
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