-Singing sweetheartof the millenium.

How accurate was the  �Divine� prediction! 

Let me, therefore, evaluate his different forms and styles of singing; beginning with the ghazal.

In the recorded history of �ghazal� singing the name of the first and  foremost amongst countless singers is and perhaps will remain for a long time of - K.L.Saigal, who needs no introduction to earnest music lovers. The genre was further enriched by another legend- Begum Akhtar.

To me, these two legends never sang merely the words, but expressed in their singing, the feelings and thoughts immersed in the lyrics. And, when they sang  �ghazals� of  Ghalib, the poet appears to have come alive. If you have not yet experienced this soul stirring experience, try it. 

Saigal was amongst the earliest, who sang and recorded �ghazals� of Ghalib.  He sang  his nine ghazals, namely -�Aah ko chahiyey�, �Dil se teri nigah�, �Har ek baat pe�, �Ibne mariyam hua karey�, �Mein unhein chherun�, �Nukta cheen hai�, �Wo aakey khwab mein�,�Phir mujhe did-aye-tar yaad ayaa�and  �Ishq mujhko nahin�.

Is it a coincidence that Begum Akhtar also sang nine compositions of Ghalib- �Ibne mariyam hua karey koyee�,  �Aah ko chahiye�, �Dard minnat kashey�, �Taskeen ko hum na royein�, �Zikr us parivash ka�, �Dil hi to hai sangey kisht�, �Phir mujhe did-aye-tar�, �Koyee ummeed bar nahin aatee� and  �Dayam paraa hua hoon�.

Once while discussing with select scholars of Urdu (one of them being an Associate Professor of Urdu & Persian in the University of  Oxford ) about the future of Urdu language, which has certainly enriched our cultural heritage; but with the  passage of time, whose learning has been squeezed into a particular class of our society. As a lover of Urdu literature and an ardent listener of music, who can�t even read and write Urdu script (but have read Ghalib and Sahadat Hasan Manto and other legendary Urdu writers and scholars through  Devnagari & English) could only add to the discussion that-  had these two legends (Saigal & Begum Akhtar) and some other singers were not there, the�diwanns�(compilations of written works) of Ghalib and other outstanding luminaries would have remained buried in the archives (book-shelves) of Colleges, Universities and other research institutions.

Doubtlessly, it was Saigal the first and   foremost and others to follow his foot-steps, who kept alive (through their singing) � verses of a large number of Urdu poets -known and unknown.

Seemab Akbarabadi was a poet of stature.  Saigal by singing a few  of his ghazals viz�Ab kya bataun�, �Aie bekhabri dil ko deewana banaa dena�, �Duniyan mein hoon duniyan ka�, �Jaag aur dekh jaraa�, �Jalwa gahey dil mein�, �Shukriya hastee ka� etc. he made the poet live for ages to come.

At this juncture, it will not be out of place to mention that Saigal by singing the ghazals of Seemab Akbarabadi, made the poet immortal.  In the same manner; Habib Tanvir, (the Theatre-maestro) immortalized Nazir Akbarabadi through his all time great play -�Agra Bazaar�. 

I would like to invite listeners� and readers� attention  particularly to the beauty of delivery of words and feelings expressed distinctively in the ghazals of Arzu Lucknavi (popularly & respectfully known as �Arzu Saheb� by music-lovers, singers and the composers). When Saigal  sings  his verses ��Bahut us galee ke�, �Ghar ye tera sadaa na mera hei�, �Idhar phir bhi aanaa�, �Jeevan asha ye hai�, �Mein sotey bhaag jagaa doonga�,�Matwale paney se jo ghataa jhoom paree hei�, �Preet mein hai jeevan jokhon�, �Sanwariya prem ki bansi bajay�, �Yey kaisa anyay daataa�  etc  and in particular when the maestro recites- �Chhatee se dhuan uthaa hai jo boondpareehei� lines of the ghazal- �Marwale pane se_�;he makes the listeners enthralled and spell bound. This is just one of such examples of his masterpiece renderings.

Let me play for you a ghazal of Ibrahim Zauk, as sung by Saigal.  The  verses of this ghazal- �Laayee hayat aaye� not only captivates the listener, it deeply provokes his/her thought  with the process of  message and the immersed mysticism of this immortal piece; especially in the follow up-  �Apni khushi naa ayey/ naa apni khushi chaley___�.It compels you to pause and reflect the poet�s creation. Aren�t you transformed and transfixed? The manner in which this ghazal   has been  recited;  without any hesitation, I may add that it is one of the rarest of rare examples of expression of mysticism in the annals of ghazal-singing.

Saigal, besides singing   ghazals of these three lyricists- Ghalib, Zauk and Seemabh;  also sang a number of ghazals of other noted  poets  of his time. viz Kidar Sharma, Jameel Mazhari, Pt Sudarshan, Safdar Aah, D.N.Madhok, Khumar Barabankvi, Aga Hashr Kashmiri, Ameer Minai, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Bedam Warsi, Swami Ramanand and others.

In this context, some of his all time popular ghazals-�Aie dil-e beqarar jhoom� & �Chah barbad karegi�(Khumaar Barabanqvi);�Apni hasti ka agar� (Bedam Warsi);�Deewana hoon�, �Shamma ka jalnaa hai�(Kidar Sharma); �Binaa pankh  panchhi hoon mein�, �Us mast nazar per paree jo nazar� (D.N. Madhok);�Kaun veeraney mein dekhega bahaar�(Ameer Minai) etc are a few references,  enough   to establish the ability of ghazal singing of the maestro.   

Naushad, the master composer, composed music for the film �Shahjahan�. In this film Saigal acted and sang some popular numbers like�Jab dil hi tootgaya�, �Aie dil-e beqarar jhoom�, �Chah barbaad karegi�.  These songs added to the recognition of the music-director. In a tribute to Saigal, Naushad has very appropriately commented-�Naushad mere dil ko yakeen hai yeh mukamal/ Nagmon ki kasam aaj bhi zinda hei woh Saigal�.(Naushad swears by his lyrics that his heart is certain that even today Saigal is alive). 

If  Saigal was a better singer of ghazals or that of bhajans and mystic-songs? This aspect of his music legacy is generally debated amongst his critics and listeners.

The era of ghazal-singing in a way commenced with Saigal. Because of   its mass appeal, a large number of singers followed; some of them earned fame and handsome money. A few cine-singers also sang ghazals for the films, which further popularized �ghazal� singing. Notable amongst such ghazal-singers  were -Begum Akhtar, Mallika Pukhraj, Talat Mehmood,  Mohd Rafi, Jagjit Singh, Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hassan, Abida Parveen, Tahira Syed et al.

Yet again, let me introduce you to Saigal�s bhajan and mystic singing aspect. Saigal sang some fascinating   bhajans. Amongst, his all time greats include-�Bhaju mein to bhaav se shree girdhari�, �Radhe rani re de daro na�, �Nein heen ko raah dikhaa prabhu�, �Madhukar sham hamare chor�, �Sumiran kar piya ram naam�, �Mein nahin maakhan khayo�, �Suno suno re krishan kala�, �Janam janam ka dukhia prani�, �Jeevan ka such aaj prabhu�, �Hari bin koyee kaam na aayo� etc wherein I found his complete surrender to the �Sublime�, as immense  and matchless.

Listen to his voice quality, when he sings �Do charnon pe balihari�  -in �Bhaju mein to bhaav say shree girdhari�; and  �Is bansee mein merey praan basat hein� in �Radhe rani re�; � Chahun or  merey ghor andhera� in  �Nein heen ko raah dikha prabhu�; here he makes the listener visualize, what blindness is. After listening to these renderings, I have no hesitation to admit that Saigal makes me cry time and again, whenever I listen to these heavenly gifts to mankind through Saigal.

Such illustrations of communicating the feelings expressed in the bhajans, which Saigal sang are endless. Though, it is the listener�s understanding and intake, as to how he/she enjoys the allure of the singer�s renderings.

There is a very interesting story about legendary classical singer Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. A journalist approached Khan Saheb for an interview.  He (the journalist) introduced himself as a scholar, columnist, a Phd in music and having a deep knowledge of music. After listening to the journalist, Khan Saheb   enquired-�Miyan, kabhee royey ho; kabhee muhabbat ki hei?�  (Gentleman, have you ever shed tears and have you ever been in love?). The journalist was speechless.  At this Khan Saheb advised him- �Mian, chaye-waye pio aur jao, tumhein mausikee sey kya lenaa dena?� (Gentleman, have some tea and leave, what relationship do you have with music?) 

The fact remains that music cannot be understood with the laws of physics or mere theoretical  knowledge. The saying goes true with the music of Saigal, as well. If someone wants to enjoy the music and more particularly the melodies of Saigal, one must listen to them with heart and not merely with head. 

In addition to ghazals and bhajans, Saigal sang a large number of songs -classical and or otherwise- which will continue to haunt the listeners till there is music in the atmosphere and there are listeners, who value the meaning of love, affections, virtue, endearment and pleasure of solitude

Recalling the golden era of New Theatre, Calcutta days Phani Majumdar once wrote a fascinating account in Illustrated Weekly of India:

�K.L.Saigal once bought a motor-bike but refused to ride it himself. He actually hired a chauffeur to take him around. Finally, he decided to get a license__ but he could never gain any real mastery over the bike. He was always looking forward to an opportunity to show it off to his friends. The New Theatre studio was just a few furlongs from from the old tram terminus in Calcutta. Saigal would wait at the terminus every morning so he could offer someone a lift. But most of us preferred walking. One day I asked him to give Pankaj Mullick, who was was just alighting from the tram, a ride. As I reached the studio, there came Saigal chugging away. He was alone; I asked him where Pankaj was. And Saigal looked stunned. He�d given Pankaj a lift alight but the man had fallen off the pillion some where mid-way. Not only Saigal not noticed that his companion had fallen off, he�d quite forgotten that he�d given Pankaj a lift in the first place.�