Tribute to Maestro of Ghazals: Jagjit Singh

Courtesy: Google images

Shaam Se aankh mein name si hai

Aaj phir aapki kami si hai

-By Jagjit Singh for Jagjit Singh as my homage

Jagjit Singh, whom I only saw on televisions and listened on my systems, passed away yesterday. This news was really shocking. As not only we lost a good human being but deprived ourselves from a lot of good music still unsung by this artist. 

As I get most of the taste for music by my mother and brother, I still remember in childhood when my brother brought a cassette of Saher: one of the most spectacular album in which he mesmerize and enchanted people with his blessed voice, I  listened to him first time consciously. Previously, I have listened to his old songs but didn’t know his name or identity. It was after I listened Saher, I explore his more numbers. When I went in college, I explored his complete music. He had sung music for all the moods. In lucknow, I was very passionate about visiting ghazal bars and particularly to listen the ghazals of Jagjit singh and Pankaj Udhas. 

I remember some of his best creations which make you nostalgic and which are evergreen songs. After I heard this bad news, I checked papers and facebook. Almost every passionate ghazal listener had uploaded a message on facebook or tweeted something about him to pay him the homage. The papers are filled with the columns by the people like Khayyam who had worked with him and many others. We have lost a great musician. May his soul rest in peace.

There are some moments which we cherished throughout our life and it was when I thought about those golden moments, I always able to associate song with it. Like when I was in love, I spend my days and nights listening to his number, “Hoshwalon ko khabar”, he sung in the movie Sarfarosh. During some sad days, I remember when my room partner was requesting me to change the song as I was playing his no. “Tere bare mein jab socha nahi tha” continuously for days and nights. I always want to give him the credit for my good results in exams because without his songs, night out had not been possible.

One of the Hotel in lucknow, I didn’t remember exactly his name perhaps it was Deep palace used to play the ghazals of Jagjit singh every day in their bar section. I am talking about 5,6 years back, it was used to be very expensive as we didn't have the money then . But we used to go there, never ate anything, just ordered cheapest drink and have compliments and sit there for long hours. Waiters asked many times but we didn’t have the money to order. Those were the nice days. It was our love for Jagjit Singh that we used to visit that place.