A rainy post

The sound of rain drops falling on a surface, whoever captured that and the music in them must have been a genius. The song from 1942 A Love Story- Bajta hai jal tarang teen ki chaat pe jab, motiyon jaisa jal barse describes it best. The song itself gives a pristine feel, has lovely looking Manisha Koirala and an ever handsome Anil Kapoor.

Though not one for getting wet and all the fun while getting wet or being wet in the rains, I am hooked to hearing and seeing the rain fall. It has happened after years of being unaware of the magic of the downpour, of years in haste, of years of hurry. Being in Kolkata and home alone in this weather, the monsoons, in all their grandeur I fixed myself in a spot near the French window of the bedroom that doesn’t look out to any garden or any such beauty but which offers a wide view of the grey skies. And I watched as it came in a rush like a hurried office goer who has to be present at the appointed hour.

I caught myself humming O sajna barkha bahar aayi, ras ki foohaar laayi, akhiyon main pyaar laai. I love

these Hindi words foohaar, barkha, bahar, ras. The music of this song had been created for a Bengali film and the song is an equally beautiful rendition in this language. Soon I was humming another favourite rain song immortalised by that lovely black and white picture of Raj Kapoor and Nargis clinging to a chhataa... I think Shailender provides the most apt answer to the love puzzle in this song. When the rain drops begin to fall in a puddle, synchronised with the background music and Manna Dey asks Pyaar hua iqraar hua hai, pyaar se fir kyun darta hai dil, you smile. When a lovely Nargis, tortured soul written all over her face answers...Kehta hai dil, rasta mushkil, maaloom nahi hai kahan manzil...you understand everything there is to it.

Another one that I am reminded of right now is a Shammi Kapoor- Mala Sinha number that we were introduced in Jaisinghpur at my maasi’s place on her two-in-one and which remains a favourite with both us sisters Dil tera deewana hai sanam, jaante ho tum kuch na kahenge hum....



A peppy number is from the film Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya....Laga laga laga re laga prem rog for the simply hot looking Sushmita Sen (whom I adored till she went on and did a horrible movie called Chingari) and of course the one and only Salman Khan.

Sunidhi Chauhan has also sung a rain song that is one of my favs. Chameli’s Bhaage re mann....is light and ch


arming. Another one is an Akshaye Khanna- Sonali Bendre thing with all stuff bygone like love letters, buying gifts, dressing up for a meeting. Khanna looks so cute and Bendre is a heart stealer with those innocent expressions accompanied with a little hesitation mixed with certain eagerness....Ik mohabbat ka deewana dhoondhta sa fire, koi chahat ka nazrana dilruba ke liye..... Ek hasina idhar dekho kaisee bechain hai, raste par lage kaise uske do nain hai, sach puchhiye toh mere yar, dono key dil beikhtiyar, beikhtiyar hain pehli bar pehli bahar main

 Majrooh Sultanpuri, one of my personal favourites, provides the naughty quotient for the rains. With unmatchable score provided by senior Burman, no one can feel the full spirit of the rainy season without Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si....Tum hi kaho ye koi baat hai hmmmmmmmmmmm......tan bheega hai, sar geela hai, uska koi pench bhi dheela hai...

Madhubala reminds me of Garjat barsat saawan aayo re from Barsat ki Ek Raat. A handsome Bharat Bhushan and the beautiful qawalis, were the highlights of the movie but the lyrics of this particular song are just lovely.....Rimjhim rimjhim megha barse, tarse jiyarwa meen samaan, parr gayi feeki laal chunariya, piya nahi aaye.

Kaale megha kaale megha from Lagaan again makes use of lovely words kaare, chaaye badraa, bijuriya chamke, baan, amrit, jal but it still is not a great hit with me. Neither is a much popular Barso Re from Guru which though aces in cinematography. Similarly Chak dhoom dhoom from DTPH is okay while one is seeing it as well but does not merit much while simply listening to it. 

There is the handsome Dev Anand in the song Rimjhim ke taraane le ke aayi barsaat which I prefer to watch anything else more recent. I listened to Rimjhim ke geet sawan gaaye on my sister’s phone and fell in love with the line....Main chup hun aise, ke keh doon kaisem mera saajan nahi tu koi aur hai. Rimjhim gire sawan which describes rains beautifully is also amazing and as I found out recently I preferred the female version over Kishore’s.

Rains in Hindi films are also a perfect excuse for some sizzle. No don’t think Roop tera mastana but Bheegi bheegi raaton main, Aaj rapat jaayein, Tip tip barsa paani and Badal yun garajta hai...

Well I could go on and on and still there would some lovely numbers, but as I take leave of this post I cannot miss Asha Bhonsle-RD-Gulzar and not mention Choti si kahani here. And of course my own one and only rain masti song, Shubha Mudgal’s Ab kesawan aise barse.