I always wanted to capture my story and experiences with Jagjit Singh more for my daughter Gungun. When she grows up (right now she is 3 years old) and of course if she is interested, she may want to know more about Jagjit Singh like I wanted to.
My relationship with Jagjit singh has been extreme to say the least and of course it is a one sided love hate story. It all started in 1995, with the Mirza Ghalib tapes which my neighbours played and the golden collection cassettes which Jiju had. I pursued it for good 5–6 years and then moved on to others like Mehndi Hassan and so on. I never turned back, started feeling it was all very superficial until again in 2018 when I turned back thinking why? May be I was too young and started all over again. At 38 it all looks very different compared to 24.
What follows from here are my notes and comments from a layman’s perspective/interest and admiration for the legend called Jagjit Singh. Let’s see how it rolls.
— Ibteda
“Yeh Na Thi Hamari Qismat” by Chitra Singh, Jagjit Singh | Mirza Ghalib by Gulzar
“Yeh Na Thi Hamari Qismat” by Chitra Singh, Jagjit Singh & Mirza Ghalib on Amazon Music.
This has been doing rounds in my head for over 15 years now. The words are out of the world and the way Chitra singh has sung is so calming and simple. In the TV series Gulzar has shown Neena Gupta performing on this Ghazal and that is also very beautiful.
There is a reason why Ghalib is immortal and Gulzar and Jagjit Singh have just made it reachable for mere mortals. The ghazal is simple and calming but it stirs something inside. What gets stirred is the soul, the thing stirring is Ghalib; Chitra/Jagjit/Gulzar are the conduits.
Irony is, I like this ghazal so much and still it is not my #1 favourite out of Ghalib’s great treasure or even from the same album.
Extraordinary talent of Ghalib, Gulzar, Jagjit and Chitra have all enriched this plant and hence the ghazal blooms so well.
Give it time and let it grow on you!
Be careful Ghalib had gone through so much in his life that he learnt and perfected the art of celebrating depression, pain and melancholy. Sometimes it leaves the reader/listener feeling the same way!
Following is a version from YouTube.
I recommend listening the ghazal before proceeding further because as Keats rightly said “Nothing ever becomes real until it is experienced”
My pal Ankur Chauhan penned down his thoughts and I guess I relate to him about the team behind Ghalib TV series.
“For me the greatest achievement of an artist lies into his ability to eliminate himself from his art and allowing direct passage between the observer and art.
I was able to create my own version of Ghalib ; imagining him in different scenes crooning in my ears. When that happens from you being a world and Ghalib being the character ; you become the character Ghalib being the world.”
And imagine that this fellow died 149 years ago!
I would also like to quote my favourite sher
“कहूँ किससे मैं कि क्या है, शब-ए-ग़म बुरी बला है
मुझे क्या बुरा था मरना? अगर एक बार होता”
This eternal feeling of dying over and over again is what has probably kept me hooked on to this ghazal. . I recommend visiting the page as they have embedded meanings as well. In the version selected by Gulzar saheb, he has excluded few couplets and created another version. So last on the thread here is the original ghazal.
Share your thoughts and experience. Ghazal is something best appreciated together and Jagjit Singh is no exception!
