tumula: Of Ambitions and Mediocrity

Why am I mediocre? I often question myself; it either makes me hate myself when I feel that I am the reason for it or pity myself when I feel that maybe I am not the reason. Irrespective of these feelings, the thought persists. It continues to hurt. Why do I feel so? For one, it is because that I pursue petty things. For another, it is because I feel insignificant. The insignificance of the pursuit and the self itself is the cause.

Unfortunately Mediocrity and Ambition often go together and that is when it hurts. If you had no ambitions, life would be easier. But would I prescribe complacency to someone? definitely not, that’s another issue. Someone said there is perhaps more uniformity in excellence than in mediocrity. It appears puzzling rather counter-intuitive, but a little deeper thought reveals what it means. However it only raises further questions. Coming back to the question why I am mediocre, I don’t know, the simplest answer would be that it is probably because I am not a genius. Is it just that? The mind wanders, and hopes it is not.

What about individualism then? Doesn’t it suggest that mediocrity is self-imposed? Ayn Rand says "Mediocrity doesn't mean average intelligence; it means an average intelligence that resents and envies its betters." I don’t necessarily agree with this. To me mediocrity is about me, it is not a relative term.

This quote has kept me interested for a long time,

"But even when we are sharpened and quickened intellectually by argument, by discussion, by reading, this does not actually bring about that quality of sensitivity. And you know all those people who are erudite, who read, who theorize, who can discuss brilliantly, are extraordinarily dull people. So I think sensitivity, which destroys mediocrity, is very important to understand. Because most of us are becoming, I am afraid, more mediocre. We are not using that word in any derogative sense at all, but merely observing the fact of mediocrity in the sense of being average, fairly well educated, earning a livelihood and perhaps capable of clever discussion; but this leaves us still bourgeois, mediocre, not only in our attitudes but in our activities."

- Jiddu Krishnamurthy
The Awakening of Intelligence

I tried interpreting it in several ways, but it still did not answer my questions on mediocrity. Though I understood the importance of sensitivity, I wasn’t sure of it’s relevance to mediocrity, Yes, I certainly realize that sensitivity negates mediocrity in our attitudes, but actions? Well, I will also have to agree that attitudes reflect on our actions but does it help me overcome the insignificance of my actions or my self itself that I questioned initially. Hmmmmm... It probably does!

Mohammed Rafi- The Virtuoso

There are probably only two other male playback singers equally popular to him in the history of Indian Cinema, However he beats everyone in the number of songs that he has sung(around 26,000) and more importantly because he is probably the only singer who has excelled in almost every genre of singing in Hindi film music. Ladies and Gentlemen, this blog is about the virtuoso, a true fankaar, the one and only Mohammed Rafi.

Rafi's romantic duets are probably among the best one can get to listen. Though the highest number of them are with Lata, I am especially fond of the ones with Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle. My all-time favorite is the one with Geeta Dutt "hum aapki aankhon mein" from the 1957 classic, Pyaasa. Other personal favorites of this pair are "jaane kahaan mera jigar gaya ji", "aankhon hi aankhon mein" and the lesser popular "yeh hai bombay meri jaan". Rafi and Asha made a great combo too. Who can ever forget “Achha ji mein haari chalo maan jao na” - A sensuous Asha and a teasing Rafi, both at their best. Another song, where Rafi and Asha outperform each other is the song, "Deewana Mastana Hua Dil".

A pious Muslim, Rafi delivered probably the most authentic bhajans of Indian Cinema. My favorite being "man tadpat hari darshan ko aaj", It is a beautiful bhajan which could turn an agnostic into a devotee. Set on Malkauns Raaga by Naushad, written by Shakeel Badayuni and sung by Rafi, it is symbolic of India’s secularism. Nothing pseudo about it.

Rafi had a classical training under masters like Abdul Wahid Khan and Ghulam Ali Khan. Rafi was a perfectonist and it is almost impossible to find any naunces in his singing. He could effortlessly sing classical based songs. Listen to "madhuban mein raadhika naache" or the high pitched "o duniya ke rakhwale", he could easily switch between third and first octaves, yet maintain his mellifluous voice.

Rafi was undoubtedly the all time best Qawwali singer, Indian Cinema has seen. Each one of his qawwali is superb. Be it "pardah hai pardah", "hum kisise kam nahin" or "chandi ka badan". My all-time favorite though is from 1960 movie, Barsaat ki Raat: "na to caravan ki talaash hai", the song starts off beautifully by Manna dey and Asha bhosle and is brilliantly taken over by Rafi.

Rafi excelled in rendering patriotic songs: "kar chale hum fida" from haqeeqat, "sarfaroshi ki tamanna" from shaheed are some of the memorable ones. Rafi sang the youthful peppy songs as well with equal ease. Most of them were pictured on Shammi Kapoor. Movies like Junglee, Kashmir ki Kali, Dil Dekhe Dekho, Brahmachari, An evening in Paris, Teesri Manzil had some great songs by Rafi and were a rage in the 60s. Though there were too many good songs of this type, I would like to point to two songs which I particularly like, one is "jawaniyan yeh mast mast" and the other is "ayyaiyya karoon mein kya sukoo sukoo".

Rafi has sung many beautiful ghazals. Two such ghazals have been sung solo both by Lata and Rafi. Personally, I like the Rafi version. These are "teri aankhon ke siva" and "ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar".

The versatility of Rafi makes it impossible to brand him as a specific type of singer: there can be nothing which is rafiana andaaz. But specifically, a few of his romantic numbers are my personal favorites. The best of them all is "chaudvin ka chaand ho, ya fitaab ho, jo bhi ho tum khuda ki kasam lajawaab ho" :aahh.. this one is a gem of a song, Rafi at his romantic best. Another one is "zindagi bhar nahin bhoolegi woh barsaat ki raat". Rafi's personal favorite that he himself acknowledged in one of his interviews is "suhaani raat dhal chuki, na jaane tum kab aaoge". A few other romantic songs that comes to my mind: "din dhal jaaye" , "tere mere sapne", "abhi na jao chodkar", "hum bekhudi mein tumko pukaare".

I know this was a futile attempt at paying a tribute to Rafi in a single post, and I also know that I have skipped many of his great songs. It has been 26 years since he left us all, but here I am sitting in another corner of the world and typing this as his songs continues to play on.

Tum mujhe yun bhula na paoge
haan tum mujhe yuh bhula na paoge
Jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere
Sang sang tum bhi gun-gunaoge

Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri
Singer: Mohammed Rafi