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The song forever
LOKKUR VASANTI RAO
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The song that is the staple of most Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations was written by Iqbal, who belonged to undivided India
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Photo: AP
BINDING LYRIC Saarey Jahan Se Achcha is that song which has unified the nation
“Saray Jahan Say Achcha Hindusitan Hamara….” Who isn’t familiar with these lines? Even if one did not know the meaning of the words let alone the identity of the composer, it is a song that fills the heart. Set to music, in 1950 by Pandit Ravishankar, and sung by Lata Mangeshkar, it was the unofficial National Anthem, also quickened to suit military marches on the Independence Day and The Republic Day.
A favourite question in most quiz contests goes thus: “Who wrote Sare Jahahse Achcha?” And the answers vary from Rabindranath Tagore to Bankim Chandra and every other Indian poet of repute. Few know that it was penned by Mohammud Iqbal, the scholar poet, who was born in Sialkot, now in Pakistan.
When Iqbal died in 1938, Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his condolence message for the nation, “What can I write about Dr. Iqbal except that I was sobbing when I first read his famous poem, Saare Jahan se Accha. When in Yerawada Jail, I must have sung this poem over a hundred times.”
After his early education, he left for England in 1905 and joined the Cambridge University for higher studies in philosophy and was guided by Professor Mc Taggart. He was called to The English Bar in 1908 when he considered writing poetry a ‘useless’ pastime. His two mentors persuaded him to write poetry to inspire his countrymen to fight for freedom. On listening to a Persian couplet, his friend suggested that he should write in Persian to reach a wider audience. On his return, the Allahabad University conferred on him the degree of Doctor Of Literature.
Iqbal had a mind of his own and did not suffer fools. One person he was always happy to see was Jawaharlal Nehru, whom he called ‘patriot politician’. Nehru shared a special rapport with him, despite his differences with Iqbal. This devout Muslim, as he lay on his death bed, desired to hear a song in Punjabi, his mother tongue. He died on April 21, 1938. If he were to be alive today, and had heard his song, without which no civil celebration is complete, wonder what the poet would have said?
The last line as in the tradition of ghazal has his signature and voices his feelings of despair and loneliness.
“Iqbal! We have no confidants in this world.
What does anyone know of one’s hidden pain?”
However, the lines, “mazab nahin sikaatha apas men bair rakana” (religion does not teach us to bear ill will among others…), holds true. And his worldview will always endure.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
