I wish to talk about earliest music memories of my life, a Ghazal by Behzad Lakhnavi
Behzad was born on January ONE, of the year 1900 (interesting the very first day of the twentieth Century)and died Oct 10, 1974. So today being the 10th of October, it is his 50th Death anniversary, I sort of chose to write this blog for that reason
I will relate only two Ghazals here (although he wrote many good Ghazals and Na'ats,) His first ghazal that became popular was;
Deevana banana hay toe deevana bana day
This was made famous by the renowned singer Akhteri bai Fayzabadi who is more known now by the name - Begum Akhter. (Who also died in October 1974.) The tune that I remember is the same from Begum Akhter
Just a little background of music in my family; Those were days when (mid thrities) only Gramaphones were found in cities and the only one such "Baja" was in our neighboring Wakeel saabs home where I used to go frequently for playing (even the earliest family photograph is taken in their garden a year before the birth of my youngest sister Amina) I had not seen any radio anywhere in our aquaintances or neighbors There was only one or may be two cars in our city
So once in a while Wakeelan (with her husband) woud visit Saugor and then she would play (there were only one or two record discs) one record with the same song like "Ik Bangla banay niyara" or something like that and I was so fascinated with the machine and used to pick up the thrown away needle to keep with me. We all children would sit quietly listening to the record
Anyway ,In our family (a maulavi family) music as not allowed but father had allowed my older sisters to participate in dholki and songs in various wedding families as was a custom (was the same in Panjab villages) Apa Sakina was popular for her dholki playing among the young girls of her days. So my older sisters had picked up this ghazal from its poularity in India and used to sing from whom I learned that same tune which I still recall and just renewed my knowledge from Google.
The next Ghazal of Behzad Lakhnavi that bacame very popular was when I was in college and that was
Ay jazba-e-dil ger men chahoon, her cheese muqabil aa jayay
Manzil k liyay do gaam chaloon awr samnay manzil aa jayay
Indeed these were his master pieces among other Ghazals and na'ats
