Jagjit Singh! If my teenage and adulting days were at all beautiful, most of the credit for that goes to this legendary master of ghazals. I still remember my school days when I used to wait a whole day for the computer lab period so that I can finally listen to his ghazal Hothon Se Choo Lo Tum which I somehow discovered with a friend. While other friends used to play games and do online painting, I’d just open the working window while pretending of learning computer but actually taking the lessons of sensitivity, emotions, deep love from this man called Jagjit Singh.

My love for Jagjit Singh only grew as I plunged into the sea of the songs and ghazals which he has sung in his lifetime. I remember not getting bored in loneliness, in fact, I started enjoying loneliness because Jagjit Ji was with me. His ghazals were always with me!

But as I grew up, I somehow got disconnected. Not totally! I still listen to his ghazals but not every day. Life has become so busy! But those ghazals are still as beautiful as they were back in my early 20s or even before that. When I listen to them today, I can still feel the rush of emotions in my heart, those goosebumps and my eyes still get heavy. The ghazals are still beautiful, Jagjit Singh ji live on but the world around us has changed drastically. As I said earlier, we’ve got really busy now while trying to make the ends meet.

The world was never a free place to start with, it was always filled with emptiness and that’s why these ghazals are beautiful. However, now there’s another kind of craziness. Earlier we had some time to recollect our emotions, breathe in-breathe out, cry sometimes but now the time has taken that liberty as well. Now we hardly have the liberty to cry, face ourselves, talk to ourselves… let alone the liberty of expressing yourself to others.

So coming to the point… With all these liberties fading or being vanished, it won’t be wrong to say that many of the ghazals sung by Jagjit Singh and written by great poets of that time are meaningless… meaningless for at least today’s generation.

On the death anniversary of Jagjit Singh, here I list down 11 songs and ghazals of the master which are my personal favourite but I feel they are meaningless in these times.

Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar

1983 Bollywood film Arth boasts of this ultimate gem of a song by Jagjit Singh. The lyrics are deep, meaningful, pure yet bold. “Tu apne dil ki javaan dhadkano ko gin ke bataa, meri tarah tera dil bekaraar hai ki nahi.”

You’ll love the lyrics and song only if you’ll get the time to sit down and listen. Sadly, it’s a time when we don’t want to hear but just react. So there’s no point and it’s a meaningless song.

Koi Ye Kaise Bataaye

“Koi ye kaise bataaye ke woh tanhaa kyu hai, woh jo apna tha wohi aur kisi ka kyu hai? Yahi duniya hai to phir aisi ye duniya kyu hai? yahi hota hai to aisa hi hota kyu hai?”

The world was bad at that time too and there were complaints at that time too but now the liberty to sit down and grieve has gone. Plus, this generation doesn’t believe in grieving for love. It believes in moving on and it’s correct too. In this time, if you won’t move on what will you do? Ahh, the irony!

Benaam Sa Ye Dard

“Benaam sa ye dard thehar kyu nahi jaata? Jo beet gaya hai woh guzar kyu nahi jaata?” Again, the problem with moving on. This generation doesn’t suffer from that issue so it’s yet another irrelevant song for them.

Tum Hamare Nahi

“Tum hamaare nahi to kya gham hai, ham tumhare to hain ye kya kam hai?” Now, who even sings a ghazal like that in today’s world. I mean c’mon! People change partners in this world faster than changing companies for they work in.

Haath Chute Bhi To

“Haath choote bhi to rishte nahi toda karte, waqt ki shaakh se lamhe nahi toda karte”. There’s no one to tell that and there’s no one to listen to such thoughts.

Apne Haathon Ki Lakeeron

“Baada phir baada hai main zehar bhi pee jaau qateel, shart ye hai koi baaho mein sambhaale mujhko”. Even though this is a world of pickup lines, this super romantic pickup line needs a “thehraav” to say and listen. No one has that luxury again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v1AfLAYLzY

Pyaar Mujhse Jo Kiya

Now this song is honest on another level. The guy is not promoting but demoting himself in the eyes of his lover. Let alone the honesty of that level, we are pro in cheating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prtrsIG7564

Shaam Se Aankh Mein

There’s a para in this song which says, “koi rishtaa nahi raha phir bhi ek tasleem laazmi si hai”. The scenario is totally opposite today. People stop interacting before breaking up these days.

And look at our Jimmy Sheirgill in the video. Even he has changed a lot.

Tanha Tanha Ham Ro Lenge

Now, this is a sad song of epic proportions and hardly anyone of today’s generation will relate to it. “Jab tak aansoo saath rahenge, tab tak geet sunaayege”. Forget it, they will say and start playing, “Mere saiyaan ji se aaj maine breakup kar liya”

Dekha Jo Aaina To

“Dekha jo aaina to mujhe sochna padha, khud se na mil saka to mujhe sochna padha”. We look at the mirror only to check if our looks are on point. No time for self-inspection, bro!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceB1CfhI6BQ

Khuda Hamko Aisi Khudaai

“Khuda hamko aisi khudaai na de, ke apne sivaa kuch dikhaai ne de.” Khuda has already given us that Khudaai in which we don’t see anyone apart from our own selfish motives.

Rest In Peace Jagjit Singh Ji! We are blessed to be born in a world that had you.

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