Eighty Years of Safdar Aah Sitapuri's Iconic 'Dil Jalta Hai Toh Jalne De'

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 7 June 2024 "Jo Taar Se Nikli Hai Woh Dhun Sab Ne Suni Hai/ Jo Saaz Pe Guzri Hai Woh Kis Dil Ko Pata Hai " (The tune emanating from the strings has enthralled all / But who cares for the fate of the instrument?). Sahir Ludhianavi wrote these immortal lines for the song, "Ashkon Ne Jo Paaya Hai” for the film, Chaandi ki Deewaar (1964). Talat Mahmood sang it soulfully. This couplet articulates the dismal fate of the creator of an immortal creation. Though the great Sahir always got the acknowledgement for his fabulous poetry and lyrics, not many poet-lyricists got the recognition they deserved. Safdar Aah Sitapuri was one of them. Does this name ring a bell? Perhaps not. While his song "Dil Jalta Hai Toh Jalne De Aansoo Na Baha" (Film: Pahli Nazar, composer: Anil Biswas, 1945) was immortalised by Mukesh, he (Sitapuri) remained in oblivion. Safdar Aah Sitapuri ---- Though the movie hit the marquee in 1945, Aah Sitapuri wrote this Ghazal in 1944 and it appeared in an Urdu Roznaamcha, Vatan, published from Lahore. Initially, the director and producer Mazhar Khan didn't want to use this for his movie. But as luck would have it, the song was not only retained, it got Mukesh a strong foothold in Bombay. A few years ago, a Pakistani film critic Anwar Azeem wrote in an Urdu daily that this song was initially offered to Rafi, This is factually wrong. First of all, Anil Biswas never liked Rafi's voice and used him just for four rather forgettable songs just the way composer Naushad Ali used Kishore's voice for only one song. We all have our biases and we often make a fetish of our idiosyncrasies. That apart, Rafi's voice didn't evolve as a perfect singing voice till 1949 when he sang that song of the songs, "Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki Na Jaane" (Film: Dulari). Sitapuri was preferred only by Anil Biswas. He didn't get many films. He wrote many Nazms. A few like, Tumhari Yaad, Ibne-e-Aadam Ka Azm and Pesh-Rau-Pesh-E-Nazar are indeed notable. One incomplete Ghazal Dukhti Rag is popular among the connoisseurs of Urdu poetry. There's a couplet in it, "Aankhein Khuli Theen Un Ke Intazaar Mein/ Khuli Hi Raheen Iktarfa Pyaar Mein” (Eyes were wide open waiting for her/ They remained open in an unrequited love). I received one more couplet of Aah Sitapuri from a retired professor friend of mine who taught Urdu at Allahabad University: Koi Aa Ke Ise Buhaar De/ Gard-Aalood Ho Gayee Hai Qabr Meri (Let someone come and dust it off/ My tomb is soiled with dust). He lamented in an interview in 1979 that no one remembered that he penned the song, Dil Jalta Hai Toh Jalne De. He breathed his last in 1980; unsung and completely forgotten. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/safdar-aah-sitapuri-iconic-dil-jalta-hai-toh-jalne-de/d/132464 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism