KOCHI: “Deewaarom se milkar ronaa acha lagthaa hai…” When Panakaj Udhas sang, the whole of Kochi listened. His velvet voice floated over the thickly packed JT Pac on Saturday, taking the audience to new heights of musical ecstasy.
With his haunting voice Udhas stole the hearts of music lovers, and the ghazal evening, Stolen Moments, offered some priceless moments for all gathered at the venue.
This live staging of all the hit ghazals by Udhas, presented jointly by JT Pac and Muthoot Pappachan Foundation, was a rare opportunity for Kochiites to listen to the lingering melodies of the evergreen singer.
Pankaj started the concert with the popular ‘Samaana kharabh’, to the mellifluous accompaniment of flute, violin and mandolin.
Then he slowly entered the magical world of ghazals through the immortal lines ‘Deewaarom se milkar ronaa acha lagthaa hai…’ that carried the imagination of lyricist Janab Zafar Ghorakhpuri. Unlike in his albums, Udhas presented an improvised version of ‘Duniya bhar ki yaad.’ Romantic songs penned by Anwar Farookhabadi were soulfully rendered by the singer with ‘Sabko maalum he mein sharaabi nahee… Phir bhee koi pilaaye tho mein kyaa karoom…’ Then was the nostalgic presentation of ‘Jiye tho jiye kaise…’ which touchingly unveiled the sweetest sorrow of separation between lovers. By poignantly controlling his soft and sweet voice Udhas transferred the anxiety of an obsessive lover who dreams about his sweetheart.
With a humorous remark Pankaj dedicated the next ghazal, ‘Hui mahang bahuth hai sharaab ki....’ to the people whom he had seen queuing in front of a beverages shop while on his way to JT Pac. And his voice was a perfect platform for the beauty of the simple lines penned by S Rakesh.
His humour was at its best as he spoke of the life of a man before and after marriage and prescribed ghazal as the best remedy to please their wives. He then sang ‘Chaandi jaisa rang hai thera…’ much to the delight of the women in the audience.
Then came the nostalgic ‘Laa pilaade saaqiiyaa’, a traditional ghazal from his famous album ‘Nasheela’. During the rendition Rashid Mushtafa and Rakesh Chaurasya proved their talent in tabla and flute respectively as they presented a miraculous control over rhythm and melody.
The soul stirring ghazal from the hit film ‘Mohra’, penned by Indeevar and scored by Viju Shah, was presented in an enthralling style. Pankaj Udhas, who had sung this song along with Sadhna Sargam in the film, once again proved his proficiency in touching the hearts of listeners by singing Na Kajre Ki Dhar …’ Then came the touching ghazal which Udhas keeps close to his heart- ‘Hei hamem zindagee,’ penned by his favourite lyricist Zaraf Ghorakhpuri. Here he presented the stylised version of the famous lines ‘Ek tharaf uska ghar…’ in tune with the magical support of the mandolin.
Without any preface Pankaj Udhas brought out his all-time favourite, ‘Chitee aayee hai… Rakesh Chaurasya took his base flute and played a beautiful bit to provide fragrance to the lines. This was followed by some striking western notes on violin by Rajendra Singh.
To satisfy the audience who had many requests towards the end of the programme, Udhas presented a garland of ghazals like ‘Sharaab cheez hi aisi..’, ‘Na chodee jaye..’ and ‘Hai gunguroo toot gaye…’ Throughout the downpour of ghazals, Anupam Chatterji controlled the basic tone in his keyboard in tune with the movement of the magical fingers of Udhas on his harmonium.
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