Sahir Ludhianvi

Sahir was born on 8 March 1921, in a red sandstone haveli in Karimpura, Ludhiana, Punjab, British India, into a Punjabi Muslim family.[7] This is the reason why he added the suffix Ludhianvi after his name. His mother, Sardar Begum, left her husband thus forfeiting any claim to financial assets from the marriage. In 1934, Sahir's father remarried and sued (acrimoniously and unsuccessfully) for custody of his son. In a recent biography titled Sahir: A Literary Portrait (Oxford University Press) written by US-based author Surinder Deol, the author agrees with the very brief conclusion of Pakistani poet Ahmad Rahi, a friend of Sahir over the years, about Sahir's life story in a nutshell, "In his entire life, Sahir loved once, and he nurtured one hate. He loved his mother, and he hated his father."[5][8] Sardar Begum required protection from Sahir's father and suffered financial deprivation.[9] Sahir's place of birth is marked with a small plaque on the building's arched entrance.

Sahir was educated at the Khalsa High School in Ludhiana. He then enrolled at the Government College, Ludhiana.[10] The auditorium there is named after him.[11] As a college student, Sahir was popular for his ghazals and nazms (poetry in Urdu) and empassioned speeches.[12]

In 1943, Sahir settled in Lahore. There, he completed Talkhiyaan (Bitterness) (1945), his first published work in Urdu. He was member of All India Students Federation. Sahir edited Urdu magazines such as Adab-e-Lateef, Shahkaar, Prithlari, and Savera[12][13] and became a member of the Progressive Writers' Association. However, when he made controversial statements promoting Communism, a warrant for his arrest was issued by the Government of Pakistan. In 1949, after partition, Sahir fled from Lahore to Delhi. After eight weeks, Sahir moved to Bombay.[12] He later lived in Andheri, a suburb of Mumbai. There, his neighbours included Gulzar, a poet and lyricist and Krishan Chander, an Urdu litterateur. In the 1970s, Sahir built a bungalow which he called Parchaiyaan (Shadows), after one of his works, and lived there until his death.

On 25 October 1980, at the age of fifty-nine, Sahir died of a sudden cardiac death.[13] He died in the presence of his friend, Javed Akhtar. He was buried at the Juhu Muslim cemetery. In 2010, his tomb was demolished to make room for new interments.[14]

Sahir wrote,

Sahir was different from his contemporaries in that he did not praise Khuda (God), Husn (beauty) or Jaam (wine). Instead, he wrote bitter yet sensitive lyrics about the declining values of society; the senselessness of war and politics; and the domination of consumerism over love. His love songs, tinged with sorrow, expressed his realisation that there were other, starker concepts more important than love.

Sahir might be called the "bard for the underdog". Close to his heart were the farmer crushed by debt, the soldier gone to fight someone else's war, the woman forced to sell her body, the youth frustrated by unemployment and the family living on the street for instance. Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India said he was moved by Sahir's lyrics in Pyaasa. Vijay, as he is passing through a red light area sings,

Sahir's poetry was influenced by noted Pakistani poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Like Faiz, Sahir gave Urdu poetry an intellectual element that caught the imagination of the youth of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s and reflected the feelings of the people of that period. He roused people from an independence-induced smugness. He would pick on the self-appointed custodian of religion, the self-serving politician, the exploitative capitalist, and the war-mongering super-powers. Sahir wrote with verve about the arrest of progressive writers in Pakistan; the launch of the satellite Sputnik and the discovery of Ghalib by a government lusting after minority votes. He wrote Kahat-e-Bangal (The Famine of Bengal) at 25 years of age. Subah-e-Navroz (Dawn of a New Day), mocks the way people celebrate while the poor exist in squalor. Of the Taj mahal, he wrote,

Sahir Ludhianvi asks his lover to meet him anywhere else but at the Taj Mahal: although the tomb has been a symbol of luxurious monarchy for years, there is no need for beautiful (but not famous) hearts to travel to meet there.[7]

Sahir Ludhianvi recited this poetry couplet at his college event, when he was barely 19 years old, and created an uproar in the literary circles:

[7]

Of his legacy, Sahir writes,

• Mahmood K. T. (2000) Kalām-i Sāḥir Ludhiyānvī. A collection of Ludhiavni's poetry with English translation.[16]
• Abbas K. A. (1958) Shadows Speak: (Parchhalyan). 29 pages.[17]
• Hassan R. (1977) The Bitter Harvest: Selections from Sahir Ludhiavni's Verse. 169 pages.[18]
• Sucha S. (1989) Sorcery (Sahri): poetry. [19]
• Gaata jaye Banjara (1992). A collection of film lyrics.
• Bitterness: Talkhiyan

• "Thandi Hawayein Lehrake Aaye" sung by Lata Mangeshkar, composer S. D. Burman in Naujawan (1951).[13]
• "Jayen To Jayen Kahan" sung by Talat Mahmood, composer S. D. Burman in Taxi Driver (1954).[13]
• "Aana Hai To Aa", sung by Mohammed Rafi, in Naya Daur (1957) O.P. Nayyar, composer.
• "Saathi Haath Badhana" in Naya Daur (1957), sung by Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhonsle.
• "Jane Kya Tune Kahi" sung by Geeta Dutt, "Jane Woh Kaise" sung by Hemant Kumar and "Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye Toh Kya Hai" sung by Mohammed Rafi in Pyaasa (1957) S.D. Burman, composer.[13]
• "Aurat Ne Janam Diya Mardon Ko" sung by Lata Mangeshkar, in Sadhna (1958) Datta Naik, composer.
• "Chin-o-Arab Hamara Hindustan Hamara", sung by Mukesh in Phir Subah Hogi (1959) Khayyam, composer.[13]
• "Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalman Banega", sung by Mohammed Rafi in Dhool Ka Phool (1959) Datta Naik, composer.
• "Yeh Ishq Ishq Hai", sung by Mohammed Rafi and Manna De in Barsaat Ki Raat (1960) Roshan, composer.
• "Na To Karvan Ki Talash Hai", sung by Mohammed Rafi, Manna De, Asha Bhonsle and Sudha Malhotra in Barsaat Ki Raat (1960) Roshan, composer.
• "Allah Tero Naam Ishwar Tero Naam', sung by Lata Mangeshkar in Hum Dono (1961) Jaidev, composer.[13]
• "Main Zindagi Ka Sath Nibhata Chala Gaya", Hum Dono (1961) sung by Mohammed Rafi, Jaidev composer.
• "Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalat Pe Rona Aaya", Hum Dono (1961) sung by Mohammed Rafi, Jaidev, composer.
• "Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar Ke Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin", Hum Dono (1961) sung by Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Jaidev, composer.
• "Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se Ajnabi Ban Jaye Hum Dono', sung by Mahendra Kapoor in Gumrah (1963) Ravi, composer.[13]
• Laaga Chunri Mein Daag" sung by Manna Dey in Dil Hi To Hai (1963 film), Roshan as the composer.
• "Aye Meri Zoharjabin", Waqt (1965) sung by Manna Dey, Ravi (music director).
• "Aagey Bhi Jane Na Tu", film Waqt (1965) sung by Asha Bhonsle, Ravi, composer.
• "Tum Agar Saath Dene Ka Wada Karo", sung by Mahendra Kapoor in Hamraaz (1967), Ravi, composer.
• "Neele Gagan Ke Tale", Hamraaz (1967) sung by Mahendra Kapoor, Ravi composer.
• "Ye Dil Tum Bin Kahin Lagata Nahin", Izzat (1968) Lata-Rafi, Laxmikant–Pyarelal.
• "Babul Ki Duaen Leti Ja", sung by Muhammed Rafi in Neelkamal (1968).
• "Man Re Tu Kahe Na Dheer Dhare", sung by Mohammed Rafi and "Sansar Se Bhage Phirte Ho, Bhagwan Ko Tum Kya Paoge" sung by Lata Mangeshkar in Chitralekha (1964) Roshan, composer.
• "Tora Mann Darpan Kehlaye", sung by Asha Bhosle in Kaajal (1965) Ravi, composer.
• "Ishwar Allah Tere Naam", sung by Mohammed Rafi in Naya Raasta (1970) Datta Naik, composer.
• "Chala Bhi Aa Aja Rasiya", Man Ki Aankhe (1970) Lata-Rafi, Laxmikant–Pyarelal.
• "Na Tu Zameen Ke Liye Na Aasaman Ke Liye", Dastaan (1972) Mohammad Rafi, Laxmikant–Pyarelal.
• "Mere Dil Mein Aaj Kya Hai", Daag (1973) sung by Kishore Kumar, Laxmikant Pyarelal, composer.
• "Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shair Hoon", sung by Mukesh in Kabhi Kabhi (1976) Khayyam, composer.[13]
• "Kabhie Kabhie", sung by Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar in Kabhi Kabhi (1976), Khayyam, composer.