I remember a ricksahawaalah telling me when HKL Baghatdied, aise log na aise hi saad saad ke marenge. Check out this stanzaĪt a very core level this is so true. Picturised on Mukesh, the lyrics are by Shailendra, and music by Shankar Jaikishen. There is another song in this film, also sung by Mukesh, that deals with similar feelings – Aasman Pe Hai Khuda, aur Zameen pe hum.ģ) Sajan re Jhooth Mat Bolo, Khuda ke paas Jaana Hai – Mukesh waxes philosophical in this folksy number from Teesri Kasam. While the number of home owners has definitely increased since the film was released, so has the number of homeless footpath dwellers. Jitni bi buldinge hai, Sethon ne baant li hai, The song was not given playtime on AIR (the only medium on which the song could be heard). Written for the film made in 1958, the songs lyrics are still valid today. It captures the dispossession of the dispossessed. Written by Sahir Ludhianvi and sung by Mukesh, for the film Phir Subah Hogi the song possibly is an anti thesis to Sare Jahan se Achcha. I couldn’t find the video of the one we all heard we were in school, so here is the one from the Incredible India campaign.Ģ) Chino Arab Hamara, Hindustan Hamara Rehene Ko Ghar Nahin hai, Sara jahan hamara. The new version of it for the Incredible India campaign is also worth hearing. I am not really sure if it was ever used in a film, in its entirety. The irony is that Mohammed Iqbal became one of the strong proponents of division on religious lines. Not secularism in the western sense of separation of organised state and organised religion, but secularism in the sense of mutual tolerance, acceptance and co-existance. More than anything else this symbolises secularism in India for me. Hind hi hai hum, Hind hi hai ham vatan hai, Mazhab nahin Sikhata, aapas mein bair rakhna…. Not just the nation state, not even the geographical land mass, but the spirit of the space. Here is my top 15, do add to the list.ġ) Sare Jahan se Achcha Hindustan Hamara – Written by Iqbal way back at the turn of the last century, the song that, I hope, really defines India. Why only Hindi Film Songs? well because I have limited exposure to songs in other languages. On Republic Independence Day – the day, we the diverse people of India became Independent and united – in this shape and form for the first time in history, I thought it would be nice to have a list of songs from Hindi Film Music that represent this Indian-ness not the national identity or the citizenship part of us but something that we recognise in ourselves and others as being Indian. We may not be able to define it in specific words, but most of us know what we mean when we say we are Indian. ) Our multi-party democracy and our zillion paths and our seeming anarchy will drive any one seeing the country right up the proverbial wall. But, if you probe even slightly you realise that we dont. After all, there is nothing that we really have in common – not language, nor culture, not religion or even gods, or even a common philosophy, theology, or even a view of the world. One of the things that interest me is this entire concept of Indian identity. Today, on the 58th Republic Day 62nd Independence Day, I thought that it may be appropriate to post it on my blog… This version has pics… and a couple of other songs… I had earlier posted a version of this post on Blogbharti, as a part of the spotlight series. Again a piece of Lazy Blogging- here is something adapted from a post I did last year on the Idea of India – through songs.