GULZAR.. Basking in the bask of Boskiyana !

नाम सोचा ना था, है की नहीं
'अमाँ' कहके बुला लिया इक ने
'ए जी' कहके बुलाया दूजे ने
'अबे ओ' यार लोग कहतें हैं
जो भी यूँ जिस किसी के जी आया
उसने वैसे ही बस पुकार लिया..

तुमनें इक मोड़ पर अचानक जब
मुझको 'गुलज़ार' कहके दी आवाज़
एक सीपी से खुल गया मोती
मुझको एक मानी मिल गए जैसे
आह ! ये नाम खुबसूरत हैं
फिर मुझे नाम से बुलाओ तो..

Its said that a poet or a writer becomes one amongst the top league when he is capable of giving himself a suitable sobriquet.. and who better than Gulzar sa'ab to symbolize this.. he is not just a legendary filmmaker, but is a sensitive one.. he is not just a terrific lyricist, but is a contemporary one.. he is not just an articulate story-teller, but is an evocative one.. and above all he is not just a magical poet, but is a passionate one..

वो जो शायर था चुप-सा रहता था
बहकी-बहकी-सी बातें करता था
आँखें कानों पे रख के सुनता था
गूँगी खामोशियों की आवाज़ें!

जमा करता था चाँद के साए
और गीली- सी नूर की बूँदें
रूखे-रूखे- से रात के पत्ते
ओक में भर के खरखराता था

वक़्त के इस घनेरे जंगल में
कच्चे-पक्के से लम्हे चुनता था
हाँ वही, वो अजीब- सा शायर
रात को उठ के कोहनियों के बल
चाँद की ठोड़ी चूमा करता था..

Guess in this aforesaid poem, Gulzar sa'ab epitomizes himself and how eloquently does he do that ! To quote Bhooshan Banmali : “A poet is a conch-shell that gives voice to the emotions. A lyricist sings of dreams. A visionary is a painter who plays with rainbows. A thinker ponders upon human relationships like a monk who holds council with the trees of forest. A rare blend of all these is Gulzar."

He is diverse yet he co-joins every emotion.. he is hard hitting yet he playfully touches the sensitive chords of every heart.. he is authentic yet he makes us believe that he is penning our words.. he is complicated yet easily emotes the truest of human emotions with ease.. he is the man who makes us lose track of everything and also the one who leads us to the correct path of thought.
Gulzar sa'ab embellishes, enhances, enchants, encompasses, embarks and emphasizes every emotion of life with its encoring empathy.

Just look back to the past 40 years and you will find his presence in every special moment of your life.. he played with us in our childhood through his songs, witnessed our romantic moments with his shayari, stood by us in tough times with his positive stories.. emotionally moved us, thoughtfully challenged us, artistically expanded our horizons and in the end made us believe that 'Meri Awaaz Hi Pehchhan Hain..' and remained with us in this journey from being to becoming like an incandescent light.

His works are not confined to specifications, he is the like the flowing breeze.. his sensitivities and sensibilities are unique, he is like the norm effacing constructor (In his own words, "I did not start from literature, but met a maikhana on the way. Still I kept writing..").. his existence can not be overlooked, we have experienced his craft over the television screen, his masterstrokes on the silver-screen, his brilliance on our bookshelves.. he makes every place his own.. and rightfully so we have given him a place on the highest pedestal in our hearts.

Its rightfully said, that "Gulzar’s lyrics transcend social barriers, be it a rickshaw-puller or a Sufi saint, he touches them both. The lyrics are not about words or rhythms, but about interpreting the world.".. and what more this journey of glory and creating something reverent in this already dilapidated world is still at its peak.. he makes the youth groove but still regales the yesteryear generation with his writing panache.

(acknowledgment to 'प्रीत Ji to candidly permit me to use these lines from her wall.. originally written by another Gulzar-ian bhakt Shivam Sharma ).

रोज़ की बात नहीं, ऐसा कुछ एक बार होता है,
अल्फाजों को जब एक शख्स से प्यार होता है,

मीर-ओ-ग़ालिब जब सींचते हैं खुद इक गुलशन को,
तो सदियों बाद कहीं एक 'गुलज़ार' होता है.

So obviously enough, its impossible to capture this man under one frame coz he has been versatile, vibrant and voluminous in his resplendent repertoire.. but here is an honest attempt to do so.. Gracious, Glorifying Gulzar for an hour.. his words, his voice, his songs.. the magic continues with the master is still at creating masterpieces, magically !

Gulzar Saab - 50 Years Of Glory - The Journey Of Songs.!!!!!!

Gulzar - The Bard Of Bollywood.!!!!