Ghul Raha Hai Sara Manzar

Ghul Raha Hai Sara Manzar - Breathless 

Lyrics - Javed Akthar

Singer - Shankar Mahadevan 

Composition - Shankar Mahadevan 

Prelude - In an era of cassettes in the autumn of the 1990s when Indian pop music was at its zenith, a stout, curly-haired man with a round face was singing "Breathless" on my television set on Doordarshan . I never had an idea that it was Shankar Mahadevan grooving to a song from his album "Breathless" set to raag yaman and penned by Javed Akthar . I cajoled my father to buy this cassette for me so that I could dance to the beats of the song . I used to jig the moment I heard some music on the first floor.Our house owner on the ground floor used to get irritated by the sound of my feet thrusting the floor, causing noise pollution . But among all the frenzy of " breathless ", there was a song silently leaning against a tree, oblivious to the world. The song is " ghul raha hai sara manzar " , which is like a stroll through the woods on a winter morning . 

Ghul raha hai sara manzar sham dundhli ho gayi

Chandini ki chadar ode har pahadi so gayi 

The entire scenery is becoming mellow. The evening is becoming hazy due to darkness.The mountains have slept under a blanket of moonlight. 

Wadiyon main ped hai ab apni heen parchaiyeeyan

Uth raha hai kohra jaise chandini ka who dua

Chand pigla toh chattanein bhi mulayam ho gayi

Raat ke saasein jo mehki aur madham ho gayi 

In the valleys, the trees have only their shadows.The smoke from the moonlight rises up like mist.When the moon melted , then the rocks became soft. It figuratively means a profound emotional event that led to the softening of a person's heart . The breaths of the night have become fragrant and slow.

Narm hai jitni hawa utni fiza khamosh hai

Tehniyon par ooz pike har kali behosh hai

Mod par karvat liye ab unghte hai raaste

Duur koi ga raha hai jaane kiske vaaste 

The breeze is silent as the air is mild and soft .Each flower in the branches is faint after drinking the dew.The path is turning around the corner by stretching sleepily.There is somebody singing from afar; I don’t know for whom.

Postlude - While there are poems glorifying the majestic sun,Javed Akthar shows us the beauty of the moon accompanying the night. The tranquil and soothing effect of raag Bhoopali brings splendour of solitude to the fore.There is the enticing beauty of the night with the moon wearing its patches like a beauty spot. I don't know how many unheard songs are sung in the middle of the night by nature, only testimony to her special guests . 

 

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