Woh choti si raatein woh lambi kahani

10-10-2011, Sun has risen with a grey shade.
Something which is supposed to be eternal, lost its charm.

The mastero, Jagjit Singh, passed away.

My first memory of Jagjit singh, was a song, Woh kagaz ki kashti, often played on our cassatte player. I can remember the countless itarations of Jagjit & Chitra, Live at Royal Albert Hall, Listening to Hum to hai parades me, Des me nikala hoga chand, when I was away from home, and many more.

The person who defined the peak for music, still managed to remain down to earth, a very very talented music director, singer and a human being.

It was 2000-01 I guess, There was a concert some 80kms from my hometown. I was keen about it and grabbed a pass worth 500 Rs. It was the first time I carried so much cash with me (those were my  school days). Jagjit Singh came to stage, started introducing the collegues and suddenly there was an electricity short circuit, and all the lights, mics, speakers everything went off. It was merely 7.30 in the evening. Any other singer might have reacted furiously but Jagjit saab, started singing even without mic. It took some two hours to rectify the fault and power resumed, more than half of the audience left meanwhile. When Jagjit saab took mic in the hand again it was around 9.45 PM. First sentence he said was, "Yeh concert muze Zindagi bhar yaad rahega; ki pahli baar maine live audience ke saamne rehearsal kiya! Aisa mauka mushkil se milta hai. Mai aap sabka shukrgujar hoon ki itna sab hone ke baad bhi aap log mere liye baithe rahe. Ek fankar ko isase jyada aur kya chahiye." That concert was on till 1.30 in the night, and that was out of the world experience.

Gulzarji, and Jagjit saab, together gave few of the masterpieces to the hindi music. Let it be Marasim or Gulzar's triveni composed and sung by Jagjitsingh, it was a treat to every follower of shayari, gazal, gulzar or jagjit. Many many songs are there just because of this great singer. Not just gazals but film songs like Koi Fariyaad, Hosh walong ko khabar kya or Badi Najuk hai yeh manzil are engraved on thousand of minds.

I wish just once, I could have got a chance to meet him in person, I could have seen him live once again, may be just one more album or composition... wishes are many, now no one is there to fulfill them.

The soulful voice who supported powerful words like,

Ujale apani yaadon ke ab hamare saath rahne do
Na jane kis gali me zindagi ki shaam ho aaye

suddenly went off leaving behind only the memories!

May his soul rest in peace...
What else we can do for him, than offering prayers!!!