Tributes to Mohammed Rafi Sahab by Lata Mangeshkar.

Tributes paid by Lata Mangeshkar to Mohammed Rafi Sahaab on the occasion of the 10th Death Anniversary.

Extract and rough translation of the speech:


Bhaaiyo.n aur behno.n,

....Main aapko yeh bataana chaahtee hoon, ke Rafi Sahaab ke saath, (applause) maine jo kaam shuru kiyaa thaah, ’47 me.n, aur kam se kam tees- battees saal, hamm logon ne saath kaam kiya hai.

Rafi Sahaab ek, bahot hee achche insaan theh, ache gaayak toh theh hee matlab yeh kehne kee zaroorat hee naheen hai meree. Par bahot bhale, aur bhole insaan theh, un me.n koee aib naheen thaah. kisee cheez ka un ko, nashaa karne kee aadat naheen theeh. Bahot hee shareef aadmee theh, aur mere saath un ka bilkul bhai jaisa pyaar thaah.

Main kaise bhool saktee hoon, ke ek aise insaan ke saath, mujhe gaane ka mauqa milaa. Main badi khush qismat hoon. Aur yeh meree badnaseebee hai, ke bahot jaldi, aur bahot chhotee umr me.n, rafi sahaab ham mein se nikal gaye, aur ham log ek taraah se, hamaraa sangeet anaath ho gaya. ........

Aaj main aapko ek hee bahot chhotee see chaar laine sunaati hoon jo Rafi sahaab gaayaa karte theh. ..

UTNAA HEE UPKAAR, SAMAJH KOEE, JITNAA SAATH NIBAAH DE,
JANAM MARAN KA, MEL HAI SAPNAA, YEH SAPNAA BISRAA DE,
KOEE NAA SANGG MARRE.....
MANN RE, TUU KAAHE NAA DHEER, DHARE,
WOH NIRMOHEE, MOH NAA JAANE, JIN KA MOH KARE...OH....
MANN RE, TUU KAAHE NAA, DHEER DHARE.

Bahot bahot shukriyaa.


Rough English Translation of the Tributes paid by Lata Mangeshkar to Mohammed Rafi Sahaab on the occasion of the 10th Death Anniversary.

Brothers and Sisters....

I would like to inform you that I had started working with Rafi Sahaab in '47 and for about thirty to thirty-two years we worked together.

Rafi Sahaab was a very good human being. It’s not necessary for me to say that he was a very good singer as well. But he was a very good natured and childlike human being. He had no vices. He was a complete teetotaller. A nobe soul that he was, he had a brotherly love for me.

How can I forget that I got an opportunity to sing with such a person! I’m very fortunate. At the same time, It’s my misfortune, that very early in life, and at a very young age, Rafi Sahaab made his exit, and in a way, we, our music, became orphans. ......

Today, I would like to sing for you some small four lines that Rafi Sahaab used to sing himself.

UTNAA HEE UPKAAR, SAMAJH KOEE, JITNAA SAATH NIBAAH DE,
JANAM MARAN KA, MEL HAI SAPNAA, YEH SAPNAA BISRAA DE,
KOEE NAA SANGG MARRE.....
MANN RE, TUU KAAHE NAA DHEER, DHARE,
WOH NIRMOHEE, MOH NAA JAANE, JIN KA MOH KARE...OH....
MANN RE, TUU KAAHE NAA, DHEER DHARE.

Thank you very much.