Nostalgia 3 – संगीत रसग्रहण ३

Mere Mann Ke Diye

Movie: Parakh
Singer(s): Lata Mangeshkar
Music Director: Salil Choudhary
Lyricist: Shailendra Singh
Year/Decade: 1960, 1960s
Lyrics – Click Here


Pls do listen to the song on the YouTube link while reading ! I am sure you would enjoy it more and can relate to it more !!  

One of my many many most favorite songs of Salilda!!! There are so many things to write about this song … attempted just a few –


1) I believe this would probably be one of those very rare songs where there is absolutely no rhythm instruments played at all ! All you can hear in this song is a beat of triangle and that’s it ….


2) This song portrays a strong contrast in a way; Lata Didi’s soulful voice without any supporting music instruments like song violins etc. and a very heavy chorus lines used as a background harmony along with vibraphones, pianos and in music pieces too along with high pitched flute.

3) Here are some great words by AK from songsofyore.com –

​”Salilda’s early work in his Bengali songs of mass awakening had a lot of experiments with choral singing. In some ways choral songs are a great tool to mobilize people. A simple refrain that people can sing and march to does wonders for your psyche. Of course the next song is anything but simple and the dichotomy is stark. The musical setting is completely western, the scene is completely Indian. The song starts with a single piano chord followed by the oboe (at least, I think it is an oboe because of the clear bell like note, though it could be an E flat clarinet) and a lamp is lit in front of a deity. Lata begins the song unaccompanied; then, the chorus starts up and if you listen carefully, you realize that in the chorus, there are two melodic strains. The higher one, which is more noticeable, and the lower one which runs as a sort of counterpoint. This is again typical Salilda. All the voices are not doing the same thing. It is difficult to catch this on computer speakers especially in the beginning. A good pair of headphones can help isolate the two lines. Now there is seemingly no rhythmic instrument in the song. It seems to be driven forward entirely by the chorus with the piano occasionally providing the impetus.” 

4) Wind Instruments have always been dominant in many of Salilda’s Compositions and this song is no exception!



5) As mentioned earlier, Salilda has used chorus as obbligatos/harmony in stanza. Listen to this particular chorus notes at “प्यार की राह में ” and “कबसे जलता है वो ” ! It’s so marvelous !!!

6) Lata Didi’s soulful and soothing voice! You can’t miss the variation of “मेरे” in “ओ मेरे लाडले”… so crisp … believe me it’s very difficult to sing that variation so crisp so easily not sounding it classical! Lata Didi has sung this song with such emotions and without much support from other musical instruments ! Believe me singing such sad song that too ad lib … This song portrays exactly why Lata Didi is THE GOLDEN VOICE of India !

7) Lyrics by Shailendraji speak for themselves and describe the traumatic mind of a lady who is saddened by the loss of love owing to the struggle her family had to take to fight for their property.


मेरे मन के दिये, मेरे मन के दिये
यूँही घुट-घुटके जल तू, मेरे लाडले, ओ मेरे लाडले


ख़ाक हो जाएँ हम प्यार के नाम पर
प्यार की राह में रौशनी तो रहे
मेरे मन के दिये …


आग के फूल आँचल में डाले हुए
कबसे जलता है वो आसमाँ देख ले

मेरे मन के दिये …

8] Finally I can’t resist to mention on screen presence of Sadhana who has portrayed her character so gorgeously yet being simple! I don’t think she has been seen ever beautiful in any other movies barring few exceptions like Asli Naqli (Tera Mera Pyar Amar, Tuze Jeevan Ki Dor Se), Hum Dono (Jahan Mein Aaisa Kaun Hain) , Manmauji (jarurat hain jarurat hain), Mere Mehboob (Aye Husn Jara Jaag Tuze)

‘Mere man ke diye’ was an astounding choral arrangement and even after 57 years one wonders, How did Salilda conceive such arrangement ? So far ahead of his contemporaries. 




​And I am sure this list will go on !!