Ghazal singing was never so easy before Jagjit Singh stepped into the arena of making ghazals so popular and soothing. Keeping an audio cassette of Jagjit Singh’s collection of ghazals was also considered a sign of aristocracy or pride. The void created by Jagjit Singh’s death (1941-2011) can never be replaced.
Jagit Singh’s unique style of presenting ghazals was unmatchable. In a way his renditions were simple and easily touched the chords of people’s imagination as they romanced their way into the hearts of millions. The mellifluous notes flowed into a stream of consciousness that could easily transport listeners into an altogether different world where prose and poetry intermingled to create a harmonious blend of imagery as well as reality of life. If Tum itna jo muskara rehe ho, kya gham hai jisko chuparehe ho from Arth (1982) portrayed the reality of life, one could also romance with Jhuki Jhuki Si Nazar from the same movie. Yet, Ye tera ghar, ye mera ghar from Sath Sath in the same year 1982 and Pyar Mujh Se Jo Kiya Tumne gave the audiences two different taste of music – one that portrayed ye ghar bohot hasin hai and the other of the melancholy lover.
But Jagjit Singh was not restricted to film music only. He had established himself at a time in the 1970s when the art of ghazal singing was dominated by well-established names like Noor Jehan, Malika Pukhraj, Begum Akhtar, Talat Mahmood and Mehdi Hassan.
Through his unique style of singing and the art of ghazal rendition, Jagjit Singh was able to make his mark and carve out a niche for himself. In 1976, his album The Unforgetables (On HMV LP Records) hit music stores. The audience loved the fresh voice away from the heavily based classical and semi-classical Indian music.
Among the many more private albums, the duo of Jagjit and Chitra Singh (his wife), made their own mark and dominated ghazal singing. Chitra and Jagjit have made immense contributions to 'Ghazal' music and the Indian music industry in general. Some of the successful releases of the duo include Ecstasies, A Sound Affair and Passions.
As grief struck them by the death of their only son Vivek (21) who died in an unfortunate road accident, Chitra Singh sang for the last time with her husband Jagjit Singh in Someone Somewhere – an album which was a tribute to their child, a tour of the soul, ethereal and introspective. Chitra never returned to singing.
But she was always a support to her husband, who had well earned the title of being the “Ghazal King”.
As a playback singer also, Jagjit Singh had sung for many movies including Arth, Saath Saath, and Premgeet (all from 1980s). These scores remain popular even today. In fact, all the songs of film Premgeet were composed by Jagjit. His compositions for the TV serial Mirza Ghalib – on the life of poet Mirza Ghalib – remain extremely popular among ghazal aficionados. The exclusive element of Ghalib's poetry was sensitively and wonderfully brought out in the soulful compositions of Ghalib's ghazals by Jagjit Singh.
In the later years, Jajgit Singh had also proved his critics wrong once again when he started singing bhajans, putting him into the league of bhajan singers such as Anip Jalota, Purushottam Das Jalota, Yesudas and others. His albums such as He Ram… He Ram, Hare Krishna hit the market and became popular.
Some of Jagjit Singh's popular albums, include Hope, In Search, Insight, Mirage, Visions, Kahkashan, Love Is Blind, Chirag also achieved success. Sajda another album, which has ghazals sung by Jagjit and Lata Mangeshkar was another brilliant release and made its mark as a classic Ghazal album.
However, given all these achievements, people cannot get over the fact that it was Jagjit Singh who made Ghazals accessible into the homes of all – with Hoton Se Chu Lo Tum (Prem Geet 1981), Chhitti Na Koi Sandesh (Dushman 1998) and Hosh Walon Ko (Sarfarosh 1999) all gems that will forever be hummed and sung.
Padma Bhushan Jagjit Singh’s death is a loss of an era of Ghazal Singing. Though the maestro is no more, his mellifluous voice will be with us for times to come.
These lines chitti na koi sandesh, jane woh kaunsa desh jaha tum chale gaye… will keep on reminding us of this great legend.
Farewell, Jagjit Singh saab.
