In memory of KS Bhatia

Tributes to KS Bhatia on is 5th Remembrance Day

In a group you come across some person, who soon impresses others, not for his or her status or accomplishments, but for his simplicity and knowledge. This is true of online platforms like Songs Of Yore too, where virtually no one knew each other when the blog was born on 7 June 2010, and

मैं अकेला चला था जानिब-ए-मंज़िल मगर
लोग आते गये और कारवाँ बनता गया

Among many fellow-travellers who joined the blog from time to time was KS Bhatia, who posted his first comment in 2013. He instantly became the most likeable person on the blog for his zest for life, his knowledge of music – both Indian and Western, and his ability to express his views in a lyrical, non-offensive way. He was a regular traveller to the US to meet his children from where he would post his travel pictures and reminiscences. He would find link between his ramblings and songs under discussion. We got to know that he was fond of the music of Shankar-Jaikishan, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Gene Kelley and so many others.

After I got to know who among SOY regulars were from NCR, I started meeting them over lunch once in a while. Those get-togethers brought people face to face, and we discovered that Hans Jakhar knew his brother closely. Some of these lunches I organised with spouses. These made us more familiar with each other.

In June 2019, we were staying in Gurgaon for a family wedding for three days. In our family weddings women are always on their legs scurrying from here to there. Menfolk, on the other hand, are generally spare until they are sent on some errand by some lady in authority. Therefore, I called KS Bhatiaji for his address that one of these days I would drop in by my car or some cab. But lo and behold, next morning Mr and Mrs Bhatia landed at the hotel to pick us up. My wife excused herself, they understood and did not insist on her, but I accompanied them to their house. Their house was as beautiful as them. It had an old music system, stack of LPs, beautifully done up house – in short, people of taste.

Within a couple of years, the world became topsy-turvy. A virulent variant of COVID 19 struck some people with ferocity. I knew that Bhatiaji was hospitalised. I tried to call him, sometimes Mrs Bhatia picked up the phone and gave update. Those were bad days. On the 3^rd July 2021 I got a call from his number. I was excited that he was on a path to recovery. But it was Mrs Bhatia who gave me the sad information that Mr Bhatia had passed away on the 30 June. He had turned 75 a month earlier.

Songs Of Yore was close to his heart, and Mrs Bhatia told me he wanted us to be informed. I immediately posted my obituary on Open House at #1487. Then followed outpouring of grief, which shows his popularity. Later, down the years, some readers expressed that we should post an article compiling tributes from some who knew him well with some appropriate songs. I being the blog manager, the onus to start is on me. Which song I start with, Bhatiaji had so much music in him! I start with this famous song composed by Bhatiaji’s favourite music director Shankar-Jaikishan which best describes him.

1. Main aashiq hun baharon ka, nazaron ka, fizaon ka, isharon ka by Mukesh from Aashiq (1962), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Shankar-Jaikishan

Raj Kapoor was an incorrigible romantic, so was Bhatiaji, a lover of nature, flowers, music. Hasrat Jaipuri was known as a master lyricist of romance.

Main aashiq hun baharon ka, nazaron ka fizaon ka, isharon ka
Main mastana musafir hun, jawan dharti ke anjaane kinaron ka
Main aashiq hun baharon ka…

Sadiyon se jag mein aata raha main
Naye rang jeevan mein lata raha main
Har ek des mein nit naye bhes mein

Main aashiq hun baharon ka….

Kabhi maine hans ke deepak jalaye
Kabhi ban ke baadal aansu bahaye
Mera raasta pyar ka raasta

Main ashiq hun baharon ka…

Chala gar safar ko koi besahara
To main ho liya sang liye ek tara
Gata hua dukh bhulata hua

Main aashiq hun baharon ka…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1BgL-7Vh1A

Since other SOY-ers also want to say something, I will add just one more song as my tribute to Bhatiaji. He was a man of multifarious interests. Being an engineer – he built dams and waterways – he had a natural inclination towards mathematics. Once in some context he mentioned Arithmetic Progression (It is a series of numbers starting with some constant, and every succeeding term increases (or decreases) by a fixed amount from its preceding number, say a, a+d, a+2d, a+3d etc). I developed this idea in the context of film songs and started seeing AP connection in a set of songs in a film. The best example was the four exquisite Mukesh solos lip-synched by Dilip Kumar on the piano from Andaaz (1949). He bumps into Nargis and develops a liking for her. And the first song is a tentative Hum aaj kahin dil kho baithe. The interaction progresses and Dilip Kumar goes to the next level, Tu kahe agar, jeevan bhar main geet sunata jaaun. But there is a lurking fear that things may get haywire when Raj Kapoor comes in the picture and now comes, Toote na dil toote na, and a hope mixed with wish, Saath hamara chhoote na dil toote na. Finally, there is no doubt that Raj Kapoor is the man in her life, but Dilip Kumar has gone too far down the path of feeling for Nargis, and now comes a deeply sad-happy song with Dilip Kumar on the piano with a face with pain writ on it which he tries to hide, an expression he could emote like no other. As he sings Jhoom jhoom ke nacho aaj gaao khushi ke geet, the betrothed couple Raj Kapoor-Nargis walk in.

2. Jhoom jhoom ke nacho aaj, nacho aaj, gaao khushi ke geet by Mukesh from Andaz (1949), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Naushad

झूम झूम के नाचो आज नाचो आज गाओ खुशी के गीत हो
आज किसी की हार हुई है आज किसी की जीत

कोई किसी की आँख का तारा, जीवन साथी साजन प्यारा
और कोई तक़दीर का मारा, ढूँढ़ रहा है दिल का सहारा

किसी को दिल का दर्द मिला है, किसी को मन का मीत हो
गाओ खुशी के गीत, झूम झूम के..

देखो तो कितना खुश है ज़माना, दिल में उमंगें लब पे तराना
दिल जो दुखे आँसू न बहाना, ये तो यहाँ का ढंग पुराना

इसको मिटाना उसको बनाना इस नगरी की रीत हो
गाओ के खुशी के गीत हो, झूम झूम के नाचो आज आचो आज

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sln3l13aNIU

Hans Jakhar
Bhatiaji and I joined SOY in 2013. I happened to meet Bhatiaji along with some others at a get-together organised by AK in early 2015. As soon as I saw him, I remembered a familiar face and when he was introduced as KS Bhatia, I asked him whether he knew somebody named IS Bhatia. He said “Wo mere bade bhai sahab hain“. This started a new and beautiful relationship with him as the brother of my friend of so many years.

I would here mention a few facts about IS Bhatia who was my friend ever since we met in 1985 or 86. He was in the Central Secretariat Official Language Service, which was being administered by the Department of Official Languages where I was posted then. I would not go into any detail of his character which can be imagined easily by those who knew Bhatiaji. Here I would relate an incident which the elder Bhatiaji told me and which would set apart the whole Bhatia clan as some special folks. Their father had retired as a Joint Secretary in the Central Government. He had a house in the prestigious Vasant Vihar locality in South Delhi, constructed on a plot of 500 sq yards. His father sold that house for about ₹1 crore (all in white money) and distributed the amount equally among his 9 children – 3 sons and 6 daughters as per my memory. Eleven lakhs was a huge amount in those times. He told me this in a manner which showed extreme pride for his father. Naturally he must have had other property which he gave to his sons, but the important point is that he took full care of all his daughters who were already married in well-to-do families. My friend also told that there was full harmony in the whole extended family. This incident is evidence of the high culture in the Bhatia family.

As to KS Bhatia, AK has set out his character in detail in his tribute on Open House (link at the top page). Tributes can be read from no 1487 to 1512. The best tribute was perhaps paid by Canasya in which he also gave the joining date of Bhatiaji. I think his character is too well known to those who either have met him or read his comments. But the best adjective used was by Ashok Kumar Tyagi “Har-dil-azeez“. Besides his virtues as a person, he had a stupendous memory. He could reel out song after song solely from his memory. I remember once there was a mention of a song whose mukhda contained the words ‘vai vai’ and the next day Bhatiaji posted about a dozen songs which had these words. The same thing happened when somebody mentioned a song in which there was whistling. Only illness or travelling could ever keep Bhatiaji away from SOY. One important aspect of his life I would like to tell is that he was a regular cricketer and was in the IIT Delhi team. When he shared this with me, I told him I was also a cricketer. We both were openers in our respective sides. He hugged me and we had a special relationship ever since. One regret I have is that I could not visit him in Gurgaon which I had promised.

I present here a couple of songs. The first one is (3.) ‘Koi jab raah na paye‘ from Dosti (1964). ‘Ke pag pag deep jalaye meri dosti mera pyaar‘ fits the character of Bhatiaji to the T.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn_brPYTjpc

Bhatiaji was a great fan of SJ which he declared in his first post on SOY mentioned by Canasya @1505 in Open House. Here is a song from the SJ team from (4.) Gaban (1966), ‘Ehsan mere dil pe tumhara hai dosto, ye dil tumhare pyar ka mara hai dosto’. Is there any need to say that the song was written for Bhatiaji!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN_CIvcRWXI

Subodh Agrawal
One of the perks of being part of SoY is getting to know people with a shared passion for music. My introduction to Mr Bhatia was through his comments. I have had the privilege of contributing a few articles on this beloved forum, and Mr Bhatia was usually one of the first ones to respond with words of praise and encouragement. He would also dig deep and come up with several more songs fitting the theme.

I met him a couple of times in Delhi at lunches organised by AK. I found him a genial soul with the best qualities for which Punjabis are known: open-hearted, friendly, fun-loving. The idea of doing a post on Hindi film songs with Punjabi flavour in partnership with him remained an idea and now he is not with us. Our forum is poorer by his absence.

I wasn’t born in Punjab. I came here at the age of 24 when I started my career in the administrative service and immediately fell in love with the state, its people and the vibrant Punjabi spirit. Songs in Punjabi as well as Hindi songs with a Punjabi tadka have become very popular of late, but even during the golden era such songs were very common. I have selected four in fond remembrance of Shri Bhatia.

5. ‘Ki main jhoot boliya’ from Jagte Raho (1956), singers Rafi and Balbir, composer Salil Chowdhury, lyricist Prem Dhawan

A pure Punjabi song that decries the erosion of values but makes it sound like a celebration in true Punjabi spirit.

https://youtu.be/sE9w-3jO678?si=O9J5ycMLAI2RBs0f

6. ‘Pawan chale to’ from Bambai Ka Babu (1960) singers Asha Bhosle and Mohammad Rafi, composer SD Burman, lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri

It uses the occasional Punjabi word like ‘mundeya’ and ‘kudiye’ but the playful mood is pure Punjabi/

https://youtu.be/w0WgZLWQnsI?si=IcJ53SzMaLum9x2J

7. ‘Dil le ke daga denge’ from Naya Daur (1957) singer Mohammad Rafi, composer OP Nayyar, lyrics Sahir Ludhianvi

A major part of what is Himachal Pradesh today used to be part of Punjab along with all of Haryana. The Punjabis Suba movement of the sixties cut down Punjab to its present size. A lot of Punjabis regret what happened. This song in Pahadi represents the fusion of Punjabi and Pahadi culture. There is a popular Punjabi folk song ‘Kothe te aa mahiya’ with a similar tune.

https://youtu.be/rrHo-e1m1FA?si=kwLDJNFF_d1TODyW

8. ‘Sar pe topi laal’ from Tumsa Nahin Dekha singers Asha Bhosle and Mohammad Rafi, composer OP Nayyar, lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri

Another song that demonstrates that you don’t need to use Punjabi words to convey the Punjabi flavour of music:

https://youtu.be/MwobIXSBjqE?si=L9EBTZtKZSxtl6t0

Ashok K Tyagi
I got acquainted with many music lovers through SoY. I started following the blog from the year 2015. Bhatia sahib was one of the very regular comment-makers. He commented on main page posts and on ‘Open House’ page. I had never met him but came to know through his exchanges with Hans ji that:

He grew up in Gole Market/Birla Mandir area; studied in Harcourt Butler School and IIT Delhi. He played cricket for his school and played for IIT team in the inter-varsity tournament.

His knowledge of movies and songs was commendable.  He was not prejudiced against any MD of ‘golden period’ of Hindi film songs. As far as I could make out, his most favourite MDs were Shankar-Jaikishan.

I personally enjoyed his posting of songs and uploading of songs on Open House page very regularly under the heading “prelude song for good night sleep “.  On 13th February 2021, Dr. Rajesh Deshpande greeted SoY readers (Open House comment number 1475) on the occasion of World Radio Day. KS Bhatiaji’s response was (comment no. 1477):

Deshpande ji,
Yes. Those were the days we really enjoyed listening to the great musicals. Besides Hindi farmaishi programmes it was great pleasure listening to: Forces Request, A date with You, and Lunch Time Music.

Above paragraphs sum up Bhatiaji’s good tastes. May his soul be blessed with good times in the heavens.

N Venkataraman
Kuldip Sing Bhatia, affectionately known as Bhatiaji, was a highly regarded, prolific, and much-loved contributor of SoY. A knowledgeable expert with a passion for detail, he was a cornerstone of our SoY community. And it was very much evident in his debut post itself. First appearing on the blog on September 23, 2013, in the post on Daan Singh, he quickly became a regular and an influential voice. On a suggestion from Hans ji and Arvinder Sharma, Ak ji started the “Open House” in November 2014. And right from its inception he was a regular contributor in this section, and initiated discussions on several topics. He was a poetic soul and had a lyrical sensibility.  If my memory serves me right, once Akji described him as a “perennial seventeen going on eighteen” member of our “Great Indian Family” called Songs of Yore.

On the personal front, I met Bhatiaji on four occasions, all at the annual get-together of SoY members, hosted by AKji in Delhi. An unassuming personality, full of warmth, he used to greet me with a huge bear-hug. The last time we met was in the summer of 2019. But we were in constant touch, mostly on WhatsApp till a few months before his demise in 2021. AK ji had a gala plan for 2020, but it didn’t happen due to COVID.

He got me addicted to classical Shabad Kirtan and used to send me one every morning. It was truly a soulful experience, establishing a direct bridge to tranquillity. I often go through our shared experiences, especially in the comments section of SoY (you can find them between comments #1247 and #1435). I am sure AK ji, Mumbaikar ji, and Hans ji remember those experiences.

He introduced me to many Western and jazz numbers, and I got hooked on the violinist André Rieu. Some of the clips and comments by Bhatiaji can be found in “An Aviary of Songs” by Shalan Lal (2016) and “Fanciful Ideas About Breaching Embankments” by Ashwin Bhandarkar (2020). Some I remember, though many have faded from my memory over the passage of time. Sometimes they come back like a flash and temporarily reside in my thoughts. Thus, I often spend my time with Bhatiaji even now.

Responding to one of the AKji’s comments he wrote in 2014 –

“Jo baat dil se nikalti hai woh dooor tak jaati hai; The journey will go on; aye gaye manzilon ke nishan …. , lahera ke jhooma jhuka aasman…. ,laken rukega na yeh kaarwan . ”

Again 2015, Bhatiaji described Songs of Yore as a “…big box of collections of gems and jewels… a vast canvas that depicts the vast scenes and colors of landscape from rainbows to mirage, thru its beautiful collection of sound of music….that will last for ever”.

Eleven years have passed since Bhatiji made those comments. Karawan rukiega nahin—the journey continues, and we are now in our 17th year. While he may not be with us in person, I am sure we all feel his presence in every anniversary post and every post. I like to believe he is among the many silent followers of SoY.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
The song links have been given from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of music lovers. This blog or its readers have no commercia interest, and we do not claim directly or indirectly any copyright over the songs which vests with original copyrights holders.