My ten favourite songs on clouds and separation

Mid-June, the rains used to arrive in Bombay when I was a kid. The black clouds would hold the promise of change. This would mean relief from the heat and dust of the preceding summer months and a burst of new life. The dreary plain near our house would promise to turn into a pond with lots of small streams arising and emptying in it. These small streams would then become alive with small and big crabs and tadpoles! Coinciding with the arrival of the black clouds, the new school year would also arrive. This would mean new textbooks! The dark messenger would also bring the hope, that I would share the class room with my friends from last year, but at the same time also the anxiety if I would again have to spend this new school year with class bully.

These dark water-bearers of sky, who brought so many emotions in my being were and are also the bearers of hope over the centuries in India for separated lovers. The earliest mention is found in Meghduta (the cloud messenger) by Kalidasa (most probably 4th century CE). It tells the story, how a yakṣha (a supernatural being), after being exiled, asks a passing cloud to take a message to his wife. In Hindi cinema though, we find mostly women singing to the clouds. They call upon them to be their messengers, to take a message to their far-off beloveds, asking them to return back.
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Tags: Ameeta, Anil Biswas, Asha Bhosle, Azaad [1955], Bahana [1960], Bharat Vyas, C Ramchandra, Chashm-e-Baddoor [1981], Chhote Nawab [1961], clouds, D. N. Madhok, Dar Laage Garaje Badariyaa, Deepti Naval, Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke [1969], Dilip Kumar, Gaban [1966], Ghar Aaja Ghir Aaye Badaraa Sanvariyaa, Gulzar, Haimanti Shukla, Indu Jain, Ja Re Kare Badra, Jaa Re Badara Bairi Jaa Re, Jaa Ri Jaa Ri O Kaari Badariya, Jab Kaari Badariyaa Chhaayegi, Jeetendra, Kahan Se Aaye Badaraa, Kalidasa, Karan Deewan, Lajawab [1950], Lata Mangeshkar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Madan Mohan, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Meena Kapoor, Meena Kumari, Meghduta, Mehmood, Mohammed Rafi, monsoon, My ten favourite songs on clouds and separation, Namkeen [1982], Nanda, Naushad, Of Clouds and Separation, Phir Se Aiyo Badaraa Bidesi, Prem Dhawan, R. D. Burman, rain, Rajinder Krishan, Rajkamal, Ram Rajya [1967], Rattan [1944], Sadhana, Sawan Ke Badalon Unse Yeh Jaa Kaho, Shabana Azmi, Shailendra, Shankar-Jaikishan, Sheila Vaz, Sunil Dutt, Swarnlata, the cloud messenger, Tum Bin Sajan Barase Nayan, Vasant Desai, yakṣha, Yesudas, Zohra Bai
My ten favourite thandi hawa songs

It is very cold here now. At night it goes down to -20° C. When I ride my bicycle to work and back, the wind freezes me to the core. Yesterday, as I was returning back home the thought about the discrepancy between the European and Indian attitude towards cold and heat arose again in my mind. In Hindi film songs the cold breeze brings in the romantic mood, while in Europe summer sets the mood for romance. While Meena Kumari in Pakeezah wishes her lover that the sun may never touch her beloved (suraj kahin bhi jaaye tum par na dhoop aaye), the gondoliere in sunny Italy calls his lover o sole mio (my sun). Of course the temperature difference plays in this attitude a big role. This brought my thoughts to the various thandi hawa songs in Hindi films and resulted is this list.
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Tags: Anand Bakshi, Asha Bhosle, Asha Parekh, Chacha Chowdhary 1953], dev anand, Do Badan [1966], Ek Tum Duji Main Teeja Chaand, geeta bali, Geeta Dutt, Haathi Mere Saathi [1971], Hasrat Jaipuri, Ilzaam [1954], Jab Chali Thandi Hawa, Jhumroo [1961], Johnny Walker [1957, Kamal Mehra, Kehti Hai Yeh Thandi Hawa, Khurshid Anwar, Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Madan Mohan, Madhubala, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Meena Kumari, Mere Piya Chhede Jiya, Mr. and Mrs. 55 [1955], My ten favourite thandi (cold) songs, Nalini Jaywant, Naujawan [1951], Neelam Pari [1952], O. P. Nayyar, Rajendra Krishan, Rajesh Khanna, Rajinder Krishan, Ravi, S. D. Burman, Sahir Ludhianvi, Shashikala, Sheila Vaz, Shyama, Sun Ja Aa Thandi Hawa, Tanuja, Teen Deviyan [1965], Thandi Hawa Kali Ghata, Thandi Hawa Yeh Chandni Suhani, Thandi Hawayein Lehra Ke Aayein, Thandi Thandi Hawa Pooche Unka Pata, Uff Kitni Thandi Hai

My earliest memories of Kaagaz ke Phool is the song “Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam”. It was quite a favourite with the producers of Chaaya Geet and later on Chitrahaar. The beautiful cinematography and Geeta Dutt’s melancholic voice, S. D. Burman’s haunting music made a big impression on me. My resourceful aunt, who would otherwise always provide us with the plots of the movie, would also be very quite. I never could fathom if it was because of the captivating sound or because of the extra-marital affair going-ons. There were regular screenings of the movie in the morning show, but I never thought of ‘bunking’ (that is the word used for skipping classes in Bombay/India) classes to watch it. Thus it was in my late teens that I watched it on DD’s late night movies.
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Tags: Debaki Bose, guru dutt, Hindi film industry, Johnny Walker, Kaagaz ke Phool, Kaagaz ke Phool film review, Mehmood, Minoo Mumtaz, Naaz, Protima Devi, Ratna Bhushan, Sheila Vaz, Veena, Vidyapati, Waheeda Rehman