A PANCHAM EVENING

It is common knowledge that music maestro R D Burman recieved persistent flak from the purists of Bollywood film industry during the mid and late 60s for being stereotypically "western" in his compositions, and predictably so. But we, the "Pancham-Maniacs" - a generation born in the late 60s and early 70s - saw them being proved wrong. We derived special satisfaction, one that comes from sweet old revenge taken over time with vintage subtlety, as Pancham blew the critics and cynics away into extinction in his own audacious way, the same way he put his rebel mind and soul into his music.

Perhaps it was a desi Woodstock rebellion that Pancham came with. The beat of Bollywood changed and the songs now thrilled with audacious chord progressions, and never-before-used combination of musical instruments gave out a New Sound that dramatized movie sequences. The songs saw the Sitar and the electric bass come into jazzy communion in recording studios and new age pop was created with eukelele and pickle-flute, harmonica and maracas. The music was as flashy and fearless as the Flower generation which threw Jive out of the dance floors and tapped its ankle-boots in Rumba rhythm. The bass drum had the triple bongo now while the tenor saxophone courted the violin.

All this while, songs of Bahaaron Ke Sapne and Amar Prem, Chhote Nawaab and Zurmana to name a few from an unending list, continued to lay siege over the hearts and minds of music n movie buffs all over the country. Cynics pointed fingers at "O Haseena Zulfwali" but ingored "Tumne Mujhe Dekha", at "Dum Maro Dum" but missed "Raina Beet Jaye", at "Duniya Mein Logo Ko" but looked through "Aaja Piya Tohe Pyaar Du". At the end critics run out of breath, retiring for good.

While we all lived through the best decade of our lives, tapping feet with "Aao Twist Kare", "Piya Tu Ab To Aa Ja", "Lekar Hum Diwaana Dil", "Chala Jata Hoon", "Wada Karo Nahin Chhorogi Tum", "Ek Main Aur Ek Tu",
dusky evenings and primitive transistors made magic for us in the dream decade, as we listened to "Kuch To Log Kahenge", "O Majhi Re", "Main Shayar Badnaam", "Beeti Na Beetayi Raina", "Phir Wohi Raat Hain", "Sawaan Ke Jhoole Pade"...

The 70s had arrived. We had arrived too.

Today evening as I was watching R D Burman songs being played out on television, I identified for one more time, Catalan Folk chords that progressed in thrilling meters with "Jaane Jaan Dhundta Phir Raha". The movie was Jawaani Deewani. It reminded me of "Yeh Jawaani Hain Deewani" to which I used to throw my legs under the shower when I was 7. It was Magic then.

I discovered the source of that Magic 10 years later when I practised the chords of Blue Grass Jazz in my acoustic guitar in the rooms of Calcutta School of Music. The realization was a new Magic for me too. I knew I'd fallen in love with Pancham. I was a happy boy whom Pancham would keep waiting and hungry with his endless enthusiasm. And Times of ever fresh melodies would follow that stopped to take a breath as "Rim Jhim Rim Jhim" entralled us. 

Need I say more? Or anything at all? Nope. He said "Kuchh Na Kaho" while leaving. 
He lives on in our hearts.