Gulon Mein Rang Bharay: The Timeless Product of Three Passionate Contemporaries from the Century Afore

Hua jo teer-e-nazar neem kash to kya haasil

Maza to jab hai ke seenay ke aar paar chale

(What's the point if your half-shut eyes are like half-drawn arrows?

The real pleasure is in piercing the heart through and through)

This is a brief account of three contemporaries - two poets and an artist: Mohinder Singh Bedi, Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Ustad Mehdi Hassan Khan

After examining Faiz sahab's poem, Bedi sahab wrote an additional sher or two. Faiz sahab was so impressed that he took the ashaar to Mehdi sahab and ecstatically recited them. Mehdi sahab was also very impressed. Faiz sahab pointed out his favorite sher (from those few ashaar) to Mehdi sahab and requested him to sing it whenever he performed Gulon Mein Rang Bharay. Since then, Mehdi sahab incorporated the iconic sher (written above) in his live performances of his oldest, most revered ghazal. At the same time, Faiz sahab discontinued reciting the ghazal in mehfils. He denied requests saying that only Mehdi sahab will be heard singing it. Faiz sahab basically gifted his precious ghazal to Mehdi sahab, who composed it in Raag Jhinjoti.

*Sahab: sir, mister; Mehdi sahab (Mr./Sir Mehdi), Faiz sahab (Mr./Sir Faiz), Bedi sahab (Mr./Sir Bedi)

*Sher: verse
*Ashaar (plural of sher): verses
*Mehfil: gathering, audience