4th April 2004 was the birth centenary of perhaps the greatest singer India has ever seen. He inhabited this earth for a mere 42 years, but he left behind an immortal legacy not just limited to his inimitable songs.
Perhaps it has to do with the times when he sang, when lyrics were almostspiritual because of whichhis singing got that extra edge of grace which comes from a perfect sync betweenbody and soul -- between words and music, between tunefulness and singing,between harmony and melody.
One can enumerate his unsurpassed songs. But this column is better devoted toan enumeration of what a true artiste is or should be. Saigal exemplified trueartistry--that quality which one expects from all artistes but which isunfortunately lacking in them, which prevents them from being given the status oftrue artistes. Saigaldied on January 18 1947--he inhabited this earth for a mere 42 years, yet eachanecdote about him shows that he was not a mere mortal--or should one say thathe was a true human being expressing the truest qualities which we are all areinvested with but rarely express.
Saigal was poor, very very poor. To earn his living he used to sell sarees(he worked at various jobs; also worked as a typewriter salesman, among otherthings). He'd carry sarees in a basket and peddle them on the streets. A younggirl used to
come running whenever she heard his voice and would ask 'D'you have a greensaree? I want a green saree." She assured him that she would collect moneyto buy a green saree from him. They'd meet each day. And then one day the girldidn't show up and Saigal was anxious so he went looking for her . He askedaround and reached her house only to find that the young girl had tragicallypassed away. He sat down his wares and took out a green saree in which the girlwas dressed for her final journey. Saigal was inconsolable that she couldn'thave it in her lifetime.
Stories of his generosity abound. Walking on the road he once saw a beggarlying uncovered and shivering. He immediately took off his coat and covered thebeggar.. Once Saigal was attending a party at Juhu, a seaside suburb ofMumbai where he had just been signed on for a film . He was drinking at theparty and he walked out onto the terrace. Here in the starlit night he
heard a wandering minstrel singing and walking along the beach. So taken was heby the voice that he left the party and walked along the beach to track down thevoice. When he found him he took the entire signing amount he had just receivedand put it in the minstrel's lap in tribute to his song. This man who was shortof money himself empathized with everyone who was short.
Every singer worth his salt wanted to be associated with him. Shamshad Begumthe singing diva of her time recalls "I was singing once-doing a recordingfor HMV and Saigal walked in and said to me, 'Ai soniye tu kitna sona gaatihai!' [O beautiful, how well you sing!"] These words I treasure till today. I was a mad fan of his, we allwere."
The late Rajkumari once shared that she told Saigal that she wanted to singwith him and he asked laughingly, "Will you accompany me? She replied,pertly, "Where d'you want to take me? And he said, "To the otherworld".
Kidar sharma who often said that he got into lyric-writing thanks to KLSaigal explained that he was a mere boy looking for work but he was fond ofwriting and it was Saigal who assured the filmmaker that he had heard Sharma'spoetry and the young boy was excellent. This resulted in Kidar Sharma writing Balamaaye baso more man main and Dukh ke ab din
beetat nahin, when he was just a youth. The two retained their friendshipafter relocating to Mumbai. Sharma recalls that it was when he had seen PuranBhagat that he decided that he must make films. Another Saigal milestone.
Examples of his humility are equally illuminating. Kidar Sharma lived on the second floor ofhis building and Saigal would often visit him but the visit took place on thefootpath--because Saigal couldn't climb the two floors, so he'd sit down on thesidewalk and have converse with Kidar Sharma. There were no airs ofbeing the most sought after singer in filmdom.
Everything that one hears about K L Saigal suggests someone who exemplified humanity--a humaneness which in an idealistic world would be apresupposition in a true artiste. But is rarely seen. Today's artistes arestreetsmart and pennywise. Saigal belonged to an era where compassion ruled anda man who suffered, also understood suffering. It was not only the artisteexpressing his art but making a difference to the world through his own growth.It was the artiste taking responsibility for the society around him. What can one say of an actor-singer who had not a penny to his name when hecould command the world's riches?
His association with New Theatres became the Production house's USP. Tilltoday those who lived through that era speak of "how New Theatre films werenot just films, they were part of our education". And Saigal played a hugepart in this education.
In Saigal's unforgettable voice one can still hear jo beet chuki sobeet chuki, ab us ki yaad sataye kyon? There is an entire philosophy within this song andSaigal's rendering makes it experiential. As indeed all the songs he touched with his voice do He showed thatmusic could truly be a spiritual experience--and an artiste, a true representative of the divine.Avsar beeto jaaye praani tero or kisne yeh sab khel rachaya are but a couple ofexamples of that genius.
Sadly, we lost not only a singer but a yardstick for all artistes for alltimes so early in his life. Yet we have his singing legacy to remind us that human beings are made in the image of god.A rare artiste such as Saigal comes only once in a century to remind us of this godly inheritance which weare all children of, but have forgotten.