Shayari and liquor, not sometimes, but often people assume these two words as same. It is assumed that where there is shayari there is liquor and visa versa.
Shayari has always been the essential part of cocktail parties. Perhaps that is why alcohol and shayari are considered synonyms of each other. But is it true, maybe or maybe not whatever, the truth is the role of shayari in enhancing people’s inclination towards alcohol is no less. The charm of alcohol has been greatly enhanced by urdu poetry. In this era of urdu poets who have used wine beautifully in their shayari , Gopal Das ‘Neeraj’ name is on the top. By writing this hit song of ‘Prem Pujari’, he gave new meaning to the philosphy of liquor and love.
Shokhiyon mein ghola jaye,phoolon ka shabab
Usmein phir milayi jaye thodi si sharab
Hoga yun nasha jo tayyar, wo pyaar hai…
After this song, he was everywhere and the drinkers gave it the status of ‘liquor song’. This song became an essential part of every cocktail functions. It was only Neeraj’s mastery, that he described what love is, what is in its origin, and how love is like a strong intoxicant. Although it was not such, that before this song, songs were not been written on wine and were not hit. But we will rarely find such people who have not been affected by the aesthetics of this song.
If we only talk about the bollywood songs of Neeraj, in most of his popular songs terms like liquor or thirst for liquor or thirst for love have been used beautifully, and where he has not used the word liquor, he has freely used terminology associated with liquor. For instance ‘Aaj madhosh hua jaye re…’, and ‘sans ki sharab ka khumar dekhte rahe…’, ‘chaal aise hai madhosh masti bhari..’, ‘aankhon se koi raaj na pilaye…’ are some songs were liquor is being essential tool for their conceptualization . How important alcohol was in the life of Neeraj, in his words
Badalon se salaam leta hoon, waqt ke haath thaam leta hoon
saara maiykhana jhoom uthta hai, jab haathon mein jaam leta hoon.
Sohail Waheed