There were a number of masters of melody in bollywood. Among the top of them was Madan Mohan. A genious by nature, Madan Mohan always composed chaste songs. It is hard to find a cheap song given by Madan in his long tenure.

Gazel master as he was known, Madan Mohan composed a lot of gazels for different situations in movies. Most of them were made immortal by the voice of Lata Mangeshkar, and some by Talat Mehmood. Madan - Lata is a special combination of hindi film history pages. Of many songs sung by Lata for Madan, I today remember this one from the film Jailor: Hum Pyaar Mein Jalne Walon Ko....

I dont know whether the purists classify this song as a gazel......it comes very close to gazel, metered on similar tunes, but not in a classical gazel format.

After initially intermingled pieces on piano and flute, there is a superb pickup using violin that touches one's heart, and then the immortal voce of Lata comes.....but have you ever noted a small piece of flute that comes before lata's first lines.......

Hum pyaar mein jalane walon ko chain kahan....
haye aaram kahan...
Hum pyaar mein jalane walon ko......

The tunes start making us feel in heaven by now, first the piano and then a large orchestra with violinists.....and then the first stanza comes.....

Preet ki andhiyaari manzil mein chaaron or siyaahi.....
Preet ki andhiyaari manzil mein chaaron or siyaahi.....
Aadhi raah mein hi loot jaye is manzil ka raahi.....
is manzil ka raahi...
Kaaton par chalane walon ko chain kahan.....
haye aaram kahan...
Hum pyaar mein jalane walon ko....

Again the pianist following so beautifully, exactly the note where lata finishes her stanza, and again the scintillating pickup with violin comes. Throughout the song we experience beautiful countermelodies at the background. Madan Mohan has shown that he was the maestro of this technique.

Lata continues with the second stanza...

Bahalayen jab dil na bahale to aise bahalaye....
Bahalayen jab dil na bahale to aise bahalaye........
She reaches to peak of her voice by this line, in her classic style..

Gham hi to hai pyaar ki daulat yeh kahakar samajhaye...
yeh kahakar samajhaye...
Apna man chhalane walon ko chain kahan.....
haye aaram kahan...
Hum pyaar mein jalane walon ko....

By the time the song is over, we are mesmerized........ I remain unable to speak whenever I listen to this song! Can't just decide what is great....the lyrics of Rajinder Krishna, the voice of Lata or the tunes of Madan Mohan.... and I feel that is the true symbol of a maestro!