तो साहबान मेहरबान कदरदान बीच हिंदुस्तान हम हलफ़िया करते हैं बयान के..... :) :)

वृन्दावन से जड़ी मँगायी हिमालया से बूटी
और काशी जी में धोई भिगोई अयोध्या में कूटी
अरे ढलते चंद्रमा पीसी छानी चढ़ते सूर्य सुखाई
चालीस कतरे अमृत डाला तब ये बनी है दवाई
हमारी दवाई लेलो सुनो जी बड़े भाई लेलो :) :)
...........
 राजे क्या महाराजे क्या एजी जैसे साधू जोगी,
सुनलो जैसे साधू जोगी
अरे वैद्य न देखा होगा ऐसी दवा न देखी होगी
ऐसी दवा न देखी होगी
अरे चमचा भर के जिसे पिला दो दर्द रहे न रोगी
हमारी दवाई लेलो सुनो जी बड़े भाई लेलो ..... :) :)

Well many old timers from towns and rural / semi rural settings will be aware of this 'Mazme baaji' style and the magic potion sellers at the footpath at times as 'Shilaajeet' sellers which was preached to to be the sure shot medicine for all kinds weaknesses and 'Beemaarees' ..... and the kind of phraseology used by these 'Mazme baaj' vendors ..... :) :)

But one normally does not associate this 'Mazmebaaji' style with Kaifi Azmi's poetry or writings. Most of the time he is known and remembered for his ' Sanjeeda- Maniikhej' poetry. Be it Romance or the commentary on social issues and concerns his elegance and felicity with words is well known.

But at the same time Kaifi Azmi being associated with peoples movement and ipta and socio-political issues also had a great sense of humor , satire and the art of spoofing.

Though this side of his creativity is not much seen in his poetry but his prose ' Gadya' writings are a living testimony to his semse of humor and satire specially political satire. For almost a decade his column ' Naii Gulistan' ran in Hindi and Urdu editions of 'Blitz' weekly in sixties and seventies, which latter got published in two volumes by Rajkamal as 'Naii Gulistan' . And the style he adopted for his column was the style of a mazmebaaji with his own stamp over it and great 'Kafiyabaaji'. ajaust quoting a portion from the introduction of the first volume of 'Naii Gulistan'

" जहाँ तक शैली का सवाल है, राजनितिक व्यंग के इन नमूनों में कैफ़ी साहब ने अपनी खुद की एक शैली विकसित की है. हर रचना का आरम्भ एक हिक़ायतनवीस के माध्यम से होता है जो ज़ाहिर है की कैफ़ी साहब का ही हमज़ाद है. अक्सर किसी सुप्रचलित नीतिकथा या फिर किसी लतीफे का, किसी ऐतिहासिक घटना का इस्तेमाल किया गया है, और जिस तरह जातक कथाओं में बुद्ध अंत में एक नीति वाकया बोलते दिखाई देते हैं उसी तरह इन हिक़ायतों में कैफ़ी अंत में एक राजनितिक वाक्य बोलते नज़र आते हैं. सभी तो नहीं, अधिकांश हिक़ायतों का अंत कुछ शे 'री मिसरों पर होता है जो या तो कैफ़ी साहब के खुद के गढ़े हुए हैं या फिर कुछ सुप्रचलित अशआर की पैरोडी हैं. कॉलम के बीच बीच में नस्र (गद्य) की जगह नज़्म की मिसालें भी देखने को मिलती हैं जो एकरसता तोड़ने में एक हद तक सहायक हैं.

लेकिन हक़ की बात यह है की इस पूरे संकलन को नज़्म में लिखी गयी नस्र का नाम दें, जो तथाकथित नस्री नज़्म (गद्य काव्य) से कहीं बहुत ऊँचे दर्ज़े की चीज़ है, तो कुछ गलत नहीं होगा. पूरी नई गुलिस्तां में शायद ही कोई ऐसा वाक्य आपको मिले ९उम्मेद है नहीं ही मिलेगा) जिसमें कैफ़ी साहब ने अपनी शे'री फितरत छोड़ी हो और क़ाफ़ियापैमाई न की हो. दुसरे अलफ़ाज़ में, कैफ़ी की नस्र भी बड़े ठस्से के साथ यह कहती हुई नज़र आती है की मैं किसी नस्रनिगार की नहीं, एक शायर की रचना हूँ. किसी शायर ने कहा है की -

'नज़्म का अपनी तबियत से तअल्लुक न गया
नस्र भी हमने जो देखि तो मुक़फ़्फ़ा देखी "

And apart from his class poetry this 'Nasree' side of Kaifi's creativity always had a great attraction for me, I remember how eagerly I used to wait for the arrival of 'Blitz' in my scdhool and college days and how eagerly I used to go to the last page to read 'Naii Gulisten' by Kafi Azmi and ' Azzad Kalam' by Khwaza Ahmad Abbas.

And as the tone tenor and soul of SKS is music not politics so I am not quoting for the time being from 'Naii Gulistan' but there are a lot of almost apolitical pieces in 'Naii Gulistan' which are treat to read. And if I could find time would love to share some such pieces.

Now coming to this magic potion seller mentioned at the beginning of the write-up , I deliberately chose this song from Kafi's lyrical universe not because it is funny or shows the humor side of his creativity but for another important feature of the work of a person of Kaifi's calibre. And that feature which ,after my experience of interacting with some of these great poets and writers during some of those fortunate moments which life has been kind to offer me from time to time , I realized is the ability , compassion and concern and connectivity which all these great writers and poets always have with their roots, with their soil and with there social set up. They never ever lost this connectivity with the common man and the environment . and they always remembered this trough out their literary journey and that is the feature which makes these people Great and relevant for all the times to come.

Only a Kafi Azmi who knew his roots best and never lost contact and concern for the common man and the routine life of masses could have written such a song with light humor keeping that common magic potion seller in mind who has been a constant part of the urban and rural life :)

So enjoy this not very commonly listened and tasted 'Jadee Bootee' from Kaifi Sahab , rendered by Asha Usha and Balbeer , a lovely composition by Mohammad Shafi from 1956 film Zindagi ... :) :)https://soundcloud.com/arun-mudgaluser403687381/1956_zindagi_06_vrandavan-sehamari-dawayi-le-lo_asha-usha-s-balbir_kaifi-azami_mohammad-shafimp3