Prior to Saigal, ‘Babul Mora’ was also sung by Ustad Faiyyaz Khan in the year 1932.

In view of the fame and applause of the listeners for Saigal’s   ‘Babul Mora’, a galaxy of singers singing ‘Babul Mora’ followed. The  list of such luminaries includes: Kanan Devi, Pt Bhim Sen Joshi, Kesarbai Kerkar, Mushtaq Hussain Khan,  Siddheshwari Devi, Rasoolan Bai, Begum Akhtar, Girija Devi, Kishori Amonkar, Jagmohan, Mahender Chopra (Saigal’s son-in-law), Khadim Hussain Khan, Shanti Sharma  and  Padma Talwalkar.  Did any of them outstand Saigal?

In the present time, well-known ghazal-singer Jagjit Singh, came to limelight by his ‘Babul Mora’ which he sang along with Chitra Singh in early seventies.  He sang and recorded yet another time ‘Babul Mora’, which is his solo version.

A collection of all these recordings of ‘Babul Mora’ sung by these luminaries; is certainly a ‘Collectors’ Treasure’ and can be made available to the music-lovers.

Once while discussing music of thirties & forties with the master-composer- Anil Biswas, (who brought Mukesh and Talat Mehmood initially to limelight) about Saigal’s ‘Babul Mora’. His remarks to this were simply fabulous- ‘Betey, Saigal ke alawa kisi ka babul nahin chhoota’.

Anilda (Anil Biswas)  is no more; but in the casual manner, what he said, I have nothing to say on his comments. As  I became speechless. But, the fact remains that ‘Babul Mora’ sung by Saigal will be listened by upright music-lovers time and again for the ages to come. About others, no one can predict.  Rest, I leave it the listeners.  Let them evaluate.

Pankaj Mullick recorded his three songs viz ‘Aie qatib-e-taqdeer, Do naina matware and Chhupo naa chhupo naa’.  Saigal,   as well sang these three songs in  film ‘My Sister’ in the year-1944. The music  was composed by Pankaj Mullick.  Both the singers were and are considered to be ‘Masters’ and any comparison is certainly meaningless. But, the fact remains that what Saigal sang, it will be remembered till time stops.    

The film ‘Devdas’ released in the year 1935, is a milestone in the history of Indian cinema, primarily because in this film, Saigal acted and sang his all time favorites- ‘Balam aye baso merey man mein’, ‘Dukh ke din ab beetat naahin and just two lines of a classic ‘thumri’- ‘Piyaa bin naahin aawat chein’ (earlier sung by Ustad Abdul Karim Khan). The  music of this film was composed by Timir Baran, who played ‘Sarod’ for the first time in the history of film-music, while composing  ‘Balam aye baso morey man mein’.

When Khan Saheb came to know about his singing, he called on at Saigal’s residence and asked him to sing for him once again in his presence. After listening to Saigal, he was spellbound over Saigal’s mastery of expression and his ease of singing. He enquired as to who is his Ustad (teacher), who has taught him singing. To this, Saigal replied that he has not learnt from any ‘Ustad’ and it is only ‘Ooparwala’ (‘Almighty’), who has taught him singing. Khan Saheb blessed the maestro and gave him a hundred  rupee  note, which Saigal kept with him till his death, as a token of his respect to Ustad Abdul Karim Khan.

During the course of shooting of the film –‘Devdas’, Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, the celebrated author  visited the sets. He was deeply impressed with the acting of Saigal; though, he was surprised as to how a non-Bangali (Punjabi) could understand so intelligently the character, he created in his novel.

The other notable features of this film were that it was produced and directed by P.C. Barua (who himself earlier acted in its Bangla version) and its photographer was Bimal Roy, who later on produced and directed another version of ‘Devdas’ with Dilip Kumar as its hero. It is needless to add that as a mark of respect; Bimal Roy dedicated his film ‘Devdas’ to the memory of K.L.Saigal and P.C.Barua.          

While waiting for a train at a railway platform, he wrote a fascinating poem on the back of the railway receipts. In this poem, he has  expressed his attachment to the city of Calcutta, which shaped his destny and initial personality. From Calcutta Saigal later-on moved to Bombay. I have a copy of the manuscript of this verse entitled -‘O des se aaney waley bataa’.  The pain of parting expressed in this poem is somewhat unique and thereby is a  matter of deep study of poet’s head and heart.  

Saigal sang two Punjabi numbers  -‘O soney sakia meri galee wee’ & ‘Mahee naal jey akh lardee kadee na’.   Both these songs bear the fragrance of soil and soul of Punjab. Though, he himself was a Punjabi, a question is generally asked: why did Saigal  sing only two songs in Punjabi; as against 28 songs he sang in Bangla. On this question, I once spoke to one of Saigal’s close relatives, who narrated that during one of his visits to his home town Jallandhar, a Punjabi singer from a nearby place named ‘Sham Chaurasi’ came to meet Saigal and told him in Punjabi- ‘ Hunn tussee Punjabi  wich wee ganaa shuroo kar ditta hei; assee tan phukhey mar jawaan gey’ (Now that you have started singing in Punjabi as well, we will be starved to death).  At this Saigal assured him that he will no longer   sing in Punjabi. And he did keep his promise.

Dilip Sarkar son of B.N. Sarkar, the owner of ‘New Theatres’ while speaking at a public gathering narrated that once Saigal accompanied Pankaj Mullick to Santiniketan, where he introduced Saigal to Tagore.  Gurudev asked Saigal to sing. After listening to Saigal, the poet blessed him and appreciated his performance.

Saigal sang 28 Bangla songs. The beauty of his Robindra Sangeet and Bangla singing lies in its totality. At times, the candid listener, even without understanding a single word of language (Bangla) of the respective verse of the song, is spellbound by his loveable and divine voice quality.

Likewise, it must be recorded that Saigal also sang two Tamil songs in Tamil version of film ‘Devdas’.

A few lines about the classical singing aspect of the maestro: 

Films produced after the year 1941 came out with some fabulous songs, based on pure classical music. Such songs were sung by the classical singers and also by traditional film singers. A collection of these recordings include:

* ‘Shubh din aayo’  & ‘Prem jogan bun gayee’- both sung by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan in film ‘Mugal-e- Azam’, music-Naushad.

* ‘Jhanak jhanak paayal baaje’- sung by Ustad Amir Khan in film ‘Jhanak Jhanak Paayal Baaje’, music- Vasant Desai.

* ‘Aaj gavat man mero jhoom key’- sung by Pt  D.V. Paluskar & Ustad Amir Khan in film ‘Baiju Bawra’, music – Naushad.

* ‘Ketaki gulab juhi’- sung by Pt Bhim Sen Joshi & Manna Dey in film ‘Basant Bahaar’, music - Shanker Jaikishan.

* ‘Ritu aye ritu jaye’- sung by Manna Dey & Lata Mangeshkar in film ‘Humdard’, music - Anil Biswas.

* ‘Garjat barsat saawan aayo rey’-  sung by Lata Mangeshkar  in film ‘Malhaar’, music – Roshan.

* ‘Garjat barsat saawan aayo re’-  sung by Kamal Barot in film ‘Barsaat Ki Raat’, music – Roshan.

* ‘Boley re papiharaa’- sung by Vani Jairam in film ‘Guddi’, music - Vasant Desai.

* ‘Man ki been matwari baaje’- sung by Rafi & Lata in film ‘Shabaab’, music – Naushad.

* ‘Laga chunri mein daag’- sung by Manna Dey in film ‘Dil Hi To Hai’, music – Roshan.

* ‘Tarana’- sung by Jagjit Singh in film ‘Kalka’ in his own music.

In the bouquet of all these classical melodies, when   Saigal’s evergreen ‘Sapt suran teen gram’ sung in classical (Dhrupad) form and  ‘Diya  Jalao’  from the film ‘Tansen’ (music- Khemchand Prakash) are included- the beauty of the collection emerges multifold.

It is an established fact that Saigal was a renowned celebrity during   his lifetime. Here are some of the clippings of   the news/reports published in few film journals and magazines of his era:

“Saigal the Singing sweetheart of millions was invited by Mahatama Gandhi (in the year-1941) at Wardha to sing for him the National Anthem ‘Jeete Desh Hamara’ on the happy occasion of his birth day but the singer had to decline the invitation as he had to go to Hyderabad Deccan along with Pancholi Art Picture to shoot Scandal.” (‘Talkie Hearald’- October’1941)

Saigal acted in film ‘Zindagi’, which was released in the year 1940.  In his review, published in cine journal ‘Filmindia’- April 1940 issue Babu Rao Patel wrote about Saigal’s singing:

“What Saigal sings is music and when the golden notes come out of his throat, people forget the story writer, the director, the producer and even Saigal’s big face monopolizing the screen for a long time. They just want his maddening music and there is a good amount in this picture. If this picture runs (for) a long time it will be because Saigal has sung beautifully and not because Barua has directed it.”         

In another write-up he (Patel) observed: “Saigal was a bard who sang the poetic sighs of human soul and warmed the heart of heartless world.”

“Saigal was like a soft grass sprouting out of the holes of a solid cement wall, always bubbling with life, full of enthusiasm, an epitome of gentleness, as it were. It is a rare experience to come across such loving person”- perceived Kanan Devi.      

Saadat Hasan Manto, the legendary Urdu writer, while writing a sketch of actress and singer ‘Noorjehan’ wrote- “Saigal key baad mein Noorjehan ke galey se muttassir hua__. Jab tak rekaard jinda hai, Saigal mahroom ki awaaz kabhee nahin mar saktee.” (After Saigal, I am impressed with the voice quality of Noorjehaan___. As long as Record (Gramophone-Record) is alive, Saigal’s voice will never die). The candid truth immersed in these lines came from the soul and not merely from the heart.

Apart from being an actor and a singer ‘par-excellence’, Saigal was a wonderful human-being. There are a large number of incidences to establish his kind-heartedness towards whosoever came in  his contact for help. 

His driver, Yousuf once narrated with tears in his eyes  an incidence of the life of his master. Yousuf told a columnist that once, when he fell ill, Saigal came to his house with lot of fruits and medicines. After enquiring about his health, Saigal started rubbing and  pressing his legs. “Sahib, wo to ek farishta the” (Sir, he was an angel.)  -said Yousuf, in a voice choked with emotions.