There are so many patriotic songs that make us proud to be Indians.
Subhash K Jha dips into Bollywood's basket of topnotch songs and comes up with these gems on Republic Day.
Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon
'Kissko pataa tha yeh gaana logon ko itna pasand aayega?' Lata Mangeshkar used to wonder of the country's most beloved patriotic song, and then tells us how it was created:
"When Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon was being created, we never thought it would become such an imperishable patriotic anthem.
"I recall that cold winter evening in Delhi when I sang the song as part of the Republic Day celebrations in front of an audience that comprised President S Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and so many other distinguished guests.
"Pradeepji, the poet, who wrote the immortal lyrics, came to me and asked me to sing the song.
"I declined because there was no time to rehearse and prepare to sing it in front of so many distinguished personalities.
"At that time, I was working round-the-clock.
"To give special attention to one song seemed impossible.
"We had very little time to get Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon ready.
Rather than do a rush job, I wanted to opt out.
"But Pradeepji said if I don't sing the song, he would scrap the idea. I agreed.
"I suggested we format the song into a duet with Asha (Bhosle) and me, but Pradeepji wanted it to be a solo.
"I insisted that we do it as a duet. Asha had even rehearsed for the song.
"But days before we were to fly to Delhi, she came to me and said, 'Didi, I'm not coming to Delhi.'
"I tried to convince her to change her mind, arguing that her name had been printed in the newspapers as one of the singers for Ae Mere Watan Le Logo.
"But she was adamant.
"I told (composer-singer) Hemant Kumar, who had orchestrated the project, about Asha's decision. He also tried to convince Asha, lekin woh nahin manee.
"It was left to me to rehearse alone for the song.
"C Ramachandra, who was composing the song, informed us he had to be in Delhi at least four-five days before our performance, so he was unable to rehearse the song with me.
"Instead, he gave me a tape of the number. I picked up the tune from the tape and flew to Delhi on January 26 with all the big names from the film industry like Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Mehboob Khan, Shankar-Jaikishan, Madan Mohan...
"I was accompanied by my best friend, Nalini Mhatre.
"When we reached Delhi at night, I had a stomach ache.
"I asked Nalini how I'd sing in my condition. She told me not to worry.
"On January 27, we reached the venue.
"I sang two songs: the bhajan, Allah Tero Naam and Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon.
"I was relieved to get it over with.
"After I finished, I went backstage to relax with a cup of coffee, unaware of the impact the song had made.
"Suddenly I heard Mehboob Khan calling for me.
"He caught hold of my hand and said, 'Chalo, Panditji (Jawaharlal Nehru) ne bulaya hai.'
"I wondered why he wanted to see me.
"When I went out, everyone -- including Panditji, his daughter Indirajiji -- stood up courteously to greet me.
"Mehboob Khansaab said, "Yeh rehi hamari Lata. Aapko kaisa laga usska gaana?'
"Panditji said, 'Bahut achcha. Mere aankhon mein paani aa gaya.'
"They all complimented me.
"Then we were invited to Panditji's home for tea.
"Some of us from the film industry, including Shankar-Jaikishan, Raj Kapoor, Mehboob Khan and Dilip Kumar, proceeded to Panditji's residence.
"While the rest of the entourage spoke with Panditji, I stood in a corner.
"Suddenly I heard Panditji say, 'Lata kahan hai?'
"Mrs Indira Gandhi came and took my hand, saying, 'I want you to meet two of your little fans.'
"She introduced me to little Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi.
"They did Namaste and ran away.
"Then Panditji again asked for me.
"Mehboob Khansaab took me near Panditji and he asked, 'Are you going to go back to Mumbai and sing Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon?'
"I replied that it was meant to be a one-off thing.
"He wanted a picture with me.
"We posed for a keepsake and then I left.
"I had to rush back because it was my sister Meena's wedding in Kolhapur.
"When I returned to Mumbai the next day with my friend Nalini, I had no idea that Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon had become a rage.
"The media was buzzing with the impact the song had made in Delhi, how Panditji broke down...
"I attended a film premiere for a Marathi film where I had composed the music and the following day, left for Kolhapur for my siste's wedding.
"Away in Kolhapur, I had no idea that the song was taking over the nation's psyche.
"Who was to know that the song composed for a Republic Day function would have such an enduring impact?
"Only Pradeepji had faith in the song. He had prophesied to me: 'Lata, tum dekhna yeh gaana bahot chalega. Log hamesha ke liye isse yaad rakhenge.'
"Since it was not part of a film, I thought it would have a limited impact.
"Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon became my signature tune.
"No show of mine, no concert or event is complete until I sing Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon.
"I give full credit to Pradeepji for writing such powerful words. He wrote words that reverberated across the nation. We had just come out of a war defeat with China.
"Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon triggered emotions of great patriotic pride in every Indian.
"My regret is that Pradeepji had not been called for the Republic Day function where I sang the song to immortality. If he was there, he would have seen with his own eyes what impact his song had created."
Kar Chale Hum Fida Jaan-o-tan Saathiyon, Haqeeqat
Kaifi Azmi wrote this song for the soldiers, who lost their lives in the 1962 war.
Jiyo Kaifi Azmi.
Jiyo Madan Mohan.
Jiyo Mohommed Rafi!
Haqeeqat Director Chetan Anand wanted a patriotic song that mankind would remember forever and he got it.
The song is still so strong on sentiment, it moves listeners to tears every time.
Madan Mohan loved composing desh bhakti songs.
His other Rafi salaam to the nation was Meri Awaaz Suno in the film Naunihal, composed when Jawaharlal Nehru passed away.
Shabana Azmi says it's her favourite patriotic song: "Kar Chale Hum Fida Jano Tan Saathiyon is the definitive of all the patriotic songs. It gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. My father and Chetan Anand were part of a like-minded circle of friends. They believed cinema could change society."
Mere Desh Ki Dharti, Upkar
Manoj Kumar, who directed and starred in Upkar, recalls how it was made:
"Meri Desh Ki Dharti happened when lyricist Gulshan Bawra and I gone to a shrine to pay our respects. When we returned, Gulshan was singing Mere Desh Ki Dharti... sona ugley... jawanon bhar bhar lo jholiyan... khushi se bolo boliyan.
"I kept quiet as he hummed these lyrics.
"Two-three years later, when I made Upkar, I went to music composer Kalyanji and narrated the script.
"I called Gulshan home and told him the situation.
"I recalled the lyrics I had heard him hum near the shrine.
"I saw it as a great idea that needed to be improvised but I didn't like the lines 'Jawanon bhar lo jholiyan, khushi se bolo boliyan.'
"I removed it. Instead, we had 'Meri desh ki dharti sona ugley ugle heere-moti'.
"Both Kalyanji and Gulshan were hesitant. They said the mukhda of a song couldn't be of one line.
"But I was adamant.
"An hour later, Gulshan said, 'This is great'.
"Every film-maker while writing a screenplay comes to a landmark point in the plot where he thinks a scene can be narrated musically. That situation is given to the lyricist and explained.
"That was how Mere Desh Ki Dharti happened.
"I always had the lyrics first, then the tunes.
"Gulshan had written another song called Har Khushi Hai Wahan in Upkar. He couldn't write the whole song because he had to take my brother to college in Ajmer.
"Gulshan told the media that the second stanza of Har Khushi Hai Wahan was written by Aziz Kaifi and Manoj Kumar.
"Gulshan and I were from the same village near Lahore.
"My chief assistant Sikandar was Gulshan's cousin, so we bonded beyond cinema.
"Film-maker Kewal Sharma, cricketer Manmohan Sood, Gushan and I were good friends.
"When Mahendra Kapoorji, who sang the song, died, our former prime minister Manmohan Singh said he would always be remembered for Mere Desh Ki Dharti.
"It hurts to know so many people connected with that song -- Kalyanji, Mahendra Kapoor and Gulshan Bawra -- are no more."
Jo Samar Mein Ho Gaye Amar
How many know this beautiful paean to patriotism composed by Jaidev?
Jo Samar Mein Ho Gaye Amar, written by Narendra Sharma, one of Lataji's favourite poet-lyricists, is a moving tribute to our soldiers, who give up their lives to keep us safe.
Narendra Sharma writes, 'Laut kar na aayenge vijay dilane wale veer/Mere geet anjali mein unke liye nayan neer...'
Lataji sings the words with an emotion that cannot be gauged in words.
Both Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle have sung separate versions of this Jaidev composition.
Mere Dushman Mere Bhai, Border
This song from J P Dutta's Border, sung with immense affection by Hariharan, had Anu Malik pulling out all stops to create the perfect tune for Javed Akhtar's outstanding poetry on across-the-border brotherhood.
JP says, "It wasn't easy writing a song in Border that pleaded for sanity between the two countries at a time when politicians were baying for blood. But I believe we needed a voice of sanity. I didn't project anti-Pakistan sentiments in Border.
"The film was born out of my anguished comprehension of a complicated and tangled relationship between India and Pakistan. We're brothers and yet, we're enemies."
