native name	Darjeeling
type	Town
skyline	Darjeeling.jpg
skyline caption	A view of Darjeeling from the Happy Valley Tea Estate.
skyline alt	A panoramic view of a hill range. The upper portions of the nearer hillsides have tiled houses, while the farther hillsides and the lower portions of the nearer ones are covered with green bushes. A few coniferous trees are scattered throughout.
locator position	right
base map alt	Darjeeling is located at the northern tip of West Bengal, near its boundary with Sikkim.
inset map alt	West Bengal is located at the northern tip of the east coast of India, bounded by Bangladesh on the east and Indian states of Sikkim, Orissa and Jharkhand on the north, south and west respectively. The state tapers off towards its northern end.
state name	West Bengal
district	Darjeeling
parliament const	Darjeeling
assembly const	Darjeeling
altitude	2050
altitude cite
population as of	2001
population total	107530
population density	8548
area total	10.57
area telephone	0354
postal code	734101
vehicle code range	WB-76 WB-77
footnotes	}}

Darjeeling (Nepali: , ) is a Himalayan town in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is internationally renowned as a tourist destination, along with its tea industry and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the headquarters of Darjeeling district. The town is located in the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalaya at an average elevation of .

The development of the town dates back to the mid-19th century, when the British set up a sanatorium and a military depot. Subsequently, extensive tea plantation was done in the region, and tea growers developed distinctive hybrids of black tea and created new fermenting techniques. The resultant distinctive Darjeeling tea is internationally recognised and ranks among the most popular of the black teas. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway connects the town with the plains and has one of the few steam locomotives still in service in India. Darjeeling also has several British-style public schools, which attract students from throughout India and neighbouring countries. The town, with its neighbouring town of Kalimpong, was a center for the demand of the Gorkhaland movement in the 1980s. The present movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland is also centered in Darjeeling town. In recent years, the town's fragile ecology has been threatened by a rising demand for environmental resources, stemming from growing tourist traffic and poorly planned urbanisation.

History

The history of Darjeeling is intertwined with that of Bengal, Sikkim and Nepal. Until the early 19th century, the hilly area around Darjeeling was historically controlled by the kingdom of Sikkim, while the plains around Siliguri were intermittently occupied by the kingdom of Nepal, with settlement consisting of a few Villages of Lepcha & Kirati people. It is also known that Nepal once expanded its kingdom till Teesta River. In 1828, a delegation of British East India Company officials on its way to Nepal-Sikkim border stayed in Darjeeling and decided that the region was a suitable site for a sanatorium for British soldiers. The company negotiated a lease of the area west of the Mahananda River from the Chogyal of Sikkim in 1835. In 1849, the British East India Company (BEIC) director Arthur Campbell and the explorer and botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker were imprisoned in the region by the Sikkim Chogyal. The East India Company sent a force to free them. Continued friction between the BEIC and the Sikkim authorities resulted in the annexation of of territory in 1850. In 1864, the Bhutanese rulers and the British signed the Treaty of Sinchula that ceded the passes leading through the hills and Kalimpong to the British. The continuing discord between Sikkim and the British resulted in a war, culminating in the signing of a treaty and the annexation by the British of the area east of the Teesta River in 1865. By 1866, Darjeeling district had assumed its current shape and size, covering an area of .

During the British Raj, Darjeeling's temperate climate led to its development as a hill station for British residents seeking to escape the summer heat of the plains, and its becoming the informal summer capital of the Bengal Presidency in 1840, a practice that was formalised after 1864. thumb|Darjeeling view, 1880|alt=A hillside with houses having tiled roofs. The development of Darjeeling as a sanatorium and health resort proceeded briskly. Arthur Campbell, a surgeon with the Company, and Lieutenant Robert Napier were responsible for establishing a hill station there. Campbell's efforts to develop the station, attract immigrants to cultivate the slopes and stimulate trade resulted in a hundredfold increase in the population of Darjeeling between 1835 and 1849. The first road connecting the town with the plains was constructed between 1839 and 1842. In 1848, a military depot was set up for British soldiers, and the town became a municipality in 1850. Commercial cultivation of tea in the district began in 1856, and induced a number of British planters to settle there. Scottish missionaries undertook the construction of schools and welfare centres for the British residents, laying the foundation for Darjeeling's notability as a centre of education. The opening of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in 1881 further hastened the development of the region. In 1899, Darjeeling was rocked by major landslides that caused severe damage to the town and the native population.

Under British rule, the Darjeeling area was initially a Non-Regulation District, a scheme of administration applicable to economically less advanced districts in the British Raj, and acts and regulations of the British Raj did not automatically apply to the district in line with rest of the country. In 1919, the area was declared a "backward tract". During the Indian independence movement, the Non-cooperation Movement spread through the tea estates of Darjeeling. There was also a failed assassination attempt by revolutionaries on Sir John Anderson, the Governor of Bengal in 1934. Subsequently, during the 1940s, Communist activists continued the nationalist movement against the British by mobilising the plantation workers and the peasants of the district.

Socio-economic problems of the region that had not been addressed during British rule continued to linger and were reflected in a representation made to the Constituent Assembly of India in 1947, which highlighted the issues of regional autonomy and Nepali nationality in Darjeeling and adjacent areas. After the independence of India in 1947, Darjeeling was merged with the state of West Bengal. A separate district of Darjeeling was established consisting of the hill towns of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and some parts of the Terai region. While the hill population included mainly of ethnic Nepalis who had migrated there during British rule, the plains harboured a large ethnic Bengali population who were refugees from the Partition of India. A cautious and non-receptive response by the West Bengal government to most demands of the ethnic Nepali population led to increased calls, in the 1950s and 1960s, for Darjeeling's autonomy and for the recognition of the Nepali language; the state government acceded to the latter demand in 1961.

The creation of a new state of Sikkim in 1975, along with the reluctance of the Government of India to recognise Nepali as an official language under the Constitution of India, brought the issue of a separate state of Gorkhaland to the forefront. Agitation for a separate state continued through the 1980s, included violent protests during the 1986–88 period. The agitation ceased only after an agreement between the government and the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), resulting in the establishment of an elected body in 1988 called the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), which received autonomy to govern the district. Though Darjeeling became peaceful, the issue of a separate state lingered, fueled in part by the lack of comprehensive economic development in the region even after the formation of the DGHC. New protests erupted in 2008–09, but both the Union and State governments rejected Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's demand for a separate state. In July 2011, a pact was signed between Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), the Government of West Bengal and the Government of India which includes the formation of a new autonomous, elected Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), a hill council armed with more powers than its predecessor Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.

Geography

Darjeeling is the main town of the Sadar subdivision and also the headquarters of the district. It is located at an average elevation of in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region on the Darjeeling-Jalapahar range that originates in the south from Ghum. The range is Y-shaped with the base resting at Katapahar and Jalapahar and two arms diverging north of the Observatory Hill. The north-eastern arm dips suddenly and ends in the Lebong spur, while the north-western arm passes through North Point and ends in the valley near Tukver Tea Estate. The hills are nestled within higher peaks and the snow-clad Himalayan ranges tower over the town in the distance. Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak, high, is the most prominent mountain visible. In days clear of clouds, Nepal's Mount Everest, high, can be seen.

The hills of Darjeeling are part of the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalaya. The soil is chiefly composed of sandstone and conglomerate formations, which are the solidified and upheaved detritus of the great range of Himalaya. However, the soil is often poorly consolidated (the permeable sediments of the region do not retain water between rains) and is not considered suitable for agriculture. The area has steep slopes and loose topsoil, leading to frequent landslides during the monsoons. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, the town falls under seismic zone-IV, (on a scale of I to V, in order of increasing proneness to earthquakes) near the convergent boundary of the Indian and the Eurasian tectonic plates and is subject to frequent earthquakes.

Flora and fauna

Darjeeling is a part of the Eastern Himalayan zoo-geographic zone. Flora around Darjeeling comprises sal, oak, semi-evergreen, temperate and alpine forests. Dense evergreen forests of sal and oak lie around the town, where a wide variety of rare orchids are found. The Lloyd's Botanical Garden preserves common and rare species of plants, while the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park specialises in conserving and breeding endangered Himalayan species. The town of Darjeeling and surrounding region face deforestation due to increasing demand for wood fuel and timber, as well as air pollution from increasing vehicular traffic.

Wildlife in the district is protected by the wildlife wing of the West Bengal Forest Department. The fauna found in Darjeeling includes several species of ducks, teals, plovers and gulls that pass Darjeeling while migrating to and from Tibet. Small mammals found in the region include civets, mongooses and badgers. The nearby Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary consists of semi-evergreen and sal forests. Animals found here include the one-horned rhinoceros, elephant, tiger, leopard and hog deer, while the main bird species include the Bengal florican and herons. , work was in progress for setting up a conservation centre for red pandas in Darjeeling.

Climate

Darjeeling's temperate climate (Koppen ''Cwb'') has five distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter, and the monsoons. The annual mean maximum temperature is while the mean minimum temperature is , with monthly mean temperatures range from . The lowest temperature recorded was on 11 February 1905. The average annual precipitation is , with an average of 126 days of rain in a year. The highest rainfall occurs in July. The heavy and concentrated rainfall that is experienced in the region, aggravated by deforestation and haphazard planning, often causes devastating landslides, leading to loss of life and property. In recent years, global warming has had adverse effects on Darjeeling's climate, resulting in periods of drought followed by floods, and an increasing incidence of pest attacks on tea plantations.

Civic administration

The Darjeeling urban agglomeration consists of Darjeeling Municipality and the Pattabong Tea Garden. Established in 1850, the Darjeeling municipality maintains the civic administration of the town, covering an area of . The municipality consists of a board of councillors elected from each of the 32 wards of Darjeeling town as well as a few members nominated by the state government. The board of councillors elects a chairman from among its elected members; the chairman is the executive head of the municipality. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJMM) holds power in the municipality .

The Gorkha-dominated hill areas of the whole Darjeeling district is under the jurisdiction of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council since its formation in 1988. The DGHC's elected councillors are authorised to manage certain affairs of the hills, including education, health and tourism. Law and order in Darjeeling town comes under the jurisdiction of the district police force, which is a part of the West Bengal Police; a Deputy Superintendent of Police oversees the town's security and law affairs. Darjeeling municipality area has two police stations at Darjeeling and Jorebungalow. Since 2005, there has been no elections to the DGHC and from March 2008 the West Bengal government directly runs the DGHC through an administrative officer.

Utilities

Natural springs in the Senchal Range provide most of Darjeeling's water supply. Water collected is routed through stone conduits to two lakes that were constructed in 1910 and 1932, from where it is piped to the town after purification at the Jorebungalow filtration plant. During the dry season, when water supplied by springs is insufficient, water is pumped from Khong Khola, a nearby small perennial stream. There is a steadily widening gap between water supply and demand; just over 50% of the town's households are connected to the municipal water supply system. Various efforts made to augment the water supply, including the construction of a third storage reservoir in 1984, have failed to yield desired results.

The town has an underground sewage system, covering about 40% of the town area, that collects domestic waste and conveys it to septic tanks for disposal. Solid waste is disposed of in a nearby dumping ground, which also houses the town's crematorium. Doorstep collection of garbage and segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste have been implemented since 2003. Vermicomposting of vegetable waste is carried out with the help of non-governmental organisations. In June 2009, in order to reduce waste, the municipality proposed the ban of plastic carry bags and sachets in the town.

Electricity is supplied by the West Bengal State Electricity Board, and the West Bengal Fire Service provides emergency services for the town. The town often suffers from power outages and the electrical supply voltage is unstable, making voltage stabilisers popular with many households. Almost all of the primary schools are now maintained by Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council. The total length of all types of roads within the municipal area is around .

Economy

The two most significant contributors to Darjeeling's economy are tourism and the tea industry. Darjeeling tea, due to the unique agro-climatic conditions of Darjeeling, has a distinctive natural flavour, is internationally reputed and recognised as a geographical indicator. Darjeeling produces 7% of India's tea output, approximately every year. The tea industry has faced competition in recent years from tea produced in other parts of India as well as other countries like Nepal. Widespread concerns about labour disputes, worker layoffs and closing of estates have affected investment and production. Several tea estates are being run on a workers' cooperative model, while others are being planned for conversion into tourist resorts. More than 60% of workers in the tea gardens are women. Besides tea, the most widely cultivated crops include maize, millets, paddy, cardamom, potato and ginger.

Darjeeling had become an important tourist destination as early as 1860. It is reported to be the only location in eastern India that witnesses large numbers of foreign tourists. It is also a popular filming destination for Bollywood and Bengali cinema. Satyajit Ray shot his film ''Kanchenjungha'' (1962) here, and his Feluda series story, ''Darjeeling Jomjomaat'' was also set in the town. Bollywood movies ''Aradhana'' (1969), and more recently ''Main Hoon Na'' (2004) have been filmed here. Tourist inflow into Darjeeling has been affected by the political instability in the region, and agitations in the 1980s and 2000s have hit the tourism industry hard.

Transport

Darjeeling can be reached by the long Darjeeling Himalayan Railway from New Jalpaiguri, or by National Highway 55, from Siliguri, away. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a narrow-gauge railway that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999 for being "an outstanding example of the influence of an innovative transportation system on the social and economic development of a multi-cultural region, which was to serve as a model for similar developments in many parts of the world", becoming only the second railway in the world to have this honour. Bus services and hired vehicles connect Darjeeling with Siliguri and Darjeeling has road connections with Bagdogra, Gangtok and Kathmandu and the neighbouring towns of Kurseong and Kalimpong. However, road and railway communications often get disrupted in the monsoons because of landslides. The nearest airport is in Bagdogra, located from Darjeeling. Within the town, people usually traverse by walking. Residents also use bicycles, two-wheelers and hired taxis for travelling short distances. The Darjeeling Ropeway, functional since 1968, was closed in 2003 after an accident killed four tourists. It was proposed to be reopened in 2007, but remained closed due to absence of patronage as a result of the development of the road network in the region. Reserve cars also available from Kings Travels, dial-098304-28401/ 093319-39486 for tour purpose in Darjeeling.

Demographics

According to the 2001 census, the Darjeeling urban agglomeration, with an area of has a population of 109,163, while the municipal area has a population of 107,530. The population density of the municipal area is 10,173 per km². The sex ratio is 1,017 females per 1,000 males, which is higher than the national average of 933 females per 1000 males. The three largest religions are Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, in that order. The majority of the populace are Gorkhas of ethnic Nepali background. Indigenous ethnic groups include the Limbu, Rai, Tamangs, Lepchas, Gurung, Bhutias, Sherpas and Newars. Other communities that inhabit Darjeeling include the Bengali, Anglo-Indians, Chinese, Bihari and Tibetans. The most commonly spoken languages are Nepali, Bengali, English and Tibetan.

A popular food in Darjeeling is the Tibetan ''momo'', a steamed dumpling containing meat cooked in a doughy wrapping and served with clear soup and ''achar''. A form of Tibetan noodle called ''thukpa'', served in soup form is also popular. Other commonly eaten dishes include alu dum, a potato preparation, and ''shaphalay'', Tibetan bread stuffed with meat.

Colonial architecture characterises many buildings in Darjeeling, exemplified by several mock Tudor residences, Gothic churches, the Raj Bhawan, Planters' Club and various educational institutions. Buddhist monasteries showcase the pagoda style architecture. Darjeeling is regarded as a centre of music and a niche for musicians and music admirers. Singing and playing musical instruments is a common pastime among the resident population, who take pride in the traditions and role of music in cultural life.

Education

There are 52 primary schools, 21 high schools and 4 colleges in the town. Darjeeling's schools are either run by the state government or by private and religious organisations. Schools mainly use English and Nepali as their media of instruction, although there is the option to learn the national language Hindi and the official state language Bengali. The schools are either affiliated with the ICSE, the CBSE, or the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Having been a summer retreat for the British in India, Darjeeling became the place of choice for the establishment of public schools on the model of Eton, Harrow and Rugby, allowing the children of British officials to obtain an exclusive education. Institutions such as St. Joseph's College (School Dept.), Loreto Convent, St. Paul's School and Mount Hermon School are renowned as centres of educational excellence. Darjeeling has four colleges — St. Joseph's College, Southfield College (earlier known as Loreto College), Darjeeling Government College and Sri Ramakrishna B.T. College — all affiliated to the University of North Bengal in Siliguri.

Notes

References

Further reading

External links

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Category:Cities and towns in Darjeeling district Category:Hill stations in India Category:Railway stations in West Bengal

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name	Shankar Jaikishan
background	non_performing_personnel
birth name	Shankar Singh Raghuvanshi,Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal
alias	Shankar-Jaikishan, SJ
born	October 05, 1922andhra pradesh, India (Shankar), November 04, 1929Vansda, Gujarat, India (Jaikishan)
died	April 26, 1987 (Shankar), September 12, 1971 (Jaikishan)Bombay, India (both)
genre	Film score, Indian classical music, Fusion music, Indo jazz
occupation	Composer, music director, orchestrator, conductor
years active	1949–1987
goldenglobeawards	}}

Shankar Jaikishan (Devanāgarī:शंकर-जयकिशन), also known as S/J, is an Indian music composer duo in the Hindi film industry, working together from 1949–1971.

Shankar-Jaikishan, along with other artists, wrote "everlasting" and "immortal melodies" in fifties and sixties. Their best work was noted for being "raga-based and having both lilt and sonority".

Early years

Shankar Singh Raghuvanshi (25 October 1922 – 26 April 1987) born in Tanuku, west godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, but was a native of Rajasthan originally while Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal (4 November 1929 – 12 September 1971) belonged to Bansda (Vansada), Gujarat.

During his formative years, Shankar played the tabla and learned the art formally from Baba Nasir Khansahib. For many years, Shankar studied as a disciple of the legendary composer Khawaja Khurshid Anwar, in whose orchestra he performed. Jaikishan was adept at playing the harmonium. Subsequently, he obtained his musical lessons from ''Sangeet Visharad'' Wadilalji and later from Prem Shankar Nayak. After moving to Bombay, he became a disciple of Vinayak Tambe. Shankar started his career with a theater group run by Satyanarayan and Hemawati, before shifting to Prithvi Theatre where he played tabla and performed some minor roles in plays. Shankar worked as assistant to the leading composer duo of Husnlal Bhagatram.

Apart from working at Prithvi theaters, Shankar used to frequently visit the office of a Gujrati director Chandravadan Bhatt who had promised Shankar that he would give him a break as a Music Director as and when he produced a film. It was outside the office of Mr Bhatt that Shankar saw `ek dubla patla sunder `ladka' also sitting a number of times. Although they never spoke to each other, one fine day, Shankar took the initiative of starting the conversation and then discovered that his name was Jaikishan and he too used to visit the same producer in search of some work related to music and that he was a Harmonium player. Shankar later recollected that their vibes were right from the very beginning i.e. right from their first meeting itself they developed liking for each other (rather than any feelings of rivalry which could have been natural since both were visiting Mr Bhatt for similar reason) and it was he who then and there assured Jaikishan of the job of a Harmonium player at Prithvi theaters (without asking Prithviraj Kapoor, fondly referred to as `Papaji'). Of course, later, Papaji honoured Shankar's selection and gladly accepted Jaikishan as a Harmonium player at Prithvi. Soon, the two of them developed very close friendship to the extent that the people started refererring to them as `Ram-Lakshman' ki jodi and by several similar-meaning nick names. It was during this phase that Shankar and Jaikishan developed a very deep bond of friendship, mutual understanding and regard for each other and made up their mind to work together as a musical team. Apart from following their musical pursuits, they also used to play significant roles in various plays including the famous play "Pathan".

While working in Prithvi Theaters, Shankar and Jaikishan, apart from working in the music department there, used to compose tunes and were in touch with Raj Kapoor, who was working as an assistant to the famous director Kidar Sharma and was aspiring to be an actor/director. Thus, the three had met at Prithvi Theater, run by Raj Kapoor's father, Prithviraj Kapoor.

`Barsaat': the First break

Raj Kapoor made his debut as a director with the film "Aag" in 1948. While the film received a mixed response at the box office, its musical score (in which the music director Ram Ganguli was assisted by Shankar and Jaikishan) proved to be quite popular. However, during the recording of some song for his new venture `Barsaat', Raj Kapoor had some serious differences with Ram Ganguly, the music composer of the film and decided to assign its music to Shankar who insisted on taking Jaikishan as his partner and thus came into existence the new pair of music directors(MD) named `Shankar-Jaikishan' who gave landmark, path-breaking and trend-setting music for the RK production `Barsaat' in 1949.

Himself being a trained singer (he and Mukesh learned vocal music from the same Guru) and having an ear for good music, Raj Kapoor thus, took on board, a completely new team of composers Shankar and Jaikishan and lyricists Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri (a former bus conductor). On the insistence of Shankar, he and SJ co-opted the upcoming singing talent Lata Mangeshkar, and repeated Mukesh as Raj Kapoor's ghost voice for the various songs of Barsaat. In due course, this team was to prove to be one of the most successful musical combinations of all times, perhaps second only to the combination of Shankar, Jaikishan, Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri, Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd. Rafi.

''Barsaat'' was a super hit, both commercially and more so musically. Among other things, it established Lata Mangeshkar as the undisputed queen of Hindi film music. It also had the distinction of giving two firsts to Hindi cinema – a title song (''Barsaat mein hamse miley tum'') and a cabaret (''Patli kamar hai''). The film propelled Shankar-Jaikishan on the road to musical super-stardom and to a stature that remains unmatched to this date.

Early works

The two became known by the acronym "S-J".

Their early works include Awaara, Aah, Shree 420, Basant Bahar, Halaku, Patita, Kathputli, Anari, Chori Chori, Daag, Baadshah, Boot Polish, and Ujala .

Musical collaborators

S-J formed a core team with lyricists Shailendra (himself regarded as perhaps the greatest of his ilk) and Hasrat Jaipuri and with singers Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. SJ had two other life-long companions who worked as their assistants: Dattaram Wadkar and Sebastian De'souza, the former supervising their rhythm section and the later writing musical notations for all SJ compositions (during SJ's musical sittings as can be seen in a number of photographs of such sessions) and then rehearsing all the musicians of the grand SJ orchestra according to SJ's compositions and directions. SJ also patronized the immensely talented singer Manna Dey, who sang his best songs with them and used Mukesh's silken voice as playback for Raj Kapoor. Among the directors, they worked most closely with Raj Kapoor and were considered the kingpins of his legendary banner RK Films.

They were commercial geniuses in addition to be wonderfully god-blessed on music. They lead the bollywood music in spite of tough competition from maestros like Roshan, SD Burman, OP Nayyar and Madanmohan and remained on the top much to the chagrin of very highly talented music directors!

S-J worked with almost all singers of their time. They had a good working relationship with all of them and were masters in extracting the very best from every one of them. They were steady as a team with Hasrat Jaipuri & Shailendra as their lyricists; but after the demise of Shailendra, they worked with a host of other lyricists such as Indeewar, Gulshan Bawra, Neeraj, Verma Malik, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Vithhal Bhai Patel and Rajinder Krishan, to name a few.

S-J were the "house composers" for RK Films and were on their pay-roll till the end. Raj Kapoor used to maintain a music bank where he stored compositions of S-J. Even after the termination of the professional association between Shankar and Raj Kapoor (Jaikishan had died by then), the latter had used a number of S-J's earlier compositions (which were in his custody) for all his films though the credits were given officially to other composers, e.g., Laxmikant Pyarelal (Bobby, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Prem Rog) and Ravindra Jain (Ram Teri Ganga Maili). S-J also worked with other stars like Shammi Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, Dev Anand, Sunil Dutt, Kishore Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Biswajeet, Joy Mukherjee, Dharmendra & Manoj Kumar.

Composition style

Shankar-Jaikishan's compositions broke new ground in Hindi film music. Apart from relying upon their knowledge of Indian classical music, they also employed western beats and orchestration. Shankar-Jaikishan were the pioneers in establishing the role of the orchestra in song compositions as a medium to express and enhance the meanings and feelings of songs rather than using it just as a `filler' as per the prevalent practice before their advent on the scene. They made use of the orchestra and musical instruments (often dozens or hundreds of them) in their songs which consisted of the following format: The song starts with a `prelude' (preparatory music to create and introduce the environment and mood for the beginning of the song), then the mukhda starts and is followed by `interlude' containg music pieces on the orchestra. With very few exceptions(Chal Mere dil; Ye mera deewana pan hai are good examples), they always used different interludes before each stanza. `Multi-layered' music studded with counter melodies' played by the orchestra accompanied while the mukhda or the antara of a song was being sung and finally came the `epilogue' - the music with which the song ended after the singer(s) had finished their singing.

Shankar-Jaikishan made a significant contribution in promoting Indian classical music throughout their career. It was their established practice to have at least one song in a movie based on semi-classical style. These included songs like `Jhanak-jhanak tori baje payaliya' (Mere Huzoor), `Chham chham baje re payaliya' (Jane-anjane), `Radhike tune bansari churayi' (Beti Bete), `Manmohana bade jhoothe' (old `Seema'), `Koi matwala aya mere dware' (Love in Tokyo), `Ajahu na ayae baalma, sawan beeta jaye' (Sanjh aur Savera), `Lapak jhpak tu aa re badarwa' (Boot polish), `Ye barkha bahar sautaniya ke dwar' (Mayur pankh), `Re man sur mein ga' (Lal pathar), `Sooni sooni sans ke sitar par' (Naina), `Kate na kate raina' (Mera naam joker) and numerous others. Their music in `Basant Bahar' and ''Amrapali'' both of which had every song based upon Indian classical music. While "raga Bhairavi" remained their perennial favorite, SJ used a variety of Raagas in their compositions.

Shankar Jaikishan also used the western classical-based waltz rhythm in a number of songs.

Shankar-Jaikishan gave a new style and meaning to the genre of sad songs by composing them on a fast tempo. Songs like `Main zindagi mein hurdum rota hi raha hun' (Barsaat), `Tera jana dil ke armanon ka lut jana' (Anari), `Haye tu hi gaya mohe bhool re' (Kathputli), `Aye mere dil kahin aur chal' (Daag) and `Andhe jahan ke andhe raaste' (Patita) demonstrated this. The last two songs, along with many others (notably `Awaara Hoon' from the film ''Awaara''), also demonstrate the composers’ use of musical instruments – a harmonium is used to produce the effect of a piano accordion.

Working styles: `SJ' were two composers in one name

While working as a team, Shankar and Jaikishan used to compose their songs separately. Generally, Shankar liked to work with Shailendra and Jaikishan with Hasrat Jaipuri though there are notable instances where Shankar worked with Hasrat and Jaikishan with Shailendra. Between the two, Shankar was the senior partner and hence, he would usually arrange the orchestra, even for Jaikishan's songs. There was a gentleman's agreement between them for not identifying the actual composer of the song. As a result, it has been a popular pastime for S-J aficionados to try and tell a Shankar song from a Jaikishan song. Dance numbers, title/theme songs and soulful songs were Shankar's forte while Jaikishan was a master of composing background score, apart from romantic songs (he is generally regarded as the best ever in this genre) and simple, catchy compositions which became instant hits (`Ehsaan mere dil pe' being a typical example of such songs). However, Shankar was no less in this aspect of devising simple `straight line' tunes: `Mera joota hai Japani' (Sri 420) being the best example of this genre.

It is said that Jaikishan would count some numbers on his fingers before coming up with the background score for a particular scene on the spot! Two of S-J's films, viz., Sangam (1964) and Mera Naam Joker (1971) are regarded even today as having some of the best background musical scores of Hindi films till date. Although Jaikishan alone used to work on background scores of SJ movies, it may be an over-simplification to presume that whatever went in background scores was solely Jaikishan's creation. Since SJ had a common pool of tunes in their stock, made by either of them or by both of them jointly during their numerous music sessions/sittings (Riyaz), it would have been perfectly legitimate and natural for Jaikishan to have used tunes created by either or both partners wherever needed. It is understood that in RK films, Shankar and Jaikishan both used to work on the background scores. On the other hand, both Shankar and Jaikishan were equally proficient in scoring western music based songs.

Despite their distinct working styles and preferences, it is very difficult, if not altogether impossible, to ascribe most of their songs to only one of them. In most of the songs, they invariably contributed to one another's creation, either in the form of improvisation of tune or of orchestration, thus, making their compositions truly a joint effort. Furthermore, each of the two could compose in other's style now and then thereby making the identification still more difficult.

Contrary to the popular mis-conception that `it was Jaikishan who used to handle the public relations and business/financial aspects of the duo's career', the fact is that it was Shankar who had the final say on all financial/business aspects of the SJ-team.

Raaga-Jazz Style

Shankar Jaikishan had the major contribution towards the development of Jazz music in India and the new genre Indo Jazz. Their 1968 album ''Raaga-Jazz style'' is the earliest Indo-Jazz recording in India. In this album, considered to be one of the most innovative, SJ created 11 songs based on Indian Ragas with saxophone, trumpet, sitar (by Rais Khan), tabla, bass etc.

Awards

During their career, S-J won Filmfare Best Music Director Awards for a record nine times. The last three awards were won in three successive years, thereby making S-J the first composers to score a hat trick of these awards.

S-J also came out tops in Binaca Geetmala, the legendary countdown radio program on Hindi film music, where their compositions were declared the most popular on six occasions (a record later equaled by Laxmikant Pyarelal). These songs were ''Mera joota hai japani'' in 1955 (Shree 420), ''Teri pyari pyari surat ko'' in 1961 (Sasural), ''Ehsaan tera hoga mujh par'' in 1962 (Junglee), ''Bol radha bol'' in 1964 (Sangam), ''Baharon phool barsaao'' in 1966 (Suraj), and ''Zindagi ek safar hai suhana'' in 1971 (Andaaz). In 1959, seven of the top ten songs for the year were composed by S-J, a sort of record that stands perhaps to this date, though the top honors for that year went to SD Burman.

Government awards

1968 - Shankar-Jaikishan was honoured with the Padmashri by the Government of India.

Filmfare Awards

Winner

1956 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film ''Chori Chori''

1959 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film ''Anari''

1960 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film ''Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai''

1962 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film ''Professor''

1966 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film ''Suraj''

1968 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film ''Brahmachari''

1970 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film ''Pehchaan''

1971 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film ''Mera Naam Joker''

1972 - Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the film ''Be-Imaan''

Nominated

1958 - for the film ''Yahudi''

1959 - for the film ''Chhoti Bahen''

1961 - for the film ''Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai''

1963 - for the film ''Dil Ek Mandir''

1964 - for the film ''Sangam (film)''

1965 - for the film ''Arzoo (1965 film)''

1968 - for the film ''Diwana (film)''

1969 - for the film ''Chanda Aur Bijli''

1971 - for the film ''Andaz (1971 film)''

1974 - for the film ''Resham Ki Dori''

1975 - for the film ''Sanyasi (1975 film)''

The ''Sur-Singar'' Awards

Winner

1968 - For the song ''Jhanak Jhanak Toree Baje Payaliya'' of the film ''Mere Huzoor''

1971 - For the song ''Re Man Sur Mein Ga'' of the film ''Lal Patthar''

Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards

Winner 1968 - Best Music Director for the film ''Brahmachari'' 1971 - Best Music Director for the film ''Andaz (1971 film)''

The `so-called' disputes/differences between Shankar and Jaikishan

In a signed article in Filmfare, Jaikishan identified unwittingly the song ''Yeh mera prem patra padh kar'' (Sangam) as `his' composition. This led to a lot of bitterness between the two, as Shankar considered it a violation of the unwritten agreement between them. At about the same time, Shankar gave a break to singer Sharda and started promoting her as the new singing sensation in preference over Lata Mangeshkar. Jaikishan, however, stuck to Lata Mangeshkar for his compositions. In this period, Shankar and Jaikishan started taking individual contracts for films though every such film continued to show them together as the composers. Mohd. Rafi intervened and helped them settle their differences; however, it is conjectured that their relationship was not same as earlier and this impacted the quality of their compositions which had started exhibiting a decline (which is clearly noticeable in the movies released during the last phases of Jaikishan's lifetime and those released just after his demise).

On the other hand, Jaikishan, Hasrat and Shankar all had denied, whenever quizzed on this topic, that there ever was any rift between them. In fact, according to Hasrat, the division of work was by mutual agreement to cope up with the heavy work load so that Shankar and Shailendra looked after one part of the work while Jaikishan and Hasrat on the other part but this division was not rigid; there was a lot of give and take between them even during this phase. Towards the end (just before Jaikishan's untimely demise), in several of their last movies such as Jane Anjane (1971), Andaaz (1971), Ankhon Ankhon Mein, Shankar and Jaikishan were known to be working together. In retrospect, it appears that the so-called rift between Shankar and Jaikishan was blown out of proportion by the media and vested interests and was used later to downgrade Shankar in his post-Jaikishan years.

Since Shankar continued to support Sharda (post ''Sangam'' era) and even ghost-composed music for her film and non-film albums, it is said that Lata Mangeshkar became angry with him and discontinued singing for him. Whereas there may be some truth in this assertion, the other fact is that Lata Mangeshkar had stopped working with him after `Sangam' due to her anger against both Raj Kapoor and Shankar in making her sing `Budhha mil gaya' from ''Sangam'' which she was not keen as she did not feel comfortable with the lyrics of the song. Nevertheless, she continued singing for Jaikishan even after ''Sangam'' and till the end.

Standing in the industry

S-J enjoyed an unrivaled position in the Hindi film industry. During their heyday and even toward the later part of their career, they were the highest paid music directors in the industry. Barring stray exceptions, they were paid more than the leading actors and the promotional material of their films would give them more prominence than anyone else. In one instance, they were paid more than the highest earning actor of the day. To this date, barring composer A. R. Rahman, no other composer(s) has been able to equal, let alone surpass, this feat.

S-J staged a show in Shanmukhanad Hall, Mumbai in 1970 under the aegis of the Indian Navy. In terms of attendance and grandeur, it remains unsurpassed to this day, thus providing a public seal of approval to their leading status in the industry.

Jaikishan's death and SJ's post-Jaikishan era

Jaikishan died in 1971 due to cirrhosis of liver, a disease caused by excessive consumption of alcohol. At the time of his death, the duo enjoyed an unparalleled popularity which was underlined by a massive turnout at his funeral procession. Gaylord, a restaurant at Churchgate (Mumbai) where Jaikishan used to be a regular visitor, mourned the death of its illustrious patron by lighting a candle on his favorite table for one month and keeping it out of bounds for other guests with the sign "Reserved for Mr. Jaikishan".

After Jaikishan's death, Shankar carried on with the banner of Shankar-Jaikishan alone (as per their mutual understanding made during their lifetime that in case of the demise of any one of them, the surviving partner will continue to work with the same team name). He was clearly hampered by numerous reasons such as the departure of his soul-mate Jaikishan his favorite lyricist Shailendra, betrayal of Raj Kapoor, continued Shankar-bashing and false propaganda by his rivals and lack of motivation on his own part due to which his music appeared to suffer in comparison to S-J's own high standards. Also, in spite of his continued experimentation on music, the projects themselves for which he worked did not turn out to be commercial successes due to which even his good scores went largely un-noticed.

According to Lata Mangeshkar herself, it was the late Mohd. Rafi who brought about a rapprochement between the two and she did start singing again for Shankar starting from Sohan Lal Kanwar's `Sanyasi' and several other films later. Although Shankar's creations during this period for Lata as well as other singers like Rafi, Kishore, Manna Dey were quite good, most of these went un-noticed due to non-descript status of such films which bombed at the box office. His most-successful musical hit was'' Sanyasi'' in 1975 for which he scored all songs and the entire background score based upon SJ's favorite Raag Bhairavi to prove the point that SJ' Bhairavi was as much Shankar's as that of Jaikishan !

After Sanyasi, although some of Shankar's later songs did exhibit flashes of the old maestro's brilliance, overall, these films (''Aatmaram, D-Jhooth, Garam Khoon, Papi Pet Ka Sawal Hai'', Chorni, Eint ka Jawab Pathar etc.) did not succeed in endearing him to leading production houses, though there were some exceptions. For example, actor Dharmendra had signed Shankar to compose the score for his film'' Bichchhoo'', however, since Shankar did not accept Sai's (who was more keen in having Raj Kamal as MD) intereference in his work, he opted out of the project. Eventually, the project itself was abandoned by producer-to-be Dharmendra.

Shankar was in the running for Raj Kapoor's film Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978), but was overlooked in favor of Laxmikant Pyarelal whose candidature was supported vigorously by Mukesh. Ironically, Mukesh owed his standing in the film industry primarily to S-J's compositions.

Shankar was also considered for Raj Kapoor's proposed film ''Param Vir Chakra'' (his case was supported by Raj Kapoor's sons), but the project did not see the light of day and Shankar never returned to the RK camp.

Shankar's death

Shankar died in 1987. Sadly, his death received nominal media coverage and his funeral was attended only by his family and some friends. The film industry was hardly represented at his funeral (even Raj Kapoor did not attend), thus reinforcing the stereotype of its fickle-natured loyalties.

Raj Kapoor later paid glowing tributes to the colleague of his salad days in a televised interview. However, it was only after Raj Kapoor's own death in 1988 that the significance of his association with S-J was brought out in great detail.

Legacy

Descendents of Shankar and Jaikishan stayed away from the film industry. Shankar's family is based in Hyderabad and is involved in the hotel business. Jaikishan's family is based in Mumbai and his wife (Pallavi Jaikishan) and one daughter (Bhairavi Jaikishan) are dress designers of repute. Jaikishan's other children pursue different vocations.

Selected filmography

Barsaat (1949)

Aawara (1951)

Baadal (1951)

Daag (1952)

Aah (1953)

Aas (1953)

Patita (1953)

Boot Polish (1954)

Mayur Pankh (1954)

Seema (1955)

Shri 420 (1955)

Basant Bahaar (1956)

Chori Chori (1956)

Halaku (1956)

New Delhi (1956)

Kathputli (1957)

Yahudi (1958)

Anari (1959)

Kanahiya (1959)

Hamrahi ( 1963)

Ujala (1959)

Main Nashe Me Hoon (1959)

Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayee (1960)

Jis Desh me Ganga Behti Hai (1960)

Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1961)

Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961)

Junglee (1961)

Sasuraal (1961)

Aashiq (1962)

Asli Naqli (1962)

Dil Tera Diwana (1962)

Hariyali Aur Rasta (1962)

Professor (1962)

Rangoli (1962)

Dil Ek Mandir (1963)

Aai Milan Ki Bela (1964)

April Fool (1964)

Rajkumar (1964)

Sangam (1964)

Aarzoo (1965)

Gumnaam (1965)

Jaanwar (1965)

Amrapali (1966)

Love In Tokyo (1966)

Suraj (1966)

Teesri Kasam (1966)

Gunahon Ka Devta (1967)

An Everning In Paris (1967)

Around The World (1967)

Raat Aur Din (1967)

Brahmchari (1968)

Jhuk Gaya Aasman (1968)

Kanyadaan (1968)

Duniya

Mere Huzoor (1968)

Prince (1969)

Pyar Hi Pyar (1969)

Yakeen (1969)

Bombay Talkie (1970)

Mera Naam Jokar (1970)

Pagla Kahin Ka (1970)

Pehchaan (1970)

Andaaz (1971)

Jaane Anjaane (1971)

Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971)

Laal Patthar (1971)

Main Sundar Hoon (1971)

Parde Ke Peechey (1971)

Be-Imaan (1972)

Jangal Mein Mangal (1972)

Aankhon Aankhon Mein (1972)

Naina (1973)

Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar (1973)

Resham Ki Dori (1974)

Resham Ki Dori (1974)

Vachan (1974)

International Crook (1974)

Saazish (1975)

Sanyaasi (1975)

References and further reading

External links

Page of SJ in www.downmeldoylane.com

Shankar's IMDB entry

Jaikishan's IMDB entry

Tribute to SJ

Lyrics of Hindi Movie Songs composed by Shankar Jaikishan (in Hindi)

Complete list of hindi movies with music by Shankar Jaikishan

Hindi songs composed by Shankar Jaikishan

Statue of Jaikishen unveiled at his native place Bansda in South Gujarat

Shankar Jaikishen Yahoo Discussion Group

Shankar Jaikishan Biography, music database and blog

Category:Indian musicians Category:Indian film score composers Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Indian jazz musicians Category:Musical duos Category:Harmonium players

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