Music and Songs

Music for life – 3 : Begum Abida Parveen (Sufi Queen)

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“Aashna – Mystical fragrance of divine love by Begum Abida Parveen” is the album by Times Music – I am listening these days.

A taste for Sufi music – the diva have something great for your soul – through the channels of ears. One can understand that through the path of love one reaches the supreme joyous path leading to God. So what better than songs and poems can convey the feelings!

Begum Abida Parveen born on 1954 in Larkana, Pakistan has got trained voice brought up by her father Ghulam Haider’s music school and then Ustad Salamat Ali Khan (Sham chourasia Gharana). And the wings to her voice was given by her husband Ghulam Hussain Shiekh (senior producer of Radio Pakistan).

In this album she has picked up the lyrics of Urdu poets personally and the rendition is spiritual. Her heavy voice gives one a base to lift upwards the plane of love and hate one stays.

As the words are ‘Urdu – Punjabi’ type normal light song listeners needs some effort to understand the words deeply. But the voice have spiritual touch for sure, simple disciplined yet carefree.

Lyrics of Sufi verses from CD 1 – >

Song no. 1
Bulle noon samjhana Aaiyaa ( Poet : Baba Bulleh Shah )

Ganga tirath mul naa mil yaa painde behisaab hu
Jag daa murshid mil yaa baahu chhutte sab azzake hu
God is neither found in the sky, nor at the pilgrim towns
He cannot be found in bookish knowledge, even in high towers
God was not near to Ganga( But He is here)
All my troubles have ceases since my preceptor looked at me.

Song no: 3
Rabba Mere Haal Da ( Poet: Hazrat Shah Hussain)

Rabba mere haal da mehram tu
( You are the only one who understands my pain)

Jo kucch baab mere dukh karde Hai ki khabar kise nun
(No one knows how much pain my sorrows give)

So yaa jane kadar Mohammad Tanman lagdi jaenoon
( Only the one who experiences it, understands the pain)

———————-

Yaaran baaj Mohammad Bakhsha
Kaun kare damkhari
( God is kind, my friends ae around me
Who share my grief and sympathise with me )

——————–
Kahe Hussain faqir nimmana
Main nahin sab tu
(Helpless hussain can only say
All this is your energy, not mine)

Song no. 5 :
Ishq de pichche bane faqir ( Poet: Waris Shah)

Kaafire denda pinda vich saare
Aao kise faqir je hona je
Mang khavnaa, kamm na, kaaj karna
Na kujj chadhna te, nahin chauvnaa je
Zaraa kann padaaeeke swaah mallani
Guru saare hi jag da hovnaa je
( Ranjha is an addict of love, a maverick
He is like the king of the world
Love has made Ranjha
A sage, a renouncer , a fakir )

The bonus thing with this album is lyrics with meanings are given in a pretty good booklet (Which I reproduced partially). That helps to understand the lyrics in her mystic voice that sublimes one. Earlier when I didn’t go deep into sufi music, without any particular reason Nusrat Fateh Khan’s few songs I could hear for hours at stretch.

If one believes in spiritual touch of love for God and vice versa – this poetic album will surely uplift the listener – of course if one is ready to accept a taste – that is altogether a higher plane of music.

पुष्पांजली

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सुबह की शीतल किरण नहाकर,
आज नये एक गुलाबी चुनर में,
मंदिर जाती प्रिय सखियों संग,
देने उन चरणों में फिर अंजली ।

गेंदा गुलाब और चंपा – चमेली
रजनीगंधा की माला लेकर,
मन में वंदना के गीत गाकर,
बृजबाला ले चली कमल कली ।

रोली – चंदन फुल – दुब की,
हाथों में आज थाली सजाए,
मंदिर के घंटी में विभोर होती,
श्याम की अपनी एक मनचली ।

कहीं मंदिर के मृदंग थाप पर,
थिरकते कदमों के पदचाप पर,Worship
मनमत्त होकर गाना चाहती,
मीरा की हृदय एक दोहावली ।

मंदिर के बंदनवार मे सजी,
सैकड़ो जलते दीपक के बीच
मेंहदी हाथों से दीए जलाकर,
ज्यों मना रही हो दीपावली ।

कहीं किसी मन के मंदिर,
भावों के पुष्प हाथों लेकर,
चुप बैठी आज मनन करती,
गोरी का मन एक गीतांजली ।

(P.S. : Thanks to Goggle image search for the picture. Credit being acknowledged to the respective owner of the same.)

Songs – I love most

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I am tagged by Juneli for Music. I did avoid accepting tags, but trying to go with the blogging winds as it has some essence of own.

Choosing out best out or creative bests, from ranges is really difficult but I had to do. So here goes…

Your favorite lyricist and the lyrics you remember the most…
As there are many but given the weaving style of words and one choice of lyricist then, is :
“Gulzar”
And I would like to put some of his songs, I liked most
Lakdi ki kaathi – Movie : Masoom
In childhood, we children used to imitate this song.
Dil hoom hoom kare –Movie : Maachis
O re kaanchi, kaanch ki gudiya – Movie : Ashoka

Your favorite song on friendship…
This I wanted to copy-paste from Juneli , but one song came to my risk at right time.
Chahoonga Maein Tujhe Saanjh Sawere
Phir Bhi Kabhi Ab Naam Ko Tere
Aawaaz Maein Na Doonga
Dekh Mujhe Sab Hai Pata
Sunta Hai Tu Man Ki Sada
Mitwa…Mere Yaar
Tujhko Baar Baar
Aawaaz Maein Na Doonga…
Dard Bhi Tu, Chain Bhi Tu
Daras Bhi Tu, Nain Bhi Tu
Mitwa…Mere Yaar
Tujhko Baar Baar
Aawaaz Maein Na Doonga…

Best song portraying life’s emotion :
(Zindagi ki yehi reet hai
Haar ke baaz hi jeet hai) – 2
Thode aansu hai, thodi hasi
Aaj gham hai to kal hai khushi
Zindagi ki yehi reet hai
Haar ke baaz hi jeet hai
Thode aansu hai, thodi hasi
Aaj gham hai to kal hai khushi

Which song are you humming today?
Ek akela is sahar mein,
Raat mein aur dophar mein
Abodana dhundhta hai,
Aashina dhundhta hai..

One song which brings tears to your eyes…
Tujhe sooraj kahoon ya chanda
Tujhe deep kahoon ya taara
Mera naam karega roshan
Jag mein mera raaj dulaara

Movie : Ek Phool Do Mali
Singer: Manna Dey
Lyricists: Prem Dhawan

As I still remember my childhood day when I was small boy. I entered the room and saw my mother sitting on bed and tears flowing on her cheeks, though she was not crying. I asked her – why she was crying. In the tape-recorder this song was being played that time. Holding my palms, she told to me “Bhabchi, tui ki ekta bhalo chele hote parbi ! (Thinking, if you will be good boy !)”.

A song which gives you hope, a reason to try again and again, a reason to say that life is beautiful…
Though I am trying to choose out Hindi songs only but this song I thought to bring in…
Jodi tor daak sune keo na aase tobe ekla chalo re – By Ravindranath Tagore
যদি তোর ডাক শুনে কেউ না আসে তবে একলা চলো রে।

When you want to be with yourself, silent and content but with music, which song would that be?
Though I listen collection of instrumentals mostly- with themes of air, wind, valleys, rivers and ecstasy and In case of songs, I do listen.
Dil hai chhota sa, chhoti si asha
Masti bhare mann ki bholi si asha
Chaand taaron ko chhoone ki asha
Aasmaanon mein udne ki asha…
Movie :Roja
Music :A R Rahman
Singer : Minmini

If you have to express love for someone with a song which would that be…
(Will bring out my best love poem collection) if she does not understand poems than will take help of Kishore Kumar and sing :
Tere Chehre Mein Vo Jaadu Hai, Bin Dor Khincha Jaata Hoon
Jaana Hota Hai Aur Kahin, Teri Oar Chala Aata Hoon

Five songs which you listen to the most…
Lata –
Kuch na kaho, kuch bhi na kaho
Kya kehna hai, kya sunna hai
Mujhko pata hai, tumko pata hai
Samay ka yeh pal tham sa gaya hai

Kishore Kumar –
Chhoti Si Ye Duniya,
Pehchaane Raaste Hain
Tum Kabhi To Miloge,
Kahin To Miloge To Poochhenge Haal
Chhoti Si Ye Duniya ...

Jagjit Singh:
Haath chute bhi to Ristey nahi toda karte

Manna Dey :
Yeh raat bheegi bheegi, yeh mast fizaayein
Utha dheere dheere voh chaand pyaara pyaara

Mukesh –
Aawaara hoon, aawaara hoon
Ya gardish mein hoon aasmaan ka taara hoon

A song for the person who tagged you…
Okey then one from Maitighar..
Yoho mero pranbhanda..pyaro..maitighar…
One more bonus song from Darpan-Chhaya..
Lahana le judayo ki..
bahana le bhetayo
herinjaal ko samjhana
tutey pachi birsana..
zindagani darpan chhaya
herinjaal ko samjhana
tutey pachi birsana..
zindagani darpan chhaya

I want to tag :
Whoever is music lover and reading it now, and is not tagged still, please pick it up.

Music for Life – 2 (Ghazals)

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सुबह सुबह इक ख्व़ाब की, दस्तक पर दरवाजा खुला देखा,
सरहद के उस पार से कुछ मेहमान आये थे,
आँखों से मायुस थे सारे, चेहरे सारे सुने सुनाए,
पाँव धोये, हाथ धुलाए, आँगन में आसन लगवाये,
और तन्दुर पे मक्के के कुछ मोटे-मोटे रोटी पकाये,
पोटली में मेहमान मेरे, पिछले सालों के फसलों का गुड़ लाये थे ।

आँख खुली तो देखा घर में कोई नही था ।
हाथ लगाकर देखा तो तन्दुर अभी तक बुझा नहीं था,
और होठों पे मीठे गुड़ का जाय़का अब तक चिपक रहा था
ख्वाब था शायद ख्वाब ही होगा
सरहद पे सुना है कल रात चली थी गोली,
स़रहद पे कल रात सुना है – कुछ ख्वावों का खू़न हुआ है ।

The preface of the song इक पुराना मौसम लौटा – in Marasim.

Year 1999, the one day in Air Force Station as a frequent guest of my friend, Subhash, from Haryana. And on a afternoon, I was lying comfortable on the bed. Subhash told me to hear a new cassette he bought and put it in the cassette player. I had listened only few lines. And it was enough capable to vibrate the dormitory. And the heavy solemn voice of Jagjit Singh, and so the waves vibrated my soul, leading it to somewhere. The Album was Marasim by Jagjit Singh.

Haath chute bhi to rishtey nahi choda karte..was the one of Ghazal there, and yes, where is Subhash today, I don’t know. He may be with his children at some air force station. And his memories are still with me. The connecting string to him everytime is Marasim.

I took out the lyrics leaflet out of the cassette. I read the urdu composition of Gulzar. Though at home, Pankaj Udhas was only to bring ghazal’s emotional touch and worth to mention “Ghunghru tut gayi”. And I think its real vibration matching airs around us that, I got friends with common interests, where ever I go.

And the ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh had an existence in pictures and timeless ghazals. It was a bliss to see the maestro performing at the live function here in Bangalore. Though organiser could have arranged the live performance in an efficient accoustic hall, hence to bring out the minute details of her unique style of fluctuating the vocal cord, that is audiable in the CD sound system at home.

Later on I heard about the private life of the maestro, when they lost their son, Vivek agee 21 years, I was really shocked, which can never be compensated to him by all his acquired fame and satisfaction. Whenever I hear Jagjit & Chitra singing together, I wish, may not God make any absolutely perfect couple, if there lies such a great pain to suffer in the completness. The couple’s dedication towards music is great, even after pain they tried to share the pain of lakhs of his fans with few more albums.

With due respect to his private life, I do wonder the reason behind of his unique rendition of inner human feelings in the air. And this is one way one can understand and share the pains of others. These poetic rendition comes out, when there is some untold, unknown pains lies within.

Ghazals have quite different essence and style than song. The choosen words of poetry, the weaving style to bring out feelings is the first lyrics expertise. Then the rendition, who delivers with a voice, that must have deep feeling of abstract 6th sense apart from all forms. To me hearing the poetic recitation of Ghazals proves to be the best thing for the solitory moments.

These are the companion of those feelings that waves into the sea of thoughts. Thoughts of relations, those tied forever, those broken up, those which could not be tied and all those which still binds the world with invisible strings.

P.S.: More than 6 years passed off and Subhash was out of touch, and the day I had finished writing this post, Subhash found me on Orkut after a lot of search. Is it just a coincidence or something unexplained ever !

Those grey walls.

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Walking down the evenings,
Along those old walls- high,
Those faint bass and trebles,
Tied me with a string along,
Is that the souce, if  I am not wrong?


Legs moving on the road,
Sounds entered through ears,
I kept walking still attached,
There , these sounds seemed
Kept me filling – My vacuum.


Instinct again told – only truth,
Those drum beats, as if hundreds,
Metals clings, and my heart sings,
They reached me, across walls,
Across the high walls, barbed.


Boundaryless sounds reached me,
Inspiring  high trees shed leaves,
Infinite blue rays reached my eyes.
Everything came to my path.
I could not cross, ignoring them.


Trees want me close and near,
Sounds I want to hear and near,
I want to be near radiating lights,
So near I reached, still far away.
I can reach them, I again felt today.


And stands a wall, between two worlds,
A wall to stop me, keep me away,
Those barbed wires, to tear my skin.
Till I bleed,  I feel a pull towards.
I have to still reach, where I can !


One day, I shall sing this, on stage,
Near to trees, in a bright night,
To quench, thirsty soul of years.
Near to drums, to hit one of them,
Triumph before death, O’ Amen !

– 03/02/06

Music For Life -1

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One of the things, God left on the earth while packing all the good things for the heaven was – music. And I am lucky to have two sound ears to feel that.

Story goes back to one hot afternoon at Navodaya Vidyalaya, Purnea. Near to our hostel, there was library cum art room. In front of building there was green grass with a shadow as the afternoon sun was behind the building (earlier used to be fire brigade building) , that was my favourite hang out to spend with librarian sir, Rakesh sir or art sir, Gupta sir.

One day habitually strolling there, I saw art sir making abstract arts on paper with pencil sketches. That day, I was just following his slanting pencil strokes just like another teenage boy. While making human figure, every artist have his/own inclination towards specific body parts. His were head and shoulders. Of course, I too have some 🙂 .

In the background, on a portable cassette player, there was playing, instrumental music by Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma on the Santoor accompanied on table was Shafat Ali Khan. The album was “A Sublime Trance” and track was “Raga Mishra Shivranjani”. And that afternoon when I was really sent into a trance of art and music. If you need something really, you pick up the right thing at right time. That time may be I was in class 8 or 9. Though learnt strokes from him, but remembered the details of the cassette well. I tried to find the cassette at my small town shops, it was not available.

I ‘grew up’ like everyone, means I passed out 10th. And I found same cassette pair of the album after ordering from another town’s music shop. And there came the days when I was playing only instrumental music for hours. Don’t know why that soothes my soul ultimately! And came a unknown thirst for the instrumental music tracks. While solving math problems or doing any creative things that became that best companion on those days. The sound without words, the cords of Santoor, Veena or Guitar used to struck the chords of my soul. The beats and bass of tabla or drum use to thump my heart beat and put them in rhythm again. The harmonica instrumentsal and tabla specials were again additions later.

Now I have a good collection of instrumental music to suit every state of mind, from the feelings of calmness to energising ones to the extent of the feelings of lust. Though the collection is in form of .mp3 format, and I find the difference between CD format and .mp3 format. In later case the quality decreases slightly ( only if you have a ear of perfection. The timeless instrumental music makes me feel sitting in valleys, near to rivers, in the forests and all those place where this poor soul really exists !

And instrumental music has become indispensable part of my life.

Music to be continued…..