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Archive for the ‘Music’ Category

Chonani Dar Nazar Nazaar-e-Gaaran~ Amir Khusro~ sung by Shobha Mudgul & Mahsa Vahdat


Shobha Mudgal sings verses of Khusraw beautifully in Farsi and Urdu and is accompanied by Mahsa Vahdat who partly sings in the style of the throat singers from Iran. Of the many magical pieces of music created at the Khusrau Festival.

Chonani dar Nazar Nazar e garan
Ke Raunaq Ishq mi Mahpaar gaaran

Ishq hai Jiss Maqam mein, Koi Dusra Nahi
Main Bhi Tere siva nahi, Tu Bhi Mere siva nahi

Tu dar Khab-e Khush-o-Man bi tu har shab
Shomaram ta Sahar Sayyar gaaran

Mast nahi, Talab nahi
Raah nahi, Rehnuma nahi
Ishq hai, Khud hi Mudwaa
Ishq mein Mudwaa nahi

Alam e mein wo ghum se door, Mehab hai dil tere Huzoor
Ranj nahi, Khushi nahi, Dard nahi, Dawa nahi
Ravi gar Aisa Badakhana e vu
Ke koi Qissa e Awaar Garan

Chonani dar Nazar nazar e garan
Ke Raunaq Ishq mi Mahpaar garan

Shab e dil o Nazar Zaheen, Shab e Zabaan e Ishq hai
Lafz nahi, Bayaan nahi, sood nahi, Sada nahi

Dil-e Diwaana-e Khusrau ni Koneest
Che Goyam bar Pari Rukhsargaan ra

Chonani dar Nazar nazar e garan
Ke Raunaq Ishq mi Mahpaar garan

Dil-e Diwaana-e Khusrau..

Category:

Amir Kusro, India, Music, Pakistan, Poetry, Uncategorized, URDU POETRY

Main Naara-E-Mastaana…!!!


Main nara-e-mastana, main shouqi- e- rindana
Main tashna kahan jaaon, pee kar bhi kahan jana

Slogan of Inebriation am I, drunkard mercurialness am I
drink may I , may I not hardly does it make a difference

Main souz-e-mohabbat hoon, main aik qayamat hoon
Main ashk-e-nadaamat hoon, main gouhar-e-yakdana

A burning heat of love am I, the eventual
Tear of ignominy , a pearl unfound am I

Main tahir-e-lahooti, main johar-e-malkooti
Nasoot ne kab mujh ko is haal mein pehchana

Pern of heaven, the gem of empires and I
Hath when humanity known me so?

Main sham-e- farozan hoon, main aatish-e-larza hoon
Main sozish-e-hijraan hoon, main manzil-e-parwana

Illuminating light of the dusk, a raging flame am I
Mordancy of parting, Destination of Pyralid am I

Kis yaad ka sehera hoon, kis chashm ka darya hoon
Khud toor ka jalwa hoon, hai shakl qalbhana

A desert of thoughts, a river of which fall?
the biggest reality of the universe yet unrevealed

Main husn-e-mujassim hoon, main gesu-e-barham hoon
Main phool hoon shabnam hoon, main jalwa-e-janana

A  frozen beauty am I, a ringlet in anger
A flower, the dew am I, beauty of the beloved

Main wasif-e-bismil hoon, main ronaq-e-mehfil hoon
Ik toota howa dil hoon, main shehar mein veerana

Wasif, slayed am I, heart of the crowd

A broken heart am I, a lonely in the city.

 

Urdu ghazal by: Wasif Ali Wasif
English translation: By Syed Faizan Abbas Jaffrey & his friend Usama Kabbir ( greatly indebted to him for complying to my undue demand of a translation 🙂 ).

Category:

Abeda Parveen, Music, Pakistan, Poetry, URDU POETRY

Only Breath- A poem by Rumi


Incredible.  Mesmerizing.  Soul shaking. Enlightening.  Beautiful beyond words.

An ageless and timeless message of Love and Unity.. no duality ever exists.

The music, Oceanic by Anoushka Shankar makes it even more……( no wordsss..)

ONLY BREATH

Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu
Buddhist, sufi, or zen. Not any religion

or cultural system. I am not from the East
or the West, not out of the ocean or up

from the ground, not natural or ethereal, not
composed of elements at all. I do not exist,

am not an entity in this world or in the next,
did not descend from Adam and Eve or any

origin story. My place is placeless, a trace
of the traceless. Neither body or soul.

I belong to the beloved, have seen the two
worlds as one and that one call to and know,

first, last, outer, inner, only that
breath breathing human being.

~Rumi

Category:

Art, Instrumental Music, Music, Poetry

Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna–Lyrics& voice: Swanand Kirkire, Music: Shantanu, Choreography: Sarita Vijayan


Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna
Bavre Se Mann, Ki Dekho Bavri Hain Baatein

Bavri Se Dhadkaane Hain, Bavri Hain Saansen
Bavri Si Karwaton Se, Nindiya Door Bhaage
Bavre Se Nain Chaahe, Bavre Jharokhon Se, Bavre Nazaron Ko Takna.
Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Bavre Se Is Jahan Main Bavra Ek Saath Ho
Is Sayani Bheed Main Bas Haathon Mein Tera Haath Ho
Bavri Si Dhun Ho Koi, Bavra Ek Raag Ho

                                Bavre Se Pair Chahen, Baavron Tarano Ke, Bavre Se Bol Pe Thirakna.
Bavra Mann, Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Bavra Sa Ho Andhera, Bavri Khamoshiyan

                                                Thartharati Low Ho Maddham, Bavri Madhoshiyan
Bavra Ek Ghooghta Chahe, Haule Haule Bin Bataye, Bavre Se Mukhde Se Sarakana,
Bavra Mann, Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Category:

Art, India, Music

Koi bole Ram, koi Khudai… Kabir from GurugranthSb


“koee bolai Raam Raam koee Khudhaae ||
Some call the Lord ‘Ram, Ram’, and some ‘Khuda’.

koee saevai Guseeaa koee Alaahi ||1||
Some serve Him as ‘Gusain’, others as ‘Allah’.

kaaran karan Kareem ||
He is the Cause of causes, and Generous.

kirapaa dhhaar Raheem ||1||
He showers His Grace and Mercy upon us.

koee naavai theerathh koee Haj jaae ||
Some pilgrims bathe at sacred shrines, others go on Hajj to Mecca.

koee karai poojaa koee sir nivaae ||2||
Some do devotional worship, whilst others bow their heads in prayer.

koee parrai baedh koee kathaeb ||
Some read the Vedas, and some the Koran.

koee oudtai neel koee supaedh ||3||
Some wear blue robes, and some wear white.

koee kehai thurak koee kehai hi(n)dhoo ||
Some call themselves Muslim, and some call themselves Hindu.

koee baashhai bhisath koee suragi(n)dhoo ||4||
Some yearn for paradise, and others long for heaven.

kahu Naanak jin hukam pashhaathaa ||
Says Nanak, one who realizes the Hukam of God’s Will,

prabh saahib kaa thin bhaedh jaathaa ||5||
knows the secrets of his Lord Master.”

Category:

India, Kabir, Music, Music Without Borders, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Pakistan, RELIGION

Bole tou Mitho Laage –Rajasthani Folk Song


Rajasthani is my mother’s mother tongue. Although I love music from all cultures, Rajasthani music occupies a special chamber in my heart.
As Papa who was a hardcore urban Delhiite, was totally in awe with the richness of Rajasthani culture. He often repeated, “The Rajasthani desert terrain and harsh weather conditions is made bearable by its inhabitants with use of vivid colors, arresting music and affable people.

Most Rajasthani songs so easily convey passion through minimal pageantry. Here is a beautiful folk song from Rajasthan with simple lyrics that exude so much affection:

Bole to meetho laage,
[Bolti hai tou meethi lagti hai]
[When she speaks, she sounds sweet]
Hasey to pyaaro laage,
[Jab muskurati hai tou pyari lagti hai]
[When she smiles, she looks adorable]
Bethodo sove mhaare aanganey,
[Mere Aangan me baithey hue tum suhaati(achhi lagti) hai]
[She looks pleasant, sitting in my courtyard]
Saanwri surat jero jaanida mhaaro,
[Saawli surat jaisa mera yaar hai]
[Wheatish complexioned-such is my beloved]
Bethodo sove mhaara aanganey,
[Mere Aangan me baithey hue woh suhaati(achhe lagte) hai]
[She looks pleasant, sitting in my courtyard]
Allah aabaad raakhey, Maula abaad raakhey,
[Allah/Maula tum humesha khush(aabaad) rakhey]
[May Allah/God/Almighty keep her prosperous(happy) always]
Bethodo sove mhaara aanganey,
[Mere Aangan me baithey hue wo suhaati(achhi lagti) hai]
[She looks pleasant, sitting in my courtyard]

However my favourite version of this song is this one by Barmer Boys:

Preet se preet lagi, piya door dishaa mutt jana,
Baso hamari nagri mein, hum mange tum khao
Duniya bari baawli, pather poojan jaaye,
Ghar ki chakiya koi ni puje, jiska peesa khaaye !


Category:

CULTURE, Music, Rajasthani Songs, Uncategorized

Chadariya Jhini Re Jhini –Anoop Jalota-KABIR



Chadariya jhini re jhini, re ram naam ras bhini
body is like finely woven cloth and is permeated by the raam naam (ra+ma rechek purak (breath))

Asht kamal ka charkha banaya, panch tatv ki pooni
Eight-petaled lotus was used as a spinning wheel, and the 5 elements as yarn

Naw das maas bunan ko laage, moorakh maili keeni
took 9-10 months to knit it, Oh fool you soiled it!

Jab meri chadar ban ghar aaee, rang rej ko deeni
When I got my sheet, I gave it to person who dyes sheet(guru).

Aisa rang ranga rangrej ne, laalo lal kar deeni
It was dyed such, totally red in color

Dhruv, Prahlad, Sudama ne odhi, Sukhdev ne nirmal keeni
Dhruv Prahlad and Sudama wore it, Sukhdev made it pure.

Das Kabir ne aisi odhi, jyo ki tyon dhar deeni

Servant Kabeer wore it such, he left it as it is (as he got it)

—

Kabir here talks about body, or human experience and how to utilize it. He talks about how he lived in the body, how other notable predecessors lived and how does an average man live.

Body is a sheet. breath is the link which makes body experience possible.(raam naam), hence re raam naam ras bhini chadariya

Eight lotuses, eight latent tendencies of body(survival, threat, accumulation, attention, domination , suppression, discontentment,) correlate with eight energy centres within body(7+1(bindu).

The five elements of nature – earth, sky, fire, water, and wind-are the yarn which weave the sheet ( body).

This sheath takes involves 9-10 lunar cycles around earth, time as celestial movement. celestial connection with sheath.
You soiled it, you lost awareness.

Kabir now talks about his own body (mori chadar what happened with his sheet). When kabir took body, he let his guru work on it. His guru dyed it( permanent transformation of body based experiences ) and made it red. (red is the color of  awareness).

Kabir now talks about how other noted people who wore it, Dhruv, Prahlad Sudama(all saints), and Sukhdev, and purified it (lived with awareness).
How did Kabir wear it?  Kabir, didn’t let it get soiled. He maintained the newborn’s awareness all his life.

Category:

Kabir, Music

Aawal Allah Noor Ao Paya-Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan – KABIR


This is one of the most popular verses from the Gurugranth Saheb, the Holy Book of the Sikhs. They are Kabir’s words, known in the scriptures as Bhagat Kabir.Kabir has over 280 verses in the Guru Granth Saheb

Awwal Allah Noor Upaya Qudrat Keh Sub Banday
Aik Noor Keh Sub Jag Upajiya Kaun Bhale Ko Mandhe

God created light of which all the beings were born
And from this light, the universe; so who is good and who is bad

Logaa Bharam Na Bhoolahu Maahi
Khaliq Khalq Khalaq Meh Khaaliq Poor Rahio Sarab Tha’ee

The creation is in the Creator
And the Creator is in the creation

Maati Aik Anaik Bhaanth Ker Saaji Sajan Haray
Na Kash Poch Maati Kay Bhanday Na Kash Poch Kunbharay

The clay is the same, but the designer has fashioned it in various ways
Nothing is wrong with the pot of clay and there is nothing wrong with the potter

Sub Meh Sacha Aiko Soee Dis Ka Keya Sub Kuch Hoyi
Hukm Pachanay Saee Ko Janay Banda Kahiyeah Soee

The One true Lord abides in all and by his making everything is made
Whoever realises His command, knows the One Lord and he alone is said to be the Lord’s slave

Allah Alkh Na Jaee Lakhiya Gur Gur Dheena Meetha
Kahay Kabir Mair Sanka Naase Sarab Niranjan

The Lord Allah is invisible and He cannot be seen; the Guru has blessed me with this sweet brown sugar
Says Kabir, my anxiety and fear have been taken away; I see the immaculate Lord pervading everywhere.

Yet the original version of the same verses as sung by Sikh followers as Shabd, or Gurbani or a Hymn is:

Category:

Kabir, Music, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Pakistan

Awwal Allah Noor – Alam Lohar -KABEER


Awal Allah noor upaya
Kudrat ke sab bandey
Ek noor te sab jag upjaya
Kaun bhale ko mande.

‘First of all, God created light;
Mother Nature created all human beings equal;
from that one Light the entire world came into being;
so how do we differentiate that one is better that the other?’

Category:

Kabir, Music, Pakistan

Kaun Thagwa Nagariya Lootal Ho! Kabir


Kaun Thagwa Nagariya Lutal Ho

Chandan Kaath Ke Banal Khatola, Tapar Dulihan Sutal Ho
Utho Sakhiri Maang Sawaro, Dulha Mosey Ruthal Ho
Aye Jamraja Palang Chadi Baitha, Nainan Ansuwan Tutal Ho
Char Jane Mil Khath Uthain, Chahun Disi Dhu Dhu Uthal Ho
Kehat Kabira Suno Bhai Sadho, Jug Se Nata Chutal Ho

Translation

Who Is The Thug Who Is Robbing The Town.
A Small Cot Is Made Of Sandalwood,
On Which The Bride Sleeps
Get Up Beloved Companion
Adorn Me With Bridal Makeup,
The Groom Is Upset With Me
The Lord of Death, Is Sitting On The Bed,
Eyes Are Filled With Tears
Four People Pick Up The Cot,
Sounds of The Flaring Flames Come From All Four Directions
Says Kabira Listen Oh Learned,
The Relationship With The World Comes To An End

Explanation(Courtesy Maalok).

The town symbolizes the body. The thug is death itself. It robs the body of its life force. The symbolism is at two levels. At the physical level where body and spirit are intertwined like groom and bride, the spirit thinks that body is its abode and tries its best to hang on. It cries at the sight of such a catastrophic loss. But the relentless time (personified as the Angel of Death), is sitting in no mood to yield. The bride or spirit thinks that the groom (body) is upset so tries its best to attract its mate and resorts to all kinds of means represented in the song as “bridal makeup”. The impermanence of the physical reality is manifested ever so clearly as the body is consumed by the very sensory attributes that it identified with (represented as flames). At the spiritual level, of course, the bride is starting its true journey to reach its permanent abode and therefore the relationship with the world comes to an end. The latter part is inferred in contrast to the more apparent physical reality. In his typical mystical fashion, Kabir urges the listener (Sadhu or one who is doing Sadhana) to come to this understanding on their own – a realization that is not bookish but experiential.

Category:

Kabir, Music