Saturday, May 8, 2010

...Of A Long Awaited Package

It has taken 6 months of coaxing,blackmailing and pleading, but finally it's here. My DVD of 30 Mehfils of Haji Mehboob Qawwal has finally arrived. Wrapped in a page from the funny papers, the DVD has helped me fill the gaps in my admittedly meagre, but moderately satisfying collection. I was expecting some truly mesmerizing stuff and I have not been disappointed, but what I wasn't expecting was the reawakening of a very very fond childhood memory. I've written before about how a secret memory haunted me for almost half a dozen years before I finally tracked it down. My family isn't very musical (if you count out my elder mamu, who more than makes up for the rest of our musical ineptitude), but we like singing. At shaadis and aqeeqas and the occasional family picnics, almost everybody either sings or contributes with voice or gesture. 

 My nano is always pretty active in such affairs, and the few old-time songs she sings can't be heard anywhere else. Two of her songs are my special favorites, one is the traditional seraiki tune "Rohi" which apparently everyone among my relatives (except me it seems) seems to know by heart. The other song is again in Seraiki, a Khwaaja Ghulam Fareed R.A ki kafi that I have only heard from her. As I was going through the various Mehfils in my DVD, I chanced upon it. It had been a few years since I'd heard it so it took me a few moments to recognize it, but if someone had seen the mile-long grin on my face when I finally recognized it, they'dve thought I was off my rocker. I've managed to listen to it about a billion times since morning, imprinting the melody and the words in my mind. And since it's sung by Haji Mehboob Qawwal, the actual body of the kalaam is embellished by girahs in Seraiki,Persian and Arabic that not only bring out it's spiritual essence, but are utterly charming in themselves. Haji Mushtaq is in fine fettle with his alaaps and Mehboob sahab's sitar adds the golden touch. I've spent some time actually sitting down and transcribing the recordings, taking special care to note down all the girahs, (which I've put in italics). Not only is the Qawwali a treat for the ears, but in the true tradition of Haji Mehboob Qawwal, is a piece of spiritual instruction. 

 As a special treat to myself, I'm posting another brilliant recording of Haji sahab, where again the sitar and the girahs give it an otherworldly feel. One of my friends who doesn't understand the sub-continental languages asked me recently if I could translate the kalaam for him, as well as explain some of the slighly obtruse references to various folk romances. I'll take this transcription as a working reference and try to see if i can try my hand at translating. If anyone else wants to give it a try, they're most welcome.


   

Na mi goyam ke dar chashmak azeezam 
Kaneezaan-e-turaa kam tar kaneezam. 
Che baashad gar kaneez-e-raa nawaazi, 
Ze band-e-mehnatash azaad saazi 
Ki hosi chaah nawaazain bolri noon 
Ziyaada na kareen gal thorri noon. 
Ki hosi je karain aajiz nawaazi, 
Tu bakhshain khaak taeen sarfarazi. 
Kithon taheen tussaan theen duur rehsaan, 
Tusaade hijr theen ranjoor rehsaan

Baandi te bardi, tain dilbar di O yaar 
Janeen mahi, mahr na janeen O yaar. 

Hijr tere vich aaheen main maraan 
Aa mahi, mukh dass asanoon, jaan tere to vaari 
Jaan iman dile da tu hain, te tujh bin main kis kaari) 
(Kade tussi asaanoon sikde aahe, hun assi tusanoon sikde, 
Khattaan uttay nit dua salamaan,assi roz hamesha likhde. 
Kade te baah sirhaane aaheen,hun nain vekhan noo sikde 
Je janaa tussaan evain karni, te assi neoon laavan na sikde 
Hijr tere vich aaheen main maraan 
Tujh bin kaun lavay hun saaran 
Tain bin sooniaan dissan bahaaran 
Jind sikdi mahi,taindne bhaanain O yaar

Sevaan main peer, te falaan main paavaan 
Naam tere da vird pakavaan 
Je tu aavain, sadqe main javaan 
Jag peya denda hi,taindre taane O yaar
Saade naalon phul changere, jo sajan gal lagde 
Sanoon sardeyan muddat guzri,te vich birhoon di agg de 
Seene bhaah bale nit gham di,te nain rahen nit vagde 
Eesa ik maahi na pucche,te doojay ta'ane jag de

Jag peya denda hi,taindre taane O yaar. 
Baandi te bardi, tain dilbar di O yaar 
Janeen mahi, mahr na janeen O yaar. 

Ishq kahaani be-andaaz ay 
Mann vich vajda, ishq da saaz ay 
Yaar Farid ki dasse raaz ay
Taba'a aleel Sassi noon milya,Ishq tabeeb siyaana 
Aakhe dard dawa,parhez araamon khoon jigar khaana 
Aab-o-hawa ma'afiq nahi tere,te kar Kech'on tark thikaana 
Ja kar sair kareem Thallaan di, te tad hosiya fazl Rabbaana
Iss aatish theen aatishe hijraan,vich tezi sakht puchaati 
Sohni roz tarray daryaeen,attay sard na hoyus chaati 
Orhak ais Ishq de sozon, baith nadi vich na'ati 
Hashim baaj moyan nahi milda,asaan theek sahi kar jaati
Ishq majaazi, te sar di baazi, jaan sukkay dar dar ke 
Yaar sukhalyaan kise na paaya, te jis paaya mar mar ke
Yousuf aakhya,"Shakl asaadi,te naqsh kareen vich dil de 
Yaariyaan waale sakht pushaale, te yaar na sokhay milde

Ishq kahaani be-andaaz ay 
Man vich vajda, ishq da saaz ay 
Yaar Farid ki dassay raaz ay 
Aithay bhul gaye nain sugghar siyaane O yaar

Baandi te bardi, taain dilbar di O yaar
Jaanay mahi, te mehr na jaane O yaar


 

Aashiqui paida'ast az zaari-e-dil 
Naist beemaari chun beemaari-e-dil

Kya se kya do din main haalat ho gyi 
Al ishq'o naaruhum
Ishq main khwaab ka khayaal kahaan 
Na lagi aankh jab se aankh lagi
Saajan jo main jaanti, jo preet kiye dukh hoye 
Nagar dhandora peet'ti jo preet na karyo koye
Saajan yeh mat jaaniyo,jo tum bichrat mohe chain 
Geelay ban ki laakri, jo sulgat hoon din rain
Mohabbat main naseehat ko to aksar gham-gusaar aaye, 
Usse koi na laaya jis ke dekhe se qaraar aaye
Tum ko taras na aaye,ta'ajjub ki baat hai 
Dushman bhi ro rahe hain mere haal-e-zaar par
Jo dekhe ga rotay mujhe,tum ko hanste
Meri baat choro,tumhain kya kahay ga?
Raain andheri,bijli chamke, jiya rahe be-chain 
Jab tum paas nahi ho saajan,kaise kate gi raain
Aare aamad, yaad-e ma'ashooqam bashab bedaar kard 
Ishq lazzat r'a boyad dar mi kunad ba ranj-o-dard

Kya se kya do din main haalat ho gyi 
Dil na aaya, ik qayamat ho gyi
Saanjh bhayi aur diya jale, piya na aaye paas 
Do naainan se Ganga bhayee, aur tu ban'raa ki aas
Liye phirta hai mujh ka ja-ba-ja dil...
Jaa ka piya bichrat,waa ko nahee chain 
Diya jalat hai raain ko,aur jiya jalat din raain
Sagri raain sukar gayi,jo khalqat gyi sab so
Jin ko chinta pi ki,so neend kahan se ho

Ab jo chaahain woh karain,mukhtar hain 
Aashiqui cheest bego, banda-e janaan boodam 
Dil ba-dastay digaray daadam - hairaan boodam
Ab jo chaahain woh karain,mukhtar hain
Ho gyi ab to mohabbat ho gyi

Chaanta hoon raat din ab khaak main
Ulfat main jo hota hai,wohi haal hai mera
Yeh dekhne waale mujhe kya dekh rahe hain?
Chaanta hoon raat din ab khaak main
Teri furqat main yeh haalat ho gyi
Jal ban lakri koyla bhayee, aur koylay se bhayee raakh
Main paapan aisi jali, jo koyla bhayee na raakh

Aankh se ansoo nikal sakta naheen
Na-tawaani se yeh soorat ho gyi
Ba'ad marne ke hui matti azeez
Tere kooche main jo turbat ho gyi
Bajaa hai jitna karoon naaz apni qismat par... 
Muztar meri nazar main shaahon ki kya haqeeqat 
Muztar meri nazar main jannat ki kya haqeeqat

Kya kahoon naaseh,mohabbat kyun hui
Ho gyi bas un se ulfat ho gyi

Aap to Mushtaq ka chorain na saath
Barbaadi-e aashiq se,kab rehti hai ma'ashooqi
Aap to Mushtaq ka chorain na saath
Ho gyi dunya ko nafrat ho gyi

Kya se kya do din main haalat ho gyi
Dil na aaya, ik qayamat ho gyi

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