Top Ten South Asian Pieces of Music

Asif Naqshbandi #109, `` And these films feature none of the vulgarity of most indo/pakistani films either proving that a great movie can be made without songs and dances and women in see-thru` wet saris/shalwar kameezes!``

You`re the tenth person so far who has praised Irani movies. There was a recent International Film Festival in which an Irani movie won numerous accolades. I forgot the name.

``Arabic, Persian, Urdu should be the lingua france of Pakistan and not English as it is today.``

Tell that to a Punjabi paindoo from Lahore :)

Yes, Persian and Urdu are beautiful flowing languages, but you can`t beat English in terms of universal acceptance. Let`s push our ``Islamic`` egos aside and accept English as the language of the future.

We can always keep our Persian/Urdu alive through music and poetry and conversations at home.

By the way, does anyone know what happened to the Sabri Brothers? I heard both passed away :(

Ras Siddiqui #105,

Wax or no wax, Nazia Hassan was a hero for desi women growing up in the eighties. She, along with Runa Laila and Alamgeer pioneered the current pop music craze in Pakistan and India.

She is the Princess Di of Pakistan.

Ooper the gaRRh gaRRh di ainkus di be-dhayana di mung di daal of the arab, turkish, central asian and iranian cultures in Pakistan-a modification of Saadat hassan Manto`s famous line about the uttering of the guy itting on a tree branch at the border between India and Pakistan.

Eklavya: Wahan kon hay tera and another title song from movie amar prem by S. D. Berman are fantastic. I am surprised why he did not sing many more songs. I have noticed that Mahendra Kapoor, Mukesh and Shamshad Begum are absent from the choices of most people. Another very important point I would luke to make here is that being in love with oldies does not support the current hindi as well as local language singers. If all of us keep buying Cds of Lata, Rafi, NusratFAK only then who will buy the music from the current crop of singers. We must support the music as a whole so that it remains alive and well. Think of what happened to Pakistani cinema. It just died over the last 20 years because people started watching Indian and English movies and theatres could not make profits from showing Pakistani movies. The talent of movie making disappeared as a result. I hope this does not happen to any other form of entertainment industry, except the islamic science conferences and jehadis-madaris entertainment industry. They are retrogressive and deadly forms of entertainments.

Amit: Thanks for your post. I am la-jawab because I am new to classical music. I do plan to load up classical CDs during my next trip to Pakistan at 1 1/2 dollar per CD. Yes, 25000 rupees song in Mughal-e-Azam by Bare Ghulam Ali Khan is worth lot more than that. I Think that is in raag darbari. Now what is raag darbari and how one can identify it by just listening to any piece in that raga? That is what I meant by understanding the classical music. One must understand the difference between Dadra and Thumri to begin with and then perhaps raag Bhiron or Bhiravi, Mian ke thodi and so on. Later on, the difference styles of various gharanas must be learned. Actually there are some basic books, which come with three CD set. They must be a good source for a novice to begin with.

Re:Reply #: 109

Asif Naqshbandi,

``And honestly which director in India today has an output of films which can even touch that of Mohsen Makhalmaf or his daughter Samira?``

Now, i do not know much about the new wave cinemas from Iran but i have heard that they do well in International film festivals and are much talked about. Iranian directors have done well, given their constraints of living in a country which does not give artists full freedom to experiment (such freedom,alas, is not there even in India,witness the banning of Deepa Mehta`s movie ``water(?)`` by UP govt). They seem to have created a niche. But, it is another story to make a movie that is popular with the masses and also does well in box-office.

If you watch Mani Ratnam`s movies (Bombay, Roja etc), he manages just that and yet keeps quality of his movies high. One of his first movies ``Anjali`` is about a handicapped child. There are plethora of such movies made in last several decades. Raj Kapoor himself made one off-beat movie ``Jaagte Raho`` which he rates as the best but did not do well with box-office.

I am quoting several of following paras from an article on Indian Cinema written by the famous film director, Shyam Benegal. You can find it at www.tehelka.com.

1.Speaking on Indian cinema in 1929, Rabindranath Tagore, India`s nobel laureate and national poet, commented:

``Form in Art changes according to the means it uses. I believe that the new art that could be expected to develop out of the notion of the motion picture has not yet made its appearance. In politics we are looking for Independence; in Art we must do the same. Every Art seeks to find its own independent manner of expression within the world it creates; otherwise its self -expression is undermined for lack of confidence in itself ….. no creative genius has yet arrived to deliver it from its bondage. This act of rescue will not be easy, because in poetry, painting and music the means are not expensive. Whereas in the cinema, one needs not only creativity, but financial capital as well.``

Therein lies the problem. A cinema has not only to be artistically good, but also be financially viable. This has made cinema become more of a business venture, where producers call shots. Since songs are still popular among masses, these continue to find way into movies at places where they make no sense. In other words, to make a movie viable, producers sometimes pander to the interests of the front benchers.

2. ``Hindi cinema represents a collective fantasy-a group daydream, containing unconscious material and the hidden wishes of a vast number of people. It is not overly complex-the producers and directors, etc. are strongly motivated by the reasonable goal of making a lot of money. The daydream they develop is idiosyncratic. They must appeal to those concerns of the audience which are shared; if they do not, the film`s appeal is bound to be disastrously limited.

The depiction of the external world may be flawed; their relevance to the external life of the view remote, yet the popular film demonstrates a confident and sure-footed grasp of the topography of its desire and vicissitudes. Desire and fantasy are inexorably linked. Fantasy is the mise-en-scene of desire---it is the world of imagination fuelled by desire. The relationship between collective fantasy of Indian films and the Indian culture is complex. Though itself a cultural product, Hindi film has shaped popular culture in an unprecedented way.``.

I cannot put it better than what a Psychoanalyst of Indian Cinema has said above.

The early films of Raj Kapoor-Shree 420, Awaara, Boot Polish and the films of Bimal Roy, Mehboob, Khwaja Ahmed Abbas were all good and popular movies that were artistic as well as financially viable. Other movies like Guru Dutt`s Pyaasa, Kagaz Ke Phool and Mehboob Khan`s Mother India were also aesthetically and artistically well made movies. ``Mother India`` was a rage during those times and got nominated for Oscar for best direction (though never won it).

Who can forget the Bengali directors? Satyajit Ray`s Apu Trilogy are considered cinematic classics, Pather Panchali being a gem among them. I have seen almost all of his movies that were shown with English sub-titles many years ago in Bombay (before i migrated to USA). His films though very well made are not of box-office material, at least outside Bengal (they say Bengalees are a brainy lot and i believe them). His Shatranjh ke Khiladi was a flop. So, you see, money is a big limiting factor in the type of movies that one can make. Other Bengali directors of note are Ritwick Ghatak, Basu Bhattacharya, Shyam Benegal. Kerala`s Adoor Gopalakrishnan has made some good movies.

Though i have not seen any Bollywood movie of late, i saw ``hum apke hain kaun``, ``Dilwale Dulhaniyan le jayenge`` and ``Pardes`` many years ago and liked them all. I saw the last one with a Pakistani friend in New York (where else but in Jackson Heights). I believe Bollywood continues to make some good movies but are not artistic movies if that is what you are looking for. The fact that many movie makers are able to keep the audience interest alive and make profit is creditable in itself. Bollywood movies also take up issues which are of concern to the audience, like corruption, police brutality, nationalism (sometimes misplaced). You said some movies have of late become anti-muslim. I don`t think so. Perhaps anti-Pakistan (following Kargil)but certainly not anti-muslim. Do you know that a good 60% of artists directly or indirectly involved with the Hindi film industry are muslims?

I think Pakistan should create a niche like Iran did. But a lot of what goes on with cinema is dictated by reaction of the audience. If Pakistani people are hooked on to Bollywood and are watching pirated editions on VCR, there is little you or anyone can do. Pakistan`s govt should immediately free cinema by allowing it to closely interact with Indian cinema. When so many Bollywood movies find their way into markets in Karachi and Lahore, it does not make sense to officially ban Indian movies on T.V. Screening of Indian movies in Pakistan should also not be banned. ``If you cannot beat them, then join them`` should be the motto. Also, they must encourage International film festivals where usually quality movies are shown. These are a regular feature in India.

Sridhar

Referance No.109, Mr. Ali Naqshbandi

Respected sir,

I really honoured by you say you uderstand my thinking point.Most america Pakis forget culture and i agree Pakistan is contined of mughal empire after UK after Raj like Turki is like turki empire (Khilafat) kind of Nizam E Mustafa.I am not went college but read lot stuf on web site while sitting insead of watching bad stuf study about Mughal empire and Impire king Aurangzeb.

Before him things were going to dogs and time was wested in dance song etc instead of preparation for war. He banned all stuf there was point as this things make you week really. It does not much matter by singing finally who has better arms wins is the point. Basic singing and cinema is not very importent.

second pt is please write about paki movies and knowlage ppl about it.Pakistan was created negative of hindu india.Reema is as sexy or more than india Chhap stupid actress but Madhuri contols why due this stupid mental of people. Labor mazdoor people just want sex, dance,songs. Hindu wants to steal mazdoors mony by giving him what he wants. And thats problem. I saw iran movie good, it was dubbed, they are better looks than all hindus and actress good looking but no sexcitemet so mazdoor is not going to pay mony. We need to have little excite in our actress like Madhuri.Anyway.One way to kill india Chhap movie is to have usa type movie, more sex , fighting excite etc. Cinema is imp as there is lot of mony to make.

It is sorry what arab thinks about but / no better than hindu thing. Language can transform to arab, Turki, Irani culture. We we not be free till we donot take turki, irani or arab language.These songs are like cancer slowly spreading and eating body from inside. We need strong Dava inthis matter. Good day everybody and good nights to expaks in foren countri.

I am slowly thinking of it training as future and mony in that business but one institue asaks 52,000 rs its conected to usa organization for one year trainer ( IT cliams many have got jobs in states). What IT people advise me about that. Is it sufficient to in get job in STATES? good day ever6ybody.Thank for advice . Plz give tell opinion about IT training.

I guess there never can be any bad music - just attribute it to peoples tastes¤t moods. I dont have any favorites but currently am hooked to Meri Duniya from Vaastav, Pachelbel & Shujaat Hussain Khan (in no particular order). His Snowy Mountains with Kayhan Kalhor is THE most uplifting music I have ever heard - but then havent heard much looking at the various lists here : ). I went to their concert last year - v v good. Although I do have to mention this - nothing can beat the theme from The Good, Bad & the Ugly - always peps me up when I am heading home at 4AM dead after working on some manhoos deadlines. I highly recomend it !!

So little time and so much to listen to !!!

aicha

..fantastic range of great music by all!

And I am glad that Ataullah Isakhelvi was also mentioned...he has some fantastic songs in Punjabi and Saraiki and Pothohari languages! My favourite is probably his immortal, ``vay bol saanwal...`` :)

As for Ahmad Madani sahib--i agree with some of his sentiments but not all. We should not forget that our identity is Islam first and foremost but culturally and linguistically we have as much Indian culture in us as Arabi and Turko-Persian and it would be foolish to try to get rid of it. Islam does not demand us all to be Arabs culturally as well! Yes those things in our culture which have crept in from Hindu influence such as jehez, not allowing widowed women to marry again (or making it hard at least) so much so that it has become a stigma, some weddding ceremonies, the festival of basant and other obvious un-islamic practises, these unislamic practises should be eliminated but as long as nothing contradicts shar`iat we should keep it and be proud of it even if it is of hindu origin.

Having said that, I am amazed that given the brilliance of contemporary, post-revolution Iranian cinema, and the high quality of some Arab cinema, that our film industry has not tried to learn from our Persian brethren rather than aping and producing poor clones of Bollywood which is increasingly anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistani. And honestly which director in India today has an output of films which can even touch that of Mohsen Makhalmaf or his daughter Samira? And these films feature none of the vulgarity of most indo/pakistani films either proving that a great movie can be made without songs and dances and women in see-thru` wet saris/shalwar kameezes!

I think we can learn a LOT from post-revolutionary Iran and we should. Of course as the natural successor state to the Mughal Empire we also have a long tradition of Persian cultural influence amongst our educated classes which needs to be revived along with the Arabic language. Arabic, Persian, Urdu should be the lingua france of Pakistan and not English as it is today.

Relating these remarks to our current topic of music then certainly we should continue with Hindustani musical traditions (which have a heavy influence of classical Persian music anyway --the dastgah raag system was added by Hazrat Amir Khusro to traditional Indian ragas) but also re-learn and re-introduce more Arabic and Persian styles to our music as well. A good example of this in practise was the increasing use of Arabic and Persian lyrics to qawwalies by the Sabri Brothers in particular (Arabic) and Aziz Mian (whose qawwalies became increasingly Persianised!). NFAK too has many Arabo=Persian qawwalies. Other qawwals are continuing the trend....

* * * * *

In fact I think I might write a short article on the Pakistani film industry and hope that Chowk publishes it! Also perhaps one on post-revolutionary Iran as a model for Pakistan`s future...especially Iran`s political system which is a real Islamic model but one in which people elect their leader...

I`ve been out of touch for a couple of weeks but so glad to see that there has ensued a non-political, who is right who is wrong string here on Chowk.

Of course, Nusrat could not be forgotten nor Esakhelvi; (My favorite Esakhelvi moment is on an old cassette picked up somewhere in the bazaars of Punjab in which a member of the audience shoots off his pistol or rifle and Esakhelvi has to threaten to end the concert unless the man gets his feelings under control!)

And Tina Sani and Munni Begum and Bhimsen Joshi and....any list is a list of the moment. Ask me to name my latest top ten and you`ll find 6 are different than this list...but thanks for all your feedback and look forward to hearing some of your selections!

As far as Shah of chicago goes...I`m in the dark too. It is up to the Editor`s not me to post!

Cheers and namaskar and khuda hafez for now.

Re:SameerJB#93

In classical music, the performer has to be really good, in order to bring out the beauty of the genre. A well performed piece of classical music can transport you to another world. In other forms of music, a mediocre singer may be acceptable, but not in classical music.

A few years back, Pandit Jasraj of the Mewati gharana was performing in Lahore. After his performance, one of the listeners went up to him and told him, ``Aaj aapne mujhe Allah ka ahsaas karva diya``. Such is the unique nature of classical music!! My personal favorites in classical music are Ustad Abdul Karim Khan and D.V. Paluskar. Both of these stalwarts had the sweetest, most melodius voices that I have ever heard. If you have seen the movie Baiju Bawra, D.V. Paluskar sings for Baiju in the climactic scene during the competition with Tansen, in the classical based song, ``Aaj gavat man mero``.

Ustad Amir Khan and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan were two other gems in classical vocal music. It is said that Naushad tried several times unsuccessfully to rope in Bade Ghulam Ali Khan to sing for Tansen in the movie Mughal-e-Azam, since classical musicians avoided movies in those days. Bade Ghulami Ali got fed up by the persistent requests and demanded an outlandish Rs 25000 for one song to get rid of Naushad and K. Asif. They immediately agreed and paid him the amount. As a result, much to our delight, Bade Ghulam Ali sang that masterful romantic composition in Mughal-e-Azam. I would recommend that you give a try to these artists. You may find it a very rewarding experience.

You folks have covered quite a bit of ground. Titans of all kinds find their rightful places here - masterful quwaals, classical singers of eternal charm, sufi groups electrifying their audiences, the evergreen geniuses of Hindi/Urdu film music, and of course, my favorite, the one and only beautiful Nazia Hassan (she gets both my votes for Tussaud`s).

To this long and glittering list I would like to add the names of two more legends. One of them is S. D. Burman. Here was a man who tranformed Indian movie music with his phenomenal sense of melody and effect. Every time I hear songs like roop tera mastana, na tum hame jaano, arrey uaar meri tum bhi ho gazab, phoolon ke rang se, ek ladki bheegi bhaagi see, I am tranported into a world where only sachinda can take one. However, I brought up his name not for his well-known role as a music director but for that one beautifully timbered, uniquely sonorous song he himself sang - wahan kaun hai tera, mussafir, jaayega kahan. That song, from the opening sequence of the movie Guide, remains among my all-time favorites. It isnt the usual run-of-the-mill kind of song, and I am curious to know if anyone else was as enraptured by it as I was.

The second person I wish to mention is luckily still with us. He is the cultural icon of Assam - Bhupen Hazarika, lovingly known as Bhupenda. Many years ago I first heard his songs when I was in Calcutta. Although I didnt understand a word of Assamese, I was pulled in by the sheer magic of his rich baritone voice. I went on to learn that this exceptional singer/musician/poet/lyricist is also a superb human being. His bistirna dupare (can anybody translate that?) is sheer joy! And recently, his MTV video Ganga is an incredible piece of work. The cultural allusions, the infinite humanity, the passionate voice, the elegant tune - all create an effect that is rare indeed.

Anyways, this has been a delightful discussion. Now I know I need to expand my music collection.

P.S.: Someone mentioned John Lennon. Now, he is the only God in MY dictionary :)

From The Times of India today:

Pak pop queen may be immortalised at Tussaud`s


LONDON: Late pop queen Nazia Hassan may be immortalised in wax as efforts are on to have her statue at London`s famous Madame Tussaud`s gallery.

At a special prayer meeting to mark Hassan`s first death anniversary on Wednesday night, Yasmin Sheikh, MBE, said she would immediately launch a move to have a wax model of Hassan, who shot to fame with her Aap jaisa koi meri zindagi mein aaye number.

Sheikh said it was in appreciation of her contribution to music, in particular her ability to successfully blend the beats and rhythms of east and west.

Wax statues of Amitabh Bachchan, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto are among those on display at the museum.

A senior official of the Nehru Centre, the cultural wing of the Indian High Commission and envoys of Pakistan and Bangladesh were among those who paid tributes to the singer on her death anniversary.

Divya Mathur, senior programming officer at the Nehru Centre, paid her tributes in Urdu and read out a message from the director of the centre and cultural minister at the Indian High Commission Girish Karnad.

Acting High Commissioner for Pakistan Attiya Mehmood said the occasion should not be one of sorrow or gloom, but one in which the extraordinary achievements of a person who accomplished so much in such a short space of time are celebrated.
( PTI )

Dear Sirs (Owner of Chowk): I am tired of all stuf you put this journel. All kafir hindus influance on all people.

I want to bring notice we are race of midleeast and Arab country and turk and iranian and central asians white people and not dark race india chhap people.Let no blood mixing to godown muslim race is thec point of this letter. Have middle east arab music for change.

All pakistanis like india hinduchhap bogas cinema sons is tragedy. Why not enjoy arb and irani and turk culture and their movies and songs that is the point sir. Sometimes i suspense you are hindu lover than arab lover or turk lover. Its all bhankas and Bakwass hindi songs.

I given example later below. All muslims think.

I’m working as an Engineer in Qatar Airways and stationed at Doha, Qatar. I’m an engineering graduate of

P.A.F. Academy Risalpur and belong to a family having military background. I would like to highlight a very

critical issue and want my feelings to be communicated to the higher ups in Pakistan Army.

Here in Middle East, Indians have a lot of influence on the print and electronic media. No chance of maligning

Pakistan is ever wasted in this region. As a matter of fact, Pakistan is considered as a bully by most of our

Arab brothers. I’m often asked questions by my Arab friends that why Pakistan is harbouring terrorism in

Kashmir. They believe Kashmir to be part of India and support the Indian viewpoint. They also refuse the

ideology of Pakistan saying that we (the Muslims of Pakistan) are no different than the Hindus of India and,

therefore, the creation of Pakistan was not justified (for my Arab friends).

Sir, this should be an eye opener for us. The people I’m talking about are not common people who can get

deceived by Indian propaganda. They are intellectuals and professionals with vast experience in their

respective fields. Our Embassy in Qatar never bothers to promote the Pakistani side of the story. No efforts

are ever made to tackle Indian propaganda. Yet we are hiring and promoting officials who have callous and

indifferent attitude towards safeguarding Pakistan’s interests.

Secondly, I have been reading a lot about the Kargil issue. Indians have made it look like their military victory.

You surf the net and you will find the e-world full of Indian version of the story. Somewhere they list the names

of Pakistani officers and men killed by their gallant troops, on another site you will see the statistics of

Pakistani troops killed in this battle, elsewhere they will narrate stories of valour displayed by their soldiers in

routing the entrenched enemy (who had strategic advantage by occupying high peaks). I have hardly come

across any web-site, which can truly match the Indian sites. I have yet to find a page on the internet, which

tells our side of the story.

Being a Pakistani, I have a question for our Army higher ups in general and General Pervez Musharraf in

particular — Why are we afraid of telling the world what happened in Kargil? Did our troops fail (like the

Indians claim) or were our men unable to match the so-called “Courage and Valour of Indians”? I’m sure that

Pakistani troops have displayed unmatched courage and supreme sacrifice, which is not being disclosed to the

nation. This is a real pity for the nation who is made to believe that they suffered a debacle (greater than 1971)

when in fact brave sons of that nation re-wrote the history of Salahuddin Ayubi.

Please do not let the sacrifice of people like Captain Sher and Havaldar Lalak Jan go in vain. I’m sure there

were many more of them but nobody ever told us about them. Is there anyone who will tell the truth?

Muhammed Aamir Nawaid

Development Engineer - Qatar Airways

Graduate - College of Aeronautical Engineering

PAF Academy Risalpur, G-30 Engineering Course

Ph: +974 4 631037

Email: aamirnawaid@hotmail.com

Sir the point is we should go away from hindus to roots- our turki , arab roots.Hindustan out of mind out of site. Ban tv of India, open free arab and turki , iran channels flood pakistan. Hows the idea? I like this fustclas idea.

Lady complained Amina Shah- no body (muslim arabs , turki or central asian , pure iranian type)in usa asks to marry or date her and paki girls.Fist she is Sindhi and write too much against islam and is too hindu type thinking.They should first behave as Muslima then complan ok not before.

So before complan think what is wrong us. We are forgeting roots. Currents oppose to reach original race of islam.Instead of Urdu go arabic or iranian - parsee language. Urdu is too mixed too much hindi type (hindi is from world hindu late be clear mind) we should Arabic. Then no problam by any ethinic group correct. Yes sir you are correct any way.

My best music from our real race people- arab- iran-turki

1.Mohammad Abdel Wahab--- El Karnak (Lexor temple)

2.Farid EL Atrash------EL Rabih (spring season)

3. Abdel Halim Hafez----Kariat EL Fengan( Seeing future in emptied turkisk coffee cup and kept upside down)

fist theree by Arabic race singer

4.Ahmed Zaher-----Chon Darakt Farvaden (tree of luck)--- Irani race singer song

5. Farhad Darya--- Mazager Sho lili (afternoon)--Pushtu- from singer of Afghan race

I very sad when your reder ignore all muslim singers of middle east from where our fore fathers came.

I know some central muslim asia song but i do not appsiate that race as they think we are hindus or worse than that, they hipocrite men and woman drink Sharab, take nasha,think better as their skin is white like butter

Anyway point is lets get to roots stop hindu songs and movies is point.

What arb brother think no wrong. We worship hindus singing, shadi just hindu style what about following arabic or irani type for change. o bdy like that addicted to drugs of hindu songs and movies. If arab or any C.Asian or turki read this jonural he will feel pakistani is obsessed with hindus. How many real people from arabstan read, they tired of all hindus and pais all kafr style stuf. All lafadabagi i think. Any way my thoughts, need to go make check beds proper or not done by peons. Any way muslims give think to my piont and that is point of wrting this coment and all troubles. ay way good day

...the title of this article reminds me of the only stupid thing Rushdie has done in his career- title his anthology with elizabeth West `The Vintage book of *Indian * Writing` and putting in just a token non-IndoAnglian piece!...i think the uproar that followed it within and outside india has done more damage to his reputation than anybody`s fatwa...and this title uses the more expansive `south asian` and indulges in similar glibness..

..there exists such tremendous variety within india itself, not to speak of south asia, that such titles are better avoided...

..on another note i have always wondered why it was kishore (or rafi or mukesh etc.) who got most of the credit...i always found the lyrics of their better songs to be more inspiring than the singing (which is definitely good, but as the popularity of the several clones show, not essential)...

.. a different take on musical experiences, in no particular order:-

1/ the chorus of red-border sareed/`panjaabi` clad girls/ boys sing Rabindrasangeet under Santiniketan`s famed amrakunju mango-groves, with no accompanying music :` ami cheenigo cheeni tomake ogo bideshini`

2/ yesudas` `Ramakadha`, while *watching * the national-award winning malayalam movie `Bharatham`

3/ the folk-rock scene in bengali reflecting the chaos of calcutta and urban living, which i think is unique in india- nachiketa, anjan dutta and the more intellectual dylanesque Suman

4/ Bhupinder`s lonely singing in several of Amol palekar movies

5/ sitting backstage hearing amjad ali khan`s fluid sarod, when you`ve just finished a reefer of his..

6/ MS Subbalakshmi chanting mesmerisingly across the ship`s PA system, as you stand a bit sleepy on the deck feeling the salty early morning breeze over your ears...

7/..the solemnity of Silent Night in malayalam, when its that time of the year..

8/ Silk Route`s `boondein`, which gives `the feel of mountains, valleys and open spaces`(as they explain their name)- inspite of the slight pop-ishness, when you sip your weekend beer..

9/ jagjit singh`s Woh kaagaz ki kashti evoking sentiments the author mentions, and many others that his several other songs do

10/ john lennon- the only guy who rocked-`s `Imagine`, which should be made the world anthem...

Romair, let me add few more to your list.

- Galliyan Lahore dian (Shaukat Ali)

- ki hoyea je tooN kuRi Dilli shehar di main vi jatt Ludhianay da

- Chandigarh rehan waliye, asin paindoo nai dillaN de maaRhay.

- Ambarsariya mundeya ve kachiaN kalliaN na torh

MannyD: scholar and me? jaan diyO baadshaO. maiN pakka paindoo je. I have many famous Punjabi poems transcribed into roman over time and when someone asks I just pull that from my folder and cut and paste:-). Here is one from Shiv Batalvi for you.

lokiN poojan Rabb, mein tera biRhaRa(birhoN)...

saanu sau makkeyaN da hajj, ve tera biRhaRa...

lok kehan mein suraj banniya,

lok kehan mein roshan hoiya,

saanu kehi la giya ugg...ve tera biRhaRa...

na iss vich kisey tan(body) di mitti,

na iss vich kisey mann(mind) da kooRha,

asaN(we) chaaRh chhattaiya chhajj.....ve tera biRhaRa...

jad peeRhaN(pains) mere paireN(feet) paiyeaN,

sidak(sabber) mere de sadkey gaiyeaN,

taaN vekhan ayea jag...ve tera biRhaRa...

asaN jaN ishaqoN rutba paiyea,

lok vadhaiyeaN devan ayea,

saadey roiyea gall nooN lagg...ve tera biRhara...

mainu taN kujh akal na kai,

duniya mainu dassan aie,

saanu takhat bitha giya ajj...ve tera biRhaRa...

lokiN poojan Rabb, mein tera biRhaRa....

saanu sau makkeyaN da hajj ve tera biRhaRa...

ajnabi:

...may i?...this may interest some here...a write up on inimitable zohra sehgal...we have seen her in dil se, masala, bhaji on the beach and mumerous other movies...

________________________________________________


The art and adventures of Zohra Segal

By Kaleem Omar

I have finally managed to get hold of a copy of famed Indian dancer and actress Zohra Segal`s fascinating memoirs, `Stages: The Art and Adventures of Zohra Segal`, courtesy of Khawar Mumtaz, aka Rani, a specialist in women`s studies and international relations who heads the Shirkatgah office in Lahore and who is herself the author of several scholarly books, including a seminal work on Muslim women in politics in South Asia, which she co-authored with Farida Shaheed.

Rani, who lives in Lahore and spends much of her time travelling around the world attending conferences on women`s issues, is married to my first cousin Kamil Khan Mumtaz, one of Pakistan`s leading architects and the author of two works on Pakistani architecture: `Architecture in Pakistan` (published by Concept Media/Mimar in 1987) and `Modernity and Tradition` (published by Oxford University Press in 1999).

Kamil`s father, the late Zakaullah Khan (the son of Mumtazullah Khan, who belonged to a Pathan family that had settled in Rampur) was married to my aunt Khadija Omar, a painter, sculptor and one of the first Pakistani women to set up a boutique to make children`s clothes. Khadija, who lived in Karachi for many years before moving to Lahore in the late 1970s, died a decade ago. She was one of my late father Shaukat Omar`s five sisters. Khadija`s first husband, Zakaullah Khan, who was educated at the Aligarh University and later in London, was an engineer by profession and Zohra Segal`s elder brother.

Born on April 29, 1909, Zakaullah Khan was exactly three years older than Zohra. Next in line after Zakaullah in the Mumtazullah Khan brood was Hajrah (born on December 22, 1910), followed by Zohra (born on April 27, 1912), Ikramullah Khan (born on April 3, 1915), Uzra (born on May 22, 1917) (who was later to become well-known in her own right as the television actress, Uzra Butt), Amina (born on August 1, 1919), and Sabra (born on November 26, 1920).

This family connection between Zohra Segal`s family and my father`s family was one of the reasons why I was so keen to get hold of a copy of her memoirs ever since they were first published in India in 1997, but there was also another reason. This reason had to do with the fact that the book`s co-author is an American lady named Joan L. Erdman, whom I had met in Chicago on a trip to America in 1989.

Joan Erdman worked at a research institute in Chicago, and it was in her capacity as a scholar that I had gone to see her (our meeting was arranged by the United States Information Service), without having the slightest idea that she knew Zohra Segal. During my meeting with Ms Erdman, we chatted about this, that and the other. Then, at one point in the conversation, she asked me where I was from. I told her I was a Pakistani, but that my father`s family had lived in Aligarh before partition. `You mean, you`re from that Omar family,` she said, and proceeded to tell me all about them.

Well, you could have bowled me over with the proverbial feather! I mean, it`s not every day that you come across a total stranger in Chicago, an American you`ve never heard of, who then proceeds to tell you all about your family antecedents. `How on earth do you know all this?` I spluttered, astonishment writ large on my face. Ms Erdman chuckled, hugely amused at my amazement. `Well, it`s like this,` she drawled. `Do you know Zohra Segal?` `Yes, of course I do,` I replied. `She is my Uncle Zakaullah`s sister, and a famous dancer, and a movie, television and stage actress. But how do you know her?`

`I`m helping her write her memoirs,` Ms Erdman said. This revelation led to more expressions of astonishment on my part, because that was the first I`d heard that Zohra Segal was writing her memoirs.

Ms Erdman then explained that in 1983, in connection with her own research on famed dancer-choreographer Uday Shankar and the new tradition her created in Indian modern dance, she had met Zohra`s elder sister Hajrah, and then Zohra herself, in New Delhi. The occasion was the first Uday Ustav, a festival organised by sitar maestro Ravi Shankar (Uday Shankar`s brother) and other family members in honour of their elder brother who had died in 1977.

Zohra was asked to conduct dance workshops for troupe members in various Shankar groups and present a recitation at the festivities, which Ms Erdman said she did to great compliments and praise. Showing her slightly ribald sense of humour over lunch a few days later, Zohra offered Ms Erdman her manuscript to read and Ms Erdman accepted, `largely`, she says, `to learn about her role in the Uday Shankar India Culture Centre at Almora` (a town in UP in the foothills of the Himalayas), which Ms Erdman suspected was crucial to the centre`s organisation and syllabus.

`What I found`, writes Ms Erdman in her foreword to Zohra Segal`s memoirs, a life which deserved attention for a number of good reasons. First, Zohra had made, in 1930, the crucial decision to pursue a career rather than get married. In its time this decision was a heresy for a properly raised girl of her aristocratic birth. Yet she managed to gain family support for her plans and avoided marriage until she herself made the choice and commitment.

And what a career she chose! Based on carefree triumphs in school plays (she completed her studies in 1929), she decided to be an actress, but veered off into dance on her way to Europe. To be a dancer and female in the 1930s in India meant to subject oneself to denunciation as licentious, immoral and impure. No doubt, I thought, this courageous decision had some background in Zohra`s family, upbringing and schooling, as well as in her determination, seen in retrospect, to do as she pleased. Was there a model for rebellion in her family?

Secondly, Zohra`s career is impressively successful, albeit with oscillations between privilege and hardship along the way. Her mother died when she was young, and she was educated at Queen Mary`s College in Lahore (in those days a school for the daughters of aristocrats). Never having studied German, she decided to study dance in Dresden (a city in eastern Germany that was flattened by Allied bombers during World War II) at Mary Wigman`s studio. She married one of her students who was younger than her, and their first school in Lahore failed due to political turmoil during its early years. Her husband, loving and empathetic, never fully found his own artistic career and committed suicide, leaving her with two young children to raise ( one of her daughters is the famed Indian Odissi dancer Kiran Segal). She came alone to England to study acting, and stayed to struggle to support herself and her children there.

Twice she tried to establish herself in Delhi and through circumstances not of her making, was unable to do so. Finding suitable and affordable places to live in London proved difficult, and when she finally accomplished this, her children had left, so she returned to India to be with the next generation in her homeland. Yet, throughout, Zohra has had a successful and wonderful career, and today (she is now nearly 90) maintains a spirit which can only be called `youthful`.

Thirdly, says Ms Erdman, `Zohra extended the frontiers for proper women in the 1930s and became a model for her male and female relatives and students. By managing to establish a successful household and a productive career, her life has become an inspiration for Indian women, even today, who find it difficult to break the bonds of service and subservience, but also to live as professional women dedicated to a career and artistic fulfillment. Beyond India, Zohra`s story is a model and a challenge for women in the performing arts`.

Finally, says Ms Erdman, `Zohra`s wit, humour, intelligence, cosmopolitanism and occasional delightfully shocking lewdness, which mark her as an artist, an actress and a worldly woman, come from a lifetime of experiences and circumstances. Often in tension with each other yet kept in balance, these events endow her with a depth and emotional capacity that infuse her voice at every turn. Ever resourceful, in her late 70s she discovered she had more acting offers than before retirement`.

Audiences around the world have seen her as Lady Chatterjee in the 1980s television production of Paul Scott`s novel `Jewel in the Crown`, in Merchant-Ivory`s film `The Courtesan`, in the British television soap opera series `Parosi` and `Tandoori Nights`, in a Channel 4 production of famed Urdu writer Saadat Hassan Manto`s story, `Toba Tek Singh`, called `Partition`, in Srivinas Krishna`s `Masal`, or in `Bhaji on the Beach`.

Her roles are not those of leading ladies or famous stars; they are well honed, professionally sculpted portrayals which make what is known the world over as a `fine actor`. As Joan Erdman notes, `There are few awards for an Indian actress who looks Chinese, playing in English-language dramas, but whatever is out there, Zohra deserves`.