Shah Hussain (1539-94), known more popularly as Lal Hussain, was born in Lahore. He was a sufi in the Qadiri order, prone to expressing his devotion through song, mystical dance and exuberance. Naturally, he had a rough time with some of the elders in Lahore who looked askance at his public repudiation of beards and proclivity to wine. Prince Dara Shikoh's Hasanat al-`Arifin describes Hussain as being above religion (neither Hindu nor Muslim) along with some other sufi-tastic details on miracles he performed. But it is Hussain's love for Madho - a Brahmin youth (later converted) - which raised the most eyebrows. The tombs of Madho and Lal Hussain remain a central node in spiritual Lahore.
I pointed earlier to this ka'afi. Thought, I'd reproduce it in full now.
O mother! Who can I ask? Of this pain of separation
The smoky fire of my Murshid, glows red like flowers
When I go near.
Thoughts assault me like pricking thorns. Drive me mad.
A bread of sorrow. A meal of anxiety. My sighs the fire to cook.
In forests, in jungle I wander, seeking never finding, Lal.
Says Hussain Faqir, he is my treasure, yet unseen.
ماۓ ني! ميں کيهنوں اکھاں، درد ÙˆÚ†Ú¾ÙˆÚ‘Û’ دا Øال
ÙÙÙÙÙدهواں دهکهے ميرے مرشد والا، جاں پهولاں تاں لال
سولاں مار ديواني کيتي، برهوں پيا ساڈے خيال
دکهاں دي روٹي، سولاں دا سالن، اهيں دا بالن بال
جنگل بيلے پهراں ڈهونڈيندي اجے نە پايو لال
Ú©Ù‡Û’ Øسين Ùقير نمانا، شوە ملے تاں تهيواں نهال
He also has a slightly different version that has this oft reproduced line:
رانجهن رانجهن پهراں ڈهونڈيندي رانجهن ميرے نال
ني ميں کيهنوں اکهاں
I roam looking for Ranjha, Ranjha next to me
O who should I ask?
This particular Kaafi is sung most gorgeously by Abida Parveen (who sings Sufi kalaam [poetry] like few could).
update: I linked to the wrong file. The audio is of Abida Parveen singing Bulleh Shah's Saday Weray Aaya Kar (Come to my doorstep, Lover, day and night). Still, it does incorporate the above couplet. I will check Bulleh Shah's kalaam to see if he is the one sampling (it would be early modern sampling) or Abida Parveen. More later.
It may sound sacrilegious, and it is no match for Abida Parveen's version, but Rohail Hyatt and Tina Sani have a version of the kaafi: http://rohailhyatt.com/ (Click "Songs" and scroll all the way down...) Also, Atif Aslam may have sold his soul to the devils that run Bollywood, but I think he "gets" it better than Rohail Hyaat does: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-hh2ttF4ws Speaking of Rohail Hyatt (and Atif Aslam), anyone else following Coke Studio Season 2? The arrangements are a little too lush for my tastes at times, but well worth a listen... there are some big names featured...
P.S. Isn't the audio player playing "Ilmo Bas Karien O Yaar" instead of "Dard Vachor Da"?
Thanks for the Sufic infusion to get me head and heart right to start the day!
Nostalgic - Saw the first episode of Coke Season 2 and loved it, honestly. (Though I didn't watch Season One, so have no point of comparison). I particularly loved Aik Alif and Paimona Bitte.
Re: "Atif Aslam may have sold his soul to the devils that run Bollywood...." WTF?! Bhaiyya, having listened to Aslam's pre-Bollywood offerings as well as Bollywood and post-B'wood ones, IMO he didn't have to compromise on any artistic integrity -- he just makes a hell of a lot more money now, and has millions more fans. What's wrong with that?! [And it's a two way street: the likes of Atif Aslam, but also many other Pakistani performers-by-way-of-Bhatt-produced-films, have led to a much larger influence footprint for Pakistani pop music than was ever the case before this generation went Bollywood, or before B'wood's sound became so inflected by Pakipop...]
Shukriya for the links. It was a nice moment when I walked back into this apartment in Istanbul after four years, and found a lot of Abida Parveen in the CD stack (amidst the rembetiko and rock and post-Ottoman offerings). Feels like home.
the coke studio stuff also caps a remarkable journey for pop music in cola drinks in pakistan... it can be argued that pepsi and coke ruined vital signs and junoon respectively, getting them to make jingle-infused songs which sold out their credibility and all... now coke is bringing superb pakistani fusion to a generation which might have never heard it otherwise... back to the post, there is also a version sung by a male voice - could be amanat ali.i have the mp3 but no tags on it, it is delightfully haunting. thanks for the translations :)
Qalandar, I don't have an issue with Atif Aslam making money, but I think there is a definite difference in his first album (Jal Pari), which while hastily done (to beat his ex-bandmate Gohar to the market) was a terrific exhibition of his raw talent, the stripped down arrangements really bringing it to the fore, and the second (Doorie) which was in marked contrast to the first album full of Bollywoodesque fluff, which is what I was referring to... I think the third (Meri Kahani) is a return to good form and the sort of arrangements found in Jal Pari...
Coke Studio Episode 2 is set to air this Sunday, but here are a few teasers: http://www.cokestudio.com.pk/episode02/ Looks promising! Interesting like karachikhatmal said, how Cola-nization has progressed from ruining VS and Junoon to churning out fusion gems... interesting also that Rohail Hyatt was the one behind a lot of the Pepsi ventures (Top of the Pops, Battle of the Bands) and now Coke Studio... This might also reignite the debate about artistic integrity and an artist's political/social responsibilities and whether it is possible to maintain them under the watchful eyes of corporate sponsors... the music is great, but I wonder if Nadeem Farooq Paracha approves? ;)
Hey that was great. I like how the singer seems to throw it down in terms of her insistence that we read ourselves.....hard to describe, but I like it. my heritage is punjabi sikh and when I catch things like this or see some of the singers singing sufi kalam, it makes me think of how fruitful a syncretic culture can be. dard vichor da indeed
when I heard that kind of music like Abida Parveen great singer I feel relax and comfort. after Nusrat fateh Ali Khan Abida Parveen is great.
@qalandar 5: 'before B'wood's sound became so inflected by Pakipop...'. Bless you for noticing that and validating what I've been saying for a couple of years now...
Amanat Ali, the kid from Faisalabad who almost won that competition in India a couple of years ago, has a version out: http://www.koolmuzone.com/2009/11/amanat-ali-maaye-ni-download-audio/