Sadi has written a wonderful post here - I am cross posting it here.

Couple of nights back (24, April, 08) came an unanticipated opportunity to watch and listen to two of great contemporary pakistani sufi Qawwali singers at famous UCLA Royce Hall. The concert was titled, Qawwali Music of Pakistan: Sufi devotional music.Among the audience was both americans and sub-continental audience. What was striking, is Qawwali’s ability to transcend language with its sheer power and captivating devotion. The nature of improvisation makes each Qawwali, even if its sung by the same group of singers, very unique and every new listening is a new experience.Sometime the depth of the verses, fused with the presentation takes audience to an otherly high which was felt last night too. At times there were goosebumps and surges with the strong emotion that is created in Qawwali performance. The Sufi Qawwalis are considered as zikr or Divine remembrance if listened with spiritual understanding and depth.:: What is Sufi Qawwali? | Qawwali is derived from the Arabic word qaul, literally meaning “saying” but has taken on the meaning of “belief”or “credo” in South Asian languages. Qawwali is spiritual in essence; it is the devotional music of the Sufis to attain trance and mystical experience - originating in the 10th century and blossoming into its present form from the 13th century onwards. (more…)

“O God, you are my state of being” is what this Kafi of Shah Hussain loosely means. It is about the internal and external knowledge of Reality. I have been singing this Kafi for the last few days. Here is a translation (courtesy Shahidain) followed by an audio version and the Punjabi lyrics-

“O God, only You know all my pains.
You are within me and You are outside me( You are everywhere)
In every pore of mine (from top to toe) only you dwell.
You are the warp, You are the woof.
You are every thing for me.
Says Hussain, the Humble Faqir, I am nothing, You are everything”.

Interpretation by Naveed Siraj: Divine Love is ingrained in every fibre of ones’ self & this Love is overwhelming and ever-present. Like Pathanay Khan wailing “charkha bolay sain sain”; i.e., even the common household chores remind one of the Lord, so one loses the distinction between the begining of this love and its manifestation and its end. [this is why “andar”, “bahar”, “room room vich toonh” captivates ones imagination]

And once again Abida Parveen sings it so beautifully: (more…)

Thanks to Junaid for text and translations

Someone once said Abida Parveen is not a singer or an artist… she is an experience….. her voice and expression takes you to a different universe… when she collaborated with India’s ace filmmaker, poet, artist, revivalist, musician and activist Muzaffar Ali the result had to be something divine … something out of ordinary, something that transcends all boundaries… it was purest of the pure Raqs-e-Bismil (dance of the injured)… totally unforgettable and soulful … In Abida’s own words Raqs-e-Bismil has the glow of Almighty in it…one can become wali by listening to it…. sufi poetry has a magic that is beyond any explanation, any comprehension … it fascinates me as each time it takes me into a new realm of discovery.
 
I am sharing my favorite ghazal from the album with translation… although each piece is a priceless gem yet this ghazal has the power to take you beyond yourself.  Abida is at her best here.

 
The English translation is done by Muzaffar Ali himself. 
 
Hairat mara ze har do jahan be niaz kard
Een khab kaare daulat e bedaar meekunad
(Rumi)

Bewilderment has absolved me of both the worlds
This is the consequence of awakening from my dreams

Khuli jab ki chashm e dil e hazeen,
to vo nam raha na teri rahi
Hui hairat aisi kuch aankh par ki asar ki be asari rahi
Pari goshe jaan mein ajab nida ki jigar na bejigari rahi
Khabare tahhayyur e ishq sun na junoon raha na pari rahi
Na to tu raha na to main raha jo rahi bekhabari rahi…
(Khamsa by Nazeer Akbarabadi for Siraj Aurangabadi)

The eyes of an anguished heart open…
No longer moist.. Bereft of tears
The perplexed vision
Remained unmoved.. Devoid of response
The soul heard.. An unusual sound
That took the pluck of life away
As wondrous love revealed itself
The fairy vanished..The ecstasy lost
Nor you remained.. Nor I was found
mere oblivion was all there was…

Mujhe bekhudi ye tune bhali chashni chakhayi
Kisi aarzoo ki dil mein nahi ab rahi samayi

O surrender in love,
You have given me a taste that pales all worldliness
No desire remains
In the heart filled with submission

Na hazar hai na khatar hai, na raja hai ne dua hai
Na khayaal e bandagi hai na tamana e khudai

Neither distance nor fear…
neither hope nor prayer
neither thoughts of subjugation
nor desire of godliness

Na muqqam e guftagu hai na mahhall e justaju hai
Na wahan havaas pahunche na khirad ko hai rasai

No place for exchange of words…
no occasion for further quest
Where neither consciousness reaches
nor thoughts transcend its realm

Na makin hai ne makan hai na zameen hai ne zaman hai
Dil e be nava ne mere jahan chhavni hai chayi

No one resides..Neither habitation exist…
Is where this wandering heart has come to camp

Na visaal hai na hijraan na suroor hai na gham hai
Jise kahiye khwab e ghaflat so woh neend mujh ko aayi

Where there is no union… No separation
no sorrow… no joy
What is said to be an endless oblivion
I enter such a slumber

(Hazrat Shah Niaz)

Another video below (more…)

I had earlier posted a video of Abida Parveen singing Bulleh Shah. While that is an all time favourite, the global voice of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has also rendered Bulleh Shah with great ease and soulfulness. I am grateful to Cubano for opening the doors into this magical world of music. No words can capture the sheer beauty of this music. Videos are posted below (more…)

Music and Love share a primordial bond. None other than the legendary and a genius of our times Allah Rakah Rahman, better known to the world as A.R. Rahman appreciates it at a much deeper level. The composer who has been honoured by the world and the subcontinent, he is a follower of the Chishty school of Sufism.

After a glorious career path and adding melody to South Asian music, A R Rahman has set up a music conservatory in India dedicated to none other than Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz of Ajmer. Two letters, K and M, are lucky for Rahman and also reflect his devotion to the great Saint, his teachings and all-encompassing spirituality. (more…)

Mystica Music contacted me and introduced their website that sells amazing music. I am not promoting their sales nor do I have any mandate to do so; but the range of titles is impressive and most significantly (for me at least) they have a few selections on mystical music.

One I liked a lot is called Zikr - Call of a Sufi. The artist is Anandmurti Gurumaa and it is in Hindi/Urdu.This is what the website had to say about the CD:

Zikr is a beautiful Sufi meditation cd which weaves together very intoxicating and invigorating meditation techniques with the Sufi art of whirling and worship. Listening to the tracks intently with utter mindfulness can open the door to the divine for a seeker, at any moment.
Enjoy the magical experience and offering of Zikr, from the unblemished hands of beloved Gurumaaji herself .

Call of the Heart
This opening track calls for utmost attention of the listeners as this can be the beginning on the path for those who are drunk with Love. Allah’s grace is being sought, as one who surrenders to the Lord will receive the bountiful shower of Bliss. While listening to it, pray that your heart opens up and hidden mysteries get revealed. (more…)

This soulful poem by Faiz (??) was rendered by Madame Noor Jehan in her early, melodious years. Manto has also mentioned this rendition in his biography of the great Noor Jehan.

What an effortless and grand effort. (more…)

I discovered this video courtesy a blog at Naqsh.
This is a soulful rendition of powerful lyrics by Khawaja Ghulam Farid; and the images are pretty innovative as well. (more…)

Meray Derd ko jo Zuban mille
Mujhe apna naam o nishan milay
Mujhe raaz jo ye pinhan milay
mujhe Kainaat ki sarvari
Mujhe daulat i do jahan milay

for video-link (more…)

La phir aik bar wohi …I must say that this is not bad at all. I am happy to have strayed towards this blog and found the link (more…)

This is a poignant song by Cass Dillon and Billy Joel - sometimes such glimmers of hope make one happy in a dark world.

by Vidya Rao

 I was fortunate to be one of the women invited to the first meeting of the Grandmothers’ University at Bija Vidyapeeth early this year. (more…)

I have been invited by Vidya Rao to attend a concert tomorrow as she will sing at the Thames Festival in London on Sunday, 16th September, 2007.

 The venue is Green Man Stage, Potters field Park and the time is 12.30 in the afternoon.

There are no tickets– its open to all.

Those in London, please attend and experience the magic of her voice.

A friend sent me this beautiful piece rendered by Girija Devi of the Benaras school of music. 

 She has been described as the last living queen of thumri. Her father Ramdeo Rai was a local Zaminadar and interested in classical Indian music. He initiated his daughter’s musical training when she was five years old. Her gurus were Pandit Sarju Prasad Mishra and Shrichand Mishra.

Found this useful background on Thumri  here-

This tragic Thumri was composed by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh who wrote under pen-name Qaisar and “Akhtarpiya”. This was the twilight of Mughal rule and the British exiled him to Calcutta. It is said that this forced departure from Lucknow inspired this thumri:

babul mora naihar chuuto hi jaaye
chaar kahaar mil, mori Doliiyaa uthaaye
more apanaa begana chhuTo hi jaaye
anganaa to parbat bhaye, dehlii bhayi bides
je baabul ghar aapano, mai chali piya ke des

Here is the translation - courtesy Bhirgu

O father, I depart forcibly from my home
Four men gathered to lift my palanquin {see the wedding/funeral analogy here?}
my loved ones will become strangers
the innermost portals of my home will be unreachable
as I leave my father’s home and go to my husband’s country.

Other than Girija Devi, K. L. Saigal sang this thumri in raag Bhairavi (here).

 Guest Article by Vidya Rao - Click here >>

As I recited Bulleh Shah’s poetry this evening, a friend sent a link to another video of Abida Parveen singing Bulleh’s mystic poetry in her inimitable style. Lo and behold, I also found an online translation of the verse (see below after the video).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQMoU5khmWk]

Here is a translation of the verse rendered in this video:

O Physician, come back! my life is ebbing away.
Compelled by love, I dance, I dance.

This love has set up camp inside me.
It is I, who filled the cup with this poison and drank it.
Come back right away, else, I will surely die.
Compelled by love, I dance, I dance.

The sun has set, its glow remains.
Grant me a sight of you again! I would die for it!
What a mistake I made, not going with you.
Compelled by love I dance, I dance.

Mother do not bar me from this love.
Whoever turns back unloaded boats that have left?
How foolish I was, not going with the boatman.
Compelled by love I dance, I dance.

Peacocks sing in the groves of love.
My beautiful beloved is my Ka’ba, my Qibla.
He injured me, then turned away.
Compelled by love I dance, I dance.

Bullhe Shah, I sit at Inayat’s door,
He clothed me in robes of green and red.
When I stamped my heel, I found him.
Compelled by love I dance, I dance.

Source

For another version of Punjabi and English, please click here.

Bulleh Shah’s timeless verse has been celeberated by several artists but it is Abida Parveen the immensely gifted singer, a bit of dervish herself, who has celebrated Bulleh’s poetry to the fullest. Perhaps in the spirit of magic and mystical abandon with which Bulleh mused and uttered these lines…

Here is something that I came across today - I have been listening to this piece for years but to see it on youtube - so easily accessible - with half decent subtitles was exciting to say the least.

And, in the state of depression that every Pakistani has been since the Karachi carnage this was even more soothing. Not that the wounds will be healed so soon.

Bravo, Abida-ji for infusing so many dimensions to this immortal poetry..