Walvay gachavai handey, Come, let us gather Dandelions, Laanyum nyai kati andey, It was fate, not meant to be Loo’ka’ ma’ti ka’dnas randey, All that people now offer is abjection. Walo myaani poshey madano! Come back my flower, my God, my Love! cholhama He is gone roshey enraged madano My Love cholhama He is gone Walvay gachavai babrey, Come my friends, let us gather Basil, Chhokh me’ loinam tabrey, My beauty he threw to axe, it went to pieces, kahsa sooj nam na khabrey, No one he sent to enquire of me Walo myaani poshey madano! Come back my flower, my God, my Love! cholhama He is gone roshey, madano, cholhama enraged , My Love, He is gone Walvay gachavai aabas, Come my friends, let us go to the river, aabas to the river Dunya chhu nendri ti khaabas, While the world is still asleep and dreaming, khaabas dreaming Praaran tahindey jawaabas, I await, I wait your answer Walo myaani poshey madano! Come back my flower, my God, my Love! cholhama He is gone roshey, madano, cholhama enraged , My Love, He is gone
Friend, that beautiful one, I remember, I remember
Khoshrukh Khosh Andam Yaad Aam Yad Aam
That body beautiful, that beautiful face, I remember, I remember
Shahbad Achbal rozum tas tchiz kal
On my mind at Shahbad, Achabal
Lolaab Sagaam
Lolab and Sogam
Yaad Aam Yaad Aam
I remember, I remember
daren dareechan baladaren pyeth
on windows and pavilions
darkhaiyn parwaan
maker’s chisel fell in love
Yaad Aam Yaad Aam
I remember, I remember
Az Waadi dith tem karnas faramosh
You promised and then forgot
Az subhu ta shaam
from morning till night
Yaad Aam Yaad Aam
I remember, I remember
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‘Tanga Ride’ from the book ‘Kashmir’ by Shinya Fujiwara, 1978. The inspiration. Had seen this in the book back in 2013.
The audio version is based on the old original version sung by Khemlata Dhar for Radio Kashmir composed by and additional lyrics by Rasa Javedani. [via: Jaya Parimoo..music director was one sabherwal of Delhi working for Radio Kashmir. Check the version here ] -0-
A new audio-visual interpretation of Rasul Mir’s classic qalaam. The visuals are spin on works of Dali. The story is a bit of Adam-Eve, some elements of Joseph, and Dante. And then of course there is Kashmir. The Ka of water, the Ka of Kashyap the Kachua, the Ka of Kashmir.
Ganpatyaar, Habba Kadal, Srinagar Shiva shrine of Vardhamanesa near Malyar linked to King Sandhimat [5th century A.D.] mentioned in Kalhana’s Rajatanrangini [12th century] and later Vitastamahatmya.
During Maharaja Gulab Singh’s rule Dogra Wazir Pannu in 1854 AD builds modern Ganpatyaar temple at the ancient site.
Ganeshal. Kulgam. Elm Trees [“Brân” in Kashmiri] worshipped as Ganesha. Worship of Bran in rural Kashmir was common and there were many such sites. The practice links nature and fertility mother worship which predates the form of Ganesha we now see
Ancient site of Bhimasvamin with Swayambhu (self-manifested) Ganesha at the foot of Hari Parbat. Kalhana in Rajatanrangini [12th century] mentions it in context of Pravarasena laying the foundation of Srinagar, [c.530–590, Late 6th century].
A Radha singing a love song in Kashmiri for Krishna. Relies on a lot of existing motifs in Kashmiri poetry. I couldn’t find the name of the original writer, but assume the writer is Prem Nath Shad as word “Shad” is mentioned at the end. This is a fresh composition by Kartik.
“AABSHARAN” by young talents Kartik Koul and Ujwal Raina; featuring Bismah Meer. Kartik and Ujwal were writing and singing original songs in Hindi. So the brief from me was simple: try something similar in Kashmiri. Few months later they came back with is beautiful mix of Kashmiri, Hindi/Urdu and an element of rap also in the two languages. Surprisingly, the Kashmiri elements didn’t seem forced, instead they played on the motifs from classic Kashmiri poetry. This was about 2 years back, due to covid the video work could not takeoff. Finally, earlier this year I managed to get a team on ground to execute the video featuring a fresh face from valley.
“Maeshravthas Janaan” by Vishal Pandita, lyrics of Rasa Javidani, a song originally immortalised by Raj Begam. Original was a love song, here it becomes exile lament. There is play on Kashmir “paradise”, what we hope to see, and what we actually see when we return, and ends with a famous verse of Lal Ded about soul’s journey home.
As always the brief from my end was that the song has to be shot in Kashmir. The team did a great job at executing the ideas, finding the locations, and even used old images from SearchKashmir site to get the feeling right.
ti tche roozakh [and you will be] jannat-e-benazir [paradise par excellence ] kasheer [kashmir] maeshravthas janaan [my love, you have forgotten me] tche kar yaad pyamai bo [when will you remember me] maeshravthas janaan [my love, you have forgotten me] tche kar yaad pyamai bo [when will you remember me] chukh aze waffa begaane [today you are faithless] tche kar yaad pyamai bo [when will you remember me] dar-e-dil kare mai jaay, mat’hai maay nigaroo
[in valley of my heart i gave you space, love, our love you forgot] kaaba’es me gov but-khan’e, [Kaaba of my heart, is now a desolate temple] tche kar yaad pyamai bo [when will you remember me] akh jalwe haevith aashiqan [ your lovers could only sneak a peek] falwa tche karith gokh [having driven us mad, you were gone] chui aalma deywaan, [whole world having gone mad] tche kar yaad pyamai bo [when will you remember me] maeshravthas janaan [my love, you have forgotten me] tche kar yaad pyamai bo [when will you remember me] [Lal Ded, Vakh] ami pana so’dras, [with weak untwisted thread] navi chas lamaan
[ I am towing my soul boat] kar bozi dai myon, myeti di taar [would my God listen, help me cross] amyn tak’yn poyn zan tshamaan
[like water slow seeping through an unbaked clay pot] zuv chum bramaan ghar gatshaha [the desire to be home grips my lonely heart]
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Audio Credits: Song: Maeshravthas Janaan
Singer: Vishal Pandita
Lyrics: A.Q. Rasa Javidani
Original composer: Virender Mohan Deewan “Virji”
Composition: Music/Mixing/Mastering: Varun (i Music)
Rabab: Swastik Bhat
Translation: Vinayak Razdan
Video Credits:
In Frame: Vishal Pandita
DOP/Director/Editor: Rohit Pandit (RP Films Jammu)
Concept: Karan
Line Producer: Ashish Raina
Team RP Films: Rashika Bhat & Umesh Bhat
Poster Design: RP Films Jammu
Special Thanks: Dr. Ramesh Nirash for pheran, people at Bhagwan Gopinath Ashram Kharyaar, people at Habba Kadal, locals of Dharbagh for helping us find Zooni House, people of Rainawari, the boatmen and people of Kralpoora Budgam.
