in bits and pieces
Vesiye Gulan aamay bahaar
Perhaps the best remembered song by Raj Begum. Lyrics by Maqbool Shah Qraalwari (1820–1876)
Here’s a cleared and voice enhanced version of the recording. [The original audio (probably from tape) was uploaded by Muneeb Haroon]
Video: Clipping from “Spring Comes to Kashmir” (1956)
Lyrics:
Muniwar, Srinagar
“Bandara” of late sufi poet Chan Rasool Mir
[text later]
Rashid Hafiz
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Here’s the 1974 recording of the musical extravaganza produced by J&K Cultural Academy and directed by Pran Kishore Kaul. Music is by flutist Virendra Mohan.
Uploaded by Ramesh Mehta
Hat Tip: Mrinal Kaul
“Ladakhi girls dancing at Nemu Camp, 18 miles before Leh. They have visited Punjab and hence their style of dress.” July 1949. Enaskshi Bhavnani for Photo Division India.
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| After the show Singers Hunder Nubra valley |
I asked them to sing a “Bodhi” song. They laughed and said,”Aap nay toh humay Bodh bana diya!”
They were Muslim, they sang love songs.
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Music courtesy of RaviMech Studio
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Although I have added captions to the video, here’s the listing details of 36 images provided by Michael Thomas.
1
00:00:05,000 –> 00:00:09,000
Srinagar, Kashmir – writing on side. 1903.
2
00:00:10,000 –> 04:06:40,000
Shepherdess, Kashmir. [Also, known as ‘the shepherd’s daughter”, from the book ‘The Charm of Kashmir’ (1920)]
3
00:00:29,400 –> 00:00:40,000
Mur Canal. Nalla-e-Mar.
4
00:00:46,000 –> 00:00:50,000
Nautch Girl
5
00:00:58,000 –> 00:01:04,000
A Kashmir Boat Girl
6
00:01:07,000 –> 00:01:20,000
A Boatman
7
00:01:22,000 –> 00:01:26,000
Kashmir Dungas
8
00:01:28,000 –> 00:01:34,000
Kashmir Woman Spinning
9
00:01:35,000 –> 00:01:45,000
A Peasant Girl, Kashmir
10
00:01:50,000 –> 00:01:54,000
Srinagar Above 7th Bridge, Kashmir
11
00:01:55,000 –> 00:01:59,000
Srinagar, River View from bridge
12
00:02:00,000 –> 00:02:11,000
Mar Canal
13
00:02:12,000 –> 00:02:16,000
Srinagar and bridge of Shops
14
00:02:18,000 –> 00:02:24,000
City and the third Bridge
15
00:02:26,000 –> 00:02:34,000
Shalamar Gardens
16
00:02:36,000 –> 00:02:42,000
Nishat Bagh
17
00:02:45,000 –> 00:02:47,000
Bara Mola (Baramulla/Varmul)
18
00:02:48,000 –> 00:02:53,000
A houseboat at Baramulla
19
00:02:55,000 –> 00:03:00,000
Town of Baramulla (Wrong caption, actually view of Srinagar)
20
00:03:03,000 –> 00:03:12,000
Dal Lake
21
00:03:16,000 –> 00:03:21,000
Crossing Woolar Lake
22
00:03:23,000 –> 00:03:30,000
Kashmir in Winter
23
00:03:34,000 –> 00:03:40,000
Srinagar, The Palace
24
00:03:43,000 –> 00:03:48,000
A Dungar or Kashmir Boat
25
00:03:50,000 –> 00:03:53,000
Lotus Lilies, Dhal Lake
26
00:03:56,000 –> 00:03:58,000
Photograph of Dal Lake. 1946.
27
00:04:01,000 –> 00:04:06,000
Boatman, Dall Lake
28
00:04:09,000 –> 00:04:14,000
Kashmir, Moonshee, Bach, Commissioner’s Boat
29
00:04:17,000 –> 00:04:23,000
Dall Lake. 1930
30
00:04:27,000 –> 00:04:31,000
The Presidency, Srinagar
31
00:04:33,000 –> 00:04:40,000
Srinagar, Another Bridge [Probably, Baramulla Bridge ]
32
00:04:43,000 –> 00:04:50,000
Gulmarg
33
00:04:54,000 –> 00:04:58,000
Pastoral View, Sind Valley
34
00:05:00,000 –> 00:05:03,000
Ladakhis and Yaks, Sind Valley
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Maybe, sometime soon I will make another presentation on the postcards in my collection.
On a side note, I wish more Kashmiris would start using captions for their video, especially on music video.
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| Kashmiri Pundit Playing the Flute Every Note in Kashmiri Music is overlaid with Grave Notes, to give brilliance to the performance Photograph by Pandit Vishinath Kampassi |
“The melodies belonging to the lakes and rivers are of course unlike those of the mountains. Never shall I forget the charm of being paddled in our shikara, one beautiful moonlight night on the Dal Lake in Kashmir, with our crew singing softly a well-known boatman’s song punctuated by the rhythemic stroke of the paddles. An equally idyllic memory springs to my mind of the fine forests on the mountainous sides of the Lolab valley, and, seated beneath the shade of a lofty pine, a slender stripling playing plaintively upon his simple wooden flageolet. This mournful melody was called “The Parrot” and its theme was a tale of a lady taken captive to Kashmir, who released her favourite parrot to carry a chenar leaf in its beak as a message to her lover. “
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| “Shikara” on the Dal Lake with Kashmiri Fluting A Shikara Ride on the Dal Lake, on a Beautiful Moonlight Night, with the Crew Singling Softly a Boatman’s Song Punctuated by the Rhythmic Stroke of the Paddles, Leaves an Idyllic Memory Photograph by Pandit Vishinath Kampassi |
Continuation from previous post related to Kashmiri songs by Chicago based band Lamajamal. This particular song stood out from the album.
The authentic Kashmiri version by Raaj Begum and Naseem Akhtar. The poet is Mirza Ghulam Hassan Beg Aarif, a scientist who wrote poetry. The ghazal was particularly popular on Radio Kashmir in 60s and 70s.
Lyrics shared by Abid Mohmood Shafiee (Thanks to Pickee Kaul for getting him to share it over at the Facebook page of this blog)
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Rum gayem sheehshass
begour govaa baane meoun
Sakiyaa, waiyieth rateyaa jaanaan meoun
Aaminee khaasen, thaevoemas mas barieth
Maetch be tas path, ye Aamni mastaani meoun
Sakiyaa, waiyeth rateyaa jaanaan meoun
Zev kaleyem , az kautin kadenum shaahas
Maetch be tas path, tasspatii mastaan meoun
Sakiyaa, waiyeeth rateyaa jaanaan meoun,
Ulfattche tal waahi kadneum, yaari aaem
Chaesmanan manz kusii wanies afsaane meoun
Sakiyaa, waiyeeth rateyaa jaanaan meoun,
Rum gayem sheehshass
Begour govaa baane meoun
Sakiyaa, waiyieth rateyaa jaanaan meon
Young Kashmiri Pandits singing it in Delhi!
Kashmiri folk songs by Chicago based band Lamajamal (arabic word for ‘beauty’) [Youtube]. The album ‘Saazuk Safar’ (2012) was commissioned by funkar.org. It’s like debut of Kashmiri music on modern world music scene. Listen to traditional sound in a new way…I particularly liked the tracks ‘Rum Gayam Sheeshus‘ (sung by Asal Monfared) and instrumental ‘Hay Vayas‘
Original version of ‘Rum ghyam sheeshas byegur gav bane myon‘ by Raaj Begum and Naseem Akhtar at Funkaar
Note: Repercussion of Kashmiri habit of not having any formal credit system for artistic works and too much dependence on oral culture, as no one introduces the poet before reciting his/her work: Four decades ago, the name of the poet who composed it and the song was on lips of every Kashmiri. Now, it took me hours to find the name of the poet who composed this ghazal. I finally found it in a book by S.L. Sadhu on Kashmiri literature published in 1974. The poet is Mirza Ghulam Hassan Beg Aarif.
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