Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Ever since last weekend, 12th august when i missed Abida Parveen's performance at Karachi Club, that has somewhat sparked a revival of my interest in qawwalis and folk music. I have always been a big fan of such stuff majorly because till the dawn of new millenium, we used to have annual qawwalis taking place at our home every shawwal. They were a HUGE affair and my nana used to look after the entire thing with much enthusiasm and verve. It used to be an open air thing which would go on right till fajar. Earlier, i just could not see the sense out of this and the whole salaami thing to qawwals seemed like a farce :p not only that, but people in trance and doing dhamaal and what not ... me being me, always thought its all playacting and dramay baazi, but as i later grew up and went on to appreciate and understand it better, i pretty much well can understand where did all that come from . Besides that, when abbu was working with Jinnah he used to be the head of cultural committee which organized various talent shows inviting singers like nayyara noor, alamgir, shayki, tina sani and numerous others. Now ... with a bit of history going on how do i like this stuff ... moving on to the contemporary times.

Well, Nusrat Fateh Ali khan brought the boom in qawwalis ever since `92 Worldcup and i ve been a lifelong fan. Possessing some of this old and all time classic works, he remains top of the line for me. But apart from Khan sahab, the other 2 are Abida Parveen (my dad's personal fav) and the phenomenal, fascinating, and enchanting - Aziz Mian late. Just the other day i bought few CDs, one was Abida performing at Royal Albert Hall in 2000 (Double CD) and the other one, 3 qawwalis from Aziz Mian.

Abida's collection is simply out of this world. Just no words can describe the serenity in her voice, the calm, the ebb and flow , i mean, it is just AWESOME ! As mentioned in New York Times, " Owner of one of the most remarkable voices on planet". That certainly is a fact nobody can deny who has seen her performing even once. The collection includes Man Kuntu, Jab say tu nay Mujhe Deewana , Raqs e bismal , Yar de Gharoli, Mast Qalander, Ishq Nacchaya , Meda Ishq, and so many other brilliant ghazals which make your mind go berserk !

Apart from Abida, there is this one man who was a genius, a gifted lyricist, and a vocalist second to none. Aziz Mian Qawwal was simply irresistable and the way he belted out classics after classics, it was a sheer treat and joy. His famous qawwalis, Mein Sharabi Sharabi and Teri Soorat Nigahoun Mein Phirtee rahey ... but for me , the real Gems were " haye Kambakht Tu nay Pee Hee Nahin' and above all , BEWAFA YOUN TERA MUSKURNA ! I mean .. Oh God ! it is just out of this mind ! You hear that once and go crazy ! ... Or rather let me put it this way, i have heard ALOT of music .. pop/rock and all that, alot of live performances, people know my U2 craze, but not alot of music really makes me want to head bang, but this stuff does. You know, i almost coined a new music genre, 'Sufi Trance Rock' - Now however one can interpret it, certainly not my problem but this stuff puts me thru a trance and as close to headbanging i can ever be ! Halka Halka Suroor, Haye Kambakht, Allah Hoo .... all of this made me realize and understand WHY people do dhamal and what is that pushing them towards it. it comes from within, it just kicks you from inside and you feel enchanted, captivated by it all. There is not a great deal of music going on, just VERY VERY strong lyrics, awesome vocals and the manner it is belted out - marvellous .

I wish i could transcribe the entire 'Bewafa Youn Tera Muskurana ... ' but i cannot, but before leaving ... will just leave a few lines ....

"Bewafa say bhi Piyar hota hai / Yar kuch bhi ho yar hota hai
Jo Haqeeqat mein Pyar Hota hai / Umar mein Eik Baar Hota hai
Bewafa Youn Tera Muskurana / Bhool Janay k Qabil nahin hai ... "


"Unn ka Bulanaa / Mera Na Janaa
Takay woh Mujhay Aur Manaaein
Bhool Janay k Qabil nahin hai ... "

I dont know if this will come across as as stunning or mindblowing as i ve been writing about, but believe me, once anybody listen to it ... it is just phenomenal.

Next time round, will write about the giant, the legend ... Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan . Stay tuned.

bono-fan left the ground at 12:04:00 PM
|

Monday, August 07, 2006

Its raining. I am scanning. Nightswimming playing. Swirling in my mind. time check : 3:06am.


Nightswimming - REM

Nightswimming deserves a quiet night
The photograph on the dashboard, taken years ago,
Turned around backwards so the windshield shows
Every streetlight reveals the picture in reverse
Still, it’s so much clearer
I forgot my shirt at the water’s edge
The moon is low tonight

Nightswimming deserves a quiet night
I’m not sure all these people understand
It’s not like years ago,
The fear of getting caught,
Of recklessness and water
They cannot see me naked
These things, they go away,
Replaced by everyday

Nightswimming, remembering that night
September’s coming soon
I’m pining for the moon
And what if there were two
Side by side in orbit
Around the fairest sun?
That bright, tight forever drum
Could not describe nightswimming

You, I thought I knew you
You, I cannot judge
You, I thought you knew me,
This one laughing quietly underneath my breath
Nightswimming

The photograph reflects,
Every streetlight a reminder
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night, deserves a quiet night

bono-fan left the ground at 3:01:00 AM
|

Friday, August 04, 2006

Alright, i need to blog. i need to blog about rain. i need to blog about U2. i need to blog about cricket.i need to blog about car(s), civic center and the khuwaree i had to endure all this while. i need to blog about karachi. i need to blog about songs. i need to blog about get togethers.i need to blog about birthdays. i need to blog about friends, and above all, i need to blog about a friend who came to karachi for the first time and made all us karachites her biggest fan, yes, i HAVE to blog about Sidra-h H-a-q-u-e. (note: sorry abid, i edited this since i hate how it pops on google search and directs people to my blog - me)

Well, its been a while but been really occupied with domestic chores going on at home with me being elevated to the status of chachu after 7 years as solely a mamu. yes ladies and gentlemen, as u can check out in an entry below, i became chachu for the first time on 16th July with the birth of my niece Hamna Fatima Hussain, whos a doll ! :D (for pics check flickr page). Aside from that, a shadi in khandan and relatives were over which kept me quite ocupied with that but then onwards everything was under control and going thru the motions. i got myself few new books, special mention have to be made regarding a most fantastic book BONO ON BONO - Mischka Assays, which is i think is a must read book. just btw, i only wonder if the publisher of that book pay a visit to Jumbo Book stall and what their reaction will be like when they see the book in its original hardback form and the price tag attached to it. I wont mention it over here, but my cousin was like ' abid bhai, bono ki YEH izzat hai pakistan mein ? ' and i could only laugh !!

Aside from that, its been rather quiet from U2 front but i only 2 days back got a news which made me jump out of my chair and scream u2 u2 u2 u2 & PEARL JAM ! yes baby YES !! U2 announced they are going to resume their Vertigo Tour down under which was previously postponed because of sudden illness in a band memeber's family. Now they are going to be back and guess what, mother of all concerts, the finale, december 8th at Aloha Stadium Hawaii - whos doing the intro you guess, PEARL JAM ! I mean, what a concert THAT is going to be !!! Vedder with Bono !! Daughter merging into Bad ? Black into One ? Jeremy into Streets ? the possibilities are just endless ! it is going to be one helluva thing and i am MOST eagerly looking forward for year end.

Cricket, i would have loved skipping this topic but since 3rd test is starting from tomorrow and all ican say is boby instill some confidence and steel back into the team which has carried them to 2nd ranking in ICC championships and not losing a test series since 2005 january. we were blown away in 2nd match but knowing pakistan, i can expect something miraculous as always, though extremely short on bowling resources but lets see, what goes tomorrow.

Now, few posts back i mentioned about car troubles i was having with my santro, so as things stand now, we decided to get ourselves another car and we eventually decided to buy my sister's corolla 2003 model and the transaction got completed last week and ever since i ve been consumed with that new car for 4 days straight. First it was a visit to civic center, has to be among one of the most unorganized, ill-mannered, indisicplned office in pakistan - wahan say went to get CNG kit installed which took such a long time ! and then on thursday 27th it was time to go and get trakker device installed in the car.

Now, that particular thursday is the time where my real thing starts, 27th july 2006 started one of the best week of my life, certainly.27th July is the birthday of my one and only celebrity friend, Insiya Syed ;) . Besides that, let me reveal it over here to everybody else, i ALREADY KNEW Sidrah is going to come, as a matter of fact, i was the only person who knew this whole plan beforehand so it wasnt a surprise to me that she landed in karachi that morning. Infact, i was quite waiting to know when she ll come and all. Anyhow, i went to get the trakker thing installed when sidrah told she has landed and upon asking where is she, as luck would have it, was quite literally TWO buildings away from where i was. So that kick started a mega good day with AWEEEEESSSOOOMMEEE weather which brought the FIRST rain in karachi this summer (something to do with ms. haque i guess) and i went up to meet her, after which i became guide for the first time in my life and took her to a flying visit and among other things, showed her 'THE CLIFTON BRIDGE' :p Later that day, went to Pizza hut for insi pinsi ki birthday and that was a blast - and guess who was the star of the evening, Mr John Louis Pinto, by a long distance !

Right - now after that, time litreally went past like a blur, ice cream at sheraton on friday night with my guest from lahore, lunch at espresso on saturday, where i was technically late with the ever wonderful Appa and sidrah, who i met after a LONG time and the fun we had discussing bihari wedding traditions and totally freaking out poor, puzzled Sidrah who couldnt understand what we 2 were on about :p then later malling around Park towers for the first time in my life and ofcourse, meeting up with the Syed family at indulge - marvellous i tell you !

Sunday i go to dreamworld with family and half meet/half see one of the most important person in my life, in SUCH A gorgeous weather, it was beyond words! Cricket that very evening with cousins where i kicked every single ass BIG TIME !I MEAN, how can u top a performance where you start your participation in the match by taking a hattrick frm first three balls you bowl and then steering your team to three consecutive victories. i tell you this much, i shud have been there at the manchester helping pakistan :p


and then ofcourse, THE TUESDAY. I really need not to say anything except that my companions from that day have already written in a much better way whatever happened, all i can say is - THANK YOU, Madiha, Insiya, Hira, Saphiya and ofcourse Sidrah, a BIG THANK YOU to ALL of you for the company - it was sheer pleasure being around. not to forget the unbelieveably amazing Chocolate cake at nandos later that night.

and now lastly, wednesday - where i get to meet Umar sahab again, in comical circumstances obviously, since i had my car keys locked up inside the car and all, and ofcourse, met ms. Khizra that day and became a fan immediately ! as they say in the books, literally bowled over ! the fact that you love matka jhatkas just makes you so much more precious ! :p


and lastly, today - when Sidrah's stay in karachi came to its end, but i am SO much looking forward for her next trip down to K-town, no question she is a lahorite and whatever, but i am certain she will definitely have good memories from her visit here, atleast i know for a fact that I simply had ball with her, be it driving around the city, going to beach, loving the wind, wishing if we could play tennis, having ice cream at sheraton, and ofcourse walking around park towers, choosing between sinatra and bombay vikings :p, plans to visit that underground eatery ;) and what not ! i guess just about that and everything else we did/talked about. All i can say is, Thank YOU SO much for coming. Thank you.

bono-fan left the ground at 2:39:00 AM
|